Abstract: A method for producing hydrocarbons, comprising: (I) subjecting to a reduction treatment a catalyst comprising a carrier having provided thereon: 0.1 to 10% by mass of at least one metal selected from an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, a rare earth metal and the Group III in the periodic table and 1 to 30% by mass of ruthenium, each based on the catalyst weight, the carrier comprising an aluminum oxide and a manganese oxide having an average number of charges of manganese of exceeding Mn2+, and the catalyst having a specific surface area of from 60 to 350 m2/g and a bulk density of from 0.8 to 1.8 g/ml; (II) dispersing the catalyst in liquid hydrocarbons in a concentration of from 1 to 50 w/v %; and (III) bringing the catalyst into contact with a gas mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide at a pressure of from 1 to 10 MPa, and (i) at a reaction temperature of from 170 to 300° C.

Abstract: An insert chip of an oil-drilling tricone bit includes an insert-chip substrate made of a cemented carbide of a first composition, and further includes a cemented carbide coating layer constituted of at least two stacked coating layers made of a cemented carbide of a composition different from the first composition. The cemented carbide coating layer covers the whole of a cutting edge of the insert-chip substrate. The coating layers each have a thickness, at a tip portion of the cutting edge, in a range from 0.1 mm to 2.5 mm, and the total thickness of the cemented carbide coating layer is in a range from 1 mm to 5 mm. The coating layers include an outermost cemented carbide layer and at least one intermediate coating layer in addition to the outermost cemented carbide layer, and the outermost cemented carbide layer has a hardness higher than that of the at least one intermediate coating layer and of the insert-chip substrate.

Abstract: A porous preform (carrier) is soaked in an impregnating solution, which contains both of a catalytic-activity constituent, e.g. Ni and/or Co, and a carrier-forming constituent, e.g. Mg, Al, Zr, Ti and/or Ca, so as to simultaneously infiltrate the catalytic-activity and carrier-forming constituents into the porous preform. The impregnated preform is dried, calcined at a temperature of 700° C. or higher and then activated at a temperature of 500° C. or higher, whereby fine catalytic-activity particles are distributed on a surface of the porous carrier with high dispersion. Due to finely-distributed catalytic-activity particles, the surface of the catalyst is prevented from deposition of carbonaceous matters during reformation of hydrocarbon and held in an active state over a long term.

Abstract: A pressure and temperature core sampler comprises a tool for recovering cores specifically enabling the evaluation of methane hydrate resources. Because methane hydrate tends to decompose under conditions of pressure decrease and/or temperature increase as the samples are retrieved to the surface, a coring tool in accordance with the present invention provides a self-contained system for retrieving core samples at or near in situ pressure while cooling the core sample. The coring tool is preferably a wire line retrievable device that provides for nearly continuous coring during the drilling operation.

Abstract: A bit apparatus in which a cutter member having cutting teeth is axially supported on a shaft for rotation about the shaft, and a bearing mechanism is interposed between the cutter member and the shaft. The bearing mechanism includes at least a radial bearing for bearing a radially directed load and a thrust bearing for bearing an axially directed load. The radial bearing has a shaft-side split bearing member and a cutter-side split bearing member that are opposed to or in sliding contact with each other and capable of rotating relative to each other.

Abstract: An acoustic wave transmission system comprises an acoustic wave generating metal tubular member for converting information about the bottom of a borehole, which is obtained by a bottom hole sensor, into an acoustic wave. The acoustic wave generating metal tubular member includes a acoustic wave generating mechanism having at least a magnetostrictive oscillator which is mounted in a recess formed in an outer wall of the acoustic wave generating metal tubular member, and on which a compressive load is imposed by means of a pre-load mechanism using a vise. The magnetostrictive oscillator is constructed of a stack of thin plates each made of a metal magnetostrictive material having a property of increasing its dimensions when magnetized, the thin plates being bonded together by a heat-resistant adhesive. The magnetostrictive oscillator can thus have a buckling strength large enough to resist the compressive load imposed thereon by the pre-load mechanism and a stress due to a strain caused in itself.

Abstract: A ship type floating oil production system for access to subsea wells through installation of surface wellheads on a ship type surface vessel on the sea comprises a cylindrical turret moored to a seabed is located within a moon pool formed in the ship type surface vessel such that the ship type surface vessel is freely rotatable about the cylindrical turret. A plurality of riser pipes have a rigid structure and extend downward to subsea wells through the cylindrical turret, and each riser pipe is provided at its top portion with a surface wellhead including valves of the riser pipe. Accordingly, workover operations can be facilitated as needed by running workover tools through the surface wellhead of the corresponding riser pipe through use of a work-over-rig installed on the ship type surface vessel.

Abstract: A sealed neutron tube is provided, in which an insulating structure is designed to be solid to enhance the shock-proof performance thereof, an ion beam drawn out from an ion source is pulsated more rapidly, and the lifetime of a target is increased without substantially increasing the filling amount of the Tritium. The sealed neutron tube (1) includes a metal housing (20), an ion source (5) disposed and sealed within the metal housing for ionizing a Deuterium gas, an accelerating electrode (4) charged with a high voltage, disposed and sealed within the metal housing and facing the ion source, and a target (3) disposed within the accelerating electrode and absorbing Tritium and the like therein. An outer wall (20) is constructed by a metal housing, and a ceramic insulating member (11) is disposed within the metal housing. Since the accelerating electrode is held by this insulating member, the outer wall of the sealed neutron tube has enhanced shock-proof performance.

Abstract: A rotary shaft assembly including a mechanism by which one part of the shaft rotates about a rotation axis which is controllably deviated from the rotation axis of the other part of the shaft. The angular extent of deviation is controllably varied by mutually rotating adjacent shaft supports about an axis which is at a non-zero angle with respect to both rotation axes. The direction in which the shaft is deviated is controlled by rotating the non-deviated shaft support with respect to a reference shaft support. The assembly includes remote control of direction and deviation and is is particularly applicable to drilling of deviated wells. Further, the assembly includes a remotely actuated and de-actuated temporary anchoring system for downhole direction sensing and deviation adjustment.

Abstract: A device for controlling the drilling direction of drills includes a cylinder-type housing 6, a first ring-formed component 11 which is located on an inner peripheral surface that is eccentric with respect to the cylinder-type housing 6, a second ring-formed component 12 which is located on the inner peripheral surface that is eccentric with respect to the circular inner surface of the first ring-formed component 11, and hollow-type harmonized reduction gears 13,14 which rotate the first and second ring-formed components 11,12 relatively around their respective centers. A resolver is positioned between the first and second ring-formed components 11,12 and the hollow-type harmonized reduction gears 13,14 to detect the rotating angular position of the first and second ring-formed components 11,12. A fulcrum bearing 8 of the rotating shaft 2 is located at a midpoint between the drill bit and the first and second ring formed components 11,12.

Abstract: Apparatus for determining the density of underground formations surrounding a borehole, such as a wireline logging tool or a logging-while-drilling tool, includes a neutron source for irradiating the formations from within the borehole and at least one detector which detects neutrons and gamma rays in the borehole resulting from the irradiation of the formations with neutrons. Multiple detectors can also be used to separately detect neutrons and gamma rays. Detected neutron and gamma ray signals are each analyzed and combined to determine the density of an earth formation.

Abstract: The following steps are conducted for producing a hydrocarbon having a carbon number of at least 2: a coupling step, in which a coupling feed gas containing methane and a gas containing oxygen are supplied to a conveying catalyst bed which is formed by an ascending stream which contains a catalyst, and then methane and oxygen are allowed to react so as to produce a coupling product gas; a catalyst separation step for separating the catalyst from the coupling product gas; and a catalyst feedback step for feeding back the thus-separated catalyst to the coupling step. Accordingly, the reaction system does not accumulate excessive heat, the combustion reaction as a side reaction is hindered, and the selectivity of the coupling reaction is enhanced. In addition, the yield of the hydrocarbon having a carbon number of at least 2 is improved.

Abstract: An apparatus for oxidative coupling of methane having a coupling reactor in the shape of a vertical pipe, a gas-solid separator, a catalyst feedback system and, between the gas-solid separator and catalyst feedback system, a catalyst cooling system for cooling the catalyst.

Abstract: An information transmitting apparatus using a tube includes a magnetostrictive vibrator to generate a first elastic wave depending upon underground information, a resonance tube body resonating with the elastic wave to generate a second elastic wave having a natural frequency, and a drill string to propagate the second elastic wave, thereby permitting a long transmission distance.

Abstract: An organic substance analyzing method is disclosed. A sample container 21 charged with a granulated rock sample is installed in a thermal cracking furnace 1. The thermal cracking furnace 1 is connected to a vacuum suction line 27 to be evacuated until a substantial vacuum is created therein, whereupon the furnace is closed. The closed thermal cracking furnace is rapidly heated to a first temperature at which hydrocarbons are more or less cracked but inorganic carbonates are not decomposed. The thermal cracking furnace is maintained at this temperature for a fixed time and then is cooled to a temperature at which the hydrocarbons in the thermal cracking furnace do not react with air. Then the furnace is connected to an air supply line 29 and an exhaust line 35 to pass the produced gases in the furnace to a hydrocarbon detector 34 and a CO.sub.2 detector 33. From the output signals therefrom, HC peak P1 and CO.sub.2 peak P3 are found and recorded.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus capable of measuring the density of steam within a steam pipe even in limited environmental conditions such as in a steam injection well. A vessel which accommodates therein first and second neutron detectors disposed in mutual longitudinal alignment with a neutron source interposed therebetween and in which the second detector is covered with a neutron shield capable of absorbing thermal neutrons while allowing epithermal neutrons to penetrate therethrough is inserted into the steam pipe together with a thermal neutron shielding sheet completely encircling the vessel. From the neutrons which were emitted from the neutron source and passed out and back through the neutron shield and the steam region, those epithermal neutrons which have not undergone transformation to thermal neutrons within the steam region are detected by both the first and second detectors, while the thermal neutrons resulting from the transformation are detected by the first detector only.

Abstract: A receiving apparatus for receiving information transmitted from a bottomhole to a surface by means of electromagnetic waves. The receiving apparatus includes a receiving antenna for receiving a transmitted signal from the bottomhole, a noise detector for detecting noise current received by the receiving antenna, and a noise canceller for removing noise components received by the receiving antenna by comparing an output signal from the receiving antenna and an output signal of the noise detector. The noise canceller is a noise canceller using parallel adaptive filters, and includes a plurality of adaptive filters arranged in parallel fashion, an adder for summing output signals of the plurality of adaptive filters, and a subtracter for subtracting an output signal of the adder from a main input signal.

Abstract: A swivel joint for connecting fluid pipes includes a plurality of elements placed one upon another. Each element includes a cylindrical stationary portion and a cylindrical rotatable portion surrounding the stationary portion and supported rotatably thereon by a pair of vertically spaced apart sliding bearings. The two portions define therebetween an annular fluid passage having a fluid inlet to which a pipe is connected and a fluid outlet to which another pipe is connected. The rotatable portion has a pair of inclined edge surfaces. Each bearing has an inclined edge surface which is complementary to one of the inclined edge surfaces of the rotatable portion and which cooperates therewith to align the axis of rotation of the rotatable portion with the center of the stationary portion. The two portions have therebetween a clearance for absorbing any positional variation by thermal expansion thereof relative to each other.