Abstract: A mixture of aromatic hydrocarbons, comprising ethylbenzene and at least one xylene, is isomerized using a two reactor system to convert the ethylbenzene to compounds that may be removed from the aromatic hydrocarbon stream and to produce a product stream wherein the para-xylene concentration is approximately equal to the equilibrium ratio of the para-isomer. The catalyst present in the first reactor is one that is effective for ethylbenzene conversion with minimal xylene loss when operated under suitable conversion conditions, e.g., a catalyst comprising silica bound ZSM-5 that has been selectivated by one or more silicon impregnations or that has been coke selectivated. The catalyst present in the second reactor is one which is effective to catalyze xylene isomerization when operated under suitable conditions. Each of the catalysts of this invention may contain one or more hydrogenation or dehydrogenation components.

Abstract: A marine riser system for a bottom-supported platform which can be installed by divers without the use of J-tubes or I-tubes. A flowline, e.g. steel pipeline, is laid between a subsea well or the like, and a jacket of a bottom-supported platform. The free end of the flowline is curved upwardly in a catenary amd is attached to the jacket at a depth which is below the turbulence zone but is one which is substantially above the marine bottom; preferably at a depth at which divers can safely work. After the flowline is structurally attached to the jacket, the free end of the flowline is fluidly connected (e.g. by divers) to a substantially vertical riser section which is clamped within the jacket and which extends through the turbulence zone to the surface.

Abstract: A method for generating, recording and pre-processing high fidelity vibratory seismic data in a system that uses a plurality of vibratory sources includes the steps of measuring the motion of each of the vibrators, determining a ratio by dividing the vibratory seismic data by the measured motion of the vibrator to remove the unknown applied force leaving the earth reflectivity times a time derivative divided by a minimum phase function, minimum phase band pass filtering the resulting ratio and performing minimum phase deconvolution to remove the time derivative divided by the transfer function of minimum phase. The method may also include the steps of shot ensemble deconvolution, receiver ensemble deconvolution, statics correction, F-K filtering for noise, zero phase spiking deconvolution and model dephasing. A signal directly proportional to the actual signal that the vibrator is sending into the ground is used in pre-processing.

Abstract: A laminated multilayer film substrate for use in the production of banknotes includes a first layer comprises (a) a first layer having inner and outer sides, comprising at least about 50 weight percent of a high density polyethylene having a density of at least about 0.94, said first layer being oriented in the transverse direction (TD) to a degree which is at least three times greater than the degree of orientation present in the machine direction (MD);(b) a second layer having inner and outer sides, comprising at least about 50 weight percent of a high density polyethylene having a density of at least about 0.

Abstract: There is provided a process for the alkylation of toluene with ethylene to selectively produce para-ethyltoluene over a catalyst which has been selectivated by multiple treatments with a siliceous material.

Abstract: A catalyst composition for copolymerizing ethylene and alpha-olefins is prepared by treating a silica carrier, in a non-polar hydrocarbon solvent, with a dialkyl magnesium compound, a halogen-containing compound and titanium tetrachloride, to form a catalyst precursor and activating the precursor with dimethylaluminum chloride.Also disclosed is a process for copolymerizing ethylene and alpha-olefins in the presence of the catalyst of the invention. The polymer products have multimodal molecular weight distributions unlike unimodal molecular weight distributions of polymers prepared with similar catalyst precursors but activated with different alkylaluminum activators, e.g., triethylaluminum or trimethylaluminum.

Abstract: Solid, waxy 1-olefins may be converted to low viscosity liquid products by carrying out a double bond isomerization in the presence of a solid acidic catalyst such as an acidic clay or a zeolite under mild conditions. The olefin isomer products are useful in the formulation of well fluids such as drilling muds, especially useful in offshore drilling. The preferred oils for making up the well fluids are formulated with a hydrocarbon oil blend of the low viscosity olefin isomer together with a C.sub.12 to C.sub.18 paraffinic hydrocarbon of petroleum origin and a C.sub.10 to C.sub.32 olefin such as tetradecene-1. The fluids exhibit good biodegradability and are non-toxic to marine organisms; they also meet viscosity and pour points specifications for formulation into oil based muds.

Abstract: A method for extracting oil from oil-contaminated soil containing 2 to 5 wt. % oil, comprising contacting the oil-contaminated soil with a solvent in the presence of sonic energy in the frequency range of 0.5 to 2.0 kHz. Specifically, a solvent is first mixed with the oil-contaminated soil and the mixture is then formed into a slurry of oil-contaminated soil particles suspended in the solvent. Thereafter the oil-contaminated soil slurry is passed through a shaker screen to remove soil particles greater than 1/4 inch. The oil-contaminated soil slurry containing the smaller soil particles is then fed into the top of a vertically disposed, substantially rectangular shaped, hollow acoustic chamber of uniform cross-section. Fresh solvent is injected into the bottom of the acoustic chamber that flows upwardly through the acoustic chamber. The fresh solvent is injected at a rate low enough whereby the oil-contaminated soil particles fall by gravity through the upwardly flowing solvent.

Abstract: A uniaxially heat-shrinkable, biaxially oriented, multilayer film having a polypropylene-containing core layer comprising at least 70 wt % of said multilayer film and at least one polyolefin-containing skin layer adjacent said core layer is prepared by biaxially orienting a coextrudate and thereafter orienting said coextrudate by stretching 10 to 40% in the machine direction. The core layer contains isotactic polypropylene and a modifier which reduces the crystallinity of the polypropylene by increasing chain imperfections or reducing isotacticity of the polypropylene-containing core. Such modifiers can be selected from the group consisting of atactic polypropylene, syndiotactic polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, propylene-butylene copolymer, ethylene-propylene-butylene terpolymer, and linear low density polyethylene. The skin layer can be selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, ethylene-propylene copolymer, polyethylene, and ethylene-propylene-butylene terpolymer.

Abstract: A method and well tool for using a low-viscosity slurry to gravel pack an interval. The well tool is comprised of a conduit which includes a main screen and an upper by-pass screen. The tool is lowered into the interval and slurry is pumped into the annulus around the screen whereby the fluid from the slurry is lost into casing perforations while the gravel falls to the bottom of the annulus to form the gravel pack. When the gravel rises above the uppermost perforations, fluid from the slurry by-passes the gravel pack by flowing into the by-pass screen, through a washpipe in the conduit, and out the lower end of the main screen to thereby pack perforations in the casing and to improve the gravel distribution of the gravel pack within the annulus.

Abstract: This invention relates to use of a new and improved form of crystalline material identified as having the structure of SUZ-9 as a sorbent or a catalyst for organic compound, e.g., hydrocarbon compound, conversion.

Abstract: A process and system for prevention of fouling of pressure taps in a first gas phase fluidized bed polymerization reactor while avoiding sheeting during production of polyolefins in a second downstream gas phase fluidized bed polymerization reactor wherein a relatively small amount of water is added directly to the pressure taps of the first reactor.

Abstract: A method of producing a multilayer polymeric film is accomplished through the vapor deposition of a barrier coating onto an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer layer, which is adhered to a polymeric substrate. A multilayer polymeric film exhibiting barrier characteristics is also accomplished through the use of an ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer layer between a vapor deposited barrier coating and a polymeric substrate.

Abstract: A process for ethylbenzene production that involves contacting a hydrocarbon feedstream including benzene and ethylene, under alkylation conditions, with a catalytic molecular sieve which has been modified by being ex situ selectivated with a silicon compound. The ex situ selectivation involves exposing the molecular sieve to at least two selectivation sequences, each selectivation sequence comprising contacting the catalyst with a silicon compound followed by calcination. The modified catalyst used in the process may also be steamed. Optionally, the modified catalyst may be trim-selectivated.

Abstract: A mixture of aromatic hydrocarbons, comprising ethylbenzene and at least one xylene, is treated to convert the ethylbenzene to compounds that may be removed from the aromatic hydrocarbon stream and to isomerize any xylenes present. The ethylbenzene conversion catalyst is one that is effective for ethylbenzene conversion with minimal xylene loss, e.g., a silica bound intermediate pore size zeolite that has been selectivated. The xylene isomerization catalyst is one which is effective to catalyze xylene isomerization. Each of the catalysts of this invention may contain one or more hydrogenation or dehydrogenation components.

Abstract: A method for determining the efficiency of a carbon filter to absorb hydrocarbons from an organic amine solvent. After the solvent has passed through the filter, a sample is taken and passed through a standard gas chromatograph (GC) to measure the area counts for the hydrocarbons and the solvent. The sample does not have to have an internal standard added thereto nor does it have to be measured before it is run through the GC. The area counts are converted into actual amounts by using Reduction Factors taken from a specially-prepared calibration table. These amounts are normalized and added to give the total amount of hydrocarbons present in the solvent after it has passed through the carbon filter.

Abstract: There is provided a multizone catalytic process for the treatment of exhaust gas comprising nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide. In the multizone catalytic process, the exhaust gas is directed through a first zone, a second zone, and a third zone. The first zone comprises a catalyst that is effective for the three-way conversion of nitrogen oxides, hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide. The second zone comprises materials effective to sorb hydrocarbons, e.g., zeolites ZSM-5 and Beta, particularly iron modified zeolites ZSM-5 and Beta. The second zone is effective for the adsorption of hydrocarbons from the exhaust gas during the cold-start period of operation of an internal combustion engine. The third zone comprises a catalyst that is effective for the oxidation of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of producing an ex situ selectivated catalytic molecular sieve for shape selective aromatic alkylation in which a catalytic molecular sieve having a reduced activity is modified by being exposed to at least two selectivation sequences, each sequence includes contacting the molecular sieve with a selectivating agent and subsequently calcining the contacted molecular sieve. The present invention is also a method of producing an ex situ selectivated catalytic molecular sieve for shape selective aromatic alkylation in which a catalytic molecular sieve is modified by being exposed to at least two selectivation sequences and then reduced in activity. The ex situ selectivated catalytic molecular sieves may optionally be further modified by in situ trim selectivation. The present invention is also a process for shape selective aromatic alkylation utilizing the modified molecular sieves.

Abstract: A carbon coated polymeric film is produced by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition. An amorphous nylon layer having at least one exposed high energy surface is adhered to a polymeric substrate. Carbon is thereafter deposited on the exposed high energy surface by vapor deposition of a decomposable precursor in the presence of plasma.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new synthetic porous crystalline material, designated MCM-61, a method for its preparation and use thereof as a sorbent or in catalytic conversion of organic or inorganic compounds. The new crystalline material exhibits a distinctive X-ray diffraction pattern.