Abstract: Apparatus and methodologies of mining hydrocarbons from a target area within a subterranean formation, wherein a first phase involves providing at least one production well having at least one mechanical excavator rotatably disposed therein and rotating the mechanical excavator to convey the mined hydrocarbons from the formation to the surface, and a second phase involves, as the hydrocarbons being mined are depleted, withdrawing the mechanical excavator away from the formation, such that additional hydrocarbons are mined.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are in situ waste remediation methods and systems configured to hydraulically isolate waste material from groundwater. Methods for enclosing and/or remediating waste impoundments, landfills and the like using discrete in situ solidification/stabilization techniques are provided. The disclosed methods and systems provide containment techniques to create a vertical barrier to further isolate waste from groundwater and enhance geotechnical stability by increasing embankment strength, reducing saturated conditions and increasing the overall factor of safety for slope failure.

Abstract: An evacuated tube solar thermal collector uses a set of evacuated solar thermal collector tubes in heat exchanging contact with a fluid flowing through a header tube. Two heat pipes are provided in each evacuated thermal collector tube, and the condenser ends of the heat pipes are positioned in the header tube with a spacing that provides improved heat transfer from the heat pipes to the header tube. When 14 mm heat pipes contained in 58 mm collector tubes are used in a header tube having a capacity of about 0.5 gallons with a heat transfer liquid that is flowing at a rate of about 0.3 gpm, the spacing between heat pipes in each collector tube is about 24 mm, center to center, and the spacing between corresponding heat pipes of immediately-adjacent collector tubes is about 80 mm.

Abstract: An evacuated tube solar thermal collector uses a set of evacuated solar thermal collector tubes in heat exchanging contact with a fluid flowing through a header tube. Two heat pipes are provided in each evacuated thermal collector tube, and the condenser ends of the heat pipes are positioned in the header tube with a spacing that provides improved heat transfer from the heat pipes to the header tube. When 14 mm heat pipes contained in 58 mm collector tubes are used in a header tube having a capacity of about 0.5 gallons with a heat transfer liquid that is flowing at a rate of about 0.3 gpm, the spacing between heat pipes in each collector tube is about 24 mm, center to center, and the spacing between corresponding heat pipes of immediately-adjacent collector tubes is about 80 mm.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a comprehensive, efficient, and cost effective portable evaporator unit, method, and system for the treatment of brine. The evaporator unit, method, and system require a pretreatment process that removes heavy metals, crude oil, and other contaminates in preparation for the evaporator unit. The pretreatment and the evaporator unit, method, and system process metals and brine at the site where they are generated (the well site). Thus, saving significant money to producers who can avoid present and future increases in transportation costs.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for on-site treatment and reclamation of oil and gas well waste water or fracturing fluids. The mobile treatment process and apparatus provide both chemical precipitation and filtration to treat the drilling fluid waste to a technically and environmentally acceptable level allowing for reuse. Alkaline treating agents are applied to the drilling waste fluids, as they are pumped through the treatment apparatus, to increase the pH of the fluid waste to a preferred pH range and to also cause selective soluble contaminants in the fluids to form a precipitate. The waste fluid is allowed to clarify as the precipitate of insoluble contaminants, through flocculation, settle and form a sludge at the bottom of the drilling pit. The clarified fluids are then filtered to satisfy applicable industry and environmental requirements.

Abstract: A medical consultation support system in which a client computer is employed transfer a structured request for consultation from a primary care physician to a supervisory host computer. The structured request may be accompanied by additional information related to the request, forming a transmittable, machine-readable collection of information relating to the consultation request. At the supervisory computer, the request is displayed for preliminary review by a receiving staff physician who designates specialist and retrieves selected supporting documentation which is related to the current consultation request from one or more databases of medical information accessible to the supervisory host computer. The supervisory computer then transmits the request for consultation, together with at least an identification of the selected supporting documentation, to the selected specialist for review, and thereafter receives the responsive comment from the selected specialist.

Abstract: A system is provided for processing matrices of data on an accelerted basis by iterative procedures that significantly reduce the number of steps required to access, move and computationally process the data, achieving significant improvements in operational efficiency. Such acceleration is applicable to, and useful in conjunction with assembly of the data, in performing both spatial filtration and temporal filtration (24) of the assembled data, and in processing the data, once acquired. In general, this is accomplished through optimization of the procedures (i.e. routines) used to handle the data so that significant increases in signal-to-noise ratio and overall processing speed are achieved. Such optimization is accomplished by replacing procedurally intensive routines (in terms of memory movements and computational steps) with more efficient routines for achieving a similar result.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for forming lightweight aggregate pellets having a density of less than about 60 lbs./ft..sup.2. The first step of the process is to form an admixture which includes fly ash, cement and filler. By weight percent of the admixture formed, the admixture includes greater than 60% fly ash, 1-25% cement and 1-10% filler. Water and a chemical accelerator are added to the admixture in a pelletizing device. By weight percent of the aggregate formed, about 1 to 18% water is added and between about 0 and 3% chemical accelerator is added by weight of the cement used in the admixture. The aggregate pellets are then removed from the pelletizing device and cured with an oxygen containing gas, such as air, at a temperature of less than about 300.degree. F.

Abstract: A light-weight aggregate, for use in production of light-weight structural products, composed of a self-hardening fly ash, a surfactant foam, and optionally an accelerator and additives. The self-hardening fly ash is preferably class C fly ash formed by the combustion of sub-bituminous coal from the Power River Basin. The surfactant foam is preferably an anionic sulfate surfactant foam. The accelerator is preferably an extract of silica fume dust. The additives may include magnesium and boron compounds, other fly ashes, light-weight fillers, polymers, cement and magnesium silicate and like materials.

Abstract: This disclosure is concerned with the hydraulic lifting or conveying of fluids and any bodies carried therewith, such as solid minerals in ocean mining and the like, from depths far greater than the maximum suction heights of pumps and the like, by a partially gas-filled submerged chamber suspended from a stable surface platform and connected to the open environment by means of pipes connected to a buoy, equipped with pumps, and connected to pipes of smaller cross-section extending to the required depth, with the fluid level in the submerged chamber so deep under the ocean surface that the pressure difference between the inside of the chamber and the surrounding water is greater than the pressure drop caused by the transport of fluid and solid material through the pipe from its lower end to the chamber, and with the materials subsequently transported in nearly neutrally buoyant containers, guided by a paravane.