Abstract: Disclosed is a method for modifying bentonite to allow the bentonite to be useful in drilling mud applications. The method includes the steps of: preparing bentonite local to Saudi Arabia using raw water to remove contaminants from the bentonite; grinding the bentonite to a fine powder; sieving the fine powder to be between about 50 ?m and about 150 ?m in particle size to produce a sieved fine powder; mixing the sieved fine powder with polyanionic cellulose polymer to produce a modified bentonite composition; adding the modified bentonite composition to water until a homogeneous solution of modified bentonite in water is formed; and allowing the homogeneous solution of modified bentonite in water to rest for about 16 hours to form a composition useful in drilling mud applications.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a housing defining a trailing end, a leading end and longitudinal axis extending therebetween, at least one relief channel extending longitudinally through the housing between the trailing end and the leading end thereof, the at least one relief channel defining an annular wall, a closure member disposed within the annular wall, the closure member operable to engage a first seat to prohibit fluid flow through the relief channel and operable to disengage the first seat to permit fluid flow through the relief channel, and an annular space defined between the closure member and the annular wall, the annular space exhibiting a smaller cross-section than regions of relief channel upstream and downstream of the closure member such that the annular space represents a constriction for fluid flow and the relief channel defines a venturi.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a method of controlling a flow of pipeline fluid through a pipeline pig that includes a bypass channel and at least one relief channel extending therethrough.

Abstract: A concentrated solar power (CSP) deliquification system for discouraging the accumulation of liquids in a wellbore includes a CSP heating subsystem, and an injection and recirculation subsystem. A working fluid is heated by the CSP heating subsystem and conveyed down-hole into the wellbore by the injection and recirculation subsystem. Heat is transferred from the working fluid to a production fluid within the wellbore, which facilitates maintenance of the production fluid in a gaseous or phase while in the wellbore.

Abstract: A system and a method for characterizing a crude oil sample from the weight and ultraviolet visible spectroscopy of the sample, including calculating a crude oil ultraviolet visible index and using the index to calculate the API gravity and the aromaticity of the sample.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for monitoring slug flow in subterranean wells. In one aspect, a method includes at a time instant, transmitting an acoustic signal across a cross-section of a pipeline flowing multiphase fluid including gaseous fluid and liquid fluid, wherein a portion of the acoustic signal is carried through the cross-section of the pipeline by the multiphase fluid and determining, at the time instant, a first quantity of the gaseous fluid and a second quantity of the liquid fluid passing the cross-section of the pipeline based, in part, on an energy of the portion of the acoustic signal carried through the cross-section and at least a portion of a total energy of the transmitted acoustic signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the desalination of water are disclosed. A system includes a concentrated solar power (CSP) system, the CSP system operable to concentrate solar energy to increase temperature and pressure of a heat transfer fluid and operable to produce steam utilizing heat from the heat transfer fluid; a photovoltaic (PV) system, the PV system operable to collect solar energy to produce electricity; a desalination system in fluid communication with the CSP system and in electrical communication with the PV system, the desalination system operable to produce desalinated water from a salt water source utilizing the steam from the CSP system and electricity from the PV system; and a pump station in fluid communication with the CSP system and the desalination system, and in electrical communication with the PV system, the pump station operable to transmit the desalinated water to consumers for use.

Abstract: A classification scheme for classifying sized bridging materials is disclosed. The scheme identifies a durability metric for the sized bridging materials. The scheme then identifies a value range having a higher relative strength and a lower relative strength. The sized bridging materials may then be tested according to the durability metric and associated with a relative strength based on the durability metric determined during the test.

Abstract: An integrated slurry hydroprocessing and steam pyrolosyis process for the production of olefins and aromatic petrochemicals from a crude oil feedstock is provided. Crude oil, a steam pyrolysis residual liquid fraction and slurry reside are combined and treated in a hydroprocessing zone in the presence of hydrogen under conditions effective to produce an effluent having an increased hydrogen content. The effluent is thermally cracked with steam under conditions effective to produce a mixed product stream and steam pyrolysis residual liquid fraction. The mixed product stream is separated and olefins and aromatics are recovered and hydrogen is purified and recycled.

Abstract: A method for upgrading a petroleum feedstock using a supercritical water petroleum upgrading system includes introducing the petroleum feedstock, water and an auxiliary feedstock. The method includes operating the system to combine the petroleum feedstock and the water to form a mixed petroleum feedstock and introducing separately and simultaneously into a lower portion of an upflowing supercritical water reactor. The auxiliary feedstock is introduced such that a portion of a fluid contained within the upflowing reactor located proximate to the bottom does not lack fluid momentum. An embodiment of the method includes operating the supercritical water petroleum upgrading system such that the upflowing reactor product fluid is introduced into an upper portion of a downflowing supercritical water reactor. The supercritical water petroleum upgrading system includes the upflowing supercritical water reactor and optionally a downflowing supercritical water reactor.

Abstract: Time lapse or 4D seismic data are corrected for geologic overburden and seismic recording system effects. The data from a survey at one time of interest is processed within a selected frequency band and the reservoir level is normalized by the overburden. The results are used to extract reservoir amplitudes from the data of that same survey. Frequencies where overburden signal-to-noise ratios vary dramatically between time lapse surveys may then be avoided in processing of data from the area of interest.

Abstract: A vibrator tool for use in inserting a bottom hole assembly into a wellbore. The vibrator tool includes a substantially cylindrical body, a motor within the substantially cylindrical body, and a non-linear shaft attached to the motor so that the motor turns the non-linear shaft. The non-linear shaft extends outwardly from the motor within the substantially cylindrical body. The vibrator tool further includes a bearing attached to the shaft a predetermined distance from the motor so that the bearing rotates as the non-linear shaft turns. The bearing contacts portions of the inner surface of the cylindrical body as the non-linear shaft turns, thereby vibrating the substantially cylindrical body.

Abstract: An analytical system and method for periodically monitoring an injection water distribution pipeline for the presence and concentration of formaldehyde or other aldehyde-functional biocide includes pumps, one of which provides a predetermined volume of injection water drawn from the pipeline at a sampling point and the other a predetermined volume of a reagent, preferably a buffered solution of dimedone, from a reagent storage vessel which are mixed and then heated in a chamber to a predetermined temperature to promote formation of any reaction products. The heated reaction mixture is passed to a detection cell and exposed to light of predetermined wavelength which, in accordance with the Hantzsch reaction, molecules having an aldehyde functional group that reacted with dimedone produce a fluorescence-emitting reaction product, the intensity of which is measured and compared to data previously obtained from standard aldehyde-containing solutions.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards methods for preparing mixed-metal oxide particles by heating adamantane-intercalated layered double-hydroxide (LDH) particles at a reaction temperature of from 400° C. to 800° C. to form mixed-metal oxide particles. The adamantane-intercalated LDH particles have a general formula [M1-xAlx(OH)2](A)x.mH2O, where x is from 0.14 to 0.33, m is from 0.33 to 0.50, M is chosen from Mg, Ca, Co, Ni, Cu, or Zn, and A is adamantane carboxylate, and an aspect ratio greater than 100. The aspect ratio is defined by the width of an adamantane-intercalated LDH particle divided by the thickness of the adamantane-intercalated LDH particle. The mixed-metal oxide particles comprise a mixed-metal oxide phase containing M, Al or Fe, and carbon.

Abstract: A flow redox battery system including an electrochemical cell, an anolyte tank, a catholyte tank, a first anolyte carrier slurry, a second anolyte carrier slurry, a first catholyte carrier slurry, a second catholyte carrier slurry, and a power generation circuit. An ion-exchange membrane is electrochemically engaged with an anode and a cathode. The power generation circuit is electrically coupled to the anode and the cathode. The anolyte tank is fluidly coupled to the anode and the catholyte tank is fluidly coupled to the cathode. The first anolyte carrier slurry includes a density less than a density of the second anolyte carrier slurry and an electronegativity different than an electronegativity of the second anolyte carrier slurry. Further, the first catholyte carrier slurry includes a density less than a density of the second catholyte carrier slurry and an electronegativity different than an electronegativity of the second catholyte carrier slurry.

Abstract: An oil-based drilling fluid and method of preparing an oil-based drilling fluid are disclosed. The oil-based drilling fluid comprising a base oil continuous phase, an aqueous discontinuous phase, and at least one rheology modifier. The at least one rheology modifier including an alkaline-earth diamondoid compound. The method of preparing the oil-based drilling fluid including mixing a base oil, at least one emulsifier, and at least one wetting agent to form a first mixture, adding and mixing at least one rheology modifier into the first mixture to form a second mixture, adding and mixing at least one fluid-loss control additive into the second mixture to form a third mixture, adding and mixing a brine solution into the third mixture to form a fourth mixture, and adding and mixing a weighting additive into the fourth mixture to form the oil-based drilling fluid.

Abstract: A method for preparing a magnesium adamantane carboxylate salt is provided. The method includes mixing a magnesium salt and a diamondoid compound having at least one carboxylic acid moiety to form a reactant mixture and hydrothermally treating the reactant mixture at a reaction temperature for a reaction time to form the magnesium adamantane carboxylate salt.

Abstract: A method for preparing a transition-metal adamantane carboxylate salt is presented. The method includes mixing a transition-metal hydroxide and a diamondoid compound having at least one carboxylic acid moiety to form a reactant mixture, where M is a transition metal. Further, the method includes hydrothermally treating the reactant mixture at a reaction temperature for a reaction time to form the transition-metal adamantane carboxylate salt.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed to adamantane-intercalated layered double-hydroxide (LDH) particles and the methods of producing adamantane-intercalated LDH particles. The method comprises adding to an aqueous solution a first precursor and a second precursor to form an initial mixture, where the first precursor is Al(OH)3 or Al2O3, the second precursor is a hydroxide M(OH)2 or an oxide MO, where M is a metal of oxidation state +2; and the initial mixture has a M/Al molar ratio of from 1 to 5. The method also comprises adding to the initial mixture an amount of adamantane to form a reaction mixture having an Al/adamantane molar ratio of from 0.5 to 2; and heating the reaction mixture to produce adamantane-intercalated LDH particles, where the adamantane-intercalated LDH particles have aspect ratios greater than 100.

Abstract: Petroleum oil is catalytically cracked by contacting oil with catalyst mixture consisting of a base cracking catalyst containing an stable Y-type zeolite and small amounts of rare-earth metal oxide, and an additive containing a shape-selective zeolite, in an FCC apparatus having a regeneration zone, a separation zone, and a stripping zone. Production of light-fraction olefins is maximized by applying appropriate process control, monitoring, and optimizing systems. Mathematical process models, including neural networks, statistical models and finite impulse models are used in conjunction with advanced controllers and optimizing routines to calculate optimal settings for various parameters. Process model and historical data to test a predictive system can provide early warning of potential performance degradation and equipment failure in the FCC unit, decreasing overall operating costs and increasing plant safety.