Abstract: A well site includes a wellbore extending from a surface to a target reservoir. A production tubing extends into the wellbore from the surface. The production tubing forms a flow conduit from the target reservoir to the surface. A pump is coupled to the production tubing to lift well fluids to the surface. A sand level device is coupled below the pump. The level device includes one or more transmitters to generate and transmit at least two signals down the wellbore and one or more receivers to receive the at least two signals reflected from a surface in the wellbore. A time duration of transmitting and receiving the at least two signals may correspond to a straight-line distance between the sand level device and the surface in the wellbore. The sand level device is configured to send an alarm when the straight-line distance does not suppress a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: An untethered downhole tool includes a first body, a second body, a logging sensor, a motor, and a controller. Each of the first and second bodies includes a housing that defines an inner volume and a magnetic anchor configured, in an active state, to attach the body to a wellbore tubular. The motor is attached to one of the first or second bodies and coupled to a spooler. The controller is communicably coupled to the motor and the first and second magnetic anchors. The controller is configured to adjust one of the first or second magnetic anchors from the active state to an inactive state; and activate the motor to operate the spooler to spool the cable from the spooler to increase a length of a portion of the cable between the spooler and the detached first or second body.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a multi-stage process for upgrading a mixed pyrolysis oil comprising polyaromatic compounds to benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) includes combining light pyrolysis oil with heavy pyrolysis oil to form the mixed pyrolysis oil; upgrading the mixed pyrolysis oil in a slurry-phase reactor zone to produce intermediate products, wherein the slurry-phase reactor zone comprises a mixed metal oxide catalyst; and hydrocracking the intermediate products in a fixed-bed reactor zone to produce the BTEX, wherein the fixed-bed reactor zone comprises a mesoporous zeolite-supported metal catalyst.

Abstract: A method includes drilling a wellbore into a subsurface using a drill bit and, for each of a plurality of depths of the drill bit in the wellbore, detecting, at each of a plurality of receiver stations located along a fiber optic cable disposed behind a casing string within the wellbore, a seismic signal created by the drill bit drilling the wellbore, sending an optical signal generated by the detection of the seismic signal from each of the plurality of receiver stations to an interrogator, sorting, using a computer processor, the optical signals by receiver station, and determining, using the computer processor, a seismic velocity using first breaks picked from the sorted optical signals.

Abstract: A method for obtaining a maximum horizontal stress at a depth of a geological formation, includes: setting an estimate SHmax of the maximum horizontal stress; conducting an elastoplastic modeling simulation of the geological formation around a wellbore with the estimate SHmax and obtaining a simulated value ?b,1 of a breakout angle, wherein the breakout angle is a half-width of a breakout region; and upon determining that the estimate ?b,1 is greater than or equal to a prescribed value and is different from a measured breakout angle ?b,m at the depth by more than a threshold value, repeatedly changing the estimate SHmax and conducting the elastoplastic modeling simulation.

Abstract: Systems and methods include a computer-implemented method for random selection and use of observation cells. Observation cells are randomly selected from a model of process-based reactive transport modeling (RTM). The observation cells are incorporated into a neural network for proxy modeling. A set of parameter-specific proxy models represented by a neural network is trained. Each parameter-specific proxy model corresponds to a specific RTM parameter from a set of RTM parameters. Blind tests are performed using the set of parameter-specific proxy models, where each blind test tests a specific one of the parameter-specific proxy models. Predictions are generated using the set of parameter-specific proxy models. 3-dimensional interpolation the observation cells is performed.

Abstract: A system for treatment of gasoline compression ignition engine exhaust includes components of a carbon monoxide absorber and a nitrogen oxide absorber, wherein nitrogen oxide comprises one or more compounds consisting of nitrogen and oxygen; an oxidation catalyst downstream of the carbon monoxide absorber; a close coupled reduction catalyst downstream of the nitrogen oxide absorber; an underfloor reduction catalyst downstream of the close coupled reduction catalyst; and an ammonia slip catalyst downstream of the underfloor reduction catalyst.

Abstract: Systems and methods for preparing a nanofluidic LCTEM cell are provided. An exemplary method includes coating a photoresist layer onto a top surface of a silicon nitride substrate; etching channels into the photoresist layer; depositing calcite into the etched channels; removing the photoresist; placing the cell on a holder; connecting a first end of an inlet line to the cell; connecting a second end of the inlet line to an ultrasound transducer configured to generate nanobubbles; and connecting an outlet line to the cell.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to acidizing retarder compositions and methods of reducing the rate of carbonate dissolution in carbonate acidizing treatments of carbonate formations using the acidizing retarder compositions. The methods may include dissolving one or more retarder compounds in a solution comprising a strong acid to form acidizing retarder compositions, and introducing the acidizing retarder compositions to carbonate formations. The acidizing retarder compositions may include one or more retarder compounds and a strong acid. At least one of the one or more retarder compounds may be a poloxamer. A concentration of the strong acid in the acidizing retarder composition may be 5 weight percent or greater.

Abstract: An integrated process and associated system for conversion of crude oil to value added petrochemicals. The process includes separating crude oil into light and heavy crude fractions and processing the heavy fraction in a solvent deasphalting unit and a delayed coker unit, and then providing the light fraction and selected effluents of the solvent deasphalting unit and the delayed coker unit to a hydrotreater. The process further includes separating the effluent of the hydrotreater to generate a C1 fraction passed to a methane cracker, a C2 fraction passed to an ethane steam cracker, a C3-C4 fraction passed to a dehydrogenation reactor, a hydrotreated light fraction passed to an aromatization unit, and a hydrotreated heavy fraction passed to a steam enhanced catalytic cracking unit. The process further includes separating effluents of the various unit operations into product streams including a BTX stream and a light olefin stream.

Abstract: Systems and methods of production for consistently sized and shaped optically anisotropic mesophase pitch from vacuum residue, one method including supplying processed vacuum residue to an extruder; heating the processed vacuum residue throughout a horizontal profile of the extruder from an inlet to an outlet of the extruder; venting hydrocarbon off-gases from the extruder along the horizontal profile of the extruder from the inlet to the outlet of the extruder; and physically shaping the consistently sized and shaped mesophase pitch at the outlet of the extruder for production of carbon fibers.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed for synthesizing materials, including an initial synthesis in the presence of WS-ODSO (which can include a pH-modified WS-ODSO composition, in certain embodiments a neutralized WS-ODSO composition), and one or more subsequent syntheses using supernatant (“mother liquor”) from a previous synthesis of the same or different materials. The synthesized materials in the initial synthesis and in subsequent synthesis can be the same or different inorganic oxide materials including amorphous oxides, crystalline oxides or oxides of metals. The methods advantageously reduce the amount of utility water required for synthesizing a material and reduce the water waste, and reduce the DSO waste from a refinery and discharge into the environment. In certain embodiments the methods reduce the requirements to procure an alkaline reagent required for synthesizing materials. In certain embodiments, supernatant can be recycled over multiple synthesis batches of the same or different type of material.

Abstract: A method of operating an engine includes operating the engine in first and second engine operating map regions by performing passive jet ignition combustion with a first stoichiometric fuel mixture and a first volume of residual gas. The engine is operated in a third engine operating map region by performing turbulent jet controlled compression ignition (TJCCI) with an ultra lean fuel mixture and a first volume of cooled exhaust gas recirculation, a fourth engine operating map region by performing passive jet ignition combustion with a third stoichiometric fuel mixture and a second volume of cooled exhaust gas recirculation, and a fifth engine operating map region, characterized by shutting off the engine. The engine is operated in a mode transition region between the second, third, and fourth engine operating map regions by performing passive jet ignition combustion with a second stoichiometric fuel mixture and a second volume of residual gas.

Abstract: Systems and methods include a computer-implemented method for handling loss circulation zones in wells. A tool is deployed on a work string. The tool includes isolation packers in an un-inflated state and a stinger in a closed position. The tool is run to a target depth along the work string. The isolation packers are inflated, setting the isolation packers in place adjacent to the stinger at the target depth. Circulation ports are opened after the isolation packers are inflated, exposing a diversion flow path. A cement slurry is pumped through the diversion flow path into a loss circulation zone. The circulation ports are closed after the cement slurry is pumped. The work string is disengaged from the stinger.

Abstract: A diverter agent includes a morpholinium based zwitterionic surfactant having a sulfonate terminal moiety; and an ammonium based zwitterionic surfactant.

Abstract: A composition for inhibiting corrosion in gas wells includes a pyrazolopyridine derivative. The pyrazolopyridine derivative includes a pyridyl moiety, a first pyrazole moiety, a second pyrazole moiety, and a phenyl moiety. The first pyrazole moiety is bound to the pyridyl moiety. The second pyrazole moiety is bound to the pyridyl moiety. The phenyl moiety is bound to the pyridyl moiety. The composition can be flowed into a wellbore formed in a subterranean formation, thereby inhibiting corrosion in the wellbore.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed. The method includes obtaining a first seismic dataset generated by a passive seismic source at a first epoch for an inter-wellbore region of interest lying between a first wellbore and a second wellbore. The first seismic dataset includes a first plurality of seismic traces recorded by a first optical fiber in the first wellbore and a second plurality of seismic traces recorded by a second optical fiber in the second wellbore. The method further includes determining a first virtual seismic dataset by applying seismic interferometry to the first seismic dataset. The method still further includes determining a first seismic velocity model for the inter-wellbore region of interest by applying seismic inversion to the first virtual seismic dataset.

Abstract: A system and method for providing real-time predictive carbon dioxide (CO2) corrosion rate modelling for an oil and gas operation facility includes a modeling system configured to receive dynamic process input data of the oil and gas operation facility, including data relating to CO2 inhibitor residuals of the oil and gas operation facility. The modeling system implements a semi-empirical real-time corrosion rate model and an injection control module operable to control an injection rate of CO2 inhibitor into a component of the oil and gas operation facility based on the semi-empirical real-time corrosion rate model.

Abstract: Method of producing a fuel oil comprising pyrolysis products from waste plastics includes conducting pyrolysis of a plastic feedstock to produce plastic pyrolysis oil; feeding the plastic pyrolysis oil to a first fractionator to separate the plastic pyrolysis oil into a distillate fraction and a topped pyrolysis product fraction split at a boiling point in the range of 80° C. to 250° C.; and feeding the topped pyrolysis product fraction along with other hydrocarbon streams to a fuel oil blending unit to generate a fuel oil product stream. An associated system for preparing a fuel oil comprising pyrolysis products from waste plastics is also provided.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automated first arrival picking are disclosed. The method includes obtaining a seismic dataset composed of a plurality of seismic gathers and determining a pilot for each gather, where the pilot includes a position on an ordinate axis for each seismic trace representing a first arrival. The method continues iteratively until a stopping criterion is met by creating a preconditioned gather using the pilot, determining a differential pilot using global path tracing subject to a constraint and incrementing the pilot using the differential pilot to create a total picked first arrival. Once the stopping criterion has been met, the method further includes determining a final picked first arrival based on the total picked first arrival, determining a seismic velocity model from the final picked first arrival using a tomographic inversion and creating a seismic image using the seismic velocity model and the seismic dataset.