Abstract: The invention provides a process for the preparation of glycols from a saccharide-containing feedstock in a reactor system, said process comprising: i) providing a first feed stream comprising said saccharide-containing feedstock in a first solvent at a N temperature of no more than 160° C.; ii) providing a second feed stream comprising a tungsten-based retro-aldol catalytic species and an alkali metal containing species in a second solvent at a temperature in the range of from 150 to 250° C.; iii) combining the first feed stream and the second feed stream, before they are provided to the reactor system, to form a combined feed stream; iv) providing the combined feed stream to the reactor system and operating the reactor at a temperature in the range of from 150° C. to 250° C.; and v) also contacting the combined feed stream with a hydrogenation catalytic species in the presence of hydrogen, wherein the molar ratio of alkali metal:tungsten in the combined feed stream is in the range of from 0.55 to 6.

Abstract: A chemical probe composition comprising a base fluid and a chemical probe, wherein the chemical probe is capable of reacting with hydrogen sulfide to form a fluorophore and associated methods and systems.

Abstract: A hydrocarbon conversion catalyst composition which comprises dealuminated ZSM-48 and/or EU-2 zeolite and a refractory oxide binder essentially free of alumina, processes for preparing such composition and processes for converting hydrocarbon feedstock with the help of such compositions.

Abstract: A hybrid push and pull method for expanding a tubular in a wellbore utilizes an expansion assembly with a sealed and another, optionally expandable, cone, wherein during at least part of the expansion process the sealed cone is moved up through the tubular by a combination of push and pull forces and the push force is generated by pumping fluid at an elevated pressure into a space between the bottom plug and the expansion assembly. This allows staged expansion of the tubular in a hard rock formation and/or of a tubular surrounded by a hardened cement lining and/or of a pair of partially overlapping nested tubular ends.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of glycols from a saccharide-containing feedstock comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a reaction mixture in a reactor vessel comprising the saccharide-containing feedstock, a solvent, a catalyst component with retro-aldol catalytic capabilities and a first hydrogenation catalyst comprising an element selected from groups 8, 9 and 10 of the periodic table; (b) supplying hydrogen gas to the reaction mixture in the reactor vessel; (c) monitoring the activity of the first hydrogenation catalyst; (d) preparing a second hydrogenation catalyst by contacting in a reactor a catalyst precursor comprising one or more elements selected from chromium and groups 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the periodic table with hydrazine to convert the catalyst precursor into the second hydrogenation catalyst; (e) when the hydrogenation activity declines, supplying the second hydrogenation catalyst to the reactor vessel to supplement the declined hydrogenation activity in the reactor vessel.

Abstract: A system for radially expanding a tubular element (2) in an underground borehole (3) comprises an expansion string (16) extending into the tubular element (2) and including an expander (27) and a jack device (24) for pulling the expander (27) through the tubular element (2) so as to radially expand the tubular element (2). The jack device (24) is provided with an anchor (28) having at least one slip element (50) adapted to be radially moved against the inner surface of the tubular element (2). A cage (14) is positioned above the tubular element (2), which cage (14) is surrounded by a cylindrical wall and adapted to receive the anchor (28) and to be radially expanded by the anchor (28) against said cylindrical wall.

Abstract: A buoyant offshore structure, comprising a hull element (6a) having an inner space (10), a surface end (12) and an underwater end (14); and at least one storage tank (15a) for liquid, extending from the surface end (12) of the hull element into the inner space (10), wherein the storage tank is removable from the inner space by lifting from the hull element's surface end.

Abstract: The present invention provides a defoaming agent composition in gel form, of number 1 NLGI grade or harder, for application to the inside wall of a container, being a composition for defoaming bubbles generated from lubricating oil present within a container. The present invention further provides a method of defoaming lubricating oil characterized in that it includes a step of applying a defoaming agent composition in gel form, of number 1 NLGI grade or harder, to the inside wall of a container for lubricating oil and characterized in that this step is a step in which said defoaming agent composition is applied to the inside wall face at or above the oil surface of the lubricating oil, or higher than this.

Abstract: An acid-generating fluid comprising a thermally activated strong acid precursor is provided in the method of the present invention. The thermally activated strong acid precursor comprises sulfur dioxide or a first precursor of a compound adapted to react to liberate sulfur dioxide, and an aldehyde and/or a ketone or a second precursor of a compound adapted to react to liberate an aldehyde and/or ketone. The acid-generating fluid is placed into a subterranean formation, where the first precursor and/or the second precursor are thermally activated, thereby liberating sulfur dioxide and the aldehyde and/or ketone. The sulfur dioxide and the aldehyde and/or ketone are reacted to form a thermally activated strong acid.

Abstract: An anchoring system for anchoring a tool (24) in a downhole tubular element (2) comprises: —an anchor (28) having a central body (40) connected to, or integrally formed with, the tool (24); —a slip element (50) radially movable relative to the central body (32) between a retracted and an expanded position against the inner surface of the tubular element (2), —a primary spring (56) for moving the slip element to the expanded position; —a control device comprising a stop member (60) against which the slip element (50) is pushed by the primary spring (56); and —a secondary spring (58) acting on the stop member (60) to move each slip element (50) to its retracted position.

Abstract: Separation device comprising a swirler of a sheet material comprising a plurality of vanes (4) with a flow entrance side edge (6) defining an entrance angle (?) and a flow exit side edge (8) defining an exit angle (?). The flow entrance side edge and flow exit side edge extend from a center section (3) to a peripheral edge (9), which extends between end points of the flow entrance edge and the flow exit edge. The entrance angle is larger than the exit angle.

Abstract: A new configuration of ZSM-5 is provided whereby the crystals have a higher average silica to alumina ratio at the edges of each crystallite than in the centre as determined from a narrow slit line scan profile obtained from SEM/EDX or TEM/EDX elemental analysis. Such ZSM-5 crystals are obtained by a preparation process using L-tartaric acid. The new configuration ZSM-5 provides significantly reduced xylene losses in ethylbenzene dealkylation, especially when combined with silica as binder, and one or more hydrogenation metals selected from platinum, tin, lead, silver, copper, and nickel.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane. In the process an ethane comprising stream is fed to a distillation column to remove propane. The purified ethane stream is subjected to oxidative dehydrogenation using a catalyst comprising Mo/V/Sb, or Mo/V/Nb and Te or Sb in the orthorhombic M1 crystalline phase. The reactor effluent comprises ethylene. The effluent is washed with water to remove acetic acid. The acetic acid is recovered from the aqueous stream by means of solvent extraction.

Abstract: A method for seismic geological lineation mapping, wherein a seismic dataset is collected, with information about minor lineations generated by subtle structural geological features in an underground earth formation. Seismic attribute volumes are identified in the seismic dataset, relating to trace continuity, amplitude, frequency and phase. The attribute volumes may have an insufficient resolution to display the minor lineations. A seismic multivolume lithological lineation map is generated, in which single attribute lineation maps generated for each of the identified seismic attribute volumes are combined to accurately display the minor lineations generated by the subtle geological features.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing hydrocarbons by operating a Fischer-Tropsch reactor comprising a fixed bed of reduced Fischer-Tropsch catalyst that comprises cobalt as catalytically active metal. Further, the present invention relates to a mixture of hydrocarbons obtainable by said Fischer-Tropsch reaction.

Abstract: Implementations of the disclosed subject matter provide a process for producing ethylene glycol and propylene glycol from a sorbitol feed which may include contacting the sorbitol feed with hydrogen in a reactor in the presence of a solvent and a bi-functional catalyst system. The bi-functional catalyst system may include a first catalyst comprising a copper compound, a zinc compound, and an additional metal compound and a second catalyst comprising sodium carbonate.

Abstract: A method of controlling a direction of drilling of the drill string used to form an opening in a subsurface formation, comprises varying a speed of the drill string during rotational drilling such that the drill string is at a first speed during a first portion of the rotational cycle and at a second speed during a second portion of the rotational cycle wherein the first speed is higher than the second speed, and wherein operating at the second speed in the second portion of the rotational cycle causes the drill string to change the direction of drilling.

Abstract: Diesel fuel composition suitable for use in an internal combustion engine comprising: (a) 2 mass % to 30 mass % of kerosene having a kinematic viscosity at 40° C. of 1.5 mm2/s or less and a density of 810 kg/m3 or less; (b) 2 mass % to 20 mass % of Fischer-Tropsch derived base oil having a kinematic viscosity at 40° C. of 7.5 mm2/s or greater and a density of 790 kg/m3 or greater; and (c) diesel base fuel. The diesel fuel composition of the present invention provides improved cold flow properties while simultaneously maintaining other properties such as viscosity and density within diesel fuel specification requirements.

Abstract: A pin-box well tubular connector assembly having pin and box connector members (6,5) with intermeshing external and internal screw thread profiles is optimized for expansion downhole in a wellbore by: A) inserting a swellable dope in the gap between the pin and box connector members (6,5) and optionally B) configuring the pin and box connectors (6,5) such that in axial direction a gap of at least 0.2 mm is present between the external and internal screw thread profiles; and/or C) configuring the box connector member (5) such that it has at least one thread (10) that does not engage a thread on the pin member (6).

Abstract: The present application relates to a process for producing normally gaseous, normally liquid, and optionally normally solid hydrocarbons from synthesis gas in a three-phase reactor, said reactor comprising a top middle and bottom part wherein the bottom and top part are fluidly connected via one or more reactor tubes, wherein one or more reactor tubes comprise randomly stacked catalyst bodies held stationary in the reactor tube and the reactor is at least partially filled with a liquid medium, said process comprising the steps of: (i) introducing the synthesis gas into the reactor via the bottom part; and (ii) contacting the synthesis gas with a stationary catalyst to catalytically convert the synthesis gas at an elevated temperature to obtain the normally gaseous, normally liquid, and optionally normally solid hydrocarbons from synthesis gas; (iii) withdrawing the normally gaseous, normally liquid, and optionally normally solid hydrocarbons; wherein the catalyst bodies have an open celled foam structure.