Abstract: The invention relates to a microorganism growth substrate which comprises a sterile nutrient composition derived from the biomass of a culture of bacteria including methanotrophic bacteria and further containing at least one sterile nutrient. A preferred biomass material is that derived from a microbial culture comprising Methylococcus capsulates (Bath) (strain NCIMB 41526), Ralstonia sp. DB3 (strain NCIMB 41527) and Brevibacillus agri DB5 (strain NCIMB 41525), optionally in combination with Aneurinibacillus sp. DB4 (strain NCIMB 41528).

Abstract: A method and arrangement are proposed for introducing a CO2 composition into a subterranean geological formation for storage of CO2 therein. The CO2 composition is initially injected into the formation using a first set of injection parameters at which the CO2 composition is a supercritical fluid having first viscosity and density values. The injection parameters are then modified such that the CO2 composition is injected into the formation using at least one second set of injection parameters at which the CO2 composition is a supercritical fluid having second viscosity and density values that are different from said first viscosity and density values, wherein said injection parameters include the injection temperature, injection pressure and hydrocarbon content of the CO2 composition.

Abstract: Separation device or unit for separating liquid from an inlet flow which mainly contains gas, has a container or a pipe section with an outlet for gas from the container or the pipe section, an outlet for liquid from the container or pipe section and an inlet for the inlet flow to the container or pipe section. The device has a flow manifold arranged to receive and direct the inlet flow towards a porous pipe body extending towards the gas outlet and arranged to receive all or most of the inlet flow. Part of the flow is flowing through the tubular body to the gas outlet, while the remaining flow is flowing through the tubular body's porous wall, and an annular space including the volume between the tubular body and the container wall or pipe section is open for gas flow towards the gas outlet.

Abstract: An underwater placed assembly produces gas or gas and oil/condensate from a subsea gaseous reservoir, where at least one production well is provided from the seabed to a production zone and at least one water injection well is provided from the seabed to an injection zone. The assembly includes: a pressure increasing device connected to the outlet of the production well in order to increase the pressure in a production flow from the production well, and a water turbine that is connected to and driving the pressure increasing device.

Abstract: An assembly for transient and continuous testing of an open portion of a well bore arranged in a lower part of a drill string includes at least two packers fixed outside of the drill string, which are expandable for isolating a reservoir interval. The assembly includes a down-hole pump, sample chamber, sensors, closing valve, sensors and telemetry for measuring and realtime transmission of flow rate, pressure and temperature of fluid flow from the reservoir interval, from the down-hole pump, in the drill string and in an annulus above the packers, a mud driven turbine or electric cable, and a circulation unit. The circulation unit, independent of the circulation rate for mud to the annulus, can feed formation fluid from the reservoir interval into the annulus, so that at any time a well can be kept in over balance and the mud can solve the formation fluid from the reservoir interval.

Abstract: A method of predicting the pressure sensitivity of seismic velocity within reservoir rocks includes defining the degree of cementation of rock as at least one of friable sand, partially cemented rock and cemented rock. For rock including friable sand, a first model specifying a dependence of seismic velocity upon pressure is defined. For rock including partially cemented rock, a second model specifying a dependence of seismic velocity upon pressure and a weighting function accounting for a degree of cementation of the rock is defined. For rock including cemented rock, a third model demonstrating an insensitivity of seismic velocity to pressure is defined. For a given dry rock moduli and porosity, the method includes determining a degree of cementation, selecting the appropriate model, and using the selected model to predict the sensitivity of seismic velocity to pressure.

Abstract: A tubular member having at least one drainage section (1) including a first plurality of self-adjustable valves or flow control devices (2) to control the flow of fluid into the drainage section from a well formed in a subterranean reservoir, each of the valves (2) comprising an inlet or aperture (10), thereby forming a flow path (11) through the control device (2) passing by a movable disc or body (9) designed to move freely relative to the opening of the inlet and thereby reduce or increase the flow-through area (A2) by exploiting the Bernoulli effect and any stagnation pressure created over the disc (9), whereby the valve (2), depending on the composition of the fluid and its properties, autonomously adjusts the flow of the fluid based on a pre-estimated flow design. To allow injection of fluid into the subterranean reservoir, the drainage section (1) is provided with a second plurality of such self-adjustable valves (32), each being situated in a direction opposite of the first plurality.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for carrying out a seismic exploration. A seismic event is applied to the earth's surface, particles at the earth's surface move in response to the event and the response to the event is detected using an interferometer. The earth's surface and the interferometer move with respect to each other. The detectors of the interferometer may be arranged in an array. The detected response may be analyze.

Abstract: A method for injecting a fluid into an oil and or gas reservoir or formation, in which the fluid flows into the reservoir or formation through a plurality of autonomous valves or flow control devices (2) provided along an injector (24), the valves (2) having a substantially constant flow-through volume above a given differential pressure for autonomously adjusting the flow of the fluid in order to ensure a substantially constant volume rate from the injector (24) to the reservoir or formation along an injector length.

Abstract: A method and apparatus controls a compressor, where the compressor inlet gas may contain water and/or non-aqueous liquid. The method includes the steps of measuring temperature at the compressor inlet and/or outlet side, measuring pressure at the compressor inlet and outlet side in order to determine a compressor pressure ratio, measuring fluid mixture density at the compressor inlet and/or outlet side, measuring individual volume fractions of gas, water and non-aqueous liquid at the compressor inlet and/or outlet side, measuring fluid velocity at the compressor inlet and/or outlet side, and determining individual flow rates of gas, water and non-aqueous liquid on the basis of the measured individual volume fractions of gas, water and non aqueous liquid and the fluid velocity at the compressor inlet and/or outlet side.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a bearing system for a high speed rotary machine, said bearing system comprising a rotor shaft (51) including a plurality of active magnet or hydrostatic radial bearings (10,11,12,13,14,15) and at least one active magnet or hydrostatic axial bearing (16) for supporting said rotor shaft (51), said axial bearing (16) being arranged at one end of said rotor shaft (51), said bearing system also comprising a permanent magnet (PM) axial bearing arranged at a same end as the at least one active magnet or hydrostatic axial bearing (16), said permanent magnet axial bearing comprising at least one permanent magnet (52) arranged on the rotary shaft (51) and at least one permanent magnet (50) connected to a control system for varying a distance or gap (67) between said permanent magnets (50, 52), thus providing a variable force in said permanent magnet axial bearing in order to counteract at least semi-static axial forces imposed on said rotor shaft (51).

Abstract: A method of forming a geological model of a region of the earth includes obtaining seismic data relating to the region, the seismic data including seismic traveltime uncertainty. A seismic velocity model of the region may also be provided and includes velocity uncertainty. Ray tracing may be performed on the seismic data using the velocity model to determine the three dimensional positions of a plurality of points of the region. The three dimensional positional uncertainties (7-12) of at least some of the points can be calculated from the traveltime uncertainty, the velocity uncertainty, and uncertainty in the ray propagation direction. This can be combined with the positions determined by the ray tracing to form a geological model.

Abstract: A process for production of electric energy and CO2 from a hydrocarbon feedstock includes steam reforming of the feedstock, separation and combustion of hydrogen, and separation of CO2.

Abstract: A multiple-row epicyclic gear includes a carrier with planet gears arranged in rows, as well as a composite central ring gear, having major crowns, with friction spacer rings disposed there between, are also mounted in the housing. The elements of the central ring gear are axially spring loaded. The end faces of the frictional spacer rings and counter-oriented end faces of the major crowns have tapered surfaces being in frictional contact. The friction spacer rings are spliced and arranged to bring their outer cylindrical surfaces into frictional contact with the inner cylindrical surface of the housing. The planet gears are disposed on the carrier in rows in corresponding apertures (or through openings) formed in the carrier. The optimal cone apex angle (?) of the contacting tapered end faces of the major crowns and tapered end faces of the friction spacer rings is in the range 60-90°.

Abstract: Seismic exploration techniques and the seismic imaging of subsurface layers, particularly apparatus for seismic exploration near the seafloor, are disclosed. The apparatus enables controlled-depth towing of detectors to be carried out a short distance above the seafloor. The apparatus includes a streamer depth controller and at least one altitude keeper device, attached at intervals along the length of a towed streamer. The streamer carries detectors for measuring, for example, P- and S-waves in the seafloor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for controlling the flow of fluid in oil and/or gas production, involving a control device or an autonomous valve (2) operating by the Bernoulli principle and comprising a moveable disk or body (9) provided within a housing (4) for opening and closing said valve (2), involving use of a material (24) within the valve (2) that changes its properties as to shape and/or volume and/or elastic modulus when exposed to a chemical substance contained in the flow of fluid and thus altering said flow of fluid.

Abstract: A method and equipment are provided for determining the level/height, of one or more interfaces between two or more fluid phases of different density that are contained in a vessel, tank or the like. The position of the different interfaces in a tank is determined by measuring the pressure thereby determining the density of the fluid over the height of the tank by using a pressure measuring rod, equipped with pressure sensors, positioned in the tank. A mathematical model or algorithm is used which calculates how the density and hence the pressure vary over the height of the tank as a function of the fluid properties of the respective fluids in the tank, the interface, on the basis of the density being the same within each layer of the respective fluid, as a respective point at which the density changes from one layer to the next in the tank.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of hydrocarbon such as bitumen/EHO from a hydrocarbon bearing formation in which are situated an upper injection well and a lower production well, the method comprising the steps: preheating an area around and between the wells by circulating hot solvent through the completed interval of each of the wells until sufficient hydraulic communication between both wells is achieved; injecting one of more hydrocarbon solvents into the upper injection well at or above critical temperature of the solvent or solvent mixture, thereby causing a mixture of hydrocarbon and solvent to flow by gravity drainage to the lower production well; and producing the hydrocarbon to the surface through the lower production well. A non-condensable gas may be injected into the solvent chamber created by the hydrocarbon solvent.

Abstract: A process for the recovery of hydrocarbon such as bitumen/EHO from a hydrocarbon bearing formation in which are situated an upper injection well and a lower production well, the method comprising the steps: preheating an area around and between the wells by circulating hot solvent through the completed interval of each of the wells until sufficient hydraulic communication between both wells is achieved; injecting one of more hydrocarbon solvents into the upper injection well at or above critical temperature of the solvent or solvent mixture, thereby causing a mixture of hydrocarbon and solvent to flow by gravity drainage to the lower production well; and producing the hydrocarbon to the surface through the lower production well.

Abstract: A method for determining integrity of annular seals in wellbores. In an embodiment, two wellbores are selected that extend through a common geological formation which is capable of sealing against casing sections located in the wellbores. A pressure test is typically carried out in a first of the wellbores to check that the formation provides an effective seal, and a logging tool is typically run to obtain well log data from which can be derived a characteristic response that is associated with the formation providing an effective annular seal around the casing section in the first wellbore. A logging tool may then be run in the second of the wellbores to obtain a second set of well log data, which are comparable with the characteristic response to determine whether the formation provides an effective annular seal in the second wellbore.