Abstract: An enhanced oil recovery method utilizes a monitored salinity concentration decline in produced water at the various producing wells of a steam flood project to determine actual steam distribution. This actual steam distribution is utilized to determine appropriate production capability modifications for certain ones of the producing wells so as to cause the actual steam distribution to more closely approximate a predetermined preferred steam distribution so as to maximize oil production from the steam flood project.

Abstract: Apparatus for pressure charging pressure accumulators in apparatus downhole in a well, wherein a first valve system admits pressured fluid into an accumulator from a well tubing such as a drill string in response to well tubing-accumulator differential pressure and a second valve system releases pressured fluid from the accumulator to the well tubing in response to accumulator-well tubing differential pressure. The apparatus utilizes valve assemblies called "fuses", which can be used for accumulator pressure adjustments in lower well tubing pressure ranges and which close in response to higher fluid pressures in the well tubing so that well tubing pressure can be used to do work in the well such as to operate a piston actuator, or the like.

Abstract: Metal values, particularly precious metal values, are recovered from fines on a footwall and in the fissures and cracks therein by passing a solution capable of solubilizing the metal values across the footwall. The metal values are preferably adsorbed on to a suitable support such as activated carbon underground and then the support, having the metal values adsorbed thereon, transported to the surface for further processing.