Abstract: A choke valve is provided having a body, a seat, and a gate. The body has an internal chamber, an inlet flow passage, and an outlet flow passage. The seat has a seat orifice with an area, the seat positioned at an end of the outlet flow passage contiguous with the internal chamber. The gate has a gate shaft and a gate body affixed to one end of the gate shaft. The gate is linearly translatable within the body between a fully open position and a fully closed position, wherein in the fully closed position the gate body is engaged with the seat orifice. In the fully open position a choke minimum passage area is defined between the gate body and the seat orifice, and the choke minimum passage area is at least 30% of the seat orifice area.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for forwarding data messages between a client and a server (e.g., between client and server machines and/or applications). In some embodiments, the method receives a data message that a load balancer has directed from a particular client to a particular server after selecting the particular server from a set of several candidate servers for the received data message's flow. The method stores an association between an identifier associated with the load balancer and a flow identifier associated with the message flow, and then forwards the received data message to the particular server. The method subsequently uses the load balancer identifier in the stored association to forward to the particular load balancer a data message that is sent by the particular server. The method of some embodiments is implemented by an intervening forwarding element (e.g., a router) between the load balancer set and the server set.

Abstract: A drilling system includes a choke valve system in fluid communication with a wellbore via a fluid return line. The choke valve system is configured to receive a return fluid from the wellbore. The choke valve system includes a choke valve through which the return fluid flows and a valve position sensor configured to determine a position of the choke valve. The drilling system further includes a controller in signal communication with the valve position sensor. The controller is programmed to determine a flow rate of the return fluid through the fluid return line based on the determined position of the choke valve. The controller is further programmed to adjust the position of the choke valve in response to the determined flow rate of the return fluid.

Abstract: A well drilling system is provided that includes a choke manifold and a controller. The choke manifold includes at least one choke valve. The choke valve is actuable between fully open and closed choke positions. The choke valve has a Cv value for each choke position. The controller is in communication with the choke valve and a non-transitory memory storing instructions. The instructions relate Cv values to choke positions for the choke valve. The instructions when executed cause the controller to: a) determine a difference in pressure (?P); b) input or determine a density value; c) input or determine a Q value; d) determine a first Cv value using the ?P, the density value, and the Q value; and e) actuate the choke valve to a first choke position associated with the first Cv value.

Abstract: A drilling system includes a choke valve system in fluid communication with a wellbore via a fluid return line. The choke valve system is configured to receive a return fluid from the wellbore. The choke valve system includes a choke valve through which the return fluid flows and a valve position sensor configured to determine a position of the choke valve. The drilling system further includes a controller in signal communication with the valve position sensor. The controller is programmed to determine a flow rate of the return fluid through the fluid return line based on the determined position of the choke valve. The controller is further programmed to adjust the position of the choke valve in response to the determined flow rate of the return fluid.

Abstract: An integrated control system (ICS) for a well drilling platform is provided, which well drilling platform has a plurality of control systems and devices. The ICS includes an ICS controller is in communication with a master control. The ICS controller includes a memory device coupled to a processor. Instructions executed by the processor cause the ICS controller to: communicate with each of the control systems to determine a status of each of the control systems; cause the master control display to display status information for at least one of the control systems; in response to an operator input perform a well drilling platform function, the function requiring a coordinated state between a first control system and at least a second control system, configure the first control system and the second control system into a coordinated state.

Abstract: A control system and method for a well drilling platform having a plurality well platform systems is provided. The control system includes at least one remote communication unit (RCU), and a controller. The controller is in communication with the well platform systems, and has at least one processor, and a memory device that is coupled to the processor and that stores the instructions. When executed by the processor, the instructions cause the controller to communicate with the well platform systems to receive information from one or more well platform systems and to send system control commands to the one or more well platform systems. The controller and the at least one RCU are configured to electronically communicate with one another information relating to at least one of the well platform systems.

Abstract: An integrated control system (ICS) for a well drilling platform is provided, which well drilling platform has a plurality of control systems and devices. The ICS includes an ICS controller is in communication with a master control. The ICS controller includes a memory device coupled to a processor. Instructions executed by the processor cause the ICS controller to: communicate with each of the control systems to determine a status of each of the control systems; cause the master control display to display status information for at least one of the control systems; in response to an operator input perform a well drilling platform function, the function requiring a coordinated state between a first control system and at least a second control system, configure the first control system and the second control system into a coordinated state.

Abstract: A well drilling system is provided that includes a choke manifold and a controller. The choke manifold includes at least one choke valve. The choke valve is actuable between fully open and closed choke positions. The choke valve has a Cv value for each choke position. The controller is in communication with the choke valve and a non-transitory memory storing instructions. The instructions relate Cv values to choke positions for the choke valve. The instructions when executed cause the controller to: a) determine a difference in pressure (?P); b) input or determine a density value; c) input or determine a Q value; d) determine a first Cv value using the ?P, the density value, and the Q value; and e) actuate the choke valve to a first choke position associated with the first Cv value.

Abstract: A control system and method for a well drilling platform having a plurality well platform systems is provided. The control system includes at least one remote communication unit (RCU), and a controller. The controller is in communication with the well platform systems, and has at least one processor, and a memory device that is coupled to the processor and that stores the instructions. When executed by the processor, the instructions cause the controller to communicate with the well platform systems to receive information from one or more well platform systems and to send system control commands to the one or more well platform systems. The controller and the at least one RCU are configured to electronically communicate with one another information relating to at least one of the well platform systems.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a novel method of performing health monitoring for resources associated with a global server load balancing (GSLB) system. This system is implemented by several domain name system (DNS) servers that perform DNS services for resources located at several geographically separate sites. The method identifies several different groupings of the resources. It then assigns the health monitoring of the different resource groups to different DNS servers. The method then configures each particular DNS server (1) to send health monitoring messages to the particular group of resources assigned to the particular DNS server, (2) to generate data by analyzing responses to the sent health monitoring messages, and (3) to distribute the generated data to the other DNS servers. The method in some embodiments is performed by a set of one or more controllers.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a novel method of performing health monitoring for resources associated with a global server load balancing (GSLB) system. This system is implemented by several domain name system (DNS) servers that perform DNS services for resources located at several geographically separate sites. The method identifies several different groupings of the resources. It then assigns the health monitoring of the different resource groups to different DNS servers. The method then configures each particular DNS server (1) to send health monitoring messages to the particular group of resources assigned to the particular DNS server, (2) to generate data by analyzing responses to the sent health monitoring messages, and (3) to distribute the generated data to the other DNS servers. The method in some embodiments is performed by a set of one or more controllers.

Abstract: A choke valve is provided having a body, a seat, and a gate. The body has an internal chamber, an inlet flow passage, and an outlet flow passage. The seat has a seat orifice with an area, the seat positioned at an end of the outlet flow passage contiguous with the internal chamber. The gate has a gate shaft and a gate body affixed to one end of the gate shaft. The gate is linearly translatable within the body between a fully open position and a fully closed position, wherein in the fully closed position the gate body is engaged with the seat orifice. In the fully open position a choke minimum passage area is defined between the gate body and the seat orifice, and the choke minimum passage area is at least 30% of the seat orifice area.

Abstract: A proportional control valve system and a method for operating the same is provided. The system includes a proportional control valve (PCV), an electric motor, a worm gear drive, and a programmable drive. The proportional control valve has a sealing structure that is positionable in a closed position, a fully open position, and a plurality of partially open positions there between. The worm gear drive is in driving communication with the sealing structure of the proportional control valve. The programmable drive is operable to control the positioning of the sealing structure within the proportional control valve.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides novel poly(phenylene ethynylene) (PPE) compounds, methods for synthesizing these compounds, and materials and substances incorporating these compounds. The various PPEs show antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal activity.

Abstract: A choke valve is provided that includes a valve body, a plurality of seats, and a gate. The valve body has an inlet port and an outlet port. The plurality of seats is in communication with the valve body, where each seat has a fluid flow configuration, and the fluid flow configuration for each seat is different from the fluid flow configuration of each of the other seats within the plurality of seats. The gate is linearly translatable along a gate axis. The valve body is configured so that so that one of the plurality of seats at a time is selectively positionable in an engagement position aligned with the gate axis.

Abstract: Water-in-oil lattices of water soluble or dispersible polymers and methods of using the same are presented. The lattices include phosphorus functional inversion agents that provide rapid and complete inversion of the lattices under conditions wherein the water source used to invert the latex is provided at high temperature, or includes a high level of total dissolved solids, or is both high temperature and high total dissolved solids.

Abstract: A well drilling system is provided that includes a choke manifold and a controller. The choke manifold includes at least one choke valve. The choke valve is actuable between fully open and closed choke positions. The choke valve has a Cv value for each choke position. The controller is in communication with the choke valve and a non-transitory memory storing instructions. The instructions relate Cv values to choke positions for the choke valve. The instructions when executed cause the controller to: a) determine a difference in pressure (?P); b) input or determine a density value; c) input or determine a Q value; d) determine a first Cv value using the ?P, the density value, and the Q value; and e) actuate the choke valve to a first choke position associated with the first Cv value.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclosed relate to conjugated polyelectrolytes and methods of using the same. Various embodiments provide a conjugated polyelectrolyte including a subunit having the structure —R1—Y—R2—Z—. At each occurrence, R1 is independently chosen from 1,4-bonded phenylene substituted by —X—R3-R4 j times and 2,5-bonded thiophene substituted by —X—R3-R4 j times. At each occurrence, Y is independently chosen from a bond and —C?C—. At each occurrence, R2 is independently chosen from a bond, a substituted or unsubstituted phenylene, thiophenylene, azulenylene, heptalenylene, biphenylene, indacenylene, fluorenylene, phenanthrenylene, triphenylenylene, pyrenylene, naphthacenylene, chrysenylene, biphenylenylene, anthracenylene, and naphthylene. At each occurrence, Z is independently chosen from a bond and —C?C—. The variables j, R3, and R4 are as defined herein.

Abstract: Water-in-oil latices of water soluble or dispersible polymers and methods of using the same are presented. The latices include nonionic inversion agents that provide rapid and complete inversion of the latices under conditions wherein the water source used to invert the latex is provided at high temperature, or includes a high level of total dissolved solids, or is both high temperature and high total dissolved solids.