Abstract: A betatron includes a betatron magnet with a first guide magnet having a first pole face and a second guide magnet having a second pole face. Both the first and the second guide magnet have a centrally disposed aperture and the first pole face is separated from the second pole face by a guide magnet gap. A core is disposed within the centrally disposed apertures in an abutting relationship with both guide magnets. The core has at least one core gap. A drive coil is wound around both guide magnet pole faces. An orbit control coil has a contraction coil portion wound around the core gap and a bias control portion wound around the guide magnet pole faces. The contraction coil portion and the bias control portion are connected but in opposite polarity. Magnet fluxes in the core and guide magnets return through peripheral portions of the betatron magnet.

Abstract: A wireline-conveyed side-wall core coring tool for acquiring side-wall core from a geological formation for performing in-situ side-wall core analysis. The coring tool has a core analysis unit operable to measure geophysical properties of an acquired side-wall core. The measured geophysical properties may be used to determine the success of the acquisition of side-wall cores by the coring tool. The core analysis unit is operable of performing an in-situ interpretation of measured geophysical property of the side-wall core and transmitting in near real-time the measurements or the interpretation results to surface data acquisition and processing apparatus.

Abstract: A wireline-conveyed side-wall core coring tool for acquiring side-wall core from a geological formation for performing in-situ side-wall core analysis. The coring tool has a core analysis unit operable to measure geophysical properties of an acquired side-wall core. The measured geophysical properties may be used to determine the success of the acquisition of side-wall cores by the coring tool. The core analysis unit is operable of performing an in-situ interpretation of measured geophysical property of the side-wall core and transmitting in near real-time the measurements or the interpretation results to surface data acquisition and processing apparatus.

Abstract: A betatron structure having a donut-shaped vacuum chamber, wherein the vacuum chamber is made up of two or more pieces bonded together; an injector positioned within the vacuum chamber; and two or more magnets positioned to the outside of the vacuum chamber. A method of manufacturing a betatron structure, including: (a) fabricating two or more pieces; (b) positioning an injector on one of the two or more pieces; and (c) bonding the two or more pieces such that when bonded, the substrates form a hollow donut-shaped chamber.

Abstract: An oil sample is subjected to nuclear electromagnetic irradiation downhole, and the electron and/or mass density of the oil sample is determined by measuring the attenuation of the irradiation and relating the attenuation to the electron density. If the irradiation is high energy gamma ray irradiation, the attenuation is considered to be a function of Compton scattering only, which in turn is related to the electron density of the sample. If X-rays are utilized, attenuation is preferably measured in two energy windows. Using the two different attenuation values found in the different windows, the attenuation due to Compton scattering can be found and related to the electron and/or mass density of the sample. In addition, attenuation due to photoelectric absorption may also be determined and related to the presence of one or more heavy elements in the oil (e.g., sulfur) and/or sanding.

Abstract: The present invention provides heat exchanging elements for use in Stirling engines. According to the present invention, the heat exchanging elements are made from muliple platelets that are stacked and joined together. The use of platelets to make heat exchanging elements permits Stirling engines to run more effiecient because the heat transfer and combustion processes are improved. In one embodiment, multi-stage combustion can be introduced with platlets, along with the flexibility to use different types of fuels. In another embodiment, a single component constructed from platelets can provide the heat transfer rquirements betweeen the combustion gas/working gas, working gas in the regenerator and the working gas/coolant fluid of a Stirling engine. In another embodiment, the platelet heat exchanging element can recieve solar energy to heat the Stirling engine's working gas. Also, this invention provides a heat exchanging method that allows for multiple fuilds to flow in opposing or same direction.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for measuring oil flow velocity in a well are provided which utilize fluorescence quenching. A marker which quenches the natural fluorescence of crude oil is chosen and injected into the oil flow at a first location. At a second location, the oil flow is subjected to light at a wavelength which will cause oil to naturally fluoresce. The fluorescence signal is detected at the second location by a sensing probe. The time that it takes for the quenching marker to move from the first location to the second location is measured by sensing a decrease in fluorescence due to the quencher. Fluid velocity is determined by dividing the distance between the marker-ejection point and the optical probe position by the time it took the marker to move that distance.

Abstract: A downhole optical apparatus includes an LED source, reflectance and fluorescence detectors, a plurality of fibers, a dichroic mirror (DM), a beam splitter/coupler, a probe, a short-pass filter (SP), a dichroic long-pass filter (LP), and a lens. Source light filtered by the SP is fed to the DM which deflects light of desired wavelengths only. The deflected light is focused by the lens onto a fiber and is ultimately injected into an oil flow by the probe. Light reflected by oil or fluorescing therefrom is received by the probe, and split by the splitter. A small portion is received by the reflectance detector. A large portion is received by the lens and directed to the DM which deflects reflected light and passes light at longer fluorescing wavelengths. Passed light is further filtered by the DM and LP to eliminate remnants of the reflected light, and provided to the fluorescence detector.

Abstract: An oil sample is subjected to nuclear electromagnetic irradiation downhole, and the electron and/or mass density of the oil sample is determined by measuring the attenuation of the irradiation and relating the attenuation to the electron density. If the irradiation is high energy gamma ray irradiation, the attenuation is considered to be a function of Compton scattering only, which in turn is related to the electron density of the sample. If X-rays are utilized, attenuation is preferably measured in two energy windows. Using the two different attenuation values found in the different windows, the attenuation due to Compton scattering can be found and related to the electron and/or mass density of the sample.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for measuring oil flow velocity in a well are provided which utilize fluorescence quenching. A marker which quenches the natural fluorescence of crude oil is chosen and injected into the oil flow at a first location. At a second location, the oil flow is subjected to light at a wavelength which will cause oil to naturally fluoresce. The fluorescence signal is detected at the second location by a sensing probe. The time that it takes for the quenching marker to move from the first location to the second location is measured by sensing a decrease in fluorescence due to the quencher. Fluid velocity is determined by dividing the distance between the marker-ejection point and the optical probe position by the time it took the marker to move that distance.

Abstract: A downhole optical apparatus includes an LED source, reflectance and fluorescence detectors, a plurality of fibers, a dichroic mirror (DM), a beam splitter/coupler, a probe, a short-pass filter (SP), a dichroic long-pass filter (LP), and a lens. Source light filtered by the SP is fed to the DM which deflects light of desired wavelengths only. The deflected light is focused by the lens onto a fiber and is ultimately injected into an oil flow by the probe. Light reflected by oil or fluorescing therefrom is received by the probe, and split by the splitter. A small portion is received by the reflectance detector. A large portion is received by the lens and directed to the DM which deflects reflected light and passes light at longer fluorescing wavelengths. Passed light is further filtered by the DM and LP to eliminate remnants of the reflected light, and provided to the fluorescence detector.