Abstract: Waterflooding process for the recovery of oil from a subterranean formation in which at least a portion of the injected water is thickened by the addition of a mixture of sulfonated polyethoxylated aliphatic alcohol surfactants. The thickened water has a salinity within the range of 5-18 percent. The mixture of sulfonated polyethoxylated aliphatic alcohols has an HLB within the range of 10.0-14.0 and the lipophilic base of the surfactant mixture contains an average of from 16 to 20 carbon atoms. The surfactant mixture incareases the viscosity of the water to a value greater than viscosity achieved through the addition of only one of the surfactant components.

Abstract: This invention is a process for comminuting run-of-mine crushed coal by contacting the coal with an aqueous methanol solution for a time sufficient to comminute a substantial portion of the coal to a predetermined particle size. Another aspect of this invention is a process for slurry mining coal which comprises contacting the coal in-situ with an aqueous methanol solution for a time sufficient to comminute a portion of the coal and to form a slurry, and then conveying the slurry to a receiving vessel where the comminuted coal is recovered. Still another aspect of this invention, is to transport the comminuted coal having a desired particle size in slurry form using an aqueous methanol solution as the slurry medium wherein there is further comminution of the coal to improve its burning characteristics.

Abstract: A method for removing the ash mineral matter content of coal and transporting the ash free coal from the point of ash removal to a coal use point comprising grinding run-of-mine coal to a desired particle size, mixing the coal particles with water and liquid carbon dioxide in a vessel in a swirling, fluidized state at a pressure, temperature, and for a residence time sufficient to free substantially all of the ash mineral matter from the coal and form an ash free coal/mineral matter slurry, separating the ash free coal particles from the slurry by froth floatation, drying the ash free coal particles, forming a slurry of the ash free coal particles with liquid carbon dioxide, transporting the ash free coal/liquid carbon dioxide slurry by pipeline to a coal use point, deslurrying the ash free coal/liquid carbon dioxide slurry, recovering the ash free coal particles for intended use and recycling the coal-free liquid carbon dioxide recovered from deslurrying for treating additional coal in the ash removal step.

Abstract: An improved method of drilling a deviated well is effected by injecting a slug or series of slugs of a shear thickening fluid down the drill string ahead of the drilling fluid and into the annulus formed about the drill string to displace cuttings that accumulate in the annular regions where the drill string lies near the lower side of the deviated portion of the borehole thereby increasing cuttings transport efficiency. The shear thickening fluid has characteristics that enable it to dislodge and disperse the accumulated cuttings in that it undergoes a reversible, isothermal, increase in viscosity when subjected to an increasing shear rate. Slug volumes vary between 0.05 and 5 percent of the annulus volume between the drill string and the wellbore wall.

Abstract: The present invention provides an improved process for the in-situ recovery of mineral values, particularly uranium, from subterranean deposits that exhibit heterogeneous permeabilities in the formation zones. Aqueous solutions of thickening agents or viscosity building agents are utilized to control the mobility of the leaching solutions as they traverse the subterranean formation to solubilize the mineral values therein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the in situ recovery of mineral values, particularly uranium, from subterranean formations that contain sulfur in organic or inorganic forms where the sulfur causes premature deletion of an oxidant and reduction in permeability of the formation. The adverse effects due to the presence of the sulfur in the formation are substantially reduced in accordance with the present invention by treating the formations with an aqueous solution of iron-complexing agent and then oxident to preferentially oxidize and solubilize at least a portion of the sulfur in the formation. The present process may be applied either as a pre-treatment process to be followed by a leaching process or simultaneously with the leaching process.

Abstract: In a rotary method of drilling a well into the earth employing a drilling mud system, the transport ratio (hole cleaning efficiency) is increased by increasing the yield point to plastic viscosity ratio of the drilling fluid while maintaining the plastic viscosity constant. In a preferred embodiment, the plastic viscosity is varied within the range of 7.5 to 30 centipoises and the yield point to plastic viscosity ratio is varied within the range of 0.20 to 1.5.

Abstract: A method for conditioning a coal seam prior to in-situ gasification to increase the permeability of the coal seam to the flow of combustion-supporting gas therethrough and thus increase the efficiency of gasification wherein a wettability alteration fluid is injected into the coal seam via an injection well and fluids including the wettability alteration fluid are recovered from a spaced apart production well. Injection of the wettability alteration fluid is continued into the coal seam until the permeability thereof to the flow of the combustion-supporting gas therethrough has increased to a maximum extent. Suitable wettability alteration fluids include carbon dioxide, volatile amines, aqueous solutions containing phosphates, phenols, flue gas and alcohols, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Useful product is recovered from an underground coal seam by drilling a passage extending from the surface to a cavity formed in the floor rock below the coal seam, drilling one or more upwardly radially extending channels from the cavity forming an injection manifold-like system which extends to the interface between the floor rock and the coal seam, injecting an oxidant or oxidant gas mixture into these channels from the surface, igniting the coal where the radially extending channels connect with the base of the coal seam and recovering product gases generated by the gasification process through a plurality of surrounding production wells.

Abstract: This specification discloses a method of transporting particulate solid material as a slurry through a pipeline. A pumpable slurry is formed of the particulate solid material in a solution of alcohol and water as a carrier liquid having an additive therein to thicken it. The slurry is pumped through the pipeline to transport the particulate solid material to a desired location.

Abstract: Waterflooding process for the recovery of oil for a subterranean formation in which at least a portion of the injected water is thickened by the addition of a sulfonated polyethoxylated aliphatic alcohol surfactant. The thickened water has a salinity within the range of 5-18 percent. The sulfonated polyethoxylated aliphatic alcohol has at least two ethylene oxide units to provide an HLB within the range of 10.0-14.0 and the lipophilic base contains from 16 to 20 carbon atoms. The thickened surfactant slug may be preceded by the injection of a relatively low viscosity surfactant slug and viscosity gradation of the thickened surfactant slug may be accomplished by varying the salinity and/or the concentration of the sulfonated polyethoxylated aliphatic alcohol.

Abstract: The recovery of oil by surfactant waterflooding involving the injection of a hydrocarbon slug followed by a thickened aqueous surfactant slug. The hydrocarbon slug is injected into the reservoir in an amount of at least 0.02 pore volume and has a viscosity less than that of the reservoir oil. The thickened surfactant slug comprises an aqueous solution of a surfactant system which includes an organic sulfonate surfactant and which functions to increase the viscosity of the aqueous liquid to a value at least as great as the viscosity of the reservoir oil while decreasing the oil-water interfacial tension. The surfactant slug may include one or more organic sulfonates, either alone or in mixture with a water-soluble aliphatic alcohol.

Abstract: This specification discloses a process for the production of alga biopolymer and alga biomass. The first step of the process is carried out in a seed reactor. In this step, an aqueous culture containing an inoculum of alga and nutrients required for the growth of the alga is subjected to artificial illumination of an intensity and for such a time as to initiate growth of the alga. The aqueous culture is also subjected to the action of a mixture of carbon dioxide and air during this first step. After growth of the alga is initiated, at least a portion of the alga biomass is transferred to a main reactor where the second step of the process is carried out. In this step, the alga biomass in an aqueous culture is subjected to artificial illumination of an intensity and duration to effect growth of alga biomass and, concomitantly, synthesis of alga biopolymer. It is also subjected to the action of a mixture of carbon dioxide and air.