Abstract: A descending price auction associated with a number of substantially indistinguishable items may be implemented by one or more computing devices including a counter module configured to generate a series of decreasing counter values, and a matching module configured to match a bidder and a particular quantity of items at least partly in response to a bid received by the computing device. The matching module matches the bidder and the particular quantity of items based at least partly on a particular counter value active when the bidder and the particular quantity of items are matched. Additionally, the matching module removes the items from the auction based at least partly on the matching, and determines the number of items remaining in the auction.

Abstract: A descending price auction may be implemented by one or more computing devices including a counter module configured to generate a series of decreasing counter values, and a matching module configured to match a bidder and an item at least partly in response to a bid received by the computing device. The matching module matches the bidder and the item based at least partly on a particular counter value active when the bidder and item are matched. Additionally, the matching module removes the bidder and the item from the auction based at least partly on the matching.

Abstract: An exploration paradigm for detecting and/or characterizing gas hydrate deposits using either electromagnetic or seismic surveys, that accounts for the possibility that gas hydrate may accumulate in vertical or subvertical dikes. Geologic factors, such as the presence of the gas hydrate stability zone, indications that a prolific source of gas exists (or existed) below the gas hydrate stability zone and indications that a high flux of gas could be transported into the gas hydrate stability zone, may be considered as part of an exploration strategy. Data may be collected using seismic techniques, such as a walk-away vertical seismic profile techniques, or electromagnetic surveys that are adapted to detecting the presence of vertical or subvertical dikes. In one example, data processing and acquisition techniques may be adapted to detect hydrate dikes, and do not assume a horizontally isotropic earth model.

Abstract: A method of monitoring a nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid injected into the earth's subsurface through a first wellbore that involves positioning a fluid analysis tool within a second wellbore and determining the presence of the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid by making a measurement downhole on the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid using the fluid analysis tool. Also a related method of enhancing hydrocarbon production from a subsurface area having first and second wellbores that involves injecting a nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid into the subsurface through the first wellbore, positioning a fluid analysis tool within the second wellbore, and determining the presence of the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid by making a measurement downhole on the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid using the fluid analysis tool.

Abstract: Kerogen in oil shale is converted to bitumen, oil, gases and coke via a retorting process. The vaporizable oil and gases are then recovered. Following the retorting process, bitumen is recovered via solvent extraction. The overall conversion process is enhanced by calculating conditions to optimize recovery of both oil and bitumen. This can be accomplished by either separately calculating conditions for which production of vaporizable oil and production of bitumen are optimized, or calculating conditions for which production of vaporizable oil and production of bitumen are optimized by applying a maximizing function to combined vaporizable oil and bitumen data. An advantage of this technique is that greater efficiency is achieved because the time duration of heating associated with the retorting process can be reduced and product yields increased.

Abstract: An intelligent traffic redirection system that performs global load balancing can be used in any situation where an end-user requires access to a replicated resource. The method directs end-users to the appropriate replica so that the route to the replica is good from a network standpoint and the replica is not overloaded. The technique preferably uses a Domain Name Service (DNS) to provide IP addresses for the appropriate replica. The most common use is to direct traffic to a mirrored web site.

Abstract: The invention is an intelligent traffic redirection system that does global load balancing. It can be used in any situation where an end-user requires access to a replicated resource. The method directs end-users to the appropriate replica so that the route to the replica is good from a network standpoint and the replica is not overloaded. The technique preferably uses a Domain Name Service (DNS) to provide IP addresses for the appropriate replica. The most common use is to direct traffic to a mirrored web site.

Abstract: A network architecture or framework that supports hosting and content distribution on a truly global scale allows a Content Provider to replicate and serve its most popular content at an unlimited number of points throughout the world. The inventive framework comprises a set of servers operating in a distributed manner. The actual content to be served is preferably supported on a set of hosting servers (sometimes referred to as ghost servers). This content comprises HTML page objects that, conventionally, are served from a Content Provider site. A base HTML document portion of a Web page is served from the Content Provider's site while one or more embedded objects for the page are served from the hosting servers, preferably, those hosting servers near the client machine. By serving the base HTML document from the Content Provider's site, the Content Provider maintains control over the content.

Abstract: For use in logging downhole in an earth borehole, a method for determining a characteristic of oil, includes: providing and determining the viscosity of a plurality of crude oil samples; performing test measurements, using a predetermined operating mode, on media including the crude oil samples to obtain test data; applying a test processing procedure to the test data to obtain an output test parameter relating to the test data and the predetermined operating mode; deriving, for the plurality of crude oil samples, a correlation relating the output test parameter to the viscosities of the crude oil samples; performing downhole measurements in the measurement region with a logging device, operated with substantially the predetermined operating mode, to obtain logging data, and applying a measurement processing procedure to the logging data to obtain an output logging parameter; and determining the oil characteristic using the output logging parameter and the correlation.

Abstract: For use in logging downhole in an earth borehole, a method for determining a characteristic of oil that may be present in a downhole measurement region, includes the following steps: providing a plurality of crude oil samples; determining the viscosities of the crude oil samples; performing test measurements, using a predetermined operating mode, on media including the crude oil samples to obtain test data; applying a test processing procedure to the test data to obtain an output test parameter relating to the test data and the predetermined operating mode; deriving, for the plurality of crude oil samples, a correlation relating the output test parameter to the viscosities of the crude oil samples; performing downhole measurements in the measurement region with a logging device, operated with substantially the predetermined operating mode, to obtain logging data, and applying a measurement processing procedure to the logging data to obtain an output logging parameter; and determining the oil characteristic us

Abstract: A method of monitoring a nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid injected into the earth's subsurface through a first wellbore that involves positioning a fluid analysis tool within a second wellbore and determining the presence of the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid by making a measurement downhole on the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid using the fluid analysis tool. Also a related method of enhancing hydrocarbon production from a subsurface area having first and second wellbores that involves injecting a nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid into the subsurface through the first wellbore, positioning a fluid analysis tool within the second wellbore, and determining the presence of the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid by making a measurement downhole on the injected nonhydrocarbon and nonaqueous fluid using the fluid analysis tool.

Abstract: The invention is an intelligent traffic redirection system that does global load balancing. It can be used in any situation where an end-user requires access to a replicated resource. The method directs end-users to the appropriate replica so that the route to the replica is good from a network standpoint and the replica is not overloaded. The technique preferably uses a Domain Name Service (DNS) to provide IP addresses for the appropriate replica. The most common use is to direct traffic to a mirrored web site.

Abstract: An exploration paradigm for detecting and/or characterizing gas hydrate deposits using either electromagnetic or seismic surveys, that accounts for the possibility that gas hydrate may accumulate in vertical or subvertical dikes. Geologic factors, such as the presence of the gas hydrate stability zone, indications that a prolific source of gas exists (or existed) below the gas hydrate stability zone and indications that a high flux of gas could be transported into the gas hydrate stability zone, may be considered as part of an exploration strategy. Data may be collected using seismic techniques, such as a walk-away vertical seismic profile techniques, or electromagnetic surveys that are adapted to detecting the presence of vertical or subvertical dikes. In one example, data processing and acquisition techniques may be adapted to detect hydrate dikes, and do not assume a horizontally isotropic earth model.

Abstract: A self-contained chromatography system is provided and includes a chromatography column, a carrier gas reservoir containing a carrier gas and an analyte stream processing device, wherein the carrier gas reservoir is disposed upstream from the chromatography column and wherein the analyte stream processing device is disposed downstream from the chromatography column. A method for implementing the self-contained chromatography system is also provided and includes generating a first system pressure upstream from the chromatography column and a second system pressure downstream from the chromatography column to cause the carrier gas to flow between the carrier gas reservoir and the analyte stream processing device. The method further includes combining a sample material with the carrier gas, introducing the combined sample to the chromatography column to generate the analyte stream and processing the analyte stream via the analyte stream processing device.

Abstract: The invention is an intelligent traffic redirection system that does global load balancing. It can be used in any situation where an end-user requires access to a replicated resource. The method directs end-users to the appropriate replica so that the route to the replica is good from a network standpoint and the replica is not overloaded. The technique preferably uses a Domain Name Service (DNS) to provide IP addresses for the appropriate replica. The most common use is to direct traffic to a mirrored web site.

Abstract: An intelligent traffic redirection system performs global load balancing. The system uses a network map that is generated in part by extending a “sparse” IP address data map. In particular, a method of extending an IP address block map begins by defining a set of one or more upper bound block(s). These upper bound blocks are then used to partition a space of IP addresses into subsets or “territories”, wherein each territory represents a largest set of IP addresses to which a piece of mapping data may be extended. The “piece” of mapping data typically consists of a host (usually a “name server” identified by the core point discovery process) IP address and some data about that host, namely, a “nearest” data center or a flag indicating that either “no data” exists for that host or that the system is “indifferent” as to which of a set of mirrored data centers the host should be mapped.

Abstract: The invention is an intelligent traffic redirection system that does global load balancing. It can be used in any situation where an end-user requires access to a replicated resource. The method directs end-users to the appropriate replica so that the route to the replica is good from a network standpoint and the replica is not overloaded. The technique preferably uses a Domain Name Service (DNS) to provide IP addresses for the appropriate replica. The most common use is to direct traffic to a mirrored web site.

Abstract: An intelligent traffic redirection system performs global load balancing. The system uses a network map that is generated in part by extending a “sparse” IP address data map. In particular, a method of extending an IP address block map begins by defining a set of one or more upper bound block(s). These upper bound blocks are then used to partition a space of IP addresses into subsets or “territories”, wherein each territory represents a largest set of IP addresses to which a piece of mapping data may be extended. The “piece” of mapping data typically consists of a host (usually a “name server” identified by the core point discovery process) IP address and some data about that host, namely, a “nearest” data center or a flag indicating that either “no data” exists for that host or that the system is “indifferent” as to which of a set of mirrored data centers the host should be mapped.

Abstract: A logging-while-drilling tool contains a pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) device for evaluating earth formations. An antenna of the pulsed NMR device is electromagnetically coupled with a drill collar of the tool for evaluating earth formations. In this way, the antenna generates a magnetic dipole parallel to a surface of the drill collar and the drill collar enhances the electromagnetic field generated by the antenna.