Search Documents

By Matsubara, A.

THE problem of the equilibrium between iron, carbon, and oxygen was first carefully investigated by E. Baur and A. Glaessner,1 who determined the equilibrium conditions of the two reactions Fe304 + CO ? 3FeO + C02 (1) FeO + CO ? Fe + C02 (2) within the range of temperature of 350 to 900° C. The next series of investigations was made by R. Schenck and his co-workers,2 who sought to check the results of Baur and Glaessner's work within the range of 550° to 700° C. and to elucidate the conditions of formation of iron carbide. The equilibrium conditions at the higher temperatures, however, are generally understood to be much more complicated, owing chiefly to the formation of solid solutions between iron, its oxides, and carbide; nevertheless their determination is of much more practical importance than those at the lower temperatures. It is well known that each of the reactions is reversible; equilibrium is established when the partial pressure of oxygen in the gaseous phase has become equal to the dissociation pressure of magnetic oxide in equation 1 and that of ferrous oxide in equation 2. These equilibria are subsequently designated by "the Fe304-FeO equilibrium" and "the FeO-Fe equilibrium," respectively. As the Fe304-FeO equilibrium has three phases with three components, it must be bivariant. But the reaction involves no pressure change in the gaseous phase, hence the final composition of the latter is practically unaffected by pressure. To know, the equilibrium conditions, the compositions of the gaseous phase at different temperatures must be determined. At the higher temperature, however, iron and its oxides dissolve one another in various proportions forming solid solutions; in many cases the content of oxygen in the solid phase becomes a new independent variable.

Jan 2, 1921

By R. D. Mollison, C. F. Fogarty

Sulfur is widely distributed in nature. It is present in the earth's crust, the ocean, the meteorites that come to us from cosmic space and in practically all animal and plant life. According to Clarke,9 the earth's crust contains 0.06 pct sulfur. Large quantities of free or combined sulfur are found in coal, natural gas and petroleum. Mineral waters contain sulfates and hydrogen sulfide. Sulfur is rather plentiful in the crust of the earth; however, only under special circumstances can it be produced profitably. Sulfur is one of the cheapest raw materials used by industry; and, therefore, the economic feasibility of a given deposit is strongly dictated by the law of supply and demand on local as well as world-wide levels. The forms which are commercially important are elemental sulfur or brimstone, and the sulfides such as pyrite (FeS2), pyrrhotite (FenSn+1), chalcocite (Cu2S), sphalerite (ZnS), and galena (PbS); the sulfates such as gypsum (CaSO4,2H2O), anhydrite (CaSO4), and kieserite (MgSO4,H2O). Elemental Sulfur Elemental sulfur is found in many localities, generally in solfataras and gypsum type deposits. The solfatara deposits are found commonly in the neighborhood of active or extinct volcanoes as in Italy, Japan and Chile, or fumaroles associated with mineral springs such as the Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone Park. Here the sulfur is deposited in tufas or other porous host rocks. This type of sulfur deposit probably results from the oxidation of hydrogen sulfide or the reaction of hydrogen sulfide with sulfur dioxide. Most of the world's supply of elemental sulfur comes from the gypsum-type deposits. Here the mineral occurs as either crystalline or amorphous sulfur in sedimentary rocks in close association with gypsum and limestone. This association is characteristic and occurs in almost all the great gypsum beds of the world, although sulfur is not always present in quantities of economic importance. Various theories have been advanced to account for this association. Bischof5 suggested that the sulfur came from hydrogen sulfide which resulted from the reduction of calcium sulfate by carbon or methane in accordance with the following reactions: CaSO4 + 2C= CaS + 2CO2 CaS + C02+ H2O = CaCO3 + H2S CaSO4 + CH4= CaS + C02+ 2H20 2H2S + 02= 2H20 + 2S All of the sulfur-bearing domes on the Gulf Coast have calcium sulfate in great quantity in the cap. They all show the presence of hydrocarbons. The oxygen for the final reaction could have been supplied by circulating ground waters. The principal objection to this theory is that temperatures of 700° to 1000°C are needed to reduce the sulfate to sulfide with carbon compounds. The geologic evidence is that the temperature of the sulfur-bearing domes of Texas did not exceed 100°C. Proponents of the theory say that geologic time or a catalyst replaced temperature. According to another theory the sulfur in the salt domes is the result of bacterial action. Sulfate reducing bacteria have been detected in sulfur cores and in the formation water issuing from salt domes. It has, therefore, been suggested that these bacteria converted the sulfate to sulfide which subsequently was converted to elemental sulfur.

Jan 1, 1960

By R. J. Sandrea, S. M. Farouq Ali

The results of an experimental and theoretical study of the effects of rectilinear impermeable barriers and highly permeable channels on the sweep efficiency and conductivity of a five-spot network are presented. The study was carried out using Hele-Shaw, and conductive sheet analogs for both. normal and inverted flood patterns. A functional relationship was developed which provides quantitative prediction of the above parameters; i.e., sweep efficiency and conductivity, for the nonhomogeneous system. To evaluate this, it is necessary only to measure the interference modulus of the obstacle using a simple expression. The results indicate that impermeable barriers, with an interference modulus greater than zero, always cause a decrease in the conductivity and the sweep efficiency of the pattern. On the other hand, permeability channels do not have a significant effect on these parameters, unless they are located along the streamlines. The study also discusses a method of formulating the difference equations pertaining to the two-dimensional Laplacian in a system containing rectilinear barriers. In addition, a technique is described for tracing the progress of a free surface, using marked particles, in a stream containing discontinuities SuCh as those occurring at the extremities of barriers. The above computational scheme was used in a digital computer program to simulate results of the Hele-Shaw analog. The computed values of sweep efficiency mere in good agreement with the experimental values. INTRODUCTION At the present time waterflooding remains the most widely used technique for the secondary recovery of oil. Among the numerous factors that affect the performance of a waterflood, the areal sweep efficiency constitutes one of the most critical parameters. It is a function only of the geometric distribution of the wells for a homogeneous medium and unit mobility ratio. Geological considerations, however, such as the presence of sealing faults or solution channels in the rock matrix, would generally exert an adverse effect on the areal sweep efficiency of a waterflood network. Surprisingly little information is presently available on the quantitative implications of such permeability interferences. It was the object of this investigation to consider the presence of rectilinear, impermeable and highly permeable interferences in an otherwise homogeneous five-spot pattern, and to analyze their effects on the resulting sweep efficiency and pattern conductivity. The experimental phase of the study was conducted using two different models: the Hele-Shaw flow cell and the field plotter. For experimental convenience, the geometric boundaries of the five-spot were assumed to constitute streamlines even in the case where the interference was asymmetrically placed with respect to a repeated five-spot pattern. A second object of the study was to develop a computational scheme for numerically calculating the pressure distribution in a five-spot flow pattern containing rectilinear, impermeable barriers, and to use this distribution to compute the sweep efficiency. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE HELE-SHAW ANALOG The Hele-Shaw analog was used both as a visual model and for determining the sweep efficiency for systems involving impermeable barriers. The physical limitations of this model as a means of experimentally studying the motion of a fluid in porous medium have been adequately discussed elsewhere.2,7 Likewise, it can be easily verified that the analogy remains valid when a portion of the region between the plates contains an obstacle of the same thickness as the distance between the plates. The model used in this study was composed of

By G. F. Jenkins

The word asbestos is a broad term that has been accepted and applied to a number of fibrous mineral silicates found in nature. They are incombustible and can be separated by mechanical means into fibers of various lengths and thicknesses, but differ in chemical composition and other properties. It is generally recognized that there are six varieties of asbestos; the finely fibrous form of serpentine known as chrysotile, and five minerals of the amphibole group, i.e., amosite (not fully recognized as a mineral species name but accepted in asbestos terminology), anthophyllite, crocidolite, tremolite and actinolite. (Figs 1-4.) Physical and Other Properties The structures of asbestos fibers have been studied intensely in recent years. X-ray diffraction patterns 1 to 15 have been used as a means of identification and classification. The amphibole group structures have been fairly well established while the serpentine group has been the subject of many investigations during the past six years. Low-angle X-ray scattering techniques5 have shown that the chrysotile fibrils are "hexagonally close packed" and parallel to each other, having cross-sectional diameters varying from 180Å* units to 300Å units, while the amphibole fibers are many times larger in cross section. The electron micrographs of chrysotile asbestos (Figs 1-4) have also indicated that the fibrils might be in the form of a hollow tube. This point has been the subject of considerable controversy by a number of investigators.7 to 16 Density measurements17 made on a sample of high quality Arizona fiber did not indicate that the fiber had a hollow tube structure; however, the so-called "sheet structure" of the fibril could be distorted in such a way that it gives the appearance of a hollow tube in the electron microscope. It is of interest to quote one investigator, F. L. Pundsack,17 in this connection: Although the empirical composition of chrysotile is 3MgO.2SiO2.2H20, the true unit cell[#] composition is best represented as Mg12(OH)16Si8O20. This cell has dimensions of a= 5.3Å, b = 9.2 Å, and c = 14.6 Å where the "a" direction is the fiber axis. The calculated density of this unit is 2.56 g/cc, a value in close agreement with experimentally determined density values for chrysotile. The exact manner in which the unit cells of asbestos are stacked together to build up a single fiber of chrysotile is not known, but from various

Jan 1, 1960

By H. Cecil Spicer

The results described in this article are based on field work conducted during the periods APril-May, 1939, and MaY-JulY, 1940. The United States Potash CO. is mining potash on Government land under a permit from the Department of the Interior and the geophysical investigation mas completed under a cooperative arrangemerit made between that company and the Conservation Branch of the Geological Survey. The writer, a member of the Section of Chemistry and Physics of the Geologic Branch, was assigned to this investigation. Four definite objectives were in mind for the geophysical work in the studies over the salt deposits. The first was to determine the measure of success that could be attained in this type of work with the resistivity methods that were to be employed. These methods had been introduced into the work of the Conservation Branch by Benjamin E. Jones for the investigation of dam sites, and have been used under his direction by the author for such work. If the method proved to be applicable, an l was to be made to contour the top of the salt beds and also the other formation boundaries known to be present in this area. Salt-water aquifers were to be studied in an effort to determine their boundaries, and an attempt was to be made to delineate the potash-bearing beds. Others have made, and reported, resistivity studies over saliferous deposits in different areas. Friedell and Messrs. Schlumberger2 reported geophysical work performed in the disrovery of the salt domes of Alsace; Carrette and Kelly3 described the geology of the same area. Leonardon and Kelly4 published a resistivity curve obtained over the Hettenschlag dome, and a further discussion of this same area was given by the Messrs. Schlum-berger5 in a communication. Messrs. Alty6 described studies 0" salt deposits in which the sing[e-probe method was used. Sinerez7 mentions that electrical methods were tried over salt deposits in Spain. Geoffrey and Charrin8 show a resistivity curve obtained over marl, gypsiferous marl and salt which is similar to that obtained over the New Mexico salt deposits. Kelly9 reported resistivity work performetl with the ground comparator of Zuschlag over the salt deposits near Syracuse, N. Y., where the Salina formation is at a depth of 700 to 800 ft. Some structural studies on the potash basin of Alsace are described by Poldini.10 Another single-probe resistivity study, made over salt deposits in New Mexico, is briefly described by Heiland,ll through the courtesy of Harry Aurand, of the Midwest Refining CO.

Jan 1, 1942

By H. Cecil Spicer

The results described in this article are based on field work conducted during the periods APril-May, 1939, and MaY-JulY, 1940. The United States Potash CO. is mining potash on Government land under a permit from the Department of the Interior and the geophysical investigation mas completed under a cooperative arrangemerit made between that company and the Conservation Branch of the Geological Survey. The writer, a member of the Section of Chemistry and Physics of the Geologic Branch, was assigned to this investigation. Four definite objectives were in mind for the geophysical work in the studies over the salt deposits. The first was to determine the measure of success that could be attained in this type of work with the resistivity methods that were to be employed. These methods had been introduced into the work of the Conservation Branch by Benjamin E. Jones for the investigation of dam sites, and have been used under his direction by the author for such work. If the method proved to be applicable, an l was to be made to contour the top of the salt beds and also the other formation boundaries known to be present in this area. Salt-water aquifers were to be studied in an effort to determine their boundaries, and an attempt was to be made to delineate the potash-bearing beds. Others have made, and reported, resistivity studies over saliferous deposits in different areas. Friedell and Messrs. Schlumberger2 reported geophysical work performed in the disrovery of the salt domes of Alsace; Carrette and Kelly3 described the geology of the same area. Leonardon and Kelly4 published a resistivity curve obtained over the Hettenschlag dome, and a further discussion of this same area was given by the Messrs. Schlum-berger5 in a communication. Messrs. Alty6 described studies 0" salt deposits in which the sing[e-probe method was used. Sinerez7 mentions that electrical methods were tried over salt deposits in Spain. Geoffrey and Charrin8 show a resistivity curve obtained over marl, gypsiferous marl and salt which is similar to that obtained over the New Mexico salt deposits. Kelly9 reported resistivity work performetl with the ground comparator of Zuschlag over the salt deposits near Syracuse, N. Y., where the Salina formation is at a depth of 700 to 800 ft. Some structural studies on the potash basin of Alsace are described by Poldini.10 Another single-probe resistivity study, made over salt deposits in New Mexico, is briefly described by Heiland,ll through the courtesy of Harry Aurand, of the Midwest Refining CO.

Jan 1, 1942

By A. H. Geisler, R. F. Mehl, C. S. Barrett

The complicated nature of the property changes that accompany age-hardening has made it necessary to reconsider and to elaborate the simple dispersion theory.l It has been apparent for some time that more direct information is needed concerning the atomic mechanism of precipitation from solid solution if the theory of age-hardening is to be developed past a purely qualitative stage.‡ Fortunately, in recent years information has been developed which allows us to trace in detail the lattice changes accompanying the process of precipitation from solid solution. This information relates chiefly to the sequence of the several stages of lattice alteration by which the matrix lattice is transformed to the equilibrium precipitate lattice, and permits reasonable inferences to he drawn concerning the states of internal strain that accompany these stages. This information is most complete for the solid solution of copper in aluminum. The equilibrium precipitate is the 0 phase, "CuAl2." This forms in plates, parallel to the {100} matrix planes. The atom pattern and atom spacing on the plane in 0 lying parallel to this plane are roughly similar to those opposite it in the matrix.3 The formation of 0, however, is preceded by the formation of a transition lattice 0': which again lies parallel to the matrix {100} plane, but in this case the matching of atom pattern and spacing across the matrix-precipitate interface is nearly periect; thus there is lattice coherency across the interface and the interface is a plane of separation in only a very limited sense.'8 Particles of 0' may be recognized microscopically and form a well-defined Wid-manstatten figure.* The 0' lattice is recognized by the occurrence of diffraction lines on powder photo-grams or of spots on Laue photograms which may be analyzed in the usual ways to determine the lattice type and the lattice spacings. Very recent research 6, 7, 1 has shown, however, that streaks occur on the Laue photogram at an earlier point in time during the aging process. These streaks have been attributed to a preferential clustering of copper atoms into small platelike elements of only a few atoms in thickness and a lew hundred atoms in diameter, probably of the composition of " CuA12," which may be designated as Guinier-Preston zones or aggregates.1 It is difficult if not impossible to determine the lattice type and lattice spacing in these aggregates. It is possible1 that these aggregates are in fact ?' in a high State of dispersion; the inclination to argue this is strong, as we shall see later. Never-

Jan 1, 1941

By R. F. Mehl, C. S. Barrett, A. H. Geisler

The complicated nature of the property changes that accompany age-hardening has made it necessary to reconsider and to elaborate the simple dispersion theory.l It has been apparent for some time that more direct information is needed concerning the atomic mechanism of precipitation from solid solution if the theory of age-hardening is to be developed past a purely qualitative stage.‡ Fortunately, in recent years information has been developed which allows us to trace in detail the lattice changes accompanying the process of precipitation from solid solution. This information relates chiefly to the sequence of the several stages of lattice alteration by which the matrix lattice is transformed to the equilibrium precipitate lattice, and permits reasonable inferences to he drawn concerning the states of internal strain that accompany these stages. This information is most complete for the solid solution of copper in aluminum. The equilibrium precipitate is the 0 phase, "CuAl2." This forms in plates, parallel to the {100} matrix planes. The atom pattern and atom spacing on the plane in 0 lying parallel to this plane are roughly similar to those opposite it in the matrix.3 The formation of 0, however, is preceded by the formation of a transition lattice 0': which again lies parallel to the matrix {100} plane, but in this case the matching of atom pattern and spacing across the matrix-precipitate interface is nearly periect; thus there is lattice coherency across the interface and the interface is a plane of separation in only a very limited sense.'8 Particles of 0' may be recognized microscopically and form a well-defined Wid-manstatten figure.* The 0' lattice is recognized by the occurrence of diffraction lines on powder photo-grams or of spots on Laue photograms which may be analyzed in the usual ways to determine the lattice type and the lattice spacings. Very recent research 6, 7, 1 has shown, however, that streaks occur on the Laue photogram at an earlier point in time during the aging process. These streaks have been attributed to a preferential clustering of copper atoms into small platelike elements of only a few atoms in thickness and a lew hundred atoms in diameter, probably of the composition of " CuA12," which may be designated as Guinier-Preston zones or aggregates.1 It is difficult if not impossible to determine the lattice type and lattice spacing in these aggregates. It is possible1 that these aggregates are in fact ?' in a high State of dispersion; the inclination to argue this is strong, as we shall see later. Never-

Jan 1, 1941

By S. Yukawa, M. J. Sinnott

A high resolution autoradiographic study of the diffusion of a nickel isotope (NP3) into copper in the temperature range of 650° to 925°C, with particular emphasis on grain boundary diffusion, has been made. The extent of grain boundary diffusion is a function of the grain boundary angle and the diffusion temperature. The ratios of the grain boundary diffusion coefficient to the lattice diffusion coefficient ranges from 104 to 105. The activation energy for grain boundary diffusion decreases with increasing grain boundary angle. STUDIES and reviews&apos;-8 of metallic diffusion have indicated that grain boundary diffusion is a common phenomenon but quantitative studies of the many variables involved are not numerous. The present work was concerned with determining the influence of the crystallographic orientation of the grain boundaries and the temperature on the extent of boundary diffusion of nickel into copper. The study involved essentially three steps: 1—the production of grain boundaries of known crystallographic orientation, 2—the determination of the extent of diffusion into the boundaries, and 3—the analysis of the resulting data in terms of the usual diffusion concepts. The grain boundaries investigated approximated the simple tilt variety having l° of freedom. They were produced by controlling the solidification from a melt of Cuprovac (a high purity vacuum-melted copper obtained from Vacuum Metals Corp.) of a pair of seed crystals so that the bicrystals of copper produced had a common <100> axis. By rotating one seed crystal relative to the other, a simple tilt boundary was produced. The angle of rotation between the two crystals is the grain boundary angle 8, or what is sometimes termed the misfit angle. In all, some 16 boundaries ranging from 2" to 72" in 5" to 10" steps were investigated. The crystallographic orientations were measured with the use of both X-ray and optical goniometric techniques. The <100> axes in the crystals were found to be parallel within 2" to 3" with the exception of one crystal (8 = 12") in which the axes were 6" from being parallel. All bicrystals showed evidences of sub-grain structures. Laue analyses showed that these subgrains differed in orientation up to a maximum of 2". Because of these variations, and some curvature in the boundaries, the grain boundary angles listed are actually average values and deviate from the 1 o of freedom boundaries. The stripping film technique of high resolution autoradiography was used to detect the diffusion of the nickel isotope into the grain boundaries of the bicrystals of copper. Kodak experimental permeable stripping film with an emulsion layer 5 u thick

Jan 1, 1956

By William J. McCaughey, Richard L. Barrett

For sixty years—in fact, ever since the inception of the basic steelmaking process —basic slags have been the subject of study by chemists, metallurgists and petrog-raphers! with the purpose of providing a better understanding of the reactions between the slag and the metal during the refining process. The result of this work and of the researches of mineralogists and physical chemists into the chemistry of oxide systems is a considerable body of literature dealing not only with slags themselves but with equilibrium relationships in systems synthesized from pure components. Since any actual slag is a multicom-ponent system more complex than any yet worked out in the laboratory, a complete solution to the problem is still far away. The writers have recently published a paper1 which they believe sheds light on the role of the slag in the elimination of phosphorus and it is the purpose of the present paper to discuss the metallurgical applications of that work. Since the pioneer investigations on the constitution of basic slags carried on by Stead and Risdale, Carnot and Richards, Hilgenstock and others in the I88o&apos;s, a considerable body of literature on this subject has appeared. Many of the more important of these papers were summarized in the previous paper,l therefore they will not be reviewed here. PetRographic Study The present writers have had occasion, over a period of years, to examine petro-graphically a great number of basic steel-making slags having a very wide range of chemical compositions and made under various conditions of operating practice. Although certain of these slags exhibit some unusual features, it is a remarkable fact that the great majority of mature slags show certain typical characteristics, which persist throughout the wide range of chemical compositions. The typical mature slag usually appears under the microscope to consist of two phases. The phase of primary crystallization is light colored and doubly refracting. If separated mechanically and subjected to chemical analysis, it is found to consist essentially of SiO2, CaO, and P2O6. Sometimes, although not usually, two such silicate-phosphate phases are found. The other conspicuous phase is dark in color and optically isotropic, and occurs as the interstitial material between the grains of the light colored phase. This dark colored interstitial phase when analyzed is found to consist essentially of FeO, Fe2O3, MnO, and MgO. In some &apos;lags high in iron oxide, particularly those from low-carbon heats, dicalcium ferrite is found. This phase is dark reddish brown in color and anisotropic.

Jan 1, 1944

By William J. McCaughey, Richard L. Barrett

For sixty years—in fact, ever since the inception of the basic steelmaking process —basic slags have been the subject of study by chemists, metallurgists and petrog-raphers! with the purpose of providing a better understanding of the reactions between the slag and the metal during the refining process. The result of this work and of the researches of mineralogists and physical chemists into the chemistry of oxide systems is a considerable body of literature dealing not only with slags themselves but with equilibrium relationships in systems synthesized from pure components. Since any actual slag is a multicom-ponent system more complex than any yet worked out in the laboratory, a complete solution to the problem is still far away. The writers have recently published a paper1 which they believe sheds light on the role of the slag in the elimination of phosphorus and it is the purpose of the present paper to discuss the metallurgical applications of that work. Since the pioneer investigations on the constitution of basic slags carried on by Stead and Risdale, Carnot and Richards, Hilgenstock and others in the I88o&apos;s, a considerable body of literature on this subject has appeared. Many of the more important of these papers were summarized in the previous paper,l therefore they will not be reviewed here. PetRographic Study The present writers have had occasion, over a period of years, to examine petro-graphically a great number of basic steel-making slags having a very wide range of chemical compositions and made under various conditions of operating practice. Although certain of these slags exhibit some unusual features, it is a remarkable fact that the great majority of mature slags show certain typical characteristics, which persist throughout the wide range of chemical compositions. The typical mature slag usually appears under the microscope to consist of two phases. The phase of primary crystallization is light colored and doubly refracting. If separated mechanically and subjected to chemical analysis, it is found to consist essentially of SiO2, CaO, and P2O6. Sometimes, although not usually, two such silicate-phosphate phases are found. The other conspicuous phase is dark in color and optically isotropic, and occurs as the interstitial material between the grains of the light colored phase. This dark colored interstitial phase when analyzed is found to consist essentially of FeO, Fe2O3, MnO, and MgO. In some &apos;lags high in iron oxide, particularly those from low-carbon heats, dicalcium ferrite is found. This phase is dark reddish brown in color and anisotropic.

Jan 1, 1944

By M. R. Tek, F. H. Poettmann, M. L. Grove

The general problem of single-phase natural gas flow through porous media has been considered both by mathematical analysis and field experiments. Theoretical studies on the fluid dynamics of natural gas wells resulted in derivations of expressions which permit a ber-ter understanding of the flow mechanism for conditions under which Darcy&apos;s law is no longer valid. In applying these results to natural gas production and testing technology, special emphasis war placed on the study of low permeability, slowly stabilizing formations. These applications resulted in a method of predicting the performance coefficients of tight natural gas wells. The calculation of the performance coefficient requires the determination of the "test-index", pkh/µ, the drain- age radius, R, and the effective wellbore radius, rw. Methods for estimating these parameters from field data were also developed. Field data from 15 wells were collected and analyzed. The measured values of the performance coefficients were compared with the predicted values. This statistical evaluation gave a bias of 7.14 per cent and a standard deviation of 11.6 per cent. INTRODUCTION The performance of a natural gas well is determined by the physical properties of the reservoir rock, the extent and the geometry of the drainage area, the properties of the flowing fluid, and the conditions of pressure distribution within the drainage matrix. The relation between the quantity of gas delivered and the pressure drop within the reservoir is characteristic of the behavior of each well and is often referred to as the back-pressure behavior of the well. It is well established that for normal, single-phase gas wells the relationship between the gas delivery rates and the bottom-hole pressure take, in general, the form, Q = c(P3 8 -P2 1)n. ,.......(1) where C is the performance coefficient, and n is the exponent corresponding to the slope of the straight-line relationship between Q and (P2 s, — P2 l) plotted on logarithmic coordinates. The determination of a well&apos;s performance by the back-pressure behavior not only permits the production engineers to analyze many operating problems, but also provides necessary information useful and essential to predict the future development of the field.&apos; Important engineering and production problems such as calculation of gas deliverability into a pipeline at a predetermined line pressure, design and analysis of gas-gathering lines, determinations of spacing and number of wells to be drilled during field development to meet future market or contract obligations, etc., all depend, at least in part, on the availability and use of reliable back-pressure curves.&apos; In the past the behavior of gas wells was evaluated

Jan 1, 1958

By Henry J. Joesting

During the past year and a half, the Territorial Department of Mines in Alaska has conducted a modest experimental program for the purpose of determining the extent to which magnetic and resistivity methods can be used in interior Alaska in connection with prospecting, mining and geological studies. Since little information is available concerning previous work,l,2 and since conditions differ considerably from those in most other regions, it was considered advisable to make a general study of the possibilities and limitations of the two methods, rather than a detailed study of any single problem. Problems One of the most serious handicaps to prospecting and geological study in interior Alaska, especially in the mature regions, is a cover of unconsolidated deposits ranging in thickness from a few feet to several hundred feet. These deposits, some of which are permanently frozen, consist of silt with varying proportions of vegetation and windblown material in the valleys and of residual deposits on the hills.3&apos;4 The problems treated here are caused by the existence of this overburden: I. Location of buried placers. 2. Determination of depth and areal distribution of permanently frozen and of thawed unconsolidated deposits. 3. Location of water-bearing beds under unconsolidated deposits. Instruments and Methods Magnetic and direct-current resistivity methods were used because they are relatively simple, rapid and inexpensive and because generally they are well suited to the study of the problems indicated. The instruments used were a vertical Schmidt-type magnetometer and a direct-current resistivity instrument similar to those used by the Geophysical Branch of the U. S. Geological Survey. For placer surveys with the magnetometer, a sensitivity of about 25 gammas per scale division was found suitable. For resistivity studies of frozen and thawed overburden and of underground water, the Lee partitioning method6 was found to be most generally suitable. In the Lee method a central potential electrode is placed midway between the two potential electrodes of the Wenner four-electrode configuration.7 Nonpolarizable electrodes were made from unglazed porcelain pots about 10 cm. high and 5 cm. in diameter. In order to retard evaporation of the electrolyte the sides of the pots were glazed, inside and out, with clear Duco lacquer. For resistivity work in cold weather, a nonfreezing electrolyte consisting of equal parts of ethylene glycol and a saturated water solution of copper sulphate proved satisfactory. Stainless steel rods of 3/4-in. diameter made excellent current electrodes because their bright finish enabled good ground contacts to be made.

Jan 1, 1946

By Henry J. Joesting

During the past year and a half, the Territorial Department of Mines in Alaska has conducted a modest experimental program for the purpose of determining the extent to which magnetic and resistivity methods can be used in interior Alaska in connection with prospecting, mining and geological studies. Since little information is available concerning previous work,l,2 and since conditions differ considerably from those in most other regions, it was considered advisable to make a general study of the possibilities and limitations of the two methods, rather than a detailed study of any single problem. Problems One of the most serious handicaps to prospecting and geological study in interior Alaska, especially in the mature regions, is a cover of unconsolidated deposits ranging in thickness from a few feet to several hundred feet. These deposits, some of which are permanently frozen, consist of silt with varying proportions of vegetation and windblown material in the valleys and of residual deposits on the hills.3&apos;4 The problems treated here are caused by the existence of this overburden: I. Location of buried placers. 2. Determination of depth and areal distribution of permanently frozen and of thawed unconsolidated deposits. 3. Location of water-bearing beds under unconsolidated deposits. Instruments and Methods Magnetic and direct-current resistivity methods were used because they are relatively simple, rapid and inexpensive and because generally they are well suited to the study of the problems indicated. The instruments used were a vertical Schmidt-type magnetometer and a direct-current resistivity instrument similar to those used by the Geophysical Branch of the U. S. Geological Survey. For placer surveys with the magnetometer, a sensitivity of about 25 gammas per scale division was found suitable. For resistivity studies of frozen and thawed overburden and of underground water, the Lee partitioning method6 was found to be most generally suitable. In the Lee method a central potential electrode is placed midway between the two potential electrodes of the Wenner four-electrode configuration.7 Nonpolarizable electrodes were made from unglazed porcelain pots about 10 cm. high and 5 cm. in diameter. In order to retard evaporation of the electrolyte the sides of the pots were glazed, inside and out, with clear Duco lacquer. For resistivity work in cold weather, a nonfreezing electrolyte consisting of equal parts of ethylene glycol and a saturated water solution of copper sulphate proved satisfactory. Stainless steel rods of 3/4-in. diameter made excellent current electrodes because their bright finish enabled good ground contacts to be made.

Jan 1, 1946

By E. DeGoyler

The Furbero oil field lies in the Gulf coastal plain of Mexico between the important ports of Tampico and Vera Cruz and about one-third of the distance between the two points from the latter (Lat. 20" 22&apos; N., 97" 30&apos; W. Gren.). It is in the State of Vera Cruz, about 14 miles west by south of the village of Papantla in the canton of the same name, and is the most southern of the developed oil fields of the Tampico-Tuxpam region being a distance of 50 miles south by east from the Potrero del Llano field and 42 miles in the same direction from the Alamo field. The field has been developed by the Oil Fields of Mexico Co. and is in the midst of a large block of lands owned or leased by them. Communication is through the port of Tuxpam with which it is connected by a narrow-gauge railway and 6-in. pipe line some 52 miles in length. This field is of more than ordinary interest since it represents a type of oil deposit hitherto unknown. So far as I am aware, no other commercially valuable deposit of oil is known to occur under conditions of accumulation similar to those found here. The igneous nature of the so-called &apos;sand&apos; encountered in drilling was not recognized until a number of wells had been drilled; and it was not until recently that the geological relations of the sill or laccolith, which gives rise to the accumulation of oil, were known and the so-called &apos;anticline&apos; was known to be, in part at least, the result of igneous intrusion. Geological surveys in this general region were made in 1900-1901 by W. H. Dalton and in 1907-1909 by P. C. A. Stewart, F. W. Moon, Leonard V. Dalton, and Dr. Max Muhlberg. More recent surveys have been made, however, under the direction of the author, by E. L. Ickes, B. C. Belt, B. Hartley, and Harve Loomis. Notes of the earlier examinations were not available with the exception of the report by Dr. Muhlberg who apparently first recognized the true nature of the Furbero intrusion. This paper is indebted to his work and that of the more recent surveys for much of the detail regarding stratigraphy and to Messrs. Percy Furber and Arthur C. Payne, President and General Manager of the Oil Fields of Mexico Go. for permission to publish, and for much of the in-

Jan 1, 1916

By Otto H. Henry, Edward L. Badwick

Up to the present time, according to Hansenl and Haughton,² the constitution of the bismuth-indium system has not yet been published. The generally accepted value for the melting point of indium, as listed in most scientific journals and textbooks, is 155°C. Recently, however, H. M. Davis3 has determined a new melting point for indium of 157.3²C O.l°C. Since bismuth has been used in preponderance as an alloying element in the majority of low-melting alloys, and indium has been used with considerable success in lowering the melting points of low-melting alloys, 4,6 an interest has been developed in the application of these two metals, making a complete knowledge of the constitution of its alloys desirable. In this investigation, the melting point of indium reported by H. M. Davis has been found to be substantially correct. A value of 157. ²°C ± O.5°C was determined. The two eutectic compositions have been placed at 34 and 50 pct bismuth with their respective eutectic temperatures as 72.4°C ± 0.5°C and 90°C ± 0.5°C. The bismuth-indium phase diagram has been determined by thermal and microscopic analysis and is shown in Fig I. Thermal Analysis Granulated bismuth and indium shot, having a guaranteed purity of 99.99 and 99.95 pct, respectively, were melted in a carbon crucible by means of a laboratory heater. To minimize oxidation of the alloys, a heavy mineral oil (Nujol) having a high- flash point was used. A platinum-platinum rhodium thermocouple of fine wire encased in a thin-walled Pyrex glass tube, about 1/8 in. in diameter, was connected to a type K potentiometer for temperature measurements. The thermocouple was calibrated against the melting points of tin, bismuth, and the silver-copper eutectic and the boiling point of water. Since the temperature readings could be reproduced to 0.²°Cl and the accuracy of the temperature standards in this range is slightly better than 0.5°C, it scems reasonable to assume that the temperature readings are reliable to approximately 0.5°C. The cooling rate could be controlled by varying the amount of insulation surrounding the crucible. Three or four layers of asbestos paper, 1/16 in. thick, sufficed to give a cooling rate of from I° to ²°C per minute. Undercooling was slightly noticeable. This condition was minimized by vigorous stirring, since the advantage of using slower rates was too small to justify the greater expenditure

Jan 1, 1947

By Otto H. Henry, Edward L. Badwick

Up to the present time, according to Hansenl and Haughton,² the constitution of the bismuth-indium system has not yet been published. The generally accepted value for the melting point of indium, as listed in most scientific journals and textbooks, is 155°C. Recently, however, H. M. Davis3 has determined a new melting point for indium of 157.3²C O.l°C. Since bismuth has been used in preponderance as an alloying element in the majority of low-melting alloys, and indium has been used with considerable success in lowering the melting points of low-melting alloys, 4,6 an interest has been developed in the application of these two metals, making a complete knowledge of the constitution of its alloys desirable. In this investigation, the melting point of indium reported by H. M. Davis has been found to be substantially correct. A value of 157. ²°C ± O.5°C was determined. The two eutectic compositions have been placed at 34 and 50 pct bismuth with their respective eutectic temperatures as 72.4°C ± 0.5°C and 90°C ± 0.5°C. The bismuth-indium phase diagram has been determined by thermal and microscopic analysis and is shown in Fig I. Thermal Analysis Granulated bismuth and indium shot, having a guaranteed purity of 99.99 and 99.95 pct, respectively, were melted in a carbon crucible by means of a laboratory heater. To minimize oxidation of the alloys, a heavy mineral oil (Nujol) having a high- flash point was used. A platinum-platinum rhodium thermocouple of fine wire encased in a thin-walled Pyrex glass tube, about 1/8 in. in diameter, was connected to a type K potentiometer for temperature measurements. The thermocouple was calibrated against the melting points of tin, bismuth, and the silver-copper eutectic and the boiling point of water. Since the temperature readings could be reproduced to 0.²°Cl and the accuracy of the temperature standards in this range is slightly better than 0.5°C, it scems reasonable to assume that the temperature readings are reliable to approximately 0.5°C. The cooling rate could be controlled by varying the amount of insulation surrounding the crucible. Three or four layers of asbestos paper, 1/16 in. thick, sufficed to give a cooling rate of from I° to ²°C per minute. Undercooling was slightly noticeable. This condition was minimized by vigorous stirring, since the advantage of using slower rates was too small to justify the greater expenditure

Jan 1, 1947

By C. E. Arnold

A brief description of this installation was included in a recent paper by H. Kenyon Burch.l The purpose of the present paper is to amplify Mr. Burch&apos;s description, as it is felt by the writer that the subject merits more than passing attention. In making a comparison between the common method of hoisting men in mine shafts, and elevator practice in high buildings, the former shows to great disadvantage both as regards safety measures and smoothness of operation. It is surprising that in view of the inducements offered, the step of applying the building equipment direct to the mine shaft has not been taken before, as in many respects the conditions of service are similar, and the objects to be attained are identical. Even without doing this, it is certain that safety to life and limb in the usual method of hoisting men underground can be greatly enhanced by the application to the mine hoist of some of the features of the building elevator. In the case under consideration, the elevator cage runs in a vertical, concrete-lined shaft compartment 5 ft. 11 in. by 5 ft. 6 in. (1.8 by 1.68 m.) in section and 585 ft. (178 m.) deep, while the counterweight runs in the pipe and ladder compartment of a twin shaft 102 ft. (31 m.) distant. The section of the division of this compartment occupied by the counterweight measures 2 ft. 4 1/4 in. by 3 ft. 101/2 in. (0.72 by 1.18 m.), and the counterweight is made in the form of a small cage which suffices to carry two men for the purpose of making inspections or repairs in the pipe and ladder way. The hoist is designed to carry a load of 7500 lb. (3401.94 kg.), ex-clusive of the cage, which weighs 7500 lb., at a maximum speed of 800 ft. (243 m.) per minute. It is installed in the main hoist and compressor building about 220 ft. away from the elevator shaft and is driven by a 160-hp. direct-current motor which is served by a 190-hp. motor generator set. A small direct-current generator mounted at the end of the motor generator set furnishes the current for the controller magnets, brake and fields of the hoist motor and generator. The drum, which is 72 in. (1.83 m.) in diameter, is driven through the medium of a single reduction herringbone gear. A Francke flexible coupling connects the

Jan 1, 1918

By W. T. Cardwell, R. L. Parsons

This paper discusses the practical problem of estimating a single equivalent permeability for an oil reservoir, or a portion thereof, whose actual permeability varies in an irregular manner. Limiting averages for general types of permeability variation are developed, and illustrated by examples involving important, specific types of variation. Introduction The theory of the flow of fluids through porous media1"4 is becoming increasingly important in predictions of oil-reservoir behavior. In practical applications, however, reservoirs are seldom found to which simple theory strictly applies. Actual reservoirs have complicated shapes and nonuniform permeabilities and porosities. This paper discusses the problem of estimating a single equivalent permeability for an oil reservoir, or a segment of an oil reservoir, whose actual permeability varies in an irregular manner. The equivalent permeability of a reservoir segment is defined as the permeability of a homogeneous segment of the same dimensions that would pass the same flux under the same pressure drop- It is the permeability value that can be used in simple theoretical formulas to calculate the reservoir behavior. To the authors&apos; knowledge, previous theoretical calculationst on systems of nonuniform permeability have been carried out only by Muskat&apos;"; and he has not dealt with irregular variations, except in writing down the general differential equation for the pressure in variably permeable systems.lb In practical work, many calculations necessarily have been made to estimate equivalent permeabilities from the permeabiiity profiles obtained by core analyses. Regarding such calculations, Johnston and Sherborne6 say: Simple arithmetic and weighted averages have been tried on many wells and it has been found that, where frequent sampling has occurred, the arithmetic average is as satis- factory as a weighted average. It is possible that the application of statistical methods to the analysis of permeability data as recently presented by Law8 may prove fruitful. L,, has made a valuable contribution in showing how statistical analyses may aid in picturing the characteristics of a reservoir from those of a necessarily limited number of core samples. It is believed however that the particular problem of the estimation of equivalent permeabilities can be most directly approached from a fluid dynamical viewpoint as given in the present paper. An example is presented of the use of the conclusions herein in conjunction with Law&apos;s method. Theory In order to approach the problem of heterogeneity simply, it is interesting to consider a square block composed of four smaller, homogeneous, square blocks of porous medium, two of which have a

Jan 1, 1945

By A. B. Tanner

The effects of radon in drillholes on gamma-ray logs have been described by L. S. Hilpert and C. M. Bunker1 Since these effects may cause drastic error in the evaluation of uranium deposits, it is useful to know the conditions under which significant amounts of radon tend to accumulate in drillholes. In the studies described here, atmospheric conditions were found to dominate in the control of the behavior of radon in drillholes in the vicinity of a uranium orebody. The site of the investigation was in McKinley County, New Mexico, about 12 miles north of Grants. Drillholes of 4 1/4-in. diam, on 25-ft and 100-ft centers, penetrate ore in dry rock at a depth of about 100 ft. A geologic log of the drillhole of primary interest is shown in Fig. 1. Gamma-ray logs revealed three zones of ore-grade mineralization in the Todilto limestone. A 6-ft zone, the lowest of the three, assayed 0.20 pct U3O8 by chemical analysis. The limestone ores in this area contain disseminated uraninite and some yellow and orange secondary minerals. Only radon"", a member of the uranium&apos;" series, was measured in this investigation. Radon is one of the chemically inert noble gases and is radioactive by alpha particle emission with a half life of about four days. In this discussion, amounts of radon are expressed in microcuries (1 microcurie equals 37,-000 disintegrations per sec) and concentrations of radon are expressed in microcuries per liter of drillhole air. Samples of air were obtained by lowering a sampling device (Fig. 2) into a drillhole and actuating the device at the desired depth. It was then raised to the surface and the sample was transferred to a storage tube. Within two days the sample was transferred to an ionization chamber, and the activ- ity of radon and its short-lived daughter products was measured at radioactive equilibrium with a vibrating-reed electrometer. The measurements were corrected back to the time of collection and involve errors estimated generally not to exceed + 5 pct to —15 pct. Radon Behavior in a Covered Hole: Fig. 3, a typical log of radon concentration vs depth in the covered drillhole, was made by using values of radon concentration at discrete depths. Continuous logs of alpha-particle radiation in the drillholes showed that such radon logs depict the continuous variation of radon concentration with depth quite accurately. Three features of radon logs were noted: 1) maximum

Jan 1, 1960