Search Documents

ALABAMA Altoona -Cain, J Anniston -Cowie, L K Heimrod, A A White, H E Bessemer-Abbott, C C Ball, E M Mitchell, F R Thompson, N E Birmingham -Adler, T E Aldrich T H Aldrich, T H, Jr Blackburn, A R Bush, 117 W Clark, G H Cowin, P G Crane, W R Crawford, G G Crockard, F H Darnelspn, G E Davis, C B

Jan 1, 1923

By R. K. Waring

A KNOWLEDGE of the mutual liquid solubility of zinc and lead is of importance in various phases of zinc metallurgy. The determination of this solubility has been the subject of numerous investigations, but unfortunatel, the results vary widely, particularly at higher tempera-tures, and it has been impossible to decide what data are most reliable. It was decided to investigate the matter and in view of the disagreement in the published results, it was felt necessary to take rather unusual precautions to insure the reliability of the data. For this reason deter-minations were made by four different methods, and the procedures of several of the previous investigators were duplicated. The previously used methods can be divided into two classes: methods involving freezing the entire melt and taking samples of the lead-rich and zinc-rich phases in the solid state, 1,2 and methods in which the. samples are taken while the bath is liquid and at the desired temperature. 3,4 Data obtained by methods involving freezing the entire melt show much lower solubility of lead in zinc than methods in which the liquid is sampled at temperature. The latter method was used by Spring and Romanoff5 and by Hass and Jellinek.6 The results of these two investi-gations are in agreement at temperatures near the melting point but at higher temperatures Hass and Jellinek find a higher mutual solubility.

Jan 1, 1934

By R. W. Snyder, H. J. Ramey

This paper presents the results of applying the Buckley-Leverett' displacement theory to petroleum reservoirs consisting of a finite number of layers. The layers are assumed to communicate only in the wellbores, and the reservoir may be represented as a linear system. Most previous investigations of this nature were limited by assumptions and by inconsistent calculation techniques. This study improves on previous work by applying the Buckley-Lev-erett displacement theory to a noncommunicating layered system where permeability, porosity, initial saturation, residual saturation and relative permeability vary from layer to layer in a logical and consistent manner. Gravity and capillary-pressure effects are neglected. A modification of the Higgins-Leighton calculation method was used in this study. Waterflood predictions were made with all properties varying, and then with only permeability varying using several inability ratios. These results were compared with the Stiles and Dykstra-Parsons predictions. It is shown that the latter methods generally give poor values for the breakthrough recovery and pessimistic predictions for the performance after breakthrough. Similar results were obtained for a gas-displacement case. lNTRODUCTION Field experience with immiscible displacement usually shows constant producing conditions until breakthrough of the displacing fluid. Then oil production continues at increasing displacing-to-displaced fluid ratios until the economic limit is reached. Three different ideal mechanisms are known that will produce this behavior: (1) relative permeability effects as described by Buckley-Leverett frontal advance theory,' (2) vertical stratification as considered by Stiles,2 Dykstra and Parsons5 and others and (3) different path lengths involved in areal (two-dimensional) flow between wells as described by Dyes et al.4 Without question, a combination of these factors modified by formation heterogeneity and other known and unknown factors actually does control the behavior of real systems. This paper presents results of an investigation of certain factors that should affect performance but which have received little attention to date. In 1944, Law5 demonstrated that porosity and perme- ability are often found to have normal and logarithmic-normal distributions, respectively. throughout cored intervals in natural formations. This led to the concept of the noncommunicating, multilayered reservoir model for immiscible displacement. This model assumes that the reservoir is composed of a number of layers that communicate only at the wellbores. Each layer is individually homogeneous, but may be different from every other layer. Stiles' presented one of the earliest applications of this model to waterflood performance. In addition, Stiles assumed that the initial saturations and relative permeabilities were the same for each layer, porosity was the same. displacement was piston-like, fluids were incompressible and injection into each layer was proportional to that layer's permeability capacity (permeability-thickness product). The last assumption would be true if the mobility ratio for the displacement were unity.21 Dykstra and Parsons" used the same model as Stiles, but rigorously included mobility ratios other than unity for piston-like displacement. Dykstra and Parsons used their general result to produce charts for log-normal permeability distributions between layers. Similarly, Muskat6 Pub1ished analytical solutions for linear and exponential permeability distributions. In 1959, Roberts' described a scheme for calculating water-drive performance for the noncommunicating, layered reservoir model which considered two-phase flow in the displaced region. Roberts used the same model and assumed that the injection rate into a layer was proportional to that layer's permeability capacity, but that flood front locations could be evaluated from the Dykstra-Parsons results. These assumptions are inconsistent, and a material balance cannot be maintained except for a mobility ratio of unity. At the same time, Kufus and Lynch8 coupled Buckley-Leverett displacement theory with the layered model to provide an improvement of the Dykstra-Parsons method that was consistent. In 1960, Higgins and Leighton9 resented a numerical method for calculating waterflood performance also considering two-phase flow in the displaced region. The result was used to investigate variation in absolute permeability and oil viscosity. An excellent, detailed history of using the noncomrnunicating, layered reservoir model was presented by Nielsen.'" The preceding techniques (and many related ones) were similar in that differences in initial saturations, residual saturations and relative permeabilities from layer to layer were neglected. It is well known that the irreducible water saturation is an important function of absolute permeability. Calhoun11 showed that the irreducible water saturation

By J. B. Austin, R. H. H. Pierce

IN developing a consistent picture of the thermal expansion of the commercial chromium steels, which cover a range of, carbon contents, it is desirable to know the expansion in the limiting case of the binary, carbon-free, iron-chromium alloys. We have, therefore, determined the thermal expansion of a series of five special alloys, ranging in chromium content from 3 to 10.5 per cent, with not more than 0.03 per cent carbon, over a temperature range extending beyond the transformation region; this low carbon content enables us to draw reasonably reliable conclusions as to the behavior of the carbon-free system. Moreover, the measurements serve to determine the beginning and the end of the alpha-gamma transformation; and they emphasize once more the fact that a transformation temperature determined by any method in which the specimen is .cooled at an appreciable rate is apt to be seriously in error, particularly if the metal contains a transformation-retarding element such as chromium or managanese. The lag, or undercooling, observed at the ?-a transformation is explained in terms of the influence of temperature on transformation velocity; the rather unusual shape of the ? loop is attributed to a change with temperature and with composition of the distribution of chromium between the alpha-iron and gamma-iron solid solutions. The exact composition of the alloys which were obtained through the courtesy of Dr. W. Rohn, of the Heraeus Vakuumschmelze A-G., is given in Table 1. Determinations of the linear thermal expansion and of transformation temperature were carried out in the vacuum dilatometer previously described,1 using a rate of heating and of cooling of 3.0° to 3.5° per minute unless otherwise stated. Magnetic susceptibility, which was measured in studying the rate of transformation, was determined with a magnetic balance, which also has. been described.2

Jan 1, 1935

By Walter Kauenhowen

GeRmany's crude-oil production during 1936 totaled 3,112,494 bbl., an increase of 5.2 per cent over the 3,007,711 bbl. produced in 1935. The official monthly production figures published in 1936 report only the individual production figures of the three old established fields, whereas since 1936 official reports combine the production of all other fields into one figure. According to these published data, and using a conversion factor of 1 metric ton equaling 7 bbl., the oil production of Germany in 1936 was as follows:

Jan 1, 1937

By W. Rostoker, S. A. Spachner

STUDIES of precipitation phenomena by use of X-ray diffraction effects have shown that atoms of the precipitating phase initially form lattices of limited periodicity in two or three dimensions.1, 2 Such diffraction effects are usually plotted in reciprocal space to facilitate identification. Atomic chains, or gratings possessing unlimited periodicity in only one dimension, cause uniform intensity planes in reciprocal space. Platelets, or gratings possessing unlimited periodicity in two dimensions, cause uniform intensity rods in reciprocal space. Such studies have been accomplished by use of white radiation (Laue technique) or characteristic or monochromatic radiation used with rotating single crystal or Weissenberg cameras. Each one of these techniques have associated drawbacks. If the Lque or rotating single-crystal technique is used, the results which are obtained may be ambiguous.3 Diffraction photograms made with a WeisSenberg camera do provide a direct but distorted representation of the variation of diffracted

Jan 1, 1960

Estimated Receipts Dues Arrears $ 3,500 00 Current 108,115 00 New Members - 11,937 00 In Advance 1,763 00 $125,315 00 Initiation Fees - 7,250 00 Initiation Fees-Additional if increased to $20 00 7,250 00 Sale of Transactions 3,000 00 Sale of Binding 7,092 00 Sale of Magazine 2,913 00 Sale of Pamphlets 370 00 Sale of Indexes and Emmons Vols 313 00 Sale of Pyrometry 900 00 Sale of Raymond Vol 100 00 Interest received on Bank Balance . 500 00 Interest received on Life Memberships 500 00 Advertising-Gross 27,000 00 Voluntary Subscriptions-Estimated 16,000 00 Income from James Douglas Fund 5,000 00 Total $203,503 00

Jan 1, 1923

By J. K. Stanley

It has been known for many years that the magnetic properties of a ferromagnetic material are very sensitive to internal strain. Any structure-sensitive property such as ferromagnetism, which is a function of the regularity of the atomic arrangement, and discontinuities such as grain boundaries must show deviations from an equilibrium state when the regularity of the lattice is disturbed. Experience has shown that such distortions have a marked effect on the magnetic properties of a ferromagnetic material. The purpose of this paper is to show the feasibility of using magnetic methods in detecting internal strains. More specifically, it will be shown how such properties as permeability, rema-nence, and coercive force change on cold-working of aluminum iron and how these magnetic properties change during the annealing below the recrystallization temperatures. This work was conducted for two reasons. One was the desire to see in what manner strains are relieved in aluminum iron at low temperatures—a subject of practical importance in soft magnetic materials—and the other was the feeling that a study of cold-working and strain relief might shed some light onour understandingof what takes place in the deformation of metals. Definition of Terms It is necessary to define the terminology used in this Paper because magnetic nomenclature is usually unfamiliar to the metallurgist, and certain other terms, such as recovery, have been used ambiguously by metallurgists and others. Magnetic terms are best explained by reference to the common hysteresis loop of ferromagnetic materials (Fig. I). In Fig. 1 the coordinates are magnetic induction, B, (ordinate) and magnetizing force, H. (abscissa). The c.g.s. unit for the magnetic induction is the gauss, the number of flux lines per square centimeter, and the unit for the magnetizing force is the oersted, the number of lines of force per centimeter in air or vacuum. If one starts with a completely demagnetized specimen and magnetizes it, a typical virgin magnetization curve beginning at the origin is obtained. This curve is also the locus of tips of a family of smaller hysteresis loops. From this curve it is to be noted that the induction is not proportional to the magnetizing force, and that it appears to approach a limiting induction called the saturation value, and does so for values of H of 1000 oersteds. The ratio of the magnetic induction (gauss) to the magnetizing force (oersteds) is called permeability, . Thus u= B/H and if the magnetizing force H (oersteds) is specified as ro or 100 oersteds, the permeability is written as or l00 This is the accepted notation, and will be used in this paper. The values of permeability for H = 10 or I00 are chosen as indices for 106

Jan 1, 1945

By Clarence Zener

IT has long been known that the density of a metal usually decreases with cold-work. Thus O'Neill1 observed as early as 1861 that cold hammering of commercial hot-rolled copper is accompanied by a decrease of density of 0.2 per cent, and that subsequent annealing restores the original density. The origin of this density change, however, has remained obscure. In particular, experiment has not yet decided whether it is due to the presence of small cavities and an increase in intergranular surface or to an actual expansion of the lattice itself. This uncertainty in the origin of the change in density is a reflection of our uncertainty as to the changes induced in a metal by cold-working. One school regards cold-working as a breaking up of the original grains into a large number of perfect crystallites somewhat randomly orientated with respect to one another.2 According to this viewpoint, the mere introduction of a large intercrystallite surface induces a net volume expansion. Another school regards cold-working primarily as a distortion of the grains. It is not obvious that this second viewpoint will lead to a net volume expansion. The purpose of the present paper is to show that this is indeed the case, and that this expansion is of the right order of magnitude to explain existing experimental data. The physical basis for the association of an expansion with distortion lies essentially in the variation of the elastic moduli with volume. This variation is considerable. Thus from Table I we see that a I per cent increase in volume for the case of copper will decrease the bulk modulus K by i0 per cent, the shearing modulus µ by 3.8 per cent. If we thus twist a rod through a given angle, we shall do less work upon it if it increases slightly in volume, thereby reducing the torsion modulus that involves as a factor the shearing modulus. A general principle' in physics states that the rod will so adjust itself as to have a minimum potential energy consistent with the end restraints. It will therefore expand. [ ] In order to obtain a quantitative comparison with experiment, we follow Maier4 in comparing the lattice expansion with the latent energy of cold-work. This latent energy has been measured directly by Taylor and Quinney5 on copper rods subjected to torsion, and may amount to as much as 15 per cent of the total work done upon the specimens. We shall assume that this

Jan 1, 1941

By MORTON WEBB

Discussion of the paper of Max Boehmer, presented at the Pittsburg meeting, March, 1910, and printed in Bulletin. No. 38, February, 1910, pp. 119 to 122. W. MORTON WEBB, Germiston, Transvaal, South Africa (communication to the Secretary*):-The experience of Mr. Boehmer in the Leadville district and his reputation as an engineer assure the interest of anything he may write on the ore-bodies of that district; and all engineers who have operated in Leadville will agree that the theory of the origin of the Leadville deposits, as given by Mr. Emmons in his famous monograph, does not adequately explain the genesis of all the deposits. The solution of the problem does not, however, appear to be quite so simple as Mr. Boehmer would make it; and the advance pamphlet issued by the U. S. Geological Survey, pending the completion of the main report, shows that there is still much ground for controversy. No doubt the later eruptives had a greater influence on the deposition of the ore-bodies than was thought at the time of the first investigation by the Survey; but it has always appeared to me that the influence exerted by these dikes was more in the nature of a physical than a chemical one. The weight of evidence in recent years is mostly in the direction of ascension rather than lateral secretion; and one of the strongest evidences is the fact that most of the ore-bodies lie under one of the comparatively impervious layers which help to make up the structure of these hills. On Iron hill I have found a very persistent white porphyry sheet, split off from the overlying porphyry and lying from 30 to 60 ft. below the main white porphyry and blue limestone contact. This sheet varies from a few to 50 ft. in thickness, and where found adds another "contact" to that region ; some of the largest ore-bodies on Iron hill lie immediately under this sheet. Above this is the main white porphyry and * Received Mar. 3, 1910.

Feb 1, 1911

By J. H. Waxweiler, L. C. Ikenberry, R. J. Bendure

Carbon which is present as insoluble carbides in austenitic stainless steels can be measured quantitatively by dissolving the steel in iodine-methanol and analyzing the residue for carbon. Severe sen-sitization was observed in Type 302 due to precipitation of only 0.003 pet carbon. Both cold work and the presence of delta ferrite caused a marked acceleration in rate of carbide precipitation. Carbide precipitation rates in 17-7 PH were stzulied for the austenite conditioning and also the aging heat treatment. CARBON and its compounds exercise a major influence on the properties of stainless steels and their response to thermal treatment. Sensitization in 18-8 type stainless steels has been the subject of numerous investigations throughout the years. Bain, Aborn, and utherford," and Binder, Brown, Frankss all studied the effects of heating austenitic stainless steels in the temperature range of 1000° to 1500°F. The primary purpose of most of these studies was the investigation of susceptibility to in-tergranular attack in acids due to these sensitizing heat treatments. Intergranular precipitation of carbides was always associated with intergranular attack but it was recognized2 that severe attack could occur with but minute quantities of precipitated carbide. Mahla and ielsen utilized the electron microscope to make a significant contribution in illustrating the appearance and method of growth of chromium carbides during sensitizing heat treatments. However, as they stated, their studies of residues could not be used to obtain a quantitative measurement of the amount of carbon which was actually precipitated. The aim of the present investigation was to devise a relatively fast, simple method for the quantitative measurement of carbides in stainless steel. EXPERIMENTAL WORK The initial investigations were made to determine the best means of separating carbides from the matrix. A number of dissolving media were tried using both chemical and electrolytic attack. Qualitative examination of the extracted residues by X-ray diffraction indicated that solution in iodine-methanol would furnish a good means of separation. Consequently, further work was pursued along this line. The method is quite simple. The sample in the form of millings or nibblings is dissolved in iodine-methanol solution at room temperature (6-g iodine, 25-ml methanol per g of sample). The insoluble residue containing the carbides is separated by suction filtration through an ultra-fine glass filter disc. This is a very fine filter medium that will retain particles as small as 0.1 to 0.2 p in diameter. After washing with methanol and drying, the filter disc and residue are placed in a conventional combustion carbon-tube furnace and the carbon determined gravimetrically. Using this technique it was found that reproducible insoluble carbon values were obtained. However, since such small amounts of insoluble carbon were obtained on Type 302 after sensitizatipn at 1250°F and 1500°F, the values were confirmed by a second method. In the second method the sample was dissolved with copper potassium chloride and filtered through a millipore paper. This treatment dissolves the matrix but leaves undissolved practically all of the carbon irrespective of how it is present in the steel. The amount of insoluble carbon present as chromium carbide is determined by calculation from the analysis of the residue for chromium and iron. The derivation of the formula used for this calculation is discussed later. The values obtained by the indirect copper-potassium-chloride method were in agreement with those obtained by the iodine-methano1 method. See Table I. It should be pointed out that the sensitivity of the direct combustion method is not too high when the amount of carbide present is small. This is due primarily to inherent blanks and to analytical errors such as weighing. For this reason it cannot be stated with any degree of certainty that there is a significant difference between values of 0.002 and 0.005 pct. Having confirmed that the iodine-methanol extraction gave a quantitative measurement of the precipitated carbides in Type 302, exploratory tests were conducted on Armco 17-7 PH stainless steel. Samples from commercial Heat 54807 were solution annealed at 2000°F, water quenched and heated at 1250" and 1500°F, and water quenched. The analysis of Heat 54808 is as follows:

Jan 1, 1962

WALLACE E. PRATT, Wichita Falls, Tex. (written discussion *).-The age of the oil in the southern Oklahoma fields, Mr. Powers concludes, is Pennsylvanian, or in part, possibly, pre-Pennsylvanian. In a later paper,1 he recognizes the Ordovician age of the small production from the Bullhead A. Daney, No. 14, in the Healdton field. But nowhere does Mr. Powers admit the possibility of oil of Permian age in southern Oklahoma. Yet shallow oil in the adjacent north Texas fields. (Electra, Burkburnett, and Petrolia), which are generally conceded to be closely related to the fields of southern Oklahoma in geological aspect, may very well be of Permian age. Dr. Udden has already discussed this question,2 noting the organic nature of the limestone, outcropping near Electra, together with other evidence that organic material was present if not abundant, originally, in Permian rocks: The Permian rocks in north

Jan 3, 1918

By T. K. Perkins, L. R. Kern

A study of fluid mechanics, rupture of brittle materials and the theory of elastic deformation of rocks shows that, for a given formation, crack width is essentially controlled by fluid pressure drop in the fracture. Operating conditions which cause high pressure drop along the crack (such as high injection rate and viscous fluids) will result in relatively wide cracks. Conversely, operating conditions which cause low pressure drop (low injection rates and thin fluids) will result in relatively narrow cracks. Charts and equations have been derived which permit the estimation of fracture widths for a variety of flow conditions and for both horizontal and vertical fractures. INTRODUCTION There has been considerable speculation concerning the geometry of hydraulically created fractures in the earth's crust. One of the questions of practical importance is the width of fractures under dynamic conditions, i.e., while the fracture is being created and extended. Such width information could be used, for instance, to help estimate the area of a fracture generated under various conditions. Also, there has been a recent trend toward the use of large propping partiles.13, 15 Therefore is is desirable to know what factors can be varied in order to assure entry of the large particles into the fracture. There has been some work on fracture widths reported in the literature. In particular, there have been several Russian publications dealing with this sub-jeCt.1.31,3 These papers have dealt principally with the elastic theory and the application of this theory to hydraulic fractures. These studies have not led to an engineering method for estimating fracture widths under dynamic conditions. A recent paper3 has reviewed and summarized the Russian concepts. An earlier paper- from our laboratories also discussed the application of the elastic theory to hydraulic fractures. This first approach, based largely on photoelastic studies, has proved to be too simplified to accurately describe the fracturing process. However, these early thoughts have served as a guide during the development of more exact concepts. We would like to present in this paper our current concepts regarding fracture widths and some estimates of hydraulic fracture widths for several conditions. We believe that it is now possible to predict with fair accuracy the factors influencing fracture widths. Furthermore, the method of prediction has been reduced to a simple and convenient graphical or numerical calculation. CRACKS IN A BRITTLE, ELASTIC MATERIAL Many investigators2, 4, 30 have shown that competent rocks behave elastically over some range of stresses. Of course, if the tensile stress imposed upon a rock exceeds some limiting value, then the rock will fail in tension. In similar manner, there are some limiting shear stresses that can be imposed upon rocks. Hubbert and Willis11 have discussed the shear conditions which will lead to failure. Under moderate stress conditions (such as those likely to be encountered when hydraulically fracturing) and when stresses are rapidly applied, relatively, most rocks will fail in a brittle manner. Hence, for this discussion of hydraulic fractures in the earth's crust, we assume the rocks behave as brittle, elastic materials. Let us develop the discussion in the following way. (The following thoughts are applicable only to brittle materials.) 1. First we consider a brittle, elastic system. An energy balance will show the minimum pressure necessary to fracture rock, and from this pressure we calculate the minimum crack width resulting from extension of a hydraulic fracture. 2. Then we will show that, under ordinary fracturing conditions, fracture widths are appreciably greater than the minimum widths of extending fractures. In fact, we will find that crack width is controlled by fluid pressure drop in the fracture. 3. We will discuss pressure drops in fractures and resulting crack widths for various operating conditions and both vertical and horizontal fractures. 4. Finally, we will discuss the significance of these concepts, their relationship to fracturing pressures, etc. First, consider minimum fracture extension pressures. We can shed some light on this question by considering the theory proposed by Griffith7, 8 Yo explain the rupture of brittle, elastic materials. Griffith recognized that solid materials exhibit a surface energy8 (similar to surface tension in a liquid). The fundamental concept of the Griffith theory is that, when cracks spread without the application of external work (in the interior of an elastic medium which is stressed

By J. B. Austin

IN developing a consistent picture of the thermal expansion of the commercial chromium steels, which cover a range of carbon contents, it is desirable to know the expansion in the limiting case of the binary, carbon-free, iron-chromium alloys. We have, therefore, determined the thermal expansion of a series of five special alloys, ranging in chromium content from 3 to 10.5 per cent, with not more than 0.03 per cent carbon, over a temperature range extending beyond the transformation region; this low carbon content enables us to draw reasonably reliable conclusions as to the behavior of the carbon-free system. Moreover, the measure-ments serve to determine the beginning and the end of the alpha-gamma transformation; and they emphasize once more the fact that a transforma-tion temperature determined by any method in which the specimen is cooled at an appreciable rate is apt to be seriously in error, particularly if the metal contains a transformation-retarding element such as chro-mium or managanese. The lag, or undercooling, observed at the ? - a transformation is explained in terms of the influence of temperature on transformation velocity; the rather unusual shape of the ? loop is attributed to a change with temperature and with composition of the distribution of chromium between the alpha-iron and gamma-iron solid solutions. The exact composition of the alloys which were obtained through the courtesy of Dr. W. Rohn, of the Heraeus Vakuumschmelze A-G., is given in Table 1. Determinations of the linear thermal expansion and of transformation temperature were carried out in the vacuum dila-tometer previously described,1 using a rate of heating and of cooling of 3.0° to 3.5° per minute unless otherwise stated. Magnetic susceptibility, which was measured in studying the rate of transformation, was determined with a magnetic balance, which also has been described.2

Jan 1, 1935

By G. H. F. Gardner

The velocity and attenuation of elastic waves in sandstones were measured as a function of both pressure and fluid saturation. A large change occurs in these quantities if water is added and the rock is not compressed, but the change is small if the rock is subjected to a large overburden pressure. Measurements were made by vibrating cylindrical samples in both the extensional and torsional modes at frequencies up to 30,000 cycles/sec. Formulas were derived which enable the attenuation of dilatational waves in dry rocks to be deduced from the data. Similar experimental methods were used to investigate the properties of unconsolidated sands. Velocities were found to vary with the 1/4 power of the overburden pressure and attenuations to decrease with the 1/6 power. The effects of grain size, amplitude and fluid saturation were studied. Formulas by which the effects produced by a jacket around the sample may be calculated were derived. The practical application of these results to formation valuation is discussed. INTRODUCTION The attenuation of elastic waves in the earth has been of interest to the seismologist and geophysicist for many years, but only recently to the petroleum engineer. Engineering interest has been brought about by the success of velocity logging devices, for it is possible by modification of these instruments to measure the attenuation of sound waves in addition to their velocity and, hence, deduce the mobility of formation fluids as well as the porosities of the rocks which contain them. The main problem is to decide whether field measurements can be made with sufficient accuracy to be of practical use. This problem can only be solved after we know the magnitude of the attenuations which are typical of the earth at various depths. The logarithmic decrement of a fluid-saturated rock is the sum of a "sloshing" decrement and a "jostling" decrement, the former caused by the mobility of the fluid contained within the rock and the latter by the granular framework of the rock. Sloshing decrements can be calculated' using Biot's theory, but the jostling losses are less well understood. The present paper reports an experimental investigation of jostling losses in consolidated and uncon- solidated sands, particularly with respect to the effect of overburden pressure and fluid saturation. Born' showed that the decrement of a sandstone may increase dramatically when only a few per cent by weight of distilled water is added, and that the additional loss is proportional to the frequency of vibration. His measurements were made with no compressive stress on the framework of the rock. M. Gondouin3 investigated similar phenomena for fluid-saturated plasters but also did not compress the samples. In the present paper it is shown that compression of the framework reduces this effect, so that at depth the jostling decrement of a sandstone may be expected to be almost independent of fluid saturation and frequency. Decrements for many sedimentary rocks have been given by Volarovich,4 but all for the state of zero overburden pressure. Anomalously low velocities have been logged in shallow unconsolidated gas sands. Results of the present investigation confirm that these velocities are not caused by correspondingly high attenuations, because the jostling decrement in a packing of sand grains is small and much less than in a consolidated sandstone at the same depth. Velocities in sands have been measured by Tsareva5 and by Hardin6 as a function of pressure, but the corresponding decrements do not appear to have been measured previously. The widely used "resonant bar method" of measuring velocities and decrements was employed. Comments on variations of this technique have recently been published by McSkimmin.7 The main novelty of the present technique was the application of pressure to the samples. It was found possible to do this by placing the apparatus inside a pressure vessel, provided the conditions leading to large additional losses were avoided. These conditions are discussed below. EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUE Cylindrical samples were caused to vibrate in both the extensional and torsional mode of vibration and the amplitude of vibration was measured as a function of frequency in the neighborhood of a resonant frequency. The resonant frequency, fr, is related to the corresponding elastic modulus by the formulas where E and N are Young's modulus and the modulus of rigidity, p is the density of the sample, and A the wavelength of the vibration.

Jan 1, 1965

By E. P. Whittemore

Experience with the ASC multipoint gas lift system was obtained in Colonia zone of the West Montalvo field near Oxnard, Calif. The wells in this pool produce from depths varying from 10,500 to 12,000 ft. Oil gravity is generally 14 to 15' API with a few extremes of 12 and 20" API. Some salt water is produced which causes some very viscous emulsions. Viscosities at 150F (which is the approximate wellhead temperature) vary from 5,000 to 100,000 SSU. Most of the production is by gas lift, although a few wells are produced by rod and hydraulic pump. About half of the gas-lift wells are on continuous flow and the remainder are on intermittent lift using large, ported, pilot-operated valves for single-point transfer of gas from casing to tubing. Gas-liquid ratios vary from about 6 to 10 Mcf/bbl of gross fluid lifted. Wells are produced to a 450-psi trap system. The following remarks will be confined to intermittent lift only, since this is the type of lift which has been achieved with the ASC valve system. The maximum gross fluid which has been produced by single-point intermittent lift is about 350 B/D in 3-in. tubing and 200 B/D in 21/2-in. tubing with gas-liquid ratios of approximately 7 to 9 Mcf/bbl. Some design changes could reduce this ratio. The ASC multipoint system has provided production as high as 480 BOPD in 21/2-in. tubing with gas-liquid ratios just under 4 Mcf/bbl. To be able to apply the multipoint system, it is recommended that a detailed explanation be obtained concerning transition-point pressure and stabilizer setting—what its significance is to the string design, how it may work for or against the operation of the well, how it is related to tubing sensitivity and how it affects the unloading operation. The unloading operation may only be of academic interest in a technical paper, but to the production foreman, unloading and setting the valves in operation is a very real problem and should be understood in detail. One item touched lightly in the paper was the unloading valve. This valve controls the maximum pressure at which the well can be operated. When lifting heavy viscous fluids, it is most important to set this valve for the maximum possible realistic operating pressure at the surface. If the well lifts easily, it is simple to set the ASC valves at a lower operating pressure and the unloading valve will remain closed; but if the well happens to be heavier to lift than anticipated, it may be desirable to operate on the unloading valve itself and use all the energy obtainable at the bottom of the hole. In the Colonia pool very heavy wet-gas gradients are experienced due to the viscosity of the liquid and the dense mist which is left behind a slug of fluid. There are many combination strings of 3- and 21/2-in. tubing. This aggravates the wet-gas gradient problem and provides wet-gas gradients of about 50 to 70 psi/1,000. An advantage which multipoint lift has provided is increased slug efficiency through better maintenance of pressure under the slug and decreased fall back as the slug passes up the tubing. By using multipoint injection, wet-gas gradients have been reduced to about 30 psi/1,000. This has reduced bottom-hole operating pressure and given a production increase. The ASC valve is not a simple device. It's operation is difficult to understand, and it must be understood to be used efficiently in gas-lift design. Operating problems are difficult to diagnose—whether they be caused by the fluid lifted, valve malfunction, lift gas rate, or operating pressure. Calculations and reasoning are required to find out what is causing the problem. Inherent in the ASC valve is the inability to create large pressure differentials across a slug. Large differentials may be required to overcome the inertia of very viscous fluid as it is being accelerated in the bottom of the hole. This is tied back to the design of the unloading valve and is one reason for the importance of setting the unloading valve for the highest possible operating pressure. ~u; to the narrow spread the ASC valves provide, it is impossible to cycle slower than about 24 cycles/day on choke control. If small production of 150 BOPD and less is expected, a surface time-cycle controller will be required if the most economical operation is to be achieved. To achieve a satisfactory operation, the operator must keep a record of any changes made in the operating pressure of the ASC valves. Anything which may cause changes in casing pressure in excess of the stabilizer setting will change the valve operating pressure, and if this is not noted from daily inspection of the well casing-tubing pressure recorder charts, the operator will lose control of the well. Significant results can be achieved using ASC valves; however, considerable knowledge is required to design with them, and attention to detail is required for satisfactory field operation.

Jan 1, 1965

By Henry M. Howe

IN discussing the classification of iron to-day, we are to leave out of consideration the general division into non-malleable or cast iron and malleable iron, as to the adequacy of which no question has been raised; and to confine ourselves to the subdivisions of malleable iron. This has been classified, according to the extent to which the properties imparted by carbon are present (viz., resilience, hardness, strength„ and, above all, the capacity for being hardened by sudden cooling from a high temperature), into (1) wrought iron which cannot be hardened, and (2) steel which can be hardened; and this classification I shall, for briefness, term the carbon classification. Until within a few years all authorities, both metallurgical and general,, have concurred in explicitly recognizing the carbon-given qualities, and preeminently the capacity for being hardened, as the essential qualities of steel ; this is laid down with clearness by every writer on the subject. For several years this old classification has not been sufficient to, meet all our needs, since the genius of Bessemer, Siemens, and, I may add, Holley, has produced wrought iron which has been perfectly melted, and thus freed from certain mechanical adhering impurities. This causes what we call homogeneousness for want of a better word, and gives rise to many important qualities which the old wrought iron had not;. qualities universally recognized, though not readily described. I shall, for briefness, style them the fusion qualities, and a classification based on them., a fusion classification. These qualities render the new product so vastly superior, for most purposes, to the wrought iron formerly known, that it is neces- * This paper was read in opening the discussion on the motion to adopt the report of the International Committee on the Nomenclature of Iron and Steel. At the conclusion of the discussion the resolutions on page 44 were adopted.

Jan 1, 1877

By NONE NA

[Allen -Sherman -Hoff. Pump Co Third Cover Dee Carlton Brown, Advertising Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co 733, 750 Compton Advertising, Inc. American Cyanamid Co James J. McMahon. Inc. American Manganese Steel Div., American Brake Shoe Co 746 Fuller & Smith & Ross, Inc. Anaconda Copper Mining Co Kenyon & Eckhardt Inc. Carlon Products Corp 748 Penn and Hamaker, Inc. Chicago Pneumatic Tool Co 744, 745 G. M. Basjord Co.]

Jan 1, 1952

By J. E. Hilliard

AS is well-known, the length per unit volume, Lv, of any lineal feature (such as grain edges in a polycrys-talline specimen) can be estimated from a count of the number of point intersections with a random plane of polish. Specifically:' Lv = 2NA in which NA is the expected number of intersections per unit area of the plane. As with all other measurements in quantitative metallography, the estimation of Lv is subject to a sampling error, the magnitude of which will depend on the number of observations. The analysis is usually performed by counting the number of intersections falling within a closed test figure of known area applied to a succession of different areas on the plane of polish. The test figure can be drawn directly on the screen of a projection microscope or else superimposed on the image of the structure by means of a reticule in a focusing eyepiece of an ordinary microscope. The use of micrographs is very inefficient unless, as in the present study, these are also needed for some other purpose. Consider an analysis in which n applications are made of a test figure within which the expected number of intersections is N. The expected total number of intersections counted is then given by NT = nN If (N) is the standard deviation in N for one application of the figure and if the latter is applied to non-overlapping regions so that the N's are independent in the statistical sense, then the standard deviation in Nt is given by: a(NT) = a(N)vn Eliminating n from Eqs. [2] and [3] we obtain: Thus, k will be a constant for a given specimen and test figure. From Eqs. [ I] and [4] we find As is to be expected, therefore, the fractional error in the estimation of Lv is inversely proportional to the square root of the total number of intersections counted. It is very desirable to have at least a rough estimate of k before starting an analysis, since it will then be possible to decide in advance by use of Eq. [5J how many counts should be made in order to achieve the desired accuracy in Lv. Without such information the investigator, unless lucky, will either do needless (and tedious) work or else obtain a result with too large an error. It is very easy to calculate k for the limiting case of N — 0, i.e., when the test figure is vanishingly small. In this case there is a negligible probability of two or more intersections falling within the figure. There are therefore only two possible outcomes: a count of one with a probability of, say, p and a zero count with a probability of (I-p). Thus and Therefore: We might expect k to depend on N and therefore on the size of the test figure. Such a dependence was observed2 in the analogous case involving the estimation of grain-boundary area per unit volume by a count of the number of intersections of a test circle with traces of the boundaries on the plane of polish. In this case the theoretical value of k at the limit N — 0 was 1.41. It was also predicted that k would display an initial sharp decrease with increasing N. Experimentally, k was observed to decrease to a value of 0.62 at N - 6 and thereafter remain approximately constant. Furthermore, the value of k for N > 6 was found to be insensitive to the form of the structure provided no pronounced anisotropy or grain-size variation was present. In order to determinewhether k would exhibit a similar dependence on N in the estimation of grain-

Jan 1, 1967

By E. N. Smith, J. C. Redmond

The increasing need for materials capable of withstanding higher operating temperatures for various applications such as gas turbine blading and other parts, rocket nozzles, and many industrial applications, has brought consideration of cemented carbide compositions. The well known usefulness of cemented carbides as tool materials is attributable to their ability to retain their strength and hardness at much higher temperatures than even complex alloys. However, it has been found that the temperatures encountered in cutting operations do not approach by several hundred degrees1 those involved in the applications mentioned above where the interest is in materials possessing strength and resistance to oxidation at temperatures of 1800°F and above. At these latter temperatures, the tool type compositions which are made up essentially of tungsten carbide are found to oxidize very rapidly and to produce oxidation products of a character which offer no protection to the remaining body. As a further consideration, the density of the tungsten carbide type compositions is high, from about 8.0 to 15.0. The refractory metal carbides as a class are the highest melting materials known as shown by Table 1 which summarizes the available data from the literature for the carbides of the elements which are sufficiently available for consideration for these uses. The density is also included in the table, since as mentioned above it is an important consideration in many of the applications for which the materials would be considered. It has been established that in the tool compositions the mechanism of sintering with cobalt is such as to result in a continuous carbide skeleton and that the properties of the sintered composition are thus essen- tially those of the carbide.2 On the hypothesis that this mechanism holds to a greater or less degree in cementing most of the refractory metal carbides with an auxiliary metal, it appears from Table 1 that titanium carbide compositions would offer possibilities for a high temperature material. Titanium carbide has extensive use for supplementing the properties of tungsten carbide in tool compositions. Although the literature contains several references to compositions containing only titanium carbide with an auxiliary metal,3,4,5,6 it may be inferred from the meager data that such compositions were deficient in strength and were considered to have poor oxidation resistance.7 Kieffer, for instance, reports the transverse rupture strength of a hot pressed TiC composition at 100,000 psi as compared to up to 350,000 psi for WC compositions. The work described herein was undertaken to determine the properties of compositions consisting of titanium carbide and an auxiliary metal and to improve the oxidation resistance of such compositions. It appeared possible that the inclusion of one or more other carbides with titanium carbide might improve the oxidation resistance and also that this might be more desirable than other means from the point of view of maintaining the highest possible softening point. Consideration of the available carbides in Table 1 suggests tantalum and columbium carbides because of their high melting points and general refractoriness. The work on improving oxidation resistance was concentrated on the addition of tantalum carbide or mixtures of tantalum and columbium carbide. The auxiliary metals used included cobalt, nickel and iron. It was also desired to learn the general physical properties of these compositions. Experimental Procedure The compositions used in this study were made by the usual powder metallurgy procedure applicable to cemented tungsten carbide compositions. The powdered carbide or carbides and auxiliary metal were milled together out of contact with air. In some cases cemented tungsten carbide balls and in other instances steel balls were used to eliminate any effect of tungsten carbide contamination. A temporary binder, paraffin, was then included in the mix and slugs or ingots were pressed with care to obtain as uniform pressing as possible. The ingots were presintered and the various shapes of test specimens were formed by machining, making the proper allowance for shrinkage during sintering. Thereafter the shapes were sintered in vacuum at temperatures of from 2800 to 3500°F. Final grinding to size was carried out by diamond wheels under coolant. The titanium carbide used contained a minimum of 19.50 pet total carbon and a total of 0.50 pet metallic impurities as indicated by chemical and spectrographic analysis. It was found by X ray diffraction examination with

Jan 1, 1950