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By R. Wiesenthal

A method is developed for improving the low recovery efficiency which results when viscous oils are flooded by water. Viscous oil has been diluted with a lighter liquid miscible in it in any ratio which produces a mixture possessing a reduced viscosity and which is then displaced by water. Light gasoline was used in these tests to reduce the viscosity of the oil in place. Oils possessing viscosities in the range of 1.28 to 324 cp at the test temperature of 30C were displaced from a cylindrical unconsolidated sand core, with a length of 2 m (6.6 ft) and a diameter of 10 cm (3.9 in.) at a flood of 6.27 cc/sq cm/hr. In two test series up to I PV of light gasoline was injected into the core before water flooding. In the first series the recovery of a low-viscosity oil (1.28 cp) increased as the volume of light gasoline was increased. However, only the oil which could not be recovered by water flooding alone could be replaced by the light gasoline. In the other series, the recovery of a more viscous oil (13.5 cp) was not increased even if large quantities of light gasoline were injected. An oil bank built up ahead of the water front so that the flood water met with equivalent saturation conditions, as would be the case in flooding solely with water. However, the recovery of more viscous oils could be increased substantially when the core was first flooded with water, followed by a slug of light gasoline, and then flooded with water again. Furthermore, an oil bank ,built up ahead of the second water front. The formation of this oil bank is particularly favorable for the displacement process; the greater part of the light gasoline injected was pushed out of the core ahead of the oil and recovered. Using a light oil of low viscosity, it was possible to replace only the residual oil that could not be recovered by water flooding by the light gasoline. As the basic study had shown that highly viscous oils could be recovered by flooding first with water, then with light gasoline, followed by a second injection of water, the study was extended by tests made with reservoir fluids and cores taken from the low-gravity oil reservoir of the Wietze field, Germany. A great increase in recovery over flooding with water alone was obtained in these tests. The results may show a way to recover high-viscosity oils by a comparatively simple flooding procedure. INTRODUCTION In fields where oil recovery has not benefited from natural water drive, increased recovery may be obtained by the injection of water into the reservoir, especially in the case of fields which produce high-gravity, low-viscosity oil. There is a rather close relation between the viscosity of the reservoir fluid and the recovery that can be obtained by water flooding. As the viscosity increases the oil recovery decreases proportionately, so that an oil viscosity about 30 times that of water is generally considered to be the upper limit for an economically successful water flood.' This limitation has been recognized theoretically by Buckley and Leverett,' and has been verified by numerous laboratory flooding tests, such as by Croes and Schwarz,V n the viscosity ratio range of oil to water from 1 to 500. The reason for the inferior recovery of viscous oils by water flooding can best be understood by considering the mechanism of flood tests. In such tests water is introduced into one end of a sand-packed tube which is saturated with oil of the viscosity to be tested, and oil is produced from, the other end. Oil, with a viscosity lower than that of water, is pushed ahead of the advancing water with considerable uniformity, and irregularities in the displacement process tend to be eliminated as the oil saturation decreases and the water saturation increases. However, oil recovery is not complete, for the water forms interfaces with the oil and traps residual oil droplets in certain of the pore spaces. These residual oil droplets are distributed rather uniformly through the sand, and they are not susceptible to recovery regardless of the amount of water passed through the test cylinder. In the case of an oil possessing a viscosity greater than that of water, the injected water tends to move irregularly through the sand in the test cylinder. At the place in the sand where initial water movement takes place, resistance to the movement of water is lowered and the water finger so formed will grow perceptibly; it will extend to the outlet end of the test cylinder so that a breakthrough of water takes place long before much of the oil-saturated volume of the sand has come in contact with water. Once the breakthrough of water takes place, the water-oil ratio is gradually approaching the economic limit, even though much of the oil in the test cylinder remains unaffected by water. Disconnected drops of oil are trapped in the portion of the sand that has been invaded by water, just as when an oil of low viscosity is flooded. The poor recovery of the more viscous oils, therefore, is due to the irregularity of water movement through the test cylinder, and the rate of water movement through restricted sections of the oil-saturated sand increases with the more viscous oils. There are three ways whereby the recovery of viscous oils by water flooding can be improved:' (1) adding materials which will increase the vis-

Jan 1, 1965

By J. H. Yang, K. E. Gray

Results of single-blow bit-tooth impact tests on saturated rocks under elevated confining pressures and zero pore pressure were reported in a previous publication.1 This paper presents an extension of the earlier work to include a study of crater formation during tooth impact on both gas- and liquid-saturated Berea and Bandera sandstones at elevated confining and pore pressures. The basic data obtained were force-time, displacement-time, velocity-time and force-displacement curves during crater formation. Crater volume was also measured and the mode of crater formation determined. Bit tooth geometry, depth of penetration and velocity of impact were held constant. Results indicate that, with pore fluid present in the rock, failure trends from brittle to ductile as pore pressure is increased at constant confining pressure (pore pressure and borehole pressure were equal) For a given rock type, the mode of crater formation was dependent not only upon the nominal effective stress, but also upon the fluid which saturated the rock pore space. When confining pressure and pore pressure were equal (zero nominal effective stress), bit-tooth impact resulted in brittle failure for nitrogen-saturated Berea, and brittle to transitional failure for nitrogen-saturated Bandera; when saturated with liquid both rocks failed in a ductile manner at zero nominal effective stress. INTRODUCTION Dynamic wedge penetration tests have been conducted by investigators in several fields, but the failure mechanism of rock under dynamic stresses is not understood completely. The complex action of drilling bits, even considering the action of a single tooth, may be considered as a combination of drag bit and rolling cutter action. Thus, as a first step in understanding rock breakage in oil well drilling, single chisel impact and rock planing are of fundamental importance. For example, Gray 2 and Crisp3 studied drag bit cutting action at brittle stress states. Simon4 and Hartman5 studied the reaction of rocks to vertical impact by means of drop tests. The depth of penetration, crater volume and force-vs-time curves during crater formation were observed. The significance of indexing single-bit impacts has been noted.4,6-8 Gamer et al,9 reported impact tests on impermeable Leuders limestone at atmospheric and elevated confining pressures. In all cases the tests were accomplished on dry rock and pore pressure was considered to be zero. The importance of both confining pressure and pore pressure on the failure characteristics of rock was described. 10-12 It was found that the yield strength and ductility of porous rock depend on the state of stress under which the sample is tested. The importance of pore pressure on drilling rate in microbit experiments was noted by Cumingham and Eenink. l3 Robinson 12 also pointed out that in drilling the most important parameter in rock failure is the effective stress, where effective suess is defined as confining pressure pc minus pore pressure pp. The effect of pore pressure and confining pressure on rock strength was also noted by Serdengecti and Boozer 14 in strain rate tests, and by Gardner, Wyllie and Droschackl5 in elastic wave studies. Until recently all reported wedge impact studies under simulated wellbore stress states have been conducted on dry rock. Maurer 16 reported impact tests on samples saturated with deaerated water. Borehole and formation fluid pressures were equal in these tests except when mud was used in the borehole. With mud in the borehole and a high borehole-to-formation fluid pressure differential. Maurer observed "pseudoplastic" crater formation. Podio and Grayl reported impact tests on Berea and Bandera sandstone saturated with pore fluids having wide ranges in viscosities. In Podio and Gray's tests, confining pressure was elevated, but pore pressure and borehole pressure were held fixed at atmospheric pressure. The presence of

By F. W. Jessen, James N. Howell

The accumulation of paraffin deposits in tubular goods has been recognized as a major production problem since the inception of the petroleum industry. This problem is not limited to any particular geographical area nor is it limited to a specific type of crude oil.' Generally speaking, "paraffin" deposition pertains to the deposition of any predominately organic material in flow lines, and possibly even at the sand face, which would hamper the production of oil. In some fields, a continuous effort is required to remove deposits of paraffin and in order to accomplish this, many unique methods have been devised. The best solution to this problem, however, is to prevent the formation of such deposits. One method which has been tried in a number of fields is the use of plastic pipe. The purpose of this investigation is to compare the relative effectiveness of several plastic materials to aid in the reduction or prevention of paraffin accumulations in surface flow lines. COMPOSITlON OF PARAFFIN DEPOSITS By definition, paraffin deposits are those materials which are insoluble in crude oil at the prevailing producing conditions of temperature and pressure. Such deposits1 s usually consist of small particles of petroleum wax intermixed with resins, asphaltic material, and crude oil. They may also contain a variety of foreign materials such as sand, silt, water, various metal oxides, sulfates and carbonates of iron. barium, and calcium. The petroleum waxes deposited in flow strings usually consist of both a "hard" and a "soft" wax fraction. These waxes are largely aliphatic hydrocarbons with smaller amounts of aromatic and naphthenic compounds. Nathan' has classified the hard and soft wax fractions. The aliphatic hydrocarbons present are those of high molecular weight with high melting points. Reistle3 pointed out that these high molecular weight compounds first separate from the oil due to a sharp decrease in solubility as the melting point increases. The identification of the resins and asphaltic materials rests, at present, on an arbitrary solubility procedure. Under certain conditions, materials which are insoluble in pentane (ASTM D-893) are defined as resins and asphalts. Subgrouping of these materials is made on decreasing solubility in benzene and carbon disul-fide. Shock' found some correlation be-tween the solvent response and the pentane insoluble content of paraftins: higher pentane insoluble fractions are less soluble in any of the commonly used commercial solvents. PARAFFIN CONTROL METHODS The methods used in oil fields to prevent and remove paraffin accumulations can be grouped into four general classes: (1) operative methods, (2) physical methods, (3) chemical methods, and (4) combination of any of these. Operative methods attempt to prevent the formation of paraffin deposits while the other methods are concerned primarily with the removal of these deposits. Plastic coated pipe has been used for a number of years to prevent cor- rosion in wells, and in manv instances paraffin deposits have -been greatly reduced. Field observations have indicated that plastic coated pipe not only reduced paraffin accumulation but in some cases eliminated deposition completely; however, data are needed to demonstrate the relative effectiveness of plastic materials. Deposition Apparatus The pipe used to determine the effect of velocity on rates of deposition was %- and 2-in. nominal diameter, and 5 ft in length. Steel, butyrate, rigid PVC, kralastic resin-type plastic pipes, epoxy coated pipe, PVC lined glass fiber pipe, and aluminum pipe were tested. Steel pipe was used as a control. Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the apparatus showing the relative position of the separate units making up the equipment. In order to facilitate the installation and removal of the test pipes in the apparatus, O-ring seals capable of sustaining pressures of 50 psi were provided at each end. Test pipes were submerged in a cold water bath maintained at or below room temperature by circulating water through copper cooling coils packed in ice. A hot water bath equipped with immersion-type heaters, stirrers, and a thermoregulator was used to maintain the temperature of the oil prior to introduction into the piping manifold. The capacity of the oil reservoir was 30 gal. A 33-gal/min centrifugal pump, capable of producing turbulent flow velocities in the test pipes, was used to circulate the oil through the system when using %-in. pipe; and a 70-galjmin centrifugal pump was used in later tests using 2-in. pipe. A by-pass arrangement made it pos-

By C. M. Schwartz, A. E. Austin, W. B. Wilson

High-temperature X-ray diffraction studies were conducted with Th-U alloys with up to 10 wt pet U. The solid solubility of uranium in thorium as a function of temperature was determined by the method of lattice parameters. Thorium will dissolve up to 2.5 wt pet U at 950°, 4.5 wt pet U at 1150°, and 7.5 wt pet U at 1250°C. Determinations were made of the temperature of the transition of thorium and of the effect of uranium upon the transition. The a to ß transition for thorium was observed to occur at 1330' ±20°C. Mean coefficients of expansion were calculated for thorium and two alloys, and for ThO2 in contact with the thorium, using X-ray lattice-parameter data. Values obtained at 950° C for thorium and Tho2 were 12.1 and 9.40 X 10-6 per OC, respectively. Impurities obtained during the X-ray exposure were identified by diffraction and were essentially Tho2 and ThC, with two additional unknown phases being detected. The effect of the impurities upon the results is discussed. DIRECT investigation (i.e., high-temperature X-ray diffraction studies) of the phase diagram of thorium-rich uranium alloys has been shown to be necessary since recent work1 - has disclosed the presence of an allotropic transformation near 1400°C in pure thorium with the room temperature face-centered-cubic phase transforming to a body-cen-tered-cubic structure at the elevated temperature. The effect upon the transition of the addition of uranium to thorium and of the solubility of uranium in thorium at high temperatures remained unknown, yet was of interest in understanding fabrication procedures and elevated temperature use. The present work was undertaken to provide information in this area by determining the transition temperature, the effect of uranium on the transition temperature, and the solubility of uranium in thorium as a function of temperature. Experimental Work The high-temperature diffraction data were obtained using a camera especially designed for the purpose3 and capable of reaching temperatures in excess of 2000°C at pressures as low as 1 x 10." mm Hg. Temperature regulation was provided by regulating the power input to ±0.1 pet variation, and by regulating the water flow through the camera jacket to provide a constant thermal load. The X-ray sample was a rod nominally 80 mil diam, which was further turned down to 20 mil and then etched to 18 mil over 1/2 in. of one end. This was placed in the sample holder and mounted on the camera so that the smaller part was surrounded by a cylindrical tantalum-sheet radiation-type heating element. Diffraction from the sample was recorded on film after passing through a slot in the heating element and radiation-baffle shield and through beryllium vacuum windows. The X-ray film mounting was of the Straumanis type4 with a camera diameter of 114.59 mm. Since previous work of Chiotti' indicated that impurities considerably alter the transition temperature, chemical analysis of the arc melted iodide crystal-bar thorium samples was obtained prior to testing. The analysis disclosed the material to contain as low as 0.001 ±0,0002 wt pet H and 0.007 ±0.001 wt pet 0. Carbon was 0.003 wt pet and nitrogen less than 0.002 wt pet. This material was sealed in mild steel in an inert atmosphere and subsequently hot rolled to 3/8-in. diam rods at a temperature of 732°C. Following removal of the jacket, the material was pickled and cold swaged to 1/8-in. rods, from which the diffraction samples were prepared. The alloys were similarly prepared, with the uranium being added during arc melting. The uranium analyses of the alloys prepared appear in Table I. The experimental procedure for diffraction examination of the three samples of high-purity thorium differed from those of the Th-U alloys. The original practice, later modified, consisted of pumping down the camera with the diffusion pump on and then admitting liquid nitrogen to the cold trap of the system. This was modified for the Th-U alloys by maintaining liquid nitrogen in the cold trap at all times before and while the diffusion pump was heated. This minor change produced a reduction in the amount of carbon pickup by the sample during exposure to the diffusion-pump vapors. The sample was brought to the desired test temperature and exposed for 21/2 hr at pressures which were usually 2 x 10-6 mm Hg, or lower. Exposures were made at

Jan 1, 1959

By D. J. Weintritt, R. G. Hughes

Statistics show arz increase in the average depth of wells drilled in recent years. As a corollary to this trend, drilling fluids have been improved in an effort to meet the problems inherent at temperatures approaching 500°F. Of importance are (1) deterioration of mud components and (2) the effect of solids on filtration and rheological properties. High-temperature, stable water-base and oil-bare muds are discussed. Those areas in which differences exist are pointed out. Results are based on data taken from the Fann consistotneter, rheometer and shear-strength measurements, static and dynamic filtration tests, methy-lene blue test for bentonite solids and specific heat measLrrenlents of muds. INTRODUCTION Higher well temperatures go along with the fact that the average depth of wells continues to increase. Recent data by Gardner' lists 137 completions deeper than 15,000 ft for the first half of 1964 with a record second-half total of 167 wells drilling or proposed. In addition, there has been an increase in drilling for steam for power production or mineral recovery. In this application the depths are modest, but the mud may approach the critical pressure and temperature of water. Scearce and Magnon' report drilling mud used at temperatures of about 700°F in the Salton Sea area of California. Most deep wells have been drilled with water-base muds. In recent years, however, there has been a substantial increase in the use of oil-base muds because of technological advances in effective additives. The significance of this development was dealt with in considerable detail by Simpson and his co-workers.3 Additiona1 field data have now been obtained to indicate that oil muds are competitive in control, performance and cost with the best types of water muds for use at high temperaturc. This parallel offer of two very different fluid systems, each offering a similar variability in performance, cost and convenience, has created the need to evaluate the merits of these fluids under specified conditions so that the advantages and disadvantages of each can be weighed in relation to the over-all drilling program. This paper is not intended as a review of all the factors. Rather, it attempts to emphasize: (1) important condltions and facts peculiar to high-temperature drilling muds, (2) that more than one imposed test condition or testing method is necessary to describe the quality of a mud at high temperature and (3) that elaborate experimental precautions are necessary whenever laboratory data are used in selection of a mud for field use. WHAT IS A HIGH-TEMPERATURE DRILLING FLUID? For the purpose of this discussion, a high-temperature drilling fluid is any system so formulated or treated to economically minimize the effects of temperature on the properties of the fluid. Our experience in drilling fluids suggests that these effects become obvious for many mud materials at temperatures of 300F or higher. It is understood that hydrolysis of starches, depoly-merization of certain organic thinners, or irreversible chemical reactions (such as that of clay and lime) can affect filtration, viscosity and shear strength at less than 300F. However, the temperature level is not a serious point and in no way affects the precautions and techniques used in this study. An up-to-date review of the literature on high-temperature drilling fluids and the many variations was treated by Rogers'in 1963. EXPERIMENTAL REQUIREMENTS TESTING EQUIPMENT AND PROCEDURES With the advent of deeper drilling and increased demand for temperature-stable drilling fluids, new testing equipment and laboratory techniques were devised for the evaluation of drilling fluids subjected to elevated temperature and pressure. While the equipment has not been standardized, it is in widespread use. Milligan et al. Qescribe a filtration cell for determining the filtration properties of drilling fluids at temperatures in excess of 300F. They showed the effect of variations in temperature and pressure on oil and water muds filtered in the 300 to 400F range. The dynamic filtration apparatus described by Simpson6 permits the study of the filtration properties to temperatures of 350F for drilling fluids circulated over sandstone cores. Watkins et al.' describe the use of pressure bombs for studying the effect of prolonged periods of elevated temperature upon the gelation or solidification of drilling fluids. Chisholm et a1.' describe the use of a modified cement consistometer adapted for use in drilling fluid evaluations. A similar consistometer is used in this study, although the application and data-recording method have been changed. The consistency of a mud sample is measured by timing the movement of a soft iron bob which is magnetically moved up and down in the sample container.* Changer in the time of travel and the temperature of the mud at that moment are plotted with a two-point Brown Elec-tronik Recorder. A 10-in. chart with a speed of 4-in./hr is used. Fia.- 1 is a generalized internretation of the data ob-

Jan 1, 1966

By A. C. Watts

FOR several years, a mine in Colorado experienced considerable trouble from small fires caused by the blasting of coal. Although a well-known make of permissible powder was used, it was first thought that the powder ignited gas that might be present and that this, in turn, set fire to line brattices or to the coal. Experiments were, therefore, conducted with another make of powder, but the results convinced the superintendent of the mine, Robt. Williams, Jr., that the fires were not caused by the powder but by the high-voltage electric current used for detonating the shots. The mine "makes" gas very freely, giving off from three-fourths to a million cubic feet of methane per 24 hours. The coal is a good grade bituminous of a very free burning quality. Electric shot-firing from the outside after all men and animals were outside had been practiced for a number of years. The shooting circuit was connected with the main power circuit at the mouth of each entry. Shooting circuit switches were mounted in boxes, which were kept locked with the handle of the switch, in open position, showing through the bottom of the box. The door of the box could not be shut and locked when the shooting switch was closed. At the entrance to each room, or working place, a small switch, called the miner's switch, was placed on the shooting line. It was the duty of the miner, when entering his place at the beginning of the shift, to see that this switch was open and that it was kept open until he left the place at the end of the shift to go out of the mine. Grounded return was used for main power lines. The current was 500 volts, direct current, with 100 to 300 amp. The nearest working face was 9600 ft. from the shot-firers' switch outside the mine and the most remote working face was 2 ½ miles. The various working faces were scattered over a wide area between these two points.

Jan 9, 1925

THOSE MARKED THUS * ARE MEMBERS, MARKED THUS t ARE ASSOCIATES THESE SIGNS DOUBLED INDICATE LIFE MEMBERS AND ASSOCIATES RESPECTIVELY THE FIGURES AT THE END OE THE ADDRESS INDICATE THE YEAR OE ELECTION HEAVY FACED T1 PE SIGNIFIES HONORARY MEMBERSHIP *ABADIE, EMILE R , Min Engr P 0 Box 83, Berkeley, Cal '76 *ABBE, CLEVELAND, JR, Geol Aid, U S Geological Survey, Washington, D C '00 *ABBOTT, AI ARTHUR, Cerro de Pasco Mining CO , Cerro de Pasco, Peru, So America '95 *ABBOTT, ARTHUR V , Electrical Engr , Westinghouse, Church, Kerr & Co , 8 Bridge St, New York, N Y '82 *ABBOTT, CLARENCE E, Chief Min Engr, Care Fayal Mine, Eveleth, Minn '04 *ABBOTT, JAMES W , Min Engr , Special Agent, Rocky Mountain and Pa¬cific Coast Division, U S Dept of Agriculture, "Tile New Markham," Denver, Colo '94

Jan 1, 1910

By R. B. Snow

THIS paper describes a technique of polishing and etching specimens of open-hearth furnace slags or hearth aggregates for identification of the crystalline constituents-lime (CaO), tricalcium silicate (3CaO•SiO2), dicalcium silicate (2CaO-SiO2), monticellite (CaO•MgO-SiO2), or forsterite (2MgO•SiO2), with especial emphasis on the mineral merwinite (3CaO-MgO.2SiO2). With proper standardization, this identification does not require the use of the petrographic microscope. The composition of basic open-hearth slags and furnace bottoms falls, almost without exception, within systems containing CaO, MgO, "FeO," MnO and SiO2, in which the number of basic molecules so greatly exceeds the orthosilicate ratio (two molecules of base to one of silica) that free basic oxides, and combinations between them such as aluminates or ferrites, are present in cooled specimens. Orthosilicates of (CaO + MgO) are the most common in such specimens, since in nearly all cases, except premelt slags, the molecular ratio of (CaO + MgO) to SiO2 is more than 2 to r. When sufficient lime is available it combines with the silica to form dicalcium silicate (2CaO•SiO2), which contains little, if any, MgO, FeO or MnO in solid solution whereas the latter oxides combine to form the oxide solid solution known as periclase. If the lime present is insufficient to form dicalcium silicate (2CaO•SiO2) it combines with MgO to form either merwinite (3CaO•MgO.2SiO2) or monticellite (CaO-MgO•SiO2); these minerals take little if any FeO or MnO into solid solution and the remaining MgO, FeO and MnO combine as periclase. This generalization seems to be valid for basic slags and furnace bottoms, since minerals such as CaO-MnO•SiO2 and CaO-FeO-SiO2 are found only in slags in which the lime-silica ratio is less than 2 and are not observed in specimens from furnace bottoms. The identification of crystalline constituents in such materials, especially of fine crystals in the groundmass, is difficult under the petrographic microscope. They are often masked by their neighbors because of their small size in relation to the thickness of the thin section and because of the presence of opaque or colored constituents. The indices of retraction and the optical sign of the mineral are sometimes difficult to determine because of the small size or because of twinning or of inclusions within the crystal. Moreover, the positive identification of merwinite (3CaO•MgO.2SiO2) from its optical properties is usually difficult in the presence of dicalcium silicate (2CaO•SiO2). CaO, MgO, 3CaO•SiO2 and 2CaO•SiO2 in open-hearth slags have been identified for a number of years in the U.S. Steel Corporation Laboratory by the usual

Jan 1, 1947

By W. L. Saunders

It is now generally admitted by experts that at least so far as rapid progress is concerned the Alpine system of tunnel-driving is superior to any other. This is perhaps natural in view of the record of experience in driving tunnels through the Alps. These great mountain-chains cannot be treated in the ordinary way by shaft-sinking and driving headings, thus multiplying the points of attack. The work must be done from the ends only, hence speed in driving is of the utmost importance ; and, as necessity is the mother of invention, the concentration of effort to make progress has resulted in an organization and in mechanical appliances that have produced results so much in excess of the usual practice, even in America, that a discussion of the subject in detail should be of much value to the engineer and contractor. The first Alpine tunnel mas the Mont Cenis, length 7.5 miles, driven with a progress that averaged about 7.75 ft. per day. Next came the Saint Gothard, 9.5 niiles long, 18 ft. per day; Arlberg, 6.5 miles long, 27.25 ft. per day; Simplon, 12.25 miles long, 36 ft. per day. The figures represent progress when driving from two headings, so that by dividing them in two we get the daily single-heading progress. The latest of the Alpine tunnels is the Loetschberg, now being driven. In this work the world's record has been beaten by a single day's record in one heading of 36 ft. and by an average daily record in one heading of 29.5 feet. The Alpine range forms a natural barrier between a large section of northern and southern Europe. This range extends from the southeast of Prance to the frontier of Hungary, betveen Italy and the plains of sonthern Germany. The contour

Jan 1, 1912

By Bernhard Blumenthal

A melting process was developed by which high purity electrolytic uranium crystals can be converted into sound ingots without serious contamination. Careful preparation of the crystals, melting in a high vacuum, and directional solidification led to a metal of better than 99.993 wt pct purity. The metallographic examination showed a substantially clean metal with only residual amounts of a second phase which responded to heat treatment. The density of high purity uranium is 19.05 g per cu cm. FOR the study of the fundamental properties of uranium and its alloys, a base metal of high purity is needed, and an investigation was started at Argonne several years ago to examine various methods of preparing high purity uranium. Early success was achieved by the fused salt electrolysis process in preparing high purity metal in crystal form,' and the problem became that of melting the crystals into ingots without contamination. The electrolytic crystals contained a few ppm of heavy metals, less than 15 ppm C, and large quantities of potassium and lithium in the form of trapped fused salt electrolyte. On melting in vacuo in magnesia or urania crucibles, the metal picked up considerable quantities of carbon and some iron, copper, and silicon but lost most of the potassium and lithium. It was not metallographically clean, and much research work was necessary to determine the optimum melting conditions for minimum contamination. This work has resulted in the development of a melting procedure by which sound ingots can be prepared with only a limited contamination by carbon. In the section entitled "Melting of the Electrolytic Metal," the equipment and processes that have been developed for melting the electrolytic crystals are described in detail. The "Metallography" section is devoted to the metallography of high purity uranium, and the section "Density of High Purity Uranium" contains the first property measurement on high purity uranium—a density determination. Melting of the Electrolytic Metal Apparatus—Melting and Vacuum Equipment: Uranium may be melted in either resistance or induction-type electric furnaces. Resistance heating was found to be preferable to induction heating for melting down the electrolytic crystals, for several reasons: Although induction heating permits fast heating, this advantage cannot be utilized when crucibles with limited thermal shock resistance are used. Temperature control of induction-heated melts is poor, and the stirring effect increases the rate of contamination of the melt from the crucible, slag, or the furnace atmosphere; liquation and controlled solidification are difficult to carry out. Because of these objections, resistance heating was chosen. A 10 kw Globar resistance furnace of low heat capacity permitted uniform heating of a uranium charge to its melting point in 45 min. The furnace was insulated with a removable aluminum shield so that, after melting and removal of the shield, the furnace could be quickly cooled to room temperature. The furnace was equipped with an apparatus for directional solidification; see Fig. la. The crucible was suspended in the center of the furnace; and when the melting was complete, the crucible was slowly lowered into the cold end of the furnace tube. Solidification took place upward from the bottom; and when the rate of lowering was small, a sound ingot free from sink holes and shrinkage cavities was produced. To remove the large quantities of gas contained in the electrolytic crystals, melting in a high vacuum is mandatory. While, from the standpoint of contamination, melting in a highly purified argon atmosphere appeared feasible, lithium and potassium removal proved less efficient under such conditions. Also, a vacuum-melted ingot has a cleaner surface than one melted in an inert atmosphere. The vacuum system must be of very high pumping speed and leak tight so that a vacuum of less than 2x10-7 mm Hg is attainable when the system is pumped down cold. The system must have a high pumping speed, so that the pressure maximum which may rise to 1x10-4 mm during heating can be quickly reduced

Jan 1, 1956

By A. J. McEvily, R. C. Boettner, C. Laird

The processes leading to fatigue failure in the low-cycle range were studied to obtain an understanding of the basis of Coffin's law. Particular attention was paid to the manner of mack nucleation and to the determination of the portion of the total lifetime spent in crack propagation. It was observed that cracks are nucleated at surface notches meated during reversed plastic deformation, Principally at grain boundaries, and that crack growth occupies greater than 75 pct of the fatigue life. When inclusions are present, they are often the primary sites of crack initiation. From consideration of the incremental distances advanced by a crack in each cycle and of the lifetimes of different materials, it appears that the universality of Coffin's law arises from the similarity of crack-tip strain for a given applied strain amplitude, irrespecti7:e of material. STUDIES of low-cycle fatigue have been particularly rewarding in that a simple correlation between fatigue lifetime and plastic-strain range has been shown to exist. This empirical relationship takes the forml,2 Nner=C [1] where N is the number of cycles to failure, Er is the plastic-strain range defined as the total plastic strain per cycle (the sum of the tensile plastic strain plus the compressive plastic strain), n, the exponent, is a constant independent of the material to a first-order approximation and often has a value of about 0.5, and C is a constant which for a number of ductile and metallurgically stable materials is approximately 0.65 for fully reversed strain.3 This relationship has been shown to be valid for a wide variety of metals and alloys and is often referred to as Coffin's law. However, it is yet not clear why so many different metals and alloys exhibit the same over-all behavior in the low-cycle range. Less is known about the mechanisms of fatigue failure in the low-cycle range than in the high-cycle range, but it is expected that the processes would have much in common. For example, an important characteristic common to both high-and low-cycle ranges is that fatigue crack propagation can occupy a considerable portion of the total lifetime. This has been shown by Laird and smith4 by a count of the number of ripples present on the fracture surface of copper specimens, each ripple corresponding to one cycle of load. On the other hand, some marked differences have been noted. For example, in copper,5 nickel, and aluminum4 there is a greater tendency for grain boundary cracking to occur as the strain amplitude is increased. The purpose of the present work was to study further the processes leading to fatigue failure in the low-cycle range and to obtain an understanding of the basis for the validity of Coffin's law. Particular attention has been paid to the manner of crack initiation and to the determination of the portion of total lifetime spent in crack propagation. MATERIALS A number of metals and alloys were tested, although more attention was focused on a particular few, once general trends had become apparent. Alloys were selected so as to investigate the effects of crystal structure, number of phases, stacking-fault energy, and impurity content. The materials in this grouping were: high-purity copper OFHC copper 1100 aluminum (commercially pure) 70-30 brass (Cu-30 wt pct Zn)

Jan 1, 1965

By T&apos Kê, ing-sui

INTRODUCTION ACCORDING to the classical theory of elasticity, the elastic portion of the stress-strain curve is represented by a straight line. Such a representation implies that there is a linear relationship between strain and stress and also that strain is a single-valued function of stress and vice versa. Actually, such a one-to-one correspondence between strain and stress does not exist in real metals. A well-known example is the elastic after-effect on unloading. Another familiar example is damping or internal friction, that is, the dissipation of energy attending vibration. In an extensive review of such phenomena, Zener1,2 has proposed the term "anelasticity" to denote that property of a solid in virtue of which strain is not a unique function of stress in the non-plastic region. The phenomena arising from anelasticity are called anelastic effects. The measurements on inelastic effects are, important in many fields of metals technology. Thus, in precise instruments such as watch springs, difficulties often arise from the slight dimensional changes after fabrication. The internal friction or damping capacity of metals is often an important factor in deciding whether they are appropriate for instruments in which there are accompanying vibrations.' However, for metal scientists, the study of anelastic effects furnishes a powerful tool for understanding many properties of metals in terms of their microstructures or atomic interactions. In order to utilize the anelastic measurements to their fullest extent for acquiring such information, the experimental studies of anelasticity must be interpreted by appropriate mathematical analysis. For a great many problems, however, the necessary information often can be obtained by general qualitative arguments. From the definition of anelasticity, any physical changes occurring in a specimen as a result of the applied stress will cause anelastic effects if such physical changes are accompanied by a delayed change of elastic strain. Under these circumstances, we have the condition that strain lags behind the stress. We may mention the stress-induced transportation phenomena as examples. These include the stress-induced thermal diffusion," the stress-induced diffusion of particles,8-12. and the stress-induced viscous slip along the microelements in metals.12-15 The differential equations describing the microscopic mechanism in these phenomena lead to relations in which stress is linear with respect to strain (and/or their derivatives). Thus if we can - demonstrate that the superposition principle is valid under the circumstances in which the anelastic effects are observed, we would expect in. the macroscopic relation a linear relationship between stress and strain and their derivatives. This report is to describe a number of anelastic effects observed in alpha-iron, and an attempt is made to derive valuable information from a critical study of these

Jan 1, 1948

By Walter S. McKee

When mixed with common cast steel in quantities ranging from 11 to 131/2 per cent. and properly treated, manganese increases the ductility of the metal and adds greatly to its toughness and resistance to abrasive action, which properties comprise the distinctive characteristics that make manganese steel so valuable for many purposes at the present time.. * At present the manganese-steel foundries of this country have an annual capacity of about 60,000 tons and most of the growth has occurred within the past 10 years. In the early days of the industry it was impracticable to make manganese castings weighing over a few thousand pounds, but at present crusher heads, rolling-mill pinions, and similar castings weighing up to 30,000 Ib. each are produced, and it does not appear that the limit of weight has been reached by a considerable margin. Manganese steel is similar in analysis to ordinary first-class converter metal except that it is high in carbon and contains from 11 to 13.5 per cent. of manganese. From one standpoint manganese steel is similar to malleable iron in that the casting as it comes out of the sand is hard and brittle and must be made ductile by a heat-treating process. The heat treatment is an essential part of the process of making manganese-steel castings and must be properly carried out to secure satisfactory results. The necessity for heat treatment limits the thickness of sections which may be made of manganese steel. Originally the annealing depth was comparatively small, but researches carried on during the past few years have resulted in an increase in the thickness of section up to 51/2 in., which it is possible to treat successfully. Large castings are cored out to a minimum thickness of 51/2 in., thus not only eliminating some of the internal stresses which are invariably set up in a very thick casting, but also reducing the weight and inertia of the piece, an important consideration if the casting is to be a moving part in a machine. At the same time, the thickness of 51/2 in. is sufficient to permit the use of manganese steel for the heaviest classes of machinery.

Jan 1, 1916

By Michael A. Toole, O&apos

INTRODUCTION The tremendous capital investment required to produce a low grade ore deposit demands a reliable answer to the question: "How much does it cost to drill a well to produce the uranium that geologists have indicated is there in the ground?" However, you will find the answers given will be many and varied, depending on whether they come from the operating company, the drilling contractor, a geologist, a reservoir engineer, purchasing agent, or whoever. Each generally considers only a limited area of the total operation. The operating company usually depends upon the drilling contractors, service companies, and consultants to supply expertise. Because it is often difficult to see the "whole picture" or even to agree upon what the "whole picture" is, planning a well program and its costs is often done piecemeal. Frequently, costs "saved" in one area of the program are needlessly spent in another, because the effect of one area upon the other was overlooked. Since the drilling fluid is such an influential part of the drilling program, it should be given utmost consideration when planning the overall program. As W. D. Lacabanne wrote in 1954: "The drilling fluid system is understandably called the heart of the rotary oil drilling rig. Any other type of rotary rig.... should benefit by the incorporation of mud fluids in the drilling scheme." And G. R. Gray mentions that "The driller recognizes the drilling fluid as one of the useful tools available to solve drilling problems." However, in minerals drilling, only in recent years has the drilling fluid been considered as more than a tool to get through special problem areas. Although there are many similarities between drilling for oil and gas and drilling for minerals, the differences in the drilling equipment used justifies designing specific fluids for the minerals drilling industry. NL Baroid/NL Industries, Inc. has been a leader in introducing such fluids and in providing technical know-how to the minerals drilling industry. The purpose of this paper is: (1) to discuss the selection of drilling fluids to meet specific drilling conditions during both exploration and production and (2) to show the interrelationship among factors present in the exploration and production phases that influence total well costs. DRILLING FLUIDS FOR DRILLING PROBLEMS The drilling fluid is a tool that can be used to improve drilling performance by improving hole cutting, cleaning, stability, and formation productivity. Properly formulated and maintained drilling fluids enable the drilling operation to be carried out with increased efficiency and lower total (overall) costs. However, it should be noted that not all drilling problems can be solved by even the most carefully prepared and maintained drilling fluids. Of the many possible drilling problems encountered in a well before reaching target depth, this paper will discuss only those most likely to be present in the shallow [61 to 610 m (200 to 2000 ft)] drilling operations in South Texas. LOST CIRCULATION Loss of circulation is the most common problem encountered in drilling. Because the losses occur under varied conditions, it is often difficult to determine the exact causes. "Lost circulation" or "lost returns" means the partial or complete loss of drilling fluid to voids in the formation. "Loss of water" while drilling with water may take place into any permeable section and should be distinguished from "water loss" or filtration of fluid through the filter cake of mud solids laid down on a permeable formation. "Loss of water" can frequently be stopped by the addition of colloidal sized clay particles such as high yield bentonites, whereas "water loss" may be controlled with organic polymers. Subsurface conditions that lead to loss of circulation can be classified as: (1) natural fractures, (2) induced fractures, (3) unconsolidated or highly permeable formations (loose gravel), and (4) cavernous formations (crevices and channels). Loss of circulation may occur whenever the borehole pressure exceeds the formation pressure. The greater the differential pressure, the more likely it is that circulation may be lost. To stop loss of whole mud, voids must be bridged so that a filter cake can be laid down on the permeable section. The plugging material must be of the proper size and shape to offer greater resistance to the fluid flow around it than the flow up the annulus. A plugging composition that satisfies these requirements may not be able to be handled by the small rig pump available.

Jan 1, 1979

By Vasily P. Muravjev, Gennady I. Razgildeev

The theory of reliability is a powerful mathematical tool for determining optimum selection of components and application of electrical power to coal mines. In order to make this tool useful, statistical material on equipment life must be gathered and all failures carefully recorded. Statistical data can be applied to new apparatus design and can be used to determine optimum configuration of network and maintenance to reduce costs. Reference is made to underground power systems in the USSR. Technical progress in the last few years has occurred in the design and application of highly productive coal mining and transporting machinery. One of the most important problems facing mining engineers is to increase the availability of the machine to obtain higher productivity. However, machine failures and breakdowns of electrical power supply components cause serious delays in the coal-winning processes. In spite of the fact that electrical equipment and the power supply contribute only a small percentage of direct mine costs, electrical failures as well as power supply delays can result in severe indirect losses. It is necessary, therefore, to consider reliability and safety in the application of electrical equipment underground. To obtain the best results, it is necessary to investigate and evaluate the reliability of the electrical mining components (starters, breakers, motors, cables, etc.) and optimal methods for minimizing maintenance, the desired result being equipment which is efficient and safe. Electrical equipment reliability directly influences economics: the lower the reliability the more frequently failures occur, causing serious working delays and possibly huge economic losses. By the same token, while increasing the number of preventive maintenance calls per unit time might result in fewer failures, thus reducing delays, the cost of making more frequent maintenance inspections will increase; this is one aspect to be discussed in detail. Obviously, failures of identical types of electrical equipment (starters with the same current and voltage, etc.) are influenced variably by different working conditions, environments, quality of the apparatus, maintenance procedures (personnel, frequency, quality), load, and other factors. Hence, the lifetime of identical types of equipment will vary depending upon usage in terms of the foregoing factors. Thus for a given type of electrical component, these factors must be considered quantitatively; the interaction of all these factors are evaluated quantitatively by a statistical method using probability theory. Equipment reliability must be quantitatively determined from a study of equipment life, since no one laboratory test can reproduce all working conditions and environmental effects. Nevertheless, reliability theory applied to electrical mining equipment is a very powerful mathematical tool for selecting as well as evaluating certain parameters. It is necessary to select several reliability parameters so that one can obtain an expression for the total overall economic situation in terms of cost, taking into consideration damage caused by electrical equipment failure and cost of maintenance. To accomplish this result, such characteristics as apparatus lifetime, breakdown idle time, and losses (damages) can be determined quantitatively on a statistical basis. For identical electrical equipment working under similar conditions, the previously mentioned reliability factors are random variables and therefore can be characterized readily by a probability density function. Investigations carried out by the authors in the Kuznetsk Basin (Kuzbas) in West Siberia, USSR, show that the reliability factors of electrical mining equipment are well described by the exponential, normal, or Erlang's distribution in most cases. Mining electrical equipment life is well-described by the exponential law. The distribution of lifetime density is

Jan 1, 1971

By H. W. Weart, D. J. Mack

SINCE the first recognition of eutectic solidification as the simultaneous formation of 2 solids from one liquid,1 many complex structures thus produced have been observed. Despite many attempts to ascertain it, however, the detailed mechanism by which these structures develop remains obscure. In an attempt to clarify the origin of eutectic structures, the study described in this paper was undertaken. The broad objective of the study was to investigate the effect of different solidification conditions on the structure of single eutectic grains. It was expected that the eutectic structure would thereby be isolated for study, but preliminary experiments revealed another structure within each grain. When a literature surveye revealed only 1 previous mention of the subgrain structure,' it was decided to determine the origin of the structure and to study its response to various growth conditions. Before presenting the details of the investigation, it is apropos to distinguish carefully among the 3 structures produced during eutectic solidification. This is especially desirable in view of the apparent confusion existing in the literature concerning the structures in a eutectic specimen. The confusion is due largely to the existence of the subgrain structure noted above which is easily mistaken for the grain structure. In the following paragraphs, an effort is made to distinguish the 3 structures by briefly describing their origin during solidification, even though the results are thereby anticipated slightly. The 3 structures produced during eutectic solidification are the grain structure, the colony structure, and the eutectic structure, each one contained by the one preceding it. The grain structure is analogous to the polycrystalline structure of a metal or inle-phase alloy in that each grain grows from a single nucleus. A somewhat broader interpretation is needed here, however, because of the presence of 2 phases in each grain. Since in most eutec-tics particles of 1 phase are dispersed in a matrix of the other, a grain may be taken to be the region in which the matrix phase is monocrystalline.*

Jan 1, 1959

Sykes, W. P.-Effect of Temperature, Deformation, Grain Size, and Rate of Loading on Mechanical Properties of Metals. Discussed by Zay Jeffries, W. H. Bassett, F. E. Carter 3 Evans, Geo. Watkin.-Alaskan Coal Fields. Discussed by P. N. Moore, H. H. Stoek, G. S. Rice, H. Emerson 4 Eavenson, Howard N.-Run-off and Mine Drainage. Discussed by J. R. Campbell, Andrew B. Crichton, J. B. Warriner, R. V. Norris, H. G. Moulton, H. B. Wright 7 Andrews, Allen, and Garcia, John A.-Skip Hoisting for Coal Mines. Discussed by R. V. Norris, Geo. S. Rice, H. N. Eavenson, E. A. Holbrook, Robert Obert, Andrews Allen, T. M. Chance 12 Rice, Geo. S.-Coal-pillar Drawing Methods in Europe. Discussed by Carl Scholz, D. Harrington; H. 1. Smith 16 Knapp, Arthur.-Modified Oil .well Depletion Curves. Discussed by Roswell H. Johnson 21 Alvey, Glenn H., and Alden W. Foster.-Barrel-day Values. Discussed by Roswell H. Johnson 22 Matteson, W. G.-Secondary Intrusive Origin of Gulf Coastal Plain Salt Domes. Discussed by Eugene Coste, E. W. Shaw, Joseph E. Pogue, F. G. Clapp, E. DeGoIyer, W. G. Matteson, H. W. Hixon, R. Van A. Mills 23 Reger, David B,-Carbon Ratio of Coals in West Virginia Oil Fields. Discussed by J. T. Singewald, Jr 33

Jan 5, 1921

By A. P. Watt

Foreword...............................................................323 Location of District..................................................... 324 Geology and Mining..................................................... 325 Topography and Climate................................................. 325 Lcad Production of the District...........................................325 Operating Companies in Southeast Missouri................................ 327 History of the District................................................... 329 Present Method of Treating the Ore....................................... 335 Character of Ore Treated...........................................338 Chemical Analyses............................................. 339 Description of Polished Specimens.................................340 The Concentration Problem of the District............................. 341 Handpicking at Mine La Motte....................................... 343 Crushing............................................................344 Roll Practice in the District.......................................... 346 Screening Practice................................................... 347 Jigging the Ore..................................................... 347 Bull Jigging.................................................... 348 Hancock-jig Practice............................................ 348 Classification of the Ores.............................................. 350 Table Treatment....:............................................... 352 Regrinding of Middling.............................................. 354 Description of Marathon Mill..................................... 358 Results of Preliminary Tests.....................................359 Rod Wear in the Marathon Mill.................................. 367 Steel Consumption.............................................. 368 Design of Marathon Mills.............. :......................... 368 Treatment of Table Middling........................................ 368 Slime Concentration................................................. 370 Methods Used in the Past.......................................370 Present Methods of Treatment................................... 371 Flotation of Slime.......................;........................ 371

Jan 1, 1918

By Alwyn Birchmore Cox, Ian William Wark

In defending the chemical theory of flotation, Taggart, del Giudice and Ziehl have criticized1 the views of those who prefer to attribute the effects of certain flotation agents to adsorption. Perhaps with some justification, they describe the latter term as the "haven of refuge of writers lost in a morass of shaky experiment and muddy thinking." We prefer to regard it, however, as a haven of refuge for writers who seek a conventional term to describe the formation of films of flotation reagents on solid surfaces, because in many cases it is not yet possible to specify the forces that hold them there. Originally, as Taggart and his associates state, adsorption connoted a concentration difference and nothing more. In recent years, workers in the field of surface chemistry have tacitly added other meanings, and they now speak of orientated adsorption of unimolecular films on a solid sub-strate, of chemi-adsorption, and of exchange adsorption. Thus the term adsorption may connote simply the Gibbs layer of excess concentration at the surface of a solution, or a unimolecular film at the surface of a solid. Perhaps this has led to the misunderstanding of Taggart, del Giudice and Ziehl concerning the relationship between surface tension and adsorption at solid surfaces. The change in "surface tension" accompanying adsorption at a liquid surface can be used as a measure of the adsorption, and the Gibbs equation as quoted by these authors correlates these two conceptions. But, to correlate two conceptions docs not necessarily imply an attempt to explain either, although sometimes such an "explanation" is carelessly inferred. Use of "surface energy per unit area" instead of the numerically equal but more difficult and less definite conception of "surface tension per unit length " would lessen many of the present difficulties. (Compare with Adam.2) At interfaces involving a solid phase, neither '" surface tension " nor " interfacial tension "can have any meaning, but the conception "interfacial energy per unit area" call be understood by anyone who is familiar with the concept of free energy. While it is true that surface energy cannot be directly measured at a solid surface,

Jan 1, 1939

By N. Brown

From the theories of flow and fracture it is shown that the difference in reciprocals of the transition temperatures (OK) is a quantitative measure of temper ernbrittlement. Experimental data are given which support this conclusion. STUDIES of temper embrittlement have been made with various viewpoints; some involved a study of the kinetics of the reaction,',2'" others were concerned with changes in the mechanical properties," . and still others investigated the structural differences between the embrittled and unembrittled states by means of the microscope," -ray ,' measurements of electrode potential," and electrical resistivity." In all these studies, the difference in impact properties was the criterion for distinguishing between the embrittled and unembrittled states. By common agreement the difference in transition temperatures is now taken as a measure of the degree of embrittlement, and this measure is used as the quantitative measure upon which studies of the phenomenon are based. Vidal and Jolivet"' suggested that the degree of embrittlement was the same whether measured by impact or by a slow bend test. Their conclusion was based on tests at constant temperature. Jaffe and Buffum" using the impact and slow bend test showed that, for a given degree of embrittlement, the difference in transition temperatures varied with the method of testing. Hultgren and Chang" showed that the difference in transition temperature produced by the V-notched Charpy impact test was not the same as the value produced by the keyhole-notched impact test. This is a very fundamental point because there can be no true measure of temper embrittlement unless it is invariant with respect to the test method. Theory The purpose of this analysis is to show how the transition temperature depends on the stress distribution and the state of the material. The criterion for fracture may be stated as follws: where iF is some function of the principle stresses and F is a critical condition depending on the state of the metal. Similarly yielding occurs when Where is another function of the prin-ciple stresses and Y is a critical value depending on the state of the material. There is some controversy as to the exact form of the function f,.(u,, u,, us) but most experimental data give the following criterion:= where 8, and 6, = 21 or 0. Combinations of 6, and 8, give the various criteria such as the normal stress, the hydrostatic tension, and the maximum shear stress laws. Agreement is general that the octahedral shear stress law adequately describes the yield condition. where the bracketed factor will be called the design factor and depends on the stress distribution. Whether the metal decides to yield or fracture is given by the condition that The effect of temperature and strain rate upon Y has been studied by various investigators, It has been shown by MacGregor and Fisher" that

Jan 1, 1955