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By C. S. Matthews, P. Hazebroek, F. Brons

A method has been developed for calculating the average pressure in a bounded reservoir. The reservoir is first divided into the individual drainage volumes of each well, by using the criterion that at steady state each individual drainage volume is proportional to a well's production rate. The average pressure in each drainage volume is then calculated by a method developed in the report. By volumetrically averaging these individual drainage volume pressures, the average pressure in the entire reservoir is obtained. To calculate the average pressure in each drainage volume, a correction is applied to the ordinary extrapolated pressure, i.e., the pressure obtained by extrapolating to infinite time the linear portion of the graph of closed-in pressure versus log[?t/(t + ?t)], where At is the closed-in time and t the production time. The correction, which is a function of the production time, is presented in graphical form for different shapes of the drainage area (horizontal cross section of the drainage volume). INTRODUCTION It is important to be able to find the volumetric average pressure in a reservoir so that the size of the reservoir may be determined from material balance calculations. It is also desirable to be able to find the approximate distribution of pressure within a reservoir for detection of fluid movement. 'The purpose of this paper is to present a method for calculating both the average reservoir pressure and the approximate distribution of pressure within a bounded reservoir — that is, a reservoir with no water drive. In reservoirs where the pressure builds up rapidly after wells are shut in, the determination of average pressure generally poses little problem, for one often need only average the final buildup pressures. It is when pressure buildup is slow that difficulties arise. For practical and economical reasons, the time allowable for closing in wells is limited. If at the maximum allowable closed-in time the pressure has not reached a con- stant value (and this is more often the case than is generally realized), calculation of average pressure presents difficulties. One method which has been used in the past for obtaining an "average" pressure involves the extrapolation to infinite closed-in time of curves of pressure as a function of closed-in time. Contour maps of these extrapolated pressures are used in arriving at an average pressure. In some cases wells are shut in for arbitrary Lengths of time, and contours of these arbitrary shut-in pressures are used for calculation. All these methods are somewhat arbitrary and suffer from lack of fundamental theoretical basis. For example, no precise meaning can be given either to the extrapolated or to the arbitrary shut-in pressure. Furthermore, there seems to be no reason why either set of pressures should be contourable. It was because of the vagueness of these old methods and their lack of a sound theoretical basis that, the present method for determining average reservoir pressure was developed. SYMBOLS A = drainage area of a well, cm' A, = drainage area of well j, cm2 A , = total drainage area of all wells in a reservoir, cm2 c = coefficient of compressibility of fluid at reservoir temperature, atm-1 f = hydrocarbin-filled porosity, fraction h = net thickness of formation, cm k = permeability of formation, darcy p = pressure at a well, atm p0 = initial reservoir pressure, atm p* = pressure obtained by straight-line extrapolation of linear portion of plot of p versus log [At/(t+ At)] p = volumetric average pressure inside drainage volume of a well q = volume flow rate at a well, cc/sec a: prevailing reservoir conditions q, = total volumetric flow rate from a reservoir, cc/sec at prevailing reservoir conditions rw = radius of well bore, cm T = kt/fµcA t = corrected time of production of a well, seconds, defined by

Jan 1, 1955

By G. C. Wallick, W. R. Foster, J. G. Savins

A comprehensive review of the salient features of the differentiation method of rheological analysis in Poiseuille flow from its inception circa 1928 is presented. Here no initial assumptions regarding the nature of the function relating rheological parameters to observed kinematical and dynamical parameters are required in the data-analysis process. In contrast, the integration method involves interpreting flow properties in terms of a particular ideal model. It is shown that, although both methods represent modes of solution of the same integral equation, being relatively bias-free, the differentiation method offers a more discriminating procedure for rheological analysis. The application to problems involving plane Poiseuille flow is also described. INTRODUCTION In most instances, the approach to the problem of interpreting the rheological properties of various compositions as they are affected by changes in chemical or physical environment, assaying the characteristics of a particular constituent of a suspension, analyzing flow behavior in terms of interactions between components in a system, to cite but a few examples, has been in terms of what Hersey1 terms the integration method. Briefly, it consists of interpreting flow properties in terms of a particular ideal model. The usual practice of the integration method is to choose a model with a minimum number of parameters because, other things being equal, it is desirable to use the simplest model which will describe the behavior of a real material and yet be mathematically tractable for the requirements of data analysis. This expression is then substituted into an equation which relates observed kinematical and dynamical quantities, such as volume flux Q and pressure gradient ], and angular velocity and torque T, in a capillary and concentric cylinder apparatus, respectively. The rheological parameters appear on integrating, in an expression relating the pairs of observable quantities such as those just given. In many instances a particular model provides a good representation of rheological behavior over a reasonable range of compositional and environmental changes. Just as often, however, it is obvious that the interpretation of rheological changes by the integration method is not providing realistic information about changes in flow behavior. A more general method of interpreting rheological data for a given material is to make no initial assumptions regarding the nature of the function relating rheological parameters to observed kinematical and dynamical quantities, e.g., flow rate and pressure drop in capillary flow or angular velocity and torque in a rotational viscometer. This general method Hersey1 terms the differentia-ation method. Instead of integrating, one differentiates the integral equation with respect to one of the limits, i.e., one of the boundary conditions; the resulting expression contains the same observable quantities just given, their derivatives, and the rheological function evaluated at that boundary. By obtaining these derivatives from experimental data, graphically or by a computer routine, they can be substituted into the differential equation and a graphical form of the function derived. THEORY OF THE DIFFERENTIATION METHOD FOR POISEUILLE-TYPE FLOWS In this introductory paper, two flow cases which are important in viscometry are considered (one for the first time) from the differentiation method of analysis, flow in a cylindrical tube and flow between fixed parallel surfaces of infinite extent, the basic integral equations being formulated in a manner analogous to the way they originally appeared in the literature. In addition, the following ideal conditions will be assumed: (1) an absence of anomalous wall effects, (2) isotropic behavior everywhere, and (3) steady laminar flow conditions. Before proceeding it would seem appropriate to preface the analysis of these flow geometries with the comment that the basic philosophy of the differentiation method could be said to stem directly from the efforts of Herzog and weissenberg2 to indicate systematically the various ways of using

By F. N. Rhines, A. S. Nemy

The mode of high-temperature tertiary creep of 523-0 aluminum alloy was found to be strongly stress dependent. The occurrence of necking and/or fissures during tertiary creep exhibited a sequence with varying stress, wherein fissures with no necking occur at a minimum stress and necking with no fissures occur at a maximum stress. At an intermediate stress, tertiary creep begins without necking but with fissures in a region just beneath the external surface, followed by necking and the development of fissures along the axis of the specimen. The results are interpreted in terms of grain boundary gliding and the hydrostatic stresses produced by restraints to grain boundary gliding. THERE appear to be two possible reasons for the existence of a period of accelerating elongation prior to rupture during high-temperature creep in metals; namely, 1) a change in the structure of the metal itself, leading to a change in its response to loading, and 2) a reduction in the cross section of the metal resulting in a higher unit loading. Howe,' by annealing and retesting broken low-temperature creep specimens, found that irreparable damage is done once a metal is subjected to creep. Andrade2 first pointed out the association between the reduction in cross section and the increase in creep rate. The present research was designed to investigate both of these factors by retesting specimens machined from material which had been subjected to high-temperature creep testing short of rupture. EXPERIMENTAL METHOD An aluminum alloy, 52s-0, was selected for these studies because it is constitutionally simple, is strong enough to be relatively insensitive to mechanical damage during machining,3 and undergoes accelerating creep in a convenient temperature range. This alloy is hardened by 2.6 wt pct Mg in solid solution and is not subject to overaging effects; it has a very small quantity of an insoluble impurity phase, Mg2Si, finely dispersed throughout its micro-structure. Creep specimens, similar in design to ASTM 0.252-in. tensile specimens, were machined from 3/4-in. round stock and the surfaces were electro-polished. A 24-hr anneal at 500°C was then applied to stabilize the grain size to an average diameier of 0.27 mm. Subsequent heating for as long as 700 hr at the intended test temperatures produced no change in the tensile properties, indicating a well-stabilized state of the material. Corresponding to each of the typical testing conditions listed in Table I, one creep specimen was tested to destruction and this test was employed as a guide in the selection of times for subsequent tests. Duplicate creep tests were then run to various points along the creep curve to produce specimens which were used to determine changes in mechanical properties and microstructures. The latter were examined at the midsections of the specimens. Other specimens were tested to various stages of tertiary creep, after which they were remachined to new cylindrical test specimens, electropolished and re-tested in creep. RESULTS The major findings of this investigation may be illustrated by a comparison of the results of three sets of creep tests. These were run at 400°C at three stress levels, namely 750, 1000, and 1500 psi. In presenting these results in Figs. 1, 5, and 8, the creep curves are given in pairs: That curve of each pair which is drawn through filled circles corresponds to the initial test, and the curve drawn through open circles (and designated by - R) represents the result of retesting the same specimen after machining to a new cylindrical surface. The load was readjusted to the original unit stress at the beginning of each retest.

Jan 1, 1960

By J. B. Newkirk

IN 1939 Bitter and Kaufmann1 suggested that iron, precipitating from a copper-rich, Cu-Fe solid solution, appears initially as coherent particles of r-Fe which transform to the body-centered-cubic form of iron when the alloy is cold worked. Since then there has been considerable discussion, supported only by indirect evidence, regarding the validity of the concept. For example, Reekie, Hutchison, and Hether-ington2 interpreted the changes in electrical resistance accompanying the aging of Cu-Fe specimens in terms of a coherent 7-Fe precipitate which transformed to the incoherent a-phase during long aging or cold working. Greninger- ound that Cu-Fe alloys which had been water quenched from 1050" and then held at 650°C for 3 hr changed from weakly to strongly ferromagnetic as the aged wire was subsequently cold worked. He also found diffraction lines corresponding to body-centered-cubic iron in Debye-Scherrer patterns given by aged and worked specimens but lines corresponding to only one face-centered-cubic phase in specimens which had been aged but not worked. Knoppwost,' and later Cech and Turnbull,5 found that aged Cu-Fe specimens showed a slight increase in ferromagnet-ism after they had be? cooled in liquid nitrogen. Very recently Denney6 followed the kinetics of the precipitation reaction as indicated by the saturation magnetization, hardness, and diffuse X-ray effects. The experimental results reported by all of the authors mentioned above are readily explained in terms of the Bitter and Kaufmann concept. However, most of the evidence is indirect when used to define the structural changes involved. It was the aim of the present investigation to determine the mechanism of precipitation of iron from a Cu-Fe solid solution in the light of available published information and with additional new and more direct experimental data. Experimental Method At 1060°C copper will contain up to 3 atomic pct Fe in equilibrium solid solution.7 The solvus slopes rapidly toward lower iron concentration, so that at 600°C only about 0.5 pct Fe remains in solution at equilibrium. Below the eutectoid temperature (850°C), the iron-rich phase in equilibrium with the copper-rich solid solution consists of body-centered-cubic a-Fe. Above 850 °C the equilibrium iron-rich phase is face-centered-cubic r-Fe. The alloy to be studied was made by melting electrolytic iron and OFHC copper by induction under vacuum in an Alundum-lined crucible. The metal was held molten for about 5 min, after which time the power was turned off and the crucible was tipped about 70" to promote directional solidification. The resulting ingot, containing 2.5 wt pct Fe by analysis, was clean, large grained, and free of gross segregation. Slices % in. thick were cut from the ingot, rolled to 1/8 in. in thickness, homogenized in hydrogen at 1060°C for 24 hr and, finally, quenched in cold water. Specimens for all subsequent tests were made from these slices. Squares measuring about 1 cm on a side were cut from the slices to make specimens for studying hardness and microstructure. Wires (0.020 in.) for the Debye-Scherrer survey were drawn from 1/8 in. sq rods which had been cut from the homogenized slices. Large crystals for observing diffuse X-ray diffraction effects were prepared by mechanically

Jan 1, 1958

By W. Bonfield

The microstrain characteristics of a polycrystal-line Cu 1.9 wt pet Be precipitation-hardening alloy have been determined for various conditions of aging. The friction stress remained constant for all the conditions investigated, whereas the microscopic yield stress (the stress to produce a plastic strain of 2 x 10-8 in. per in.) and the three-stage stress-strain curve in the microstrain region were sensitive to changes in dislocation and precipitate distribution. Correlations between the measurements of microplasticity and electron-nzicroscope observations of substructure are considered. ALTHOUGH the macroscopic mechanical properties of Cu 1.5 to 2.0 wt pet Be precipitation-harden ing alloys were established' in some detail, there has been no previous investigation of the nature of microyield-ing in these alloys. This paper describes a high-sensitivity extensometer determination of microplasticity in polycrystalline Cu 1.9 wt pet Be, in which the friction stress, the microscopic yield stress (the stress to produce a plastic strain of 2 x 10-6 in. per in.), and the rate of strain hardening in the micro-strain region were measured for various conditions of precipitation. The structural changes accompanying aging in this alloy were examined using transmission electron microscopy, a study which differed from previous investigations as, in order to minimize grain boundary precipitation effects,' the solution-treated alloy was cold-rolled to 40 pet reduction prior to aging. Hence the extent of recovery and recrystalliza-tion, as well as the variation of precipitate morphology and distribution, were assessed. From these results possible correlations between the microstrain characteristics and the observed precipitate and dislocation structure are considered. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE The material investigated was a commercial copper beryllium alloy (Berylco 25), which had a com- position of 1.9 wt pet Be and 0.2 wt pet Co. The alloy was solution-treated at 800°C, quenched in water, and then cold-rolled to 40 pct reduction. Tensile specimens of gage length 1 in. and rectangular cross section of 0.18 by 0.06 in. were prepared from the solution-treated, cold-rolled material and aged for 15 min, 2, 24, and 100 hr at 315°C and 24 hr at 425°C to produce a range of precipitate structure. The hardness values associated with these conditions are listed in Table I. It can be seen that a maximum value is obtained after 2 hr at 315oC, which decreases with continued time at temperature to a minimum after 24 hr at 425°C. For comparison some as-solution-treated specimens were also aged for 2 hr at 315°C. The specimens heat-treated to a given condition were examined in two ways. First, the nature and distribution of the precipitate and dislocation structure was characterized using transmission electron microscopy. Thin foils were obtained from the specimens by electrolytic polishing in a 30 pet nitric acid-alcohol solution at -20oC, and were examined in an RCA EMU 3 electron microscope. Second, the mi-croplastic behavior of the specimens was measured with a Tuckerman strain gage, using the load-unload technique previously described2, 3 to determine the friction stress, the microscopic yield stress, and the variation of plastic microstrain with stress. RESULTS 1) Structural Changes During Aging. a) Annealing Processes. The solution-treated, cold-rolled Cu 1.9 wt pet Be had an irregular dislocation-cell structure,

Jan 1, 1968

By D. T. Peters

To better understand the Co-Mo interaction in maraging steels, the precipitate reversion behavior of two alloys closely related to the 18 Ni-250 grade has been studied. The reversion experiment is carried out by aging at a low temperature, T1 (preaging temperature), for some period of time and then aging at a higher temperature, T2, called the reversion tetnperature. Aging and reversion tmzperatures used were in the range 679 to 1050°F. Reversion is marked by an increase in resistivity and a decrease in hardness. It teas found that some reversion took place at all cornbinations of T1 and T2 but that pronounced rei3ersion resulfed for an Fe-18 pct Ni-5 pct Mo-8 pcl Co alloy exposed to preagz'ng' temperatures at or below 850°F. A similar alloy not containing cobalt exhibited no such discontinuity in reversion behazior with TI. The results are interpreted in terms of two types of molybdenum-rich precipitates, one nucleated at dislocations and the other in the matrix. The increased supersaturation resulting from the presence oj- cobalt evidently provides sufficient energy to nucleate the matrix phase. Anotnalies in the temperature dependence of the resistivity decrease and peak hurdness in the Fe-18 pct Ni-5 pct Mo-8 pct Co alloy as a junction of aging temperature noted in an earlier study are explained on this basis. SEVERAL investigatorsl-9 have studied the details of the precipitation-hardening reaction of the maraging steels. The great majority of conclusions have been drawn from transmission electron microscopy. Although much has been learned by this method, alternate techniques which will give information earlier in the aging process are needed for a more complete understanding of the series of precipitation steps probably involved in the aging reaction. Peters and cupp'' have recently shown, by measurements of the kinetics of precipitation, that an 18 pct Ni-Co-Mo maraging steel shows a distinct change in precipitation behavior at aging temperatures below 850°F. The results were interpreted in terms of the existence of two types of precipitates at low aging temperatures. Only one precipitate type is present at higher aging temperatures. The low-temperature precipitate was found to be a particularly effective strengthener. No evidence for the additional low-temperature precipitate was found in the 18 pct Ni-5 pct Mo ternary alloy. The object of this investigation was to study further the characteristics of the two types of precipitates and the interaction between cobalt and molybdenum characterizing this system. Some preliminary experiments indicated a difference in reversion behavior in specimens aged above and below 850°F. This suggested that knowledge of the reversion behavior might shed some light on these two questions. Hardy and Heal11 have defined reversion as the loss of hardness, electrical conductivity, or other properties caused by heating for a very short time at temperatures above the aging temperature. The precipitate reversion referred to in this paper is entirely distinct from "austenite reversion" often referred to in maraging steel literature. This latter phenomenon could more accurately be called the diffusion-controlled formation of austenite. Much has been written about reversion in several of the aluminum-base binary and ternary alloys.'2-16 Two explanations for reversion have been advanced. Based on the classical nucleation theory of Volmer-Weber-Becker-Doring,17 Konobeevski18 suggested that reversion was due to the size of the precipitate particles

Jan 1, 1968

By P. L. Menaul, P. P. Spafford

This paper discusses the most dangerous form of corrosion encountered in condensate-well oil production, the discovery of the agent causing this corrosion and the remedial chemical treatment proved effective by field use. The injection of ammonium hydroxide, even as little as one quart per day, has proved effective in preventing gas-condensate well corrosion. The injection of "Bone oil" is applied to wells producing brines containing calcium and magnesium salts. Introduction The severe corrosion of equipment in high pressure gas condensate wells has been a problem for several years and numerous papers have been presented on the subject. The term "gas condensate" or "distillate well" is applied to a distinct variety of hydrocarbon producing well, the characteristics of these wells being high bottom-hole (formation) pressures and temperatures and high gas production. These wells usually produce about 40 gal of water per million cubic feet of gas and the gas contains from 0.1 pct to 2 pct carbon dioxide. In the operation of this type of well, the operators soon noted severe internal corrosion of the pipe carrying the production. In some instances the dl tubing has been found to be corroded to perforation in eight months. The high well head pressures of 2500 to 8000 psi makes any weakening of the well equipment by corrosion extremely hazardous. Bursting of the well equipment results in very expensive repair operations and may result in the loss of valuable production, loss of the costly well, or even loss of life. In November 1944, a gas-condensate well in a Gulf Coast field producing from 9500 ft showed a tubing leak. The well was "killed" by filling it with mud through the tubing, and then the tubing was pulled. Corrosion was found to have caused several perforations in the tubing, Fig I. While the mud was being circulated to kill the well, a high pressure jet from the corroded hole in the tubing perforated the casing and damaged the well to the extent that the cost of repairs amounted to $75,000. In November 1944, another gas-con-densate well in a Gulf Coast field producing from 11,400 ft showed tubing failure. This well had been producing an average of 2,500,000 cu ft of gas daily for two years. In the workover of this well, it was found that a hole one inch in diameter had corroded through the tubing and that corrosion had reduced the wall of the tubing to less than half the standard thickness over large areas of the interior of the tubing. It was found that corrosion had also caused two leaks in the casing. After four months spent in an attempted workover failed to make the well safe for further production, the well was plugged and abandoned at a total loss of $300,000,00.

Jan 1, 1948

By P. L. Menaul, P. P. Spafford

This paper discusses the most dangerous form of corrosion encountered in condensate-well oil production, the discovery of the agent causing this corrosion and the remedial chemical treatment proved effective by field use. The injection of ammonium hydroxide, even as little as one quart per day, has proved effective in preventing gas-condensate well corrosion. The injection of "Bone oil" is applied to wells producing brines containing calcium and magnesium salts. Introduction The severe corrosion of equipment in high pressure gas condensate wells has been a problem for several years and numerous papers have been presented on the subject. The term "gas condensate" or "distillate well" is applied to a distinct variety of hydrocarbon producing well, the characteristics of these wells being high bottom-hole (formation) pressures and temperatures and high gas production. These wells usually produce about 40 gal of water per million cubic feet of gas and the gas contains from 0.1 pct to 2 pct carbon dioxide. In the operation of this type of well, the operators soon noted severe internal corrosion of the pipe carrying the production. In some instances the dl tubing has been found to be corroded to perforation in eight months. The high well head pressures of 2500 to 8000 psi makes any weakening of the well equipment by corrosion extremely hazardous. Bursting of the well equipment results in very expensive repair operations and may result in the loss of valuable production, loss of the costly well, or even loss of life. In November 1944, a gas-condensate well in a Gulf Coast field producing from 9500 ft showed a tubing leak. The well was "killed" by filling it with mud through the tubing, and then the tubing was pulled. Corrosion was found to have caused several perforations in the tubing, Fig I. While the mud was being circulated to kill the well, a high pressure jet from the corroded hole in the tubing perforated the casing and damaged the well to the extent that the cost of repairs amounted to $75,000. In November 1944, another gas-con-densate well in a Gulf Coast field producing from 11,400 ft showed tubing failure. This well had been producing an average of 2,500,000 cu ft of gas daily for two years. In the workover of this well, it was found that a hole one inch in diameter had corroded through the tubing and that corrosion had reduced the wall of the tubing to less than half the standard thickness over large areas of the interior of the tubing. It was found that corrosion had also caused two leaks in the casing. After four months spent in an attempted workover failed to make the well safe for further production, the well was plugged and abandoned at a total loss of $300,000,00.

Jan 1, 1948

By J. Gordon Parr, D. H. Polonis

High purity alloys of titanium and iron, made by a technique of levitation melting, have been investigated with particular reference to martensite formation and decomposition in the hypoeutectoid range. A preliminary study has been made of the occurrence of the phase corresponding to the structure Ti2Fe. MANY of the previous investigations of Fe-Ti alloys have been made using Kroll sponge as a source of titanium; and the subsequent heat treatments to which alloys have been subjected has, on occasion, led to further contamination. Worrier,',' who suggested a part of the equilibrium diagram for the binary system, and Wallbaum and coworkers,3-5 who worked largely with iron-rich alloys, all used Kroll sponge. Van Thyne, Kessler, and Hansen,6 in their determination of the equilibrium diagram, used iodide titanium for alloys up to 30 pct Fe. Duwez,7 who measured the M. temperature of titanium binary alloys with many solute elements, used iodide titanium in all cases except in his work on Ti-Fe alloys for which he used Kroll sponge. The investigation of the supposed phase Ti2Fe by Rostoker8 nvolved the use of iodide titanium. A section of the constitutional diagram, after Van Thyne et al., is reproduced in Fig. 1. Frequently too much stress is placed on the effect of contaminants in equilibrium and nonequilibrium systems, but there is no doubt that titanium alloys are extremely susceptible to interstitial atoms. Consequently, the main purpose of the work to be described was to determine those features of phase transformations in pure Ti-Fe alloys that were considered of importance in commercial heat treatments. For, although commercial alloys may not be of high purity, the investigation of a system uncomplicated by traces of impurity is a desirable starting point. Another incidental feature, the occurrence of Ti2Fe, was also investigated. The entire study was carried out using powders obtained from alloy ingots, for diffusion reactions are often more rapid in small particles than in bulk specimens. The frequently adopted practice of ascertaining phase constitutions by X-ray analysis of powders, and relating these to the microstructures and mechanical properties of bulk specimens, is considered by the authors to be open to criticism. In the martensite reactions in the Fe-Mn system, for example, it has been shown- hat similar phase distributions in solid and powder may result in different hardness values and appearance under the microscope; and it is possible that similar anomalies might occur in the Ti-Fe system. Consequently, in order to

Jan 1, 1955

By W. E. Rice

The ceramic industry has to do with forming or molding articles of clay, and imparting to them their characteristic properties of permanence, strength and color by subjecting them to heat treatment in kilns. This heat treatment is commonly known as "firing" or "burning." The art of firing clay ware antedates the industrial use of coal; hence wood was the fuel first used, and the earliest kilns were built to burn wood. The majority of the clay ware produced today is fired in periodic kilns that are essentially enlarged structures similar to the earliest enclosed kilns; a kiln consists of a large chamber 16 to 32 ft. dia. (or rectangular) in which the ware is charged and fired either in direct contact with flame or hot gases from the fuel, or in saggers which shield the ware from direct contact with the gases. The fuel is burned in a number of small furnaces built in the thick wall that encloses the chamber; these furnaces are from 16 to 36 in. wide and from 3 to 5 ft. long; some of them have horizontal or sloping grates, but many have no grates; the last are called "dead-bottom" furnaces. The temperature necessary to mature the charge in the kiln varies for different clays; for some it is as low as 1800°, and for others as high as 2700" F. Wood was an ideal fuel for the low temperatures that were used in early kilns; it burns freely and produces a long, clean flame, which promotes uniform distribution of the heat in the kiln; it does not coke and so restrict the passage of air through the fuel bed; the ash does not melt in the fuel bed to form clinker; and the ash that is carried into the chamber and deposited on the charge does not contain iron and sulfur to discolor the clay. The extent of the ceramic industry now precludes the general use of wood in kilns, so that today this industry is one of the large users of bituminous coal, burning more than eight million tons annually in kilns. Manufacturing plants usually are at or near the source of clay, with deposits of coal suitable for kilns occurring near the clay. The cost of coal is the largest single item of expense in the manufacture of clay ware, and, because all coals are not equally suitable for the process, the careful selection of coal is important. In this selection the desidera-

Jan 1, 1932

By W. H. Ashby, R. W. Cassingham, C. R. Blomberg, J. B. Justins

The Brookhaven field is one of several Basal Tuscaloosa reservoirs located in south-central Mississippi. It is a standstone reservoir, of erratic deposition and with several faults, having an approximate subsea depth of 9,800 ft. A large variation in permeability exists with a weighted average being 256 md. Estimated average interstitial water saturation is 45 per cent. The undersaturated reservoir fluid exhibits marked differences in physical properties with measured saturation pressures ranging from 733 to 2,255 psi. Early rapid decline in reservoir pressure caused the operating interests to unitize the field and initiate a program of pressure maintenance by gas injection. At the time gas injection was commenced, the reservoir pressure had fallen to nearly half of the original pressure with only 4.5 Per cent of the original oil in place produced. The reservoir pressure has since been maintained at approximately 2,750 psig, and cumulative production to date is 17 per cent of original oil in place. An analysis of field performance during gas injection is presented in detail. The program of pressure maintenance by gas injection is considered to be a success, since the expected ultimate recovery has been increased and the current production rate is in excess of 2 per cent of original oil in place per year. Performance has been better, anticipated ultimate recovery is larger, and total production costs are lower than for a similar Basal Tuscaloosa reservoir nearby, even though that field appears to have a more effective natural water drive. INTRODUCTION The history of the Brookhaven Unit is a testimonial for unitization and for the application of engineering techniques in the operation of an oil field. The operating and royalty interests in this field have mutually benefited from their early recognition of the need for unitization and pressure maintenance and from the forthright manner in which these were accomplished. The tangible benefits accruing to the participants in the Unit are: (1) income from gasoline plant products, (2) reduced lifting and operating costs from those of competitive operation, (3) maintenance of high levels of current income by mitigation of the inevitable decline in production rates inherent to natural depletion, (4) an increase in ultimate recovery of about 40 per cent over natural depletion operations. This paper should properly be considered a progress report; however, the performance of the field after five years of pressure maintenance clearly indicates that the ultimate success of the project is assured. LOCATION AND GEOLOGY The Brookhaven field is located in south-central Mississippi, about six miles from the town of Brookhaven. Production at Brookhaven

Jan 1, 1955

By F. C. Miller

The metallurgical fuel of Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico has been a Veiny tardy member in the caravan of western industrial progress. The history of western coke has naturally been closely related to the development of the metallurgy of iron and steel and the precious metals, in the State of Colorado. It was at Leadville, with a population of 300 in 1877, that the Sentinel was published by Richard S. Allen. The Sentinel gave very full accounts of the various mineral discoveries at the new town of Leadville, which found their way to the more widely circulated journals of the East, and attracted the attention of many people. At the close of 1878, a census slowed a total of 5040 persons. The first smelter was established in 1877, at Malta, two miles from Leadville, by A. R. Meyer, but was not successful. It was succeeded by the Harrison Reduction Works, in 1878. The La Plata began with one furnace in June, 1878, and in 1879 had four furnaces in active operation. These furnaces used charcoal for fuel, and, because of hot tops, suffered a tremendous loss in lead and silver. This difficulty was overcome by the erection of 50 single-bank 10-ft. beehive ovens at Crested Butte, Colo., in 1880. The slack coal sent to these ovens was very pure, and yielded a coke carrying as little as 4.5 per cent. ash. Among the pioneers in the Leadville district were Grant, Eddy, James, Billings, Eiler, and Dickson. To these men the West owes the present expansion of its mining industry, and the erection of metallurgical processes for the treatment of precious metals. On Mar. 1, 1876, Pueblo was connected to the Atchison, Topeka & Sank Fe by the Pueblo & Arkansas Valley branch. The first smelter was erected in Pueblo by Mather and Geist. This modest plant grew into the immense Pueblo Smelting and Refining Co., now a part of the American Smelting and Refining Co. Coke for these small furnaces was made from unwashed Engleville coal, in 186 single-bank 12-ft. ovens at El Moro, in the Trinidad district, and it was not uncommon for the percentage of ash to exceed the percentage of fixed carbon in the coke. On Jan. 23, 1880, the Colorado Improvement Co. consolidated

Jan 1, 1920

By J. Blodget Britton

IN the Journal of the Franklin Institute for May, 1870, there is published a description of a Colorimeter, together with a modification of the method proposed by Professor Eggertz, for determining combined carbon in iron and steel. An instrument of the kind there described, but of a little higher range, though in other respects not differing materially from the one originally made and used in the Iron-Masters7 Laboratory, I now submit to your inspection ; and I propose, also, to make some determinations minations with it for the purpose of showing how quickly they may be made, and enabling you to form some judgment of what reliance can be placed in the results. Professor Eggertz proposed only a single standard, and the solution to be tested should be diluted to exactly correspond in color with that of the standard, and the per cent. of carbon calculated after carefully noting and making allowance for the measures of water used in diluting. In practice, difficulty was found in bringing the color of the normal solution down to the exact shade of the standard; also other difficulties were met with in conducting the process, causing delay and interfering with the accuracy of the results. To materially overcome these, and after numerous attempts, an instrument such as is now before you suggested itself to me; and also I concluded to use a larger quantity of metal than directed by Eggertz, and, in addition, to filter the solution from its insoluble matter before making the comparison; and, more recently, to use an acid of just such strength as would completely dissolve the metal without the application of heat. Experimenting with these changes from the original method I obtained reasonably good results. The instrument, you will observe, consists of a series of tubes, sixteen in number, two and a half inches long, and about half an inch in diameter, standing upright, and securely fastened in a light, portable, walnut-wood frame, but separated one from the other so as to allow just sufficient space between to place for comparison the . tube containing the solution to be tested. The tubes are filled with

HENRY TRAPHAGEN, * Toledo, Ohio (written discussion t).-The occurrence of flakes in steel is a perplexing problem, if we consider this condition as a disease rather than a symptom. But if considered as an exaggerated phase of a common disease, flakes will be recognized as old and well-known enemies. I have frequently found flakes in open-hearth steel, converter steel, and even electric steel; and not only in the so-called alloy steels but in dead soft 12-point carbon castings. In fact, I have some twenty flaky test bars that came from a foundry that manufactures converter steel castings. The physical characteristics of such material are striking in their constancy, for the yield point and elastic limit are always high, the elongation is variable, and the reduction of area is nearly always negligible. Soft steels of this kind can easily be bent to an angle of 150° and the only bad symptom is the appearance of incipient cracks on the surface; when the carbon exceeds 30 points, the bending qualities are seriously affected; and when the carbon reaches the neighborhood of 50 points, the bars are generally pulled short. The elongation is peculiar in that it seems to take place along the whole length of the bar, giving a crinkly appearance such as is found in cast brass and monel metal. Of course, this elongation only takes place in the softer varieties of steel. I have stated that flakes in steel represent exaggerated symptoms of a common disease, and that disease is the presence of higher oxides of iron. In every instance that has come to my attention, this condition is coexistent with the presence of oxides in some form. In open-hearth practice when this condition occurs, almost invariably it will be found that the metal has been loaded with ore or that tons of rusty turnings were being melted. In converter practice, one of three conditions is nearly always present: bad cupola practice, the use of oxygenated pig iron, or faulty tuyeres. With the electric furnace, my experience is quite limited, but the few examples of flaky electric steel that have come to my notice were made from a charge of turnings and low-grade light scrap.

Jan 6, 1919

By F. Lynwood Garrison

The future of the Witwatersrand depends upon the possibility of mining and milling profitably the large tonnage of relatively low-grade gold ores known to exist in that area. The problem must be solved if the existence of the gold-mining industry in South Africa is to be saved and continue. To show that this disaster may be avoided, or at least postponed for another decade or longer, the following official statement is of interest: "There is a fairly large area of possible orebody on the East Rand of whose value and depth from the surface we have some though not very accurate knowledge. There is a far larger area south of the Central Rand which probably carries much payable ore, but at depths that at present appear too great to mine. Finally, there is a narrow strip of country over 100 miles in length stretching south from the Rand to Klerksdorp and beyond, which may contain large ore-bodies. The Witwatersrand rocks outcrop over portions of this ground and in places conglomerates occur in it that carry small bodies of payable ore. There is reason to believe that conglomerates of the Witwatersrand system exist over all this strip, though they are for the most part covered by later sediments. It seems probable also that there are large blocks of payable reef in this belt, at any rate in the area that lies close to the present western limit of the developed mines. The structure in this neighborhood is however very complicated and to prove the orebodies will be both difficult and costly." Ores in the Witwatersrand It should be explained in this connection that the conglomerates mentioned here were originally old gravel beds now consolidated into bedded sedimentary rocks, very hard because strongly cemented with secondary silica. The gold exists in this cement and is rarely found in the pebbles composing the rock or bed called locally reef. It is important to realize that these gold deposits are beds; not veins as generally understood by mining engineers and geologists. In addition to these low-grade ore reserves we have also to consider the ore left behind in the old stopes of the upper levels near the surface,

Jan 1, 1931

By H. M. St. John, T. Rynalski, G. K. Eggleston

Maintaining a satisfactory structure in brass and bronze castings has always been a foundry problem of great practical importance. While metallurgists and scientific investigators have not entirely ignored this matter, it has received less of their attention than has been given to iron, steel and the wrought copper and aluminum alloys. Investigation in this field has probably been discouraged to some extent by the complicated nature of the alloys involved. Hundreds of alloys are in more or less common use, most of them containing copper, zinc, lead and tin in widely varying proportions. They also contain appreciable percentages of iron and antimony as impurities, and often phosphorus, which has been added as a deoxidizer and fluidifier. Small amounts of sulfur are usually present. It is not uncommon to find nickel, sometimes in rather substantial quantities. Traces of other metals are frequently present. So complicated and variable a mixture obviously offers difficulties in any investigation of the various factors that influence the structure and other properties of the casting. Incipient Shrinkage Bolton and Weigandl have called attention to a type of structure characterized by intercrystalline fissures and large dendritic crystals which are frequently tarnished to an orange or reddish brown color. This intercrystalline porosity they term "incipient shrinkage" and attribute to the presence of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere under which the metal was melted. The defective structure to which Bolton and Weigand refer has become a brass-foundry problem of major importance, because it occurs with distressing frequency in leaded brasses and bronzes when these are melted in a neutral or reducing atmosphere. Since the electric furnaces, now coming into general use in brass foundries, normally operate with such an atmosphere and, in fact, depend upon it in part

Jan 1, 1930

By Willis H. Carrier

Particular interest in the ventilation of deep mines, especially those in South Africa, has been created by a very complete system of cooling of the world's deepest mine, the Turf shaft of the Robinson Deep in Johannesburg. The writer visited this mine in January, 1936, and again in 1937. During these visits and subsequently, a considerable part of the theory involved in rock cooling in tunnels was developed and this has been checked by practical observations of the rates of rock cooling made within mines. The purpose of this paper is to set forth the method of attack of the mine problem. The cooling or air conditioning of mines by the use of mechanical refrigeration was not wholly newl-5 when the Robinson Deep installation was made. The first mine to be cooled was the Morro Velho mine, in Brazil. The first installation in this mine was put into operation in December 1920, the refrigerant being ammonia.5 The surface cooling gave considerable benefit but it proved inadequate as greater depths were reached, therefore in 1929 two centrifugal refrigerating machines were installed at the 6000-ft. level. These were used in conjunction with the surface cooling system to furnish additional cooling at the lower levels. This later installation used Carrene as a refrigerant. This nonflammable refrigerant, having a boiling point of 104" at sea level, insured reasonable safety, since all parts of the machine operated at subatmospheric pressure. Very favorable reports have been received on the effectiveness of this installation, but no recent data are available. An interesting feature of that plant is that the condenser water is cooled by spraying it into the exhaust air from the mine at the base of the ventilation upcast, which permits the water to be cooled within a few degrees of the wet-bulb temperature of the air entering the upcast, and the only water that has to be supplied for condensing purposes is that lost by evaporation, or about 0.5 per cent of the volume circulating through the condenser. This plan affords an ideal means for the removal of the heat load from the refrigerating system, and of course also from the mine itself. In many mines, however, especially those in South Africa, there is no

Jan 1, 1940

By J. W. Halley, T. S. Washburn

Rimming steels derive their name from their action during solidification in the molds. As a result of incomplete deoxidation, gas is evolved during freezing, and the metal has a characteristic rolling action. The metal rises along the mold walls and descends in the center of the ingot. This action keeps the top of the ingot open and the advancing rim of solid metal can be seen. The rim grows until the rolling action is insufficient to prevent the top of the ingot from freezing or until the action is stopped by capping the ingot with a heavy plate. The violence of the reaction and its characteristics, such as growth or drop in the molds, are determined by the composition, the furnace practice, and the deoxidation in the ladle and in the molds. Though rimming steels represent a large proportion of the amount of plain carbon steel made, they have received comparatively little attention in the technical literature. The manufacture of rimming steels has been described by Hibbard,1,2 Fleming,3 Pierce4 and Jackson.5 The reactions occurring during rimming have been considered from the theoretical point of view by Chipman and Samarin.? The structure of rimmed-steel ingots has been discussed by Nead and one of the present authors6 Meyer: in studying segregation, investigated the distribution of carbon, sulphur and phosphorus in rimmed-steel ingots by analyzing the rim and core of blooms. In their studies of segregation, the Joint Committee of the Iron and Steel Institute and the British Iron and Steel Federation9 studied distribution in one billet and one ingot of rimmed steel. A detailed study of the distribution throughout the ingot has not been published. The present investigation was undertaken to determine accurately the distribution of carbon, manganese and sulphur in normal rimmed ingots and the general distribution of other common elements present. The study included some work on the effect of pouring conditions and furnace practice on the distribution, though there is still much to be done in this direction. The structure of a rimmed ingot that has been split by dynamiting and a schematic diagram of the zones in the ingot are illustrated in Fig. 1.

Jan 1, 1938

By Willis H. Carrier

Particular interest in the ventilation of deep mines, especially those in South Africa, has been created by a very complete system of cooling of the world's deepest mine, the Turf shaft of the Robinson Deep in Johannesburg. The writer visited this mine in January, 1936, and again in 1937. During these visits and subsequently, a considerable part of the theory involved in rock cooling in tunnels was developed and this has been checked by practical observations of the rates of rock cooling made within mines. The purpose of this paper is to set forth the method of attack of the mine problem. The cooling or air conditioning of mines by the use of mechanical refrigeration was not wholly newl-5 when the Robinson Deep installation was made. The first mine to be cooled was the Morro Velho mine, in Brazil. The first installation in this mine was put into operation in December 1920, the refrigerant being ammonia.5 The surface cooling gave considerable benefit but it proved inadequate as greater depths were reached, therefore in 1929 two centrifugal refrigerating machines were installed at the 6000-ft. level. These were used in conjunction with the surface cooling system to furnish additional cooling at the lower levels. This later installation used Carrene as a refrigerant. This nonflammable refrigerant, having a boiling point of 104" at sea level, insured reasonable safety, since all parts of the machine operated at subatmospheric pressure. Very favorable reports have been received on the effectiveness of this installation, but no recent data are available. An interesting feature of that plant is that the condenser water is cooled by spraying it into the exhaust air from the mine at the base of the ventilation upcast, which permits the water to be cooled within a few degrees of the wet-bulb temperature of the air entering the upcast, and the only water that has to be supplied for condensing purposes is that lost by evaporation, or about 0.5 per cent of the volume circulating through the condenser. This plan affords an ideal means for the removal of the heat load from the refrigerating system, and of course also from the mine itself. In many mines, however, especially those in South Africa, there is no

Jan 1, 1940

By J. W. Halley, T. S. Washburn

Rimming steels derive their name from their action during solidification in the molds. As a result of incomplete deoxidation, gas is evolved during freezing, and the metal has a characteristic rolling action. The metal rises along the mold walls and descends in the center of the ingot. This action keeps the top of the ingot open and the advancing rim of solid metal can be seen. The rim grows until the rolling action is insufficient to prevent the top of the ingot from freezing or until the action is stopped by capping the ingot with a heavy plate. The violence of the reaction and its characteristics, such as growth or drop in the molds, are determined by the composition, the furnace practice, and the deoxidation in the ladle and in the molds. Though rimming steels represent a large proportion of the amount of plain carbon steel made, they have received comparatively little attention in the technical literature. The manufacture of rimming steels has been described by Hibbard,1,2 Fleming,3 Pierce4 and Jackson.5 The reactions occurring during rimming have been considered from the theoretical point of view by Chipman and Samarin.? The structure of rimmed-steel ingots has been discussed by Nead and one of the present authors6 Meyer: in studying segregation, investigated the distribution of carbon, sulphur and phosphorus in rimmed-steel ingots by analyzing the rim and core of blooms. In their studies of segregation, the Joint Committee of the Iron and Steel Institute and the British Iron and Steel Federation9 studied distribution in one billet and one ingot of rimmed steel. A detailed study of the distribution throughout the ingot has not been published. The present investigation was undertaken to determine accurately the distribution of carbon, manganese and sulphur in normal rimmed ingots and the general distribution of other common elements present. The study included some work on the effect of pouring conditions and furnace practice on the distribution, though there is still much to be done in this direction. The structure of a rimmed ingot that has been split by dynamiting and a schematic diagram of the zones in the ingot are illustrated in Fig. 1.

Jan 1, 1938