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By Leo B. Bicher, Donald L. Katz

A correlation is presented for predicting the viscosities of light paraffin hydrocarbon mixtures such as natural gases for temperatures from o° to 4o0°F. and for pressures fro1 atmospheric to I0,000 lb. per sq. in. The correlation is based on the viscosity data for the methane-propane system and requires only a knowledge of the molecular weight of the naturaI gas. The viscosities of natural gases reported in the literature up to 2500 lb. were reproduced by the correlation with an average deviation of 5.8 per cent. Introduction The viscosity of a natural gas is required whenever calculations are made of the pressure drop that occurs while the gas flows through pipes or porous media. Methods of predicting the viscosities of gases at the present operating pressures are not available. This paper presents a simple method of predicting the viscosity of a natural gas in the single-phase region from its molecular weight, temperature, and pressure. Viscosity oF Methane-propane Mixtures The viscosity of methane, propane, and four of their binary mixtures, 20,40, 60, and 80 mol per cent, have been determined for pressures from 400 to 5000 lb. per sq. in. and temperatures from 77" to 437 F., with an experimental accuracy of 3.2 per cent.2 The apparatus used in the investigation was a modification of that employed in previous studiesaJ4 on the viscosity of normal paraffin hydrocarbons. It consists of a viscosimeter of the rolling-ball, inclined-tube type,5>k7 with auxiliary equipment for making up and charging binary mixtures into the viscosimeter.~ The viscosity data on the methane-propane mixtures have been plotted as a function of molecular weight with lines of constant pressure, charts of constant temperature in Figs. I to 3. These charts are extrapolated at temperatures below 77°F. and at pressures above 5000 lb. per sq. inch. Prediction OF Viscosity from Molecular Weight of a NaturaI. Gas At atmospheric pressure the viscosity of light hydrocarbon gases increased with increased temperature, contrary to the change of viscosity of liquids with temperature. The atmospheric viscosities of the normal paraffin hydrocarbons have been determincd by several investiga-tors 3,4,9,10,12,15,16,17,19 and are plotted in Fig. 4 as a function of molecular weight, with extrapolation to 896'F. and to 220 molecular weight. Data for isopentane and normal pentane show less than 2 per cent difference in viscosity, indicating that Fig. 4 can be used for isomeric parafin hydrocarbons with an accuracy of approximately 2 per cent. Trautz and Sorg'7 determined the atmospheric viscosities 01 methane-propane mixtures and showed that they are proportional to the molecular weight. The viscosities of these mixtures

Jan 1, 1944

By Richard Hodgson

FMC Corporation, at their mine and soda ash refinery near Green River, Wyoming, currently mines in excess of 3 million tons per year of trona. Upon completion of the current expansion, the mine will be producing in excess of 4.0 million tons per year. The single level mine, approximately 1,500 feet in depth, is currently serviced by five (5) concrete lined circular shafts varying in diameter from 12 ft. to 24 ft. A sixth shaft is complete, but not yet operational and the seventh is currently being sunk. Two of the shafts are equipped with single drum hoists. The original production shaft is equipped with a double drum hoist. The newest production shaft and the main service shaft are both equipped with ground mounted friction hoists. These friction hoists have given excellent service and another will soon be installed as a man and material hoist at No. 7 Shaft. There are a number of advantages that the ground mounted hoist has over a tower mounted hoist. There are also operating problems common to both. FMC's original experience with ground mounted friction hoists began in 1962 with the conversion of a single drum hoist to a friction hoist. The converted hoist was an Ottumwa with a 5 ft. diameter drum and a 4 ft. face. This hoist had been installed at the No. 3 Shaft for some years prior to its conversion to a friction hoist. At the time the conversion of this hoist was made, there were no friction hoists in service in Wyoming. Wyoming mining laws required that all conveyances carrying men be equipped with safety dogs. Since it was desired that wire rope guides be used, safety dogs were impractical. Agreement was reached with the State Mine Inspectors that safety dogs would not be necessary provided that recommended rope safety factors for hoisting men would still be maintained if one hoisting rope was broken. Since-the shaft is approximately 1,500 ft. deep, the recommended safety factor is 6.0 so that this installation has a safety factor in excess of 8.0 for hoisting men when new ropes have been installed. The hoist conversion was engineered by Lake Shore, Incorporated. The friction ring was made in halves and bolted over the original drum face which had been machined to remove the grooves. The ring provided for four 3/4 in. diameter ropes on 8 inch center to center spacing. The pitch diameter of the modified drum was 72 inches. The grove liners are hald in place by hard-wood wedges bolted to the drum. The other modification required by the conversion was an increase in size of bearing caps and the hold-down bolts because of the increased force tending to lift the drum.

Jan 1, 1975

By L. G. Jones

The objective of this paper is to present a better method for determining reservoir reserves of gas from extended drawdown test data. Means are proposed for conducting the test with or without the requirement of prior build-up to a static reservoir pressure. The test is based upon solutions to unsteady-state gas flow developed in an earlier paper and is believed to be superior to previous methods for determining reserves from flow-test data. The limitatiom of such tests are discussed, with emphasis on the subject of test duration. The test can supply useful information if the mechanics and limitations of it are understood. This type of information can be particularly valuable in deciding whether or not to drill offsets to producing wells. INTRODUCTION In the life of any gas or oil field, the engineer in charge must decide if certain wells need stimulation and whether or not to drill more wells in the field. Well production tests can aid in making these decisions. For instance, the value of stimulation can be estimated by determining formation permeability and the amount of well damage from drawdown or build-up tests. These tests are freely used in the oil industry. A less well-known type of analysis uses data from extended drawdown tests for determining reservoir reserves. Into this category fits the "reservoir limit test" of Jones,'-3 and the "reservoir reserve test" presented in this paper. The chief value of these tests is their ability to "see" reservoir boundaries and thus prevent costly dry holes. Methods for determining reserves of both gas and oil reservoirs were proposed in the work of Jones. His proposals appear sound for single-phase liquid flow. The generality of his work on gas flow is open to question, however, since the analysis is based upon solutions to liquid-flow equations. The test for gas reserves presented here is derived from unsteady-state gas-flow solutions presented in a previous paper.' In deriving this reservoir reserve test, it has been assumed that all of the reservoir energy is provided by expansion of the reservoir fluid and that the reservoir is radially symmetrical. No mention has been made of the effects of deviations from Darcy's law such as quadratic (turbulent) flow and well damage. Since the terms representing these effects are function of rate only, since the rate is constant and since the data are plotted in a differential form, it seems reasonable that these terms will not affect the test results in any way. No attempt has been made to estimate the effects of water drive, faults, or other departures from an idealized and isolated reservoir. For a qualitative discussion of some of these effects, the reader is referred to a paper by Jones3

By John E. Conley

THE slate industry of the United States has shown a marked decline in value of products made annually since the peak year 1925, although there has been moderate improvement over the lean years 1932 to 1934. In 1940, the value of all slate products sold was approximately 5 3/4 million dollars for a total output of 473,450 short tons. The quantity sold was a little less and the value a great deal lower than the annual averages for the past two decades. Enormous quantities of waste materials result from the quarrying, splitting and milling of slate. Obviously, utilization of such waste material is desirable, not only from the viewpoint of economical operation but also for the purpose of conserving natural resources. One possible use is to produce expanded or puffed lightweight aggregate for use in concretes. Such concretes are strong enough for specific uses, and the advantage of lightness could be obtained in such structures as the walls and roofs of buildings, suspension-bridge roadways and various other applications where weight is a factor. Conceivably, these uses could consume an appreciable annual tonnage. USE OF WASTE SLATES FOR MAKING AGGREGATES The lightweight-aggregate industry has been discussed elsewhere4.5 and need not be covered in detail in this paper. The materials commonly utilized are naturally occurring aggregates such as volcanic cinder, tuff and pumice; by-product materials, such as ordinary cinders and air-cooled slags; and the specially manufactured products, including Haydite, Pottsco, Gravelite, Cel-seal, Superock and Waylite. Slates, however, have not been given the consideration they merit, especially in the United States. In the British Isles, some work has been done' on certain Welsh slates by the Building Research Station to stimulate the use of these wastes. REQUIREMENTS FOR RAW MATERIALS As pointed out by Hughes,4 the lightweight-aggregate industry is segregated in regions adjacent to large cities in order to localize the market and avoid the necessity of long freight haulage. Waste slate from the deposits of eastern Pennsylvania, northern Maryland, and Virginia would meet the basic requirement of any low-priced structural raw material. One apparent advantage is attained when slate waste, normally discarded, is utilized in the manufacture of a by-product. Mining or quarrying costs usually have been assessed against the main product. Some additional grinding might be desirable, but this operation would be relatively cheap, as most slates grind easily. It is believed that virtually all slates, when properly heated, will expand to some degree. However, types that will expand from 3 to 7 times their original volume are preferred. Fig. I illustrates the expansion of a Pennsylvania slate. The cube originally

Jan 1, 1942

By John E. Conley

The slate industry of the United States has shown a marked decline in value of products made annually since the peak year 1925, although there has been moderate improvement over the lean years 1932 to 1934. In 1940, the value of all slate products sold was approximately 5¾ million dollars for a total output of 473,450 short tons. The quantity sold was a little less and the value a great deal lower than the annual averages for the past two decades. Enormous quantities of waste materials result from the quarrying, splitting and milling of slate. Obviously, utilization of such waste material is desirable, not only from the viewpoint of economical operation but also for the purpose of conserving natural resources. One possible use is to produce expanded or puffed lightweight aggregate for use in concretes. Such concretes are strong enough for specific uses, and the advantage of lightness could be obtained in such structures as the walls and roofs of buildings, suspension-bridge roadways and various other applications where weight is a factor. Conceivably, these uses could consume an appreciable annual tonnage. Use of Waste Slates for Making Aggregates The lightweight-aggregate industry has been discussed elsewhere4,5 and need not be covered in detail in this paper. The materials commonly utilized are naturally occurring aggregates such as volcanic cinder, tuff and pumice; by-product materials, such as ordinary cinders and air-cooled slags; and the specially manufactured products, including Haydite, Pottsco, Gravelite, Cel-seal, Superock and Waylite. Slates, however, have not been given the consideration they merit, especially in the United States. In the British Isles, some work has been done3 on certain Welsh slates by the Building Research Station to stimulate the use of these wastes. Requirements for Raw Materials As pointed out by Hughes,4 the lightweight-aggregate industry is segregated in regions adjacent to large cities in order to localize the market and avoid the necessity of long freight haulage. Waste slate from the deposits of eastern Pennsylvania, northern Maryland, and Virginia would meet the basic requirement of ally low-priced structural raw material. One apparent advantage is attained when slate waste, normally discarded, is utilized in the manufacture of a by-product. Mining or quarrying costs usually have been assessed against the main product. Some additional grinding might be desirable, but this operation would be relatively cheap, as most slates grind easily. It is believed that virtually all slates, when properly heated, will expand to some degree. However, types that will expand from 3 to 7 times their original volume are preferred. Fig, I illustratcs the expansion of a Pennsylvania slate. The cube originally

Jan 1, 1942

By H. P. Schwede, H. G. Doll

This paper describes a method to provide identification of particular depths in a borehole through the use of radioactive markers. The correlation of a marker, placed in the wall of a borehole, with known points of the electrical log and with the casing collars in the cased hole permits accurate positioning of tools with respect to a formation, regardless of absolute depth. Such a process is particularly useful in gun perforation of a casing in a well. Technique and equipment are discussed and illustrated. Examples are given of practical application in the field. Introduction During the past decade the search for petroleum has increased the importance of testing zones at depths in wells which have become progressively deeper. The development of new techniques, such as electrical logging, has permitted the identification of producing formations which consist of comparatively thin strata. When thin beds are to be produced at great depths, the problem of positioning tools accurately to place the well in production becomes acute.l Continuous consideration is being given in the petroleum industry towards the improvement of depth measurements in a borehole. The accuracy in absolute depth measurements, whether made in an open or cased hole, whether determined by a cable or a drill pipe, depends upon a number of factors, such as tension, temperature, and calibration. For example, the effects of tension from the weight of 10,000 ft of drill pipe and the thermal expansion of this length . of pipe, where its average temperature has increased SO"', will Produce an elongation as much as 8 ft.2 The effects Of such factors can be minimized through the use of care in depth measurements, the application of corrections based on experience, and continuous calibration or checking. The fact that different methods and different tools are used to determine the depths of formations in wells will sometimes give rise to a difference between measurements. It is evident that an important requirement in a well is the ability to locate at will any subsurface point. While absolute depth measurements have ion in recent years, it is reassuring to have other means to verify, for example, that a casing is perforated at a particular place with reference to a zone within a formation. Such a check on measurements may be had by placing a reference marker at a point known with respect to the electrical log of the borehole. That point is usually chosen to be in proximity to the 'One to be perforated. Thus, only short in depth measurements are made and any inaccuracy becomes very small and of minor importance' The use of reference markers located at fixed points predetermined in each zone where future operations are contemplated enables the operator to position any tool

Jan 1, 1948

By D. P. Morton

SINCE 1023, which closed the speculative era in the bituminous coal fields of the United States, there have been wide annual fluctuations in the national production of bituminous coal. These changes in annual output have been variously attributed to: (I) increased competition from petroleum products, natural gas and hydroelectric power; (2) lower unit consumption of coal; and (3) fluctuations in the general business level. The purpose of this paper is to measure, from a practical standpoint, the net effect upon the annual trend of bituminous coal production, and to give those who are interested a basis for estimating in advance the probable output of bituminous coal. It can readily be shown that changes in the level of general business affect the national production of bituminous coal more than does any other factor. Therefore it is necessary to use some standard measure of the relative business level for purposes of comparison. The Federal Reserve Board Index of Industrial Production offers the basis for such a measure.' This Index, a weighted composite of 81 different series, rests upon the averages of the years 1935 to 1939 as loo, and is presented graphically in Fig. I. Even a cursory examination of the chart will indicate a definite uptrend for industrial production over a period of years. This uptrend is due to at least two factors: (I) an actual increase in national population, and (2) a probable increase in the per capita consumption of goods. This means that there is no such thing as a fixed Normal, rather Normal is a variable, tending to increase from year to year. In order to measure the amount of annual increase in normal, the Index of Industrial Production must be studied in relation to its major components, Durable Goods and Nondurable Goods. Durable Goods are those made from the lasting materials such as iron, steel, other metals, lumber, stone, cement, clay, glass. Nondurable Goods are those for early consumption, such as foods, textiles, tobacco, chemicals, paper, gasoline, and goods made of leather and rubber. The purchase of Durable Goods may be postponed, but Nondurable Goods must be purchased currently unless the standard of living is lowered. The Federal Reserve Indexes of durable and nondurable goods are shown graphically, 1920 to 1939, on Fig. 2 (pp. 764-765 of ref. I). It is apparent that fluctuations in the production of nondurable goods are not nearly so wide as in the production of durable goods, and that the curve of Industrial Production (Fig. I) would fall between the two curves on Fig. 2. It would, however, seem logical that both curves should follow the same long-term trend, or that over a period of two to three decades the relative proportion of durable and nondurable goods, in periods of normal production, should he the same. It is neces-

Jan 1, 1941

By G. Y. Chin, W. F. Hosford

It has long been recognized that, for a crystal to undergo an arbitrary shape change by crystallographic shear, at least five independent shear systems must be activated. Taylor1 analyzed the deformation of fcc crystals by {111}<110> slip and showed that the principle of minimum work could be used to determine which combination of slip systems might act to produce a given shape change. Later Bishop and Hi112 attacked the same problem by first identifying the state of stress which could physically activate five or more {111)(110) systems simultaneously and then invoking the principle of maximum virtual work to determine which combination would act for a given shape change. Taylor&apos;s general approach has been used to calculate the active slip systems and the relative strengths during axisymmetric flow of cubic crystals with other deformation modes, including {112}<111> slip3 and {111}<112> twinning.&apos; It is the purpose of this note to identify the stress states capable of activating simultaneously five or more of these systems. {111}<112> Twinning. The {111}<112> systems are defined in Table I and illustrated in Fig. 1. The sense of the shears are those for twinning in fcc crystals. The shear stress on any system may be written in terms of the stress components expressed relative to the 1,2,3 cube axes. For example, the stress For five or more of the systems ij to be activated simultaneously, it is necessary that Tij/T be equal to unity in at least five of the expressions [3], while Tij < T for the remainder. (These restrictions assume that the same shear stress T is required to activate each system and that the shear stress on any system cannot exceed that for its activation.) The discrete values of the stress components A through H which can satisfy these restrictions are listed in Table II together with the values of Tij/T for all systems. It may be noted that Tij/ T is not necessarily zero on all nonactive systems as found by Bishop and Hill for <110> {111} slip. In fact, for the case of twinning Tij/T may reach negative values as large as -2 for shear stress in the reverse direction, Table 11. This means that, if those stress states are to be valid, the shear stress to activate reverse twinning must be greater than twice that for forward twinning. Such stress states are probably valid in view of the directionality of the twinning process. There has been no documentation of reverse twinning thus far. It may be noted that the stress states fall into four classes, which may simultaneously activate eight, six, six, and five twin systems respectively. These solutions may be applied to the {112}(111)

Jan 1, 1970

By Arthur F. Taggart

ENGINEERING education today is like a crazy quilt of somber wools and gaudy shoddy, chain-stitched on an academic assembly line, and sold at ever mounting prices to inexperienced youths for lifetime use. Each engineering school offers a half-dozen or so patterns with essentially the same skimpy wool content. Sales appeal is in the color of the shoddy, denoted by the hopeful adjectives chemical, civil and the like. This article is argument for an all wool product made by slow, careful handwork. Bluntly it proposes a thorough four-year undergraduate drill in fundamental science and general engineering empirics, leavened by continuing study of the third of the engineer&apos;s troubles: Man. It is not contended that existing methods of engineering education have failed to start men on the path to successful engineering practice (too many of you have started that way); rather, social conditions and the bounds of knowledge have changed tremendously, and corresponding alterations in the pattern of engineering education are overdue. We&apos;ll Teach the Specifics The first part of this contention is illustrated by excerpts from a letter received recently from an officer of one of the largest corporations: "We are interested in employing two or three outstanding young engineers to be placed on a special training program to develop them as design and construction engineers.... "We propose to put these men on a four-month indoctrination and orientation course after which they would be given job-training assignments for a period that will vary from about six months to about a year and a half depending upon the aptitudes, abilities and intelligence of the candidates.... "I am not too fussy about what kind of engineers the men might be insofar as academic courses are concerned. They could be.. . in almost any engineering classification.... We can furnish the additional training beyond the academic fundamentals. "The starting rate for these jobs would be $326 per month...." This letter is not unique; rather it is representative of a practice that has become common. It is industry&apos;s enforced response to the general refusal by young graduates to submit to union domination in order to gain operating experience at the labor level. The message to engineering schoolteachers is plain: You teach the fundamentals; we&apos;ll teach our practice and pay the graduate to learn it. The letter means to the student that time spent in school studying the specific practices of particular industries is waste compounded. The school can&apos;t give the equivalent of what industry teaches, wherefore industry will still demand apprenticeship. The student must pay for the specific instruction at school instead of being paid to take it later. And time-consuming specifics crowd out drill in basic scientific and technical subjects as well as liberal arts.

Jan 1, 1952

By Richard J. Gonzalez

The petroleum industry includes varied and extensive operations required to supply increasing quantities of refined petroleum products and natural gas that are essential for the economic progress of an expanding population Petroleum has provided the power for the transformation from the "horse and buggy days" to the age of jets and space exploration, and for the remarkable improvement in productivity per worker in agriculture and manufacturing. Without increasing quantities of oil and gas, the world would face painful readjustments to more expensive forms of energy and lower standards of living Petroleum operations start with exploration, development, and production activities that supply the basic crude oil and natural gas Pipelines, ships, barges, and trucks first transport the raw materials to processing centers and then move the finished products to the ultimate consumers. Processing plants extract liquids from natural gas and refineries convert crude oil into a wide range of products These products include transportation fuels, feedstocks for conversion into numerous products (such as fabrics, rubber, and plastics), light fuels for heating, lubricants, and heavy residual materials (industrial fuel oil, asphalt, and coke) The final activity of wholesale distribution and retail marketing moves products into millions of homes, farms, industrial plants, and motor vehicles The use of coal exceeded that of oil and gas until 1946 in the United States and until 1968 in the rest of the world. However, oil and gas have proved to be such convenient and attractively priced fuels that they now supply three-fourths of the total commercial energy (including coal, hydroelectric, and nuclear power) used in North America and more than one-half in the rest of the world. LARGE SCALE OF OPERATIONS By the beginning of 1970, world crude oil production exceeded 43 million bbl daily, -equivalent to more than 2200 million tpy In addition, natural gas and the liquids recovered from processing natural gas supply about 40% as much energy as crude oil Production of oil and gas provide by far the highest value of all mining operations. In the United States, the value of oil and gas production in 1969 of $13 8 billion exceeded the $13 0 billion value for all other minerals The rate of expansion in use of petroleum has been extremely rapid since World War II World crude oil production doubled from 7,500,000 bbl daily in 1946 to more than 15,000,000 bbl daily by 1955 It doubled again to 30,000,000 by 1965, and will double again by 1975 The use of natural gas has increased greatly in the United States and also in Europe, as important discoveries in the Netherlands and the North Sea and technology for moving liquefied natural gas from Africa provided attractively priced supplies

Jan 1, 1976

By John E. Conley

The slate industry of the United States has shown a marked decline in value of products made annually since the peak year 1925, although there has been moderate improvement over the lean years 1932 to 1934. In 1940, the value of all slate products sold was approximately 5¾ million dollars for a total output of 473,450 short tons. The quantity sold was a little less and the value a great deal lower than the annual averages for the past two decades. Enormous quantities of waste materials result from the quarrying, splitting and milling of slate. Obviously, utilization of such waste material is desirable, not only from the viewpoint of economical operation but also for the purpose of conserving natural resources. One possible use is to produce expanded or puffed lightweight aggregate for use in concretes. Such concretes are strong enough for specific uses, and the advantage of lightness could be obtained in such structures as the walls and roofs of buildings, suspension-bridge roadways and various other applications where weight is a factor. Conceivably, these uses could consume an appreciable annual tonnage. Use of Waste Slates for Making Aggregates The lightweight-aggregate industry has been discussed elsewhere4,5 and need not be covered in detail in this paper. The materials commonly utilized are naturally occurring aggregates such as volcanic cinder, tuff and pumice; by-product materials, such as ordinary cinders and air-cooled slags; and the specially manufactured products, including Haydite, Pottsco, Gravelite, Cel-seal, Superock and Waylite. Slates, however, have not been given the consideration they merit, especially in the United States. In the British Isles, some work has been done3 on certain Welsh slates by the Building Research Station to stimulate the use of these wastes. Requirements for Raw Materials As pointed out by Hughes,4 the lightweight-aggregate industry is segregated in regions adjacent to large cities in order to localize the market and avoid the necessity of long freight haulage. Waste slate from the deposits of eastern Pennsylvania, northern Maryland, and Virginia would meet the basic requirement of ally low-priced structural raw material. One apparent advantage is attained when slate waste, normally discarded, is utilized in the manufacture of a by-product. Mining or quarrying costs usually have been assessed against the main product. Some additional grinding might be desirable, but this operation would be relatively cheap, as most slates grind easily. It is believed that virtually all slates, when properly heated, will expand to some degree. However, types that will expand from 3 to 7 times their original volume are preferred. Fig, I illustratcs the expansion of a Pennsylvania slate. The cube originally

Jan 1, 1942

By B. F. Tillson

HAVING been asked to talk about recent devel-opments in mining equipment, I chose the sub-ject of small units of storage-battery locomo-tives which recently have been developed with the idea of motorizing transportation in the mines as far as possible, replacing the manual labor of hand-tramming. Metal mines are probably less advanced in this field than coal mines, where transportation of large ton-nages on any one level is quite common. Of course, metal mines, where large tonnages are handled on any one level, are as advanced as coal mines, and storage-battery locomotives for main haulages are used quite commonly in such metal mines, but the mines having levels at many intervals in the depth of the orebody, or a number of intermediate levels in which a consider-able amount of hand-tramming has to be done, and small metal mines in which the size of the orebody does not seem to warrant the initial capital expenditure for the driving of main haulage levels and installation of rock and ore chutes and raises for the delivery of the broken ore and rock to the cars have been at consider-able disadvantage in replacing manual labor by some mechanical means of transportation. Several years ago the field was canvassed among the manufacturers of electric-locomotive equipment and the conclusion was reached that the art had not been devel-oped to the advantage of metal miners who desire to replace small units of labor by locomotive equipment. The need for such small locomotives is all the more em-phasized by the development in the past few years of mechanical mucking-machines (loading equipment for filling the cars from muck piles on the level). Any me-chanical loader is a liability instead of an asset unless means are also provided for keeping the material away from the loading-machines. Therefore the transporta-tion system must be equal to the capacity of a loading-machine, otherwise the latter is idle such a large per-centage of its time as to prove an unprofitable invest-ment. So there is a need for portable, small haulage units to handle small mine cars in many metal mines, and, naturally, units are desired which can be so readily shifted from level to level as to facilitate their free use. Of course, in mines in which each level comes to the shaft it is not such a difficult problem, but many mines have a great many intermediate levels which must be approached through raises, timber slides or other small openings required to transfer ore and to get timber and other supplies to those levels.

Jan 5, 1927

By T. E. Leontis, D. H. Feisel

MAGNESIUM alloys containing rare earth metals have received considerable attention during the past several years because of the need for light alloys having high strength and creep resistance at elevated temperatures. Although much of the work reported earlier has dealt with alloys containing Mischmetal, it has been shown in two previous papersl, V hat distinctly different effects are produced by various rare earth metals and rare earth metal mixtures on the properties of magnesium. For example, much higher strengths are obtained in magnesium alloys containing didym-ium (essentially neodymium plus praseodymium) than in alloys made with Mischmetal, which contains all the rare earth metals in the proportions in which they occur naturally in the monazite ore. Mg-rare earth metal alloys are characterized by a relatively coarse grain size, which greatly impairs castability. The addition of zirconium as a second alloying ingredient has been shown8,7 to refine the grain size, which also produces a distinct improvement in the strength properties. Certain Mg-Mischmetal-Zr and Mg-Mischmetal-Zn-Zr alloy compositions which are currently being produced commercially have been discussed in dytail by Nelson and Strieter,8,4 who also present some in- formation on a Mg-low Ce-Mischmetal-Zr alloy, and by Nelson.8 A patent issued to Jessup, Emley, and Fisher9 emphasizes the superiority of Mg-didymium-Zn-Zr alloys over the corresponding alloys made with Mischmetal. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of an extensive investigation concerned with the effect of increasing amounts of zirconium on magnesium sand casting alloys containing several different rare earth metal mixtures in varying amounts. The effect of the addition of zinc to some of these alloys is also being reported. Preparation and Testing of Alloys The alloys studied in this investigation were prepared in small laboratory melts according to the melting procedures described by Nelson1" as the Crucible Method. Electrolytic magnesium having the composition shown in Table I was used as the starting material. The rare earth metal alloying ingredients used in preparing these alloys were essentially of the compositions listed in Table 11. Some of the didymium-containing alloys were prepared using a Mg-didymium hardener. The rare earth metal content of this hardener analyzed 1.2 pct Ce, 10.4 pct Pr, 80.8 pct Nd, and 7.6 pct La. The zirconium was added in one of three forms: 1) as sponge zirconium obtained from the Bureau of Mines; 2) as a fused salt consisting of 50 pct ZrCl, and 50 pct alkali chlorides from which the zirconium is reduced by the magnesium; or 3) as a Mg-Zr hardener. The alloying procedures and melt hand-

Jan 1, 1958

By H. G. Doll, H. P. Schwede

This paper describes a method to provide identification of particular depths in a borehole through the use of radioactive markers. The correlation of a marker, placed in the wall of a borehole, with known points of the electrical log and with the casing collars in the cased hole permits accurate positioning of tools with respect to a formation, regardless of absolute depth. Such a process is particularly useful in gun perforation of a casing in a well. Technique and equipment are discussed and illustrated. Examples are given of practical application in the field. Introduction During the past decade the search for petroleum has increased the importance of testing zones at depths in wells which have become progressively deeper. The development of new techniques, such as electrical logging, has permitted the identification of producing formations which consist of comparatively thin strata. When thin beds are to be produced at great depths, the problem of positioning tools accurately to place the well in production becomes acute.l Continuous consideration is being given in the petroleum industry towards the improvement of depth measurements in a borehole. The accuracy in absolute depth measurements, whether made in an open or cased hole, whether determined by a cable or a drill pipe, depends upon a number of factors, such as tension, temperature, and calibration. For example, the effects of tension from the weight of 10,000 ft of drill pipe and the thermal expansion of this length . of pipe, where its average temperature has increased SO"&apos;, will Produce an elongation as much as 8 ft.2 The effects Of such factors can be minimized through the use of care in depth measurements, the application of corrections based on experience, and continuous calibration or checking. The fact that different methods and different tools are used to determine the depths of formations in wells will sometimes give rise to a difference between measurements. It is evident that an important requirement in a well is the ability to locate at will any subsurface point. While absolute depth measurements have ion in recent years, it is reassuring to have other means to verify, for example, that a casing is perforated at a particular place with reference to a zone within a formation. Such a check on measurements may be had by placing a reference marker at a point known with respect to the electrical log of the borehole. That point is usually chosen to be in proximity to the &apos;One to be perforated. Thus, only short in depth measurements are made and any inaccuracy becomes very small and of minor importance&apos; The use of reference markers located at fixed points predetermined in each zone where future operations are contemplated enables the operator to position any tool

Jan 1, 1948

By J. S. Kirkaldy, D. G. Fedak

The extra degree of freedonz introduced by a second independetzt concentration in a tenzary system gives rise to the possibility of unstable planar phase interfaces in semi-infinite diffision layer couples. Diffusion paths which pass continuously in and out of too-phase regions of the phase diagram but which are not coincident with tie-lines give rise to super saturated zones which may be either adjacent to or isolated from planar phase interfaces, with corresponding nonisolated or isolated precipitates. Nonisolated precipitates are equivalent to morphological development of the interface. Selected couples in the ternary systems Fe-Ni-Cr and Cu-Zn-Sn have been examined nzetallographically and ifz the latter case both isolated and uo~zisolated precipitates have been observed. The diffusion path in one of the couples showing interface morphological developtnent has been examitled using electron probe microanalysis. IGNORING the spurious effects of preferential grain boundary diffusion and anisotropic crystal growth7 it can be unequivocally stated that it is impossible for a binary isothermal diffusion couple constructed of two unsaturated phases to sustain a nonplanar phase interface. Consider for demonstrative purposes the schematic phase diagram of Fig. l(a). Given an initial flat phase interface, semi-infinite boundary conditions and the internal boundary condition fixed by the constitution diagram, xB = xB(T), the unique solution of the diffusion equation requires a persistent flat interface. No other solution is possible. If, however, we anticipate the involvement of surface tension, then the internal boundary condition must be written xB = xB (T,Y) where r is the radius of curvature of a hypothetical nonplanar interface. The introduction of a new parameter such as r can be equivalent to the release of an internal constraint, so that a stable nonplanar interface may be possible after all. Consider a perturbation to the interface as indicated in Fig. 1(b). According to the Ostwald-Freundlich equation: which is applicable to a system of this constitution, the solubility of A in the matrix ß ,xB (Y), at a point of curvature r is given by where Va is the molar volume of the a-phase, R is the gas constant, and a is the interfacial tension. Since the right hand side is positive, xB(r) >xB cm, as indicated in Figs. 1(a) and 1(c). Accordingly, the perturbation will carry the interface concentration in a direction which is opposite to that which would sustain local equilibrium. Such a perturbation is necessarily moderated and the system is returned to its initial condition. This result is general for all binary couples since we can regard an interfacial perturbation as an attempt to precipitate within un-

Jan 1, 1962

By G. R. Countryman, G. H. Thomas, I. Fatt

Miscible displacement in both thewetting and non-wetting phase has been studied in two-phase systems. Experimental data show that dispersion is a function of saturation and cannot be predicted from dispersion theory developed for single-phase miscible displacement. Some of the effect of saturation on dispersion is a result of the development of dead-end pores or a dendritic pore structure in multiphase systems. The presence of dead-end pores or dendritic structure is confirmed by pressure transient studies. INTRODUCTION Displacement by flooding with a miscible liquid is a possible means for recovering the estimated two-thirds of the oil that remains behind after primary production. The immense economic importance of a process that can recover such large quantities of oil has led to extensive laboratory studies of miscible displacement. As usual in production research, most laboratory studies of miscible displacement have not attemped to reproduce all of the conditions existing in a petroleum reservoir. In the early stages of investigation the need has been for information on the broad, basic principles of the phenomena involved in miscible displacement. The effects of overburden pressure, reservoir temperature, and wettability have been considered of secondary importance. However, one property of a petroleum reservoir which is expected to be of major importance and yet has been omitted from many laboratory studies is the presence of interstitial water. Two possible effects of interstitial water on the displacement mechanism in the hydrocarbon phase immediately come to mind. First, from the general1y accepted theory that capillarity governs the distribution of oil and water in porous rock one would expect that for water-wet rock the water will be in the small pores and oil in the large pores. A miscible displacement of oil carried out in the presence of water is operating in a pore size distribution shown in Fig. lb, whereas if the same test had been performed with only one phase present the pore size distribution is as shown in Fig. la. Although there is not yet a theory of miscible displacement which explains in detail the effect of pore size distribution, one would expect the differences between Figs. la and lb to influence the displacement efficiency. A second factor which may make a multiphase system different from a single-phase system is the presence in the multiphase system of dead-end pores or dendritic structure. Experiments of various kinds on reservoir rock have led to the belief that all pores in the network structure of a porous rock take part in conducting fluid during single phase fluid flow.1,2 There are then no dead-end pores and no fingers or dendritic structures containing stagnant fluid. In a multiphase system, however, the second phase may

By D. P. Morton

Since 1923, which closed the speculative era in the bituminous coal fields of the United States, there have been wide annual fluctuations in the national production of bituminous coal. These changes in annual output have been variously attributed to: (1) increased competition from petroleum products, natural gas and hydroelectric power; (2) lower unit consumption of coal; and (3) fluctuations in the general business level. The purpose of this paper is to measure, from a practical standpoint, the net effect upon the annual trend of bituminous coal production, and to give those who are interested a basis for estimating in advance the probable output of bituminous coal. It can readily be shown that changes in the level of general business affect the national production of bituminous coal more than does any other factor. Therefore it is necessary to use some standard measure of the relative business level for purposes of comparison. The Federal Reserve Board Index of Industrial Production offers the basis for such a measure.l This Index, a weighted composite of 81 different series, rests upon the averages of the years 1935 to 1939 as 100, and is presented graphically in Fig. I. Even a cursory examination of the chart will indicate a definite uptrend for industrial production over a period of years. This uptrend is due to at least two factors: (I) an actual increase in national population, and (2) a probable increase in the per capita consumption of goods. This means that there is no such thing as a fixed Normal, rather Normal is a variable, tending to increase from year to year. In order to measure the amount of annual increase in normal, the Index of Industrial Production must be studied in relation to its major components, Durable Goods and Nondurable Goods, Durable Goods are those made from the lasting materials such as iron, steel, other metals, lumber, stone, cement, clay, glass. Nondurable Goods are those for early consumption, such as foods, textiles, tobacco, chemicals, paper, gasoline, and goods made of leather and rubber. The purchase of Durable Goods may be postponed, but Nondurable Goods must be purchased currently unless the standard of living is lowered. The Federal Reserve Indexes of durable and nondurable goods are shown graphically, 1920 to 1939, on Fig. a (pp. 764-765 of ref. I). It is apparent that fluctuations in the production of nondurable goods are not nearly so wide as in the production of durable goods, and that the curve of Industrial Production (Fig. I) would fall between the two curves on Fig. 2. It would, however, seem logical that both curves should follow the same long-term trend, or that over a period of two to three decades the relative proportion of durable and nondurable goods, in periods of normal production, should be the same. It is neces-

Jan 1, 1942

By Foster Fraas

That variations in the humidity of the air and in the moisture content of a mixture of broken solids being separated electrostatically cause trouble is not new.&apos; Much of the reputation for unreliability commonly ascribed to the electrostatic separation processes is probably due to this one factor alone. Some operators dry thoroughly before separating; and while this is good in many instances, there are others in which it is not the remedy for trouble. Some mixtures behave best in very dry air and with the mixtures fed to the separator while hot to reduce the adsorbed water content. On the other hand, an overdried mixture on coming to equilibrium with more humid air, has been known to take up moisture selectively on one family of particles, as of coal in the presence of slate and clay, and give sharper electrostatic separation. From these observations it is concluded that there is a permissible moisture content for a particle and also for the atmosphere surrounding it, if in equilibrium, at which the particle will have a conductivity or cntact potential2-4 that is ideal for electrostatic separation. This permissible moisture content varies between a wide range of limits for the different materials that are are and with the kind of electrostatic separating process used. Water can be present as a result of adsorption and condensation from the atmosphere, as an accumulation before or during mining, or as a residue from a previous process step. The water may exist as a liquid film or as an adsorbed layer of vapor. If the water exceeds permissible limits it must be removed. Its state determines the method. Drying by evaporation is necessary for adsorbed water, for part of the liquid-film water (that is, up to several percent of the dry weight), and for free water in the internal structure. Large water contents may be removed by drainage Or filtration. At just what point mechanical removal should cease and drying by evaporation begin depends upon the method of mechanical removal and its cost. Particles can also be separated according to their differences in dielectric constant when suspended in a liquid of intermediate dielectric constant. Recovery of this liquid presents a a problem&apos; Permissible Moisture The adsorbed moisture on the outer surface of minerals can be quickly removed or replaced. Accordingly, in speaking of adsorbed moisture contents, either that of the solid or that of the surrounding air may be considered, the two values being connected by a distribution coefficient which varies with the temperature. However, such a condition does not necessarily exist in processes where an initially dry material is suddenly introduced into an atmosphere having a partial pressure of water vapor or where a moist material is suddenly introduced into a dry atmosphere. Here the resultant differences in the

Jan 1, 1949

By D. P. Morton

Since 1923, which closed the speculative era in the bituminous coal fields of the United States, there have been wide annual fluctuations in the national production of bituminous coal. These changes in annual output have been variously attributed to: (1) increased competition from petroleum products, natural gas and hydroelectric power; (2) lower unit consumption of coal; and (3) fluctuations in the general business level. The purpose of this paper is to measure, from a practical standpoint, the net effect upon the annual trend of bituminous coal production, and to give those who are interested a basis for estimating in advance the probable output of bituminous coal. It can readily be shown that changes in the level of general business affect the national production of bituminous coal more than does any other factor. Therefore it is necessary to use some standard measure of the relative business level for purposes of comparison. The Federal Reserve Board Index of Industrial Production offers the basis for such a measure.l This Index, a weighted composite of 81 different series, rests upon the averages of the years 1935 to 1939 as 100, and is presented graphically in Fig. I. Even a cursory examination of the chart will indicate a definite uptrend for industrial production over a period of years. This uptrend is due to at least two factors: (I) an actual increase in national population, and (2) a probable increase in the per capita consumption of goods. This means that there is no such thing as a fixed Normal, rather Normal is a variable, tending to increase from year to year. In order to measure the amount of annual increase in normal, the Index of Industrial Production must be studied in relation to its major components, Durable Goods and Nondurable Goods, Durable Goods are those made from the lasting materials such as iron, steel, other metals, lumber, stone, cement, clay, glass. Nondurable Goods are those for early consumption, such as foods, textiles, tobacco, chemicals, paper, gasoline, and goods made of leather and rubber. The purchase of Durable Goods may be postponed, but Nondurable Goods must be purchased currently unless the standard of living is lowered. The Federal Reserve Indexes of durable and nondurable goods are shown graphically, 1920 to 1939, on Fig. a (pp. 764-765 of ref. I). It is apparent that fluctuations in the production of nondurable goods are not nearly so wide as in the production of durable goods, and that the curve of Industrial Production (Fig. I) would fall between the two curves on Fig. 2. It would, however, seem logical that both curves should follow the same long-term trend, or that over a period of two to three decades the relative proportion of durable and nondurable goods, in periods of normal production, should be the same. It is neces-

Jan 1, 1942

By Simon D. Strauss

COPPER In terms of mining activity, copper is the leading nonferrous metal. It is true that in recent years the volume of aluminum consumption in the non-Communist world has exceeded the volume of copper consumption, but virtually the entire primary aluminum supply is derived from bauxite. On the average, only four tons of bauxite need be mined to produce a ton of aluminum. By contrast, the highest-grade, large-scale copper mines now in operation (those in the Congo) must mine at least 20 tons of ore to produce a ton of copper. In the United States an average of 150 tons of ore must be mined to produce a ton of copper. This does not take into account the huge amounts of waste overburden that must be stripped from the open-pit mines to account for their steadily rising share of the world&apos;s copper output. Copper epitomizes the economic problems of the mining industry in many ways. Its price is highly volatile, considering its great economic importance. It has been a tool of mankind longer than any other of the base metals-the dawn of history has been classified as "The Bronze Age." World Copper Production Although copper is mined in many countries, in recent years 70% of the non-Communist world production has come from six countries. Two of these are industrialized countries and are large consumers-United States and Canada. The other four are developing countries with very small domestic requirements-Chile, Zambia, Zaire, and Peru. Heavily dependent on copper exports to sustain their domestic economies, these countries find themselves oscillating between prosperity and depression with the changing levels of copper prices. In an effort to control their own destiny, in 1968 they formed an organization of copper exporting countries (CIPEC) which was designed to study copper markets and possibly to intervene actively in these markets. (When this chapter was being prepared, no actual steps along such lines had been taken.) Many of the leading industrialized nations are wholly dependent on imports for their primary copper supplies. These include West Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, and many others. Japan, now the non-Communist world&apos;s second largest copper consumer, produces only 10 to 15% of its requirements from domestic mines. Although the bulk of the copper output is smelted in the country where it is mined, there is a limited international trade in copper concentrates. Canada, the Philippines, Australia, and Papua-New Guinea are significant exporters of copper concentrates; Japan, Germany, the United States, and Sweden are importers. However, this trade accounted for only about 10% of the non-Communist world production of copper during the decade of the 1960s.

Jan 1, 1976