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By R. R. Brandenthaler

Petroleum producers in the Mid-Continent field, up to the present time, have been more concerned with the mechanical operation and efficiency of the gas-lift than with its possible effects on the physical properties of the oil. As a result few specific data are available on the subject and contradictory opinions exist. Some operators are positive that the gravity of the oil is decreased, while others present data which definitely show that the gravity of the oil is increased. In other localities, some operators have given careful attention to the effect of the gas-lift on the gravity of the oil. When the emulsions formed have given much trouble, the problem has usually been dodged by placing the well on the pump. Certain Fundamentals Certain fundamental results may be expected under ordinary conditions and with all types of crude oil, when gas is the prime mover of oil in producing formations. For example, the gravity of oil will decrease as the rock pressure in the producing formation declines, the change being greater in the higher gravity oils. Furthermore, the character of emulsion formed is primarily dependent on the kind of oil, thus more refractory emulsions are formed from asphaltic-base oils, less refractory from mixcd-base oils, and the least refractory from paraffin-base oils. However, refractory emulsions are sometimes formed from paraffin or mixed-base oils that are difficult to treat by ordinary methods, especially by electrolytic processes. With oils having the same base, those of lighter gravity are less subject to the formation of emulsions, especially of refractory emulsions. There are two types of emulsions formed; namely, water-in-oil emulsions and oil-in-water emulsions. The former are the more common; in fact, very few examples of oil-in-water emulsions have been noted in the oil fields. The amount of water produced with the oil influences the percentage of emulsion formed. Agitation and velocity of flow play an important part in the forming of emulsions.

Jan 1, 1928

By B. M. Loring, I. R. Krame, F. M. Walters

NO observations on the mechanical properties of man-manganese alloys have been published since pure manganese became readily available, either distilled manganese or electrolytic manganese. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether iron-manganese alloys are essentially brittle, as reported by Hadfield,' or whether the lack of ductility observed was due to impurities in the alloys that he studied. Experimental Methods The alloys were melted in a roo-lb. high-frequency induction furnace with a magnesia crucible, using ingot iron and electrolytic manganese. The heats were split, the first giving six 18-lb, ingots and the second three. Each successive heat was higher in manganese and about 0.3 per cent silicon was added as ferrosilicon. The alloys forged without difficulty and were given a 9' per Published by permission of the Navy Department. Manuscript received at the office of the Institute June 28. 1941. Issued as T.P. 1369 in Metals Technology. September 1941. * Division of Physical Metallfirgy Naval Roscarch Laboratory. Anacostia Station Washington. D. C. 1 References are at the end of the paper. 4 cent reduction to ¾-in. rounds. The chemical analysis of the alloys is given in Table I. The forged rods were homogenized for 224 hr. at r150°C. (2100°F.) and air-cooled. The alloys were tested in two conditions of heat-treatment: (I) as normalized from 870°C. (1600°F.) and (2) normalized from 870°C. and tempered for I hr. at 540°C. (Iooo°F.) and air-cooled. The tensils specimens were 0.505 in. in diameter with a 2-in. gauge length, and the impact specimens were v-notch Charpy. The proportional limit and yield strength were taken from the stress-strain diagrams drawn by a Peters recorder. The data obtained from the tensile test and the hardness measurements are given in Table 2. Specimens that were normalized are designated by N; those that were normalized and tempered by T. Alloy G was tempered after forging (D).

Jan 1, 1942

By David B. Morris, Paul I. Eimon

Computer-assisted data storage and retrieval in the geosciences is coming of age. A growing awareness of the need of the geological and mining community for effective access to existing data has triggered studies and development programs on many levels; governments, professional societies, industrial concerns, and the academic world are all active in this field. Developments in the past decade in computer hardware and software lend hope to the geoscientist searching for a means of expediting the flow of data. The new concern of the earth sciences coming together with the blossoming child of technology, computing, has led to serious study of the geoscience information problem. Active system development is under way in several areas. The papers presented at this Symposium effectively sample the spectrum of present day activity in machine-based geologic data storage and retrieval. These papers show the reader where the action is in this field today. Both long-range studies and plans and operational systems are discussed. Several studies and research efforts have been undertaken on a national or international scale. Robinson discusses the activity of the international geological community in these Proceedings. He speaks from a position of authority as Chairman of the International Union of Geological Sciences' Committee on Storage, Automatic Processing and Retrieval of Geological Data. A study of a "coordinated information program for geological scientists in the United States" documented by Smith, et al.1 proposes a "long-range information program ... responsive to the entire geosciences community . . . (to) draw on the best of large-scale information systems technology." The European geologic community is embarked on project Geosemantica 70, started at the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mines de Paris. Dixon discusses some results of this work in a following paper. The Canadian study of geological data storage and retrieval on a national scale is reported in a volume edited by Brisbin and Ediger.2 The Canadian report presents detailed recommendations for recording and coding geologic data for automatic process-

Jan 1, 1969

By R. V. Whetsel, V. R. Garrias

The present study is intended as a preliminary statistical survey of the world's production of petroleum substitutes. The information presented is admittedly deficient. It is believed, however, that the increasing importance of these substitutes, particularly with Europe at war, justifies its presentation at this time, if for no other Table i.—Petroleum Subsiitues From Natural Gas Prom Coal Methane Liquid gas Liquid gas _ Manufactured gas Natural gasoline Gasoline Methyl alcohol Benzol Lubricants Etc. reason than to encourage enlightened pertinent discussion. The world's production in 1939 of petroleum substitutes—of which approxi-mately 97 per cent are direct substitutes for motor fuels—is tentatively estimated at 108,ooo,ooo bbl., or equivalent to the combined output of crude oil in 1939 of Rumania, Mexico and Colombia. With few exceptions, these figures of production represent also actual figures of consumption. The United States, owing mainly to its output of natural gasoline, leads all countries in the production of these products, with about 53 per cent of the total. In European countries, particularly Germany, the imminence of war in 1939 forced an increase in production and im- provement of methods of manufacturing motor fuels, largely from coal, with the result that this country produced in that year over 20,000,000 bbl. of substitutes. Since the beginning of hostilities, substitutes have offered more and more the means of meeting the unfavorable balance between supply and demand in European tes and Their Source Malerial From Oil From Molasses. Wood Shales Potatoes, Molasses.etc. From wood Shale oil Ethyl alcohol Producer gas Gasoline Methyl alcohol Gas oil Lubricants Etc. countries; the increase in production of these products being at least in part offset by the systematic bombing of synthetic plants and oil storage. The source materials and the resulting substitutes are listed in Table I. The following are the approximate gross heat equivalents of some substitutes to barrels of gasoline:

Jan 1, 1941

By John W. Cloud

IN 1877 the Pennsylvania Railroad Company removed an old bridge from its line at Duncannon, Pa., built intermediate piers and erected shorter spans of the Pratt truss type, which had previously been in use on another portion of the road. The design of this truss would not admit of diagonals larger than 1 5/8 inches diameter, and in order to stiffen the bridge somewhat steel rods were introduced for the main diagonals in the first and second panels, 1 5/8 inches and 1 3/8 inches diameter respectively. These rods were threaded without upsetting, and by the ordinary formulae the strains were of the same intensity upon both, viz., 16,000 pounds per square inch with the maximum loading. The other main diagonals in the truss are 1 5/8 inches diameter, and of iron. It was specified for the steel rods : Elastic limit, - 45,000 lbs. Tensile strength, - 80,000 lbs. Elongation, - 20 per cent. The steel was procured without difficulty, and it allowed a factor of safety of 2 3/4 at elastic limit, while a similar factor of 2 1/2 had for a long time been successfully used for iron. In the course of three years, from time to time, six of these steel rods broke, three of them being 1 3/8 inches in diameter, and three 1 5/8 inches in. diameter. The broken rods were tested, and three of them. analyzed at Altoona to ascertain the cause of failure, and what modi¬fications should be made in the steel for such service. Examination showed that all the rods were broken in detail close under the nut. The threads were well cut and properly rounded at the root. In testing the rods micrometer screws,. reading to .0001" with electric bell to signal the contact, were attached to the test pieces, and by this means the modulus of elasticity and elastic limit accurately obtained.

Jan 1, 1881

By Ralph Hultgren, Haim H. Chiswik

In recent years considerable attention has been devoted to the development of new commercial uses for silver, chiefly because of lowered prices and large stocks of the metal. This has led to increased interest in the phase diagrams of silver alloys. The silver-lead diagram is reported' to be of the simple eutectie type, but no measurements of the solubility of lead in silver have been made. The solubility of silver in lead has been estimated2 from diffusion experiments and resistance measurements to vary with temperature from 0.09 to 0.18 atomic per cent (0.05 to 0.10 weight per cent). Silver-rich silver-lead alloys have recently been recommended as high-strength bearing metals3 The silver-bismuth diagram is similar.' The solubility of bismuth in silver. has been estimated to be about 5.5 weight per cent on the basis of X-ray work.4 Matthiessen6 found a solubility of silver in bismuth from 0.25 to 0.50 per cent by conductivity measurements. Silver and thallium form the same type of diagram,' with no data on their mutual miscibilities. We have studied the first two of these diagrams by X-ray methods, verifying their main features and determining the solubilities of lead and bismuth in silver at several temperatures. We also determined the solubility of thallium in silver at one temperature. The solubilities of silver in lead and in bismuth were found to be too low to be detectable. Materials and Methods Mallinckrodt precipitated silver, analytical reagent, was used. Maximum impurities listed on the label were: chloride, 0.005 per cent; copper, 0.001; iron, 0.002; other heavy metals (as Pb), 0.002; and sulphate (SO³), 0.05. The lattice constant was found to be a0 = 4.0782 $., in good agreement with the value of Jette and Foote,6 a0 = 4.0779 A., for

Jan 1, 1940

By Roswell Johnson

THE principle of sliding or graduation in royalties is accomplished either by the block, period, cumulative, or class method. The block method calls for a very low royalty rate on all oil produced up to. a certain amount. This amount would normally be that which is believed to suffice to repay the cost of the well. A higher rate would be charged after the well is making a profit. This method, common in many industries, is peculiarly inadaptable to any industry such as this where the productivity per day of the units gradually and inevitably decreases. This, for reasons given later, is because it forces an early abandonment of the well and so offends against conservation. In the period method, the royalty rate is changed by some definite amount when the well produces less than a specified quantity per day or other given unit of time. While simple to explain, it operates badly because a great deal is made to depend upon a small reduction in production, whereas the reduction as a matter of fact declines rather erratically owing to the exigency of lease management, connecting of tankage, and vagaries of the gaugers. These disadvantages are obviated by the cumulative method. In this method, all the production less than a certain amount per week has one rate of royalty, or none at all, and the oil produced in excess of that amount pays an additional rate of royalty. In the long run the calculation is probably no greater than with the period method, for simple tables will be published and printed in the oil papers that can be cut out, enabling quick readings to be made. Even without the table the calculation is easy with the few royalty rates, two or three, which would be used. In this method, the amount paid in royalty declines gradually, rather than suddenly as in the period method.

Jan 6, 1915

By F. E. Lucas

This paper is offered with considerable diflidence, since some of the statements made may not agree with the opinions of other members of the Institute. What I give is the result of some years of experience in the operation and construction of coke-ovens, and observation of plants in America and Europe. Although my title is " The Manufacture of Coke," I have found it impossible to do justice to the subject without touching on a number of points which, while not strictly involved in the making of coke, yet are of paramount importance from an economic standpoint. There are, indeed, many points of interest, on each of which a separate paper of considerable length might be written, but the scope of my paper will permit me only to touch lightly some of them, in the hope that what I say will promote a full discussion on the whole question. Those of us who are interested in the manufacture of coke are under an obligation to the American Institute of Mining Engineers, which has opened its meetings to the discussion of this subject. I do not believe that there is any question to-day more worthy or more in need of discussion. When geologists and mining-men tell us that, at the present rate of consumption, our coal-fields will be exhausted in a few generations, me should welcome any means that will conserve these deposits as far as possible, and give us the greatest amount of heat or power from every ton mined. I shall try to show that much can be done in this direction through the by-product coke-oven, and that it should stand second to none as an economic factor in the industrial world. I shall here deal exclusively with the by-product oven, except for the comparative statement I hare prepared, showing the saving to be effected by coking in by-product instead of beehive orens. It should be borne in mind that this comparison

Jan 1, 1913

By David White

The submission of carefully prepared estimates of the oil reserves of the United States calls for no apology or explanation. In this country, petroleum is a rapidly wasting asset and an occasional appraisal of the amount remaining in the ground is a simple business procedure to safeguard the general welfare and the prosperity of the republic. The rumored danger of failure, in the near future, of the foreign supply on which we depend in constantly increasing amounts makes the immcdiatc review of our available reserves the more imperative. The Director of the U. S. Geological Survey, in March, 1921, requested the American Association of Petroleum Geologists to cooperate in the preparation of new estimates of the oil remaining in the graund. With the members of this cooperative committee, state geologists, regional geologists, oonsulting specialists, and geologists and engineers attached to many companies worked both independently and through subcommittees. The reports for districts, counties, fields, etc., after review by local or state committees, were discussed by the joint cooperative committee in conferences that, in some instances, were attended by the original compilers of estimates for the states or smaller areas. Finally the data were reviewed and the figures revised by the joint cooperative committee, so that the totals given in Table 1 represent the opinion of the committee, which was composed of F. W. DeWolf, W. E. Wrather, Roswell H. Johnsont Wallace A. Pratt, Alexander W. McCoy, Carl H. Beal, C. T. Lupton, G. C. Matson, K. C. Heald, W. T. Thom, Jr., A. E. Fath, Kirtley F. Mather, R. C. Moore, and David White, chairman. Oil geologists and engineers understand well the speculative nature and the chances of error that must attend estimates of the petroleum in the ground when they cover not merely prospective territory, but possible territory. Neither the character nor the magnitude of the factors of uncertainty is to be disguised. Further, the inevitable differences of opinion between geologists of equal rank and experience must also bc

Jan 1, 1923

By Will H. Coghill, Fred D. DeVaney, R. G. O’Meara

The size of ball mills in the ore-dressing industry has increased from about 4 ft. in each dimension to 10.5 ft. in diameter by 8 ft. in length. In the cement industry they are as long as 45 ft. Plainly the trend has been toward larger mills. The common belief is that the big mills economize in floor space and first cost, but the advantage with respect to friction has not been clearly defined. In the ball-mill studies at Rolla, Mo., laboratory mills as small as 2 by 2 ft. have been found as efficient in terms of the amount of grinding per unit of net power as mills 6 by 4 or 6 by 12 ft. Therefore, if supremacy can be claimed for the big mills, advantage must come from other sources. The advantage to be considered here is reduced loss by friction or dead load. In the study to determine whether big mills have relatively less loss by friction the commercial catalogs were used for fundamental figures. The dimensions and weights of Table 1 are taken from the catalogs (the last line gives data on a Rolla laboratory mill). The net power—that is, the power expended within the mill for grinding—is calculated by a new formula.' The assumed speeds are each at 70 per cent of their theoretical critical speeds, and the mills are loaded to the center with balls. In other words, they are assumed to be working under analogous conditions and are set for good grinding. In the last column the ratio B: A shows that the larger commercial mills are lighter per unit of net power than the smaller mills, and more of the motor output should therefore go into grinding. The laboratory mill seems to have some advantage over the larger mills; it would be expected to be light because it has no liners.

Jan 1, 1935

By H. M. Chance

WITHIN the last 10 years the subject of mine taxation in its relation to coal-mining interests has come to have growing importance, not only to those engaged in the mining of coal, but also to the owners of land underlain by coal. A disposition has developed among legislators to accept the principle, which has been laid down y many judicial decisions, that coal underlying the surface must be regarded as a part of the real value of all properties so underlain, and as such is chargeable with such burdens of taxation as the necessities of the government may impose. These necessities arise from the normal expense of maintaining State and local governments, and in the past have been met principally by, taxes based upon assessments of real estate values, which values in many cases have been confined principally or wholly to the value of the surface, without taking into consideration the value of minerals underlying the surface. It is not proposed here to deal with the question of Federal taxation, whether levied on production, or on products transported from one State to another, or exported from the country, or upon thegross or net earnings of corporations engaged in interstate commerce, or upon the production of materials which may be transported from one State to another, or levied. upon the profits or upon the obligations of corporations. The present discussion will be confined to the appraisal of coal lands as assessed for State, county, township, or borough taxation. The methods heretofore and at present in use in the different States vary widely and have resulted in more or less litigation. Discussions appearing from time to time in the technical and trade journals and in the proceedings of mining and engineering associations frequently direct attention to the need for the adoption of fixed principle in levying taxes, and of uniform methods for applying such principles, but there does not seem to be a general demand from the public for the adoption of such methods.

Jan 7, 1914

By P. Bandopadhyay, T. C. Rao

Geologically the Indian coals belong to Gondwana formations. Being of drift origin, these coals contain high percentage of mineral matter distributed in finely disseminated form. Indian coal-preparation plants process prime coking and medium coking coals for use in steel plants. Limited resources of good quality coking coals (Table 1) could not keep pace with the rapid developments of the iron and steel industry in India. This resulted in the introduction of coal-preparation technology and the establishment of washeries in India in the last 30 years or so. The first four washeries were set up during the early fifties at West-Bokaro, Jamadoba, Lodna and Kargali. Next came the first non-coking coal washery at Nowrozabad set up by the Associated Cement Company. In 1961, following the recommendation of Central Coal Washeries Committee (1953-54), Hindustan Steel Ltd. had set up five central washeries at appropriate locations, viz Durgapur, Dugda (2 washeries), Patherdih and Bhojudih, so that the raw coal feed having similar washability characteristics can conveniently come from a number of collieries to a particular washery. Subsequently, to meet the increasing demand of metallurgical coal by steel plants, two more central washeries (at Durgapur and Chasnala) and three pit-head washeries (at Kathara, Swang and Gidi) were installed by 1970. The prime objective of washing Indian coking coal is essentially to reduce the ash content. All the washeries in India, taken together have an installed capacity of about 26 million tons of raw coal input per annum. Details of these washeries in respect of their annual capacity, main washing systems adopted and the nature and size of the products are given in Table 2. It can be observed from this table that (1) bulk of the coal is processed in units like jigs HM baths and HM cyclones; (2) only two of the washeries have cleaning circuits for treatment of fines.

Jan 1, 1980

By David White

The submission of carefully prepared estimates of the oil reserves of the United States calls for no apology or explanation. In this country, petroleum is a rapidly wasting asset and an occasional appraisal of the amount remaining in the ground is a simple business procedure to safeguard the general welfare and the prosperity of the republic. The rumored danger of failure, in the near future, of the foreign supply on which we depend in constantly increasing amounts makes the immcdiatc review of our available reserves the more imperative. The Director of the U. S. Geological Survey, in March, 1921, requested the American Association of Petroleum Geologists to cooperate in the preparation of new estimates of the oil remaining in the graund. With the members of this cooperative committee, state geologists, regional geologists, oonsulting specialists, and geologists and engineers attached to many companies worked both independently and through subcommittees. The reports for districts, counties, fields, etc., after review by local or state committees, were discussed by the joint cooperative committee in conferences that, in some instances, were attended by the original compilers of estimates for the states or smaller areas. Finally the data were reviewed and the figures revised by the joint cooperative committee, so that the totals given in Table 1 represent the opinion of the committee, which was composed of F. W. DeWolf, W. E. Wrather, Roswell H. Johnsont Wallace A. Pratt, Alexander W. McCoy, Carl H. Beal, C. T. Lupton, G. C. Matson, K. C. Heald, W. T. Thom, Jr., A. E. Fath, Kirtley F. Mather, R. C. Moore, and David White, chairman. Oil geologists and engineers understand well the speculative nature and the chances of error that must attend estimates of the petroleum in the ground when they cover not merely prospective territory, but possible territory. Neither the character nor the magnitude of the factors of uncertainty is to be disguised. Further, the inevitable differences of opinion between geologists of equal rank and experience must also bc

Jan 1, 1923

By C. B. Thwing

IT is likely that among most races, owing to the ease of finding and working clay, the making of clay utensils was learned earlier than the molding of metal implements. The ancients made good pottery and durable brick in kilns that wasted fully one-half the heat and spoiled fully one-fourth of the ware; and, taking the clayworking industry as a whole, we are doing the same today. The chemical and physical changes involved in the burning of clay are so many and vary so much with the composition of the clay that it is not surprising that the rule-of-thumb methods so commonly employed fail to give uniform results. In its passage from plastic clay to the vitreous or stonelike character the mingled minerals and accidental organic impurities of which the clay is blended must pass through four stages, the second and third usually overlapping, and the fourth often beginning before the third is complete. These stages in their order with the rising temperature are drying, dehydration, oxidation, vitrification. In the first part of the drying stage, usually accomplished in part outside the kiln, the water mixed with clay is dried out at temperatures not much exceeding the boiling point of water. In the later part of this stage, within the kiln, the hygroscopic water, absorbed from the air is expelled at somewhat higher temperatures, this stage being known as watersmoking. Some clays are very sensitive to temperature during the drying stage and if the temperature exceeds 100°, the ware becomes checked. Other clays may be dried more rapidly without danger. In down-draft kilns, the draft is slight during the watersmoking stage and the water driven off from the top rows condenses on the ware in the bottom of the kiln, with the result that high temperatures are likely to be reached at the top of the kiln before the bottom is fully dry. The lag in temperature of the bottom persists to the second stage in spite of the better draft then prevailing.

Jan 9, 1919

By R. Agarwal, S. Boshkov, M. T. Wane

The majority of the work done in the field of rock mechanics uses as a basis for analysis the classical linear theory of elasticity. Most workers in rock mechanics realize that removing the assumptions of homogeneity and isotropicity will bring the analysis of stress-strain relationships for geologic materials closer to reality. However, the algebra involved in reducing these restrictions is usually heavy. It is the purpose of this paper to relax the condition of isotropicity to that of orthotropicity and examine the sensitivity of this change for some simple geometries. In addition some necessary relationships between stress and strain for orthotropic materials will be developed. The recent years have seen an increasing interest in the field of rock mechanics. This is amply demonstrated by the number of articles appearing in the technical literature. The majority of these articles use as a basis for analysis the classical linear theory of elasticity. In addition, the assumptions that the material under consideration is elastically homogeneous and isotropic reduce the number of constants necessary to write an analytical relationship between stress and strain to two, e.g., Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio. Most workers in the area of rock mechanics realize that removing the conditions of homogeneity and isotropicity will bring the analysis of stress-strain relationship for geologic materials closer to reality. However, the algebra involved in analysis without imposing these restrictions is usually heavy. It is the purpose of this paper to relax the condition of isotropicity to that of orthotropicity and examine the sensitivity of this change on stress concentration for some simple geometries. In addition, it is shown that the expression for maximum stress concentration for some simple geometries considered can be further simplified if further assumptions are made. The maximum stress concentration, under these additional simplifying assumptions, is shown graphical1y. In the linear theory of elasticity, generalized Hooke's law assumes the following form

Jan 1, 1965

By A. J. Lanea

INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE bids fair to become one of the most important and highly developed branches of medical science. Mining companies, even in remote districts, have developed large and efficient medical organizations that comprise the best types of physicians and surgeons. Not infrequently, however, company medical departments have been influenced too much by local conditions-including the compensation laws, which differ widely in the various states. The possibilities of industrial medicine are just beginning to be generally understood, and the variations in the organization and aims of medical departments of mining companies are no more pronounced than in industry as a whole. The industrial physician should be as much a part of the organization as any other official and he should know intimately the various types and phases of work in the plant and should look at his work from the viewpoint of the needs and requirements of his particular industry and company. He should not-be on the outside looking in, but on the inside, working hand in hand with the superintendent, manager, foremen, employment director, safety director, and anybody else with whom in his work he might associate. In any industry it is essential that the doctor be-familiar with working conditions. The mine doctor who never goes underground must remain ignorant of the factors causing many of the disorders he treats as well as miss the best opportunity of gaining the respect and cooperation of the men he. serves. If the mine doctor remains unfamiliar with underground working conditions he bars himself from valuable preventive medical work. It is estimated that the time lost by industrial workers, as a whole, because of illness is about four times as great as that lost because of accidents. While the effort to determine the responsibility of working conditions for illness is often futile, there is a wide field, both for study and practice, in the lessening of sickness among industrial workers. The first step in this direction must be a knowledge of the factors involved.

Jan 2, 1921

I would like to congratulate the authors on an interesting paper and, in particular, on their justification of the use of superposition in treating gas wells. They state, however, that no theory has previously been developed lor treating the variable rate drawdown case. In a paper published a few years ago by my colleagues and myself, a method is described which allows a constant rate drawdown curve to be derived for any well. regardless of real rate variations. This method has the great advantage that it is not necessary to make any assumptions regarding the form or uniformity of the reservoir, and the derivation suggested by the present authors is simply an idealized case of our more general treatment. In the light of several years' experience in the derivation of constant rate drawdown curves: I would like to point out that the method proposed by Odeh and Jones may lead to confusing answers, particularly if applied over an appreciable time interval. The reason is that, if pressures are measured when a well is flowing, non-linearities in plots like Figs. 1 and 2 can arise due to either (1) changes in the skin factor with time and/or flow rate, or (2) an inhomogeneous reservoir. Separation of these two effects is only possible if some of the pressures used in the analysis are measured when the well flow rate is 0 or, in other words. during brief shut-in periods. REFERENCES 1. Arthur, K. B.. Metunomski, Z. G. and Ruche, Ms "Intetet ct methode d'utilisa tion des mesures de pression [)our Petude des gisemonts" Revue de T'I.F.P. (Nov., 1962) XVII, 1299. 2. Thomere, R. and Arthur, K. R.: "Analysis of the Pressure Bet~avior of a Production Well Subject to Interterence and Its Application to Reservoir Models", Paper SPE 1189 presented at SPE :Amund Fall Mecting Ireld in Denwer, Colo. (Oct. 3-6, 1965).

Jan 1, 1966

By T. M. Chance

THE necessity of adopting improved methods of bituminous-coal cleaning at. many collieries is recognized by all familiar with the requirements of the various bituminous markets, the approaching exhaustion of the relatively small areas of inherently high-grade-coal, and the difficulties encountered in maintaining a uniform grade of shipped coal. Many coals lose much of their .market value by degradation in size, and, in any event, if the cleaning process is to contemplate wetting the coal the minimum amount of fines should be produced to prevent sludge losses and the difficulties resulting from the moisture content of the wet fines. Hence, it is desirable to by-pass the finer coal dry, if this can be done without too-great increase in impurities in the final product. This procedure has given excellent results at washeries at Steelton and in the Birmingham district. If the raw fines are too impure to permit admixture with the washed coal, it may be desirable to use dry methods, such as the pneumatic table, rather than to wet an excessive amount of such fine material. The bituminous-coal cleaning plant should therefore: (1) Treat the raw coal in as large lump as possible and without sizing; (2) eliminate degradation of pure coal -in the washing process; (3) avoid wetting the fines, if possible; (4) produce washed coal practically free from mechanically included impurities; (5) crush the refuse and retreat, if much intergrown coal, and refuse are present, rather than precrush the entire feed. Ordinary gravimetric methods of concentration, whether hydraulic or pneumatic, will not meet all of these requirements, as the large lump includes those sizes. now sent to the picking tables, if it is desired to treat material of such size. I do not know of any prior commercial method, based on the falling velocity, coefficient of friction or resistance to fracture, that permits the production of clean coal varying in size from, say, 10-in. lump to 1/16 -in. mesh.

Jan 6, 1924

By E. G. Beinlich

The continuing search for faster, safer, and more economical methods of excavating underground openings has led the staff of the Mather mine of the Negaunee Mine Co. directly to mechanical boring of raises and drifts. The mine is located within the city limits of Negaunee and Ishperning in the eastern portion of the Marquette Iron Range in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is owned jointly by McLouth Steel Corp., Bethlehem Steel Corp., Republic Steel Corp., and The Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co., who also serves as the operating agent. A total of 2,400,000 tons of iron ore averaging over 60% Fe is mined annually by the block-caving method. This provides feed for the Pioneer pellet plant at Eagle Mills where 1,450,000 tons of pellets are produced yearly with the remaining tonnage being sold as coarse ore. Technical staff of Cleveland-Cliffs have long realized that improved methods of advancing raises and drifts were a necessity if underground mining of iron ore was to survive the transition period in the steel industry's requirements from direct-shipping ore to pelletized ores. For this reason, the Mather mine embarked upon an experimental raise-boring program with a prototype machine in 1961. Improvements since that time in equipment and practice have resulted in the acceptance of mechanical boring of raises as a standard development tool and a vital link in the fulfillment of an orderly development schedule. Advancement of large-diameter openings such as main-level drift headings by mechanical methods in the harder, more competent types of rock has developed more slowly in the mining industry due to the need for more compact and portable machinery and improved bit technology. Many of the obstacles have been overcome by the manufacturers, and in March 1967 it was decided to proceed with a program to bore approximately 4000 ft of 13-ft-diam drift in the Mather graywacke footwall rock.

Jan 1, 1970

By John M. Bostwick

Bitumen is a general term for a group of materials composed of mixtures of hydrocarbons that are fusible and soluble in carbon disulfide. Included in the group are petroleum, asphalts, asphaltites, and mineral waxes. Asphalt is a dark-colored, cementitious solid or semisolid, which generally softens on heating and resumes a more viscous or solid state when cooled (personal communication). It is found in native form in fissures and pore spaces in rocks and as lakes. It is also obtained from the residues produced in petroleum refining. Asphaltites are black, naturally occurring solid bitumens. They are generally shiny and break with a conchoidal fracture. Common asphaltites are gilsonite (uintahite), grahamite, and glance pitch. Mineral waxes are solid or semisolid, relatively nonvolatile bitumens of various colors, having an unctuous feel and waxy luster. Of the native waxes, ozokerite is the best known. Montan wax is also classed as a natural wax, although it never occurs in the pure state and must be extracted from lignite or cannel coal (Ladoo, 1920). Mineral waxes may also be obtained by pyroprocessing of petroleum, lignite, and peat. Pyrobitumens are dark-colored, solid hydro- carbons that are infusible and relatively insoluble in carbon disulfide. They are so-called because they will yield liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons only when heated. Asphaltic pyrobitumens are defined as "substantially free of oxygenated bodies" and include wurtzilite (elaterite), albertite, and impsonite (Thrush, 1968). Nonasphaltic pyrobitumens contain oxygenated bodies; examples are coal and peat. The nonasphaltic type will not be discussed further. Petroleum Asphalts Asphalts refined from crude petroleum have almost completely replaced the native types. Refineries can produce asphalts in every desirable grade more economically and in greater quantity than the native types and with a variety of properties that meet the requirements of the various manufacturers using them. For all practical purposes, it is estimated that more than 95% of the asphalts consumed in the United States are refined from crude petroleum (private communication).

Jan 1, 1975