Search Documents

By R. C. Rumble

To /neet the need for a subsurface flowmeter capable of measuring low rates of flow, a new type flowmeter has been built and tested in the field. This instrument is self-contairzed, can be run on a wire measuritzg line, and may be run through 2-in tubing. It consists of a rotameter flow-measuring assembly used in conjuncfion with a conventional subsurface instrument clock and chart. Integral with the tool is an inflatable packer which, by effecting a seal between casing and tool, diverts all fluid through the metering assembly. Packers of different size adapt the tool to different sizes of casing or liner. The flowmeter is capable of measuring rates of flow as low as 4 BID. The flowmeter has been run experimentally in seven wells. It has yielded satisfactory resrrlts in five of the wells, and in the other two it failed to operate because of loose sand in the hole. INTRODUCTION One of the oldest problems facing the producing branch of the petroleum industry is the location of depths of entry of fluid into a wellbore and the determination of the amount of fluid entering at each depth. This problem is often encountered in oil and gas wells completed in single producing horizons as well as in multiple pays; it is a common problem in oil wells which produce excessive volumes of gas. Several subsurface instruments designed to detect and meter flow in the producing interval of wells have been described in the literature.1,2,3,4 Most of these, however, were apparently intended for use in wells producing at relatively high rates of flow, and consequently lack sensitivity to low flow rates. Because of this and of other possible disadvantages inherent in these instruments, development of the subsurface flowmeter described in this report was undertaken. DESIGN OF FLOWME'I'ER Design Requirements In considering the requirements for a flowmeter that would not be subject to the limitations of devices existing at the time work was started, attention was first given to the size of the tool. Such an instrument should be of sufficiently small diameter that it could be lowered readily in 2-in tubing in a producing well. The flowmeter should contain a recording unit so that it might be run on a wire measuring line with conventional reeling equipment. It should not be too long to be accommodated by a portable lubricator of the type used for running conventional subsurface instruments. The metering mechanism of the flowmeter should not be affected appreciably by the viscosity or density of the flowing fluid. Such an instrument should record flow rates in the range from less than 10 B/D to over 100 B/D. To achieve this, a packer should he provided to divert through the instrument all fluid flow in the wellbore. This packer should be of such nature that in the event of excessive flow the fluid would bypass the instrument instead of forcing it up the wellhore. General Description A flowmeter incorporating most of the desired features outlined above was developed and built. The instrument is an elongated tubular device terminated on

Jan 1, 1956

By Walter Rose

Theoretical expressions are presented to describe wetting and non-wetting phase relative premeability relations. These expressions have then been compared with existing published data, the conformance noted being sufficiently good to satisfy the requirements of some engineering use. As a consequence, it may be supposed that relative permeability characteristics of porous media now can be inferred from basic core analysis data, in a manner more convenient (although less direct) than presently available methods of experimental evaluation. INTRODUCTION This paper presents a new approach to the problem of relative permeability evaluation. A classification of published discussions of relative permeability concepts which have appeared in the petroleum literature will show that previously emphasis has been placed on methods of experimental measurement, on the interpretation of the data so obtained with respect to the variable properties of the system, and on theoretical and practical considerations which relate relative permeability to gross fluid behavior in petroleum reservoirs. Essentially, no detailed examination has appeared which treats the fundamental factors controlling the quantitative features of the relative permeability relation*, although cer- tain references can be Cited where a qualitative awareness of their existence and nature is indicated. This condition is explainable in terms of the recognized complexity of the problem, and in order to provide some basis for theoretical development, the general emphasis has been placed in the past on experimental procedures of evaluation, the validity of which, in principle, could be confirmed by the analysis of well and reservoir performance. However, because of the experimental difficulties which have been encountered (notably, difficulties due to the so-called "end effects"), and because of the general unreliability of field performance tests required to study the applicability of the data, relative permeability phenomena continue to be incompletely understood and described.? In this paper is examined the possibility of predicting relative permeabilities entirely from fundamental considerations. In addition, attention is called to certain important factors, previously unemphasized in the published literature, which now can serve as a basis for the eventual experimental confirmation of this and similar theoretical approaches, as well as the experimental solution of the problem in general. Therefore, the analysis presented herein has the dual purpose both of orienting future experimental activity and also of providing an immediate solution for the relative permeability porblem, sufficiently adequate for some engineering use. It will be seen that the conclusions reached are supported by theoretical and intuitive considerations, and they are not contradicted insofar as gross features are concerned by existing concepts and interpretations of published experimental data, except as specifically noted. Darcy's law, expressed simply as: k dp q = k/u dp/dx .......(1) where q is linear rate of flow (assumed horizontal), k is the † The poor comparison usually obtained between laboratory and field gas-oil ratios (c.f.. Fig. 4 of paper by L. E. Elkins) is illustrative of conditions which dimcourage unqualified acceptance of the results of previous studies except as presently useful approximations. In this connection, Evinger and Muskat have discussed in detail the discrepancy observed between field well productivity values and values obtained from the analysis of laboratory flow data.

Jan 1, 1949

By Walter Rose

Theoretical expressions are presented to describe wetting and non-wetting phase relative premeability relations. These expressions have then been compared with existing published data, the conformance noted being sufficiently good to satisfy the requirements of some engineering use. As a consequence, it may be supposed that relative permeability characteristics of porous media now can be inferred from basic core analysis data, in a manner more convenient (although less direct) than presently available methods of experimental evaluation. INTRODUCTION This paper presents a new approach to the problem of relative permeability evaluation. A classification of published discussions of relative permeability concepts which have appeared in the petroleum literature will show that previously emphasis has been placed on methods of experimental measurement, on the interpretation of the data so obtained with respect to the variable properties of the system, and on theoretical and practical considerations which relate relative permeability to gross fluid behavior in petroleum reservoirs. Essentially, no detailed examination has appeared which treats the fundamental factors controlling the quantitative features of the relative permeability relation*, although cer- tain references can be Cited where a qualitative awareness of their existence and nature is indicated. This condition is explainable in terms of the recognized complexity of the problem, and in order to provide some basis for theoretical development, the general emphasis has been placed in the past on experimental procedures of evaluation, the validity of which, in principle, could be confirmed by the analysis of well and reservoir performance. However, because of the experimental difficulties which have been encountered (notably, difficulties due to the so-called "end effects"), and because of the general unreliability of field performance tests required to study the applicability of the data, relative permeability phenomena continue to be incompletely understood and described.? In this paper is examined the possibility of predicting relative permeabilities entirely from fundamental considerations. In addition, attention is called to certain important factors, previously unemphasized in the published literature, which now can serve as a basis for the eventual experimental confirmation of this and similar theoretical approaches, as well as the experimental solution of the problem in general. Therefore, the analysis presented herein has the dual purpose both of orienting future experimental activity and also of providing an immediate solution for the relative permeability porblem, sufficiently adequate for some engineering use. It will be seen that the conclusions reached are supported by theoretical and intuitive considerations, and they are not contradicted insofar as gross features are concerned by existing concepts and interpretations of published experimental data, except as specifically noted. Darcy's law, expressed simply as: k dp q = k/u dp/dx .......(1) where q is linear rate of flow (assumed horizontal), k is the † The poor comparison usually obtained between laboratory and field gas-oil ratios (c.f.. Fig. 4 of paper by L. E. Elkins) is illustrative of conditions which dimcourage unqualified acceptance of the results of previous studies except as presently useful approximations. In this connection, Evinger and Muskat have discussed in detail the discrepancy observed between field well productivity values and values obtained from the analysis of laboratory flow data.

Jan 1, 1949

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 Joseph E. Worthington

Many thousands of years ago when our earliest ancestor first swung out of a tree, picked up a rock, and threw it at what he hoped might be his lunch, the minerals industry, in a manner of speaking, was born. It was then a very long step indeed to the primitive metal industry of our early civilizations, for we know that precious metals were accumulated and some metal objects were produced several thousand years ago. Prospecting, or "exploration" to use the modern euphemism, consisted of little more than outcrop examination and the use of a gold pan, and it probably did not change much from our earliest civilizations until relatively recent times. In a general sense, all the early explorers of North America were also prospectors, for mineral wealth was certainly one of the goals of the first pioneers and settlers. The earliest pioneers didn't do too badly either, for they discovered copper and iron in various places in the Appalachians and Michigan, gold in the Southeast Piedmont and many mineralized areas in the Southwest. In most places these were outcropping ores or gossans, and the prospecting was incidental to the arduous task of ekeing out a living in a new land. It was the explosive discovery of rich placer gold deposits at Sutter's Mill in California that caught the public fancy and precipitated the establishment of prospecting as a full-time occupation. After the end of the Civil War in 1865, full-time prospecting became an important occupation and continued as such for almost three generations. Prospectors equipped with picks, shovels, gold pans and four-footed transportation swarmed all over what are now our Western States, discovering thousands upon thousands of mineral showings-and certainly most of today's large mining districts. Our vigorous western mining industry is a tribute to the courage and persistence of these men. The techniques of these picturesque prospectors, however, were essentially the same as those of their predecessors-examination of every outcrop and assiduous use of the gold pan. The great increase in discovery at this time was therefore due to increased activity rather than to different techniques. An important result of this in- creased prospecting was the growth of interest in geology. It was during this period that the U.S. Geological Survey began to grow. Many of the major mining districts were mapped, and geological studies and projections began to have an impact on further ore discovery. Ore search and development gradually became more geologically oriented and the geologist became a fixture in most mining camps by the 20th century. The development of mass-mining techniques in the early part of the century also changed exploration concepts.

Jan 1, 1971

By C. S. Matthews, H. C. Lefkovits

The performance of depletion-type reservoirs at the stage in which the gas is at such low pressure that gravity is essentially the sole driving force has been investigated both theoretically and by use of scaled models. A simple theory is developed which completely explains the scaled model experiments. It also agrees with some field data. When the range of production rates to be considered is less than 25, the theory predicts that the production rate decline curve for homogeneous reservoirs in which there is a free surface will be of the hyperbolic type with n = 2: The theory gives a physical significance to the parameter y. INTRODUCTION This investigation was undertaken to determine a method for prediction of performance of reservoirs where gravity is the sole driving agent. Depletion-type reservoirs fall into this category after the pressure has fallen to some low value. Some examples of this type are found at Healdton ('Oklahoma), Oklahoma City (Oklahoma), Midway-Sunset (California), and East Coalinga (California). Generally the production rate per unit thickness is quite low in such reservoirs, with the conse- quence that this stage is sometimes called the stripper stage. However, per well production rates may be of the order of 50 B/D because of the considerable sand thickness open in some of the reservoirs. In the past, predictions of behavior of such reservoirs have been based on empirical extrapolation of the rate of production to the economic limit. Difficulties arise when new wells are drilled in the field or when production is artificially curtailed, since in such cases the decline rate of individual wells or leases changes and no clear trend can be detected. It was hoped that the present study would lead to improved methods for evaluation of such reservoirs. The study was initiated by building a scaled model for a particular field and by running a number of experiments on this model. Later a simple theory was developed which explained the laboratory results completely. The theory led, as shown below, to a hyperbolic-type decline equation which had been used previously' in a completely empirical manner. THEORY The General Case The problem to be treated here is the following: We are given a homogeneous cylindrical porous reservoir with exterior radius r, wellbore radius r., and height h,, containing, from the bottom up to a height hit oil, some gas, and interstitial water (see Fig. 1 A). The portion of the reservoir between K, and h, is filled with gas at low pressure, with residual oil, and with interstitial water. If at a time t = 0, the level of the oil in the wellbore is lowered to a height h,, what is the production rate from the reservoir at a time to The configuration within the reservoir at some instant

Jan 1, 1957

By W. F. Boericke

THE character of the Wisconsin orebodies must be clearly understood to appreciate the difficulties encountered in sampling and estimating them. Unlike the western vein deposits, they do not lie between regular walls, but form large, often highly irregular bodies, on a single floor in the so-called Galena limestone. The bottom of the ore is nearly always on the clay bed, a flat generally well-defined clay seam a few inches thick, which marks the junction of the base of the Galena lime and the top of the next formation, the Trenton lime. Above the clay bed, the orebodies make the unique pitch and flat formation described by Chamberlin.1 Theoretically, we should find two pitches, one on either side of the top crevice, diverging as they go down, with the final flats a considerable distance apart on the clay bed. The area between, known locally as core ground, should thus constitute a single defined orebody, with the richer portions near the pitches and the leaner portion in the center of the core. Practically, we find few examples of this perfect orebody. Almost invariably one pitch is better defined than the other, and often the opposite pitch is marked only by a faint line of fracture showing stronger mineralization than the wall rock, or it may be totally lacking. But with an orebody of any size or richness, at least one strong pitch usually tends to follow an east-west trend, or a quartering course. Late mining developments in the rich New Diggings field indicate that these pitches often assume a horseshoe or crescent shape, the richer ore being in the heart of the crescent and the pitches showing less mineralization as they extend outwards. In the northern end of the field, on the contrary, the pitches maintain generally a consistent direction, and have been mined for thousands of feet from the shaft. The length of the orebody may be several thousand feet, the height varying from 10 to 60 ft. and the width from 60 to 250 ft. In fact, on the core side, there is no definite end to the ore. The mineralization simply gets thinner and thinner, and the limit of working depends on the cost sheet and the profit from the recovery.

Jan 2, 1922

By AIME AIME

CHARLES A. CHASE, manager of the Shenandoah-Dives Syndicate, operating the Shenandoah Mines in southwestern Colorado, reviewed the current work at that property at a recent meeting of the Colorado Section, in Denver. This operation is a new one, having been in effect only two years, but the properties that were consolidated by Mr. Chase had had certain production in earlier years, since when they had: been inactive. These properties are located. in the high mountains of the San Juan section in Colorado, and although they had had a substantial production of ores of good grade in the upper levels, the project as a whole involved the bold undertaking of driving through the mountain, starting on the Mayflower claim on the Arrastre Gulch side and passing through the Mayflower, Slide, Terrible, North Star, Dives and Shenandoah No. 3 claims. This is a distance of over 8,000 ft. which is known to be mineralized, and the main operating tunnel was started at an elevation of approximately 11,000 ft. The main exploration work has already extended in nearly 4,200 ft. and the present mining production of nearly 550 tons daily is being secured while the main exploration work is being continued. The main heading is now within the North Star claim and the plan of operations involves continuing ahead for a few hundred feet and then starting an upraise which will he 2,200 ft. high and which will connect with the old workings of the North Star mine. The plan of ruining then will he to drive levels along the vein in both, directions to daylight and retreat downward, taking out all the ore and abandoning, the workings after the ore is removed. In this way one level after another progressing downward will be abandoned. The raise will be of two compartments, one of which will carry the 8-ton skip and the other the counterweight and manway. So far the ore has been broken over an average width of more than 11 ft., with an output of 39 tons per machine shift.

Jan 1, 1932

By Richard P. Schoemaker

Introduction In underground mining operations the effects of economic and mechanical factors on costs and profits can readily be appreciated and can perhaps be expressed in exact figures and percentages. Less apparent, but frequently more important, is the influence of physical stress. Stress causes failure of supports, collapse of openings, rockbursts, and other damage which directly affects the costs of maintenance, and also to a certain extent the accident rate. Stress can, however, if properly directed, be an aid to mining operations. The caving methods in metal mining and the long-wall method in coal mining are well-known examples. In large-scale mining operations it is almost impossible to neglect stress-control. A better understanding of the mechanism of rock pressure and the application of its principles to practical mining will inevitably lead to a reduction in operating costs. Many theories have been advanced to give the mining engineer a practical outline for stress-control but, although today most experts agree upon the principles of stress distribution around underground openings, there is still no generally accepted theory that explains all phenomena. The main reasons for this incomplete understanding of the problem are the lack of accurate knowledge of the physical properties of rocks under field conditions, and the great complexity of these conditions due to in-homogeneity of the rock, stratification, tectonic disturbances, and many other unknown factors. The research on the rock pressure problems has, however, yielded some valuable facts which, expressed in practical terms, and adapted to local conditions, may become a valuable aid for mining operations. The purpose of this paper is to give a review of the most important accomplishments of this research with respect to the stress phenomena around small underground openings, such as tunnels and shafts, so as to arrive at an outline of the problem as it stands today. Special emphasis is placed on a new theory by the German mining engineer, Rudolf Fenner, which has never before been published or discussed in English. The Pressure Dome Theory The formation of a dome-shaped space around underground openings is well known from field observations. When openings are made in rock under stress, the rock in the top of the openings will often fail, and caving will continue until the openings have assumed a dome-shaped form, after which equilibrium apparently is re-established. The oldest theory which attempted to explain the phenomenon is the "beam" theory, which postulates that the hanging wall consists of stratified measures that behave as independent beams with fixed ends and a uniformly distributed load. When failure of the beam occurs, inward shearing at the ends will cause the formation of a dome-shaped space. The pressure dome theory, which more or less evolved from the beam theory, merely

Jan 1, 1949

By V 7. 0 / 300 dpi

LAST fall, having a number of ore samples from mine-development work carried on in spite of the "Revolution," I was forced to do my own assaying again, after a lapse of many years. This gave me an opportunity to build a furnace for crucible assaying, using wood for fuel, along lines which had been developing in my mind since the time 20 years ago, when as general factotum at a little mining camp in western Chihuahua, Mexico, I had converted a crucible charcoal furnace into one using the reverberatory principle. Wood-burning furnaces have been described in technical literature, but I believe the present application will prove helpful to those of the profession who are working in out-of-the-way places. The furnace is shown in detail in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Remembering the trouble caused by stoking my first charcoal furnace too heavily, I fired this one with but a few sticks of wood at a time. By this method I could run out a charge of 12 crucibles in 30 to 35 min., using 50 sticks of ordinary stove wood. Later I fill up the firebox, holding about 40 sticks, get everything ready, put the crucibles into the melting chamber and "fire up." Just as soon as the fire is well started the draft door is closed and the furnace allowed to heat up slowly for 5 min. Then the draft is opened (the door to the ash-pit) and the fire allowed to roar, which it does. In 20 min. from the time the fire is lighted the fire door is opened, the fire stirred along the grates, and 5 or 6 more sticks of wood thrown in. In 25 min. from the start, the draft is closed again, the cover of the melting chamber pushed back and the charges poured. The melts will be found to be perfect, and the crucibles to pour absolutely clean, if everything has gone right, as will usually be the case. A new charge may be put in, and fired with S to 10 sticks of wood at a tine, and be ready to pour within 20 min.; but it is just as well to leave the crucibles in the melting chamber a full 2.5 min. By using 10 sticks of wood to start the fire and adding 5 sticks as often as needed, which will be as soon as the last sticks fed in are in perfect combustion, the smelting can be completed in from 30 to 35 min., using from 35 to 40 sticks of wood. I consider this to be the best method of stoking.

Jan 10, 1914

By L. C. De Jong, J. F. Shirley, M. L. Campbell

At the Southern Peru Copper operation in Toque-pala, Peru, a new process flowsheet for the recovery of byproduct molybdenite has proved successful in dealing with complex and highly variable ores. This paper describes the process and the functions of each of the chemicals used. The Toquepala concentrator of the Southern Peru Copper Corp., located approximately 720 miles southeast of Lima near the Chilean border, processes a daily 36,500 tons of ore containing between 0.50 and 3.00% copper. The molybdenite content in the ore also varies greatly ranging from essentially nothing to as high as 0.15%. The 1966 yearly averages were approximately 1.20% copper and 0.03% molybdenite. The Toquepala porphyry deposit is a mushroom-shaped ore body consisting of a flat-lying enriched zone of predominant chalcocite with a stem-like extension of hypogene chalcopyrite ore in depth within and around a large breccia pipe.1 The underlying chalcopyrite ore has not been reached; however, due to the presence of a major post orebody fault, predominantly chalcopyrite ore is present in the north side of the pit. Most of the molybdenite occurs either as small, fine granular, pulverulent masses in vugs or empty voids of breccia, or as thin foliated masses and narrow thread-like filling in rock joints and fractures. The normal occurrence of quartz gangue with the molybdenite gives some basis for correlating the molybdenite mineralization to some later periods of silicification. On April 18, 1962, the molybdenite recovery plant at Toquepala went on stream, approximately 27 months after the copper concentrator had been in production. The plant was designed and built by Southern Peru Copper Corp.'s engineering and mechanical departments. The basic method chosen for separating the molybdenite from the copper concentrate was the sodium hypochlorite-sodium ferrocyan-ide process. The selection of this process was based on the results of an extensive testing program performed by the Colorado School of Mines Research Foundation, Inc. and the economic conditions of the area. The originally designed process could never be fully implemented due to a lack of sodium hypo-chlorite and has had to be continually modified to satisfy the requirements of the kaleidoscope of ores from the mine. The three basic problems that plague the operation of any molybdenite recovery plant are all present at Toquepala in large measure. Both the quantity of plant feed and the quantity of molybdenite contained in the plant feed are continuously changing. Even more detrimental to an efficient operation is the fact that the copper mineralization in the feed frequently changes once in every 24 hours and occasionally once a shift. From the point of view of the molyb-

Jan 1, 1968

By Richard P. Schoemaker

INTRODUCTION IN underground mining operations the effects of economic and mechanical factors on costs and profits can readily be appreciated and can perhaps be expressed in exact figures and percentages. Less apparent, but frequently more important, is the influence of physical stress. Stress causes failure of supports, collapse of openings, rockbursts, and other damage which directly affects the costs of maintenance, and also to a certain extent the accident rate. Stress can, however, if properly directed, be an aid to mining operations. The caving methods in metal mining and the long-wall method in coal mining are well-known examples. In large-scale mining operations it is almost impossible to neglect stress-control. A better understanding of the mechanism of rock pressure and the application of its principles to practical mining will inevitably lead to a reduction in operating costs. Many theories have been advanced to give the mining engineer a practical outline for stress-control but, although today most experts agree upon the principles of stress distribution around underground openings, there is still no generally accepted theory that explains all phenomena. The main reasons for this incomplete understanding of the problem are the lack of accurate knowledge of the physical properties of rocks under field conditions, and the great complexity of these conditions due to inhomogeneity of the rock, stratification, tectonic disturbances, and many other unknown factors. The research on the rock pressure problems has, however, yielded some valuable facts which, expressed in practical terms, and adapted to local conditions, may become a valuable aid for mining operations. The purpose of this paper is to give a review of the most important accomplishments of this research with respect to the stress phenomena around small underground openings, such as tunnels and shafts, so as to arrive at an outline of the problem as it stands today. Special emphasis is placed on a new theory by the German mining engineer, Rudolf Fenner, which has never before been published or discussed in English. THE PRESSURE DOME THEORY The formation of a dome-shaped space around underground openings is well known from field observations. When openings are made in rock under stress, the rock in the top of the openings will often fail, and caving will continue until the openings have assumed a dome-shaped form, after which equilibrium apparently is re-established. The oldest theory which attempted to explain the phenomenon is the "beam" theory, which postulates that the hanging wall consists of stratified measures that behave as independent beams with fixed ends and a uniformly distributed load. When failure of the beam occurs, inward shearing at the ends will cause the formation of a dome-shaped space. The pressure dome theory, which more or less evolved from the beam theory, merely

Jan 1, 1947

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 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"', 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 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'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'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

By W. L. Fink, L. A. Willey

DURING the war there was introduced a new higher strength aircraft alloy designated 75S.1,2.3 The properties of this alloy assure extensive applications in both military and commercial aircraft. It is therefore important to understand its limitations as well as advantages. The properties of 75S alloy in the heat-treated tempers, like those of many other aluminum alloys, are affected by the rate of quenching. In general, low quenching rates tend to cause low strengths and to adversely affect the resistance to corrosion. Commercial quenching procedures are usually sufficiently rapid to permit the development of maximum properties. However, in the center of heavy sections, such as large rolled and extruded shapes, the quenching rates may not be rapid enough to develop maximum strength or resistance to corrosion. The investigations of 75S alloy described herein reveal the most critical range of temperature and the effects of quenching sheet and extrusions at different rates through that temperature range, on the tensile properties and resistance to corrosion. PROCEDURE Preparation of Specimens Sheet specimens (3 in. by 9 in.) were prepared from a commercial lot of 75S "as rolled" sheet (0.064 in. thick). The composition° was as follows: Weight Percentage Cu Mn Mg Zn Cr Al with Normal Impurities 1.64 0.16 2.58 5.66 0.27 Remainder The specimens employed for the determination of the time-temperature relations during quenching of sheet were prepared by the following procedure: the hot junction of a 28-ga. iron-constantan thermoelement (asbestos insulated) was brazed to a thin strip of aluminum which was in turn brazed into the end of a 3/16 in. i.d. by ¼ -in. o.d. by 30 in. long aluminum protection tube. Before brazing, the tube was flattened to 0.064 in. thickness over the junction and adjacent lead wires for a distance of 1 ½ in. The flattened end of the tube was fitted into a slot cut from one edge to the center of the 3 in. by 9 in. by 0.064 in. sheet and brazed into place. The brazed joint was dressed to the thickness of the sheet and the entire specimen buffed to approximately the brightness of "as rolled" material. Because of the brazing operations required, these specimens were prepared using 3S alloy. For the investigation of quenching rates in heavy sections, there were used 75S extrusions which had compositions similar to that of the sheet. The specimens consisted of 14 in. lengths of ¾ in., 2 in., 3 in. and 4 in. diam cylindrical rods and a roughly rectangular extruded section which was approximately 4 in. by 7 ½ in. Thermocouples were peened into the bottoms of 1/8 in. diam wells drilled into one end and parallel to the axis to a depth of

Jan 1, 1947

THE following employment items are made available to AIME on a non-profit basis by the Engineering Societies Personnel Service, Inc., operating in cooperation with the Four Founder Societies. Local offices of the Personnel Service are at 8 W. 40th St., New York 18; 100 Farnswarth Ave., Detroit; 57 Past St., San-Francisco; 84 E. Randalph St., Chicago 1. Applicants should address all mail to the proper key numbers in care of the New York Office and include 6c in stamps far forwarding and returning application. The applicant agrees, if placed in a position by means of the Service, to pay the placement fee listed by the Service. AIME members may secure a weekly bulletin of positions available far $3.50 a quarter, $12 a year. MEN AVAILABLE Graduate Mining Engineer, 38; married, two children, Dutch nationality. Experience bauxite open-pit dragline, stripping and mining, nickel silicateous ore exploration, tin lode mining and dredging, ore dressing research, administrative. work, all in responsible positions. Read, write and/or speak seven languages. Desires responsible position. Presently located Netherlands. M-655. Mining Geologist, 35, married, 3 children, Canadian citizen. Eight years' experience Canadian gold mines as geologist, chief engineer, shift boss, 3 years in western U. S. as surveyor, junior geologist, etc. Desires position of responsibility. Prefer western United States. M-656-478-E-3-San Francisco. Mining Engineer, 30 years' experience open-pit and underground coal and iron mines. Held positions engineer to manager. Desire position of responsibility in foreign field. M-659.

Jan 1, 1952

Launching Platform - Drift Indicator- Stratascope-are components of Carbide and Carbon Chemicals new Mining Machine No. 3.

Jan 1, 1953

By V. T. Stringfield, H. H. Cooper

ONE of the earliest investigations of ground water in Florida was made in 1513 when Ponce de Leon arrived at St. Augustine in search of the Fountain of Youth. The history of the development of the water resources of the State shows that the large artesian reservoir that underlies Florida was discovered in the latter part of the last century. Part of that history is given by L. C. Johnson' who states that the first successful artesian well in Florida was drilled at St. Augustine between 1880 and 1882. After the City of Jacksonville failed to obtain a flow of artesian water at a depth of nearly 400 ft and abandoned the drilling, R. N. Ellis, City Engineer, and L. C. Johnson, using Johnson's knowledge of the geologic structure of the artesian reservoir, estimated correctly that artesian water could be obtained at a depth of about 500 ft. Thus began the development of the large artesian system in the northeastern part of the State. In 1908, the Florida Geological Survey issued its first report on the ground water of central Florida. More recent reports give the results of investigations that have been in progress in cooperation between the Florida Geological Survey and the U. S. Geological Survey since 1930. As a result, the ground-water geology and hydrology of Florida are now so well known that ground-water problems such as confronted early investigators no longer exist. However, new problems arise and new discoveries are made as the demand for more ground water increases with the development of the State. Water-Bearing Formations Descriptions of the geologic formations and a map showing their distribution at the surface are given in a recent report by Cooke.' The geologic formations that yield the ground-water supplies in Florida represent only a small part (about 1000 ft) of the total thickness of the sedimentary rocks (more than 15,000 ft) that underlie Florida. The water-bearing rocks that yield fresh water include more than two dozen formations that range in age from Eocene to recent. The Eocene formations, which consist chiefly of limestone, are the oldest and the deepest of the formations in Florida that yield fresh water to wells. In 1944, on the basis of a study of the foraminifera, the Applins -ivided the limestone of Eocene age into six formations, which are as follows, from top to bottom: Age or group Formation Jackson Ocala limestone icAvon Park limestone Claiborne -j Tallahassee limestone aLake City limestone Wilcox Salt Mountain limestone xOldsmar limestone The Ocala limestone and the underlying formations of Claiborne age, along with some of the overlying limestone of Oligocene and Miocene age, constitute the principal source of water in Florida and southeastern Georgia and generally may be regarded as forming one artesian aquifer or water-bearing unit. This aquifer is referred to in this paper as the Floridan aquifer, a name proposed by Parker.' In part of Seminole County alone more than 1000 flowing wells yield water from the Floridan aquifer. A yield of 6500 gpm, or about 9.5 million gal per day, by natural flow from a well penetrating the aquifer at Jacksonville, Florida, was observed in 1942. A yield of about 7000 gpm by natural flow was reported for a well 1390 ft deep at St. Augustine in 1887. The largest yield reported from a pumped well penetrating the aquifer is 7500 gpm, or about 10.5 million gal per day. The aquifer is also the source of some of the large springs, such as Silver Springs, whose discharge, according to measurements made by the U. S. Geological Survey, has ranged from 526 to 1350 sec-ft, or from 340 to 872 million gal per day. The top of the Ocala limestone, as represented by contours in Fig. 1, indicates in a general way the geologic structure of the formations that comprise the Floridan aquifer. The Ocala is at or near the surface in the areas represented by shading in the northwestern part of the peninsula and also in an area in western Florida adjacent to Alabama and

Jan 1, 1952

To the American Institute of Mining Engineers: The committee appointed at the February meeting upon Railway Resistances would respectfully report: That one person has been constantly employed in calculating the results of the data taken prior to March 1st, 1876. Also to complete the data taken upon the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway, a diagram was taken upon a through freight train from Cleveland to Chicago, and one from Chicago to Cleveland. So that now we have diagrams from Buffalo to Chicago and return, which, when fully worked up, will give results of the utmost importance in determining the cost of transportation of freight. These data will be of much importance in determining the proper methods of equating grades and curves, which is so essential in the location of new lines. The calculations show that instead of our attempting to formulate results from data obtained on one road, it will be best for the interests of transportation to enlarge the scope of our inquiries, and to extend the experiments so as to include all of the more probable causes which affect the cost of transportation. Were the details of railway equipment constructed alike, much work, which is now necessary, would be saved. It is not uncommon to find upon the same road 10 to 30 different patterns of something in construction to subserve the same purpose, which more or less modifies the friction of the cars. Take the majority of our trunk lines, with this diversity of construction, together with the varying conditions of track and manner of operating, and it will be at once seen that the labor and time to do the work and arrive at correct conclusions will occupy from two to three years. The results already attained in the short time in which they have been carried on, wholly by private enterprise, simply show what may be expected when the aid necessary is given to render them of the highest value to the great industries of the country. That the information may be general and of the greatest importance to our railway interests, the committee deem it advisable to secure, so