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By A. G. Weber, H. J. Welge

A published calculation method for predicting incompressible, multidimensional fluid displacement has been adapted to the problems of water and gas coning in oil wells. Since depth and radial distance from the wellbore are the two key dimensions affecting the shape of a gas or water cone, coning calculations are well suited to the use of two-dimensional methods. The alternating direction implicit procedure (ADIP) was used for relaxation calculations of two-phase potentials in a two-dimensional grid. From the potentials and the capillary pressure relationship, saturation and pressure distributions were calculated which trace cone growth with time. Predictions have been made for well producing histories both before and after core breakthrough. To check validity of the method, two-dimensional calculations have matched the coning behavior and produced water-oil ratio history of a laboratory sand-packed model. They have also matched the coning behavior of several producing wells, for which the calculations were compared with produced water or gas cuts and logs showing water or gas cone movements. INTRODUCTION The application of two-phase, two-dimensional calculations using ADIP to various reservoir flow problems has been described in the literature.1-3 When adapted for computer solution, this method has proved to be a powerful tool for simulating well and reservoir behavior. This paper discusses the method as applied to well coning calculations. Single-well and coning calculations comprise an especially difficult class of two-dimensional problems which require special techniques for computer calculation and determination of reservoir characteristics. Refs. 4 through 8 describe previous approaches to the coning problem. Several examples of water and gas coning calculations, including studies on both laboratory models and producing wells, are presented here. The two-dimensional method accounts realistically for the most critical parameters affecting coning behavior, including production rate, formation stratification, horizontal and vertical permeabilities, depth of well penetration, gravity and capillary forces. The method considers the different densities and viscosities of the two phases and the relative permeability and capillary pressure characteristics of the rock and fluids. In addition to tracing cone growth in the vicinity of the wellbore, the method calculates the overall movement of the fluid interface throughout the well's drainage volume. Incompressible fluid flow is assumed to occur between the producing interval and the well's limit of drainage. Calculations can be made for the producing history both before and after cone breakthrough. A typical two-dimensional grid or array of blocks used to solve a coning problem contains about 400 blocks. The well's cylindrical drainage volume can be represented by about 20 radial subdivisions and the formation thickness by 20 vertical subdivisions. The grid spacing is normally smaller near the withdrawal interval to define the cone shape accurately. For this work we used an IBM 7074 digital computer having a core memory of 10,000 ten-digit words. A typical study, covering 5 to 10 years of well producing history, required from three to six hours of computing time. MATHEMATICAL SIMULATION OF CONING BEHAVIOR BASIC METHOD In coning calculations, the reservoir volume drained by the producing well is represented by a two-dimensional system of blocks as shown in Fig. 1 for water coning studies. The horizontal dimensions of the blocks increase with radial distance from the well axis in geometric progression, i.e., the block size is small near the wellbore and large near the well's drainage radius (re). Vertically, the blocks are bounded by horizontal planes located at different depths through the

Jan 1, 1965

By R. M. Leibrock, J. E. Huzarevich, R. G. Hiltz

The various factors considered in recommending the initiation of a gas injection project in the southern portion of the Cedar Lake Field are discussed. Performance history under gas injection operations is reviewed and these data are analyzed, utilizing both the material balance method and the fractional flow and frontal advance expressions. Results of the analysis of the performance data indicate that the injected gas has contacted and affected at least 60 per cent of the reservoir and a substantial increase in ultimate recovery can reasonably be expected. By holding the reservoir pressure appreciably above the bubble point, the well productive capacities have been maintained substantially above the level predicted for primary operations. The analysis of the Cedar Lake project suggests that in certain limestone reservoirs, at least, the probable success of gas injection cannot be predicted simply from ohservation of permeability distribution throughout the pay section, as indicated by core analysis data, on either one or a number of wells. Further, the performance of this particular project fails to indicate any basis for classifying carbonate reservoirs in general as being inherently unsuited to a dispersed type gas injection program, thus indicating that each reservoir should be considered on its own merits, regardless of the composition of the reservoir rock. INTRODUCTION Early in the life of the Cedar Lake Field, an extensive data gathering program was initiated to provide an accurate record of reservoir performance characteristics. From the study of these data it was apparent that there was a critical need for supplementing the natural reservoir energy in order to maintain well productivities and obtain the maximum ultimate oil recovery. Accordingly, detailed engineering studies were made of the various methods of secondary recovery which might be applicable. As a result of these investigations, the decision was made to initiate a gas injection program of sufficient intensity to maintain reservoir pressure at approximately 600 psia, or some 274 lb above the bubble point pressure of 326 psia. A full scale dispersed type gas injection program has been in operation on leases of the Stanolind Oil and Gas Co. in the southern portion of the field for nearly five years, and sufficient performance data are now available to evaluate the benefits which have been derived from this project. It is the primary purpose of this paper to analyze the performance data for the Cedar Lake gas injection project and to point out the significance of the ohserved behavior with respect to certain hypotheses which have been advanced in recent years concerning the probable success of gas injection projects in limestone reservoirs. This paper properly should be regarded more on the order of a progress report, inasmuch as some revision in interpretation will undoubtedly be required from time to time as additional performance data are obtained, although the satisfactory performance of the project to date leaves little doubt as to the ultimate success of gas injection in the Cedar Lake Field. As a result of the success of the project to date, a unit was formed in the southern part of the field, effective March 1, 1951, for the purpose of continuation of the gas injection program. Participants in this unit are the Mid-Continent Petroleum Co. and Stanolind Oil and Gas Co. GEOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY The Cedar Lake Field is located in the northern portion of the Midland Basin area as shown in Fig. 1. The southwest portion of the field lies within a playa, or dry salt lake, which covers an area of approximately eight square miles. As might be expected, it was this lake which furnished the inspiration for the name of the field. Except for its value as a salt water disposal pit, this lake has succeeded only in magnifying the difficulties in developing this portion of the field. Typical of this section of West Texas, the area in general is relatively flat and has a semi-arid climate. The localized structure which favored the accumulation of oil is an anticline with approximately 100 ft of closure. The major axis of the structure extends in a general southeast-northwest direction. Originally this structure was defined by seismograph data, which have been subsequently confirmed by development. In general, the geologic column is typical of that found throughout the basin. From the surface to depth of approximately 1,800 ft, surface sands and undifferentiated red beds. probably Triassic. are encountered. Below this point to the producing horizon, all formations are of the Permian age.

Jan 1, 1951

By J. E. Huzarevich, R. M. Leibrock, R. G. Hiltz

The various factors considered in recommending the initiation of a gas injection project in the southern portion of the Cedar Lake Field are discussed. Performance history under gas injection operations is reviewed and these data are analyzed, utilizing both the material balance method and the fractional flow and frontal advance expressions. Results of the analysis of the performance data indicate that the injected gas has contacted and affected at least 60 per cent of the reservoir and a substantial increase in ultimate recovery can reasonably be expected. By holding the reservoir pressure appreciably above the bubble point, the well productive capacities have been maintained substantially above the level predicted for primary operations. The analysis of the Cedar Lake project suggests that in certain limestone reservoirs, at least, the probable success of gas injection cannot be predicted simply from ohservation of permeability distribution throughout the pay section, as indicated by core analysis data, on either one or a number of wells. Further, the performance of this particular project fails to indicate any basis for classifying carbonate reservoirs in general as being inherently unsuited to a dispersed type gas injection program, thus indicating that each reservoir should be considered on its own merits, regardless of the composition of the reservoir rock. INTRODUCTION Early in the life of the Cedar Lake Field, an extensive data gathering program was initiated to provide an accurate record of reservoir performance characteristics. From the study of these data it was apparent that there was a critical need for supplementing the natural reservoir energy in order to maintain well productivities and obtain the maximum ultimate oil recovery. Accordingly, detailed engineering studies were made of the various methods of secondary recovery which might be applicable. As a result of these investigations, the decision was made to initiate a gas injection program of sufficient intensity to maintain reservoir pressure at approximately 600 psia, or some 274 lb above the bubble point pressure of 326 psia. A full scale dispersed type gas injection program has been in operation on leases of the Stanolind Oil and Gas Co. in the southern portion of the field for nearly five years, and sufficient performance data are now available to evaluate the benefits which have been derived from this project. It is the primary purpose of this paper to analyze the performance data for the Cedar Lake gas injection project and to point out the significance of the ohserved behavior with respect to certain hypotheses which have been advanced in recent years concerning the probable success of gas injection projects in limestone reservoirs. This paper properly should be regarded more on the order of a progress report, inasmuch as some revision in interpretation will undoubtedly be required from time to time as additional performance data are obtained, although the satisfactory performance of the project to date leaves little doubt as to the ultimate success of gas injection in the Cedar Lake Field. As a result of the success of the project to date, a unit was formed in the southern part of the field, effective March 1, 1951, for the purpose of continuation of the gas injection program. Participants in this unit are the Mid-Continent Petroleum Co. and Stanolind Oil and Gas Co. GEOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY The Cedar Lake Field is located in the northern portion of the Midland Basin area as shown in Fig. 1. The southwest portion of the field lies within a playa, or dry salt lake, which covers an area of approximately eight square miles. As might be expected, it was this lake which furnished the inspiration for the name of the field. Except for its value as a salt water disposal pit, this lake has succeeded only in magnifying the difficulties in developing this portion of the field. Typical of this section of West Texas, the area in general is relatively flat and has a semi-arid climate. The localized structure which favored the accumulation of oil is an anticline with approximately 100 ft of closure. The major axis of the structure extends in a general southeast-northwest direction. Originally this structure was defined by seismograph data, which have been subsequently confirmed by development. In general, the geologic column is typical of that found throughout the basin. From the surface to depth of approximately 1,800 ft, surface sands and undifferentiated red beds. probably Triassic. are encountered. Below this point to the producing horizon, all formations are of the Permian age.

Jan 1, 1951

By M. A. Mayers, J. A. Thompson

In recent years, the problem of damage to coke-oven walls by expanding coal charges undergoing carbonization has engaged great attention on the part of research workers in this field, and has led to the development of many devices for estimating these pressures.l-14 Only in Russell's method" and in the Koppers ovens7 are conditions quite similar to those in commercial ovens. Tests even in these ovens are empirical because no information has been published to permit an evaluation of "scale effects." Owing to the relatively large wall area in these test ovens, the average wall pressure determined may be lower than that existing in localized areas. This factor may be compensated for in part by the testing of coal charged into the test oven at a bulk density that is as high as the highest that is believed to exist in commercial ovens. Both of these lacks might be filled by the development of an adequate gauge for the direct measurement of wall pressure exerted by the charge in commercial coke ovens in normal operation. Previous attempts to elaborate such instruments7,15 have resulted in units which, because they had to be water-cooled, probably produced changes in the conditions of carbonization, and which had to be removed from the oven before carbonization was complete, to avoid their destruction. Late in 1941 the Coal Research Laboratory undertook to develop such a gauge, in which gas pressure was balanced against the charge pressure and which thus would not require water cooling, on a suggestion made in 1937 by one of the present authors and William B. Warren, a former member of the Laboratory staff. The gauge heads themselves were to be simple and cheap enough so that they might be discarded after each run if seriously damaged. This would permit them to be left in place throughout the carbonizing period, when they could be pushed out with the coke. The basis of the design, of which the latest exemplification is shown in Fig. I, was that as the internal gas pressure within a flexible metal envelope was increased, the flexible wall would move away from a stop when the gas pressure just overbalanced the charge pressure. If the stop were an insulated electrical contact, the point of balance could be indicated by the breaking of an electric circuit. It was anticipated that, while the instrument must operate at high temperature, the presence of a strongly reducing atmosphere throughout the carbonizing period would so reduce the danger of scaling that mild steel could be used for the gauge. This expectation has been justified. Danger of attack on silica oven walls by the steel gauge body can be eliminated by cementing asbestos paper or an alundum or silica plate to the back of the gauge body. The gauge head itself has a relatively heavy mild-steel body, A, into which standard ¼-in. pipe B is screwed to conduct gas and electrical leads. The body is closed by a single bellows C, consisting of two annuli of 0.011-in. (o.a8-mm.) cold-rolled shim-steel spot-welded together at their outside edges. The lower one is

Jan 1, 1944

By J. A. Thompson, M. A. Mayers

In recent years, the problem of damage to coke-oven walls by expanding coal charges undergoing carbonization has engaged great attention on the part of research workers in this field, and has led to the development of many devices for estimating these pressures.l-14 Only in Russell's method" and in the Koppers ovens7 are conditions quite similar to those in commercial ovens. Tests even in these ovens are empirical because no information has been published to permit an evaluation of "scale effects." Owing to the relatively large wall area in these test ovens, the average wall pressure determined may be lower than that existing in localized areas. This factor may be compensated for in part by the testing of coal charged into the test oven at a bulk density that is as high as the highest that is believed to exist in commercial ovens. Both of these lacks might be filled by the development of an adequate gauge for the direct measurement of wall pressure exerted by the charge in commercial coke ovens in normal operation. Previous attempts to elaborate such instruments7,15 have resulted in units which, because they had to be water-cooled, probably produced changes in the conditions of carbonization, and which had to be removed from the oven before carbonization was complete, to avoid their destruction. Late in 1941 the Coal Research Laboratory undertook to develop such a gauge, in which gas pressure was balanced against the charge pressure and which thus would not require water cooling, on a suggestion made in 1937 by one of the present authors and William B. Warren, a former member of the Laboratory staff. The gauge heads themselves were to be simple and cheap enough so that they might be discarded after each run if seriously damaged. This would permit them to be left in place throughout the carbonizing period, when they could be pushed out with the coke. The basis of the design, of which the latest exemplification is shown in Fig. I, was that as the internal gas pressure within a flexible metal envelope was increased, the flexible wall would move away from a stop when the gas pressure just overbalanced the charge pressure. If the stop were an insulated electrical contact, the point of balance could be indicated by the breaking of an electric circuit. It was anticipated that, while the instrument must operate at high temperature, the presence of a strongly reducing atmosphere throughout the carbonizing period would so reduce the danger of scaling that mild steel could be used for the gauge. This expectation has been justified. Danger of attack on silica oven walls by the steel gauge body can be eliminated by cementing asbestos paper or an alundum or silica plate to the back of the gauge body. The gauge head itself has a relatively heavy mild-steel body, A, into which standard ¼-in. pipe B is screwed to conduct gas and electrical leads. The body is closed by a single bellows C, consisting of two annuli of 0.011-in. (o.a8-mm.) cold-rolled shim-steel spot-welded together at their outside edges. The lower one is

Jan 1, 1944

By H. D. Hodges, J. K. Godbey

In order to better understand the fracturing process, bottom-hole pressures were measured during a number of typical fracturing operations. A recently developed system was used that allows simultaneous surface recording of both the bottom-hole and wellhead pressures on the same chart. The results from six fracruring treatments are summarized on the basis of the pressure data obtained. Al-though no complete analysis is attempted, the value of accurate pressure measurements is emphasized. Important characteristics of the bottom-hole pressure record do not appear at the wellhead because of the damping effect of the fluid-filled column. In four of the six treatments described, the formations apparently fractured during the initial surge of pressure with only crude oil in the well. The properties of the fluids used during the treatments are given and the fluid friction losses are obtained directly from the pressure records. This technique is also shown to be adequate for determining when various fluids, used during the process, enter the formation. INTRODUCTION Hydraulic fracturing for the purpose of increasing well productivity is now accepted in many areas as a regular completion and workover practice. Numerous articles have appeared in the literature discussing the various techniques and theories of hydraulic fracturing'. In general, three basic types of formation fractures are recognized today. These are the horizontal fracture, the vertical fracture, and fractures along natural planes of weakness in the formation'. Any one or all three of these fracture types may be present in a fracturing operation. However, with only the wellhead pressure record as a guide, it is difficult at best to determine if the formation actually fractured, and is almost impossible to determine the type of fracture induced. These difficulties arise in part because the wellhead pressure record, especially when fracturing through tubing, does not accurately reflect the pressure variations occurring at the formation. Several factors contribute to this effect and preclude the possibility of using the wellhead pressure as a basis for accurately calculating the bottom-hole pressure. These factors are: 1. The compressibilities of the fluids which damp the pressure variations. 2. The changes in the densities of the fluids or apparent densities of the sand-laden fluids. 3. The flowing friction of the various fluids and mixtures, which is dependent on the flow rates and the condition of the tubing, casing, or wellbore. 4. The non-Newtonian characteristics of a sand-oil mixture and its dependence upon the fluid properties, the concentration of sand, and the mesh size used. 5. The unknown and variable temperatures throughout the fluid column. Because of these reasons it was determined that in order to obtain a more accurate knowledge of the nature of fracturing, the bottom-hole pressure must be measured along with the pressure at the surface during a fracturing treatment. Even with accurate pressure data, a reliable estimate of the nature of fracturing is still dependent upon knowledge of the tectonic conditions. However, the hydraulic pressure on the formation is basic to any approach to a complete analysis. In order to accomplish this objective a system was developed to record the wellhead and bottom-hole pressures simultaneously at the surface. By recording both pressures on a dual pen strip-chart recorder, it was possible to greatly expand the time scale so that rapid pressure variations would be faithfully recorded. By such simultaneous recording, time discrepancies inherent in separate records are eliminated, thus overcoming one of the most difficult problems associated with bottom-hole recording systems. This paper illustrates the results obtained by using this system during six typical fracturing operations. All of these tests were taken in wells that were treated through tubing. By a direct comparison of the wellhead and bottom-hole pressures, the importance of obtaining complete pressure information during a fracturing treatment is emphasized. THE INSTRUMENTATION AND PROCEDURES The bottom-hole pressure measuring instrument consisted of a pressure-sensing element, a telemetering section, and a lead-filled weight or sinker bar. The pressure-sensing element used was an isoelastic Amerada pressure-gauge element. By using an isoelastic element, no temperature compensation was necessary in the tests described, since the temperature was believed to be well below the maximum temperature limit of 270°F. The rotary output shaft of this helical Bourdon tube element was coupled to a precision miniature potentiometer. The rotation of the pressure-gauge shaft thus changed the resistance presented by the potentiometer

By R. H. Doremus

From measurements of carbide precipitation rates in a iron it was concluded that the carbides nucleated on dislocations in both strained and unstrained samples, except for the latter at lower temperatures and higher carbon concentrations, where there were more muclei than could form on the dislocations. The equation of Cottrell and Bilby for the segregation of atoms to dislocations was found to be inapplicable to this system. No satisfactory theory for the growth process is available. A study of the rate at which a second phase separates from solid solution can frequently reveal much about the mechanism of separation. There are still many features of the precipitation of carbon from a iron that are not understood, although this system has been examined extensively. To provide more insight into the mechanism of carbide precipitation in a iron, rates of this process were measured at different temperatures, carbon concentrations, and densities of dislocations in the iron. The concentra- tion of carbon in solution was followed from the height of the internal-friction peak; this height is directly proportional to the amount of carbon in solution and is not affected by the growing carbide particles. In this paper these rates are compared with those found by earlier investigators, and the mechanism of precipitation is discussed in light of these results as well as two earlier studies1, 2 and the electron microscopic work reported in the preceding paper. EXPERIMENTAL The amount of carbon in solution was followed by

Jan 1, 1961

By D. A. Farmen

INTRODUCTION In early 1978, engineering personnel at The Carter Mining Company began using photogrammetry coupled with a computer modeling technique to aid in mine planning efforts. The decision to develop this approach was based on the following needs: 1. A method to accurately capture excavated quantities for reporting purposes, 2. A method to produce accurate up-to-date maps for planning purposes, and 3. A computer-based mine-planning technique that would be compatible with techniques used in the past. The system developed utilizes a photogrammetric contractor to provide thousands of aerially-surveyed data points for input into the computer system. Each month the Rawhide and Caballo mines are flown by the photogrammetric contractor. The terrain of the active pit area is digitized and punched out on computer cards. This information is read into The Carter Mining Company's computer facilities, and an updated two-dimensional topographic grid model of the pit is generated. This surface is used to generate quantities moved during the month, to update isopachs, and to update quantities contained in fixed block progression polygons used for forecasting purposes. The system has greatly reduced the amount of manhours spent in field surveying and provides a useful tool for expeditiously evaluating many different forecast cases. It also provides the

Jan 1, 1983

By John W. Bell

In the introduction to an excellent pamphlet, John Gross' makes the following statements: Although marked progress has been made along mechanical lines, the theory and conception of underlying principles have not advanced so rapidly. This lack of advance in theory may be attributed to the unfortunate situation resulting from the controversy as to whether the Rittinger or Kick law is applicable to crushing. Many pages of the technical literature are burdened with theoretical discussions in favor of one or the other of these laws, which have tended to cloud rather than to clear the atmosphere. Realizing the situation, the Milling Committee of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, through its secretary, E. A. Hersam, studied the milling industry and, because of the apparently hopeless lack of agreement in the Kick versus Rittinger dispute (5, 13, 14, 0, i8, 19, 21, 22, 23. 24, 30. 34), concluded that a foundation for the theory of crushing was of primary importance. The numbers in the paragraph quoted refer to papers listed by Mr. Gross in his Bibliography on Crushing and Grinding.1 One is obliged to infer that these papers show "hopeless lack of agreement in the Kick versus Rittinger dispute." No. 22 is a paper by Arthur O. Gates2 and No. 23 is one by the writer.3 Employing the subject matter contained in papers Nos. 22 and 23 2,3 the writer will show that their authors formulated identical conclusions, based solely on experimental evidence. Exactly the same defect in the Stadler hypothesis was described in each of the two papers, although entirely different experimental methods were employed in uncovering it. Both of the authors, independently, formulated the conclusion that Rittinger's was a true hypothesis and Stadler's false. The evidence in a third paper4 will be employed to prove that Stadler's hypothesis, when examined experimentally, is worthless. STADLER'S HYPOTHESIS WORTHLESS It is the writer's opinion that the evidence available in 1915 and the corroborating evidence in 1916 was amply sufficient to eliminate the need for any further consideration of Stadler's hypothesis. Certainly the evidence produced in 1918 dealt this hypothesis its coup de grace. It follows, therefore, that in the year 1918 there was only one credible hypothesis left-the Rittinger hypothesis. Gates' Opinion What information is available in Mr. Gates' paper?2 His conclusions are not consecutively summarized, none the less they are perfectly clear. On page 876, Gates says, and it is a very significant utterance: But my results show, among other things, that many more of Stadler's energy units are obtained per foot-pound-applied in coarse than in fine crushing. This suggests a doubt as to the correctness of his unit, since one would expect a foot-pound-applied to produce the same number of "energy units," whether the feed and resulting product were coarse or fine. When Rittinger's theory is applied, the number of mesh-tons (my unit of surface produced) is

Jan 1, 1942

By M. S. Burton, H. H. Kranzlein, G. V. Smith

The influence of up to 2 at. pct of Ni and Pt on the yield strength of mono- and polycrystalline high-purity iron has been evaluated at temperatures from + 25° to -196°C. Current theories of solid -solution strengthening fail to explain the experimental observations. The temperature dependence of yield stress was found to be less in the alloys than that in high-purity iron. The room-temperature yield stress increased with alloy content, but at —78°C the yield strength first decreased with increasing a1loy content. AS a result of many studies, a number of theories have been proposed for solid-solution strengthening. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate these theories, as applied to the solid-solution strengthening observed in Fe-Ni and Fe-Pt alloys. Of various theories of solid-solution strengthening, those of Cottrell,1,2 Fisher,3 Suzuki,4 and Mott and Nabarro5 are most prominent, and have been discussed widely in the literature.'-' Of the recent concepts of solid-solution hardening the work of Fleischer9 is notable. Each of these models has been applied to particular alloy systems with some success, but in general none has proved generally applicable. In many of the previous studies to assess the effects of alloy additions in ferrous systems, lack of adequate control of the purity and grain size of the materials has obscured strengthening effects, so that few comprehensive data relating composition, temperature, and change of lattice parameter have been determined. In the present investigation an attempt was made to obtain data which would be meaningful in evaluating the theories of strengthening. Materials of high purity were used to minimize extraneous impurity effects, and both single crystals and polycrystalline materials were studied to evaluate the effect of grain boundaries. Nickel and platinum were chosen as alloy additions, because both belong to the same chemical group and have the same crystal structure and valence, with markedly different atomic diameters. It appeared that some conclusions regarding atomic size effect on strengthening might be made. MATERIALS AND PROCEDURES Fe-Ni and Fe-Pt alloys containing 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 at. pct alloy additions were prepared from high-purity materials. The iron was supplied by the American Iron and Steel Institute from a stock of 99.98 pct zone-refined iron prepared by Battelle Memorial Institute. The minimum purity of the nickel and platinum used for alloying was 99.98 and 99.999 pct, respectively. Alloys were prepared by levitation melting, cast into cylindrical copper molds, and cooled, all under a partial pressure (0.3 atm) of purified helium. Samples were 0.375 in. in diameter and weighed 20 to 25 g. Chemical analyses of the alloys are given in Table I. A sample of unalloyed iron also was cast as a control specimen.

Jan 1, 1965

By L. L. McMurray

ILMENITE is the most important raw material for manufacture of titanium dioxide.1 Industrially, several other products are made from ilmenite, the most important of which are: ferrotitanium, ferro carbon-titanium, copper-titanium, titanium carbide and titanium nitride. The production of titanium metal is still in the laboratory stage because of the difficulty of extraction and as yet no important application for the metal has been found. Ilmenite has received considerable attention as an industrial raw material. Imports of ilmenite concentrates for the first nine months of 1941 were 156,737 short tons, the chief source being Travancore, India.2 Domestic production of ilmenite has here-tofore been confined to Amherst and Nelson Counties, Virginia, where a complex rutile, ilmenite, and apatite ore is mined and treated to utilize all three of these minerals. A recent report3 has described development of the large titaniferous magnetite ore body at Tahawas, New York, where it is expected that 800 tons of ilmenite concentrates, containing 48 per cent Ti02 will be produced daily. Additional domestic production is expected from a large ilmenite deposit recently opened in Caldwell County, North Carolina. Flotation tests indicate that a high-grade concentrate containing 53 per cent Ti02 can be made from the North Carolina ore. Prospecting of domestic ores in other areas has been reported.4 It appears that increased domestic production of ilmenite may well save considerable shipping space so vitally needed in these times. The composition and chemical structure of pure ilmenite is given by Dana as: FeO, TiO2; Ti, 31.6 per cent, Fe, 36.8 per cent, 02, 31.6 per cent. This composition is variable in that some iron or titanium may be replaced, giving a variable iron-titanium ratio. As an example, the iron-titanium weight ratio of ilmenite in Caldwell County, North Carolina, has been determined to be 0.94 (using 97.1 per cent ilmenite concentrate obtained by heavy liquids on minus 150-mesh ore) compared with theoretical 1.16. No rutile was noted in this ore to account for the low value. This North Carolina ore is free of magnetite, which is a common associate of ilmenite ores. In view of a large potential production from North Carolina, the Tennessee Valley Authority conducted a study of methods of concentration of that ore, of which the results are reported herein. THE ORE Five samples of ore were taken from the deposit at various exposed locations and were mixed for the study and testing. An attempt was made to proportion the amount of weathered and unweathered portions in making the composite sample, so as to approximate actual operating conditions. An examination of representative specimens of the sample showed the following general facts: I. The black mineral comprising nearly 70 per cent of the ore is ilmenite.

Jan 1, 1944

By T. G. R. Rawlins, L. E. Brosselard

Direct platinum carbon replicas have been used to study substrates prior to growth and after initial nu-cleation of the layer. Replicas have been directly stripped and correlations have been made with other replica techniques. Mechanically polished substrates are very flat with occasional areas of "dirt", which is apparently silicon. When such substrates are etched in hydrochloric acid gas, scratches and hexagonal defects (thought to be polishing compound) are revealed, together with areas of apparent redeposition. Chemically polished substrates are much less flat although much more homogeneous in appearance. Heat treat)nents have no effect. Nuclei deposited on these surfaces, using a normal silicon tetrachloride system, have been examined. Nuclei on mechanically polished subsrates occur in random areas only, whereas on chemically polished surfaces they are more uniformly distributed. THE interest in the study of thin films and now their rapidly expanding use in many fields has increased over a period of years. Much of this current interest, particularly in the field of single-crystal or epitaxial thin films, has derived its stimulus not only from possibilities for application but also from fundamental electron-microscope studies which have indicated the manner of growth of such layers from the initial nuclei.1-5 Previous work involving study of growth processes may be divided into three categories. First, vacuum deposition, primarily of metals, on a variety of substrates has been studied by electron microscopy and electron-diffraction techniques. These have shown the three-dimensional aspect of nucleation and the remarkable liquidlike behavior of the growing nuclei which coalesce to form a complete layer. More recently this work has been expanded in two ways: by growth inside the electron microscope this has obvious advantages for kinetic studies; and by growth in ultrahigh vacuum—much of this work has been done on semiconductors.8-11 It is of interest to note that metals, specifically gold deposited on rock salt, will form only polycrystalline layers in ultrahigh vacuum unless the substrate surface is contaminated.12 In general the mode of growth for vacuum-deposited semiconductor films is the same as that for metal films. The second method of growth that has been studied is that of electrodeposition.13,14 The little that has been published suggests that the mode of growth is similar to the vacuum case, except that irregularities may perturb the electric field and disturb the growth process. The third and last primary method of growing epitaxial layers is by use of chemical methods. These techniques have generated much interest and much has been published on them. Considerable electron-microscope work has been done on the defects in the layers; however comparatively little work has been undertaken on the initial nucleation and early stages of growth. Confining ourselves now exclusively to the case of silicon, Charig et a1.15 have considered the growth of silicon on silicon substrates by hydrogen reduction of trichlorosilane, and studied the films by means of replica and transmission techniques. Subsequently they have studied the same system for growth on quartz,16 and with the addition of pyrolysis of silane on quartz and alumina.17 Also Manasevit el al. have studied deposits using silane and silicon tetrachloride on sapphire.18-14 Finally, in this volume studies of deposition on beryllia and sapphire are reported. Although Revesz and Evans20 have examined complete layers, grown by means of the widely used silicon tetrachloride reaction, no detailed examination similar to that published by Charig and Joyce21 for the trichlorosilane system has been given. Therefore this investigation has examined substrate surfaces prior to growth and then nucleation on these surfaces for the silicon tetrachloride system. EXPERIMENTAL In this work the surfaces have been studied by means of standard replica techniques. Because of the very real problems associated with artifacts introduced,22 different replicas and different cleaning

Jan 1, 1967

By J. Edgar Pew

As MOST of the oil production comes from leased-lands and not fee property, I shall refer to "leases" as covering the producing tracts. To produce oil, leases on land must first be obtained. Well-selected leases are all important. Not many years ago, the location for drilling for oil in wildcat territory was too frequently determined by the nearness, of adequate water and fuel supply, or with a view to cheapness of transportation. To some extent, the "creekology" theory is the result of the number of wildcat tests made near streams, to obtain water for operations. Now, an up-to-date operator will depend on his geologists for his location and, in many cases, will spend thousands of dollars to get water to it. The wisdom of following the geologist rather than the creek has been abundantly demonstrated in the past few years. In vast territories, where dry holes are spotted at intervals of a few miles or less. apart, and by reason of which these territories have been condemned for oil, the geologist is now finding many more spots that are producing large quantities of oil. No better tribute to the work of the geologist can be found than the surface and subsurface work being done in practically all parts of Oklahoma and the development had as a result of this, work. A land department is usually organized by placing in charge a man who is not only acquainted with the oil development, but who is a shrewd buyer, a first requisite for which should be unquestioned integrity. It takes a shrewd buyer to resist the persuasive lease broker, frequently backed by a geological picture from which the oil fairly drips. The geologist can help a lot by being absolutely honest when he makes these pictures; he will also thus strengthen his own cause. A geologist should interpret his own work and put his name behind his interpretation. If he does not he is liable to be misquoted and often discredited, as a result, by some overzealous lease broker giving an interpretation never intended by the geologist.

Jan 8, 1925

By G. A. Vissac

The drying of fine coal involves special techniques, which are discussed and analyzed. Types of dryers employing these techniques are described. Calculations are presented for new methods of deal ing with the entrained dust that is always present in fine coal drying operations.

Jan 10, 1953

By E. O. Jones, E. Whitehead

During the heating of cold-worked nickel silver, the tendcncy of the material to crack is well known. The present research deals with this question, and may conveniently be divided into the following sections: Changes in these alloys during heating and cooling, determination of the temperature at which cracking occurs, effect of grain size, quenching cracks, methods of overcoming annealing cracking. The work is far from complete, in particular the influence of impurities on this tendency has not been investigated, but the results so far obtained lead to certain definite conclusions, which are of theoretical and practical importance. Changes in Alloys During Heating and Cooling During the annealing of many metals at a temperature just below that at which recrystallization sets in, there is evidence of some change, the effect of which is to harden and embrittle the material. This effect has been most clearly demonstrated in the cases of aluminum, copper, brass, and nickel silver, and appears to be a common property of cold-worked metals and alloys, or, at any rate, the non-ferrous ones. The effect would obviously offer an explanation for certain types of annealing cracking, but the trouble is so much more common in the nickel silvers than in the other alloys that some special cause should be looked for. There is, however, fairly good reason for believing that similar cracking may occur in some of the brasses; D. Bunting1 suggests that the a brasses toward the saturation limit are subject to a transformation closely allied in nature to that known to occur in the nickel silvers at around 320" C. Although the existence of this critical temperature range was known, it did not necessarily follow that this transformation was responsible for the trouble under investigation, so the first portion of this paper deals with the attempts made to determine whether other critical changes might not occur in these alloys. There were already reasons for the belief that such would prove to be the case, as the mechanical properties of the nickel

Jan 1, 1926

By John W. Bell

In the introduction to an excellent pamphlet, John Gross' makes the following statements: Although marked progress has been made along mechanical lines, the theory and conception of underlying principles have not advanced so rapidly. This lack of advance in theory may be attributed to the unfortunate situation resulting from the controversy as to whether the Rittinger or Kick law is applicable to crushing. Many pages of the technical literature are burdened with theoretical discussions in favor of one or the other of these laws, which have tended to cloud rather than to clear the atmosphere. Realizing the situation, the Milling Committee of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, through its secretary, E. A. Hersam, studied the milling industry and, because of the apparently hopeless lack of agreement in the Kick versus Rittinger dispute (5, 13, 14, 16, 18. 19. 21, 22, 23, 24, 30, 34). concluded that a foundation lor the theory of crushing was of primary importance. The numbers in the paragraph quoted refer to papers listed by Mr. Gross in his Bibliography on Crushing and Grinding.I One is obliged to infer that these papers show "hopeless lack of agreement in the Kick versus Rittinger dispute." No. 22 is a paper by Arthur 0. Gates2 and No. 23 is one by the writer.3 Employing the subject matter contained in papers Nos. 22 and 232,3 the writer will show that their authors formulated identical conclusions, based solely on experimental evidence. Exactly the same defect in the Stadler hypothesis was described in each of the two papers, although entirely different experimental methods were employed in uncovering it. Both of the authors, independently, formulated the conclusion that Rittinger's was a true hypothesis and Stadler's false. The evidence in a third paper4 will be employed to prove that Stadler's hypothesis, when examined experimentally, is worthless. Stadler's Hypothesis Worthless It is the writer's opinion that the evidence available in 1915 and the corroborating evidence in 1916 was amply sufficient to eliminate the need for any further consideration of Stadler's hypothesis. Certainly the evidence produced in 1918 dealt this hypothesis its coup de grace. It follows, therefore, that in the year 1918 there was only one credible hypothesis left—the Rittinger hypothesis. Gates' Opinion What information is available in Mr. Gates' paper?2 His conclusions are not consecutively summarized, none the less they are perfectly clear. On page 876, Gates says, and it is a very significant utterance: But my results show, among other things. that many more of Stadler's energy units are obtained per foot-pound-applied in coarse than in finc crushing. This suggests a doubt as to the correctness of his unit, since one would expect a foot-pound-applied to produce the same number of "energy units," whether the feed and resulting product were coarse or fine. When Rittinger's theory is applied, the number of mesh-tons (my unit of surface produced) is

Jan 1, 1943

By John W. Bell

In the introduction to an excellent pamphlet, John Gross' makes the following statements: Although marked progress has been made along mechanical lines, the theory and conception of underlying principles have not advanced so rapidly. This lack of advance in theory may be attributed to the unfortunate situation resulting from the controversy as to whether the Rittinger or Kick law is applicable to crushing. Many pages of the technical literature are burdened with theoretical discussions in favor of one or the other of these laws, which have tended to cloud rather than to clear the atmosphere. Realizing the situation, the Milling Committee of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, through its secretary, E. A. Hersam, studied the milling industry and, because of the apparently hopeless lack of agreement in the Kick versus Rittinger dispute (5, 13, 14, 16, 18. 19. 21, 22, 23, 24, 30, 34). concluded that a foundation lor the theory of crushing was of primary importance. The numbers in the paragraph quoted refer to papers listed by Mr. Gross in his Bibliography on Crushing and Grinding.I One is obliged to infer that these papers show "hopeless lack of agreement in the Kick versus Rittinger dispute." No. 22 is a paper by Arthur 0. Gates2 and No. 23 is one by the writer.3 Employing the subject matter contained in papers Nos. 22 and 232,3 the writer will show that their authors formulated identical conclusions, based solely on experimental evidence. Exactly the same defect in the Stadler hypothesis was described in each of the two papers, although entirely different experimental methods were employed in uncovering it. Both of the authors, independently, formulated the conclusion that Rittinger's was a true hypothesis and Stadler's false. The evidence in a third paper4 will be employed to prove that Stadler's hypothesis, when examined experimentally, is worthless. Stadler's Hypothesis Worthless It is the writer's opinion that the evidence available in 1915 and the corroborating evidence in 1916 was amply sufficient to eliminate the need for any further consideration of Stadler's hypothesis. Certainly the evidence produced in 1918 dealt this hypothesis its coup de grace. It follows, therefore, that in the year 1918 there was only one credible hypothesis left—the Rittinger hypothesis. Gates' Opinion What information is available in Mr. Gates' paper?2 His conclusions are not consecutively summarized, none the less they are perfectly clear. On page 876, Gates says, and it is a very significant utterance: But my results show, among other things. that many more of Stadler's energy units are obtained per foot-pound-applied in coarse than in finc crushing. This suggests a doubt as to the correctness of his unit, since one would expect a foot-pound-applied to produce the same number of "energy units," whether the feed and resulting product were coarse or fine. When Rittinger's theory is applied, the number of mesh-tons (my unit of surface produced) is

Jan 1, 1943

NEW MEMBERS. The following list comprises the names of those persons who became members during the month of November, 1913: Members. AGNEW, JOHN L., Gent Supt Copper Cliff, Ont., Canada. BAILEY, FRANK C, Mine Mgr 2003 IV. Snito Ave., Spokane, Wash. BATEMAN, ALAN M., Min. Geol.,Care L. C. Graton, Geological Museum, Cambridge,Mass. BERRYHILL, JAMES G.,Atty.-at-law and Mining Investor, Equitable Bldg., Des Moines, Ia. CARTLIDGE, OSCAR, Mgr. State Mine Rescue Station, 452 W. South Grand Ave.. Springfield. Ill.

Jan 12, 1913

By Frank Linforth

THE object of this paper is to present a brief outline of the methods of geologic mapping employed in the Geological Department of the Anaconda Copper Mining Co., at Butte, and to show by means of a few typical examples the practical nature of the results obtained. The extremely complicated geological conditions early encountered in Butte mining led mine operators to realize the necessity of accurate detailed geologic mapping as an aid to successful development of the ore bodies. The organization of the Anaconda Geological Department was undertaken in 1900 by H. V. Winchell, who, in conjunction with D. W. Brunton, worked out the essential methods of procedure which are, in the main, followed at the present time. Since the year 1906 the geologic work has been under the direction of Reno H. Sales, and in some respects the scope of the work has been slightly enlarged. Au excellent article describing the general equipment of the geological department was presented by D. W. Brunton at the British Columbia meeting of the Institute in 1905.1 His idea, that data collected underground and recorded should be put to practical use and not remain a mere " inventory of the company's underground possessions," is the keynote to the success of applied geology in Butte. The geologic notes are taken as soon as possible after the ground is broken so that any mistake in the mining may be corrected at once, or any particularly advantageous procedure may be suggested before any useless work is done. Taking the notes underground is a comparatively simple matter, but a few necessary precautions may be pointed out. The essential to success is that the notes shall show exactly what geological facts are disclosed. The observer must discriminate carefully between important and unimportant exposures in making the record, especially as regards the relation between veins and stringers, between faults and minor slips, or between the characteristics of veins of different ages. A simple color scheme has been adopted for making this record: Red pencils are used to indicate.

Jan 11, 1913

Conservatively, there are a half million square miles in Australia just like it, this spot near the western border of New South Wales. Space and distance are the elements. Mulga tree and salt bush, silvery under the sun, hug the ground too close to make welcome shade. To the east a wrinkle on the empty plain marks the line of lode, the Broken Hill bonanza. Strangely, the outback stops at a cyclone fence close by the ridge. Beyond, the peculiar island continent vegetation flourishes with the same frosty patina of the mulga and the salt bush. A city of 30,000 people is hidden behind the screen of vegetation. Once, the city was ugly and the people miserable from marching, flying sand. Now with a protective screen of vegetation, it is an oasis in the outback. The secret of the oasis is the fence. All regeneration plans failed until it was built to keep kangaroo, rabbit, sheep and man from destroying the plantations.

Jan 10, 1964