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By Charles Larkey

NUMEROUS papers have been published on the use of graphic methods to determine the best curve to be used in estimating the production decline of oil wells but, as far as the writer has been able to ascertain, nothing has been published dealing directly with the subject as to how curves may be worked out mathematically, which will conform most closely to the production data under consideration in any given instance; hence the writer has endeavored to show by means of a few concrete examples just how such appli-cation can be made. Among valuation engineers, two types of curves are in current use for the representation of the decline in production of oil wells. One may be represented by the equation, y = krx, sometimes known as a percentage curve, for the reason that the production for any period is multiplied by a constant rate or percentage to obtain the production for the succeeding period. This curve appears as a straight line on semi-logarithmic cross-section paper. The other curve may be represented by the equation, y = kxn, and is shown as a straight line on logarithmic cross-section paper. In each of these equations, y represents the number of barrels produced over a given period of time, and x the successive periods of time. The other letters are constants to be determined for each well or group of wells considered in arriving at the most probable curve to represent the rate of production for a given property; from which the underground reserves may be estimated by extrapolation, or the extending of the curve beyond the last known period of production to show the most probable production values for the future.

Jan 7, 1923

By R. W. Raymond

Prof. Henry Lours, of Armstrong College, Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, a distinguished member of this Institute and other technical societies, has recently sent to the Institution of Mining Engineers, and to the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, in Great Britain, a communication, the substance of which is as follows : Professor Louis calls attention to the absence of any recognized English term for the definite description of a frequent phenomenon—namely,the oblique position of an ore-body in the plane in which it lies. In this connection, Professor Louis says that in America the term " pitch " has been occasionally applied to this relation, and proposes that, in the literature of ore-deposits, it shall be hereafter restricted to this particular meaning, the angle of the pitch, like that of the dip, being always measured from the horizontal, and the dip being always taken at right angles to the strike, while the pitch is taken on the plane of the dip, in the direction of the strike. Thus, for example, in a vein or bed striking N-S., and dipping, say, 45' E., there might be an ore-body, the axis of which pitched northward, at an angle of 45O below the horizontal line, as measured on the plane of the inclosing vein or bed. If' the term " pitch " had this universally recognized meaning, the situation could be simply and perfectly expressed by its use, in connection with the general data of strike and dip. As Professor Louis says: "This suggestion has a certain practical value, and is not merely academic. Every mining engineer of practical experience in such types of ore-deposit will have met with cases, in which a vertical shaft has been sunk with the object of cutting the deposit, but has missed it, because the dip alone has been taken into account, while the pitch has been overlooked." He adds the acute observation that such an oversight is much likelier to occur with regard to a condition not definitely desig-

Jan 1, 1909

Jan 1, 1886

By John V. Beall

As Mother Nature arranged it, the hottest potential mineral target in the country today, the Stillwater complex had to occur in a spectacular natural setting-the north margin of the Bear Tooth Mountains of Montana. What more appropriate backdrop for the August 17-18 field hearings of Senator Frank E. Moss (D-Utah). His subcommittee, on Minerals. Materials and Fuels, heard 37 witnesses ponder the value of minerals vs esthetics or other uses of federal lands. On August 17, four Army Hueys swept the senatorial party, the press, Forest Service Officers and such distinguished witnesses as Montana Governor Forrest H. Anderson over the Custer-Gallatin National Forests, besting the thin air of 10,000 ft p1us, they set down on Iron Plateau.

Jan 1, 1971

WE, the undersigned, being all persons of full age and citizens of the United States and a majority residents of the State of New York, desiring to form a corporation pursuant to the provisions of the Membership Corporations Law for the purpose of incorporating, as provided in Section 5 of Article I. of said law, the existing unincorporated association known as American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers, Incorporated, do hereby make, acknowledge and file this Certificate for that purpose, and do certify as follows: I. That the American Institute of Mining Engineers is an unincorporated association organized and existing with the object of promoting the arts and sciences connected with the economic production of the useful minerals and metals and the welfare of those employed in these industries by means of meetings for social intercourse and the reading and discussion of professional papers, and to circulate by means of publications among its members and associates the information thus obtained.

Jan 1, 1946

DURING the month of March there was some lifting of the veil, revealing somewhat of the maelstrom in the economics and politics of the world. Great Britain was in throes of political controversy, with threats of resignation by Lloyd George and a general election to ensue. Ireland was uneasy with internecine squabbles. The leaders of the opposing sides have been summoned to London for a conference which Parlia-ment believes offers the only hope of a solution of the present difficulties. France, awakening more and more to grim realities, learned of a budget for 1922 calling for more than 50 billion francs, or nearly one-third of the estimated national production, with the prospect that after this deduction is made there will be nothing left over what is required for the immediate support of the, people, and that on a reduced scale. Germany, although hard at work, found itself coming closer and closer to financial collapse and repeated its intimations that it would be unable to keep up with the provisional payments of 31 million gold marks to the Reparations Commission every 10 days as arranged at Cannes. Russia suffered more acutely from the famine and there were evidences of political insubordination among the Ukrainians. Egypt was in trouble arising from determination to win independence. About the middle of March the complete independence of Egypt was established and that country passed into somewhat the same relation-ship toward Great Britain that Panama has to the United States. At the head of the Adriatic, Fiume came into notice again with disorders threatening to produce conflict between Italy and Jugoslavia. In the Near East there were forebodings of trouble through resumption this spring. of the war between Greece and Turkey.

Jan 4, 1922

By H. A. Wilmeth

IN 1955, before planning an accelerated stripping program, Chino Mines Div. began an engineering study to improve data for estimating truck haulage costs for any future haulage layout. The study aimed to develop: 1) significant unit costs, 2) a method of estimating travel time from which truck needs and future stripping rate could be determined, and 3) yardsticks of performance to measure haulage efficiencies. It was suggested that to provide significant unit costs, expense accounts should offer management two types of cost control information-unit cost yardsticks with which monthly unit costs could be compared and unit costs for estimating future expenses for any haulage layout.

Jan 5, 1958

By Joseph E. Pogue

THERE are two methods employed in the development of oil pools. The older and dominant method is one in which the primary object is the protection of the underground deposit from drainage through competing wells, and considerations of efficiency of extraction and cost of production are subordinated thereto. The newer and less prevalent method is one in which maximum efficiency and minimum cost are the first objectives and developments to these ends may proceed undisturbed by the exigencies of competitive drainage. The second method has developed mainly in pools under single ownership and the term "unit operation" has come to be applied to this procedure. A single ownership, however, is not essential to the method, for unity of operation may be achieved by agreement under split ownership, or even by a concert of enlightened purpose. There are examples of unit operation where neither the ownership nor the management is a unit, but merely where unity of procedure has been attained, as is the case of the Yates pool. .Throughout this paper unit operation is used in its broad sense without implying sole ownership or single management, although unit operation is more conveniently attained where these conditions are present.

Jan 1, 1930

[Officers and Committees of the Society of Petroleum Engineers 1 Officers and Staff of the AIME 2 Officers of AIME Sections. Predominantly Petroleum in Membership 3 Alphabetical List of Members 5 Geographical List of Members 95 Advertisers' Index 122]

Jan 1, 1961

The National Research Council was organized in 1916 at the request of the President by the National Academy of Sciences, under its congressional charter, as a measure of national preparedness. The work accomplished by the council in organizing research and in securing cooperation of military and civilian agencies in the solution of military problems demonstrates its capacity for larger service. The National Academy of Sciences is therefore requested to perpetuate the National Research Council, the duties of which shall he as follows: 1. In general, to stimulate research in the mathematical, physical, and biological sciences, and in the application of these sciences to engineering, agriculture, medicine, and other useful arts, with the object of increasing knowledge, of strengthening the national defense, and of contributing in other ways to the public welfare. 2. To survey the larger possibilities of science, to formulate comprehensive projects of research, and to develop effective means of utilizing the scientific and technical resources of the country for dealing with these projects. 3. To promote cooperation in research, at horse and abroad, in order to secure concentration of effort, minimize duplication, and stimulate progress; but in all cooperative undertakings to give encouragement to individual initiative as fundamentally important to the advancement of science. 4. To serve as a means of bringing American and foreign investigators into active cooperation with the scientific and technical services of the War and Navy Departments and with those of the civil branches of the Government. 5. To direct the attention of scientific and technical investigators to the present importance of military and industrial problems in connection with the war, and to aid in the solution of these problems by organizing specific researches. 6. To gather and collate scientific and technical information, at home and abroad, in cooperation with governmental and other agencies, and to render such information available to duly accredited persons. Effective prosecution of the council's work requires the cordial collaboration of the scientific and technical branches of the Government, both military and civil. To this end representatives of the Government, upon the nomination of the National Academy of Sciences, will he designated by the President as members of the council, as heretofore, and the heads of the departments immediately concerned will continue to cooperate in every way that may be required. THE WHITE HOUSE, WOODROW WILSON. 11 May, 1918.

Jan 7, 1918

By Edgar T. Wherry

EDGAR .T. WHERRY,* Washington, D. C. (communication to the Secretary ?).-Dr. Pogue's presentation of the facts concerning the emerald deposits is very clear and convincing, and the only addition that I can suggest is a summary of previous theories of origin. He makes it evident that the pegmatite theory is the only one capable of explaining the existing relations, but upon certain details there may be some difference of opinion. If I understand the term pneumatolytic, it does not imply that all the elements concerned in a given deposit were transported as gases, but rather that the crystallization of these elements into the various minerals was favored by the presence of certain gaseous substances, notably H20, C02 and HF. It is highly improbable that the oxides of glucinum, aluminum, chromium, and silicon, which enter into the composition of the mineral emerald could have been transported in the gaseous form. The same is true of the metallic constituents of the parisite and other associated minerals. The explanation suggested, that solutions separated into liquid and gaseous portions, the latter ascending and forming the emerald in the upper portions of the rock only, therefore, seems to me untenable. When two formations exist side by side and one, A, is mineralized while the other, B, is barren, the possible explanations may he classed as (1) chemical, and (2) physical. 1. Some chemical feature of A not found in B might have caused crystallization of certain minerals in the former, which did not appear in the latter. In the present instance both rocks appear to be so similar chemically that no such effect can be looked for. Pogue mentions carbon as a possible precipitating agent, but describes both formations as carbonaceous, so that the difference in the minerals of the two can not be thus explained.

Jan 10, 1916

In opening the meeting I wish to express my greatest pleasure at being able to greet this joint session of the Mining and Electrical Engineers. As engineering develops, we find that the border lines between the different branches of engineering become more and more indistinct; the several fields overlap so much that they are three or four layers deep in places. It is only an accident that we couldn't have had the Mechanical Engineers also as a formal part of this gathering, because they are quite as much interested in this subject as the Electrical or Mining Engineers. A little history may enlighten some of those who have not been close to this work. A year ago last summer, there was brought to the attention

Jan 4, 1919

By Daniel C. Jackling

WHAT is written here features some of the things that I would say if I were to de- liver a Presidential address during the Annual Meeting to be held this month in New York. I am aware that custom favors written rather than vocal delivery of such a discourse; and, as this accords exactly with my own preference, I assure readers that they will never be called upon to hear these remarks spoken- anyhow, not by me. My year as President is drawing to a close. As I look back I like to classify and analyze the impressions that have been left with me. It has been a delightful and fascinating experience to me personally; I have appreciated the courtesies and aids, and have been deeply gratified at the honors accorded me. Perhaps the source of greatest satisfaction is the opportunity I have had to sense more about the provinces of this Institute and about the useful functions of the profession that it represents. For 38 years I have been a member. I served two terms as Director-one in 1914-'16 and again in 1927-'29. I have been honored by selection as a Saunders Medalist. I thought I was reasonably familiar with the functions, the ideals, and the activities of the Institute. But the things that I have discerned during the past year have dispelled that conceit. I still think that, a year ago, I was as well informed as most members; but since then I have had the rare privilege of executive service and insight. That has given me a perspective that I feel can be obtained in no other way-as I think the illustrious engineers who have preceded me in office will agree. I wish that I had the power to translate to every member somewhat of the feelings of pride in our organization that a year as President cannot help but instill.

Jan 1, 1939

WE the undersigned, being all persons of full age and citizens of the United States, and a majority residents of the State of New York, desiring to form a corporation pursuant to the provisions of the Membership Corporations Law for the purpose of incorporating, as provided in Section 6 of Article I. of said law, the existing unincorporated association known as American Institute of Mining Engineers, do hereby make, acknowledge and 6le this Certificate for that purpose, and do Certify as follows: I. That the American Institute of Mining Engineers is an unincorporated association organized and existing with the object of promoting the arts and sciences connected with the economic production of the useful minerals and metals and the welfare of those employed in these industries by means of meetings for social intercourse and the reading and discussion of professional papers, and to circulate by means of publications among its members and associates the information thus obtained. 11. That the persons duly appointed or designated to manage the affairs of said association are designated by the rules thereof Members of its Council; that the under- signed are all members of said Council as the same was constituted on the 29th day of December, 1904.

Jan 1, 1934

By R. C. Mahon

During the early history of the Lake Superior district, tamarack timber was used almost exclusively in the wines. It had the strength and lasting qualities necessary for a satisfactory mining timber. But about fifteen years ago the tamarack trees were attacked by a blight which killed nearly all of them so today no tamarack timber is available. Hemlock, spruce, and poplar have neither the necessary strength nor the lasting qualities for mining timber, but a large supply of maple and birch is available. These have ample strength but, when placed underground, fail by decay in about three years. This means that, instead of replacing the timber sets once in fifteen years, it must be done five or more times in the same space of time which involves not only incraesed timber costs but more important, an increased labor cost.

Jan 1, 1949

Jan 1, 1944

By P. P. Gregory

NATURAL petroleum gas occurring in the oil-bearing reservoirs is found to exist either as free gas associated with the oil and/or in solution in the oil. In some virgin fields practically no free gas is encountered under the reservoir conditions of pressure and temperature, although in other fields a considerable section of the ``pay" horizon is occupied by free gas. In other words, a given oil field may or may not have a gas cap before the exploitation takes place. However, when the reservoir pressure is reduced to a point below the critical saturation pressure by withdrawals of fluids from the producing formation, the gas dissolved in the oil inevitably begins to come out of solution and becomes free gas. Under the con-trolled methods of production and drilling, a portion of this gas is pro-duced with the oil to the surface and a portion of it remains within the reservoir to accumulate at higher structural levels toward which it migrates by virtue of its low specific gravity. The rate of growth of a gas cap in a-given structure depends primarily upon the rate of decline in the reservoir pressure. If the rate of pressure decline is rapid, the gas cap likewise will grog rapidly. On the other hand, shrinkage in the gas-cap area was noted in some fields in which reservoir pressures were increasing.

Jan 1, 1938

By M. J. R. Morris

THE year 1939 has seen the iron and steel industry driving for efficiency with unabated zeal. "Efficiency" is here used in the sense of enabling the customer to do more with less, either supplying him with more economically priced steels or with higher priced steels that will do a job more economically. The plain carbon steels have been improved tremendously in quality be- cause of recent control tests. All steel companies have been urged to hold to .closer chemical control, closer standards, soundness, and more control on grain size, and now attention is being directed to closer control of hardening properties. Better control of open- hearth operations undoubtedly will result in an increase in the application of special carbon steel. Further, with a better understanding of quenching, the present trend to study the quenching of this class of steels will be ex- tended. These steels will then be used for purposes to which they are best suited. Utilization of special carbon bars and large shapes seems to be developing less slowly than special car- bon in the form of strip. There are many reasons for this and the future development of this trend will be important. Continued development of the manufacture of parts from strip and sheet to replace forgings, and of formed; structural members such as channels or welded pipe, is notable. Special carbon sheets with nonaging properties have been produced during the year; they maintain a higher degree of ductility over a longer time and are less sensitive to the changes which took place in the former product when stocked.

Jan 1, 1940

By Wolfgang Pietsch

Prior publications have shown that the structure and characteristics of direct reduced iron produced by direct reduction from iron ores or iron ore pellets depend on many parameters which include process variables, such as, reduction temperature, reduction gas composition, and type or origin of the raw material. Most of the published literature deals with direct reduced iron produced in the laboratory at theoretically interesting but commercially uneconomical or technically impossible conditions. Much of the work was carried out in pure carbon monoxide in pure hydrogen, or in such mixtures of carbon monoxide and hydrogen which are of no commercial interest. Other results were obtained at temperatures which are too high and would cause sticking in large scale plants. For this reason, work was initiated by Midrex Corporation to investigate the influence of raw materials and reduction temperature on structure and characteristics of direct reduced iron. The composition of the reducing gas used to prepare the samples for this study produces results corresponding to those obtained with a typical commercial gas. The temperatures at which reduction was carried out are in a technically feasible range. This paper reports on the results.

Jan 1, 1979

• "This country eventually may have to rely on foreign sources for some metals, not because it does not have them here but because it may have difficulty getting the labor to mine them. Few people realize the extent to which the 'old timers' are still the backlog of the important districts." --Fred Searls, Jr. • A new filter has been developed by Arthur D. Little, Inc., for the ABC which will remove all dust from the air. Submicroscopic asbestos fibers are used as filter media and are claimed to stop all dust and pollen while passing suitable quantities of air. •Out in front public relationswise is the Peabody Coal Co. which has launched a 15-min television news program on WNBQ at 10:30 C.S.T., Tuesday and Thursday nights. Clifton Utley, news commentator, will tell how coal is mined today and indicate, with pictures, the improvement in efficiency and safety which has resulted from today's mechanized operations. •Two hundred coal mining companies are using roof bolts as a means of supporting about 14 million sq ft of roof surface, Edward Thomas of the Bureau of Mines reported. Various types of metal and wooden pins can be used. The method was first used by the St. Joseph Lead Co. over 20 years ago, but is now being studied and adopted widely in metal, nonmetallic, and coal mines. * The first ten technical graduates have reported at Hanford Works in the state of Washington, to begin the newly installed General Electric rotational training program, believed to be the first of its kind at any U.S. atomic energy plant. The program is to provide suitably trained personnel for the nation's atomic energy program. •The need for top-notch scientists and engineers to stimulate mining programs in British colonies is acute. About 60 American experts are being sought for the ECA sponsored program. Positions for mining engineers, geologists, assayers, topographers, and petrologists are open. •Production of primary aluminum for the first quarter of 1950 was 322,4250008 lb which is 6 1/2 million lb more than was produced in the first quarter of 1949. Shipments of aluminum sheet, plate, and strip amounted to 259.772,1571b for the first quarter. •Policy on manganese procurement for the stockpile is being studied by a House Armed Services Subcommittee with the possibility of lowering specifications. The U. S. Bureau of Mines is drafting a bill to encourage domestic production for stockpiling through producer subsidies. 'It will have to be cleared by the Bureau of the Budget and other agencies before going to Congress. •Oil men consider dry holes a necessary evil in their search for oil. Last year 34 out of every 100 wells drilled were dry holes. Yet Texas Technological College is attempting to drill a dry hole on its campus at Lubbock, taking every precaution to make sure it is a "duster" so its petroleum engineering students can play around with experiments without being bothered by any messy crude oil. --Natural Resources Notes. •A portable alertness indicator which signals lethargy in persons doing monotonous jobs has been developed for the Navy's Special Devices Center. A possible application to hoistmen is indicated but broaching the matter to them would be tricky.

Jan 6, 1950