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By H. N. Hall

Various factors must be considered in an engineering evaluation of gravity-drainage reservoirs. Among these are: (1) the effect of producing rate on total oil recovery; (2) the effect upon well productivity and ultimate recovery of the pressure level maintained during the producing life of the reservoir; (3) the economic advantage of full or partial pressure maintenance; and (4) estimate of the rate of gas production and injection and the possible purchase of gas under conditions of full pressure maintenance to ascertain compressor facilities needed. All of these factors can be evaluated only when a reliable method is employed for determining reservoir performance in gravity-drainage reservoirs. The purpose of this paper is to present a general method for calculating the performance of a gravity-drainage reservoir. This method is applicable for conditions of complete pressure maintenance, partial pressure maintenance and normal pressure depletion. Provisions are made to take into account variations throughout the reservoir of reservoir configuration, changes in permeability and fluid composition. Based on the method presented in this paper, an IBM 650 computer program has been developed. The past performance of an actual gravity-drainage reservoir producing under conditions of declining pressure and no gas injection was duplicated using this program. INTRODUCTION In tilted reservoirs the production of oil is influenced by drainage of oil from upstructure to downstructure locations. When this downstructure drainage of oil is sufficient to cause effective segregation of the gas and oil in a reservoir, the reservoir is usually classified as a segregation drive or gravity-drainage reservoir. (Discussion will be restricted to gravity-drainage reservoirs which have no encroachment of edge water.) The important feature in gravity-drainage reservoirs is the density difference between reservoir oil and gas. These phases tend to segregate in the reservoir with the result that in the gas cap the oil saturation is maintained at a higher level by drainage of oil from the gas-cap area. Oil can be produced from the oil zone at a low gas-oil ratio and reservoir energy is thereby conserved. The standard material balance in not adequate for predicting gravity-dramage reservoir performance because it does not take into account the difference in saturation above and below the gas-oil contact. Several authors'.' have presented methods for calculating the performance of gravity-drainage reservoirs in which reservoir pressure is maintained constant by gas injection into the gas cap. Using some simplifying assumptions, these methods can be employed with a desk calculator to give acceptable results. The problem of predicting the performance of gravity-drainage reservoirs under the conditions of declining reservoir pressure is many time more complex than that of constant pressure. fierefore, attempis to develop a method suitable for desk calculation have required excessively simplified assumptions. In the past several years, highspeed digital computers have become more widely available for reservoir engineering problems. These corn puters are well suited to problems such as the prediction of the performance of gravity-drainage reservoirs with pressure decline. Many of the simplifying assumptions necessary for hand computation can be eliminated so that a realistic approach to the gravity-drainage process can be made. CONCEPTUAL PICTURE OF OIL MOVEMENT IN GRAVITY-DRAINAGE RESERVOIRS Before attempting to develop an analytical treatment for conditions occuring in a gravity-drainage reservoir, a concept should be formed concerning the movement of fluids in the reservoir as oil is produced. A review of the literature'.' shows that it is customary to classify gravity-drainage operations into two categories—(1) with complete pressure maintenance, and (2) with declining pressure. The same line of reasoning will be followed in presenting the concept of the movement of fluids in the reservoir because it is easier to visualize the movement of fluids under conditions of complete pressure maintenance. After discussing complete pressure maintenance, an analogy will be made between that and the case of declining pressure. It should be kept in mind throughout that the final aim for the problem of solving gravity-drainage performance with digital computers will be to develop a general program for any kind of gravity-drainage reservoir. COMPLETE PRESSURE MAINTENANCE One feature which is generally common in gravity-drainage reservoirs is a gas cap located at the top of the structure. This is shown in Fig. 1(a). Fig. l(b) shows oil saturations that might occur through the reservoir. In the gas cap, oil saturation is lower than

By Otto H. Henry, J. J. Cordiano

THOUGH powder metallurgy is one of the oldest of metallurgical processes, it is in its infancy as a branch of the modern field of metallurgy. As early as 3000 B.C., the ancients produced implements and weapons of iron by reducing iron ore in a charcoal fire and forging the resultant sponge while still hot into the desired shape. Melting and casting soon superseded the powder metallurgy practice, and it was not until the turn of the twentieth century that powder metallurgy was applied to the commercial manufacture of tungsten lamp filaments. From this beginning, the use of the powder metallurgy process spread to the manufacture of porous oil-impregnated bearings, cemented carbide tools, contact points, diamond grinding wheels, clutch facings, starter brushes, resin-bonded radio cores, magnets, metallic filters, and other parts. More recently, and particularly during the present war, there has been a definite trend toward the manufacture of machine parts by this process in competition with the more conventional fabricating methods. Notwithstanding these many developments, scientific progress has been slow. While many articles on powder metallurgy have appeared in the press and various publications, there have been too few contributions to our technical societies, with the result that there is a dearth of the type of information necessary for the full development of this science. It is of primary importance that the results of research and development be freely disseminated if powder metallurgy is to realize its fullest potentialities. PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION Excluding the refractory metal field, all commercial powder metallurgical products made by a cold compressing and sintering operation contain voids. These voids can be substantially eliminated by subsequent severe working and heat-treatment, but such practice has not proved economical in most applications. By applying heat during the compressing operation, plastic deformation of the powder particles is substantially increased, and the resultant compact or briquette is practically free of voids. However, hot-pressing has many attendant problems, which at present preclude its use in the manufacture of precision parts. The more important of these are to devise: I. A die steel capable of withstanding high pressures at elevated temperatures. 2. A high-temperature lubricant capable of preventing excessive die wear and welding of the compact to the die walls. 3. A method of retaining a neutral or reducing atmosphere in the compacting zone of the die assembly. 4. A means of ejecting the hot-pressed specimen into a neutral atmosphere until reasonably cold.

Jan 1, 1945

By Charles Himrod

In presenting this paper it is not intended to enter into any discussion of the theory of the blast-furnace, but simply to give the results of a number of determinations of CO and CO 2 in furnace gases, and some conclusions arrived at, and the result of an experiment made in hopes of increasing the production of CO 2. In the first table, on page 198, is given the averages of a number of analyses of gases of different furnaces, and in the second, of two stacks of different sizes under varying circumstances. The conclusions arrived at as to what influences the production of CO2 are as follows: lst,. Kind of fuel. Bituminous coal not permitting the formation of as much CO, as coke. 2d. Kind of ores. Rolling-mill cinder being much less favorable to formation of CO2 than hematite ores, magnetites probably less than hematites, but more than cinder. 3d. Length of time of contact of gases with ore. Small furnaces and too rapid driving both waste fuel by riot allowing enough time for conversion of CO into CO2. 4th. The temperature of blast. The hotter the greater the quantity of CO2. 5th. Regularity of passage of stock through the furnace. The hanging and dropping of the stock, however slight, seems to pack it more solidly in the hearth, increases the resistance to the blast, and decreases the quantity of CO2. These are the most common causes noticed which influence the production of CO2, unless we except the one that might be considered the greatest of all, the one that has spoiled so many tons of iron, and the amiability of so many furnacemen, the one most dreaded, the great unknown. It would seem a self-evident proposition that the better the contact of the gases with the ore and the less with the fuel, the greater would be the amount of CO2 produced. To prolong the contact of gas with the ore furnaces are enlarged with advantage, and pains are taken to charge the stock in such a manner as will best promote it. Still, with furnaces of most approved construction and most skilful manipulation, the gases leave the furnace so rich in CO, that not half the heating power of the fuel is obtained, and the highest

By W. M. Peirce, R. K. Waring

Zinc of high purity offers definite advantages in certain fields. A process by which zinc of 99.99 + per cent purity is produced by pyro-metallurgical methods is described in this paper. The process consists of a fractional distillation following the primary reduction; this fractional distillation employs the principles of rectification for the separation of lead and other high-boiling impurities and cadmium and other low-boiling impurities. Theoretical Considerations Involved in Production of High-purity Zinc by Distillation Fractional distillation, fractional condensation, and rectification are recognized methods of separating mixtures of liquids. In the field of organic liquids these methods are widely used but not commonly to effect as complete a separation of liquids as is done in the problem under consideration. Zinc boils at 905" C., cadmium at 778" C. and lead at about 1620" C. Zinc may contain from several hundredths of one per cent to over one per cent each of cadmium and lead, and the problem is to reduce these impurities to a few thousandths of one per cent. For lead and zinc, the spread in boiling points is substantial, 715° C., while for zinc and cadmium it is only 127" C. The basic limitation of any separation by distillation may be found from the relation between the equilibrium composition of the vapor and the liquid for all mixtures of the two substances involved. If a mixture of constant boiling point is found, or if a stable compound that vaporizes without dissociation occurs, there is a definite theoretical limit to the degree of separation that is possible when operating at atmospheric pressure with respect to that mixture. Otherwise, any degree of separation is theoretically possible. The equilibrium composition of vapor in contact with liquid mixtures of zinc and cadmiurn at the boiling point has been determined experi-

Jan 1, 1937

By Allan T. Gwathmey, J. Bruce Wagner, Kenneth R. Lawless

Between 250°and 550°C in oxygen pressures of 10 to 760 mm Hg, the relative oxide thicknesses formed per unit time on the (100), (111), (110), and (320), decreased in this order. The predominant oxide orientation was (001)Fe3O4 and [110] Fe304 A small amount of a-Fe2O3 which exhibited a fiber pattern was observed in all oxides except those formed at 250°c in low oxygen pressures. IN order to understand the properties and behavior of thin films, particularly their role in oxidation reactions, there is needed more experimental information on their structure, composition, and kinetics of formation on clean surfaces of known geometry. The present study was undertaken to obtain such information for thin oxide films formed on single crystals of a body centered cubic metal, iron. Crystals in the form of spheres were used in order to expose all possible crystal planes to the reactant gases simultaneously. Using this procedure the relative rates of oxidation of all planes could be estimated, and those exhibiting, maximum or minimum oxidation rates could be selected for a more intensive study of composition and expitaxy. Since the three types of information were obtained from the same experiment using a single crystal substrate, any differences between rate, composition, and expitaxy on the several planes may be attributed to the influence of the substrate structure. EXPERIMENTAL The starting material for this study was Armco iron rods, 6 in. long and 3/8 or 1/2 in. in diam. The analysis was reported to be 99.8 pct Fe, with major impurities listed as carbon 0.018 pct, manganese 0.027 pct, phosphorous 0.005 pct, sulfur 0.029 pct, silicon 0.005 pct, and copper 0.11 pct. These rods were cleaned with ether and heated in an atmosphere of moist hydrogen at 950°C for three days. The purpose of this treatment was to decarburize the iron and to provide a consistent, uniform grain size for the growth of single crystals. Crystals in the form of rods, up to 1/2 in. in diam and 2 in. long, were prepared by a method similar to that reported by Leidheiser and Buck.2 Spherical crystals, 3/8 and 1/2 in. in diam and having a handle about 1/4 in. in diam by 112 in. long, were machined from the single-crystal rods. After machining, each crystal was etched in aqueous nitric acid to remove the cold-worked metal at the surface. Before each experiment, the crystal was polished mechanically with metallographic papers through number 4/0, and electropolished in a perchloric acid-acetic anhydride mixture by the method of Jacquet and Rocquet.3 The crystal was washed in running distilled water for at least 5 min. The excess water was blotted with a soft paper tissue, and the crystal was placed in an all-glass reaction vessel (See Fig. 1). The crystal was heated at 550°C in hydrogen for at least 8 hr prior to the oxidation in order to reduce any surface oxides and to help relieve any stresses in the metal. For the structure and composition studies, flat faces were cut parallel to (loo), (111), and (110) planes on the iron crystal spheres. The orientation of these faces was checked by a back-reflection X-ray diffraction technique. The faces were within 2 deg of the desired orientation. The flat faces were treated as described above except that prior to electropolishing they were given an additional polish on metallographic felt saturated with twenty-minute levigated alumina. After the crystal was heated in hydrogen for at least 8 hr, the temperature was adjusted to the desired value, and the hydrogen was evacuated. Commercial oxygen which had been purified by successively passing through tubes containing magnesium perchlorate, Ascarite and magnesium perchlorate was admitted to the desired pressure as measured by a mercury manometer. A resistance-wound furnace surrounded the oxidation chamber, and a temperature controller maintained the temperature within ±3°C. The furnace was provided with a small window for observing the crystal. The changes in thickness of the oxide films were followed by observing the interference colors. The oxidation was allowed to proceed until the desired oxide thickness was attained on a given crystal plane. The experiment was terminated by evacuating the oxidation

Jan 1, 1962

NEW MEMBERS The following list comprises the names of those persons who became members during the period Oct. 10, 1918, to Nov. 9, 1918. ALLER, FRANK D., Copper Met., Ore Purchaser, American Smelt. & Refin. Co., 120 Broadway, New York, N. Y. AVÈRY, PAUL W., Met. Engr., Esperanza Min. Co., Apt. 8, El Oro, Mex., Mexico. BAKER, CHARLES A., Leaching Foreman, Copper Leaching Plant, Anaconda Copper Min. Co., Anaconda, Mont: BREED, CHARLES H Met., Crown Cork & Seal Co., Baltimore, Md. CHASE, R. L., Min. Engr 102S First National Bank Bldg., Denver, Colo. EICHELBERGER, FRANK, Vice-pres. and Engr., New York-Montana Testing & Engrg. Co., Helena, Mont. GESTER, G. C., Geol., Standard Oil Co. of Cal., 616 Standard Oil Bldg., San Francisco, Cal. GRIFFIN, JOHN, Mgr., Anthracite Territory, The Dorr Co., Board of Trade Bldg., Scranton, Pa. HAYNES, ELWOOD Pres., The Haynes Stellite Co., Kokomo, Indiana. Hsi, T. C:.. Sec'y, Tayeh Iron & Steel Works, Tayeh, China. HYDE, AUSTIN T., Mgr., Keokuk Plant, River Smelt. & Refin. Co., 607 Franklin St., Keokuk, Iowa.

Jan 12, 1918

By N. A. Tiner, Saara Asunmaa

The early stages of nucleation of vacuunz-deposited gold coatings on electropolished surfaces of pure nickel and binary alloys of Ni-A1 and Ni-Ti have been studied, employing carefully controlled temperature and vacuum conditions. The preferential nucleation of gold on slip-plane edges on the crystal surfaces gave rise to a very pronounced decoration effect which was used in studying the morphology of the pain boundaries, etch pits, and slip planes on crystal faces. Characteristic surface patterns were observed with local dimensional variations. Most pronounced geometric patterns were ohserved in the pain boundaries of nickel and on the crystal faces of Ni-A1 alloy. The nucleation behauior of gold indicates contamination on the Ni-T1 alloy and the getter properties of titanium are presented as a tentative interpretation for the detected contamination. The markings and imperfections on cleavage surfaces of crystals have long been observed by optical microscopy.1,2 Surface-replica techniques are also used to detect the smallest steps and structural details on crystal surfaces by electron microscopy. Recently, Bassett3-5 and Sella, Conjeaud, and Trillat 6 have shown that, when gold is deposited onto a rocksalt cleavage surface, there is preferential nucleation at steps and slip-plane edges on the crystal surface. This gives rise to a very pronounced decoration effect which is invaluable for revealing the lattice steps on a cleavage surface. According to Bassett,3 gold atoms arriving during vacuum evaporation at the crystal surface have a certain mobility on the surface after arrival, particularly at elevated temperature. If a significant

Jan 1, 1964

By R. V. Norris

In a former paper on this subject,' I summarized Murgue's theory and experiments, and presented a large number of tests of mine-fans, stating some conclusions, " more or less warranted by the evidence," as to design, capacity and efficiency. Since that time the very valuable report of Mr. M. Walton Brown: Committee on Mechanical Ventikators, Institution of Mining Engineers, has appeared, and I have made additional experiments which tend to clear up some points in connection with this subject. Design and Tests of the Luke-Fidlbr Colliery Fan. The Luke-Fidler fan (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3), built to replace an old wooden fan at a very fiery colliery, presents some pecu-

Jan 1, 1905

By Dae S. Young

A new probabilistic approach is introduced for slope stability analysis including adverse impact of blasting vibrations. The material strength within a slope area is randomized in this bi-variate joint probability analysis. To be a completely general engineering method, the new probabilistic approach employs the random variable transformation technique: the Hermite model of the Gaussian transformation function, which transforms the experimental histogram of strength values to the standard Gaussian variables. Because bi- normal joint probability is analyzed on the true probability region projected on the Gaussian transformed variable plane, it is an exact solution of slope stability based on the available sample data. Details of the probabilistic approach are given through a case study on an iron ore mine. The case study demonstrated that the probabilistic approach is effective and simple enough to be a routine engineering practice for slope analysis.

Jan 1, 1984

By D. M. Dunbar

LONG before Columbus discovered America the original inhabitants toiled in the copper workings of the Andean Cordillera. Their best diggings appear to have been at Chuquicamata, site of the huge present-day open pit owned by the Chile Exploration Co., subsidiary of Anaconda Copper Mining Co. Located in Antofagasta Province of northern Chile, Chuquicamata is in the Atacama desert, high on the western slope of the Andes at 9500-ft elevation. In the Chuquicamata area the Atacama desert merges into the Cordillera. The climate is extremely arid and precipitation, either in the form of rain or snow, is very infrequent. The temperature varies from 50° to 85°F during the day, and drops to 20° to 40° at night. The Antofagasta and Bolivia Railroad, which connects the Chilean Port of Antofagasta with La Paz, Bolivia, passes within approximately 6 miles of the plant. A branch from the main line to Chuquicamata serves the property for outgoing copper and incoming freight. The distance to Antofagasta by rail is 163 miles. Previous to the Inca conquest, this region was inhabited by the Chuco Indians, a small tribe, descendants of the Aymaras and Quechuas. The Incas, whose capital was located in Cuzco, Peru, gradually extended their empire to the south, reaching at one time to what is now central Chile. It is believed that they built crude primitive furnaces on the banks of the Rio Salado where on a small scale they smelted copper ore from Chuquicamata. At the time of the subsequent Spanish conquest, legend has it that Diego de Almagro, on his return to Cuzco in 1536 after his invasion of Chile, obtained from these furnaces metallic copper for horseshoes. During the period from 1560 to 1879 the high grade veins of the Chuquicamata deposit were worked superficially by the Spaniards and Bolivians. The treaty signed after the war of 1879 recognized the sovereignty of Chile over this territory and Chile, realizing the importance of the district, started to develop it in an orderly manner, although only high grade veins were worked. New Process Is Key Reports on the deposit were brought to the attention of Albert C. Burrage, a Boston lawyer and financier, in 1910. Chuquicamata was described as a huge deposit of ore that was not amenable to the usual treatment by concentrating and smelting since much of the copper occurred as oxides. He had been working on a process for the recovery of copper from sulphide ore which involved a sulphating roast, leaching of the roasted product, and pre-

Jan 1, 1952

W. E. WRATHER, Wichita Falls, Tex. (written discussion*).-The appearance of Mr. Brokaw?s with-the chemical composition of "paraffin dirt" will be welcomed by oil geologists who have worked in the Gulf Coast district. It is to be hoped that it will lead to a discussion of the subject which will throw some light on the relation this peculiar substance bears to the occurrence of oil deposits. The problem of locating oil pools in advance of drilling is at the best a very intangible matter in the district along the Gulf Coast, and it is therefore desirable to make the most of any clew which may be of the least assistance to this end. Geologists have been familiar with "paraffin dirt" for a number of years, and have informally discussed its value as a surface indication of oil. But doubtless owing largely to the fact that they have been unable to define its exact composition, very little information has appeared in print on the subject. The presence of this baffling and somewhat indeterminate substance is now quite generally accepted as one of the most reliable indications of a gas seepage. The question is whether paraffin dirt necessarily indicates that the escaping gas is an emanation from an oil deposit, or whether it merely indicates that marsh gas (urethane) has here escaped from its source in "the abundant decomposing vegetation entombed in the sediments of the old Mississippi Embayment, and the Gulf Coastal Plain. The presence of this material has been relied upon to a great extent, both by oil producers and geologists, in the location of wildcat wells, since the discovery that it was associated with gas seepages. It is quite true that other surface indications were often present at such localities, but if, in addition, paraffin dirt could be found in the vicinity, this fact was accepted as the final justification for drilling a test well, despite the fact that no one seemed to understand its chemical composition or to know why it should be associated with oil. In fact, for a long time it has generally been accepted that the name is a misnomer, that very little, if any, paraffin is present in it, or, for that matter, any other known fraction of crude oil.

Jan 7, 1918

By W. Chubb

By measuring the hardness of metals at temperatures just above and just below their allotropic change point, it has been established that crystal structure has a real effect upon the strength of metals. The DPH of cobalt, iron, titanium, uranium, and zirconium have been measured at temperatures up to 1000°C. It was found that the body-centered-cubic crystal structure is always the softer structure when it is involved in an allotropic transformation. The close-packed and more complex structures are inherently harder, and may be expected, therefore, to be better base materials for high strength alloys. IT has been observed that for metals with nearly the same melting point (i.e., tin and lead, magnesium and aluminum) the metal with the more complex crystal structure has a higher tensile strength and hardness. It might be asked whether this effect is really caused by the difference in crystal structure; and, if so, just what is the contribution of crystal structure to the strength of these metals. A qualitative answer to these questions can be obtained by measuring the change in hardness produced by the change in structure in metals exhibiting allotropic forms. The evidence for changes in mechanical properties during allotropic transformations is rather meager. In 1909, Rosenhain and Humfrey' observed that "ß" iron showed much less deformation at the transformation temperature than a iron. By means of a torsion test, Lee found that iron bars were "critically plastic" at the a-7 transformation temperature. Sauerwald and Knehans have shown that the dynamic hardness of iron increases between 900" and 1000°C. In 1930, Albert Sauveur' presented data on the hardness, tensile strength, and torsional strength of pui-e iron up to 1000°C. He concluded, "At 900°C, the a iron transforms into y iron, and this is accompanied by increased strength and stiffness and decreased ductility." The same year, Schischokin" obtained data on the hardness of thallium at temperatures above and below its transformation temperature. His data are replotted on semilogarithmic coordinates as Fig. 1. The fact that his data fall on straight lines in this type of plot is believed to attest to the purity of his metal and the accuracy of his results. In 1941, Nadai and Manjoine" obtained tensile data on pure iron with an indicated increase in strength at about 900°C. These experiments make it quite evident that changes in mechanical properties occur when a metal transforms from one crystal structure to another; but, except for Schischokin's data on thallium, none of the measurements seem accurate enough to determine the relative magnitude of the mechanical property change. Materials The metals that have been examined for changes in hardness during transformation include l—as- deposited commercial electrolytic cobalt about 99.7 pct pure, 2—Armco ingot iron, 3—are-melted iodide titanium of a purity in excess of 99.8 pct, 4—uranium of a purity in excess of 99.5 pct, 5—are-melted iodide zirconium of a purity in excess of 99.8 pct, 6—annealed, 0.08 pct C, rimmed steel, and 7—commercially pure RC55 titanium. While the purity of the first five of these materials leaves something to be desired, it will be noted that the observed hardness discontinuities occurred at the accepted transformation temperatures. (These temperatures are indicated by vertical arrows in Figs. 1 and 3 through 7.) The last two materials are commercial alloys introduced to show the effect of minor alloying elements upon the hot hardness curve. Apparatus Hardnesses at elevated temperatures were determined by means of a vacuum hot hardness machine. A diagram showing the basic features of this machine appears as Fig. 2. This machine is essentially a deadweight hardness .machine in a furnace within a vacuum chamber. The sapphire-tipped indentor

Jan 1, 1956

By A. Hellawell

Specitlrens of the Al-Ge eutectic alloy have been frozen unidivectionally at rates between 2.5 x 10-6 and 2.5 x 10-4 cm per sec and the structure examined by optical and X-ray methods. There is no epitaxial relationship between phases, the aluminum having random orientation and the germanium a preferred (011) fiber textuve. Lamellar colonies which are BINARY eutectic alloys occur between either silicon or germanium with the metals aluminum or silver. common in this alloy are constructed from axial and nonaxial (111) plates of germanium which are related by a variety of twin configurations. Irregular or globular regions of the microstructure are composed of continuous single crystals of each phase, the germanium being heavily twinned. There is limited solid solubility in these systems, and the eutectic phases all involve diamond cubic with fcc crystal structures. In the microstructures of these eutectic mixtures the silicon and germanium crystals exhibit an almost infinite variety of shapes which are notably sensitive to

Jan 1, 1968

By Thomas W. Healy

Particles present in mineral processing systems that are termed ultrafine are those that are small enough to be unaffected by gravity or the flow conditions imposed on the pulp. As such, their interaction with one another and with other larger particles are controlled by specific attractive and repulsive colloidal or surface interactions. Electrostatic repulsion between ultrafines is dominated by surface potential, double layer thickness and specific adsorption potential effects - controlled by pH, salt and complexing ion concentrations. Attraction due to van der Waals interactions must be assessed in terms of bulk and surface coating effects and of particle size and shape. The net effect of attraction and repulsion must finally be related to the average kinetic energy of particles in the real system.

Jan 1, 1979

By W. T. Cardwell, R. L. Parsons

This paper discusses the practical problem of estimating a single equivalent permeability for an oil reservoir, or a portion thereof, whose actual permeability varies in an irregular manner. Limiting averages for general types of permeability variation are developed, and illustrated by examples involving important, specific types of variation. Introduction The theory of the flow of fluids through porous media1"4 is becoming increasingly important in predictions of oil-reservoir behavior. In practical applications, however, reservoirs are seldom found to which simple theory strictly applies. Actual reservoirs have complicated shapes and nonuniform permeabilities and porosities. This paper discusses the problem of estimating a single equivalent permeability for an oil reservoir, or a segment of an oil reservoir, whose actual permeability varies in an irregular manner. The equivalent permeability of a reservoir segment is defined as the permeability of a homogeneous segment of the same dimensions that would pass the same flux under the same pressure drop- It is the permeability value that can be used in simple theoretical formulas to calculate the reservoir behavior. To the authors' knowledge, previous theoretical calculationst on systems of nonuniform permeability have been carried out only by Muskat'"; and he has not dealt with irregular variations, except in writing down the general differential equation for the pressure in variably permeable systems.lb In practical work, many calculations necessarily have been made to estimate equivalent permeabilities from the permeabiiity profiles obtained by core analyses. Regarding such calculations, Johnston and Sherborne6 say: Simple arithmetic and weighted averages have been tried on many wells and it has been found that, where frequent sampling has occurred, the arithmetic average is as satis- factory as a weighted average. It is possible that the application of statistical methods to the analysis of permeability data as recently presented by Law8 may prove fruitful. L,, has made a valuable contribution in showing how statistical analyses may aid in picturing the characteristics of a reservoir from those of a necessarily limited number of core samples. It is believed however that the particular problem of the estimation of equivalent permeabilities can be most directly approached from a fluid dynamical viewpoint as given in the present paper. An example is presented of the use of the conclusions herein in conjunction with Law's method. Theory In order to approach the problem of heterogeneity simply, it is interesting to consider a square block composed of four smaller, homogeneous, square blocks of porous medium, two of which have a

Jan 1, 1945

By J. B. Newsom

DURING July and August, 1931, the Bloomington Limestone Co.,. at Bloomington, Ind., ran a single wire saw on ledge No. 2 at Maple Hill quarry. The ledge was hard rock, much harder than the average Indiana limestone. It was opened at two ends for a depth of about 20 ft., leaving a 130-ft. section between. During the tests 21 cuts were made in this ledge, to an average depth of 10.42 ft., for a total effective cutting area 028,445 sq. ft. The actual area sawed was about 20 per cent higher, as we did not level down in the center, preferring to cut deeper on the ends. The various cuts were carefully, logged, and the results plotted. A study of these results is interesting, as it enables a forecast of probable future costs to be made, and also because it points out the limitations of wire saws, and the lines development should logically take. Some of the inferences to be drawn are discussed below. Best Length of Cut.-No. trouble was due to length of cut, except that we could not easily level down a long cut, and it is probable that longer cuts, say up to 200 f t., can be made. Obviously, longer cuts will result in a higher sawing rate, in square feet per hour if- they do not cause stoppages. Working Higher Ledges.-The cuts averaged 10.42 ft. high by 130 ft. long. A study of several logs indicated that during only about 15 per cent of the cutting time was the saw cutting to its full efficiency; that is, during about 85 per cent of the time the saw was bedding in at the ends and not cutting well in the center, or the ends were below the floor line and only part of the wire was doing effective cutting. This does not mean that the wire was cutting to only 15 per cent of its capacity, but it means that during about 85 per cent of the time part of the cutting was being wasted. If higher ledges had been worked, the wire would have cut to its full efficiency a large part of the time, as it would have had a greater distance; to saw after it had bedded in to the ledge before the ends went down below the floor level. The exact saving to be expected cannot be calcu-lated, but it would be large, if really high cuts were made.

Jan 1, 1932

By A. J. McEvily, R. C. Boettner, C. Laird

The processes leading to fatigue failure in the low-cycle range were studied to obtain an understanding of the basis of Coffin's law. Particular attention was paid to the manner of mack nucleation and to the determination of the portion of the total lifetime spent in crack propagation. It was observed that cracks are nucleated at surface notches meated during reversed plastic deformation, Principally at grain boundaries, and that crack growth occupies greater than 75 pct of the fatigue life. When inclusions are present, they are often the primary sites of crack initiation. From consideration of the incremental distances advanced by a crack in each cycle and of the lifetimes of different materials, it appears that the universality of Coffin's law arises from the similarity of crack-tip strain for a given applied strain amplitude, irrespecti7:e of material. STUDIES of low-cycle fatigue have been particularly rewarding in that a simple correlation between fatigue lifetime and plastic-strain range has been shown to exist. This empirical relationship takes the forml,2 Nner=C [1] where N is the number of cycles to failure, Er is the plastic-strain range defined as the total plastic strain per cycle (the sum of the tensile plastic strain plus the compressive plastic strain), n, the exponent, is a constant independent of the material to a first-order approximation and often has a value of about 0.5, and C is a constant which for a number of ductile and metallurgically stable materials is approximately 0.65 for fully reversed strain.3 This relationship has been shown to be valid for a wide variety of metals and alloys and is often referred to as Coffin's law. However, it is yet not clear why so many different metals and alloys exhibit the same over-all behavior in the low-cycle range. Less is known about the mechanisms of fatigue failure in the low-cycle range than in the high-cycle range, but it is expected that the processes would have much in common. For example, an important characteristic common to both high-and low-cycle ranges is that fatigue crack propagation can occupy a considerable portion of the total lifetime. This has been shown by Laird and smith4 by a count of the number of ripples present on the fracture surface of copper specimens, each ripple corresponding to one cycle of load. On the other hand, some marked differences have been noted. For example, in copper,5 nickel, and aluminum4 there is a greater tendency for grain boundary cracking to occur as the strain amplitude is increased. The purpose of the present work was to study further the processes leading to fatigue failure in the low-cycle range and to obtain an understanding of the basis for the validity of Coffin's law. Particular attention has been paid to the manner of crack initiation and to the determination of the portion of total lifetime spent in crack propagation. MATERIALS A number of metals and alloys were tested, although more attention was focused on a particular few, once general trends had become apparent. Alloys were selected so as to investigate the effects of crystal structure, number of phases, stacking-fault energy, and impurity content. The materials in this grouping were: high-purity copper OFHC copper 1100 aluminum (commercially pure) 70-30 brass (Cu-30 wt pct Zn)

Jan 1, 1965

0PINION was general that this year's meeting of the Institute of Metals Division was one of the best in its history. In addition to its full and exceptionally fine program of professional papers, there were several other features of general interest-an in-spiring annual lecture by Dr. Cecil H. Desch which appears in abstract elsewhere in this issue, Mr. Sing-master's talk on the zinc industry at the annual dinner, and the presentation of the James Douglas Medal to one of the members of the Division, Dr. Zay Jeffries. Four technical sessions of the Division were held, dealing respectively with zinc, copper, aluminum, and general metallography, and in addition there was a joint session with the Non-ferrous Metallurgical Committee of the Institute. All of the papers presented were at-tended with much interest and followed by considerable discussion. The papers on plastic deformation of zinc by Messrs. Mathewson and Phillips, Romig, and Hoyt were of particular interest and awakened an extended discus-sion. They well illustrated the progress which is being -made today in the understanding of the mechanism of flow of metals, and the ingenuity of the authors in their crystallographic method of attack of this difficult problem was quite generally admired. A very old subject was treated in a modern way by Messrs. Corson and Bain in two papers on the harden-ing of copper and copper alloys. There has always existed a myth that the ancient Egyptians were masters of an art not possessed by ourselves; viz., that of hard-ening copper. This myth must have been quite defi-nitely dispelled in the minds of all those who listened to this admirable paper. Mr. Corson has applied the modern art of precipitation hardening to this old prob-lem with substantial success, employing small amounts of chromium, nickel, silicon, and cobalt for this purpose. The commercial application of these very important .developments of Mr. Corson is being actively investi-gated at the present time.

Jan 3, 1927

FOR this Famous Mining Enterprise issue MINING ENGINEERING selected the company that started the zinc in dustry in the United States. The New Jersey Zinc Co. has been a supplier of zinc products to the nation's industries for more than 104 years. Its Horse Head trade mark is famous throughout the world.

Jan 12, 1953

By Julius Pohlman

The history of Niagara Falls, as currently told, is simple, and by that very simplicity it has been rendered plausible. AS the story runs, the Falls were once situated at Lewiston, 7 miles to the north of their present site; and, since all the rocks in this section are alternate hard and soft strata, the waters acting readily upon the soft shales caused their removal, and the overlying hard lagers, deprived of support, broke down under the weight of the large volume of water that rushed over them; and this erosive action has sent the edge of the fall more and more southward, until it now has excavated the seven-mile gorge between Lewiston and the village of Niagara Falls. (See Fig. 1.) As early as 1790" we find this theory advanced in a description of this region; and it has been practically endorsed by subsequent observers, the most prominent of whom was Prof. James Hall, the State Geologist of New York, who surveyed the Falls in 1841, and gave the most exact description of their surroundings in the publications of the State Survey.? Not until 1883 was the correctness of the accepted theory of the Falls questioned.‡ The geology of the basins of the Great. Lakes, as elucidated by Newberry,§ Speneer,ll and others, has added largely to a clearer understanding of the life-history of the Falls. The investigators have shown us that Lake Erie, as a lake, is, geologically speaking, quite young; that its valley was excavated in pre-glacial times by a series of rivers; and that the Maumee, Sandusky, Cuyaboga, Alleghany and other rivers carried the drainage of the surrounding

Jan 1, 1889