Search Documents

By Ralph H. Phelps

WHAT information do you have on precision investment casting? Please send me all available information on the removal of paraffin from oil wells and pipe lines. How can I find out how to remove magnesium oxide from lime? I want a good book on the pickling of steel. Can liquid oxygen be used as an explosive in a mine? Where can I get a bibliography on the plasticity of metals? These questions, selected from the scores of questions asked the Engineering Societies Library staff every day, indicate some of the diversity of the requests received. The samples chosen relate to interests of AIME members but the questions that come to the Library by mail, telephone, telegraph, and in person cover all fields of engineering, science, and technology. Some questions can be answered quickly; others require extensive searching. Those that can be answered in a few minutes or ten, twenty, or even thirty minutes are usually done without charge. For the more difficult questions a charge is made. In this way those requiring considerable service pay for it and the Library finds it possible to serve more persons.

Jan 1, 1948

By Joseph E. Pogue

FOR a number of years the petroleum department of The Chase National Bank has been making a continuing study of the financial aspects of thirty oil companies. (See Pogue and Coqueron, "Financial Analysis of Thirty Oil Companies," pamphlet, The Chase National Bank, November 1945, for data covering eleven years, 1934-1944, and the list of the companies making up the group. See also "Capital Employed in the Petroleum Industry," by the same authors, M&M, November 1944.1 This group represents a large sample of theAmerican petroleum industry, covering about two thirds of the business. Certain aspects of this study concern the capital employed in crude oil production, the main features of which arc presented in this paper.

Jan 1, 1946

By E. C. Burke, W. R. Hibbard

G. B. Craig (University of Toronto, Toronto, O,nt., Canada)—The advent of pyramidal slip at room temperatures in a magnesium crystal (M2,) and the very low value reported for the critical shear stress are puzzling. Table I1 shows the calculated values (approximate) for sin x cos I in this specimen if all the (10l) planes are considered. If So is the shear stress resolved in the direction of glide, on the glide plane, and U, is the stress operative in yield point tests, then: S,, — 325 (0.169) 55gpersqmm (approximately) for 1101: S,, = 325 (0.465) = 151 gpersqmm (approximately) for (0001): S,, — 325 (0.101) - 32.8 gpersqmm (approximately) Thus, we see the pyramidal plane in which the minimum shearing component operated. Barrett"' stated: "Experiments have repeatedly shown that, when there are several crystallographically equivalent slip systems in a crystal, the one having the greatest resolved shear stress will become active. ..." It does not appear to me that the measurements given are conclusive proof that pyramidal slip operated. E. C. Burke and W. R. Hibbard, Jr. (authors' reply) —Although the low value for the critical resolved shear stress for pyramidal slip may be puzzling, there does not appear to be any basis for questioning the validity of the measurements. Under the influence of constraints, slip systems having decidedly lower shearing components may become operative, e.g., "cross-slip" or the "forced glide" in magnesium reported by Bakarian. Since we believe that pyramidal slip occurred in the specimen because basal slip was inhibited, it is not too surprising to find an operative plane with a lower shear stress. -7 C. S. Barrett: Structure of Metals U94jl p. 2J6. New York. McGraw-Hill Book Co.

Jan 1, 1953

By Edwin Hopkins

THE year 1923 started a few days after the Venezuelan Oil Concessions, Ltd., discovered a 140,000-bbl. well at. La Rosa and a well of between 2500 and 5000 bbl. at La Paz, on the opposite side of Lake Maracaibo. These nearly simultaneous events changed, overnight, the general aspect of oil affairs in Venezuela. Up to that time, big things had been expected by the companies then in the district, but many major companies had shown little interest in the country. Within a few weeks the Pure Oil. Co. and the Gulf Oil Corpn. entered the field and acquired large properties. The Texas Co. purchased several concessions and the Standard of California, Atlantic Refining Co., and Mexican Petroleum Co. established offices. Representatives of many other companies visited the district during the first few months of the year. The sudden influx of buyers naturally caused a great rise in prices and this, together with overproduction in the United States, doubtless caused the slowing up of concession transfers in the latter part of the year. The following property transfers occurred: (1) The Gulf Oil Corpn. contract with the Maracaibo Oil Exploration Corpn., whereby the Gulf acquired the right to select 100,000 acres from the Maracaibo's zones. (2) The Gulf Co. purchase of one-quarter interest in seven concessions of the New England Oil Corpn., Ltd. (3) The Gulf Oil Corpn. purchase of several concessions of Kunhardt and others in the Perija district. (4) The Gulf Oil Corpn. purchase of certain portions of the one-kilometer Lake zone that were not covered by parcels or Government reserves (namely the "sobrantes"). (5) Pure Oil Co. purchase of all Government reserves turned back by Maracaibo Oil Exploration Corpn. in the districts of Mara and Miranda. (6) Standard Oil Co.: of New Jersey deal with the British Controlled Oilfields, Ltd., for control of approxi-mately the eastern third of the .district of Buchivacoa, state of Falcon. (7) Royal Dutch deal with the British Controlled Oilfields, Ltd., for the control of the central third of the district of Buchivacoa, Falcon. (8) The Texas Co. purchase of several concessions in Perija and one west of Mene Grande on the east side of Lake Maracaibo. (9) Purchase by the British Equatorial Oil Co., Ltd., of Goverment reserves corresponding to certain Creole Syndicate parcels under the margin of Lake Maracaibo near La Paz. (10) The Lago Petroleum Co. acquired a concession on all of Lake Maracaibo except a 1-Km. strip along the shore.

Jan 3, 1924

By G. R. Hodgson, M. P. Lebourg

The introduction in the field of a new type well completion called for the setting of tubing open-ended in the well before perforating the casing. This paper describes a new perforating tool of the shaped charge expendable type, small enough to pass through tubing and powerful enough to perforate the casing. The perforations are produced at an angle and are large enough for optimum production. Performance of this tool in targets and under various well conditions is described. Very often no lifting equipment will be available at the well. In some cases, pressure will exist in the well at the time of the perforating operation (workover wells or multiple trip perforation) ; therefore, new equipment and new technique for the perforating operation were devised. This paper describes this equipment and technique, particularly casing collar recording, sheave support, and cable pull-down device. this last item being necessary for wells under pressure. Results obtained with this tool in the field are given. INTRODUCTION One of the key requirements for the introduction in the field of a new method of permanent well completion was the development of a new perforating method involving the use of a perforating gun small enough to go through tubing and with enough penetrating power to perforate the casing satisfactorily. The equipment described in this paper was basically designed to go through open-ended two-in. tubing and to perforate 5 1/2 in. casing. The equipment is illustrated in accompanying figures. NEW COMPLETION METHOD With the new permanent type well completion, the production string of casing is run and cemented through the potential producing zone. Open-ended tubing is -then run into the well and used to replace the drilling fluid with oil or water. The amount of the oil or water "cushion" can be varied according to the expected bottom hole pressure. Thus, if desired, the hydrostatic head can be greater, equal to, or less than the expected pressure within the zone to be perforated. Mud having been displaced, the tubing is -then positioned so that the end is above the zone to be perforated. The Christmas tree and flow lines are installed and tested. The drilling rig can now be removed from the well since it is not necessary for the perforating operation, thus resulting in a saving in rig tme. The perforating equipment is then moved to the well and the gun lowered through the tubing. After the gun passes out of the open end of the tubing, the depth measurements are correlated with casing collars and the gun placed opposite the zone to be perforated. Upon firing, the gun body is shattered and falls to the bottom of the well. Since the lubricator has been closed before firing, it is possible to withdraw the casing collar locator and head and then open the well immediately to the tanks. DESCRIPTION OF GUN An investigation of two basic types of Perforators, namely a bullet perforator and a shaped charge gun, was undertaken towards the development of a gun to meet the aforementioned requirements. Preliminary tests on various bullet perforator designs within the diameter limitations did not give results encouraging enough to warrant further study. Somewhat better results were obtained by using conventional shaped charges; but, as in the case of the bullet types, the necessarily small overall diameter proved to be a severe limitation and resulted in insufficient penetration. A shaped charge employing a new design was developed which gave excellent penetration. These shaped charges were designed to produce a large hole directed upward at a 45" angle. In order to obtain the maximum space possible for these charges, it was decided to use an expendable carrier made of drillable material, usually aluminum, which would shatter at the time of firing, leaving only harmless fragments at the bottom of the hole. The fixed spacing is five shots per ft. wit11

Jan 1, 1952

By Messrs. von Jonstorff

Continued Discussion of the Paper of Messrs. von Jonstorff, Blair, Dillner and Stead, presented at the New York Meeting of the Iron and Steel Institute, October, 1904.* (Bethlehem Meeting, February, 1906.) CLEMENS C. JONES, Richmond, Va. (communication to the Secretary+) :-In the chapter of this paper entitled "Method for the Determination of Phosphorus," by Andrew A. Blair, a form of the reductor used by Mr. Blair is illustrated. This form was employed by me in my earliest experiments, and abandoned after my adoption of the final apparatus described in my paper on the subject in 1889. The results reported by Mr. Blair are very closely accordant; but my experience was that, in the use of this form, a loss of the solution, amounting to almost a cubic centimeter, was occasioned by minute bubbles of hydrogen rising to the surface, and there exploding. My final reductor was designed to prevent this loss; and the most satisfactory results were obtained with a reductor having the open cup replaced by a bulb-shaped receptacle, provided with a glass stopper, similar to that of a separatory funnel of similar capacity, as suggested in a foot-note in my original paper. In my experience, the use of this later form of reductor repeatedly gave duplicate results which were, coincident to the fourth decimal place. R. W. RAYMOND, New York, N. Y.:-The. remarks of Mr. Jones recall to my mind an interesting part of the history of the Institute, and, of its relation to modern progress in the department covered by this interesting and valuable paper. In

Mar 1, 1906

By John V. Beall

BROMO Seltzer blue has gone to war. The blue of the Bromo Seltzer bottle is a product of cobalt, the Nation's No. 1 strategic metal. When the National Production Authority, on Nov. 21, 1950, ordered a 70 pct cutback in domestic use of cobalt, a stab of pain was felt in the hearts of the glass, porcelain enamel, steel, paint, pottery, and electrical and electronic equipment industries. The reason: A full-scale wartime economy with astronomical requirements for jet engines, high velocity projectiles, armor plate, electronic equipment, and the many products needed to win a war. There is little potential comfort for cobalt users in nonessential manufacturing, and the military will be pinched for optimum supplies of the metal. However, if proper measures are taken immediately and current plans are completed, in two years there will be far more cobalt available than ever before. When normal times return, cobalt supplies should be sufficient to meet peacetime military requirements, and greatly expanded domestic requirements that will result from new technological development for wartime but adaptable to peacetime products. The pres-

Jan 1, 1951

By Richard F. Link, George S. Koch

Advantages and disadvantages of deflecting (wedging) diamond-drill holes to obtain sampling data are compared with the alternative of drilling additional holes. The discussion is based on a statistical analysis of a large set of deflection data from exploratory boreholes in South African gold mines. Representative cost comparisons show the conditions under which deflections are likely to be desirable.

Jan 1, 1969

By H. D. Hoskold

I. Instrument-Parts and Implements. Cross-hairs ; Stadia-measurement; Fineness of Graduation ; Cylindrical Gradu ation ; Nonius; Vernier ; One Vernier or two ; Leveling-Screws ; Troughton & Simms' Shifting Tripod-Head ; Hoskold's Shifting Tripod-Head; Hoskold's Extensible Tripod ; Electric Lamp ; Plumb-lines; Chain. II. Instruments. Compass (Mine-compaes of 1518, Compass of 1541, and Agricolals of 1556, Voig tel's Setz-compass, Circumferentor, Stanley's Hedley Dial, Compass on Tele scope, Hanging Compass, Lack of Precision) ; Plane-table; Octant and Quadrant; Theodolite and Transit (Evolution of the Theodolite, Scott's Tachymeter, Hoskold's Engineer's Theodolite, Angleometer, Precision of Mine-Theodolites). I. Instrument-Parts and Implements. Cross-Hairs.—Mr. Scott‡ says Lean's dial " might also have been provided with a diaphragm and cross-hairs; for Huygene discovered that any object placed in the common focus of the two lenses of a Kepler telescope (1611)- appeared as distinct and well defined as any distant body. Following this established theory, in 1669 Jean Picard, Marquis Malvasia and others crossed silken fibers in the mutual focus of their astronomical instruments." If by this Mr. Scott means that Huygens and Picard first devised and applied cross-hairs to the focus of the telescope, the writer cannot agree with him. Huygens did not describe " his telescope without tubes until 1684, in his Astroscopia Compendiaria."§ Moreover, it is recorded that the English astronomer, Gascoigne,?

Jan 1, 1902

By M. Albertson

UNITED STATES petroleum pro-dU6tion during 1937 materially exceeded? that of any previous year. Firm control of the production rate was maintained under State and Federal laws and aided by the' Interstate Compact. During the first ten months," crude oil prices were stable, except for a slight increase early in the year. Toward the end of the year, uncertainty of price structure be-came evident and a sharp reduction in allowable production was under way. Exploration for new pools and development of .pools already discovered continued active throughout the year. Production control agencies in Texas, and to a less extent in New Mexico and Louisiana, appear to have had increasing difficulty in holding crude oil output to allowable limits. The situation elsewhere is less well known but probably the same condition exists in other important producing States whether control is by State commissions or by unofficial bodies.

Jan 1, 1938

By AIME AIME

M ODERN metallurgy properly belongs to this century. The great advance made in this science is directly attributable to the discovery of the Roentgen rays. Application of the results of this discovery, together with the more recent corroborating studies in electronic diffraction have definitely and for all time established this science. Metallurgists today speak with familiarity of the atoms of the different metals in terms of their orientation, atomic volumes, lattice structures, dimensional lattice constants distance of nearest approach, and the like. One matter of profound interest, which is quite staggering to the imagination of the human mind, is the enormity of the number of atoms even in a small particle of metal. As an illustration, let us compute the number of atoms in the volume of one cubic centimeter in a single grain of absolutely pure copper. Eighteen and a fraction cubic centimeters equal the volume of one cubic inch.

Jan 1, 1940

By Walter Miller

With returning prosperous conditions in all industries, oil-refinery engineering has found opportunity for the more extensive application of improvements developed during the several years of depression. The year has brought out little of an entirely new nature, but much in wider application of previous worth-while developments. The greatest volume of work done has been in modernizing the distillation and cracking units of existing refineries, particularly by substitution of combination skimming and cracking units for older equipment, and the installation of cracking plants in smaller refineries where formerly only skimming was practiced. A number of entirely new refineries were installed during the year, two of the most important being the 20,000-bbl. refinery by the Atlantic Refining Co., at Atreco, Tex., and a 12,000-bbl. plant by the Wilshire Oil Co., at Norwalk, Calif., these two embodying some of the latest developments in cracking and treating. Total refining capacity for the United States is now reported as being something over 4,000,000 bbl. per day, but a movement is on foot looking to a complete revision of these figures, as experience has indicated not only some overstatement of capacity of equipment but that considerable equipment is included which because of obsolescence and location will probably never be run again. The 3,000,000-bbl. figure which the industry reached during the year's high consuming period required the operation of probably 95 per cent of the country's efficiently usable capacity. Cracking and Polymerization There were no new outstanding developments in the cracking field, progress being made largely in the further refinement of known principles. Improvements in furnace design and operation have been largely in permitting closer control of the heating curve through the cracking-tube system, assisting in more uniform yield and in the lessening of coke deposition, and permitting longer trouble-free operating time as well as reduction in furnace-maintenance cost. Actual operating polymerization capacity has been increased little during the year, but a number of projects have been started, some nearing completion, the production from which will be available during 1937.

Jan 1, 1937

By J. G. Thompson

PROJECT 8411 of the U. S. Bureau of Standards, sponsored by the Iron and Steel Division of the A.I.M.E., is an attempt to define more concisely than has been possible heretofore the accuracy and the Limits ' of usefulness of the ' various methods now in use for the determination of oxygen as it exists in ferrous materials. It originated in correspondence between John Johnston and other metallurgists, and was brought to the attention of the Iron and Steel Division of the Institute at the Annual Meeting in February, 1933. As reported in MINING AND MET,ALLURGY, Vol. 14, page 152, March, 1933, "Dr. Johnston introduced, and those present adopted, a resolution that the Iron and Steel Division of the A.I.M.E., believing that a careful comparison of the several methods now in use for the analysis of steel for nonmetallic elements such as oxygen is highly desirable, heartily endorses the proposal that the U. S. Bureau of Standards act as a clearing house " in this matter, undertaking the final preparation and allocation of identical samples to those laboratories willing to collaborate in this important question, and collate the results re- ported back to the Bureau.'"

Jan 1, 1934

The 128th meeting of the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers constituted a two weeks trip through the Great Northland of Ontario and Quebec and was a most memorable occasion. The last visit of the Institute to Canada was made in 1907 when the mines, which now have brought world wide fame to some of the camps, were not yet dis-covered. The party reached its greatest numbers at Porcupine where 167 visitors and nearly one hundred local members participated. Five members of the party from the States were on the previous trip in 1907. They were Mr. and Mrs. L. D. Huntoon, John Stevenson and son and E. F. Eurich. The Minister of Mines for the Province of Ontario attached his private car to the "Mining Engineers' Special" and made the complete trip through Ontario. This was a happy incident in many ways and gave the visitors an opportunity to discover a spirit of mutual accord between the Minister and mining industry that might well be emulated elsewhere. Two compartment cars and one standard Pullman with the Institute members from New York and the metropolitan district were attached special to the 6.15 p.m. Lehigh Valley train from New York, Sunday, Aug. 19, en route to Toronto, where was held the first session of the Institute's 128th Meeting.

Jan 9, 1923

By E. V. Daveler, Frank L. Antisell

CERTAIN physical and chemical properties of copper are so intimately related that a change in variation of the physical properties indicates a certain chemical change. The standard specifications of copper of the American Society for Testing Materials are based upon physical characteristics with one exception, namely, the copper contents. Certain phenomena of the surface indicate the adaptability of the metal for forging or rolling. The writer believes that it is much simpler to produce shapes that are metallurgically correct than those that are mechanically satisfactory. The appearance of the surface of the copper when cooled is considered as to its "pitch," or the general contour of the surface, and the "set," or the decail appearance of the surface of the shape. The set of the copper is, in a very large measure, directly related to the pitch; and so intimately are these characteristics connected that they are often used as synonymous terms by the refiner when he is speaking of well-refined copper. Oxygen is often spoken of as a medicine for copper, it being used to regulate the pitch.

Jan 1, 1920

By H. W. Gillett

CLYDE WILLIAMS has reminded me that in the fall of 1929, gave, in MINING AND METALLURGY, an account of the hopes and aspirations of Battelle Memorial Institute, which was then just swinging into initial operation; and that therein I remarked that B.M.I. should stand, as well, for Better Metallurgical Industries, since helping to better them was the Institute's aim. So he has suggested that some of the betterments of the past fifteen years might well be listed. A yearly summary of progress comes pretty close to the ultimate in futility, for everything proved of value in that year had its inception in earlier years, and everything really new has still to be proved. Plenty of things hailed as wonderful achievements for that year, by some enthusiasts invited to contribute to the summary, turn out in later years to be inglorious flops. But over a decade and a half, betterments that are really such become self-evident, and recounting some of them can be done without guesswork or wishful thinking. An inventory of what was known and utilized in 1929 compared to what is now known and used is not too hard to make. Perhaps the most clear-cut picture of what is known and used at a certain date is drawn by the handbooks, textbooks, and equipment catalogs of that date, with scientific periodical literature forecasting what knowledge may later be used when it is verified and assimilated. The tools available for production or for research limit the application of old and the finding of new knowledge.

Jan 1, 1945

Stanley C. Bullock, Captain, Royal Engineers, has been awarded the Military Cross. Charles L. Cantley was commissioned Lieutenant in the Fifth Royal Highlanders of Canada and went to France with the first Canadian contingent early in 1915, being Quartermaster of the Battalion. He went through the second battle of Ypres, Festubert, St. Eloi and the other engagements in which the Canadians were engaged up .to July, 1915, at which time he was promoted to the rank of Major. He was later ordered home by General Sir Sam Hughes, then Canadian Minister of War, and his services were loaned to the Nova Scotia Steel & Coal Co., suppliers of shell steel and forgers of shells in Canada. He continued with this company as chief officer in charge of munitions until the latter part of 1917, when he sailed for England with his old regiment. John D. Cooner was wounded on Apr. 9, 1918, by shrapnel, and is now in a hospital in Paris. He is getting along nicely. T. C. Gorman was killed in action in France on Mar. 18, 1918.

Jan 7, 1918

"Located on the Big Hole River, three miles from Divide, Montana, and 21.75 miles from Butte.Built in 1899.DAM: Rock-filled wooden crib, 512 ft. long and 57.5 feet high.SPILLWAY: Equipped with flash-boards 189 ft. long, 8 ft. 10 inches high.PENSTOCKS: Two 8 ft. diameter of steel, each branching and supplying two wheels.WHEELS: Four double horizontal, double discharge turbines, made by The James Leffel & Co., 1,000 h-p., 180 r. p. m., direct connected to generators, operating at 60 ft. head. GENERATORS: Four G. E., revolving field, 750 k-w., 180 r. p. m., 800 volt, 3 phase, 60 cycle alternators.EXCITERS: Two water-wheel driven exciters.TRANSFORMERS: 12 250-k-w. G. E. air blast, primary 15,000 volts, Secondary 800 volts.OPERATION: The plant operates essentially as a peak load plant. Except in flood period, there is insufficient water to operate at full load continually. In December its average output is about 500 k-w."

Jan 1, 1913

By GUY B. HUNNER

THOSE magnetite ore bodies comprising the Clifton Mines are situated in the south central part of St. Lawrence County, New York, on the western slope of the Adirondack Mountains. The topography is made up of gently rolling hills densely wooded with second-growth maple, birch, and hemlock. Drainage is north and west to the St. Lawrence River.

Jan 1, 1943

John M. Cairns, in an interesting letter dated June. 19, 1918, tells us of his experiences in Italy. He says, "It may interest you to know I came out to Italy after being on the Afghan frontier of Indian Baluchistan, in August last year, and for some time was posted at Turin as Railway Transport officer. At that time Turin was in the toils of the riots which were the forerunners and preliminaries which led up to the great Italian retreat (Capretto). Since then I have been all over Italy from (deleted by the censor) in Transportation intelligence, and now have just been transferred to the Directorate of Requisitions and Hirings, which now permits great opportunities of going nearly all over Italy (deleted by the censor). My address is L. of C. Branch, D. R. & H., A. P. 0. L/1, I. E. F.

Jan 9, 1918