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By William J. Millard

The Island of Trinidad has much the same geological history as the continent of South America. There are present in this area Cretaceous, Tertiary and Quaternary rocks, which were deposited in a basin covering eastern Venezuela and Trinidad, very much as rocks of the same age were deposited in the Maracaibo Basin in western Venezuela. Along the north coast there are metamorphosed and semimetamorphosed Cretaceous rocks which are found as semicrystalline limestone, schists and quartzites, etc. Both the Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks are petroliferous and are responsible for the production of oil in Trinidad and eastern Venezuela. The geological column in the oil-bearing region of Trinidad is shown below.

Jan 1, 1931

By Joseph Jensen

California's outstanding contribution to unit operation is the plan of development now established for the North dome of the Kettleman Hills. Beginning April 1, 1931, the Kettleman North Dome Assn. will control the unified operation and development of 10,800 acres of proven and semiproven oil land, and at the same time the Standard Oil CO. of California will operate as another unit its fee land of 9460 acres of similar character. The holdings of the two companies are in a checkerboard mile-square pattern. In addition to this, 410 acres of land may yet be included in the Kettleman North Dome Assn. unit and 530 acres of land are definitely out of both units. The owners of some of this land have expressed their intention of cooperating in a reasonable way with these two units. Cooperative agreements are now in force as to most of this field. Under the definitions of a unit pool and a near-unit pool,' the operation at Kettleman Hills will be a near-unit operation, but because of the size of the structure and its proven highly productive character, the arrangement. concluded on Jan. 31, 1931, in the approval of the Kettleman North Dome Assn. Agreement by Secretary of the Interior Ray Lyman Wilbur and by California State Oil and Gas Supervisor R. D. Bush is of outstanding importance to the entire oil industry. No other major unit operation plans are under way in California at the present time. There has been some little discussion of a plan in the North Belridge field and a feeling that the discovery of oil in the Lost Hills field and also in the South Belridge field would necessitate consideration of unit plans. So few data are available for these areas, as to the land that should be included in such unit plans, that little constructive action is now possible. The beginning of drilling on the Middle dome of the Kettleman Hills also makes it an area deserving consideration for unit operation. All four of the above-named areas lie on the west side of the San Joaquin Valley, in Kings and Kern counties, to the south of the

Jan 1, 1931

Jan 1, 1931

By S. D. Brady

In Monongalia County, West Virginia, the Pittsburgh and Sewickley beds lie west of the Monongahela River and underlie practically all the western end of the county. The average thickness of the Pittsburgh bed is 8 ft., where it is being mined at present, sometimes running up to 9 ft. The Sewickley bed is 4½ to 6 ft. thick and lies 90 to 100 ft. above the Pittsburgh bed. As the Pittsburgh bed had a known value, a large part of it was bought up without consideration of the Sewickley bed. When the Monongahela Railway was built up the west side of the Monongahela River, other interests bought up the Sewickley bed, as it was found to be equal in quality to the Pittsburgh, with slight local exceptions. The two beds, therefore, were owned by different people, and naturally each owner opened his mine and ran it without regard to the working of the other bed. Consequently, considerable portions of the upper bed were seriously affected for economical mining, especially on Scotts Run. In recent years there has been a tendency, influenced by the decision of the West Virginia Supreme Court, on the part of the operators in Monongalia County to try to coordinate their projections in the layout of their mines. A typical geologic section, according to the report of the West Virginia State Geological Survey on Monongalia County, agrees with Fig. 1. It is apparent that the rock above the Sewickley bed and between the Sewickley and Pittsburgh beds is of a rather friable ~lature, therefore it is easily broken in pillaring. About the only difference between this section and the geologic section in the Lowsville district is that in the latter district the rock between the coals is a denser sandstone and contains little shale and limestone and no evidence of Redstone coal. It is a laminated sandstone, and although it makes a harder mass, it is easily broken. While working in the Lowsville district, the author had an opportunity to examine a neighboring mine in the Sewickley bed, which was over a section being pillared in the Pittsburgh bed. The two mines belong to dif-

Jan 1, 1931

By A. C. Milner

In a gold standard world which possesses insufficient metal to meet the every-day needs of all, confidence becomes the vital factor, the very foundation upon which the machinery for the expansion of gold into currency, and credit, rests. The gold supply, affected by many influences, moves constantly from one point to another, but not always to that point where it is most needed. In the period 1928-1930, the combined gold holdings of the United States and France increased $1,370,936,-000, and this with new gold adding only $600,000,000 to the monetary gold stock.Theref ore, the gold stocks of other countries must have been depleted during the period by $770,936,000. This uncontrolled shifting throws the delicately adjusted instrumentalities of both credit and commerce out of equilibrium. If a given nation's gold stock shifts so as to bring it substantially below the legal reserve ratio set up against it for currency issues, the effect can easily extend to the currency issues and banking credit volume of one or more nations which may have based their gold exchange standards upon the gold stock of such nation. Thus the substitution of paper based on gold in place of the actual gold is an inflation of the currency, which carries through into an uncontrolled pyramiding upon the entire machinery of credit based on gold. In 1929 Europe, South America, Africa and Asia had overissued currency based on gold. America, Oceanica and Japan, which have not overissued their gold currencies, would in normal times require their entire present gold stocks and, as Continental Asia is largely upon a silver credit basis, from a domestic standpoint, it would appear that the gold problem is not so much one of maldistribution, as it is one of inadequate supply. It would appear that some method of increasing greatly the velocity of gold, within the safe reserve point, should be devised, or that silver, of which estimates indicate that 7,000,000,000 oz. are available for

Jan 1, 1931

By J. E. Pogue

It is the purpose of this paper to attempt to establish three theses which may be stated in advance as follows: 1. The crude oil potential is the accumulation of surplus initial production. 2. The crude oil potential is a semi-inventory and therefore is a causal factor in the price of crude petroleum. 3. The price of crude petroleum no longer correlates with above-ground inventories but does correlate with corrected inventories (i. e., above-ground storage plus the inventory equivalent of the crude oil potential). The factors and principles set forth in this study are thought to yield an approximate answer to a number of questions of active interest in the petroleum industry today, to wit: (a) How long would be required to eliminate the potential if all drilling ceased? (b) What would be the indicated crude oil production of the United States in 1931 if proration were abandoned? (c) What economic change would be necessary to warrant a higher price for crude oil? Definitions For the purposes of this study the following definitions may be stated: The crude oil potential in the United States is the quantity of oil that all the oil wells would make the first 24 hr. if permitted to flow unrestricted. The surplus potential is the above-mentioned quantity minus the volume currently produced. Initial production is the first day's unrestricted flow of an oil well. Aggregate initial production is the sum of the initials of all wells completed during a year. Surplus initial is the initial not needed to bring production into balance with demand. The surplus initial is equal to the crude oil potential minus the current rate of production. The annual production-equivalent of the crude oil potential is the volume of oil that would be produced in one year if all wells were permitted

Jan 1, 1931

Jan 1, 1931

By R. Laird Auchmuty

FOREWORD THE A. I. M. E. Subcommittee on Bituminous Mining has been trying for several years to secure the information that was collected by the Marquette Cement Manufacturing Co. on the subsidence of its property caused by mining coal beneath it. The Marquette company was willing to have these data used, but it was impossible to obtain them because the records had been filed away. About two years ago these records became available and the engineering data presented herewith were compiled from them by R. L. Auchmuty, assisted by L. E. Young, who was connected with the collection of the information. On account of the cost, it is impossible to reproduce all of the data here, although the original information is on file with the records of the Committee on Ground Movement and Subsidence. The accompanying charts show representative and average data and give only the engineering information with enough description to tell how it was obtained. It is hoped that all of those connected with the original case will participate in the discussion that this will bring forth. HOWARD N. EAVENSON, Chairman, Subcommittee on Bituminous Coal Mining.

Jan 1, 1931

By H. E. Crum, W. E. Hubbard

This review covers the northern 32 counties of the Texas Panhandle, an area 180 miles square. The westerly three-fourths of the district lies wholly within that great area known as the Llano Estacado or "staked plains." Six of the counties produce oil and gas and three produce gas alone. All of the production is associated with the Amarillo arch, a huge anticline superimposed upon a buried mountain range which is undoubtedly a continuation of the Wichitas of southwestern Oklahoma. Oil Production The production of the Texas Panhandle up to Jan. 1,1930, was slightly over 157 million barrels, 90 per cent. of which came from Hutchinson and Gray counties. About 33,000,000 bbl. was produced during 1930. Though this was about 9 per cent. above the 1929 production, it was over 8,000,000 bbl. less than was produced during the peak year, 1928. The present daily production is slightly over 40,000 bbl., which is the allowable production under state-wide proration. The assumed potential for the purpose of proration is 124,500 bbl. and the actual capacity of the wells probably would be in the neighborhood of 100,000 barrels. The total initial production of the oil wells completed in 1930 was 157,289 bbl. from 308 wells, or 511 bbl. per well, as compared to a 734-bbl. average from the 350 oil wells drilled during the preceding year. The completions in Gray County numbered 232, with an average initial of 614 barrels. Completions During 1930, 526 wells were completed in the Panhandle as compared to a total of 503 during 1929. Of the year's completions, 308 were oil wells, 169 produced gas and 49 were dry holes. Of the 3027 wells drilled in the Panhandle to date, 2780 have produced oil, gas or both, making the ratio of dry holes to producers about 1:11.3. Ignoring the 63 dry holes drilled in nonproductive counties, the ratio becomes 184:2780 or 1:15.1 which is slightly less favorable than that which obtained at the end of 1929.

Jan 1, 1931

By Eugene A. Stephenson

Critical analyses of the work expended in producing oil by the utilization of gas energy have appeared in the publications of Shaw,' Pierce and LewisI2 and Herold,3 authors who have ably discussed the factors which must be taken into consideration in comparing energy consumed per barrel in various wells which are flowed by means of gas-lift. However, two distinct phases of oil production are concerned with the ratio of gas energy consumed to oil produced. One of these phases is the gas-lift, which utilizes the differential gas pressures for the purpose of flowing oil, whether these pressures be natural reservoir pressures or be induced by artificial compression of gas or air. The other phase has to do with prorating oil production in pools which are operated either as units, or are subject to such restrictions as those imposed at Oklahoma City by the Corporation Commission, or by similar controlling groups in other fields. An abundance of literature is available relative to the problems of flowing wells by gas-lift, but the first suggestion that the energy of the gas within the oil and gas pool might serve as a basis for proration, appeared in the timely article by Mc Williams.4 Much of the dissatisfaction with proration in certain fields arises because some operators feel that besides the hazard to the wells which accompanies the test, the method of allocating production on the basis of the " potential" gage is inequitable and gives some operators a distinct advantage over others.5 The most severe penalty may be exacted from the most progressive operators or those who attempt to produce their oil with a minimum quantity of reservoir gas. If no difficulties ever developed in drilling, shutting off water, or in well completion, it might

Jan 1, 1931

By H. H. Otto

Fourteen years ago, J. B. Warriner presented before the Institute a paper on anthracite stripping,' describing the progress of stripping in the Anthracite Region from its beginning with an old quarry stripping at Summit Hill, which was operated more than a century ago, through various types of strippings used in 1917. This paper will briefly review the status of anthracite stripping methods from 1917 to the present day and describe in detail the stripping operation of The Hudson Coal CO. at Clinton collicry. It is not intended as a review of the work in the district—that would require a much longer paper. History and Statistics Mr. Warriner said, in part: "The sizes of shovels have gradually increased until now 70 and 80-ton shovels are the rule and larger equipment is coming in." He also referred to a large electrically operated dragline which weighed about 225 tons and had an operating radius of 125 ft. In 1917, a number of strippings used shovels of various sizes, ranging up to the 60 Marion and Bucyrus 70-C railroad type. Material was hauled away in narrow-gage side dumpers, usually of 4 or 5 cu. yd. capacities. Star-type churn drills with 4-in. bits were generally used for drilling purposes. Since 1917 wages in the anthracite field; have increased, but the higher operating costs of strippings are now being successfully combated by continuous improvements in stripping equipment, such as the development of the caterpillar or crawler shovels, the use of larger cars, better drilling equipment, the introduction of shovels of increased capacity and the adoption, in a number of instances, of standard-gage equipment for transportation. In 1918 another large dragline was introduced in the southern fields, which had been in service in the Middle West and is in use today, dipping vertically about 180 ft. to raise coal out of a stripping. About 1918, small shovels with caterpillar traction were introduced. In 1922 the 6-in. well drills began replacing the 4-in. drills, with an attendant saving to the operators. About the same time A. E. Dick placed the first pair

Jan 1, 1931

By C. V. Millikan, C. V. Sidwell

There is nothing more important in petroleum engineering than a definite knowledge of the pressure at the bottom of an oil well at any existing operating condition, and the relation of this pressure to the pressure within the producing formation. A knowledge of bottom-hole pressures is fundamental in determining the most efficient methods of recovery and the most efficient lifting procedure, yet there is less information about these pressures than about any other part of the general problem of producing oil. Determination of Bottom-hole Pressures Bottom-hole pressure may be calculated or determined by several methods. On an inactive well it may be calculated from the fluid head or, if the well is shut in, by adding the casinghead pressure, the static head of the gas and the fluid head. In wells flowing naturally through tubing the pressure at the bottom of the tubing may be calculated by adding the pressure at the casinghead between the tubing and the casing and the pressure due to the weight of the column of gas, but there is always possibility of error caused by fluid being in the annular space above the bottom of the tubing. If a well with tubing is flowing through either the annular space or the tubing, sufficient gas may be injected through the static space to insure that it is free of fluid but not sufficient to establish an appreciable friction loss. The pressure at the bottom of the tubing can then be calculated by adding to the pressure at the tubing head the pressure due to the weight of the column of gas. This is probably the most accurate method of calculating bottom-hole pressures. In wells flowing by gas-lift, the pressure at the point the gas enters the flow may be calculated by a gas-flow formula. Several types of pressure bombs have been used to measure the pressure at the bottom of wells. One is a piece of steel tubing with a check valve in the bottom and a connection for a pressure gage at the top. It is lowered into the well to the point at which the pressure is

Jan 1, 1931

By Eugene McAuliffe

The mining press, as well as certain federal and state bulletins, refer from time to time to the relative hazards that attach to loading bituminous coal by hand when compared with the so-called "mechanical loading" process. Much of the coal coming under the head of hand-loaded coal is won in part by the use of machinery; the coal-cutting machine is in general use, the electric power drill employed to a lesser extent. Therefore it may be said that the principal difference in the process employed, mechanical loading versus hand loading, lies in the fact that some type of loading machine is employed in the mechanical loading process to lift the coal from the face of the room, place or entry, after it is mined, placing it in the pit cars for transport to the tipple. It is a common practice to compute accident records on the basis of tons mined per fatal and per nonfatal accident, disregarding the fact that it is possible to produce by the aid of coal-loading machines the same daily, monthly and annual tonnage with a much smaller force than is required where the coal is all shoveled by hand. Inasmuch as the men who are released by the substitution of machinery for hand labor must find employment elsewhere, suffering some measure of hazard in their new occupation, we are of the opinion that the true relative hazard that attaches to the processes of mechanical loading and hand loading can be determined only by using as the basis of comparison "man shifts worked" or "hours of exposure" experienced per accident. The Union Pacific Coal-Co., beginning with the year 1929, undertook to maintain a true record of man shifts worked per compensable accident, giving equal weight to fatal and nonfatal accidents. Accidents lacking sufficient severity to come under the compensable terms of the Workmen's Compensation Act were not included in the compilation, the Act providing that "no compensation, except the expense of medical attention, shall be allowed for the first seven (7) days of disability, unless the incapacity runs beyond the period of twenty-one (21) days, in which case the compensation shall run from the time of the injury." With the further thought that all accidents suffered by employees engaged in any service, in or about the place where the loading process

Jan 1, 1931

By W. P. Z. German

Some attention should be given to definitions. The term "unit operation " may have at least two meanings. One meaning is the merging of titles and the development and operation of the unitized area, as if it were one tract of land held under a single oil and gas lease, according to a definite program intended to accomplish a maximum recovery from the pool as a whole at a minimum of cost. It is incomplete when the royalty owners do not also merge their titles to their oil and gas rights in the area, and is complete when they do. The other meaning is not accompanied by any merger of titles, but the development and operation of the area is in accordance, as nearly as reasonably practicable, with such a program. This second conception may be nothing more than a cooperative development and operation plan, but in this paper it is regarded as more than that. If there cannot be unit operation without a merger of titles, it would seem that the state cannot require unit operation, for it cannot require a merging of titles; but if it may consist in requiring each and all of the leaseholders to develop and operate or to submit to a development and operation according to some such common plan as is referred to above without at the same time requiring a merger of titles, it would seem that unit operation may be required by the state. Whether the states have this power is the subject to be herein considered. If the state can so bind the several lessees, it also can so bind the several lessors. The writer does not know what would be an ideal plan for the development and operation of a pool; but it takes into account the fact that the accumulation of gas and oil is not uniform throughout the formation; that often free gas, highly compressed, occupies the upper portions of the reservoir, the oil with compressed gas in solution coming next in order; that at places oil is not overlain by free gas, and sometimes there are peaks where free gas is not immediately underlain by any oil; and the fact that these substances are held under a uniformly distributed pressure, generally referred to as "rock pressure." It also recognizes that the most efficient utilization of this naturally existing reservoir pressure in the recovery of the oil requires that there be no operation of wells completed into areas where gas only has accumulated, for this diminishes the

Jan 1, 1931

By Ionel I. Gardescu

During the summer of 1930 the average daily oil production of Rumania registered a new peak at 128,000 bbl. per day. The estimated potential production as of September, 1930, was as high as 235,000 bbl. per day. During the latter part of the year, by mutual agreement, the operators decided to curtail their output to about 100,000 bbl., which brought the average for the year to 116,600 bbl. The total production for 1930 was 41,572,000 bbl. (last month estimated) as compared with 35,757,000 bbl. for 1929, or an increase of 16.3 per cent. over last year's production. The production for the last 10 years is given in Table 1. The curtailment of production was prorated per company, based on its total estimated potential production as of September, 1930, and not per field. As a consequence, at present there is little development of protected or slightly productive areas; viz., Arbanasi, with an average production of 1750 bbl. per day, dropped to less than one-third after curtailment came into effect. Moreni, with an average production of 92,000 bbl. per day, while producing 58 per cent. of the country's total output in 1929, went to 67 per cent. at the beginning of 1930 and to 75.2 per cent, towards the end of the year. The modified Mining Law of 1929 is still in effect. This law withdraws the restrictions set on foreign capital by the law of 1924. As a consequence a large percentage of proven state land was alloted through competitive bidding to foreign companies. The Romano-Americana (Standard of New Jersey) acquired several leases in the Boldesti and

Jan 1, 1931

By Chu-Phay Yap

This is the first of a series of theoretical papers on the iron-carbon system. A simple critical analysis of the ordinary constitution diagram of the iron-carbon system yields valuable information regarding the nature of the equilibria in the liquid and solid states. It is shown, for example, that the solute in the melt is Fe3C, but in solid Fe (austenite) the solute is carbon. The thermodynamic laws of the depression in the freezing point of solid solutions have been developed and discussed. Using the usual method of plotting the logarithm value of the concentration of the solvent (in this case, the ratio of concentrations of the solvent in the liquid and solid phases) against 1/T, curves are obtained. A rigorous thermodynamic analysis of these curves has been shown to yield considerable information regarding the internal equilibria of the system, with which the phase rule does not deal altogether. In this way, it is shown again that the solute in the melt is Fe3C, but in the solid rFe the solute is carbon. Various heats of reaction (fusion and transition) and other thermal data have been derived: and discussed with a view to correlating the conflicting experimental data obtained by different investigators of the system.

Jan 1, 1931

By Robert Baker

IT has been demonstrated in the laboratory by A. J. Phillips1 that a transformation or conversion from beta directly to alpha may take place in a brass of 61 to 62.5 per cent copper content. The completion of the transformation is dependent on a rapid rate of cooling from the all-beta field through the alpha + beta range to the alpha field. Phillips states that in a slowly cooled alloy containing 62 per cent copper and 38 per cent zinc the copper content of the beta is progressively decreased from 62 to 56 per cent by precipitation of alpha. Rapid cooling tends to prevent the separation of alpha with a copper content of more than 62 per cent by reducing to a minimum the time required for passing through the alpha + beta range. Upon crossing beyond the (alpha + beta.)/(alpha) boundary to the all-alpha region below, the material is transformed from beta to alpha. It is essential that there be no change in composition. Phillips obtained his results by quenching a 62:38 copper-zinc alloy from 850° C. in iced brine at -8° C. No reference to the occurrence of this transformation in a manufacturing process has been found in the literature. An investigation of the microstructures of a number of hot forgings made from leaded brass rods yielded one forging in which this striking conversion from beta to alpha had occurred. The purpose of this paper is to describe the transformation and certain conditions under which it may occur during the hot pressing of brass. The conversion was noted in a shape forged from a leaded brass rod, the composition of which was: Cu, 60.26 per cent; Zn, 37.86; Pb, 1.88. In this study the lead content was disregarded and the alloy was considered to be equivalent to an alloy of 61.40 per cent copper and 38.60 per cent zinc (98.12 parts = 100 parts). The possibility that the lead might obstruct or accelerate the precipitation of alpha was not studied. The lead appears as black globules in the photomicrographs and has a negligible solubility in the alloy.

Jan 1, 1931

Separates of all the Technical Publications published in 1931 are available at Institute headquarters. All the papers are on file in public, university and technical libraries, and when so indicated in the list, may be found in the Transactions. Copies of these papers have been mailed to those members of the Institute who are registered in the different classes: A-Metal Mining; B-Milling and Concentration; C-Iron and Steel Division; D-Nonferrous Metallurgy; E-Institute of Metals Division; F-Coal Division; G-Petroleum Division; H-Nonmetallic Minerals; I-Mining Geology; K-Mining Administration; L-Geophysical Prospecting. Other members may obtain copies by writing to the Secretary. Additional copies are sold at the rate of I cent per page; minimum charge, 25 cents. Metal Mining Tech-nical Publi- Title Author Meeting TRanb. cation Volume No. and Page* 411-A.43 Ventilation at the Portovelo Mines, J. P. Harmon New York. T31, 83 Ecuador (18) Feb., 1931 425-A.44 Use of Models for the Study of Mining P. B. Bucky New York, Problems (28) Feb., 1931 Milling and Concentration 375-B.32 Ball Mill Studies, I (53) A. W. Fahrenwald New York, H. E. Lee Feb.. 1931 401-B.33 Experimental Flotation of Oxidized H. S. Gieser New York. Silver Ores (9) Feb., 1931 410-B.34 Flotation of Minor Gold in Large-scale E. S. Leaver New York, Copper Concentrators (32) J. A. Woolf Feb., 1931 414-B.35 Effect of Particle Size on Flotation A. M. Gaudin New York, (23) J. 0. Groh Feb., 1931 H. B. Henderson 416-B.36 Ball Mill Studies, 11.—Thermal A. W. Fahrenwald New York. Determinations of Ball Mill Effi- G. W. Hammar Feb., 1931 ciency (13) H. E. Lee W. W. Staley Iron and Steel Division 38QC.59 Open-hearth Steel Process as a Prob- E. R. Jette New York, C31, 80, 111 Iem in Chemical Kinetics (34) Feb., 1931 381-C.60 Thermodynamic Study of the Phasial Yap, Chu-Phay New York. Equi1ibriain the System Iron-car- Feb., 1931 bon (26) 382-(3.61 Influence of Dissolved Carbide on the Yap, Chu-Phay New York, Equilibria of the System Iron-car- Feb., 1931 ban (19) 383-C.62 Research on Blast-furnace Slags. R. S. McCaffery New York, Three papers (88) Co-workers Feb., 1931 384-C.63 Statistical Analysis of Blast-furnace K. S. McCaffery New York, C31, 60, 70 Data (13) R. G. Stephenson Feb., 1931

Jan 1, 1931

By H. H. Power, C. H. Pishny

When an oil operator becomes a party to a proration agreement he may wonder, with good cause, whether production prorated .today is merely deferred until tomorrow or whether oil might be lost. Various types of evidence obtained from production records when studied quantitatively are of great assistance in arriving at definite conclusions. A study of individual examples cited in this paper leads towards some solution of the problem, particularly when they are considered in the aggregate. Many production curves on various pay horizons were studied. A disappointingly large number of these were of contributory value, but inconclusive. However, there were enough curves of similar type from the Wilcox sand at Earlsboro, Bowlegs, Seminole City, the Cromwell horizon at Little River, and the Simpson dolomite at Valley Center, Kansas, from which reasonably definite conclusions were drawn. Assuming that deferred production is later made up with no increase in ultimate recovery, a curve (Fig. 1) shows the normal flowing and pumping life of a composite well, contructed by the family curve method. The initial production of the well shown is 1700 bbl. daily and the allowed production is 25 per cent. On this basis the average daily allowed rate for the first month is 425 bb1., or the area BCDE, which is equivalent to the area AFDG under the normal decline curve. The potential production for the second month is 1500 bbl. and the allowed production 375 bbl. daily. By this procedure a potential curve for each succeeding month is obtained (points A, H, I, J and K). If the well is opened it should produce somewhere near its potential curve for a short period and then decline at a more rapid rate than the potential curve. This theoretical analysis is basic. Actual examples exhibiting all points raised by the ideal curve are rare. Proration in the Mid-Continent area has been effected mostly by leases rather than by individual wells; hence a well may produce any

Jan 1, 1931

By F. Keller, E. H. Dix

The desirable high strength and hardness of the heat-treated strong aluminum alloys result from two distinct structural changes: (1) the formation of a solid, solution by heating at the required temperature for a sufficient period, and the substantial retention of this solid solution by rapidly quenching; (2) precipitation of particles of constituent and coalescence to a critical size to produce maximum strength and hardness. In alloys of the duralumin type, that is, alloys containing both copper and magnesium silicide precipitation takes place at normal atmospheric temperature, whereas in alloys containing copper without magnesium silicide or magnesium silicide without copper, maximum properties are obtained only after an accelerated aging treatment consisting of heating for 15 to 20 hr. at temperatures of about 150" C. The mechanical properties of these alloys subsequent to quenching but prior to aging are ideal for forming operations. Unfortunately, however, the alloys of the duralumin type age very rapidly during the first 24 hr. and aging is substantially complete after four days. For severe forming, such as the heading of rivets, it is desirable that this be accomplished within ½ hr. or at the most 2 hr. after quenching. Alloys containing magnesium silicide without copper also age at normal temperatures but the aging is less rapid and the material can be satisfactorily worked within several weeks after quenching. Some slight aging of alloys containing copper alone also takes place at room temperature but it is unimportant from the standpoint of workability. Any method of retarding the aging at room temperature of the duralumin type of alloys would be of considerable advantage in that the period during which the material could be worked successfully would be lengthened. For instance, in aircraft plants it is customary to supply the workmen with small lots of rivets that should be used within ½ hr . after heat treatment. Such procedure has the obvious disadvantage of being uneconomical, and furthermore there is always the possibility that the workmen would use the rivets after the time limit had expired, or the supply being depleted might use some that had not been heat-

Jan 1, 1931