Texaco Inc.

Robert W Pitts, Jr

Dan M Arnold

Douglas G Calvin

Curtis E Howard

Houston A Whatley, Jr

Harry D Smith, Jr

Hans J Paap

Harold E Peelman

Herbert A Rundell

Theodore W Nussbaum

Hubert D Scott

Norman E Flournoy

Ronald G Gillespie

An improved multiphase fluid flow meter for fluid which contains gas. It has a full circle loop to subject the flowing fluid to centrifugal force, and it can measure the pressure differentials between the center and the outside and inside radii of the loop. Also it can measure the density of the average fluid flowing, plus the density of a continuous sampling of the gas and of the liquid constituent of the fluid.

Multiphase fluid flow meter (D#76,244)

A fluid flow meter for a fluid containing mixed liquid and gas. It has positive displacement structure that incorporates density measurement of segments of the mixed liquid and gas, while the linear velocity of both components is the same. There may be means for measuring the pressure and temperature of the fluid segments in order to determine the volume of the gas component.

Fluid flow meter for mixed liquid and gas

A method of marking a pipeline location eliminates ambiguity in case there are leaks near the location of a marker. It employs a marker that emits two separate frequencies that are modulated by a third frequency lower than either of the other two. Detection of the marker on a pipeline pig is done by separating the two frequencies and demodulating the third. Then by determining the coincidence of all three for a predetermined number of consecutive cycles of the third frequency, the marker location will be positively identified.

Method of marking and detecting a pipeline location

A system applicable to rotary drilling. It includes a torque meter that measures dynamic torque while drilling. The system averages the time period of individual oscillations in the torque, for a given number of such oscillations. It indicates the length of such average time numerically. Consequently, the probable cause of the oscillations may be inferred.

Combination for use in a rotary drilling system with torque meter

A copier provides output signals corresponding to subject matter on material being copied. The copier includes a light source which provides light pulses that impinge upon the material. The material provides light pulses to a light sensitive sensor in accordance with the subject matter on the material. The sensor provides electrical pulses on a one-for-one basis with the received light pulses from the material. An output circuit provides the output signals in accordance with the electrical pulses from the sensor.

High speed copying means and method

A facsimile system includes a transmitter having a light source, which provides pulses of light, scans an original copy. The pulses of light impinge on the copy during each scan. A light responsive device spacially related to the copy receives pulses of light from the copy in accordance with the copy, and provides electrical pulses. A circuit in the transmitter provides output signals in accordance with the electrical pulses from the device. A pulse source in the transmitter provides synchronization pulses. The system also includes a receiver which has a network receiving the output signals and the synchronization pulses. The network provides electrical data pulses in accordance with the received output signals and electrical synchronization pulses in accordance with the received synchronization pulses. A control circuit connected to the network provides a control signal in accordance with the data pulses from the network. A laser in the receiver scans light sensitive material and provides pulses of light which strike the material in accordance with the control signal. The receiver further includes apparatus for developing material so as to provide a printed copy of the original copy.

Facsimile system

High speed printing apparatus for printing on light sensitive material includes a circuit adapted to receive at least one input signal which provides a control signal in accordance with a received input signal. A laser scans the material and provides pulses of light which strike the material in accordance with the control signal so as to expose the light sensitive material at the point of striking. The exposed film is developed so as to provide a printed copy in accordance with the received input signal.

Means and method for printing on light sensitive material

A method for assembling an ignition system for in situ combustion operation to recover petroleum from a well in a subterranean reservoir, and an ignition system for an elongated combustion chamber suspended from a hollow electrical cable and which cable supplies both electrical means and fuel gas to the chamber. Air inlet ducts in the walls of the air inlet cylinder receive air from the annular space between the hollow cable and the wellbore tubing. An electrical ignitor is temporarily energized automatically or responsive to a thermocouple detecting no burning in the combustion chamber to ignite the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber. The ignitor is responsive to the thermocouple detecting burning in the combustion chamber for extinguishing the ignitor. The thermocouple is thus responsive to a flameout for re-energizing the ignitor either manually or automatically such that burner operation is interrupted only momentarily. This new method includes further the steps of electrically connecting a second thermocouple to a limit set means and forming it responsive to the thermocouple for causing the flow of additional secondary air to be automatically increased to cool the electronics portion of the burner if the temperature therein goes beyond safe limits.

Method for forming an automatic burner for in situ combustion for

A well logging system includes a logging tool adapted to be passed through a borehole traversing an earth formation. The logging tool contains a sensor sensing a condition of the earth formation and providing electrical pulses corresponding in number and peak amplitude to the sensed condition. A first electrical pulse from the sensor occurring during each predetermined time period of a plurality of predetermined time periods, is stretched and then converted to parallel digital signals. A register receives the parallel digital signals and provides a serial digital signal in response to the shift pulses. A network provides an electrical synchronization pulse each time period prior to the occurrence of the shift pulses. A light emitting diode converts the synchronization pulses and the serial digital signals to corresponding light pulses. A cable including a fiber optic conductor transmits the light pulses uphole to the surface. Surface electronics includes a light-to-electrical converter for providing corresponding electrical pulses in accordance with the light pulses, so that the light-to-electrical converter provides a synchronization pulse followed by a serial digital signal each time period. Another circuit provides a set of shift pulses in response to the synchronizing pulse from the light-to-electrical converter, and an output circuit provides parallel output digital signals corresponding to the sensed condition in accordance with the shift pulses and the serial digital signals from the light-to-electrical converter.

Well logging system

A well logging system provides at least one output corresponding to a condition sensed in a borehole traversing an earth formation. The well logging system includes a logging instrument which includes a sensor sensing the condition and providing electrical pulses corresponding in number and peak amplitude to the sensed condition. A converting circuit connected to the sensors converts each electrical pulse into a light pulse whose intensity corresponds to the peak amplitude. A well logging cable connected to the logging instrument includes a light conductor. The logging instrument further includes a circuit for applying the light pulses to one end of the light conductor. Surface apparatus includes a converter connected to the other end of the light conductor for converting each light pulse into a corresponding electrical pulse having a peak amplitude representative of the intensity of the light pulse. Circuitry connected to the electrical converter processes the electrical pulses provided by the light to electrical converter to provide the output corresponding to the sensed condition.

Fiber optic well logging means and method

A fluid flow meter. It employs measurements related to centrifugal flow of the fluids therethrough. There is a complete loop and means for measuring the differential pressure of the fluid in the loop between the inside and outside of the fluid stream near the middle of the loop. Also there is means for measuring the density of the fluid flowing through the loop. By correlating the results, the rate of fluid flow through the meter may be measured.

Multiphase fluid flow meter

For in situ combustion operation to recover petroleum from a well in a subterranean reservoir, an ignition system for an elongated combustion chamber suspended from a hollow electrical cable and which cable supplies both electrical means and fuel gas to the chamber. Air inlet ducts in the walls of the air inlet cylinder receive air from the annular space between the hollow cable and the wellbore tubing. An electrical ignitor is temporarily energized automatically or responsive to a thermocouple detecting no burning in the combustion chamber to ignite the fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber. The ignitor is responsive to the thermocouple detecting burning in the combustion chamber for extinguishing the ignitor. The thermocouple is thus responsive to a flameout for re-energizing the ignitor either manually or automatically such that burner operation is interrupted only momentarily. Secondary air is automatically increased to cool the electronics portion of the burner if the temperature therein gets above safe limits.

Ignition system for an automatic burner for in situ combustion for

A method for initiating an in situ combustion operation for heating a well to recover petroleum from a subterranean reservoir in the well comprises lowering an elongated combustion chamber suspended from a hollow electrical cable with an air supply tube therearound which supplies electricity, fuel gas, and air to the combustion chamber, mixing an air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber, and igniting the air-fuel mixture with an ignitor responsive to the thermocouple detecting burning in the combustion chamber for providing an automatic, reliable, and flame-out proof method for initiating heat deep in the well.

Method for automatically initiating in situ combustion for enhanced

A system for measuring the thermal neutron lifetime of earth formations in the vicinity of a well borehole is disclosed. A downhole sonde is equipped with a pulsed neutron source, a thermal neutron or gamma ray detector and a pair of measurement electrodes. The measured salinity of the borehole fluid is used to optimize the delay time to the opening of measurement gating intervals for signals from the detector.

Thermal neutron die away logging system with optimized gating

A method for heating a well or for initiating an in situ combustion operation to recover petroleum from a well in a subterranean reservoir, a method for assembling an ignition system for the in situ combustion, and an ignition system comprises an elongated combustion chamber suspended from a hollow electrical cable which supplies both electrical means and fuel gas to the chamber. Air inlet ducts in the walls of the combustion chamber receive air from the annular space between the hollow cable and the wellbore tubing. An electrical ignitor is temporarily energized to ignite the fuel-air mixture in the air inlet cylinder. An adjacent thermocouple is responsive to a flameout for re-energizing an ignitor manually such that burner operation is interrupted only momentarily .

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Robert W Pitts, Jr