Mining Engineering Commons^™

Studies On The Role Of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Polyacrylamides In Fine Coal Flotation, Ontlametse Kenneth Molatlhegi

Masters Theses

"The current study investigated the effect of novel organic/inorganic (hybrid) polyacrylamide polymer as ash (slimes) depressant in fine coal flotation for the possibility to enhance the combustible recovery and ash rejection. Raw coal samples contain about 25% of ash-forming minerals were crushed, grinded to -75um and floated in the presence of in-house synthesized hybrid Polyacrylamide (Al(OH)₃-PAM or Al-PAM) at different operational parameters. Denver flotation cell with a 5-Liters capacity was used and the parameters investigated include: Al-PAM dosage, Al-PAM conditioning time, dual use of Al-PAM and a dispersant, impeller rotation speed and pulp's pH. For comparison purposes, commercially …

A Study Of The Phase Behavior Of Carbon Dioxide-Methane-Normal Decane Systems, Raja Audi Mansoor

Masters Theses

“The effect of carbon dioxide concentration, on solubility has been studied for several carbon dioxide-methane-n-decane systems. Experimental results were obtained using differential vaporization tests. Computational results were obtained using equilibrium constants.

The relation between solubility, bubble point pressure and solution carbon dioxide is presented. A ternary diagram showing the bubble point pressure behavior as a function of system composition is also presented”--Abstract, page ii.

Development Of A Technique For The Determination Of Capillary Pressure Curves Using A Constantly Accelerated Centrifuge, Robert N. Hoffman

Masters Theses

"A new technique for determining capillary pressure curves with a centrifuge has been developed and tested. Capillary pressure curves were determined for six cores by this technique and were compared to the curves for the same cores determined by the semi-permeable barrier technique. The technique differs from previously reported centrifuge techniques in that the centrifuge was slowly accelerated from zero to the maximum desired speed, rather than being held constant at particular, progressively higher speeds. An important advantage of this technique over other methods for determining capillary pressure curves is the short time required to obtain the desired amount of …

A Study Of Invert Emulsion Drilling Fluids, Edward R. Tegland

Masters Theses

"Since invert emulsions are being applied as drilling fluids to cope with special drilling and completion problems, evaluations of existing and new types of emulsions are needed. Three types of emulsions are evaluated in this study: (1) type A emulsions prepared with a commercial emulsifier, (2) type B emulsions prepared by adding clay to the external phase, and (3) type C emulsions containing no externally added emulsifier.

Standard testing procedures were used to measure the viscosity and filtration properties of the emulsions studied. Interfacial tension measurements were made using a technique described in the literature. The degree of stability for …

Graphical Solution Of Concentration At Production Wells Of Injected Radioactive Water Tracers, George E. Vaughn Jr.

Masters Theses

"With the advent of field research in which radioactive isotopes are used as tracers for water injected in secondary-recovery operations, knowledge of the probable transit time between wells of an injected tracer, its concentration at detection points, and the resultant optimum injection concentration has become important. Both detection and, consequently, injection concentrations of radioactive tracers are at least in part functions of the loss of tracer for various reasons, flow characteristics between wells, the rate of decay of radioactive emission, and the sensitivity of the detection apparatus. A method, based on the characteristics of a homogeneous 5-spot system, has been …

A Comparison Of The Effect Of Pvt Data Application Methods On Predicted Depletion Drive Reservoir Performance, Frederick A. Klein

Masters Theses

"It is generally agreed that the evolution of gas from oil within a reservoir is most closely approximated by the differential liberation process, while gas liberation in the flow string, surface separator, and stock tank is most nearly represented by flash liberation. To conform with this assumed physical behavior, appropriate application of both flash and differential liberation data in the computation of reservoir performance by material balance methods is indicated.

In this work, simple depletion-drive oil and gas recoveries were calculated (1) using differential liberation data only, and (2) using differential liberation data adjusted to incorporate the results of flash …

Rheological Measurement Of A Starch Suspension As A Dilatant Fluid, Earl Edward Pape

Masters Theses

"The measurement of the rheological properties, consistency of viscosity and fluid type, necessary for system design calculations, has fallen behind the industrial applications for non-Newtonian fluids. In the petroleum industry in particular, the process of well flow stimulation known as Hydraulic Fracturing utilizes the properties of various non-Newtonian fluids to carry sand at high flow rates to the formation to be fractured. Other non-Newtonian fluids in the petroleum industry are Bentonite clay drilling fluids, whose unique gelling properties are helpful in suspending drill cuttings when the circulation of the fluid has ceased. In Newtonian liquids and gases the consistency is …

A Simplified Mathematical Method For Petroleum Property Evaluation, Charles G. Edwards

Masters Theses

"The economic evaluation of a petroleum reservoir involves two fundamental operations; 1) predicting future production behaviour, 2) determining the present worth or this future production. This thesis purposes to eliminate the necessity of repeated calculation which is required in performing the second operation under existing methods.

Because the first operation, that of predicting future behaviour, is necessarily an estimate, there is an apparent tendency to employ approximate methods in the determination of present worth. The evaluation method developed in this paper confines estimation to the first operation, where it rightly belongs, and treats all subsequent work with mathematical exactness.The estimation …

An Investigation Of The Use Of Surface-Active Agents In The Secondary Recovery Of Oil By Water Flooding, Robert P. Schafer

Masters Theses

"The importance of producing oil cannot be emphasized enough in this modem world. Therefore, when primary methods of production seemingly exhaust the oil reservoirs, a secondary method of producing more oil is a necessity. At the present time, secondary methods of oil recovery have developed into a large industry. They are not a new development. The need of introducing compressed air or air-gas mixtures into the wells to increase production was quickly realized. Water flooding methods followed, and at first were restricted to the Eastern fields. Later, about 1935, systematic water flooding methods were developed and applied all over the …

Well Interference In The South Silica Field, Langdon B. Taylor

Masters Theses

"During World War II the Federal Government restricted oil-field drilling in the United States in order to conserve steel. The wartime regulations required 40-acre spacing in most areas. At the close of the war, the Federal drilling restrictions were lifted, and control of oil-well spacing reverted to the several state regulatory bodies. Each of these state agencies was then confronted with this problem: should 40-acre spacing be continued or should pre-war 10- and 20-acre spacing patterns be re-established?

The regulatory authority in Kansas, the State Corporation Commission, ordered an investigation in January, 1946, for the purpose of developing information upon …

The Use Of Oil-Base Drilling Fluids, William Wesley Collins

Masters Theses

"Within the past few years the development of oil-base drilling fluids has become one of the more important contributions to drilling and production technology. The use or these new muds has increased as the benefits obtained have become more widely known and appreciated. Major problems in the petroleum industry have been, for many years, the contamination or drilling muds by salt water; control of mud when drilling through anhydrite, gypsum, or salt deposits; control of heaving or swelling shale; and water or mud blocking or the producing horizons. The development or oil-base drilling fluids is a direct contribution or engineers …

Recovering Oil From An Unconsolidated Sand By Means Of Combustion, David K. Anderson

Masters Theses

"For many years, there has been talk expressing great concern about the oil reserves in the United States. Every four or five years, articles are published stating that we are running out of oil and our proved reserves, to date, are only adequate, at our present rate of consumption, for about 20 years. While this is true, it does not leave us with the complete picture. The industry in the past 20 years has never had more than a 20 year reserve. It must be said, however, that it is becoming more difficult with each passing year to find oil …