Abstract:
A system and method for drilling a borehole in a subsurface formation. A method includes rotating a drill bit to remove formation material from the subsurface formation at an end of the borehole. A value of mechanical specific energy applied to remove the formation material is calculated. A value of drilling efficiency is calculated based on the value of mechanical specific energy. Pore pressure of the subsurface formation in contact with the drill bit is calculated as a function of calculated drilling efficiency. Real-time operational decisions (such as adjusting density of drilling fluid or determining the final depth of the hole section) are made based on calculated pore pressure of the subsurface formation.
Abstract:
A method for use in improving marine seismic data quality includes: designing a filter for suppressing the effect of a ghost reflection in a set of stacked, marine seismic data representative of a subterranean formation, the filter compensating for amplitude due to the presence of the ghost reflection separately from the phase due to the presence of the ghost reflection; and applying the filter to the seismic data to suppress the effect of ghost reflection. The designing includes: iteratively defining at least one parameter of the filter and applying the defined filter to the seismic data; evaluating each iteration of the filter's application to at least a subset of the seismic data; and selecting a defined filter from one of the evaluated iterations.
Abstract:
The presently disclosed seismic acquisition technique employs a receiver array and a processing methodology that are designed to attenuate the naturally occurring seismic background noise recorded along with the seismic data during the acquisition. The approach leverages the knowledge that naturally occurring seismic background noise moves with a slower phase velocity than the seismic signals used for imaging and inversion and, in some embodiments, may arrive from particular preferred directions. The disclosed technique comprises two steps: 1) determining from the naturally occurring seismic background noise in the preliminary seismic data a range of phase velocities and amplitudes that contain primarily noise and the degree to which that noise needs to be attenuated, and 2) designing an acquisition and processing method to attenuate that noise relative to the desired signal.
Abstract:
The present disclosure generally relates to the production of fuels, gasoline additives, and/or lubricants, and precursors thereof. The compounds used to produce the fuels, gasoline additives, and/or lubricants, and precursors thereof may be derived from biomass. The fuels, gasoline additives, and/or lubricants, and precursors thereof may be produced by a combination of intermolecular and/or intramolecular aldol condensation reactions, Guerbet reactions, hydrogenation reactions, and/or oligomerization reactions.
Abstract:
A centralizer for centralizing a pipe downhole in a well is provided. The centralizer includes a plurality of arcuate cuffs having first and second ends. The cuffs are affixed adjacent to the pipe's exterior wall, and positioned circumferentially adjacent around the pipe. The cuffs are flexible so as to be positioned in a first condition wherein the cuffs are retracted radially inward so as to be substantially flat against the pipe's exterior wall. The centralizer includes a lock for maintaining the cuffs substantially flat against the pipe's exterior wall until the centralizer has been transported downhole. Further, the centralizer includes an actuator for unlocking the lock so as to allow the cuffs to expand radially outward to form a loop wherein the loop has a central axis parallel to pipe's longitudinal axis. Preferably, the centralizer includes a collar causing the cuffs to all expand or retract together.
Abstract:
A sample preparation apparatus and method of preparing a rock sample using such an apparatus, as useful in connection with the digital numerical simulation of properties of the rock. The disclosed apparatus includes a fixably mounted diamond wire cutter. Three linear translation stages are coupled to a specimen holder. One of the translation stages moves the specimen in a direction parallel to the plane of the cutting wire. The other two translation stages move the specimen in different directions from one another, and when actuated together, advance the specimen into the wire for short distances in a direction out of the plane of the cutting wire. Short piecewise linear cuts are made in the specimen, to provide a sample of the desired shape with a small cross-section.
Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to variant β-glucosidase polypeptides that have enhanced thermostability, and compositions, e.g., cellulase compositions, comprising variant β-glucosidase polypeptides. The variant β-glucosidase polypeptides and related compositions can be used in variety of agricultural and industrial applications. The present disclosure further relates to nucleic acids encoding variant β-glucosidase polypeptides and host cells that recombinantly express the variant β-glucosidase polypeptides.
Abstract:
A threaded bolt or plug includes a compressible gasket ring adhered to the underside of the bolt head or plug head. The underside of the bolt head includes at least two concentric grooves covered by the compressible gasket.
Abstract:
The present disclosure relates to variant CBH I polypeptides that have reduced product inhibition, and compositions, e.g., cellulase compositions, comprising variant CBH I polypeptides. The variant CBH I polypeptides and related compositions can be used in variety of agricultural and industrial applications. The present disclosure further relates to nucleic acids encoding variant CBH I polypeptides and host cells that recombinantly express the variant CBH I polypeptides.
Abstract:
A system and method for three-dimensional measurement of surfaces. In one embodiment, a measurement system includes a laser projector, a first camera, and a processor. The laser projector is configured to emit a laser projection onto a surface for laser triangulation. The first camera is configured to provide images of the surface, and is disposed at an oblique angle with respect to the laser projector. The processor is configured to apply photogrammetric processing to the images, to compute calibrations for laser triangulation based on a result of the photogrammetric processing, and to compute, based on the calibrations, coordinates of points of the surface illuminated by the laser projection via laser triangulation.