LABORATORY OF THE MONTH
Dowell's new 23,865-square-foot laboratory at Tulsa is the nerve center for operations extending from British Columbia to Venezuela and from New England to the Southwest
New Laboratory Facilities Aid Chemical Service Business ilSlal
W
HETHER it be increasing the production from oil reservoirs b y chemical t r e a t m e n t or chemically removing deposited scale from industrial equipment, the nerve center of the operation is Dowell, Inc.'s new labor a t o r y a t Tulsa. E q u i p p e d with t h e latest in analytical instrumentation a n d equipment, the new facilities and its staff of 50 serve 165 oil well and industrial centers. T h e new laboratory replaces a former one, established in 1936 in p a r t of a warehouse a t Tulsa. Dowell, a chemical service subsidiary of Dow Chemical, built the new chemical research facility to keep pace with growing demands, particularly with respect to services and new products for cleaning boilers, heat exchangers, a n d lines a n d for oil a n d gas wells. With respect to t h e latter, Dowell has done m u c h work on controlling loose sand in wells, cementing compounds, acid inhibitors, plastics, and formation-fracturing fluids. Eleven laboratories, devoted to research, development, and technical service activities, occupy most of the floor space of t h e new building. T h e laboratories are separated b y 2-inch-thick walls to allow for future remodeling a t a minimum cost. With radioactivity playing a major role in basic research and oil well services, Dowell has its " h o t " laboratory which is divided into high and low level radiation areas. T h e former requires remote control equipment. A special cold room was installed t o facilitate research under conditions encountered in Canada and t h e northern p a r t of t h e United States, where Dowell has been increasingly active. Color is used for b o t h esthetic and functional purposes. T h e laboratories h a v e blue and gray walls and yellow doors and hoods. G r a y plastic tile is used on t h e floors a n d white acoustical tile on t h e ceilings. VOLUME
2 8, N O . S, M A Y
1956
The instrument analysis laboratory features an optical emission spectrograph used to analyze cleaning solvents, electron microscope for particle size measurements, x-ray diffraction apparatus to analyze deposits to be removed, and a spectrophotometer with flame, ultraviolet, and reflectance accessories
Comfort and efficiency keynote the 1 000-square-foot library and reading room facilities. The laboratory building also has offices, shop, stock, and conference rooms. A 200-ton, "onepass" type air-conditioning system maintains uniform temperature and humidity in the entire building 47 A
LABORATORY OF THE M O N T H
Magnifications up to 80,000 times are possible with the 100-kva. electron microscope. A 10,000 X magnification of a silica sample is shown
Development studies on larger than research scale are carried out in two chemical research laboratories. Lattice benches, exposed utilities, and large hoods are characteristic. Typical studies include effect of well fluids on various geologic formations
X-ray emission spectrography is one of the newest techniques adopted by Dowell. Re sults obtained are described by L. K. Frevel of Dow. Other instrumentation in the chemical laboratory includes an interferometer, polarograph, recording titrator, metallographic microscope, and infrared analytical equipment
Safety measures and ease of handling procedures are emphasized in radioactive product studies. Research chemist C. L. Wendorff monitors a flask of radioactive material, which is kept underground and protected by ferrophosphorus concrete blocks which are hoisted by a crane. Special hoods and stainless steel equipment are used
V O L U M E 2 8, NO. 5, MAY
1956
49 Λ
