In a hydraulic fracturing job, “fracturing fluids” or “pumping fluids” consisting primarily of water and sand are injected under high pressure into the producing formation, creating fissures that allow resources to move freely from rock pores where it is trapped.

Typically, steel pipe known as surface casing is cemented into place at the uppermost portion of a well for the explicit purpose of protecting the groundwater. The depth of the surface casing is generally determined based on groundwater protection, among other factors. As the well is drilled deeper, additional casing is installed to isolate the formation(s) from which oil or natural gas is to be produced, which further protects groundwater from the producing formations in the well.

Casing and cementing are critical parts of the well construction that not only protect any water zones, but are also important to successful oil or natural gas production from hydrocarbon bearing zones. Industry well design practices protect sources of drinking water from the other geologic zone of an oil and natural gas well with multiple layers of impervious rock.

While 99.5 percent of the fluids used consist of water and sand, some chemicals are added to improve the flow. The composition of the chemical mixes varies from well to well.

Source: EnergyFromShale

Toyota was briefly the world’s largest automaker by sales in 2008, before the global financial crisis hit home. But after difficult years involving recalls and natural disasters, Toyota ceded that crown to General Motors. More recently, analysts worried that falling sales in China, the biggest auto market in the world, would weigh on Toyota’s bottom line.

But the numbers unveiled Monday, including the forecast for a $9.7 billion profit, suggest Toyota is making a comeback. Net profit more than tripled to ¥257.9 billion in the July-to-September quarter, compared with that of a year earlier, helped by strong sales in North America, where Toyota has been regaining market share. Toyota and its group companies sold 7.4 million vehicles in the first nine months of 2012, beating General Motors and Volkswagen.

Toyota’s raised net profit forecast for the full year through March was 2.6 percent higher than a previous estimate. But reflecting lower sales in China, the automaker pared back its outlook for full-year production to 8.75 million vehicles from 8.8 million.

Toyota has been less exposed than its peers to the fallout from Japan’s drawn-out territorial spat with China, partly because it has been slow to expand its sales in that country. Boycotts by Chinese consumers of Japanese brands have led Japanese exporters to re-evaluate their sales plans in a once-promising market.

Continue Reading on: The New York Times

Deming made a significant contribution to Japan’s later reputation for innovative high-quality products and its economic power. He is regarded as having had more impact upon Japanese manufacturing and business than any other individual not of Japanese heritage. Despite being considered something of a hero in Japan, he was only just beginning to win widespread recognition in the U.S. at the time of his death.[2] President Reagan awarded the National Medal of Technology to Deming in 1987. He received in 1988 the Distinguished Career in Science award from the National Academy of Sciences.

More often than not, customers measure the quality of a product by how much inconvenience it causes. This means when a product under performs, customers have to spend more money. This may include buying additional product, downtime of their equipment, and all the associated costs of their staff dealing with your poor product. Eventually, these inconveniences and increased hard and soft costs force the customer to find a different manufacturer.

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“I will not recommend it,” Timothy O’Brien, president of the local branch of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, said in an interview on Wednesday.

He said that most other members of the union’s local negotiating members agreed with him.

But Steve Jones, a district official of the IAM whose territory includes Joliet, said he believed there were “significant improvements” in the offer. He said it would be up to the 780 or so Caterpillar workers represented by the IAM to decide on the offer when they meet for a vote on it Friday.

The strike is viewed as a test of factory workers’ willingness to fight downward pressure on wages and benefits at a time when unemployment remains high and strikes have become rare.

After talks with Mr. Jones, Caterpillar offered a one-time 3% pay raise to some workers at the plant, according to people involved in the negotiations.

By JAMES R. HAGERTY and BOB TITA

Continue reading on: Wall Street Journal

The talks represent Apple’s most ambitious crack at infiltrating the living room after years of trying.

Apple doesn’t appear to have reached a deal with any cable operators. One obstacle may be the reluctance of operators to let Apple establish a foothold in the television business.

Apple would also need to persuade significant numbers of consumers to buy a set-top box for what could be hundreds of dollars rather than rent one from their cable operators for $10 to $15 a month. Electronics makers such as TiVo Inc. and Samsung Electronics Co. 005930.SE -0.93% already sell set-top boxes, so far without making a big impact on the market.

By JESSICA E. VASCELLARO and SHALINI RAMACHANDRAN

Continue reading on: Wall Street Journal