preparing to drill

Energy Symposium - Worm Session 08/12/2010

Operational: Terms & Definitions Michelle Dennis & Troy White 1

Preparing to Drill

Preparing to DrillGeophysical Exploration & Survey

• Computer Assisted Exploration (CAEX)• Seismic Data Collected will be used to

create 2-D; 3-D; 4-D Images



Preparing to Drill

Preparing to DrillTypes of Contracts

• Land & Leasing• Surface Rights• Mineral Rights

• Drilling Contracts• Footage Drilling Contract• Daywork Contract• Turnkey Contract• Combination Contract

• Standard Contract Language issued by:• API (American Petroleum Institute)• IADC (International Association of Drilling Contractors)

Preparing to DrillContracts - AFE

AFE - Authority for Expenditure• Estimates of the cost of drilling and completing the

well (as a Dry Hole & a Producing “Hole”)• Cost Include:

• Drilling & Completion Intangibles• Equipment Cost

•Drilling Rig •Mud

•Logging •Testing

•Casing •Cementing

•Well Stimulation •Pumps

•Tubing •Separator

•Other Well Services



Preparing to DrillSite Prep


• Stake a Well (based on prior Survey)

• Register the Site Map with appropriate Government Agencies

• Clear & Level the Site

• Build Lease Roads

• Dig Reserve Pits

•Set Tanks

•Erect the Rig


Reserve Pit:An Excavation with earthen banks or lined in protective materials that can cover 100 cubic ft near a drilling rig. The reserve pit holds discarded drilling mud and well cuttings.



Types of WellsTypes of Wells



Wildcat Wells

Types of Wells

• Wildcat (Controlled Exploratory)

– New Field Wildcat • Drilled in a field that has never produced

– Rank Wildcat• Drilled at least 2 miles away from any known

production– Discovery Well

• Wildcat well that does discover a new field

Types of WellsTypes of Wells• Developmental Wells

– Wells Drilled in a known field to determine the extent of the field

• Infill Wells– Wells drilled between producing wells in an

established field to increase the production rate• Outpost Well (aka: Step Out Wells)

– Wells drilled on the edge of an existing field• Appraisal Well

– Used to assess the characteristics (such as flow rate) of a proven hydrocarbon accumulation



Classification of Land Rigs

Classification of Land Rigs

• Light Duty3,000 – 5,000 ft

• Medium Duty5,000 – 10,000 ft

• Heavy Duty10,000 – 16,000 ft

• Extra Heavy Duty16,000 – 25,000+ ft

Who’s There?Participants Vary by the Stage of the Well

Who’s There: Exploration

• Operating Company– Acquire the right to drill & produce– Pay the landowner a fee for leasing– Pay Royalties to the Mineral Owner– Prepare the Drill Site

• Drilling Contractor– Owns the Drilling Rig– Job: Drill Holes to the depth specified

by the Operating Company




Company Man

• In charge of all of the operators activities on location

• Helps to plan the strategy for drilling the well, orders the supplies & services, makes on-site decisions that affect the well’s progress

• They may hire a “materials man” to order supplies if permitted by the drilling contract

• Works Closely with the Tool Pusher


• Drilling Crews:– Tool Pusher (aka: Rig Manager)– Driller– Derrickman– Roughnecks– Roustabout



Who’s There: Completion & Production

• Supply Companies– Expendable Items– Nonexpendable Items– Other Commodities

• Service Companies– Mud Logging– Well Logging– Casing Crew– Cementing Crew



What’s at the Site?

1. Crown Block and Water Table2. Catline Boom and Hoist Line3. Drilling Line4. Monkeyboard5. Traveling Block6. Top Drive7. Mast8. Drill Pipe9. Doghouse

10. Blowout Preventer11. Water Tank12. Electric Cable Tray13. Engine Generator Sets14. Fuel Tanks15. Electric Control House16. Mud Pump17. Bulk Mud Components Storage18. Mud Pits19. Reserve Pits20. Mud Gas Separator21. Shale Shaker22. Choke Manifold23. Pipe Ramp24. Pipe Racks25. Accumulator

10. Blowout Preventer

• One or more valves installed at the wellhead to prevent the escape of pressure either in the annular space between the casing and the drill pipe or in open hole (for example, hole with no drill pipe) during drilling or completion operations.



16. Mud Pumps

• A large reciprocating pump used to circulate the mud (drilling fluid) on a drilling rig.

25. Accumulator

• The storage device for nitrogen pressurized hydraulic fluid, which is used in operating the blowout preventers.



Additional Rig Components

26. Annulus27. Brake Bands28. Casing Head29. Cathead30. Catwalk31. Cellar32. Conductor Pipe33. Degasser34. Desander35. Desilter36. Drawworks37. Drill Bit38. Drill Collar39. Drillers Console40. Elevators41. Hoisting Line42. Hook43. Kelly

44. Kelly Bushing45. Kelly Spinner46. Mousehole47. Mud Return Line48. Ram Blowout

Preventer49. Rathole50. Rotary Hose51. Rotary Table52. Slips53. Spinning Chain54. Stairways55. Standpipe56. Surface Casing57. Substructure58. Swivel59. Tongs60. Walkways61. Weight Indicator

Testing the Well: Sample/Lithologic Log

Mud Logging



Directional Wells

MWD: Measure While Drilling

LWD: Logging While Drilling

Casing the Well

Cementing

• Casing/Liner– DV Tools– Centralizers– Shoe

• Isolation Plug • Squeeze Jobs• Plug and Abandon



Tubing & Tubing Head with Casing Head

Christmas Tree

Perforating the WellboreStage 1:

Lower Gun Downhole via Wireline

Stage 2: Fire

Stage 3: Resource Flow into Wellbore



Well Stimulation Acidizing

• Acid is used to dissolve part of the reservoir and increase the permabilitynear the well bore

• HCL – Hydrochloric Acid dissolves limestones

• HFL – Hydrofluoric Acid dissolves some clay and sandstones

Well Stimulation – Hydraulic Fracturing

Energy Symposium – Worm Session

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OIL & GAS DEFINTITIONS Abandoned Well – n: a well not in use because it was a dry hole originally, or because it has ceased to produce. Statutes and regulations in many states require the plugging of abandoned wells to prevent the seepage of oil, gas, or water from one stratum of underlying rock to another. Accumulator – n: 1. a vessel or tank that receives and temporarily stores a liquid used in a continuous process in a gas plant. 2. On a drilling rig, an assembly of devices such as bottles, control valves, pumps, and hydraulic fluid reservoirs that stores hydraulic fluid under pressure and provides a way for personnel to operate (open and close) the blowout preventers. Acid – n: 1. any chemical compound, one element of which is hydrogen, that dissociates in solution to produce free hydrogen ions. For example, hydrochloric acid, HCl, dissociates in water to produce hydrogen ions, H+, and chloride ions, Cl-. 2. a liquid solution having a pH of less than 7; a liquid acid solution turns blue litmus paper red Acid Fracture – v: to part or open fractures in productive hard limestone formations by using a combination of oil and acid or water and acid under high pressure. Acid Gas – n: a gas that forms an acid when mixed with water. In petroleum production and processing, the most common acid gasses are hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. Both cause corrosion, and hydrogen sulfide is very poisonous. Acidize – v: to treat oil bearing limestone or other formations with acid for the purpose of increasing production. Hydrochloric or other acid is injected into the formation under pressure. The acid etches the rock, enlarging the pore spaces and passages through which the reservoir fluids flow. Acid also removes formation damage by dissolving material plugging the rock surrounding the wellbore. The acid is held under pressure for a period of time and then pumped out, after which the well is swabbed and put back into production. Chemical inhibitors combined with the acid prevent corrosion of the pipe. Acid Stimulation – n: a well stimulation method using acid. See Acidize Actuator – n: a device that activates or puts into motion a process or an action by use of pneumatic, hydraulic, or electronic signals; for example, a valve actuator opens or closes a valve AFE - abbr: Authority for Expenditure

Authority or Authorization for Expenditure: a form that is filled out before drilling a well. The authorization for expenditure lists all the estimated costs of drilling the well with two results: a dry hole and a producer. It is used to analyze the economic feasibility of drilling the well and to keep costs under control when drilling the well. An authorization for expenditure is also made before any major purchase.

Alligator Grab – n: a fishing device used to pick up relatively small objects like wrenches that have fallen or have been dropped into the wellbore. The alligator grab’s jaws are pinned open before the tool is run into the well. The jaws snap shut over the fish when contact is made.


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API – abbr: American Petroleum Institute Angle of Deflection – n: in directional drilling, the angle at which a well diverts from vertical; usually expressed in degrees, with vertical being 0˚ Annular – adj: pertaining to the annulus. The annulus is sometimes referred to as the annular space. Annular Blowout Preventer – n: a large valve, usually installed above the ram blowout preventers, that when closed, forms a seal in the annular space between the pipe and the wellbore or, if no pipe is present, in the wellbore itself. Annular Pressure – n: fluid pressure in an annular space, as around tubing within casing Annular Pressure Loss – n: a reduction in the pressure of the fluid in the annulus caused by its motion against the wellbore, which may be open or cased. As the fluid moves through the annulus, friction between the fluid and the annular wall and within the fluid itself creates a pressure loss. The faster the fluid moves, the greater the losses. Annular Space – n: 1. the space that surrounds a cylindrical object within a cylinder. 2. The space around a pipe in a wellbore, the outer wall of which may be the wall of either the borehole or the casing; sometimes termed the annulus. API – abbr: American Petroleum Institute API Well Number – n: a 12 digit number that is assigned to each well drilled in the United States. Digits 1 and 2 are the state; Digits 3-5 are for the county/parish/or off shore; Digits 6-10 identify the individual well, and Digits 11-12 record a property of the well such as sidetracking Appraisal Well – n: a well drilled to confirm and evaluate the presence of hydrocarbons in a reservoir that have been found by a wildcat well. Artificial Lift – n: any method used to raise oil to the surface through a well after reservoir pressure has declined to the point at which the well no longer produces by means of natural energy. Sucker rod pumps, gas lift, hydraulic pumps, and submersible electric pumps are the most common means of artificial lift. ASME – abbr: American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASTM – abbr: American Society for Testing and Materials Automatic Driller – n: a mechanism used to regulate the amount of weight on the bit without the presence of personnel. Automatic drillers free the driller from the sometimes tedious task of manipulating the drawworks brake to maintain correct weight on the bit. Also known as an automatic drilling control unit


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Automatic Fill-Up Shoe – n: a device usually installed on the first joint of casing to regulate automatically the amount of mud in the casing. The valve in this shoe keeps mud from entering the casing until mud pressure causes the valve to open, allowing mud to enter.


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Backflow – fluid flow opposite the normal flow direction; Backflow is used in a well to remove or return treatment fluid from a well and to clean perforations Back-in Unit – n: a portable servicing or workover rig that is self-propelled, using the hoisting engines for motive power. Because the driver’s cab is mounted on the end opposite the mast support, the unit must be backed up to the wellhead. Back-Pressure – n: 1. the pressure maintained on equipment or systems through which a fluid flows. 2. In reference to engines, a term used to describe the resistance to the flow of exhaust gas through the exhaust pipe. 3. The operating pressure on a vessel such as a fractionating tower or an oil and gas separator. Balanced – n: when the pressure of drilling fluid in the wellbore is the same as the pressure in the formation Barrel (bbl) – n: 1. a measure of volume for petroleum products in the US. One barrel is the equivalent of 42 US gallons. 2. The cylindrical part of a sucker rod pump in which the piston like plunger moves up and down. Operating as a piston inside a cylinder, the plunger and barrel create pressure energy to lift well fluids to the surface. 3. The lagging or body portion of a rope drum Bit – n: the cutting or boring element used in drilling oil and gas wells. The bit consists of cutting element and a circulating element. The cutting element is steel teeth, tungsten carbide buttons, industrial diamonds, or polycrystalline diamonds (PDCs). These teeth, buttons, or diamonds penetrate and gouge or scrape the formation to remove it. The circulating element permits the passage of drilling fluid and utilizes the hydraulic force of the fluid stream to improve drilling rates. In rotary drilling, several drill collars are joined to the bottom end of the drill pipe column, and the bit is attached to the end of the drill collars. Drill collars provide weight on the bit to keep it in firm contact with the bottom of the hole. Most bits used in rotary drilling are roller cone bits, but diamond bits are also used extensively. Blind Ram – n: an integral part of a blowout preventer, which serves as the closing element on an open hole. Its ends do not fit around the drill pipe but seal against each other and shut off the space below completely. Blind Ram Preventer – n: a blowout preventer in which blind rams are the closing elements Block – n: any assembly of pulleys on a common framework; in mechanics, one or more pulleys, or sheaves, mounted to rotate on a common axis. The crown block is an assembly of sheaves mounted on beams at the top of the derrick or mast. The drilling line is reeved over the sheaves of the crown block alternately with the sheaves of the traveling block, which is hoisted and lowered in the derrick or mast by the drilling line. When elevators are attached to a hook on a conventional traveling block, and when drill pipe is latched in the elevators, the pipe can be raised or lowered in the derrick or mast. Blooey Line – n: the discharge pipe from a well being drilled by air drilling. The blooey line is used to conduct the air or gas used for circulation away from the rig to reduce the fire hazard as well as to transport the cuttings as a suitable distance from the well.


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Blowout – n: an uncontrolled flow of gas, oil, or other well fluids into the atmosphere or into an underground formation. A blowout may occur when formation pressure exceeds the pressure applied to it by the column of drilling fluid and rig crew members fail to take steps to contain the pressure. Before a well blows out, it kicks; thus a kick precedes a blowout. Blowout Preventer (BOP) – n: one of several valves installed at the wellhead to stop (prevent) the escape of pressure either in the annular space between the casing and the drill pipe or in open hole (i.e., hole with no drill pipe) during drilling or completion operations. Blowout preventers on land rigs are normally located beneath the rig at, or slightly below, the land’s surface; on jackup or platform rigs, at the water’s surface; and on floating offshore rigs, on the seafloor. Blowout Preventer Control Panel – n: controls, usually located near the driller’s position on the rig floor, that are manipulated to open and close the blowout preventers Blowout Preventer Rams – n pl: the closing and sealing components of a preventer. Corresponds to the gate in the gate valve Blowout Preventer (BOP) Stack – n: an assembly of blowout preventers placed on top of each other (stacked one on top of the other), which typically consists of one or two annular preventers and three, four, or more ram preventers. BLPD – abbr: Barrels of Liquid Per Day; usually used in reference to toal production of oil and water from a well BOP – abbr: Blowout Preventer Bottomhole – n: the lowest or deepest part of a well. adj: pertaining to the bottom of the wellbore Bottom Water – water in the pores of rock immediately underlying a gas or oil reservoir Brine – n: water that has a large quantity of salt, especially sodium chloride, dissolved in it; salt water Bullet Perforator – n: a tubular device that, when lowered to a selected depth within a well, fires bullets through the casing to provide holes through which the formation fluids may enter the wellbore Bullheading – n: 1. forcing gas back into a formation by pumping into the annulus from the surface. 2. any pumping procedure in which fluid is pumped into the well against pressure BW – abbr: Barrels of Water (used in drilling reports) BWPD – abbr: Barrels of Water Per Day


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Cap a Well – v: to control a blowout by placing a very strong valve on the wellhead Carrier Rig – n: a large, specially designed, self-propelled workover rig that is driven directly to the well site. Power from a carrier rig’s hoist engine or engines also propels the rig on the road. While a carrier rig is primarily intended to perform workovers, it can also be used to drill relatively shallow wells. A carrier rig may be a back-in type or a drive-in type. Cased Hole – n: a wellbore in which casing has been run Cased Hole Log – n: a wireline log run in a well that already has casing cemented in; Some cased-hole logs are gamma ray, compensated neutron, pulsed neutron and carbon/oxygen logs. A cased-hole log is in contrast to the more common open-hole logs. Casing – n: steel pipe placed in an oil or gas well to prevent the wall of the hole from cavin in, to prevent movement of fluids from one formation to another, and to improve the efficience of extracting petroleum if the well is productive Casinghead Gas – Wet Gas containing liquid hydrocarbons that can be removed from the gas by reducing the temperature or pressure on the gas with an absorption plant Casing Pressure – the pressure (a) between the casing and tubing when the casing and tubing are sealed at the top of the well, or (b) between the casing and the drillstring Casing-Shear Rams – n: usually high-capacity shear rams capable of shearing drill collars and casing strings that are installed below the blink-shear rams in a BOP stack. Casing-Shear Rams can be used in addition to the blind-shear rams to shear pipe. Cement Casing – v: to fill the annulus between the casing and wall of the hole with cement to support the casing and prevent fluid migration between permeable zones CERCLA – abbr: Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 Chain Tongs – n pl: a hand tool consisting of a handle and chain; used for turning pipe or fittings; The chain is looped and tightened around the pipe or fitting, and the handle is used to turn the tool so that the pipe or fitting can be tightened or loosened Christmas Tree – n: the control valves, pressure gauges, and chokes assembled at the tope of a well to control the flow of oil and gas after the well has been drilled and completed. It is used when reservoir pressure is sufficient to cause reservoir fluids to flow to the surface Coiled Tubing – n: continuous string of flexible steel tubing, often hundreds or thousands of feet long, that is wound onto a reel, often dozens of feet in diameter; The reel is an integral part of the coiled tubing unit, which consists of several devices that ensure the tubing can be safely and efficiently inserted into the well from the surface. Because tubing can be lowered into a well without having to make up joints of tubing, running coiled tubing into the well is faster and less expensive than running conventional tubing.


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Company Man – On Site representative of the operating company on a well being drilled who is directly responsible for drilling operations. The company man is either employed by the operating company or is a self-employed consultant. He oversees the well drilling, orders needed supplies and services and has an office on the rig where he is on call 24 hours a day. The company man verbally reports to the operator each morning and works with the toolpusher. Complete a Well – to install the production and treating equipment necessary to produce crude oil and/or natural gas from a well Completion – a single operation involving the installation of equipment in and on a well, after drilling and evaluating the well, to bring the well into production from one or more zones. Completion usually starts with setting a pipe. A well completion can be conventional, in whch the tubing is run into 4 ½ in or larger casing, or miniaturized. The most common completion techniques are open hole (barefoot), screen liner uncemented, gravel pack with liner, cemented liner with perforations, and cemented casing with perforations. Completion can also include well stimulation and production testing Completion Fluid – the liquid that is kept in the well as it is being completed. A completion fluid is selected to control subsurface pressures, to minimize any formation damage, to prevent formation fluids from flowing into the well, and to prevent corrosion of equipment. Completion fluids include (a) water and oil base mud; (b) treated, produced water (salt water); (c) lease crude oil; (d) refined oil such as diesel oil; (e) water with 2%-4% KCl; and (f) Nitrogen. Completion Rig – a rig that is a swabbing unit and is also equipped to do minor drilling. The completion rig is used when the well is near total depth, and the target is ready to be drilled. The completion rig is used to save money, rather than use a large rig to complete the well Crater – v: (slang) to cave in; to fail; After a violent blowout, the force of the fluids escaping from the wellbore sometimes blows a large hole in the ground. In this case, the well is said to have cratered Crown Block – n: an assembly of sheaves mounted on beams at the top of the derrick or mast and over which the drilling line is reeved Custodian – n: also called a lease operator or pumper


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D&A – abbr: dry and abandoned Damage Clause – n: the clause in an oil and gas lease that specifies that the lessee will be liable to the surface owner for damage to growing crops and other listed items Day Rate – n: an hourly or daily contract price the operator agrees to pay for use of rig, crew, and specified equipment. A day rate contract allows the operator to directly supervise the daily drilling operations Daywork Rates – n pl: the basis for payment on drilling contracts when footage rates are suspended (as when the drilling rig is used in taking extra cores, logging, or other activities that delay actual drilling) or when the contract calls for the entire well to be drilled at daywork rates. In effect, daywork rates pay the drilling contractor by the hour rather than by the foot. Derrick – n: a large load-bearing structure, usually of bolted construction. In drilling, the standard derrick has four legs standing at the corners of the substructure and reaching to the crown block. The substructure is an assembly of heavy beams used to elevate the derrick and provide space to install blowout preventers, casingheads, and so forth. Because the standard derrick must be assembled piece by piece, it has largely been replaced by the mast, which can be lowered and raided without disassembly. (Compare mast) Derrickhand – n: The crew member who handles the upper end of the drill string as it is being hoisted out of or lowered into the hole. On a drilling rig, he or she is also responsible for the circulating machinery and the conditioning of the drilling or workover fluid. Derrickman – Also know as Derrickhand Directional Drilling – n: 1. Intentional deviation of a wellbore from the vertical. Although wellbores are normally drilled vertically, it is sometimes necessary or advantageous to drill at an angle from the vertical. Controlled directional drilling makes it possible to reach subsurface areas laterally remote from the point where the bit enters the earth. It often involves the use of deflection tools. 2. A technique of river crossing in pipeline construction in which the pipe is buried under the riverbed at depths much greater than those of conventional crossings. With this technique, a hole in the form of an inverted arc is drilled beneath the river, and the made-up pipeline is pulled through it. Directional Drilling Service Company – n: a business that provides directional hole planning, sophisticated directional tools, and on-site assistance to the oil company operator of a drilling rig. Directional Drilling Supervisor (AKA Directional Operator) – n: an employee of a directional drilling service company whose main job is to help the driller at a well site keep the wellbore as close as possible to its planned course. Directional Hole – n: a wellbore intentionally drilled at an angle from the vertical Disposal Well – n: a well into which salt water or spent chemical is pumped, most commonly part of a saltwater disposal system DOE – abbr: Department of Energy


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DOI – abbr: Department of the Interior DOT – abbr: Department of Transporation DOT – abbr: Directional Orientation Tool Doghouse – (1) portable, one-room shed that is used at the drill site to shelter the drilling crew and wellsite geologist and to store equipment and records. The Geolograph or Drill-o-graph is often housed in the doghouse. (2) the field shed or cab that houses seismic recording instruments Doodlebug Crew – Seismic Crew Dope – (1) a viscous material such as grease used as a lubricant and a corrosion-resistant covering on the threads of pipe and tubing (2) a tar-based coating used to prevent corrosion on pipelines Dope Brush – a soft bristled brush that is designed to apply pipe dope to pipe threads Dosing - the addition of a measured amount of chemicals to accelerate or decelerate a reaction Drill – (1) the mechanism for boring holes in earth including cable-tool and rotary rigs (2) the act of boring a hole in the earth Drill Collar – n: a heavy, thick-walled tube, usually steel, placed between the drill pipe and the bit in the drill stem. Several drill collars are used to provide weight on the bit and to provide a pendulum effect to the drill stem. Driller – n: the employee directly in charge of a drilling or workover rig and crew. The driller’s main duty is operation of the drilling and hoisting equipment, but this person is also responsible for downhole condition of the well, operation of downhole tools, and pipe measurements. Driller’s BOP Control Panel – n: a series of controls on the rig floor that the driller manipulates to open and close the blowout preventers Driller’s Console – n: a metal cabinet on the rig floor containing the controls that the driller manipulates to operate various components of the drilling rig. Driller’s Log – n: a record that describes each formation encountered and lists the drilling time relative to depth, usually in 5 to 10 foot intervals. Drilling Contract – n: an agreement made between a drilling company and an operating company to drill and complete a well. It sets forth the obligation of each party, compensation, identification, method of drilling, depth to be drilled and so on. Drilling Contractor – n: an individual or group of individuals who own a drilling rig and contract their services for drilling wells to a certain depth


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Drilling Control – n: a device that controls the rate of penetration by maintaining a predetermined constant weight on the bit; Also called an automatic driller or automatic drilling control unit Drilling Fluid – n: circulating fluid, one function of which is to lift cuttings out of the wellbore and to the surface. It also serves to cool the bit and to counteract downhole formation pressure. Although a mixture of barite, clay, water and other chemical additives is the most common drilling fluid, wells can also be drilled by using air, gas, water, or oil-base mud as the drilling mud. Also called circulating fluid, drilling mud Drilling Foreman – n: the supervisor of drilling or workover operations on a rig; Also called a rig manager, rig supervisor, rig superintendent or toolpusher Drowning – the flowage of water from the wellbore into an oil formation Dry Drilling – Drilling in which no drilling fluid is circulated back to the surface Dry Hole – n: any well that does not producer oil or gas in commercial quantities. A dry hole may flow water, gas or even oil, but not in the amounts large enough to justify production. Dry Hole Clause – n: a clause in an oil and gas lease that allows the operator to keep the lease if he or she drills a dry hole. The operator has a specified period of time in which to drill a subsequent well or begin paying delay rentals again. Dry Pipe – Drillpipe without drilling mud in it Dump Oil – Crude Oil Shipped in barrels and not a pipeline Duster – a well that did not encounter commercial amounts of oil or gas (dry hole)


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E&P – abbr: 1. Exploration and Production 2. Those activities that include subsurface studies, seismic and geophysical activities, locating underground hydrocarbon deposits, drilling for hydrocarbon deposits and bringing hydrocarbons to the surface, well completion, and field processing of hydrocarbons prior to entering the pipeline 3. The upstream end of the petroleum industry Elephant – a giant Oil or gas field Enhanced Oil Recovery – artificial methods used to recover more oil after primary production by the natural reservoir drive and possibly waterflooding Exploration Well – n: a well drilled either in search of an as-yet-undiscovered pool of oil or gas (a wildcat well) or to extend greatly the limits of a know pool. It involves a relatively high degree of risk. Exploratory wells may be classified as (1) wildcat, drilled in an unproven area; (2) field extension or step-out, drilled in an unproven area to extend the proved limits of a field; or (3) deep test, drilled within a field area but to unproven deeper zones. Explosive Fracturing – n: when explosives are used to fracture a formation. At the moment of detonation, the explosion furnishes a source of high-pressure gas to force fluid into the formation. The rubble prevents fracture healing, making the use of proppants unnecessary.


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Farmout – n: an agreement whereby the owner of a lease who does not wish to drill at the time agrees to assign the leasehold interest, or some part of it, to a third party who does wish to drill, conditional on the third party’s drilling a well within the expiration date of the primary term of the lease. The assignment may include the entire interest together with dry hole money, or partial interest together with dry hole money, or partial interest or entire interest with or without an override. If an override is retained, the owner of the lease may retain an option to convert such overriding royalty retained to an agreed-upon working interest. A farmout is distinguished from a joint operating agreement by the fact that the partner farming out does not incur any of the drilling costs. The primary characteristic of a farmout is the obligation of the third party to drill one or more wells on the farmout acreage as a condition prerequisite to the completion of the transfer of title to such third party. Farm Out – v: for a leasee, to agree to assign a leasehold interest to a third party, subject to stipulated conditions. Fingerboard – n: a rack that supports the tops of the stands of pipe being stacked in the derrick or mast. It has several steel fingerlike projections that form a series of slots into which the derrickman can place a stand of drill pipe after it is pulled out of the hole and removed from the drill string. Fish – n: an object that is left in the wellbore during drilling or workover operations and that must be recovered before work can proceed. It can be anything from a piece of scrap metal to a part of the drill stem. Fish – v: 1. to recover from a well any equipment left there during drilling operations, such as a lost bit or drill collar or part of the drill string. 2. to remove from an older well certain pieces of equipment (such as packers, liners or screen liner) to allow reconditioning of the well. Fishing – n: The procedure of recovering lost or stuck equipment in the wellbore. Fishing Tool – n: a tool designed to recover equipment lost in a well. Fishing-Tool Operator – n: the person (usually a service company employee) in charge of directing fishing operations Footage – the depth of a well Formation Fracturing – n: a method of stimulating production by opening new flow channel in the rock surrounding a production well. Often called a frac job. Under extremely high hydraulic pressure, a fluid (such as distillate, diesel fuel, crude oil, dilute hydrochloric acid, water, or kerosene) is pumped downward through production tubing or drill pipe and forced out below a packer or between two packers. The pressure causes cracks to open in the formation, and the fluid penetrates the formation through the cracks. Sand grains, aluminum pellets, walnut shells, or similar materials (propping agents) are carried in suspension by the fluid into the cracks. When the pressure is released at the surface, the fracturing fluid returns to the well. The cracks partially close on the pellets, leaving channels for oil to flow around them to the well. Frac – abbr: Fractured or fracturing; used in drilling reports.


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Frac Fluid – n: a fluid used in the fracturing process (i.e., a method of stimulating production by opening new flow channels in the rock surrounding a production well). Fracture – n: a crack or crevice in a formation, either natural or induced. Fracture Acidizing – n: a procedure by which acid is forced into a formation under pressure high enough to cause the formation to crack. The acid acts on certain kinds of rocks, usually carbonates, to increase the permeability of the formation. Also called acid fracturing. Fracturing Fluid – n: a fluid such as water, oil, or acid, used in hydraulic fracturing; The fluid carries propping agents that hold open the formation cracks after hydraulic pressure dissipates.


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Gathering Line – (1) an oil pipeline that leads from the lease tanks to a central accumulation point (2) the oil flowline from a well to a central lease or field facility Gauger – a person whose job is to measure the quantity and quality of oil and gas produced on leaseholds Gauge Tape – reel of measuring tape with a gauge weight on one end; The tape is lowered through the gauge hatch to measure the level of a liquid in a tank Geothermal Drilling – n: The boring of a well into a subsurface layer of rock that is very hot or into a rock layer that contains steam or hot water. Once a geothermal well is completed, the heat or the hot water or steam is used to generate electricity. Gravel Pack – n: a mass of very fine gravel placed around a slotted liner in a well Gravel-Pack – v: to place a slotted or perforated liner in a well and surround it with gravel Gravel Packing – n: a method of well completion in which a slotted or perforated liner, often wire-wrapped, is placed in the well and surrounded by gravel. If open hole, the well is sometimes enlarged by under-reaming at the point where the gravel is packed. The mass of gravel excludes sand from the wellbore but allows continued production. Gravel-Pack Packer – n: A packer used for the well completion method of gravel packing. Gun Barrel – n: a settling tank used to separate oil and water in the field. After emulsified oil is heated and treated with chemical, it is pumped into the gun barrel, where the water settles out and is drawn off, and the clean oil flows out to storage. Gun barrels have largely been replaced by unified heater-treater equipment, but are still found, especially in older or marginal fields. Also called a wash tank. Gun-Perforate – v: to create holes in casing and cement set through a productive formation. A common method of completing a well is to set casing through the oil-bearing formation and cement it. A perforating gun is then lowered into the hole and fired to detonate high-powered jets or shoot steel projectiles (bullets) through the casing and cement and into the pay zone. The formation fluids flow out of the reservoir through the perforations and into the wellbore. Gun The Pits – v: To agitate the drilling fluid in a pit by means of a mud gun, electric mixer or agitator.


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Horizontal Drilling – n: deviation of the borehole at least 80˚ from vertical so that the borehole penetrates a productive formation in a manner parallel to the formation. A single horizontal hole can effectively drain a reservoir and eliminate the need for several vertical boreholes. Hydraulic Fracturing – n: an operation in which a specially blended liquid is pumped down a well and into a formation under pressure high enough to cause the formation to crack open, forming passages through which oil can flow into the wellbore. Sand grains, aluminum pellets, glass beads, or similar materials are carried in suspension into the fractures. When the pressure is released at the surface, the fractures partially close on the proppants, leaving channels for oil to flow through to the well. Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) – n: a flammable, colorless gaseous compound of hydrogen and sulfur (H2S), which in small amounts has the odor of rotten eggs. Sometimes found in petroleum, it causes the foul smell of petroleum fractions. In dangerous concentrations, it is extremely corrosive and poisonous, causing damage to skin, eyes, breathing passages, and lungs and attacking and paralyzing the nervous system, particularly that part controlling the lungs and heart. In large amounts, it deadens the sense of smell. Also called hepatic gas or sulfureted hydrogen.


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IADC – abbr: International Association of Drilling Contractors Infill Drilling – increased-density drilling between producing wells in a field in order to increase production from a field Injection Well – n: a well through which fluids are injected into an underground stratum to increase reservoir pressure and to displace oil Joint – n: 1. in drilling, a single length of drill pipe, drill collar, casing, or tubing that has threaded connections at both ends. Several joints screwed together constitute a stand of pipe. 2. in pipelining, a single length of pipe. 3. in geology, a crack or fissure produced in a rock by internal stresses. 4. a sucker rod pumping, a single length of sucker rod that has threaded connection at both ends. Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) – An agreement between several companies to explore, drill and develop an area called the working interest area. The joint operating agreement defines how the cost and revenues are to be shared among the parties and who is to be the operator. The operator must obtain approval through expenditures through an AFE. The cost estimate could be only for dry-hole costs but are often for dry-hole and producer costs. All intangible drilling and development costs are shown in detail.


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Kelly – n: on drilling rigs that do not use a top drive to rotate the bit, a heavy steel tubular device, four or six-sided, suspended from the swivel through the rotary table and connected to the top joint of drill pipe to turn the drill stem as the rotary table turns. It has a bored passageway that permits fluid to be circulated into the drill stem and up the annulus, or vice versa. Kelly Bushing (KB) – n: a special device placed around the Kelly that mates with the Kelly flats and fits into the master bushing of the rotary table. The Kelly bushing is designed so that the Kelly is free to move up or down through it. The bottom of the bushing may be shaped to fit the opening in the master bushing or it may have pins that fit into the master bushing. In either case, when the Kelly bushing is inserted into the master bushing and the master bushing is turned, the Kelly bushing also turns. Since the Kelly bushing fits onto the Kelly, the Kelly turns, and since the Kelly is made up to the drill stem, the drill stem turns. Kelly Cock – n: Originally, a term that referred only to the heavy-duty valve made up between the Kelly and the swivel, which, when closed, kept back-pressure that was flowing up the drill stem from reaching the swivel and rotary hose. Today, on rigs that use a Kelly and rotary table system to rotate the drill stem and bit, two Kelly cocks are often employed: one between the Kelly and the swivel – the upper Kelly cock – and the other between the Kelly and the first joint of the drill pipe – the lower Kelly cock. The lower Kelly cock is also called a drill stem safety valve because, when closed and the Kelly is removed from the drill stem, it keeps mud from falling out of the Kelly. In any case, when a high-pressure backflow occurs inside the drill stem, and the Kelly is made up in the drill stem, either valve may be closed to keep pressure off the swivel and the rotary hose. Kelly Driver – n: In a rotating head, a device that fits inside the head and inside of which the Kelly fits. The Kelly driver rotates with the Kelly. Kick – An entry of water, gas, oil or other formation fluid into the wellbore during drilling, workover, or other operations. It occurs because the pressure exerted by the column of drilling or other fluid in the wellbore is not great enough to overcome the pressure exerted by the fluids in a formation exposed to the wellbore. If prompt action is not taken to control the kick, or kill the well, a blowout may occur. Kick Fluids – Oil, gas, water, or any combination that enters the borehole from the permeable formation. Kick Intensity – A relative measure of the severity of a kick, which is based on the amount that the mud weight must be increased to control the kick. Kill – In drilling, to control a kick by taking suitable preventative measures (eg, to shut in the well with the blowout preventers, circulate the kick out, and increase the weight of the drilling mud). (2) In production, to stop a well from producing oil and gas so that reconditioning of the well can proceed. Production is stopped by circulating a kill fluid into the hole. Kill Fluid – Mud or other fluid in a wellbore whose weight, or density, creates pressure great enough to equal or exceed the pressure exerted by formation fluids.


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Land Department – the section in an oil company that monitors the development of leased properties and supervises the distribution of royalties and other payments Landman – A person in the petroleum industry who negotiates with landowners for oil and gas leases, options, minerals, and royalties and with producers for joint operations relative to production in a field. Also called leaseman Land Rig – Any drilling rig that is located on dry land Lease – (1) A legal document executed between a landowner, as lessor and a company individual, as lessee, that grants the right to exploit the premises for minerals or other products; the instrument that creates a leasehold or working interest in minerals. (2) The area where production wells, stock tanks, separators, LACT units, and other production equipment are located. Lease Operator – The oil company employee who attends to producing wells. He or she attends to any number of wells, ensures steady production, prepares reports, tests, gauges, and so forth. Also called a custodian, pumper, or switcher. Lease Superintendent – The oil company employee who supervises one or more lease operators. Log A Well – To run any of the various logs used to ascertain downhole information about a well. Logging Devices – Any of several electrical, acoustical, mechanical, or radioactivity devices that are used to measure and record certain characteristics or events that occur in a well that has been or is being drilled. Logging While Drilling (LWD) – Logging measurements obtained by measurement-while-drilling techniques as the well is being drilled. Lost Circulation – The quantities of whole mud lost to a formation, usually in cavernous, fissured, or coarsely permeable beds. Evidenced by the complete or partial failure of the mud to return to the surface as it is being circulated in the hole. Lost circulation can lead to a blowout and, in general, can reduce the efficiency of the drilling operation. Also called Lost Returns. Lost Hole – A well that cannot be drilled further or produced because of a blowout, unsuccessful fishing job, and so forth. Lost Pipe – Drill pipe, drill collars, tubing, or casing that has become separated in the hole from the part of the pipe reaching the surface, necessitating its removal before normal operations can proceed; i.e., a fish.


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Measured Depth (MD) – The total length of the wellbore, measured in feet along its actual course through the earth. Measured depth can differ from true vertical depth, especially in directionally drilled wellbores. Measurement While Drilling (MWD) – (1) Directional and other surveying during routine drilling operations to determine the angle and direction by which the wellbore deviates from the vertical. (2) Any system of measuring downhole conditions during routine drilling operations. Measurement-While-Drilling System – A system in which downhole conditions are monitored during the drilling of a well Mill Out – To use a mill on the end of a work string to remove a permanent tool or fish. Mineral – (1) A naturally occurring inorganic crystalline element or compound with a definite chemical composition and characteristic physical properties such as crystal shape, melting point, color and hardness. Most minerals found in rocks are not pure. (2) Broadly, a naturally occurring homogeneous substance that is obtains from the ground for human use (e.g., stone, coal, salt, sulfur, sand, petroleum, water, natural gas) Mineral Owner – Owner of the rights and interests in a mineral estate (where interests in a landed estate have been severed). Mineral Rights – The rights of ownership, conveyed by deed, of gas, oil and other minerals beneath the surface of the earth. In the United States, mineral rights are the property of the surface owner unless disposed of separately. Mobile Rig – A drilling Rig mounted on a truck-type vehicle that was designed for moving the rig. They are used for relatively shallow wells Monkeyboard – The derrickhand’s working platform. As pipe or tubing is run into or out of the hole, the Derrickhand must handle the top end of the pipe, which may be as high as 90’ or higher in the derrick or mast. The monkeyboard provides a small platform to raise the Derrickhand to the proper height for handling the top of the pipe. Motorhand – The crew member on a rotary drilling rig, usually the most experienced rotary helper, who is responsible for the care and operation of drilling engines. Also called motorman. Mousehole – An opening in the rig floor, usually lined with pipe, into which a length of drill pipe is placed temporarily for later connection of the drill string. Mousehole Connection – The procedure of adding a length of drill pipe or tubing to the active string. The length to be added is placed in the mousehole, made up to the Kelly, then pulled out of the mousehole and subsequently made up into the string. Move In – the transportation of a drilling rig onto a well location before rigging up Move Out – the transportation of a drilling rig off the well site after rigging down


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Mud – The liquid circulated through the wellbore during rotary drilling and workover operations. In addition to its function of bringing cuttings to the surface, drilling mud colls and lubricates the bit and the drill stem, protects against blowouts by holding back subsurface pressures, and deposits a mud cake on the wall of the borehole to prevent loss of fluids to the formation. Although it originally was a suspension of earth solids (especially clays) in water, the mud used in modern drilling operations is a more complex, three-phase mixture of liquids, reactive solids, and inert solids. The liquid phase may be fresh water, diesel oil, or crude oil and many contain one or more conditioners. Mud Acid – A mixture of hydrochloric and hydrofluoric acids and surfactants used to remove wall cake from the wellbore. Mud Additive – Any material added to drilling fluid to change some of its characteristics or properties. Mud Analysis Logging – A continuous examination of the drilling fluid circulating in the wellbore for the purpose of discovering evidence of oil or gas regardless of the quantities entrained in the fluid. When this service is utilized, a portable mud logging laboratory is set up at the well. Also called mud logging Mud Box – A hinged, cylindrical metal device placed around a joint of pipe as it is being broken out during a trip out of the hole. It keeps mud from splashing beyond the immediate area. Also called mother hubbard, mud saver, splash box, or wet box. Mud Circulation – the process of pumping mud downward to the bit and back up to the surface in a drilling or workover operations Mud Column – The borehole when it is filled or partially filled with drilling mud Mud Duck – Drilling Mud probe that monitors H2S and ph Mud-Gas Separator – A device that removes gas from the mud coming out of a well when a kick is being circulated out or when the well is being drilled underbalanced and gas must be removed from the liquid part of the drilling fluid Mud Hose – Also called Kelly hose or rotary hose. Mud Engineer – An employee of a service company, drilling contractor or operator on a drilling rig who is in charge of the drilling mud. The mud engineer prepares, tests and adjusts or conditions the drilling mud as the well is drilled. A drilling-fluid engineer works with drilling mud and other drilling fluids such as air, natural gas and foam. Also known as a Mud Man. Mud Pit – Originally, an open pit dug in the ground to hold drilling fluid or waste materials discarded after the treatment of drilling mud. Today, a mud pit is a steel rectangular tank, usually open at the top, in which drilling fluid is placed on the rig. Several mud pits are used and are named according to their use in the circulating system. For example, the mud pump takes in mud from a suction pit, sediments in the mud fall out in a settling pit, and mud is stored in a storage pit. Although mud pits are steel tanks, they are often referred to as pits. However, “mud tanks” is the preferred terminology.


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Mud Return Line – A trough or pipe that is placed between the surface connections at the wellbore and the shale shaker and through which drilling mud flows on its return to the surface from the hole. Also called a flow line Mud Tank – One of a series of open tanks, usually made of steel plate, through which the drilling mud is cycled to remove sand and fine sediments. Additives are mixed with the mud in the tanks, and the fluid is temporarily is temporarily stored there before being pumped back into the well. Modern rotary drilling rigs are generally provided with three or more tanks, fitted with built-in piping, valves, and mud agitators. Also called mud pits. Mud Weight – A measure of the density of a drilling fluid often expressed as a weight per unit volume, such as pounds per gallon, pound per cubic foot, or kilograms per cubic metre. Mud weight is directly related to the amount of pressure the column of drilling mud exerts at the bottom of the hole.


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Natural Completion – A well completion with no stimulation such as fracing or acidizing in contrast to a stimulated completion Natural Flow – the flow of formation fluids out of a well without artificial lift. The reservoir pressure is enough to lift the fluids to the surface. Natural Gas - A mixture of light hydrocarbons ranging from C1 to C4 that occur as a gas under standard pressure and temperature conditions of 1 atm and 60oF. Natural gas is primarily methane gas (CH4) with no or lesser amounts of ethane (C2H6), propane (C3H8), and butane (C4H10) gases. Natural Well – A well that flows without any well stimulation such as acidizing or fracing


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Off Production – A well that is temporarily not producing Open Hole Completion – A type of well completion in which the well is drilled to the top of the producing formation and casing is cemented. The producing formation is then drilled. An open hole completion is used primarily with hard producing formations such as sandstones, limestones, and dolomites. Operating Agreement – A contract between working interest owners of a gas or oil well that established the conditions for drilling, developing, operating and accounting for that well Operating Clause – A provision commonly found in oil and gas leases that provides for the continuation of the lease as long as gas and oil development is occurring on the lease. Variations of the clause include well completion and continuous operating clauses. Operating Company – The company that is responsible for maintaining the wells and producing the petroleum Operating Expense – The direct operating costs plus district overhead plus employee benefits for a specific producing property Operating Interest – (1) money left from gas and oil production after operating and developing costs and all nonworking interests such as royalty, overriding royalty, and production payment interests have been subtracted. Some types of operating interests include carried, reversionary, individual, disproportionate and checkerboard. (Working Interest) 2) The exclusive rights granted in an oil and gas lease to explore for, develop and product oil and gas from land. Operating Interest also includes the full costs of those Operations. Operator – A party that holds all or a part of the working interest on a lease and has been designated as manager for exploration, drilling, and/or production on that lease. The operator is the party that is responsible for (a) initiating and supervising the drilling and completion of a well and/or (b) maintaining the producing well or wells. Operator’s Agreement – a contract made by the working-interest owners in a pooling or unitization agreement that defines the rights and obligation of the unit operator and the other parties Orphan Well – a well that has been abandoned but not plugged


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P&A – Plug and Abandoned Pad – the surface area on which the drilling rig sits Participating Interest – the proportion or percentage that a certain party has in the total working interest in a unit operating agreement, leasehold or well Pay Formation – the formation in a well that produces commercial amounts of gas and/or oil Pay Zone – the vertical extent of the reservoir producing gas and/or oil in a well Perforate – to shoot holes or perforations in casing or liner, cement and producing formation to complete or recomplete a well Petroleum Engineer (PE) – a professional trained in the drilling, completion and production of oil and gas. Types of petroleum engineers include: drilling, completion, and reservoir engineers Petroleum Rock – any porous rock, such as sandstone, limestone or dolomite, in which gas or oil can be found PLM – Petroleum Land Management Plug – (1) to place cement in a well and/or a metal plate over it to abandon the well (2) cement filling an area of the well; Plugs are used primarily for well abandonment, plugback and deviation Plug a Well – the sealing of a well usually with cement in order to prevent fluids from flowing from one subsurface strata to another or to the surface in the well Plug and Abandoned (P&A) – to place a surface cement plug in a dry or depleted well. Cement plugs are required at specific depths in the well by law to prevent pollution of fresh water reservoirs. Usually the top 100 ft of the well is cemented and the casing is cut to six feet below ground level Plugged and Suspended (P&S) – the state of a well that has been temporarily abandoned with a bridge plug but can be reopened Power Tongs – mechanical wrench used on the floor of a drilling rig to make up and break out joints of drillpipe, casing and tubing as it grips the tubular. Produced Water – Water that is produced from a well along with oil and gas; The subsurface water associated with gas and oil reservoirs is called oilfield brine. The waters are often described by their dissolved salts in both concentration, usually in parts per million and chemical composition. Proppants – small, well-sorted grains that are hard and granular or spherical shaped. Proppants are suspended in a liquid (frac fluid) and pumped down a well during a frac job to hold the fractures open when the frac fluid is flowed back Pumper – the person employed to operate the equipment such as pumpers, separators and stock tanks on a lease. The pumper is responsible for accurately recording the amounts of oil sold. The pumper can also be assigned to make minor repairs and maintenance on the equipment, gauge the oil in stock tanks, test the wells and make reports


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Pumping Well – an oil well in which the oil is lifted to the surface by artificial methods in contrast to a flowing well Pumpjack – a surface pumping unit that is not operated by its own power unit; Several pump jacks are operated by a central power unit using rods or cables


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Relief Valve – A valve that is designed to open when the pressure on a liquid or gas reaches a specific level; The relief valve is used to prevent excessive pressure buildup. Relief Well – A well that is drilled to stop a wild well blowing out of control; The relief well is a directional well drilled at a safe distance from the wild well. A straight kick is used for most relief wells but some are S-shaped. The relief well approaches the wild well in the subsurface near the bottom or top of the well and is used to pump control fluids directly or indirectly into the wild well annulus. A relief well is used when a surface kill is not possible. The wild well is then cleaned out and either a cement plug is set for abandoning or casing is set. (killer well) Reserve Pit – an excavation with earthen banks that covers about 100 ft3 near a drilling rig; The reserve pit is a waste pit that holds discarded drilling mud and well cuttings. The shale slide carries well cuttings into the reserve pit. Drilling mud in the reserved pit can be used in emergencies. Reservoir Engineer – A petroleum engineer who oversees the overall production from a field and coordinates pressure maintenance, waterflood, and enhanced oil recovery Rework – a general term for any operation on a completed well that is designed to maintain, restore, or improve production from a reservoir that is currently producing. Reworking can include well stimulation but excludes routine repair and maintenance that is generally covered under well servicing. Sand cleanout, removal of scale or paraffin buildup, acidizing and facing, deeping, and plugging back are common reworking procedures and are often don with a workover rig Reworking Clause – a provision in an oil and gas lease that allows the lease to be extended without production during periods of workover on the well Rheology – the science of flowing fluids and their change of shape; Circulating drilling mud is an important aspect of rheology Rig Builder – a person who assembles the derrick on a drilling rig Rig Floor – the elevated platform on a drilling rig on which the derrick sits. The rig floor is supported by the substructure. The rotary table, drawworks, driller’s console, and other equipment are located on the floor, and the well is located in the center. The rig floor is where the drilling operations occur. Rigging Down – to dismantle the drilling or workover rig right after drilling or servicing the well Rigging Up – the erection of a drilling or workover rig for drilling or servicing a well Rig Jack – one of three or four hydraulic jacks that are used to raise each a corner and level the drilling rig Rig Mechanic – a crew member who is responsible for maintaining the rig’s machinery Rig Set-Off – removing the rig from a well that has just been drilled so that the well can be completed


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Rotary Table – a rotating steel-alloy platform that transfers motion to the Kelly through the master and Kelly busing on a drilling rig; The rotary table sits on ball or tapered roller bearings in an oil bath on the drill floor and is supported by beams, posts and braces. Roughneck – a junior member of a drilling crew, an assistant to the driller, who works on the floor on a drilling rig. The roughnecks set the slips, manipulate the tongs, latch and unlatch the elevators, and handle other equipment on the drill floor. Two to four roughnecks are commonly used on each tour Round Trip – Pulling out (tripping out) and then putting in (tripping in) drillstring or tubing in a well Roustabout – (1) general laborer on producing wells and well-service units. A head roustabout or gang pusher is responsible for the supervision and training of roustabout crews (2) a general laborer used with a drilling rig to maintain the area and unload supplies


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Sack Room - a storage room near the mud pumps on a drilling rig that contains dry drilling mud and additives Saltwater Disposal Well – an injection well used to dispose of the oilfield brine (salt water) that is often produced with oil Scout – an employee of an oil company who gathers information in the field on leasing, exploration and drilling activities of other companies. Scouts can also be independents and sell their information. Service Company – a company that specializes in some aspects of drilling, completing or working over wells. The service company can log the well, cement it or perforate it along with many other possible services Service Tools – downhole equipment supplied by service companies for use during the drilling, evaluation, completion or workover of wells


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Well – A hole made by the drilling bit, which can be open, cased, or both. Also called a borehole, hole or wellbore. Wellbore – A borehole; the hole drilled by the bit. A wellbore may have casing in it or it may be open (uncased); or part of it may be open. Also called a borehole or hole. Well Completion – (1) The activities and methods of preparing a well for the production of oil and gas or for other purposes, such as injection; the method by which one or more flow paths for hydrocarbons are established between the reservoir and the surface. (2) The system of tubulars, packers, and other tools installed beneath the wellhead in the production casing; that is, the tool assembly that provides the hydrocarbon flow path or paths. Well Control – the methods used to control a kick and prevent a well from blowing out. Such techniques include, but are not limited to, keeping the borehole completely filled with drilling mud of the proper weight or density during all operation, exercising reasonable care when tripping pipe out of the hole to prevent swabbing, and keeping careful track of the amount of mud put into the hole to replace the volume of pipe removed from the hole during a trip. Well-Control Equipment – An assembly of several components, such as ram preventers, annular preventers, a choke and kill system, trip tanks, and mud-gas separators. On offshore floating rigs, well-control equipment also includes a marine riser system and diverter system. Wellhead – The equipment installed at the top of the wellbore. A wellhead includes such equipment as casinghead and tubing head. Adj. pertaining to the wellhead (e.g., wellhead pressure) Well Logging – The recording of information about subsurface geologic formations, including records kept by the driller and records of mud and cutting analyses, core analysis, drill stem tests, and electric, acoustic, and radioactivity procedures. Well Service and Workover Contractor – A company specializes in offshore well repair. Well Servicing – The maintenance work performed on an oil and gas well to improve or maintain the production from a formation already producing. It usually involves repairs to the pump, rods, gas-lift valves, tubing, packers and so forth. Well-Servicing Rig – A portable rig, truck-mounted, trailer-mounted, or a carrier rig, consisting of a hoist and engine with a self-erecting mast

preparing to drill

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