The Language of Drilling!

Drillers have developed a language all of their own so we present a list below of commonly used words, terms and phrases! Word/Term/Phrase
Acidizing

Explanation
The treatment of formations with hydrochloric or other type acids in order to increase production or injection Abbreviation for American Petroleum Institute, with headquarters in Washington, DC. This is the trade association for the petroleum industry. The Institute's Production Department is Located at 221 N. Ervay, Suite 1700,Dallas, TX 75201. The standard adopted by API for measuring the density of a liquid, expressed in degrees. It can be converted from specific gravity by the following equation: 141.5 Degrees API ________________ -131.5 gravity= specific gravity To unscrew one threaded piece ( such as a section of pipe ) from another The pressure resulting from restriction of full natural flow of oil or gas. Bottom-hole-assembly: The combination of tools or equipment that is at the bottom (lower) end of the drillpipe. The actual combination will depend on the operation being performed - ie for drilling it could comprise the bit, stabilisers, MWD, drill collars, jar, drillpipe. The item that actually does the drilling. Oilfield rock bits are categorised by IADC as: Rolling Cone or Fixed Cutter. To drain off liquid or gas, generally slowly, through a valve called a bleeder. To BLEED DOWN, or BLEED OFF, means to slowly release the pressure of the well or of pressurised equipment. ( Also a BLANK FLANGE ) - A solid disc used to dead end a companion flange. An uncontrolled flow of gas, oil, or other fluids from a well. The equipment installed at the wellhead for the purpose of controlling pressures in the annular space between the casing and drill pipe ( or tubing ) during drilling, completion and certain workover operations. the lowest or deepest part of a well. To unscrew one section of pipe from another section. A wellbore in which casing has been run. Pressure measured at a wellhead casing outlet. The pipe run in a well, for example: surface string, intermediate string, production string, etc. A spool-shaped attachment on a winch around which rope is wound for hoisting and pulling. A hole dug, usually before a deep well, to allow working space for the casing head equipment. A length of pipe used to increase the leverage of a wrench. A type of orifice installed for the purpose of restricting and controlling flow. An assembly of valves, pipes, and fittings used to control flow of oil and gas from the well.

API

API Gravity

Back-Off Back Pressure BHA

Bit Bleed Blind Flange Blowout Blowout Preventer (BOP) Bottom-Hole Break Out Cased Hole Casing Pressure Casing String Cathead Cellar Cheater Choke Christmas Tree

Connection Dead Oil

The joining of two lengths of pipe. Crude oil containing essentially no dissolved gas when it is produced. A chemical used to "breakdown" crude/water emulsions so the water Demulsifier may be removed from the oil. The weight of a substance per unit of volume. For instance, the density Density of a drilling mud may be described as "10lb per gallon" or "75lb per cubic foot." A type of sedimentary rock similar to limestone but rich in magnesium Dolomite carbonate. Sometimes dolomite is found as the reservoir rock for petroleum. A viscous material used on casing or tubing threads as a lubricant, and Dope to prevent corrosion. The difference between the static and the flowing bottom-hole Drawdown pressures. The distance between the static level and the pumping level of the fluid in the annulus of a pumping well. Drilling The process of making a hole in the ground ! All the equipment that is in the wellbore for drilling. This would typically Drillstring comprise the BHA and Drillpipe. Any exploratory or development well that does not produce oil or gas in Dry Hole commercial quantities. The discharge valve through which oil and water are discharged from Dump Valve separators, treaters, etc. As applied to sucker-rod pumping, the dynamometer records the Dynamometer variation in load on the polished rod as the string reciprocates. The permeability of a rock to a fluid when the rock is not 100 percent Effective Permeability saturated with fluid. See PERMEABILITY. The percentage of the bulk volume of a rock sample that is composed Effective Porosity of interconnected pore spaces, allowing the passage of fluids through the sample. Said of equipment or a system so constructed that, in the event of failure or malfunction of any part of the system, devices are Fail Safe automatically activated to stabilise or secure the safety of the operation. A dike built around oil tanks, oil pumps and other oil handling equipment to contain any oil which may be accidentally discharged Fire Wall from the equipment. It also serves to block the spread of a fire or give protection for a period of time while emergency action is taken. Flange Up To finish a job. Flowing Pressure The pressure at the wellhead of a flowing well. Injection of gases or liquids into a reservoir to force oil toward and into Fluid Injection producing wells. Natural gas injected under high pressure into a producing reservoir Gas Injection through an INPUT or INJECTION WELL as part of an enhanced recovery operation. The number of cubic feet of gas produced with a barrel of oil. GasGas-Oil Ratio ( GOR ) Liquid Ratio ( GLR ) The number of cubic feet of gas produced with a barrel of liquid. ( Usually water and oil.) A facility designed (1) to achieve the recovery of natural gas liquids Gas Processing Plant ( Gas Plant from the stream of natural gas which may or may not have been ) processed through lease separators and field facilities, and (2) to control the quality of the natural gas to be marketed. Gas Sand A porous sandstone reservoir which contains natural gas. Describes a well in which oil production has decreased and water Gone To Water production has greatly increased. Oil production in violation of state regulations or transported interstate Hot Oil in violation of federation regulations.

Hot-Oil Treatment (To Hot Oil) Initial Potential (IP) Injection Pump Junk Knockout Lean Gas Migration Non-Associated Gas Offset Well On The Pump Orifice Meter POOH / POH Run A Ticket RIH Run Ticket

Saltwater Disposal Scraper Shake Out Sour Crude Oil (Sour Crude) Sour Gas Subsurface Safety Valve Tail Gas (Residue Gas) Wet Gas Zone

A treatment using heated oil to melt and remove accumulated paraffin from the tubing, annulus, flow lines or production equipment. The Initial capacity of a well to produce. A pump that (1) injects chemicals into a flow-line system for the purpose of treating emulsions or corrosion and (2) injects liquids underground for disposal or to enhance recovery. Metal debris lost in a hole. Junk may be a lost bit, milled pieces of pipe, wrenches, or any relatively small parts or lost tools. A kind of tank or vessel used to separate water from oil. A FREE WATER KNOCKOUT (FWKO) Natural gas containing little or no liquefiable hydrocarbons. The movement of oil from the area in which it has been formed to a reservoir rock where it can accumulate Natural gas which is in reservoirs that do not contain significant quantities of crude oil. Well drilled near another one. A well that is not capable of flowing and is produced by means of a pump. An instrument commonly used to measure more than allowable. Pulling-Out-Of-Hole: When drillstring, tubulars or other assembly is being withdrawn from the wellbore. To transfer oil from a stock tank into a pipeline. Run-In-Hole: When drillstring, tubulars or some other assembly is lowered into the wellbore A record of oil transferred from the producer's storage tank to the pipeline. This is the basic legal instrument by which the lease operator is paid for oil produced and sold. The method and system for the disposal of salt water produced with crude oil. A typical system is composed of a collection centre and disposal wells in which treated salt water is injected into a suitable formation. A device used to clean deposits of paraffin from tubing or flow lines. To spin a sample of oil at high speed to determine its BS&W content. Also called a GRIND OUT. An oil containing free sulphur or other sulphur compounds whose total sulphur content is in excess of one percent. Natural gas containing hydrogen sulphide. A safety device installed in the well's tubing below the surface to automatically shut the well in when predetermined flow rate, pressure, or other conditions are reached. Gas from a processing unit after extraction of liquids. Natural gas containing significant amounts of liquefiable hydro-carbons The term "Zone", as applied to reservoirs, is used to describe a unique interval which has one or more distinguishing characteristics, such as lithology, porosity, saturation, etc.