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• Scientists believe the plants and animals died long ago, and
were slowly buried by thick layers of sediments. Over a long
period of time, and with pressure and temperature, the organic
materials were converted into the oil and gas which are found
today.
(For example, we know that present day garbage dumps give off methane gas)
Prepared by Tom Sheeran
What else do we know about oil and gas?
Oil in it’s natural state can be thick
or thin, black or light colored.
• Oil and gas are found in natural traps within the earth.
• without traps, the oil and gas could migrate all the way to
the surface and evaporate.
Prepared by Tom Sheeran
Here’s an example of a dome-shaped
Oil reservoir.
Oil
Water
Note the layer of impermeable rock which prevents the oil from migrating upwards.
Also, note the layer of water below which prevents the oil from escaping down. Why?
Gas
Water
Again, note the impermeable layer of rock preventing the gas from
escaping.
Gas
Oil
Water
• Computers process the data to construct pictures of what the earth looks like
underground.
receivers
Gas
Oil
?
?
?
Prepared by Tom Sheeran
We Drill Into It ! ! !
Inland Barge
Drill Ship
Semi-Submersible Rig
For drilling in water depths Drill ships and semi-submersible rigs are for drilling in
from 8 to 30 ft. water depths from 100 to 5000+ ft.
• Did you know that some drilling rigs can drill as deep as 6
miles? That’s as deep as Mt. Everest is tall!
Prepared by Tom Sheeran
This picture shows the hoisting equipment on a rig.
This equipment is used to raise or lower the drillstring, which is
picked up in 30 foot long segments, or “joints”, of drill pipe.
a crown block,
a traveling block,
drilling line,
and a drawworks to
This shows a 30 foot section
pull the drilling line up of drill pipe being added to
or down. the drill pipe already in the
hole.
substructure
Drill string
spare drill pipe
Drill bit
4) the mixture is
circulated across
screens at surface
mud pump
5) the drill cuttings are removed, and 2) the mud is circulated through the drill bit into the
form a cuttings pile. This can be annulus, lifting the cuttings removed by the drill bit.
hauled off and disposed of.
Prepared by Tom Sheeran
Here’s a sequence showing how holes are drilled,
First, a large drill bit is used to drill Then, steel casing is run and cemented on
a short interval of hole. the outside to keep the hole from
collapsing.
0’
200’
Next,
a smaller bit is Then, this new
run inside the hole is also
first casing. cased off and
cemented.
This bit drills
out the bottom
of the casing,
and drills new
hole.
200’
500’
Sand good
porosity
Shale
200’
Siltstone
poor
Shale resistivity,
poor
probably
porosity
Siltstone water
Dolomite 500’
Shale
good
good porosity
resistivity,
Looks may have
like oil or gas poor
good porosity
sand
quality poor
3000’
resistivity, good
probably porosity
water
good porosity
200’
poor
resistivity, poor porosity
probably
water
good porosity
good
resistivity,
may have oil
good porosity
}Right here! This shows a clean sand,
Looks or gas with good porosity and resistivity.
like
good poor
sand porosity
quality
poor
resistivity, good porosity
probably water
Packer
Oil
Production Separator
Produced
Water
Produced Gas
Storage Tanks
Oil
The End.
Prepared by Tom Sheeran
About the Author:
Tom Sheeran has been working in the oil and gas industry for over 18
years. He worked summers on a drilling rig while going to school to earn
a degree in Petroleum Engineering. After graduating, he went to work for
Chevron in the Rocky Mountains. In 1990 he began working for Chevron
Overseas Petroleum, and since then has worked all over the world, in
Scotland, Australia, Papua New Guinea, Venezuela, Angola and Nigeria.
Tom is currently employed by Chevron Nigeria Ltd. and is living and
working as a resident in Lagos, Nigeria.
Tom and his wife Shallini have 2 children, and home-schooled in the U.S.
for several years before moving overseas. Tom developed this
presentation for kids so they may learn more about the oil industry.
Tom A. Sheeran
Sr. Drilling Engineer
Chevron Nigeria Ltd.
SHTA@chevron.com
TAS Oct. 1998