REPÚBLICA BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA

MINISTERIO DEL PODER POPULAR PARA LA EDUCACIÓN UNIVERSITARIA

CIENCIA, TEGNOLOGIA E INNOVACION

UNIVERSIDAD BOLIVARIANA DE VENEZUELA

PROGRAMA DE FORMACIÓN DE GRADO EN PETRÓLEO

UBV-SEDE MONAGAS

Glossary of oil terms

TEACHER: STUDENT:

RICARDO GONZALEZ

MATURIN MAY 2018

Abnormal pressure

A subsurface condition in which the pore pressure of a geologic formation exceeds

or is less than the expected, or normal, formation pressure.
When impermeable rocks such as shales are compacted rapidly, their pore fluids
cannot always escape and must then support the total overlying rock column,
leading to abnormally high formation pressures.

Air drilling

A drilling technique whereby gases (typically compressed air or nitrogen) are used
to cool the drill bit and lift cuttings out of the wellbore, instead of the more
conventional use of liquids. The advantages of air drilling are that it is usually much
faster than drilling with liquids and it may eliminate lost circulation problems.

Annular gas flow

A flow of formation gas in the annulus between a casing string and

the borehole wall. Annular gas flows occur when there is insufficient hydrostatic
pressure to restrain the gas. They can occur in uncemented intervals and even in
cemented sections if the cement bond is poor. After cementing, as the cement
begins to harden, a gel-like structure forms that effectively supports the solid
material in the cement slurry. However, during this initial gelling period, the cement
has no appreciable strength.

Antiwhirl bit

A drill bit, usually polycrystalline diamond compact bit (PDC) type, designed such
that the individual cutting elements on the bit create a net imbalance force. This
imbalance force pushes the bit against the side of the borehole, which in turn
creates a stable rotating condition that resists backwards whirling, wobbling and
downhole vibration.

Annulus
The space between two concentric objects, such as between the wellbore
and casing or between casing and tubing, where fluid can flow. Pipe may consist of
drill collars, drillpipe, casing or tubing.

Adjustable choke

A valve usually used in well control operations to reduce the pressure of a fluid
from high pressure in the closed wellbore to atmospheric pressure. It may be
adjusted (opened or closed) to closely control the pressure drop. Adjustable choke
valves are constructed to resist wear while high-velocity, solids-laden fluids are
flowing by the restricting or sealing elements.

Air-cut mud

A drilling fluid (or mud) that has gas (air or natural gas) bubbles in it, resulting in a
lower bulk, unpressurized density compared with a mud not cut by gas. The
density of gas-cut mud can be measured accurately using a pressurized mud
balance. Defoamerchemicals added to the mud or a mechanical vacuum
pump degasser can liberate the trapped gas.

Annular velocity

The speed at which drilling fluid or cement moves in the annulus. It is important to
monitor annular velocity to ensure that the hole is being properly cleaned
of cuttings, cavings and other debris while avoiding erosion of the borehole wall.
The annular velocity is commonly expressed in units of feet per minute or, less
commonly, meters per minute. The term is distinct from volumetric flow.

Aquifer

Any water-bearing formation encountered while drilling. Drillers often are

concerned about aquifers and are required to take special precautions in the
design and execution of the well plan to protect fresh water aquifers from
contamination by wellbore fluids. Water in aquifers can flow into the wellbore,
contaminate drilling fluids and cause well control problems.

Annular blowout preventer

A large valve used to control wellbore fluids. In this type of valve, the sealing
element resembles a large rubber doughnut that is mechanically squeezed inward
to seal on either pipe (drill collar, drillpipe, casing, or tubing) or the openhole. The
ability to seal on a variety of pipe sizes is one advantage the annular blowout
preventer has over the ram blowout preventer.

Azimuth

The compass direction of a directional survey or of the wellbore as planned or

measured by a directional survey. The azimuth is usually specified in degrees with
respect to the geographic or magnetic north pole

Air drill

To drill using gases (typically compressed air or nitrogen) to cool the drill bit and
lift cuttings out of the wellbore, instead of the more conventional use of liquids. The
advantages of air drilling are that it is usually much faster than drilling with liquids
and it may eliminate lost circulation problems.

Annular BOP

Large valve used to control wellbore fluids. In this type of valve, the sealing
element resembles a large rubber doughnut that is mechanically squeezed inward
to seal on either pipe (drill collar, drillpipe, casing, or tubing) or the openhole.

Annulus

The space between two concentric objects, such as between the wellbore
and casing or between casing and tubing, where fluid can flow. Pipe may consist of
drill collars, drillpipe, casing or tubing.

Back off

To unscrew drillstring components downhole. The drillstring, including drillpipe and

the bottomhole assembly, are coupled by various threadforms known as
connections, or tool joints. Often when a drillstring becomes stuck it is necessary to
"back off" the string as deep as possible to recover as much of the string as
possible.
Blow out preventer

A large valve at the top of a well that may be closed if the drilling crew loses control
of formation fluids. By closing this valve (usually operated remotely via hydraulic
actuators), the drilling crew usually regains control of the reservoir, and procedures
can then be initiated to increase the mud density until it is possible to open
the BOP and retain pressure control of the formation.

Bottoms-up

The sample obtained at the bottoms-up time or a volume of fluid to pump, as in

"pump bottoms-up before drilling ahead.

Background gas

An average or baseline measure of gas entrained in circulating mud. This baseline

trend pertains to gas that is liberated downhole while drilling through a
uniform lithologic interval at a constant rate of penetration. The gas is
typically obtained from a suction line above the gas trap located
immediately upstream of the shale shaker screens, where the gas evolves
out of the mud.

Brake

The mechanism on the drawworks that permits the driller to control the speed
and motion of the drilling line and the drillstring, or the brake handle that the
driller operates to control the brake mechanism.

Barefoot

Referring to openhole or without casing, as in barefoot completion or

barefoot drillstem test.

Break out

To unscrew drillstring components, which are coupled by various threadforms

known as connections, including tool joints and other threaded connections.
Basket sub

A tool run into the wellbore to retrieve junk from the bottom of the hole.

Breakout

The process of unscrewing drillstring components, which are coupled by various

threadforms known as connections, including tool joints and other threaded
connections.

BGG

An average or baseline measure of gas entrained in circulating mud. This

baseline trend pertains to gas that is liberated downhole while drilling through a
uniform lithologic interval at a constant rate of penetration. The gas is typically
obtained from a suction line above the gas trap located immediately upstream of
the shale shaker screens, where the gas evolves out of the mud.

Blow out

An uncontrolled flow of reservoir fluids into the wellbore, and sometimes

catastrophically to the surface. A blowout may consist of salt water, oil, gas or a
mixture of these.

Bit box

A container, usually made of steel and fitted with a sturdy lock, to store drill bits,
especially higher cost PDC and diamond bits. These bits are extremely costly
but often small in size, so they are prone to theft.

Bit breaker

A special tool used by the rig crew to prevent the drill bit from turning while the
bit sub on top of it is tightened or loosened. Bits have noncylindrical shapes, so
the conventional wrenches used by the rig crew to tighten cylindrical shapes like
pipes do not fit the bits properly. In addition, some bits, such as PDC bits, have a
wide range of unusual and asymmetric shapes or profiles. The bit breaker must
match the bit profile or the bit may be ruined before ever being used.

Cased hole

The portion of the wellbore that has had metal casing placed and cemented to
protect the openhole from fluids, pressures, wellbore stability problems or a
combination of these.

Circulation

Noun form of circulate.

Casing collar

The threaded collar used to connect two joints of casing. The

resulting connection must provide adequate mechanical strength to enable the
casing string to be run and cemented in place. The casing collar must also
provide sufficient hydraulic isolation under the design conditions determined by
internal and external pressure conditions and fluid characteristics.

Drawworks

The machine on the rig consisting of a large-diameter steel spool, brakes, a

power source and assorted auxiliary devices. The primary function of the
drawworks is to reel out and reel in the drilling line, a large diameter wire
rope, in a controlled fashion.

Degasser

A device that removes air or gases (methane, H2S, CO2 and others) from drilling
liquids. There are two generic types that work by both expanding the size of the
gas bubbles entrained in the mud (by pulling a vacuum on the mud) and by
increasing the surface area available to the mud so that bubbles escape
(through the use of various cascading baffle plates). If the gas content in the
mud is high, a mud gas separator or "poor boy degasser" is used, because it has
a higher capacity than standard degassers and routes the evolved gases away
from the rig to a flaring area complete with an ignition source.

Drilling rig

The machine used to drill a wellbore. In onshore operations, the rig includes
virtually everything except living quarters. Major components of the rig include
the mud tanks, the mud pumps, the derrick or mast, the drawworks, the rotary
table or topdrive, the drillstring, the power generation equipment and auxiliary
equipment. Offshore, the rig includes the same components as onshore, but not
those of the vessel or drilling platform itself. The rig is sometimes referred to as
the drilling package, particularly offshore.

Desander

A hydrocyclone device that removes large drill solids from the

whole mudsystem. The desander should be located downstream of the
shale shakers and degassers, but before the desilters or mud cleaners. A
volume of mud is pumped into the wide upper section of the hydrocylone at
an angle roughly tangent to its circumference. As the mud flows around and
gradually down the inside of the cone shape, solids are separated from the
liquid by centrifugal forces. The solids continue around and down until they
exit the bottom of the hydrocyclone (along with small amounts of liquid) and
are discarded.

Drag bit

A drilling tool that uses polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters

to shear rock with a continuous scraping motion. These cutters are synthetic
diamond disks about 1/8-in. thick and about 1/2 to 1 in. in diameter. PDC bits are
effective at drilling shaleformations, especially when used in combination with oil-
base muds.

Dog house

The steel-sided room adjacent to the rig floor, usually having an access door
close to the driller's controls. This general-purpose shelter is a combination tool
shed, office, communications center, coffee room, lunchroom and general
meeting place for the driller and his crew. It is at the same elevation as the rig
floor, usually cantilevered out from the main substructure supporting the rig.

Drilling contractor

The company that owns and operates a drilling rig. The drilling contractor usually
charges a fixed daily rate for its hardware (the rig) and software (the people),
plus certain extraordinary expenses. Under this arrangement, the cost of the well
is largely a function of the time it takes to drill and complete the well.

Drillstem

The combination of the drillpipe, the bottomhole assembly and any other tools
used to make the drill bit turn at the bottom of the wellbore.

Deviated hole

A wellbore that is not vertical. The term usually indicates a wellbore intentionally
drilled away from vertical.

Directional well

A wellbore that requires the use of special tools or techniques to ensure that the
wellbore path hits a particular subsurface target, typically located away from (as
opposed to directly under) the surface location of the well.
Elevator

A hinged mechanism that may be closed around drillpipe or

other drillstringcomponents to facilitate lowering them into the wellbore or lifting
them out of the wellbore. In the closed position, the elevator arms are latched
together to form a load-bearing ring around the component. A shoulder or taper
on the component to be lifted is larger in size than the inside diameter of the
closed elevator. In the open position, the device splits roughly into two halves
and may be swung away from the drillstring component.

Flow line

The large-diameter metal pipe that connects the bell nipple under the rotary
table to the possum belly at the mud tanks. The flowline is simply an
inclined, gravity-flow conduit to direct mud coming out the top of the wellbore to
the mud surface-treating equipment. When drilling certain highly reactive clays,
called "gumbo," the flowline may become plugged and require considerable
effort by the rig crew to keep it open and flowing. In addition, the flowline is
usually fitted with a crude paddle-type flow-measuring device commonly called a
"flow show" that may give the driller the first indication that the well is flowing.

Gauge hole

A wellbore that is essentially the same diameter as the bit that was used to drill
it. It is common to find well-consolidated sandstones and carbonate rocks that
remain gauge after being drilled. For clays, it is common for the hole to slowly
enlarge with the passing of time, especially if water-base muds are being used.
Bit gauges, rings of defined circumference, are slipped around drill bits to detect
and measure wear, which reduces the circumference of the bit during drilling.

Hook

The high-capacity J-shaped equipment used to hang various other equipment,

particularly the swivel and kelly, the elevator bails or topdrive units. The hook is
attached to the bottom of the traveling block and provides a way to pick up heavy
loads with the traveling block. The hook is either locked (the normal condition) or
free to rotate, so that it may be mated or decoupled with items positioned around
the rig floor, not limited to a single direction.

Jackup rig

A self-contained combination drilling rig and floating barge, fitted with long
support legs that can be raised or lowered independently of each other.
The jackup, as it is known informally, is towed onto location with its legs up and
the barge section floating on the water. Upon arrival at the drilling location, the
legs are jacked down onto the seafloor, preloaded to securely drive them into the
seabottom, and then all three legs are jacked further down.

Kelly bushing

An adapter that serves to connect the rotary table to the kelly. The kelly bushing
has an inside diameter profile that matches that of the kelly, usually square or
hexagonal. It is connected to the rotary table by four large steel pins that fit into
mating holes in the rotary table. The rotary motion from the rotary table is
transmitted to the bushing through the pins, and then to the kelly itself through
the square or hexagonal flat surfaces between the kelly and the kelly bushing.

Mast

The structure used to support the crown block and the drillstring. Masts are
usually rectangular or trapezoidal in shape and offer a very good stiffness,
important to land rigs whose mast is laid down when the rig is moved. They
suffer from being heavier than conventional derricks and consequently are not
usually found in offshore environments, where weight is more of a concern than
in land operations.
Mud motor

A positive displacement drilling motor that uses hydraulic horsepower of

the drilling fluid to drive the drill bit. Mud motors are used extensively in
directional drilling operations.

Nipple

Any short piece of pipe, especially if threaded at both ends with male threads.

Rotary bushing

Another term for kelly bushing, an adapter that serves to connect the rotary table
to the kelly. The kelly bushing has an inside diameter profile that matches that of
the kelly, usually square or hexagonal. It is connected to the rotary table by four
large steel pins that fit into mating holes in the rotary table. The rotary motion
from the rotary table is transmitted to the bushing through the pins, and then to
the kelly itself through the square or hexagonal flat surfaces between the kelly
and the kelly bushing. The kelly then turns the entire drillstring because it is
screwed into the top of the drillstring itself. Depth measurements are commonly
referenced to the KB, such as 8327 ft KB, meaning 8327 feet below the kelly
bushing.

Rotating control device

A pressure-control device used during drilling for the purpose of making a seal
around the drillstring while the drillstring rotates. This device is intended to
contain hydrocarbons or other wellbore fluids and prevent their release to the
atmosphere.

Rotary hose

A large-diameter (3- to 5-in. inside diameter), high-pressure flexible line used to

connect the standpipe to the swivel. This flexible piping arrangement permits the
kelly (and, in turn, the drillstring and bit) to be raised or lowered while drilling
fluid is pumped through the drillstring. The simultaneous lowering of the
drillstring while pumping fluid is critical to the drilling operation.

Safety joint

A weak spot in the drillstring. Such a weak spot sometimes is intentionally put
into the drillstring so that if tension in the drillstring exceeds a predetermined
amount, the safety joint will part and the rest of the drillstring will be salvageable.
A safety joint is commonly included in fishing strings and drillstem testing
equipment, where the fish may be successfully caught by the fishing assembly,
but tension to free the fish may prove insurmountable.

Steerable motor

A mud motor incorporating a bent housing that may be stabilized like a

rotary bottomhole assembly. A steerable motor can be used to steer the wellbore
without drillstring rotation in directional drilling operations, or to drill ahead in a
rotary drilling mode.

Swivel

A mechanical device that suspends the weight of the drillstring. It is designed to

allow rotation of the drillstring beneath it conveying high volumes of high-
pressure drilling mud between the rig's circulation system and the drillstring.

Shoe

A short assembly, typically manufactured from a heavy steel collar and

profiled cement interior, that is screwed to the bottom of a casing string. The
rounded profile helps guide the casing string past any ledges or obstructions that
would prevent the string from being correctly located in the wellbore.

Shale shaker
The primary and probably most important device on the rig for removing drilled
solids from the mud. This vibrating sieve is simple in concept, but a bit more
complicated to use efficiently. A wire-cloth screen vibrates while the drilling
fluid flows on top of it. The liquid phase of the mud and solids smaller than the
wire mesh pass through the screen, while larger solids are retained on the
screen and eventually fall off the back of the device and are discarded.

Traveling block

The set of sheaves that move up and down in the derrick. The wire rope
threaded through them is threaded (or "reeved") back to the stationary crown
blocks located on the top of the derrick. This pulley system gives great
mechanical advantage to the action of the wire rope drilling line, enabling heavy
loads (drillstring, casing and liners) to be lifted out of or lowered into the wellbore
.
Turnkey

A type of financing arrangement for the drilling of a wellbore that places

considerable risk and potential reward on the drilling contractor. Under such an
arrangement, the drilling contractor assumes full responsibility for the well to
some predetermined milestone such as the successful running of logs at the end
of the well, the successful cementing of casing in the well or even the completion
of the well. Until this milestone is reached, the operator owes nothing to the
contractor. The contractor bears all risk of trouble in the well, and in extreme
cases, may have to abandon the well entirely and start over.

Tool joint

The enlarged and threaded ends of joints of drillpipe. These components are
fabricated separately from the pipe body and welded onto the pipe at a
manufacturing facility. The tool joints provide high-strength, high-
pressurethreaded connections that are sufficiently robust to survive the
rigors of drilling and numerous cycles of tightening and loosening at threads.
Wellhead

The surface termination of a wellbore that incorporates facilities for installing

casing hangers during the well construction phase. The wellhead also
incorporates a means of hanging the production tubing and installing
the Christmas tree and surface flow-control facilities in preparation for the
production phase of the well.

Well control

The technology focused on maintaining pressure on open formations (that is,

exposed to the wellbore) to prevent or direct the flow of formation fluids into
the wellbore. This technology encompasses the estimation of formation fluid
pressures, the strength of the subsurface formations and the use
of casing and mud density to offset those pressures in a predictable
fashion.

Wellbore

The drilled hole or borehole, including the openhole or uncased portion of the
well. Borehole may refer to the inside diameter of the wellbore wall, the rock face
that bounds the drilled hole.

Casing string

An assembled length of steel pipe configured to suit a specific wellbore. The

sections of pipe are connected and lowered into a wellbore, then cemented
in place. The pipe joints are typically approximately 40 ft [12 m] in length,
male threaded on each end and connected with short lengths of double-
female threaded pipe called couplings. Long casing strings may require
higher strength materials on the upper portion of the string to withstand the
string load.