OIL AND NATURAL GAS

ENGINEERING

LECTURE 1

J. JAYA BHARATHI,
ASST.PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
KONGU ENGINEERING COLLEGE, PERUNDURAI

1
INDUSTRIES IN INDIA

2
OIL AND NATURAL GAS - FROMATION

3
4
5
6
7
8
 OIL AND GAS SECTOR – AN INTRODUCTION

Oil and Gas – reserves and consumption in INDIA

96 Trillion Cubic Feet of estimated shale gas reserves.
47 Trillion Cubic Feet of proven natural gas reserves.
740 MMT of proven oil reserves.
Fourth largest consumer of crude oil and petroleum products in
the world.
Second largest refiner in Asia.
One of the major core industries in India .
Major player in influencing decision making for all the other
important sections of the economy.
9
 OIL AND GAS SECTOR – AN INTRODUCTION

A recent report - Indian oil and gas industry is predictable to be

worth US$ 139.8 billion by 2015.
Favorable sector for investment- India s economic growth is
related to energy demand hence need for oil and gas is projected to
grow more.
The Government of India has adopted several policies to fulfill the
increasing demand.
The government has allowed 100 per cent Foreign Direct
Investment (FDI) in many segments of the sector, including natural
gas, petroleum products, and refineries, etc.

10
 NEED FOR ENERGY

Air, water, and food were must to sustain life previously.

In our modern society, energy is the fourth necessity of life
sustainability.
The increasing complex society with its developing industrial base has
created a demand for energy.
Prime mover of our economy.
Population growth transformed the society from an agrarian economy
to industrialization which resulted in the exploration coal and deposits of
crude oil and natural gas.

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
 OIL AND GAS SECTOR – TOP PLAYERS

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited

ONGC Videsh Limited
Oil India Limited
Reliance Industries Limited
Cairn India Limited
Essar Oil Limited
Indian Oil Corporation Limited
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited
Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited
GAIL (India) Limited

18
19
20
 Bharat Petroleum Hindustan Oil Exploration
Corporation Ltd (BPCL) Company Ltd (HOEC)

Essar Oil

Mangalore Refinery and GE Oil & Gas

Petrochemicals (MRPL)
21
Cairn India Hindustan Petroleum
Corporation Limited (HPCL)

22
OIL AND NATURAL GAS ENGINEERING

23
 CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

The process of making the oil and gas is quite challenging.

The engineers employed in this sector of industry are trained to face
these challenges.
These engineers must be multi-faceted in order to cover the following
aspects.
 Discover Oil and gas reserves

 Assessment of the quantity and production potential

Establishment of Optimal extraction methods to maximize recovery

Transportation from the point of production to the refinery and then

storage.
Carry out the above processes in an environmentally benign manner.
24
 RESARCH AREAS

Fluid dynamics in pipes

Remediation of pipeline contamination
Multi-phase flow in porous media
Diffusion in porous media
Reservoir engineering
Drilling engineering
Numerical reservoir simulation
Improved oil and gas recovery
Secondary migration
Rock mechanics
Environmental issues, ETC…. 25
 PETROLEUM - INTRODUCTION

• The petroleum and derivatives such as asphalts known for almost

6000 years and there is evidence of use of asphalt building more
than 600 years ago.

26
 PETROLEUM - INTRODUCTION

 Petroleum industry
 Plays vital role in the industrialization and urbanization.
 Helps meeting the basic needs of the mankind through
supplying energy for domestic purposes, for industrial
purposes, for transport sectors .
 Its products are used as feed stock for the fertilizer, synthetic
fiber industry, synthetic rubber polymers, intermediates
explosive agrochemicals, dye, etc.
 PETROLEUM - HISTORY

 Petroleum was formed several million years ago from organic matter
of marine deposits in a deficiency of oxygen (anaerobic conditions).
Selective bacterial attack destroyed proteins and carbohydrates,
leaving fats to accumulate as oil reserves, hence the name fossil fuel.

 MOST IMPORTANT!! The rate of formation is practically zero

compared to the present consumption.

 The petroleum industry in its design, operation, sales, and executive

branches is the largest employer of chemical engineers.

 Small-scale production of kerosene from shale oil for lighting

purposes preceded the petroleum industry by 10-15 years.
 PETROLEUM - HISTORY

Industrial production and refining of petroleum began with the deep-well

drilling at Titusville, Pennsylvania (USA), in 1858 just prior to the Civil
War.

The growth was accelerated with the development of the automobile

industry starting in 1912.

Today it stands as the largest single industry in the world with a doubling
time of 10-15 years.

Petroleum is found in porous rock formations in the upper strate of some

areas of the Earth s crust. There is also petroleum in oil sands (tar sands).
Known reserves of petroleum are typically estimated at around 190 km3
(1.2 trillion barrels) without oil sands, or 595 km3 (3.74 trillion barrels)
with oil sands.
29
 PETROLEUM - Exploration

From the early days where oil seepage at ground level was used to
indicate an oil field, exploration methods have progressed to a highly
scientific stage.

These can be classified in two phases:

1. Surface geological methods: the presence of volatile

hydrocarbons near the surface is an indication of oil formations at
some distance beneath.

2. Geophysical methods - Extensive and intensive

30
 CONSTITUENTS OF CRUDE PETROLEUM

Petroleum is a mixture of a very large number of different

hydrocarbons;

The most commonly found molecules are

Alkanes (linear or branched)

Cycloalkanes
Aromatic hydrocarbons,
More complicated chemicals like asphaltenes.

Each petroleum variety has a unique mix of molecules, which define

its physical and chemical properties, like color and viscosity.

31
 CONSTITUENTS OF CRUDE PETROLEUM

The alkanes or paraffins,

Saturated hydrocarbons with straight or branched chains which

contain only carbon and hydrogen

The general formula cnh2n+2

They generally have from 5 to 40 carbon atoms per molecule,

although trace amounts of shorter or longer molecules may be
present in the mixture.

These comprise the largest fraction of petroleum crudes.

32
 CONSTITUENTS OF CRUDE PETROLEUM

The cycloalkanes, also known as naphthenes,

Saturated hydrocarbons which have one or more carbon rings to

which hydrogen atoms are attached according to the formula CnH2n.

Cycloalkanes have similar properties to alkanes but have higher

boiling points.

These are the second most abundantly occurring series in crudes.

33
 CONSTITUENTS OF CRUDE PETROLEUM
The aromatic hydrocarbons

Unsaturated hydrocarbons which have one or more planar six-carbon

rings called benzene rings, to which hydrogen atoms are attached
with the formula CnHn.

They tend to burn with a sooty flame, and many have a sweet aroma.
Some are carcinogenic.

Asphalts

Complex materials of relatively low value consisting of colloids of

asphaltenes and resins in oil.

Asphaltenes are brownish-black solids soluble in aromatics but no

paraffins – they are chemically composed of C and H with appreciable
quantities of S, O, and N. 34
 CONSTITUENTS OF CRUDE PETROLEUM
These different molecules are separated by fractional distillation at an
oil refinery to produce gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, and other
hydrocarbons.

The amount of various molecules in an oil sample can be determined

in laboratory.

35
COMPOSITION CRUDE PETROLEUM – BY WEIGHT

Composition by weight
Composition by weight
Element Percent range
Carbon 83 to 87% Hydrocarbon Average Range

Hydrogen 10 to 14% Paraffins 30% 15 to 60%

Nitrogen 0.1 to 2%
Naphthenes 49% 30 to 60%
Oxygen 0.1 to 1.5%
Sulfur 0.5 to 6% Aromatics 15% 3 to 30%
less than 1000
Metals ppm Asphaltics 6% remainder

36
OIL REFINING

37
38
 REFINERY PRODUCTS
Crude petroleum must be separated into numerous products to
achieve maximum economic return.

A portion of the separation takes place in the oil fields where

natural gas, LPG, and natural petrol are removed before the
remainder of crude is put into pipelines or tankers for shipment to
the refineries.

A suitable classification of all products is as follows:

Gas Fraction:

Natural gas, largely methane with some C2 is separated at the well

Light gas from distillation of petroleum crudes at the refinery: C1 and
C2
Off-gas from petroleum conversion operations at the refinery: H2,
H2S, SO2, C1, C2
LPG as propane and butane, liquefied and used for domestic fuel,
39
winterizing gasoline, or for synthesis gas
 REFINERY PRODUCTS

Light Ends

1. Petrol or Motor Spirits:

 Petrol is the principal refinery product

 Most of the chemical conversions at the refinery is aimed at

maximizing the yield of various grades of petrol.

 This fuel, as an energy source for piston engine and gas turbines,
is formulated to meet the engine combustion requirements.

40
 REFINERY PRODUCTS

 Residues:
 Intermediate Distillates:
 Lubricants
◦ Heavy fuel oils
 Asphalt
◦ Diesel oils
 Fuel oil
◦ Gas oil
 Road oils
 Heavy Distillates:
 Greases
◦ Mineral oil
 Petroleum coke (used for
◦ Flotation and frothing oil
aluminum plant electrodes)
◦ Waxes
 Petrolatum
◦ Lubricating oil
 By-products: detergents, ammonia,
sulfur and derivatives

41
 TYPES OF CRUDE OILS
 Crude oil quality is measured in terms of
◦ density (light to heavy) and
◦ sulfur content (sweet to sour).
Density:
 Classified by the American Petroleum Institute API .
 API gravity is defined based on density at a temperature of 15.6
ºC.
 Higher API gravity – lighter crude
 Light crude - an API gravity of 38 degrees or more
 Heavy crude - an API gravity of 22 degrees or less
 Medium crude - an API gravity between 22 and 38 degrees.
 Sweet crude is commonly defined as oil with a sulfur content of
less than 0.5%, while sour crude has a sulfur content of greater
than 0.5%.
 TYPES OF CRUDE OILS

 Light, sweet crude is more expensive than heavier, sourer crude

 Light sweet crud requires less processing and produces a slate of

products with a greater percentage of value-added products, such as
gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel.

 Heavier, sourer crude typically sells at a discount to lighter, sweeter

grades because it produces a greater percentage of lower value-
added products with simple distillation and requires additional
processing to produce lighter products.
 TYPES OF CRUDE OILS

Brent Blend

Brent Blend is a light, sweet North Sea crude with an API gravity
of approximately 38 and a sulfur content of approximately 0.4%.
Brent Blend is used for pricing around two-thirds of the crude
traded internationally.

Russian Export Blend

Russian Export Blend, the Russian benchmark crude, is a mixture

of several crude grades used domestically or sent for export.
Russian Export Blend is a medium, sour crude oil with an API
gravity of approximately 32 and a sulfur content of approximately
1.2%. Its spot price is reported at Augusta, Italy, and Rotterdam,
the Netherlands, which act as the two primary delivery points.
 TYPES OF CRUDE OILS

West Texas Intermediate

West Texas Intermediate, the US benchmark crude oil, is a light,

sweet crude oil with an API gravity of approximately 40 and a
sulfur content of approximately 0.3%. The spot price of West
Texas Intermediate is reported at Cushing, Oklahoma.

45
What’s in a barrel of crude?
47
OIL AND NATURAL GAS
ENGINEERING

LECTURE 2
 Petroleum
A natural, yellow-to-black, flammable, liquid
hydrocarbon found beneath the earth’s surface
The word Petroleum is coined from two latin words
Petra meaning rock and Oleum meaning oil .

2
 Petroleum – Properties & Products
 Petroleum or hydrocarbons are a mixture of
 Solids
 Liquids
 Semisolids and
 Gases
 These occur naturally in the rocks and are loosely called as
MINERAL FUELS also.
 Chemically it is a mixture of Hydrogen and Carbon with
minor amounts of nitrogen, oxygen, sulphur as impurities.

3
Chemical Composition of Oil and Gas
(% by Weight)

Element Oil Gas

C 84 - 87 65 - 80
H 11 - 14 1 - 25
S 0.06 - 2 0 – 0.2
N 0.1 - 2 1-15
O 0.1 - 2 0

4
 Petroleum

 Petroleum: A general term for all naturally occurring hydrocarbons

(hydrogen +carbon)

 Solid Hydrocarbons: Asphalt

 Liquid Hydrocarbons: Crude oil
The simplest
 Gas Hydrocarbons: Natural Gas: methane,
hydrocarbon is Methane
butane, propane, etc. (CH4)
 Types of Petroleum:
1.Crude Oil (Liquid Petroleum)
These are liquid hydrocarbons that contain varying amounts of
dissolved gases, bitumens and other impurities.
It is immiscible in water.
 It has less density than water and hence floats on it.
 It is soluble in naptha, carbondisulphide, benzene (C6H6) etc.

6
 Types of Petroleum
2.Natural Gas ( Petroleum gas) :
Natural gas is composed of lighter paraffin hydrocarbons
(hydrocarbons of the methane series) – the most abundant being
methane gas (CH4).

7
 Types of Petroleum

3. Semi, and Solid forms ( Heavy Hydrocarbons and Bitumens) :

They comprise materials such as asphalt, tar, pitch etc.
 ORIGIN OF PTROLEUM
There are 2 theories concerning the formation of petroleum:

The Inorganic theory

The Organic theory

Inorganic Theory
Berthelot (1860) & Dmitri Mendeleev (1902):

Iron carbide in the earth’s mantle would react with percolating

water to form methane.

FeC2+ 2H2O →CH4+ FeO2

This theory is called Deep-Seated Terrestrial Hypothesis.

No field evidence that inorganic processes have occurred in nature

Organic Theory

Early marine life forms living on earth were primarily plankton

(rich in hydrogen & carbon)

Over 95% of living matter in the ocean is plankton

As these plankton died, their remains were captured by the process

of erosion and sedimentation.
Proof for organic hypothesis:

Carbon & hydrogen are the primary constituents of organic material,

both plant & animal.
Nitrogen & Porphyrins are found in organic matter & in many petroleum.
Porphyrins are chlorophyll derivatives in plants & blood derivatives in
animals.
Organic Theory (Contd..)

Successive layers of organic-rich mud & silt covered preceding layers

of organic-rich sediments.

Overtime the layers on the sea floor became rich in the fossil remains
of previous life
Organic Matter
 The composition of the organic matter strongly influences whether the
organic matter can produce coal, oil or gas.
Basic components of organic matter in sediments
•• PROTEINS
•• CARBOHYDRATES
•• LIPIDS Fats •• LIPIDS Fats
•• LIGNIN
All of these + Time + Temperature +
Pressure = KEROGEN
 Transformation in to Petroleum
Thermal maturation processes (decay, heat, pressure) slowly
converted the organic matter into oil & gas over periods of millions of
geologic years.

Catagenesis - Conversion of the organic material

It usually occurs under anaerobic conditions.

Clay & silt are carried together with the dead organic remains &
deposited under deltaic, lacustrine & marine conditions to form Source
rocks.

Black-coloured, organically-rich shales deposited in a non-oxidizing,

quiet marine environment are considered the best source rocks.
Shales
Shale Rock
 Thermal alteration of kerogen forms crude oil by increasing the
carbon contents.

 At shallow depths (< 3,000 ft), bacteria actions on organic

materials form Biogenic Gas(natural gas).

 At great depths (high temperature & overburden), Thermogenic

Gas is formed.

 Later stages of thermogenesis will form wet gas and condensate.

 Oil Reservoirs

The underground traps of oil and gas are called reservoir.

Various types of traps are

Structural traps,
Stratigraphic traps and
Combination traps.

Most reservoir contain water also along with oil and gas.

Reserves are classified as proven, probable and possible

reserves.
 Sedimentary rocks
Sedimentary rock:
Type of rock that is formed by sedimentation of material at the earth
surface and within bodies of water.

Sedimentation:
Process that cause mineral and/or organic particles (detritus) to
settle and accumulate .

Sediment:
Particles that form a sedimentary rock by accumulating are called Sed
iments.
 They are formed by weathering and erosion in a sources area .
 They are then transported to the place of deposition by water, mass
movement
 Source rock
A type of rock which contains organic matter and is capable to generate
the hydrocarbons.
•• Best example of source rock is shale.
Source Rocks - Organic Matter
 Carrier beds - Oil on the move

 Oil is less dense than water and will rise through

the fluid system of the surrounding rock
 Carrier beds are rock layers that allow fluids to
pass through them
 Ex: Sandstone
 If petroleum stays buried, it can become post-
mature
 Migration of Petroleum
Produced hydrocarbons migrates upward from the deeper, hotter
parts of the basin through permeable strata into suitable structures.

There are 2 stages of migration:

Primary Migration –Kerogen transformation causes micro-

fracturing of the impermeable & low porosity source rock, allowing
hydrocarbons to move into more permeable strata.

Secondary Migration –The generated fluids move more freely

into a suitable reservoir structure.

Migration can occur over several tens of kilometers in lateral

directions.
 Accumulation of Petroleum
 Accumulation & storage occur when the migrating fluids encounter
an impermeable shale or dense layer of rock. This is called a Trap.

 After accumulation, the fluids tend to stratify according to their

relative densities:
 Gas
 Oil
 Water
 Accumulation of Petroleum (Contd..)
 If the migrating fluids do not encounter a trap, they tend to flow to
the surface or deposited on the ocean floor.
Examples are:
Seepages
Escaping natural gas
Bituminous lakes
 Petroleum Reservoirs
 A petroleum reservoir or oil and gas reservoir is a subsurface pool of
hydrocarbons contained in porous or fractured rock formations.

 Petroleum reservoirs are broadly classified as

• Conventional and
• Unconventional reservoirs.

 Various environmental factors lead to the creation of a wide variety of

reservoirs.

 Reservoirs exist anywhere from the land surface to 30,000 ft below the
surface and are a variety of shapes, sizes and ages.
Conventional Vs Unconventional Reservoirs
Petroleum Reservoir (Contd…)
 Reservoir Rocks
 A reservoir rock is a rock that is capable of storing a fluid.
 There are two requirements for any reservoir rocks.
I. Porosity – sufficient void space available to contain the
petroleum
II. Permeability – interconnection of void spaces, ability of
petroleum to flow through the voids.
 Traps
 Traps are underground rock formation that blocks the movement of
petroleum and causes it to accumulate in a reservoir that can be
exploited.

 The oil is accompanied always by water and often by natural gas; all are
confined in a porous and permeable reservoir rock

 The reservoir rock is usually composed of sedimentary rock such as

sandstones, and fissured limestone and dolomites.

 The natural gas, being lightest, occupies the top of the trap and is
underlain by the oil and then the water.

 A layer of impermeable rock, called the cap rock, prevents the upward
or lateral escape of the petroleum.

 The part of the trap actually occupied by the oil and gas is called the
petroleum reservoir.
Sandstone trap Fissured lime
stone trap
Traps
 Types of Traps
 Types of traps based on their geological characteristics

• Structural trap
• Stratigraphic trap
• Combinational trap
 Structural traps
 Structural traps are formed as a result of changes in the structure of
the subsurface due to processes such as folding and faulting etc.

 They are classified as

• Anticline trap
• Fault trap
• Salt dome trap
 Anticline Traps
 A structure with a concave (as viewed from below) roof caused by the
local deformation of the reservoir rock and the impermeable cap rock.
Anticline trap
 Fault Trap
 This trap is formed by the movement of permeable and impermeable
layers of rock along a fault line.
 In certain cases rock fracture results in a relative displacement of strata
that forms a barrier to petroleum migration.
 A barrier can occur when an impermeable bed is brought into contact
with a carrier bed.
Fault Trap
 Salt Dome Trap
 A dome-shaped structure in sedimentary rocks, formed where a large
mass of salt has been forced upwards.
 This salt is impermeable and when it crosses a layer of permeable rock,
in which hydrocarbons are migrating, it blocks the pathway.
 Stratigraphic Traps

They are formed as a result of lateral and vertical variations in the

thickness, texture, porosity or lithology of the reservoir rock.
Startigraphic traps
 Combination Traps

 A combination trap is where two (or more) trapping mechanisms

come together to create the trap
 Combination of anticlinal & fault traps.
 Many global reservoirs have this type.
 Proper timing

 Timing between accumulation of

organic material, petroleum
maturation, migration, and trap
formation is vital
Carbonate rocks
Reservoir rock

A reservoir rock is that kind of rock which can hold the

hydrocarbons.
•• Most common examples of reservoir rocks are sandstone and
Carbonates (limestone and dolomite).
Traps
 If nothing stops the formed oil
from rising, it will reach surface

 Traps can be rocks that do not

allow fluids to pass through
them, or folds and faults in the
rock can trap petroleum
 The Traps (Contd..)
 Most oil and gas deposits are found in sandstones and coarse-grained
limestones.
 A piece of sandstone or limestone is very much like a hard sponge, full
of holes, but not compressible.
 The holes, or pores, can contain water or oil or gas, and the rock will be
saturated with one of the three.
 The holes are much tinier than sponge holes, but they are still holes,
and they are called porosity.

Oil Moving Through Pore Space In

Sandstone
OIL AND NATURAL GAS
ENGINEERING

EXPLORATION OF PETROLEUM
LECTURE 4
 EXPLORATION OF PETROLEUM
 Exploration refers to discovering new crude oil and gas fields, drilling
wells and bringing the products to the surface.
 Crude oil, which had naturally seeped to the surface, was collected for
use as medicine, protective coatings and fuel for lamps.
 Natural gas seepage was recorded as fires burning on the surface of
the earth.
 Until 1859 that methods of drilling and obtaining large commercial
quantities of crude oil were not developed.
 EXPLORATION CONTD…
 Crude oil and natural gas are found throughout the world, beneath
both land and water, as follows:

 Western Hemisphere Intercontinental Basin (US Gulf Coast,

Mexico, Venezuela)
 Middle East (Arabian Peninsula, Persian Gulf, Black and Caspian
Seas)
 Indonesia and South China Sea
 North and West Africa (Sahara and Nigeria)
 North America (Alaska, Newfoundland, California and Mid-
continent United States and Canada)
 Far East (Siberia and China)
 North Sea.
 EXPLORATION CONTD…

 In early days oil seepage at ground level was used to indicate an oil
field.
 Exploration methods have progressed to a highly scientific stage.
 There are three (3) primary methodologies used to find
hydrocarbons in the subsurface:

 Geophysical,

 Remote Sensing, and

 Wildcatting.
 GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
 Geophysical techniques used for petroleum exploration utilize
equipment to measure such things as:
 Electrical currents,
 Gravitational and magnetic anomalies,
 Heat flow,
 Geochemical relationships, and
 Density variations
from deep within the earth.

 Each technique records a different set of characteristics which can be

used to locate hydrocarbons beneath the surface of the earth.
 Seismic surveys
 Use vibration to provide a picture of rock formations at depth, as
deep as 30,000 feet below ground level (BGL).

 Sound waves are generated downward into the earth's crust which
reflect off various boundaries between different rock strata.

 On land, the sound waves are generated by small explosive charges

embedded in the ground or by vibrator trucks.

 Vibrator trucks called thumpers shake the ground with hydraulically

driven metal pads.

Seismic survey
 Seismic surveys
 The frequency generated penetrates the earth's crust. The echoes
are detected by electronic devices called geophones.
 The geophones receive the reflected sound waves and the data are
recorded on magnetic tape.
 The tape is printed to produce a two-dimensional graphic
illustrating the subsurface geology.
Animation
 Offshore surveys
 Conducted in a slightly different manner.
 Boats tow cables containing hydrophones in the water, which is
similar to geophones on land.
 Sound waves use to be created by dynamite, but this method killed a
variety of sea life.
dynamite
 The most acceptable method today is to generate sound waves using
pulses of compressed air which creates large bubbles that burst
beneath the water surface creating sound.
 The sound waves travel down to the sea floor, penetrate the rocks
beneath, and return to the surface where they are intercepted by the
hydrophones.
 Processing and illustration is the same as the dry land method.
 Analysis

 In this type of survey, sound waves are sent into the earth where they
are reflected by the different layers of rock.
 The time taken for them to return to the surface is measured as a
function of time.
 This measurement reveals how deep the reflecting layers are; the
greater the time interval, the deeper the rock layer.
 This technique also can determine what type of rock is present
because different rocks transmit sound waves differently.
 The most sophisticated seismic surveys are three-dimensional (3-D).
 The recorded data is processed by computer and the results are a
detailed, 3-D picture of the formations and structures below the
surface.
 Advantages

 The process is expensive, on the order of $30,000 per mile. But

drilling a well can cost multiple millions of dollars, so time and
money spent on accurate seismic surveys can be a good investment
since it helps locate prospects and minimize dry holes.
 Seismic surveys can be carried out without disturbing people or
damaging the environment, whether they are being conducted on
land or water.
 It is a primary and widely tool used by exploration geologists to
locate [hydrocarbon] prospects.
 Magnetometer
 A magnetometer is a device that is pulled behind an airplane on a
long cable that detects variations in the earth's magnetic field.
 Sedimentary rocks generally have low magnetic properties compared
to other rock types. Magnetic survey.
 Gravity Method
 Gravity is a potential field, i.e., it is a force that acts at a distance.
 It is a non-destructive geophysical technique that measures differences
in the earth’s gravitational field at specific locations.
 Different earth materials have different bulk densities (mass) that
produce variations in the measured gravitational field.
 These variations can then be interpreted by analytical and computers
methods to determine the depth, geometry and density that causes the
gravity field variations.
 Gravity Survey
 First method in oil exploration.
 Earth’s gravitational is not constant through out.
 Gravity measurements are carried out on land, sea and in space may be
using aircrafts.
 Associate variations of measurements with differences in the
distribution of densities and hence rock types – EXPLORATION.
 Basic Laws: Universal Law of gravitation, and Second Law of Motion.
Gravimeter
When the spatial craft passes over a denser body or crosses to another
denser block of rocks the gravitational attraction is increased.
 Remote Sensing (RS)
 Remote Sensing (RS) is the use of aerial photographs to locate and
map surface features.
 Increasing use of satellite imagery is being made because it shows
large areas on the surface of the earth.
 Even though the photographs are taken form several hundred miles
up in space, they are able to show features only a few feet in size.
 Satellite imagery reveal variations in soil moisture, mineral and
vegetation distribution, and soil type, important for exploration.
 Remote sensing
 Once an area is selected and the satellite imagery obtained.
 The geologist utilizes mapping techniques to produce a geologic
map for the area.
 The series of lines and arrows indicate the type of structure that
exists at the surface.
 wildcat
 A wildcat well is one that is drilled in a new area where no other
wells exist and generally with scant information.
 It is drilled in an effort to locate undiscovered accumulation of
hydrocarbons.
 About 1 in 10 wildcat wells strike oil or gas, but only one in perhaps
50 locate economically significant amounts.
 Many wildcat wells are drilled on a hunch, intuition, or a small
amount of geology.
 Many times they are based on photography and experience in a
particular area.
 Wildcat wells are generally drilled at a smaller diameter than normal
because this saves money (the average onshore well at present costs
about 10 MM dollars to drill).
Thank You 
 Gravity Method
 Measurements of gravity provide information about densities of
rocks underground.
 The gravity method involves measuring the gravitational attraction
exerted by the earth at a measurement station on the surface.
 The strength of the gravitational field is directly proportional to the
mass and therefore the density of subsurface materials.
 Relative gravimeters are devices which can only measure
differences in gravity from station to station. Those in use today, all
rely on the elongation of a spring which supports a proof mass.
When gravity changes, the force on the proof mass will likewise
change, and this will be reflected in a change in the length of the
supporting spring. The position of the proof mass is sensed by one
means or another, and the amount of external force required to
bring it back to a standard position provides a measure of the
gravity value at the station, relative to other stations.
 J. JAYA BHARATHI,
ASST.PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
KONGU ENGINEERING COLLEGE, PERUNDURAI

1/28/2018
 METHODS OF DRILLING

1. Auger drilling
2. Percussion rotary air blast drilling (RAB)
3. Air core drilling
4. Cable tool drilling
5. Reverse circulation (RC) drilling
6. Diamond core drilling
7. Direct push rigs
8. Hydraulic rotary drilling
9. Sonic (vibratory) drilling

1/28/2018
 INTRODUCTION

Mineral Lease:
 It is the legal ownership to the right to drill for oil and natural gas.

 Include surface rights and right to harvest underground for minerals.

 Mineral lease conveys
 Right to produce the minerals
 Rights of ingress and egress,
 Right to access roads, well sites and pipelines
 In return the lessee pays an annual fee, a fraction of mineral produced.
 A well permit is obtained at the state office giving the location and
environmental data.

1/28/2018
 INTRODUCTION

Drilling of gas and oil well

 Complicated and very expensive operation.
 Needs the knowledge of many aspects of engineering and
geosciences.
 Exploration and drilling processes needed to be designed safe and
cost-effective.
 The reservoirs are found in a variety of geographical areas.
 The wells drilled in these reservoirs may be onshore or offshore.
The depth of the well may vary from 1000 to 30,000 ft
 The wells may be drilled either totally vertically or drilled in
inclined or horizontal manner.
 DRILLING OPERATION

 Most of the drilling operation is done by rotary method in which an

abrasive bit is revolved at the end of a drilling stem or drill string.
Drilling rig:
 The assembly which is used for drilling. It is composed of the
following components:
 A power plant,
 Hoisting and rotary machinery,
 The drill column,
 A mud circulation system and
 Auxiliaries.
 Consists of two types cable tool and rotary rig.
1/28/2018
1/28/2018
1/28/2018
 DRILLING OPERATION

 Power Used: The power used for drilling may vary from 250 to
2000 bhp, a heavy duty mud pump needs around 700 bhp.

 Hoisting System: It is a large pulley system which is used to run

and pull the equipments (drill string and casing) into and out of the
well.

 Rotary system: It is used to rotate the drill string and therefore the
drill bit, on the bottom of the borehole.
 DRILLING OPERATION

Casing:
 Completing a well and preparing for production of oil involves
insertion of a casing which comprises of one or more strings of
tubing.
 The casing provides
 A permanent wall to the borehole,
 Prevents cave-in,
 Blocks off unwanted water, oil or gas from another formation,
 Provides a return passage for the Mud stream and
 Provides control of the well during production.
1/28/2018
 DRILLING OPERATION

Mud circulating system:

 Used to circulate the drilling fluid or mud down the drill string, up
the drill string to the borehole annulus and for carrying the drill
cuttings from the mouth of the bit to the surface.

 Drilling fluid is usually a mixture of water, clay (bentonite), weighing

material (barite) and chemicals.

 The mud is mixed and conditioned in the mud pits and then
circulated down hole by large pumps.
 DRILLING OPERATION

 The major functions of drilling fluid are

 To cool and lubricate the drilling bit and the drill string.
 To remove drilled solids, allowing their release at the surface.
 To form a gel to suspend drilled cuttings and any weighing
materials, when the fluid Column is static.
 To control subsurface pressure.
 To prevent squeezing or caving of formations and to plaster the
sides of the borehole
1/28/2018
 DRILLING OPERATION

Mud Pumping
 Mud is pumped through the mud
pumps to the top of the drill string
and mud then goes through the
string to the bottom.
 At the bottom, mud passes through
the bit and then up the annulus,
carrying the drill cuttings to the
surface.
 Before mud enters to the mud pit,
the solids are removed from it by
vibrating screens.
 DRILLING OPERATION

Recovery of oil
 When a well is first opened recovery is generally by natural flow,
forced by the pressure of the gas or fluids that are contained within
the reservoir.
 At the beginning, there may be a chance of flush, hence at this stage,
well should be carefully controlled.
 There are several ways which serve to drive out the petroleum fluids
from the formation to the surface, through the well.
 The drives are classified as either
 Natural flow (primary recovery) or
 Applied flow (improved oil recovery).
1/28/2018
 COMPONENTS OF DRILLING RIG

DRILL BIT
 The bit is the main critical
item of a drilling operation.

 This does not mean that the

bit can make hole alone.

 To select a bit, some

information must be known
about the nature of the rocks
to be drilled.
20
 DRILL STEM
Drill stem consists of three main components:
 Drill collars,
 Drill pipe and
 Kelly.
Principal functions of the drill stem:
 Lowers the bit into the hole and withdraws it
 Part of the drill stem puts weight on the bit so that the bit can
penetrate the formations more effectively
 It transmits a turning, or rotating, action to the bit.
 It conducts the drilling fluid under pressure from the surface
to the bit.
 BLOCKS AND WIRES

 The Blocks are

 Traveling block,
 Crown block

 The main function is to connect the supporting derrick with the load
of pipe to be lowered into or withdraw from the hole.
 TRAVELLING BLOCK

 Traveling block is a free

moving section of a block.

 It contains a set of pulleys

or sheaves through which
the drill line is threaded
and is opposite (and under)
the crown block (the
stationary section).
 CROWN BLOCK
 A crown block is the
stationary section of a block
and tackle.

 It contains a set of pulleys or

sheaves which the drill line
(wire rope) is threaded and is
opposite and above the
traveling block.
 DERRICK OR MAST

 A mast is also called the

standard mast.

 It is a structure with four

supporting legs resting on a
square base, the entire work
area of the floor is in the
derrick square.
 DRAW WORKS

The two main purposes of the

draw works are:

 To lift the pipe out of the

hole

 To lower the pipe back into

of the hole.
 BLOW OUT PREVENTER

 Blowout preventer (BOP)

is the equipment
associated with a rig and
devices installed at the
wellhead to prevent
fluids and gasses from
unintentionally escaping
from the borehole.
 CENTRIFUGE

 Centrifuge is the equipment

which is used to separate fine
silt and sand from the drilling
fluid.
 ROTORY TABLE

 It is used to provide clockwise

rotational force to facilitate
the process of drilling a
borehole

 Operating through drive

bushings, the rotary rotates
the Kelly and, through it, the
drill stem and the bit
 KELLY
 Kelly is a long square or hexagonal steel bar with a hole drilled
through the middle for a fluid path.

 The Kelly is used to transmit rotary motion from the rotary table
to the drill string while allowing the drill string to be lowered or
raised during rotation.
KELLY AND ITS COMPONENTS
 SWIVEL
Swivel is a mechanical device that simultaneously
 Suspend the weight of the drill string,
 Provide for rotation of the drill string beneath it while keeping the
upper portion stationary, and
 Permit high-volume flow of high-pressure drilling mud from the
fixed portion to the rotating portion without leaking
 J. JAYA BHARATHI,
ASST.PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
KONGU ENGINEERING COLLEGE, PERUNDURAI

1/28/2018
 INTRODUCTION

Site Selection and Preparation

 It is the beginning of Drilling

 Involves subsurface and surface considerations

 The geologist in charge is guided by lease ownership and well
spacing rules in selecting a location.
 Surface considerations include topography and closeness of
buildings and roads.
 Surface Preparation includes constructing
 Road to the location from highway,
 An area for equipment storage, and
 Road for service trucks to approach the site.

1/28/2018
 INTRODUCTION

Mineral Lease:
 It is the legal ownership to the right to drill for oil and natural gas.

 Include surface rights and right to harvest underground for minerals.

 Mineral lease conveys
 Right to produce the minerals
 Rights of ingress and egress,
 Right to access roads, well sites and pipelines
 In return the lessee pays an annual fee, a fraction of mineral produced.
 A well permit is obtained at the state office giving the location and
environmental data.

1/28/2018
 INTRODUCTION

Drilling of gas and oil well

 Complicated and very expensive operation.
 Needs the knowledge of many aspects of engineering and
geosciences.
 Exploration and drilling processes needed to be designed safe and
cost-effective.
 The reservoirs are found in a variety of geographical areas.
 The wells drilled in these reservoirs may be onshore or offshore.
The depth of the well may vary from 1000 to 30,000 ft
 The wells may be drilled either totally vertically or drilled in
inclined or horizontal manner.
 DRILLING OPERATION

 Most of the drilling operation is done by rotary method in which an

abrasive bit is revolved at the end of a drilling stem or drill string.
Drilling rig:
 The assembly which is used for drilling. It is composed of the
following components:
 A power plant,
 Hoisting and rotary machinery,
 The drill column,
 A mud circulation system and
 Auxiliaries.
 Consists of two types cable tool and rotary rig.
1/28/2018
1/28/2018
1/28/2018
 DRILLING OPERATION

 Power Used: The power used for drilling may vary from 250 to
2000 bhp, a heavy duty mud pump needs around 700 bhp.

 Hoisting System: It is a large pulley system which is used to run

and pull the equipments (drill string and casing) into and out of the
well.

 Rotary system: It is used to rotate the drill string and therefore the
drill bit, on the bottom of the borehole.
 DRILLING OPERATION

Casing:
 Completing a well and preparing for production of oil involves
insertion of a casing which comprises of one or more strings of
tubing.
 The casing provides
 A permanent wall to the borehole,
 Prevents cave-in,
 Blocks off unwanted water, oil or gas from another formation,
 Provides a return passage for the Mud stream and
 Provides control of the well during production.
1/28/2018
 DRILLING OPERATION

Mud circulating system:

 Used to circulate the drilling fluid or mud down the drill string, up
the drill string to the borehole annulus and for carrying the drill
cuttings from the mouth of the bit to the surface.

 Drilling fluid is usually a mixture of water, clay (bentonite), weighing

material (barite) and chemicals.

 The mud is mixed and conditioned in the mud pits and then
circulated down hole by large pumps.
 DRILLING OPERATION

 The major functions of drilling fluid are

 To cool and lubricate the drilling bit and the drill string.
 To remove drilled solids, allowing their release at the surface.
 To form a gel to suspend drilled cuttings and any weighing
materials, when the fluid Column is static.
 To control subsurface pressure.
 To prevent squeezing or caving of formations and to plaster the
sides of the borehole
1/28/2018
 DRILLING OPERATION

Mud Pumping
 Mud is pumped through the mud
pumps to the top of the drill string
and mud then goes through the
string to the bottom.
 At the bottom, mud passes through
the bit and then up the annulus,
carrying the drill cuttings to the
surface.
 Before mud enters to the mud pit,
the solids are removed from it by
vibrating screens.
 DRILLING OPERATION

Recovery of oil
 When a well is first opened recovery is generally by natural flow,
forced by the pressure of the gas or fluids that are contained within
the reservoir.
 At the beginning, there may be a chance of flush, hence at this stage,
well should be carefully controlled.
 There are several ways which serve to drive out the petroleum fluids
from the formation to the surface, through the well.
 The drives are classified as either
 Natural flow (primary recovery) or
 Applied flow (improved oil recovery).
1/28/2018
 COMPONENTS OF DRILLING RIG

DRILL BIT
 The bit is the main critical
item of a drilling operation.

 This does not mean that the

bit can make hole alone.

 To select a bit, some

information must be known
about the nature of the rocks
to be drilled.
20
 DRILL STEM
Drill stem consists of three main components:
 Drill collars,
 Drill pipe and
 Kelly.
Principal functions of the drill stem:
 Lowers the bit into the hole and withdraws it
 Part of the drill stem puts weight on the bit so that the bit can
penetrate the formations more effectively
 It transmits a turning, or rotating, action to the bit.
 It conducts the drilling fluid under pressure from the surface
to the bit.
 BLOCKS AND WIRES

 The Blocks are

 Traveling block,
 Crown block

 The main function is to connect the supporting derrick with the load
of pipe to be lowered into or withdraw from the hole.
 TRAVELLING BLOCK

 Traveling block is a free

moving section of a block.

 It contains a set of pulleys

or sheaves through which
the drill line is threaded
and is opposite (and under)
the crown block (the
stationary section).
 CROWN BLOCK
 A crown block is the
stationary section of a block
and tackle.

 It contains a set of pulleys or

sheaves which the drill line
(wire rope) is threaded and is
opposite and above the
traveling block.
 DERRICK OR MAST

 A mast is also called the

standard mast.

 It is a structure with four

supporting legs resting on a
square base, the entire work
area of the floor is in the
derrick square.
 DRAW WORKS

The two main purposes of the

draw works are:

 To lift the pipe out of the

hole

 To lower the pipe back into

of the hole.
 BLOW OUT PREVENTER

 Blowout preventer (BOP)

is the equipment
associated with a rig and
devices installed at the
wellhead to prevent
fluids and gasses from
unintentionally escaping
from the borehole.
 CENTRIFUGE

 Centrifuge is the equipment

which is used to separate fine
silt and sand from the drilling
fluid.
 ROTORY TABLE

 It is used to provide clockwise

rotational force to facilitate
the process of drilling a
borehole

 Operating through drive

bushings, the rotary rotates
the Kelly and, through it, the
drill stem and the bit
 KELLY
 Kelly is a long square or hexagonal steel bar with a hole drilled
through the middle for a fluid path.

 The Kelly is used to transmit rotary motion from the rotary table
to the drill string while allowing the drill string to be lowered or
raised during rotation.
KELLY AND ITS COMPONENTS
 SWIVEL
Swivel is a mechanical device that simultaneously
 Suspend the weight of the drill string,
 Provide for rotation of the drill string beneath it while keeping the
upper portion stationary, and
 Permit high-volume flow of high-pressure drilling mud from the
fixed portion to the rotating portion without leaking
 J. JAYA BHARATHI,
ASST.PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
KONGU ENGINEERING COLLEGE, PERUNDURAI

1/28/2018
 Oil Recovery
 Oil recovery refers to the processes by which crude oil is
extracted from beneath the Earth’s surface.
 Oil recovery can be categorized into three phases:
 Primary oil recovery
 Secondary oil recovery
 Tertiary oil recovery
 Primary oil recovery

 Uses natural pressure of the

reservoir to push crude oil to
the surface.

 Allows about 10% to 25% of

the oil in the reservoir to be
extracted.
 Secondary Oil Recovery

 Injects pressurized gas and

water to drive the residual crude
oil and gas remaining after the
primary oil recovery phase to
the surface wells.

 Allows additional 10% to 20% of

the oil in the reservoir to be
extracted.

 Water flooding
 VideoVideos\The Phases of Oil
Recovery -- So Far.mp4 1
 Tertiary Oil Recovery

 Injects different materials to

improve the flow between oil,
gas and rock, and to recover
crude oil remaining after the
primary and secondary oil
recovery phases.

 Allows additional 20% to 30% of

the oil in the reservoir to be
extracted.
 Enhanced Oil Recovery

Thermal Recovery:
 Involves the introduction of heat such as the injection of steam to
 Lower the viscosity, or thin, the heavy viscous oil, and
 Improve its ability to flow through the reservoir.
 Thermal techniques account for over 40 percent of U.S. EOR
production, primarily in California.

 Thermal recovery
 Enhanced Oil Recovery
Gas Injection:
 Uses gases such as natural gas, nitrogen, or carbon dioxide (CO2)
 The gases expand in a reservoir to push additional oil to a
production wellbore.
 Gases dissolve in the oil to lower its viscosity and improves its
flow rate.
 Gas injection accounts for nearly 60 percent of production in the
united states.
 Enhanced Oil Recovery
Chemical Injection:
 Involve the use of long-chained molecules called polymers to
increase the effectiveness of waterfloods.
 Use of detergent-like surfactants to help lower the surface tension
that often prevents oil droplets from moving through a reservoir.
 These techniques are less preferred for their
 Relatively high cost and
 Unpredictability of its effectiveness.

EOR-Polymer Flooding
 J. JAYA BHARATHI,
ASST.PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
KONGU ENGINEERING COLLEGE, PERUNDURAI

1/28/2018
 Life cycle of oil wells

The creation and life of a well can be divided up into five segments:

 Planning
 Drilling
 Completion
 Production
 Abandonment
 Completion
 After drilling and casing the well, it must be 'completed'.
 Completion is the process in which the well is enabled to produce
oil or gas
 Completion

 Open Hole Completions:

 Production casing to be set above the zone of interests
 Completion
 Liner Completions
 Screen Liner: Casing is set above the producing zone,
and an uncemented screen and liner assembly is
installed across the pay zone
Open Hole and Screen
Liner Completion
 Completion
 Perforated Liner Completion:
 Casing is set above the producing zone, and a liner assembly is
installed across the pay zone and cemented in place. The liner is
then perforated selectively for production
 Completion
 Perforated Casing Completions.
 Production casing is cemented through the producing zone
and the pay section is selectively perforated.
 Completion

Tubing
 In many wells, the natural pressure of the subsurface reservoir is
high enough for the oil or gas to flow to the surface.
 This is not always the case, especially in depleted fields where the
pressures have been lowered by other producing wells, or in low
permeability oil reservoirs.
 Installing a smaller diameter tubing may be enough to help the
production, but artificial lift methods may also be needed.
 Well Simulation
 Sometime, petroleum exists in a formation but is unable to flow
readily into the well because the formation has very low
permeability.
 Acidizing or fracturing done used to improve the permeability
near the wellbore.
 Acidizing
 It is done if the formation is composed of rocks that dissolve upon
being contacted by acid, such as limestone or dolomite.
 Acidizing operation basically consists of pumping from 50 to 1000
gallons of acid down the well.
 The acid travels down the tubing, enters the perforations, and
contacts the formation.
 Acidizing
 Continued pumping forces the acid into the formation
where it produces channels.
 Channels will provide a way for the formation’s oil or
gas to enter the well through the perforations.

 The most common acid systems in use are:

 Hydrochloric Acid: This is the most widely used acid in
treatments, with concentrations ranging between 7.5% and
28%, the most common is 15%.
 It will dissolves Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3), Dolomite
(CaMgCO3), Siderite (FeCO3), and Iron Oxide (Fe2O3).
Fracturing
 Fracturing
 This means creating and extending fractures from the perforation
tunnels deeper into the formation, increasing the surface area for
formation fluids to flow into the well.

 This may be done by

 Injecting fluids at high pressure (hydraulic fracturing),

 Injecting fluids laced with round granular material (proppant
fracturing),
 Using explosives to generate a high pressure and high speed
gas flow

Fracturing
 Production
 The production stage is the most important stage of a well's life.
 The oil rigs and work over rigs used to drill and complete the well
have moved off the wellbore.
 The top of the well is usually outfitted with a collection of valves
called a Christmas tree or production tree.
 These valves regulate pressures, control flows, and allow access to
the wellbore in case further completion work is needed.
 From the outlet valve of the production tree, the flow can be
connected to a distribution network of pipelines and tanks to supply
the product to refineries, natural gas compressor stations, or oil
export terminals.
 Christmas Tree
 A collection of valves called a Christmas tree is installed on the
surface at the top of the casing hanger.
 As the well’s production flows up the tubing, it enters the christmas
tree.
 So, the production can be controlled by opening or closing valves on
the christmas tree.
Christmas Tree
 Production

 As long as the pressure in the reservoir remains high enough, the

production tree is all that is required to produce the well.

 If the pressure depletes and it is considered economically viable, an

artificial lift method mentioned in the completions section can be
employed.
 Abandonment

 Wells are abandoned because they are no longer needed to

support oil and gas development or because an operator’s mineral
lease has expired.
 The first step when starting a well abandonment operation is
removing existing tools.
 After the removal operation, the wellbore needs to be cleaned
from fill, scale and other debris.
 Plugging the well to prevent cross flow between permeable
formations, creating an impermeable barrier between two zones.
 Well plugs can be either cement, cast iron etc.
 OIL AND NATURAL GAS ENGINERING
METHODS OF DRILLING

J. JAYA BHARATHI,
ASST.PROFESSOR
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
KONGU ENGINEERING COLLEGE, PERUNDURAI
 Oil Platform

 An oil platform, or oil rig is a large structure

with facilities to
 Drill wells,
 Extract and process oil and natural gas,
 Temporarily store product until it can be brought to shore for
refining and marketing.

 It also contains facilities to house the workforce.

 Depending on the circumstances, the platform

 May be fixed to the ocean floor,
 May consist of an artificial island,
 May float.
 Drilling Rig

A drilling rig is a machine that creates

hole in the earth sub-surface.

Rigs are massive structures housing

equipment used to drill oil wells, or natural
gas extraction wells.

Can be mobile equipment mounted on

trucks, or more permanent land or marine-
based, commonly called 'offshore oil rigs‘.
 Drilling Rig
 Is a machine which is used for creating a hole in ground.
 Selecting The Rig
Factors to be considered in selecting the best rig include

– Surface location (land, offshore).

– Estimated maximum hole depth.
– Horsepower requirements.
– Cost.
– Availability.
 Rigs

Marine(offshore) Land(onshore)

Bottom FLoating Conventional Mobile

Support

Semi/ Drill ship Jacknife Portable Mast

Submersible (Small)
(Deeper)

Platform Barge Jackup

Self - Tendered
Contained
 Environmental
and Regulatory
Issues

Onshore
Drilling Industry
Innovation
Rig in Short
Supply

Portable Security
Power Concerns
Requirements

8
Source: Contango Analysis
Confident
 Land Rigs
 As the name implies, these rigs are primarily used to drill oil wells on
land.
 There are various sizes depending on application.
 Land Rigs

A few are capable of drilling holes to more than 30,000 feet.

 Land Rigs

Conventional rigs

Small land rigs

Medium land rigs
Large land rigs

Mobile rigs

Portable mast
 Land Rig
Conventional:
 Land Rig
 Mobile:
 Environmental
and Regulatory
Issues

Offshore
Drilling Industry
Innovation
Rig in Short
Supply

Portable Security
Power Concerns
Requirements

14
Source: Contango Analysis
Confident
 Offshore Vs Onshore
Type of the drilling platform - A major difference between
onshore and offshore.

In offshore drilling the drill pipe must pass through the water
column before entering the seafloor or lake.

Offshore wells have been drilled in waters as deep as 10,000 ft

(305 m).
 Drilling Platforms
There are two types of basic offshore drilling platforms,

Movable drilling rig

Permanent drilling rig

The movable drilling rig is typically used for exploration purposes

The permanent drilling rig is used for the extraction and

production of oil and/or gas.
 Drilling barges
A variety of movable rigs are used for
offshore drilling.

Drilling barges are used in shallow quiet

waters such as lakes, wetlands, and large
rivers.

Drilling barges consist of a floating barge

that must be towed from location to location,
with the working platform floating on the
water surface.

They are not suitable for locations with

strong currents or winds and strong wave
action.
 Other offshore rigs

Jack-ups – where the water depth is less than

100m

Semi-Submersibles – in hostile waters too rough for Drill

Ship and depths over 100m

Drill Ships – in calm waters with depths over

100m
Offshore rigs
 Jack-ups
 Three or four legs are extended to the lake bottom while the working
platform is raised above the water surface.

 They are much less affected by wind and water current

Jack up
 Jack-ups
 Used for most of the offshore exploration drilling world-wide.
 Shallower offshore oil deposits that don't warrant a permanent
platform.
 Exploration is performed using self-elevated, jack-up rigs in water less
than about 300 feet deep.
 Jack-up has a floating hull with retractable legs which can be jacked
down to the sea bed.
 Hull can be lifted until it is clear off the sea surface.
 The legs support the hull.
 In shallow and relatively calm waters the Jack up has the advantage of
being able to leave a free standing well with a surface completion once
it is finished.
 Semi-Submersibles

 Semi-Submersibles are used mostly in the range of water depths

from 100-600 m.

 This type of rig does not contact the lake floor but floats partially
submerged and is held in place through a number of anchors.

 In areas where water depths exceed 100m and heavy weather can be
expected, then semi-submersibles must be used
 Drill ships

 These are ships designed to carry drilling platforms great

distances offshore and in very deep waters.

 A drilling platform and derrick are located in the middle of a large,

open area of the ship, and the drill is extended through the ship to
the drilling template.

 Drill ships are used to drill the well in deep water ( up to 7000 ft ).

 It is most suited in calmer waters and less harsh environment.

 It can move between locations at high speed compared to semi-

submersible rigs.