Task 1.

Read the text below and generate a glossary for it (the list of terms from the
given text with their translations).

Task 2.

Write a small summary after the text (you should paraphrase the text using the
terms from it; rewriting the text or its parts is a mistake).

Task 3.

Do the exercises and attach a file with your answers.

 READING
Read the brief description of oil searching process. Using the diagram
get wise to the stages of this process.

This section describes the exploration for oil on land. It shows how the
energy source can be heavy plates on thumper trucks or explosions. Thumper
trucks are vehicles equipped with systems for generating seismic vibrations by
hitting the ground with heavy plates and making shock waves. The layers of rock
reflect the shock waves back to the recording truck, a vehicle equipped with
computer equipment to record and analyse the data from the reflected waves.

Read the text below and get the information about oil drilling onshore
in more detail.

The only way to find out if a trap contains oil or gas is to drill into it with a
well. Extensive site development is required to bring a new oil or gas field into
production. The exploration for oil on land requires the energy source – heavy
plates on thumper trucks or explosions. Thumper trucks are vehicles equipped with
systems for generating seismic vibrations by hitting the ground with heavy plates
and making shock waves. The layers of rock reflect the shock waves back to the
recording truck, a vehicle equipped with geophones (computer equipment) to
record and analyse the data from the reflected waves. Geophones laid out in lines
measure how long it takes the waves to leave the seismic source, reflect off a rock
boundary, and return to the geophone.
In the early days, wells were drilled with cable tools in which a heavy drill
bit on a cable was repeatedly dropped up and down on the ground to literally
"chop" a hole down to the trap. Today, we use rotary drilling in which a bit on the
end of a length of drill pipe is rotated. A mixture of water and mud, called drilling
fluid, is pumped down the pipe to flow through the bit. The drilling fluid, also
called "mud", lubricates the bit, washes away the cuttings, and maintains pressure
in the hole to prevent the well from becoming a blowout. The mud flows back to
the surface through the gap between the drill pipe and the hole. This gap is called
the annulus.
To produce oil and/or gas the producing well is used. Producing wells
generally have pipe, called production casing, that is bonded to sides of the well
hole, in other words to the rock on the sides of the hole, with cement. If the
pressure inside the reservoir is high enough, then oil flows from the well to the
surface on its own. However, most wells need help getting the oil to the surface.
To make a hole different methods of drilling can be used. Cable-tool drilling
is a method of drilling in which a hole is made by the repeated blows generated by
lifting and dropping a heavy chisel bit on rocks or underground formations. The
heavy (usually blunt) chisel bit is the “tool” and the cable could be made of
something as simple as a manila rope or multiple steel strands (wireline).

Cable-tool drilling is one of the earliest known

methods used to drill for hydrocarbon fluids and did
not have a fluid circulating system which removes
the crushed rock fragments. Drilling has to stop after
a while to remove the cuttings. To remove rock
fragments that have settled at the bottom of the hole,
the bit is pulled out of the hole, and a “bailer”
lowered down in its place. So after some time
drilling can resume again.
chisels for cable tool drilling
This method of
drilling can take days to
drill only a few feet plus it
is difficult to control
formation fluid pressures.
Another name for cable-
tool drilling is percussion
drilling. “Percussion”
because of the repeated
blows on the rock by the
chisel bit.

drilling rig
 The alternative to the cable tool drilling is rotary
drilling. The process of cutting a borehole in which drill bit
ground is cut or crushed by a rotating drill system, using a
drill bit turned by means of a kelly. Engineering and
shallow studies usually involve either a mast or an A-
frame. Deep drilling is usually from a derrick.

Adapted from:
https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/dictionaries-thesauruses-pictures-and-press-releases/rotary-drilling
https://oilfieldteam.com/en/a/learning/Cable-tool-drilling-280218

http://www.sjvgeology.org/oil/exploration.html
Images from:
http://www.sjvgeology.org/oil/exploration.html

FOLLOW-UP

1. Fill in the gaps using the given words and phrases.

1-drilling 5-truck
2-drilling rig 6-derrick
3- wells 7-drill string
4-cuttings
1) _______________ is required to prove the presence of oil and gas
reserves. A 2) _______________is used to drill 3) ________________.
During drilling rock 4) __________________ are produced. Drilling mud is
pumped into the drill pipe. The operator usually begins drilling the main hole with
a small drill 5) _________________. Main components of drilling rig are
6) _______________, drill hoist, drill string and drilling mud handling system.
Sections of drill pipe are attached together to form the 7) _______________.
 2. Describe the picture using the context above.

Thumper truck Recording truck

Heavy plate

Shock waves Image from: http://www.sjvgeology.org/oil/exploration.html

Picture 3
3. Look at picture 3
and say what the drill
rig consists of?
 Image from: https://www.pinterest.it/pin/347551296216843250/

4. Match the part of the rig (1-9) to its equivalent in Russian (a-i).

1) stand pipe a) пол буровой вышки

2) crown block b) циркуляция бурового раствора
3) derrick man c) подвижной блок
4) mast d) подъёмная вышка самоходной
буровой установки
5) rig floor e) подвышечное основание;
фундаментная рама буровой мачты
6) traveling block f) буровой стояк
7) pipe rack g) кронблок
8) mud circulation h) мостки для труб (на буровой);
стеллаж для труб
9) substructure i) верховой рабочий (на буровой
вышке)