point in a plane obtained by measuring

parallel to the x-axis. Compare ordinate.

AAPG abbr: American Association of

Petroleum Geologists.
AAPL abbr: American
Petroleum Landmen.

Association

of

abaft adv: 1. toward the stem of a ship or

mobile offshore drilling rig. 2. behind. 3.
farther aft than. See aft.
abandon v: to cease producing oil and gas
from a well when it becomes unprofitable or
to cease further work on a newly drilled well
when it proves not to contain profitable
quantities of oil or gas. Several steps are
involved: part of the casing may be removed
and salvaged; one or more cement plugs
are placed in the borehole to prevent
migration of fluids between the different
formations penetrated by the borehole; and
the well is abandoned. In most oil-producing
states, it is necessary to secure permission
from official agencies before a well may be
abandoned.
abandoned well n: a well not in use
because it was a dry hole originally, or
because it has ceased to produce. Statutes
and regulations in many states require the
plugging of abandoned wells to prevent the
seepage of oil, gas, or water from one
stratum of underlying rock to another.
abandonment
n: termination of
a
jurisdictional sale or service. Under Section
7(b) of the Natural Gas Act, the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission must
determine in advance that the "present or
future public convenience and necessity" or
depletion of gas supplies requires
termination.
abandonment pressure n: the average
reservoir pressure at which an amount of
gas insufficient to permit continued
economic operation of a producing gas well
is expelled. abd, abdn abbr: abandoned;
used in drilling reports.
abnormal pressure n: pressure exceeding
or falling below the pressure to be expected
at a given depth. Normal pressure increases
approximately 0.465 pow1ds per square
inch per foot of depth or 10.5 kilopascals per
metre of depth. Thus, normal pressure at
1,000 feet is 465 pounds per square inch; at
1,000 metres it is 10,500 kilopascals. See
pressure gradient.
aboard adv: on or in a ship, offshore drilling
rig, helicopter, or production platform.
abrasion n: wearing away by friction.
ABS abbr: American Bureau of Shipping.
abscissa n: the horizontal coordinate of a

absolute (abs) adj: independent or

unlimited, such as an absolute condition, or
completely unadulterated, such as alcohol.

absolute porosity n: the percentage of the

total bulk volume of a rock sample that is
composed of pore spaces or voids. See
porosity.

absolute density n: the density of a solid or

liquid substance at a specified temperature.
Sometimes referred to as true density or
density in vacuo. See density.

absolute pressure n: total pressure

measured from an absolute vacuum. It
equals the sum of the gauge pressure and
the atmospheric pressure. Expressed in
pounds per square inch.

absolute dynamic viscosity n: the force in

dynes that a stationary flat plate with a
surface area of 1 square centimetre exerts
on a similar parallel plate 1 centimetre away
and moving in its own plane with a velocity
of 1 centimetre per second, the space
between the plates being filled with the
liquid in question. It is a measure of the
resistance that the liquid offers to shear.

absolute temperature scale n: a scale of

temperature measurement in which zero
degrees is absolute zero. On the Rankine
absolute temperature scale, which is based
on degrees Fahrenheit. water freezes at
492' and boils at 672". On the Kelvin
absolute temperature scale, which is based
on degrees Celsius, water freezes at 273
and boils at 373. See absolute zero.

absolute error n: the difference between the

result of a measurement and the true value
of the measured quantity as determined by
means of a suitable standard device.

absolute viscosity n: the property by which

a fluid in motion offers resistance to shear
and flow. Usually expressed as newton
seconds/metre.

absolute humidity n: the amount of

moisture present in the air. It may be
expressed in milligrams of water per cubic
metre of air. Compare relative humidity.

absolute zero n: a hypothetical temperature

at which there is a total absence of heal
Since heat is a result of energy caused by
molecular motion, there is no motion of
molecules with respect to each other at
absolute zero.

absolute kinematic viscosity n: the value

obtained when the absolute dynamic
viscosity is divided by the density
(expressed in grams per cubic centimetre)
of the liquid at the temperature concerned.
absolute mass n: the expression of a fluid's
weight (mass) in terms of its weight in a
vacuum.
absolute open flow n: the maximum flow
rate that a well could theoretically deliver
with zero pressure at the face of the
reservoir.
absolute ownership n: the theory that
minerals such as oil and gas are fully owned
in place before they are extracted and
reduced to possession. Despite this theory,
title to oil and gas may be lost by legitimate
drainage and by the rule of capture. Also
called ownership in place. See rule of
capture.
absolute permeability n: a measure of the
ability of a single fluid (such as water, gas,
or oil) to flow through a rock formation when
the formation is totally filled (saturated) with
that fluid. The permeability measure of a
rock filled with a single fluid is different from
the permeability measure of the same rock
filled with two or more fluids. Compare
effective permeability, relative permeability.

absorb v: I. to take in and make part of an

existing whole. 2. to recover liquid hydrocarbons from natural or refinery gas in a
gas- absorption plant. The wet gas enters
the absorber at the bottom and rises to die
top, encountering a stream of absorption oil
(a light oil) travelling downward over bubblecap trays, valve trays, or sieve trays. The
light oil removes, or absorbs, the heavier
liquid hydrocarbons from the wet gas. See
bubble-cap tray, sieve tray, valve tray.

Absorbent
Absorbent n: see absorption oil.
absorber n: 1. A vertical, cylindrical
vessel
that
recovers
heavier
hydorcarbons
from
a
mixture
of
predominantly
lighter
hydrocarbons.
Also called absorption tower. 2. A vessel
in which gas is dehydrated by being
bubbled through glycol. See absorb.

absorber capacity n: the maximum

volume of natural gas that can be
processed through an absorber at a
specified absorption oil rate, temperature,
and pressure without exceeding pressure
drop or any oilier operating limitation.
absorption n: 1. the process of sucking
up, taking in and making part of an
existing whole. Compare adsorption. 2.
the process in which short wave
radiation is retained by regions of the
earth.
absorption dynamometer n: a device
that measures mechanical force. The
energy measured is absorbed by
frictional or electrical resistance.
absorption gasoline n: the gasoline
extracted from natural gas by putting
the gas into contact with oil in a vessel
and subsequently distilling the gasoline
from the heavier oil.
absorption oil n: a hydrocarbon liquid
used to absorb and recover components
from natural gas being processed. Also
called wash oil.
absorption plant n: a plant that
processes natural gas with absorption
oil.
absorption-refrigeration cycle n: a
mechanical refrigeration system in which
the refrigerant is absorbed by a suitable
liquid or solid. The most CODlD1only
used refrigerant is ammonia; the most
commonly used absorbing medium is
water.
Compare
compressionrefrigeration cycle.
absorption tower n: see
absorber.
abstract-based title opinion n: a title
opinion based on a complete abstract of

2
title and other relevant documents.
Compare stand- up title opinion.
abstract company n: a private
company in the business of preparing
abstracts of title
and performing related services. Also
called abstract plant.
abstract of title n: a collection of all of
the recorded instruments affecting title to
a tract of land. Compare base abstract.
abstract plant n: see abstract company.
abyssal adj: of or relating to the bottom
waters of the ocean.
Ac abbr: altocumulus.
AC abbr: alternating current.
accelerated aging test n: a procedure
whereby a product may be subjected to
intensified but controlled conditions of
heat, pressure, radiation, or other
variables to produce, in a short time,
the effects of long- time storage or use
under normal conditions. acceleration
stress n: when a crane is hoisting a
load, the additional force the load
imposes on a wire rope or a sling when
the load's speed increases.
accelerator n: a chemical additive that
reduces the setting time of cement. See
cement, cementing materials.
accelerometer n: an instrument that
detects changes in motion or measures
acceleration. accessory equipment n:
any device that enhances the utility of a
measurement
system,
including
readouts, registers, monitors, and
liquid- or flow-conditioning equipment.
accrete v: to enlarge by the addition of
external parts or particles.
accumulate v: to amass or collect.
When
oil and gas migrate into porous
formations, the quantity collected is
called an accumulation.
accumulator n: 1. a vessel or tank that
receives and temporarily stores a liquid
used in a continuous process in a gas
plant. See drip accumulator. 2. on a
drilling rig, the storage device for
nitrogen-pressurised hydraulic fluid,
which is used in operating the blow out
preventers. See blowout preventer
control unit.

accumulator bottle n: a bottle-shaped

steel cylinder located in a blowout
preventer control unit to store nitrogen
and hydraulic fluid under pressure
(usually at 3,(XK)pounds per square

acidity
inch). The fluid is used to actuate the
blowout preventer stack.
accuracy n: the ability of a measuring
instrument to indicate values closely
approximating the true value of the
quantity measured.
accuracy curve of a volume meter n:
a plot of meter factor as a function of
flow rate used to evaluate the meter's
performance. See flow rate, meter
factor:
acetic acid n: an organic acid
compound sometimes used to acidise
oil wells. It is not as corrosive as other
acids used in well treatments. Its
chemical
formula
is
C2~O2'
or
CH3COOH.
acetylene welding n: a method of
joining steel components in which
acetylene gas and oxygen are mixed in
a torch to attain the high temperatures
necessary for welding. As an early type
of welding (it was also called
oxyacetylene welding), its primary
disadvantage was the seepage of
molten weld material onto the interior
surface of the pipe, often leading to
corrosion problems.
ACGIH abbr: American Conference of
Governmental and Industrial Hygienists.
acid n: any chemical compound. one
element of which is hydrogen, that
dissociates in solution to produce free
hydrogen
ions.
For
example,
hydrochloric acid. HCI, dissociates in
water to produce hydrogen ions, H+,
and chloride ions, CI-. This reaction is
expressed chemically as HCI + H+ + CI. See ion.
acid brittleness n: see hydrogen
embrinlement.
acid clay n: a naturally occurring clay
that,
after activation, usually with acid, is
used mainly as a decolourant or refining
agent,
and
sometimes
as
a
desulphuriser, coagulant, or catalyst.
acid fracture v: to part or open
fractures in productive hard limestone
formations by using a combination of oil
and acid or water and acid under high
pressure. See formation fracturing.
acid gas n: a gas that forms an acid
when mixed with water. In petroleum
production and processing, the most
common acid gases are hydrogen
sulphide and carbon dioxide. Both
cause corrosion, and hydrogen sulphide
is very poisonous.
acidity n: the quality of being acid.
Relative acid strength of a liquid is
measured by pH. A liquid with a pH
below 7 is acid. See pH.

acidise

acidise v: to treat oil-bearing limestone or

other formations with acid for the purpose of
increasing production. Hydrochloric or other
acid is injected into the formation under
pressure. The acid etches the rock, enlarging
the pore spaces and passages through which
the reservoir fluids flow. Acid also removes
formation damage by dissolving material
plugging the rock surrounding the wellbore.
The acid is held under pressure for a period
of time and then pumped out, after which the
well is swabbed and put back into production.
Chemical inhibitors combined with the acid
prevent corrosion of the pipe.
acid recovery plant n: plant for the
recovery of sulfuric acid from acid sludge.
acid sludge n: material of high specific
gravity formed during the chemical refining
treatment of oils by sulphuric acid and
usually
separable
by
settling
or
centrifuging. Also called acid tar.
acid stimulation n: a well stimulation
method using acid. See acidise.
acid tar n: see acid sludge.
acid treatment n: a method by which
petroleum-bearing limestone or other
formations are put into contact with an acid
to enlarge the pore spaces and passages
through which the reservoir fluids flow.
acid wash n: an acid treatment in which an
acid mixture is circulated through a wellbore
to clean it.
acknowledgement n: a declaration or an
avowal of any act or fact made by a
signatory party to a document to a notary
public or other public official authorised to
take an acknowledgement to give it legal
effect.
acoustic log n: a record of the
measurement of porosity, done by
comparing depth to the time it takes for a
sonic impulse to travel through a given
length of formation. The rate of travel of the
sound wave through a rock depends on the
composition of the formation and the fluids it
contains. Because the type of formation can
be ascertained by other logs, and because
sonic transit time varies with relative
amounts of rock and fluid, porosity can
usually be determined in this way.
acoustic position reference n: a system
consisting of a beacon positioned on the
seafloor to transmit an acoustic signal, a set
of three or four hydrophones mounted on
the hull of a floating offshore drilling vessel
to receive the signal, and a position display
unit to track the relative positions of the rig
and the drill site. Monitoring of the display
unit aids in accurate positioning of the rig
over the site.

adjustable choke
activation n: a reaction in which an element
has been changed into an unstable isotope
during bombardment by neutrons.
active mud tank n: one of usually two,
three, or more mud tanks that holds drilling
mud that is being circulated into a borehole
during drilling. They are called active tanks
because they hold mud that is currently
being circulated.

acoustic signatures n pl: the characteristic

patterns for various degrees of cement
bonding between the casing and the
borehole that appear on an oscilloscope
display when a sonic cement bond log is
made.
acoustic survey n: a well-logging method in
which sound impulses are generated and
transmitted into the formations opposite the
wellbore. The time it takes for the sound
impulses to travel through the rock is
measured and recorded. Subsequent
interpretation of the record (log) permits
estimation of the rock's porosity and fluid
content.
acoustic well logging n: the process of
recording the acoustic characteristics of
sub- surface formations, based on the time
required for a sound wave to travel a
specific distance through rock. The rate of
travel depends on the composition of the
formation, its porosity, and its fluid content.
Also called sonic logging.

actual pressure n: the sum of the ideal

pressure and the dynamic pressure.
actual residue gas remaining n: the volume
of gas remaining after processing in a plant.
actual strength n: see breaking strength.
adapter kit n: a kit comprising a setting
sleeve, adapter rod, and adjustment nut for
setting drillable or permanent tools on
wireline or by using hydraulic setting tools.
adapter spool n: a joint to connect blowout
preventers of different sizes or pressure
ratings to the casing head.
additive n: 1. in general, a substance added
in small amounts to a larger amount of
another substance to change some
characteristic of the latter. In the oil industry,
additives are used in lubricating oil, fuel,
drilling mud, and cement. 2. in cementing, a
substance added to cement to change its
characteristics to satisfy specific conditions
in die well. A cement additive may work as
an accelerator, retarder, dispersant, or other
reactant.

acquired land n: land owned by the United

States, acquired by deed or otherwise. Such
land has never been in the public domain or
was in the public domain at one time and
was later reacquired by purchase,
condemnation, or donation.

adhesion n: a force of attraction that causes

molecules of one substance to cling to those
of a different substance.

acreage contribution n: acreage owned in

the vicinity of a test well being drilled by
another party and contributed to the driller of
the well in return for information obtained
from its drilling. The assignment of
information is usually made on completion of
the well.

adiabatic compression n: compression of

air or gas that exists when no heat is
transferred between the air or gas and
surrounding bodies (such as the cylinders
and pistons in a compressor). It is
characterised by an increase in temperature
during compression and a decrease in
temperature during expansion.

acre-foot n: a unit of volume often used in

oil reservoir analysis, equivalent to the
volume (as of oil or water) necessary to
cover 1 acre to a depth of 1 foot

adiabatic change n: a change in the

volume, pressure, or temperature of a gas,
occurring without a gain or loss of heat.

acre-ft abbr: acre-foot.

adiabatic expansion n: the expansion of a

gas, vapour, or liquid stream from a higher
pressure to a lower pressure with no change
in enthalpy of the stream.

across prep: over. The term usually relates

conditions of fluid flow 00 me side of a piece
of equipment to conditions on the opposite
side (e.g., a pressure drop across a
separator).

adjustable choke n: a choke in which the

position of a conical needle, sleeve, or plate
may be changed with respect to their seat to
vary the rate of flow; may be manual or
automatic. See choke.

ACSR abbr: aluminum cable steel- reinforced

conductor.
ACT abbr: automatic custody transfer.
activated charcoI n: a form of carbon
characterised by a high absorptive and
adsorptive capacity for gases, vapours,
aIM1 colloidal solids.

adjustable spacer sub

adjustable spacer sub n: a sub run below

a dual or triple packer to permit the correct
space-out. See space-out.
Adjustment n: the operation of bringing a
measuring instrument, such as a meter, into
a satisfactory state of performance and
accuracy.
administrative penalties n pi: penalties or
fines handed down by administrative
agencies, such as the EPA.
administrator n: person appointed by the
court to administer the estate of someone
who dies without a will (intestate).
ADS abbr: atmospheric diving system.
adsorbent n: a solid used to remove
components from natural gas that is being
processed.
adsorption n: the adhesion of a thin film of a
gas or liquid to the surface of a solid. Liquid
hydrocarbons are recovered from natural gas
by passing the gas through activated charcoal, silica gel, or other solids, which extract
the heavier hydrocarbons. Steam treatment
of the solid removes the adsorbed
hydrocarbons, which are then collected and
re-condensed. The adsorption process is
also used to remove water vapour from air or
natural gas. Compare absorption.
adsorption plant n: a plant that processes
natural gas with an adsorbent.
ad valorem tax n: 1. a state or county tax
based on the value of a property. 2. tax
imposed at a percent of a value.
advance payment agreement n: an
agreement between a producer and a
purchaser to make an advance payment for
gas to be delivered at a future date.
advection fog n: a fog caused by the
movement of warm, moist air over a surface
with a temperature less than the dew point
of the air. Also called sea fog.
adverse possession n: a method of
asserting and gaining title to property
against other claimants, including the owner
of record. The claim through adverse
possession must include certain acts (as
required by statute) over an uninterrupted
interval of time. It must also be, in most
states, "open," "notorious," and "hostile."
aeolian adj: deposited by wind.
aeolian deposit n: a sediment deposited
by wind.
aerated mud n: drilling mud into which air
or gas is injected. Aeration with air or gas
reduces the density of the mud and allows
for faster drilling rates. The lighter aerated
mud does not develop as much pressure
on bottom as a normal mud. The lower
pressure allows the cuttings made by the
bit to easily break away from the bit's
cutters; the cutters therefore always
contact fresh, undrilled formation.

air cleaner

aeration n: the injection of air or gas into a

liquid. In the oil industry a common form of
aeration is the injection of natural gas into
reservoir liquids standing in a well. Aeration
with natural gas reduces the density of the
liquids and allows declining reservoir
pressure to lift the liquids. See gas lift.
aerial cooler n: see air-cooled exchanger.
aerial river crossing n: a river crossing
technique in which a pipeline is either
suspended by cables over a waterway or
attached to the girders of a bridge designed
to carry vehicular traffic.
aerobic adj: requiring free atmospheric
oxygen for normal activity.
aerobic bacteria n pi: bacteria that require
free oxygen for their life processes. Aerobic
bacteria can produce slime or scum, which
accumulates on metal surfaces, causing
oxygen-concentration cell corrosion.
AESC abbr: Association of Energy Service
Companies.
AFE abbr: authority for expenditure. affiant n:
the person who makes a sworn
statement.
affidavit n: a written affirmation of fact made
and sworn to before a notary public or other
authorised official. The official signs a
certificate called a jurat, which states that
the affidavit was signed and sworn to before
him or her.

setting. The process is sometimes called

curing. See cure.
agency n: a federal entity such as a
department, a bureau, a corporation, a
commission, or a division under the US
government that is charged by Congress to
administer, implement, and enforce US law.
agglomerate n: the groups of larger
individual particles usually originating in
sieving or drying operations.
agglomeration n: the grouping of individual
particles.
aggregate n: a group of two or more
particles held together by strong forces.
Aggregates are stable with normal stirring,
shaking, or handling; they may be broken by
treatment such as ball milling a powder or
shearing a suspension.
agitator n: a motor-driven paddle or blade
used to mix the liquids and solids in drilling
mud.
A-h abbr: ampere-hour.
AIME abbr: American Institute of Mining,
Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers.
air-actuated adj: equipment activated by
compressed air, as are the clutch and the
air-balanced pumping unit n: a beam
pumping unit on which the counterbalancing
is done by means of an air cylinder.

affiliated company n: a company that is

either directly or indirectly controlled and/or
owned by another firm or company.
A-frame n: 1. a derrick or crane shaped like
the letter A and used to handle heavy loads.
2. an A-shaped openwork structure that is
the stationary and supporting component of
the mast of a jackknife rig and to which the
mast is anchored when it is in an upright or
drilling position. 3. the uppermost section of
a standard derrick, shaped like the letter A
and used as a support in lifting objects such
as the crown block to the water table.
aft adv: toward or near the stem of a ship
or offshore drilling rig.
aftercooler n: on a supercharged engine, a
device, cooled by either air or by engine
coolant, that reduces the temperature of
the engine's exhaust. It is necessary to cool
the exhaust's temperature because the
exhaust drives the supercharger, which
forces air into the engine's intake manifold.
The temperature of the supercharged air
must be at an acceptable level; otherwise,
the engine will run too hot. See
supercharger.
afternoon tour (pronounced tower) n: see
evening tour.
AGA
abbr:
Association.

American

Gas

age v: to allow cement to mature, or reach

a stage harder than that of immediate

air bit n: a roller cone bit that is specially

designed for air or gas drilling. It is very
similar to a regular bit, but features screens
over the bearings to protect them from
clogging with cuttings and thicker hardfacing
on the shirttail to protect them from
abrasive, high-velocity air or gas drilling
fluid.
air cleaner n: a device installed on an
engine's air intake to remove foreign
materials, such as dirt or dust, from the air
before it enters the engine.

air cleaner element

air cleaner element n: see air cleaner filter

element.
air cleaner filter element n: the part of an
engine's air cleaner that traps dust and dirt
particles in the intake air that passes through
the element. Filter elements are designed to
trap most, but not all, of the foreign material
that may be in the air taken in by an engine.
(If the filter elements trapped all particles,
they would have to be replaced too frequently
to be practical.) Some elements, after they
become clogged with dust, can be cleaned
and reused; others must be discarded and
replaced.
air-cooled exchanger n: an atmospheric fin
tube exchanger that utilises air for cooling.
Ambient air contacts the external fins by fanforced or natural draft. Also called air-fin unit
or aerial cooler.

air hoist n: a hoist operated by compressed

air; a pneumatic hoist. Air hoists are often
mounted on the rig floor and are used to lift
joints of pipe and other heavy objects.

air-cut adj: having inadvertent mechanical

incorporation of air into a liquid system.
air diving n: diving in which a diver uses a
normal atmospheric mixture of oxygen and
nitrogen as a breathing medium. It is limited
to depths less than 190 feet (58 metres)
because of the dangers of nitrogen narcosis;
however, dives with bottom times of 30
minutes or less may be conducted to a
maximum of 220 feet (67 metres).

air induction system n: the network of

devices by which air is taken into an engine
for combustion in the cylinders.

air drilling n: a method of rotary drilling that

uses compressed air as the circulation
medium. The conventional method of
removing cuttings from the wellbore is to
use a flow of water or drilling mud.
Compressed air removes the cuttings with
equal or greater efficiency. The rate of
penetration
is
usually
increased
considerably when air drilling is used;
however, a principal problem in air drilling is
the penetration of formations containing
water, since the entry of water into the
system reduces the ability of the air to
remove the cuttings.
air eliminator n: a part of a LACT unit installed ahead of the metering equipment to
separate and remove mass volumes of air
and gas from the fluid.
air-fin unit n: see air-cooled exchanger.
airfoil n: a body designed to provide a
desired reaction force when in motion relative
to the surrounding air.
air gap n: the distance from the normal level
of the sea surface to the bottom of the hull or
base of an offshore drilling platform or rig.
air gun n: 1. a hand tool that is powered
pneumatically. 2. a chamber filled with
compressed air, often used offshore in
seismic exploration. As the gun is trailed
behind a boat, air is released, making a low
frequency popping noise, which penetrates
the subsurface rock layers and is reflected
by the layers.
Sensitive
hydrophones
receive
the
reflections and transmit them to recording
equipment on the boat.

alkane
disengages from the flywheel gear. Airmotor starters are installed on large
industrial engines like those used on a
drilling rig.
air tube clutch n: a clutch containing an
inflatable tube that, when inflated, causes
the clutch to engage the driven member.
When the tube is deflated, disengagement
occurs.
air vapour eliminator n: a device used to
separate and remove gases from a liquid to
be measured to prevent an error in liquid
measurement.

air injection n: 1.the injection of air into a

reservoir in a pressure maintenance or an in
situ combustion project. 2. the injection of
fuel into the combustion chamber of a diesel
engine by means of a jet of compressed air.
air-jacketed thermometer n: a glass-stem
thermometer totally encased in a glass
sheath, which provides air space between
the thermometer and the liquid in which the
unit is immersed.
air knocking n: on a diesel engine, a
phenomenon that occurs when trapped air
in the fuel injection system enters the
engine's cylinder with the fuel. The fuel-air
mixture ignites but, because of the extra air
in the fuel, the engine cylinder misfires and
knocks or hammers. The problem should be
corrected promptly to prevent damage to the
engine.
air mass n: a body of air that remains for an
extended period of time over a large land or
sea area with uniform heating and cooling
properties. The air mass will acquire
characteristics (such as temperature and
moisture content) of the underlying region.
air mass source region n: an area over
which an air mass rests and develops
temperature and moisture characteristics
typical of that location.
air-motor starter n: on an engine, a device
powered by compressed air that starts the
engine. The compressed air, when allowed
to enter the starter motor by means of a
valve, causes a gear on the starter to
engage a gear attached to the outer edge of
the engine's flywheel. The rotating starter
gear moves the flywheel gear, which causes
the engine's pistons to move. If fuel, air,
and, on spark-ignition engines, electric
spark are present in the engine, the engine
will start after a few rotations. As soon as
the engine starts, the starter gear

alarm n: a warning device triggered by the

presence of abnormal conditions in a
machine or system. For example, a lowwater alarm automatically signals when the
water level in a vessel falls below its preset
minimum. Offshore, alarms are used to warn
personnel of dangerous or unusual
conditions, such as fires and escaping
gases.
aIidade n: a surveying instrument consisting
of sighting device, index, and reading or
recording device.
aliphatic hydrocarbons n pi: hydrocarbons
that have a straight chain of carbon atoms.
Compare aromatic hydrocarbons.
aliphatic series n: a series of open-chained
hydrocarbons. The two major classes are
d1e series with saturated bonds and the
series with unsaturated bonds.
alkali n: a substance having marked basic
(alkaline) properties, such as a hydroxide of
an alkali metal. See base.
alkaline (caustic) flooding n: a method of
improved recovery in which alkaline
chemicals such as sodium hydroxide are
injected during a water flood or combined
with polymer flooding. The chemicals react
with the natural acid present in certain crude
oils to form surfactants within the reservoir.
The surfactants enable the water to move
additional quantities of oil from the depleted
reservoir. Compare chemical flooding,
polymer flooding, water flooding.
alkalinity n: the combining power of a base,
or alkali, as measured by the number of
equivalents of an acid with which it reacts to
form a salt. Any solution that bas a pH
greater than 7 is alkaline. See pH.
alkane n: see paraffin.

alkanolamine

alkanolamine n: a chemical family of

specific organic compounds, including
monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine
(OEA), and triethanolamine (TEA). These
chemicals,
and
proprietary
mixtures
containing them and other amines, are used
extensively for the removal of hydrogen
sulphide and carbon dioxide from other
gases and are particularly adapted for
obtaining the low acid gas residuals that are
usually specified by pipelines.
alkanolamine process n: a continuous
operation liquid process for removing acid
gas from natural gas by using chemical
absorption with subsequent heat addition to
strip the acid gas components from the
absorbent solution.

6
alluvial fan n: a large, sloping sedimentary
deposit at the mouth of a canyon, laid
down by intermittently flowing water,
especially in arid climates, and composed
of gravel and sand. The deposit tends to
be coarse and unworked, with angular,
poorly sorted grains in thin, overlapping
sheets. A line of fans may eventually
coalesce into an apron that grows broader
and higher as the slopes above are eroded
away.

ALP abbr: articulated loading platform.

alligator grab n: a fishing device used to

pick up relatively small objects like
wrenches that have fallen or have been
dropped into the wellbore. The alligator
grab's jaws are pinned open before the tool
is run into the well. The jaws snap shut
over the fish when contact is made.

alternating current (A C) n: current in

which the charge-flow periodically reverses
and whose average value is zero. Compare
direct current.

allotted land n: Native American land

designated for use by a specific individual,
although the title is still held by the United
States.
allowable n: the amount of oil or gas that
can be produced legally from a well. In a
state using proration, this figure is
established monthly by its conservation
agency. See proration.
alloy n: a substance with metallic properties that comprises two or more elements
in solid solution. See ferrous alloy, nonferrous alloy.

and

A-mast n: an A-shaped arrangement of

upright poles, usually steel, used for lifting
heavy loads. See A-frame.
ambient conditions n pi: the conditions
(pressure, temperature, humidity, etc.) of
the medium surrounding the case of a
meter, instrument, transducer, etc.
ambient pressure n: the pressure of the
medium that surrounds an object.

Amerada bomb n: a wireline instrument for

measuring bottomhole temperature or
pressure. It contains a clock-driven
recording section and either a pressure
element or a temperature element. It is thin
enough to pass downhole through small
tubing.

alkylation n: a process for manufacturing

components for 100-octane gasoline. An
alkyl group is introduced into an organic
compound either with or without a catalyst.
Now usually used to mean alkylation of
isobutane with propene, butenes, or
hexenes in d1e presence of concentrated
sulphuric acid or anhydrous hydrofluoric
acid.

allocation n: the distribution of oil or gas

produced from a well per unit of time. In a
state using proration, this figure is
established monthly by its conservation
agency.
allocation meter n: see tail gate.
allonge n: see rider.

would occupy at the pressure

temperature of the mixture.

ambient temperature n: the temperature of

the medium that surrounds an object.

alkyl n: a compound derived from an

alkane by removing one hydrogen atom.

all-level sample n: in tank sampling, a

sample that is obtained by submerging a
stoppered beaker or bottle to a poinias
near as possible to the draw-off level, then
opening the sampler and raising it at a rate
that makes it about three-quarters full
(maxi- mum 85%) as it emerges from the
liquid.

(ACGIH)

alpha particle n: one of the extremely

small particles of an atom that is ejected
from a radioactive substance (such as
radium or uranium) as it disintegrates.
Alpha particles have a positive charge.

alternator n: an electric generator that

produces alternating current.
altocumulus (Ac) n: a white or gray midlevel cloud that appears as closely
arranged rolls. This type of cloud is
composed of either ice crystals or water
droplets.
altostratus n: a bluish or gravish layer of
uniform mid-level clouds that cover large
portions of the sky. This type of cloud is
composed of either ice crystals or water
droplets.
alumina n: aluminum oxide (Al202)' used as
an abrasive, refractory, catalyst, and
adsorbent.
aluminum bronze n: an alloy of copper and
aluminum that may also include iron,
manganese, nickel, or zinc.
aluminum
cable
steel-reinforced
conductor n: wire line made of braided
aluminum wires, which is strengthened by
the addition of steel wires, and which
conducts electricity.
aluminum stearate n: an aluminum salt of
stearic acid used as a defoamer. See
stearate.
Amagat-Leduc rule n: states that the
volume occupied by a mixture of gases
equals the sum of the volumes each gas

American Association of Petroleum

Geologists (AAPG) n: a leading national
industry organisation established to
disseminate scientific and technical ideas
and data in the field of geology as it relates
to oil and natural gas exploration and
production. Its official publications are the
AAPG Bulletin and the AAPG Explorer:
Address: P.O. Box 979; Tulsa, OK 74101;
(918) 584-2555.
American Association of Petroleum
Landmen (AAPL) n: an international
trade organisation of landmen and related
professionals. Its official publication is The
Landman. Address: 4100 Fossil Creek
Blvd.; Fort Worth, TX 76137; (817) 8477700.
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) n:
US organisation that sets standards and
specifications for ships and ship
equipment manufactured in the United
States. The organisation also makes
inspections
during
offshore
rig
construction and conducts periodic
surveys to ensure that requirements for
classification are maintained. Its official
publications are Records of the American
Bureau of Shipping and ABS Activity Report. Address: 2 World Trade Centre;
106th floor; New York, NY 10048; (212)
839- 5000.
American Conference of Governmental
and Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) n: a
professional multinational organisation of
persons employed by governmental units
responsible for full-time programs of
hygiene and worker health and protection.
Address: 1330 Kemper Meadow Drive;
Cincinatti, Ohio 45240; (513) 742-2020.

(AGA)
American Gas Association (AGA) n: a
national trade association whose members
are US and Canadian distributors of
natural, manufactured, and mixed gases.
AGA provides information on sales,
finances, utilisation, and all phases of gas
transmission and distribution. Its official
publications are AGA Monthly and
Operating Section Proceedings. Address:
1515 Wilson Boulevard; Arlington, VA
22209; (703) 841-8400; fax (703) 8418406.
American
Institute
of
Mining,
Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers
(AIME) n: parent group of the Society of
Petroleum Engineers (SPE). See Society of
Petroleum Engineer. Its official publication is
the Journal of Petroleum Technology.
Address: 345 East 47th Street; New York,
NY 10017; (212) 705-7695.
American
National
Standards
Institute(ANSI) n: serves as clearinghouse
for
nationally
coordinated
voluntary
standards for fields ranging from information
technology
to
building
construction.
Address: 11 W. 42nd Street, 13th floor; New
York, NY 10036; (212) 642-4900.
American Petroleum Institute (API) n: oil
trade organisation (founded in 1920) that is
the leading standardising organisation for
oilfield drilling and producing equipment. It
maintains departments of transportation,
refining, marketing, and production in
Washington, DC. It offers publications
regarding
standards,
recommended
practices, and bulletins. Address: 1220 L
Street NW; Washington, DC 20005; (202)
682-8000.
American Society for Testing and
Materials (ASTM) n: organisation that sets
guidelines for the testing and use of
equipment and materials. Its publications
are ASTM Standardisation News, Book of
Standards,
Cement
and
Concrete
Aggregates
Journal,
Composites
Technology & Research, Geo technical
Testing Journal, Journal of Forensic
Science, and Journal of Testing and
Evaluation. Address: 100 Barr Harbor; West
Conshohocken, PA 19428; (610) 832-9500.
American
Society
of
Mechanical
Engineers (ASME) n: organisation whose
equipment standards are sometimes used
by the oil industry. Its official publication is
Mechanical Engineering. Address: 345 East
47th Street; New York, NY 10017; (212)
705-7788; fax (212) 705-7856.
American Society of Safety Engineers
(ASSE) n: organisation that establishes
safety practices for several industries. Its
publications are Professional Safety and
Society Update. Address: 1800 East
Oakton; Des Plaines, IL 60018-2187; (847)
699-2929.

7
AMI abbr: area of mutual interest.
amine n: any of several compounds
employed in treating natural gas. Amines
are generally used to remove hydrogen
sulphide from water solutions and carbon
dioxide from gas or liquid streams.
ammeter n: an instrument for measuring
electric current in amperes.
amortisation n: I. the return of a debt
(principal and interest) in equal annual
instalments. 2. the return of invested
principal in a sinking fund.
ampere (A) n: the fundamental unit of
electrical current; 1 ampere = 6.28 x 1018
electrons passing through the circuit per
second. One ampere delivers I coulomb in 1
second. ampere-hour n: a unit of electricity
equal to the amount produced in 1 hour by a
flow of I ampere. See ampere.
ampere turn n: the number of turns in a
coil multiplied by the number of amperes of
current flowing through the coil.
amplifier n: a device for increasing the
magnitude of a quantity such as an
electrical measurement signal. Amplifiers
may be used to increase a transmitted and
received measurement signal.
amplitude modulation (am) n: modulation
of the amplitude of a radio carrier wave in
accordance with the strength of the audio or
other signal.
amplitudes n pi: shapes and heights of the
peaks in a spontaneous potential curve.
anaerobic adj: active in the absence of free
oxygen.
anaerobic bacteria n pi: bacteria that do
not require free oxygen to live or that are not
destroyed by its absence. Under certain
conditions, anaerobic bacteria can cause
scale to form in water-handling facilities in
oilfields or hydrogen sulphide to be
produced from sulphates.
analog adj: of or pertaining to an
instrument that measures a continuous
variable that is proportional to another
variable over a given range. For example,
temperature can be represented or
measured as voltage, its analog.
analog data n: information indicated by a
continuous form, usually a needle or pointer
moving across a dial face. Compare digital
readout.
analog signal n: the representation of the
magnitude of a variable in the form of a
measurable physical quantity that varies
smoothly rather than in discrete steps.
anchor n: a device that secures, or fastens,
equipment. In producing wells with sucker
rod pumps, a gas anchor is a special
section of perforated pipe installed below
the pump. It provides a space for gas to
break out of the oil. In offshore drilling,

angle-control section
floating drilling vessels are often secured
over drill sites by large anchors like those
used on ships. For pipelines, a device that
secures pipe in a ditch.
anchor buoy n: a floating marker used in a
spread mooring system to position each
anchor of a semi-submersible rig or drill
ship. See spread mooring system.
anchoring
system
n:
in
pipeline
construction, a combination of anchors used
to hold a lay barge on station and move it
forward along the planned route. Lay-barge
anchors may weigh in excess of 20 tons (18
tonnes), and a dozen or more may be
needed.
anchor key n: a device on the deadline tiedown anchor used to secure the drilling line.
anchor packer n: a packer designed for sitting on a pipe that rests on bottom, such as
a tail pipe or liner. See packer:
anchor pattern n: the pattern of minute
projections from a metal surface produced
by sandblasting, shot blasting, or chemical
etching to enhance the adhesiveness of
surface coatings.
anchor seal assembly n: a seal assembly
run on the production tubing that allows the
tubing to be landed properly in the casing's
seal bore when tubing weight alone is not
sufficient to seat the tubing.
anchor wash pipe spear n: a fishing tool
installed inside washover pipe to prevent a
fish stuck off bottom from falling to bottom
during a washover. Slips on the anchor
washpipe spear engage the inside of the
washover pipe as the pipe travels downhole
around the fish.
anchor weight n: a weight installed in a
tank to which the guide wires or cables for
an automatic tank gauge float are attached
to hold them taut and plumb.
andesite n: finely crystalline, generally lightcoloured extrusive igneous rock com- posed
largely of plagioclase feldspar with smaller
amounts
of
dark-coloured
minerals.
Compare diorite.
anemometer n: an instrument for
measuring wind speed in the atmosphere.
The most common types are cup, vane, and
hot-wire anemometers.
aneroid barometer n: a barometer
consisting of a flexible, spring-filled metal
cell from which air has been removed and a
mechanism that registers. See barograph.
angle-azimuth indicator n: see riser angle
indicator.
angle-control section n: the part of a
groove on the drawworks drum that
changes direction. Grooves run parallel to
each other, except in the angle-control
section, where each groove is machined at

angle of deflection

anoxia

a slight angle. This angled part of the

groove causes the wire rope being spooled
onto the drum to change direction so that
the next wrap of rope on the drum lies in
between the wraps of rope already on the
drum. Also called a crossover section.
angle of deflection n: in directional drilling,
the angle at which a well diverts from vertical;
usually expressed in degrees, with vertical
being 0'.
angle of deviation n: see drift angle.
angle of dip n: the angle at which a
formation dips downward from the horizontal.
angle of drift n: see drift angle.
angle of heel n: the angle in degrees that a
floating vessel inclines to one side or the
other.
angle of loading n: in crane operations,
when a sling with two legs is attached to each
end of a load, the slant or the angle the two
legs make as measured from horizontal. A
reduction in the strength of a sling must be
allowed for angles other than 90 degrees.
angle of wrap n: the distance that the brake
band wraps around the brake flange.
Drawworks have an angle of wrap of 270' or
more.
angle-stem assembly n: a type of
thermometer used on oil tanks. The
graduated part of the thermometer is angled
at least 90 from the temperature-sensitive
portion. The angle conforms to the shell of
the tank and permits easy reading of the
instrument.
angle-stem thermometer n: a glass-stem
thermometer in which the tail is bent at an
angle to the stem so that the tail can be
mounted in a horizontally disposed
thermowell, leaving the scale vertical for
greater ease of reading.
angle sub n: see bent sub.
angular misalignment n: one type of
misalignment in a chain-and-sprocket drive.
The shafts are not parallel to each other (they
form an angle) in either the horizontal or the
vertical plane. This pulls the link plates on
one side tighter than those on the other side;
thus, one side of the chain and sprockets
wears faster than the other. Link plates on
only one side of the chain break because of
fatigue.
angular unconformity n: an unconformity
in which formations above and below are
not parallel. See unconformity.

angular velocity n: a measure of the time

required for a flowing medium. such as a
fluid. to change its angular displacement.
anhydrite n: the common name
anhydrous calcium sulphate. caS4.

for

anhydrous adj: without water.

aniline n: liquid chemical derived from
benzene or from benzene and ammonia. It is
used as a solvent and in the organic
synthesis of other substances.
aniline point n: the lowest temperature at
which the chemical aniline and a solvent
(such as the oil in oil-base muds) will mix
completely. In general, the oil of oil-base
muds should have an aniline point of at least
150"F (66"C) to obtain maximum service life
from the rubber components in the mud
system.

annular pressure n: fluid pressure in an

annular space, as around tubing within
casing.
annular production n: production of
formation fluids through the production
casing annulus.
annular space n: the space between two
concentric circles. In the petroleum industry,
it is usually the space surrounding a pipe in
the wellbore, or the space between tubing
and casing, or the space between tubing and
the well bore; sometimes termed the annulus.

anion n: 1. a negatively charged ion. 2. the

ion in an electrolysed solution that migrates
to the anode. See ion. Compare cation.
annealed glass n: glass that has been
treated with a heating and cooling process
that toughens it and reduces its brittleness.
anniversary date n: the date, usually one
year from the effective date of the lease, by
which rentals must be paid to maintain the
lease in effect in the absence of drilling or
production.
annubar n: a gas measurement device that
consists of a mutiple-ported Pitot tube
installed inside a pipe through which gas is
flowing; it is installed perpendicular to the
flow of gas. The length of the annubar is
equal to the diameter of the pipe in which it
is installed. An annubar senses the
difference between total flowing pressure
and static pressure; gas volume is
calculated from this difference. See Pitot
tube.
annular adj: pertaining to the annulus. The
annulus is sometimes referred to as the
annular space.
annular blowout preventer n: a large
valve, usually installed above the ram
preventers, that forms a seal in the annular
space between the pipe and the wellbore or,
if no pipe is present, in the wellbore itself.
Compare ram blowout preventet:

annular velocity n: the rate at which mud is

travelling in the annular space of a drilling
well.
annulus n: see annular space.
anode n: 1. one of two electrodes in an
electrolytic cell; represented as the negative
terminal of the cell, it is the area from which
electrons flow. In a primary cell, it is the
electrode that is wasted or eaten away. 2. in
cathodic protection systems, an electrode to
which a positive potential of electricity is
applied, or a sacrificial anode, which protects
a structure by forming one electrode of an
electric cell.
anomaly n: a deviation from the norm. In
geology the term indicates an abnormality
such as a fault or dome in a sedimentary
bed.
anoxia n: an undersupply of oxygen
reaching the tissues of the body, possibly
causing permanent damage or death. Also
called hypoxia.

ANSI
ANSI abbr: American National Standards
Institute.
anticipated load n: (1) in designing or
ordering hoisting (lifting) equipment, the
maximum weight that the equipment will be
able to safely lift. (2) on diesel electric rigs,
the maximum amount of electric power that
the generators will have to produce to
adequately power the rig.
anticipated surface pressure n: pressure
expected to be measured at the surface
after a well is drilled and completed.
anticlinal trap n: a hydrocarbon trap in
which petroleum accumulates in the top of
an anticline. See anticline.
anticline n: rock layers folded in the shape
of an arch. Anticlines sometimes trap oil and
gas. Compare syncline.
anticyclonic wind n: the wind associated
with a high-pressure area.
antifoam n: a substance used to prevent
foam by greatly increasing surface tension.
Compare defoamer.
antifreeze n: a chemical added to liquid that
lowers its freezing point. Often used to
prevent water in an engine's cooling system
from freezing.
antiknock compound n: a substance, such
as tetraethyl lead or other compounds,
added to the fuel of an internal-combustion
engine to prevent detonation of the fuel.
Antiknock compounds effectively raise the
octane rating of a fuel so that it burns
properly in the combustion chamber of an
engine. See octane rating, tetraethyl lead.
antiknock rating n: the measurement of
how well an automotive gasoline resists
detonation or pinging in a spark-ignition
engine.
antilog abbr: antilogarithm.
antilogarithm n: a second number whose
logarithm is the first number. See logarithm.
antiwhirl bit n: a drill bit, usually a
polycrystalline diamond bit, that is designed
to prevent the bit's drilling a spiral-shaped
hole because it whirls off centre as it rotates.
See bit whirl.
ANWR abbr: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
API abbr: American Petroleum Institute.
API cement class n: a classification system
for oilwell cements, defined in API
Specification 10A.
API-certified adj: said of a tool that meets
the American Petroleum Institute's minimum
standard.
API gamma ray unit n: the standard unit of
gamma ray measurement. Standardisation
of this unit results from the normalisation of
the detector-measurement systems of all
primary service companies in the API test

9
pits at the University of Houston. The API
gamma ray unit is defined as 1/200 of the
difference in log deflection between two
zones of different gamma ray intensity. The
test pit is constructed so that the average
midcontinent shale will record about 100 API
gamma ray units.
API gravity n: the measure of the density or
gravity of liquid petroleum products in the
United States; derived from relative density
in accordance with the following equation:
API gravity at 60F =
[141.5 + relative density 60/60F] -131.5
API gravity is expressed in degrees, 1 D.
API being equivalent to 1.0, the specific
gravity of water. See gravity.
API MPMS abbr: American Petroleum
Institute's
Manual
of
Petroleum
Measurement Standards.
API neutron unit n: the standard unit of
measurement
for
neutron
logs.
Standardisation of this unit results from the
calibration of each logging tool model in the
API neutron test pit at the University of
Houston.

arenite
2

Sw = aRw / O Rt
Archimedes's Principle n: the buoyant
force exerted on a body suspended in a fluid
is proportional to the density of the fluid.
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) n:
nineteen million acres on Alaska's northeast coast that are believed to contain 600
million to 9 billion barrels (954 billion to 143
trillion litres) of oil. Opening of the area to oil
exploration and production is the subject of
much debate between environmentalists
and oil-industry personnel.
arctic submersible rig n: a mobile
submersible drilling structure used in arctic
areas. The rig is towed onto the drilling site
and submerged during periods when the
water is free of ice. All equipment below the
waterline is surrounded by a caisson to
protect it from damage by moving ice. The
drilling deck has no square comers so that
moving ice can better flow around it. See
submersible drilling rig.

APO abbr: after payout; commonly used in

the land department of an oil company.
apparent compressibility n: the algebraic
sum of the actual compressibility of a liquid
and the volume change per unit volume of
the confining container caused by a unit
change in pressure at constant temperature.
apparent power n: the product of volts and
amperes in an AC circuit when voltage and
current are measured separately. If voltage
and current are not in phase, apparent
power is greater than true power.
apparent viscosity n: the viscosity of a
drilling fluid as measured with a directindicating, or rotational, viscometer.

arc weld v: to join metals by utilising the arc

created between the welding rod, which
serves as an electrode, and a metal object.
The arc is a discharge of electric current
across an air gap. The high temperature
generated by the arc melts both the
electrode and the metal, which fuse.

appraisal well n: a well drilled to confirm

and evaluate the presence of hydrocarbons
in a reservoir that has been found by a wildcat well.

area of mutual interest n: an area, usually

outlined on a plat attached to a farmout
agreement or described in an exhibit, that
allows both parties the first right of refusal
on leases acquired by either party after the
agreement is executed.

APR abbr: a trademark name for an annular

pressure-responsive valve for a DST string.

area rate clause n: see minimum lawful

price clause.

apron n: 1. a body of coarse, poorly sorted

sediments formed by the coalescence of
alluvial or detrital fans along the flanks of a
mountain range. 2. a similar body of turbidite
sediments formed by the coalescence of
submarine debris fans along the base of the
continental slope.
aquifer n: 1. a permeable body of rock
capable of yielding groundwater to wells and
springs. 2. the part of a water drive reservoir
that contains the water.
Archie's equation n: the formula for
evaluating the quantity of hydrocarbons in a
formation. The form of the equation depends
on its specific use. The basic equation is-

arenaceous adj: pertaining to sand or

sandy rocks (such as arenaceous shale).
arenite n: a sandstone in which less than
15% of the total volume is silt and clay.

argillaceous
argillaceous adj: pertaining to a formation
that consists of clay or shale (such as
argillaceous sand).
arkose n: sandstone composed largely of
feldspar grains and deriving from granitic
source rocks.
armature n: a part made of coils of wire
placed around a metal core, in which
electric current is induced in a generator, or
in which input current interacts with a
magnetic field to produce torque in a motor.
armored case n: a corrosion-resistant
metal case in which a glass-stem
thermometer can be placed to minimise the
risk of breakage.
arm's-length bargaining n: negotiations
between a willing buyer and a willing seller,
which should result in a price that truly
reflects the market.

10
longer commonly used because asbestos
can cause respiratory illness.

Expressway, Suite 428; Dallas, TX 75206;

(214) 692-0771.

as-delivered Btu n: the number of Btus

contained in a cubic foot of natural gas
adjusted to reflect the actual water content of
the gas at delivered pressure, temperature,
and gravity conditions.

astern adv or adj: 1. at or toward the stem of

a ship or an offshore drilling rig; abaft. 2.
behind the ship or rig.

ash n: noncombustible residue from the

gasification or burning of coal or a heavy
hydrocarbon.

ASTM distillation n: any distillation made in

accordance with ASTM procedure. Generally
refers to a distillation test to determine the
initial boiling point, the temperature at which
percentage fractionations of the sample are
distilled, the final boiling point, and quantity of
residue.

ASME abbr: American Society of Mechanical

Engineers.
asphalt n: a hard brown or black material
composed principally of hydrocarbons. It is
insoluble in water but soluble in gasoline and
can be obtained by heating some petroleum,
coal tar, or lignite tar. It is used for paving and
roofing and in paints.
asphalt-base oil n: see naphthene-base oil.

aromatic
hydrocarbons
n
pi:
hydrocarbons derived from or containing a
benzene ring. Many have an odour. Singlering aromatic hydrocarbons are the
benzene series (benzene, ethylbenzenes,
and toluene). Aromatic hydrocarbons also
include naphthalene and anthracene.
Compare aliphatic hydrocarbons.

asphalt enamel n: an asphalt-base enamel

applied as a coating to pipe that is to be
buried. The asphalt is combined with finely
ground mica, clay, soapstone, or talc and
applied while hot. Combined with a
subsequent wrapping, this coating protects
the buried pipe from corrosion.

aromatisation n: the conversion of

aliphatic or alicyclic compounds to aromatic
hydrocarbons.

asphaltic crude n: petroleum with a high

proportion of naphthenic compounds, which
leave relatively high proportions of asphaltic
residue when refined.

arpent n: a French unit of measurement,

equal to 191.833 feet (58.5 metres).
artesian well n: a well in which water flows
to the surface under natural pressure.
articulated loading platform (ALP) n:
offshore platform in which the riser is jointed
to allow for changes in water level, current,
and so on.
artificial island n: an artificial gravel island
sometimes used in shallow Arctic waters as
a base on which drilling and production
equipment is erected.
artificial lift n: any method used to raise oil
to the surface through a well after reservoir
pressure has declined to the point at which
the well no longer produces by means of
natural energy. Sucker rod pumps, gas lift,
hydraulic pumps, and submersible electric
pumps are the most common means of
artificial lift.
artificial satellite n: an information
collecting instrument that orbits the earth. As
abbr: altostratus.
asbestos n: term applied to many heat
resistant and chemically inert fibrous
minerals, some forms of which are used in
certain drilling fluids. It finds only limited use
because prolonged exposure can cause
respiratory illness.
asbestos felt n: a wrapping material
consisting of asbestos saturated with asphalt;
one element of pipeline coatings. It is no

atomic weight

asphaltic material n: one of a group of solid.

liquid, or semisolid materials that are predominantly mixtures of heavy hydrocarbons
and their non-metallic derivatives and are
obtained either from natural bituminous
deposits or from the residues of petroleum
refining.
ASSE abbr: American Society of Safety
Engineers.
assignment n: a transfer of rights and
interests in real or personal property or rights
under a contract-for example, the transfer of
an oil and gas lease from the original lessee
to another party.
assignment clause n: a clause in any
instrument that allows either party to the
instrument to assign all or part of his or her
interest to others.
associated free gas n: see associated gas.
associated gas n: natural gas that overlies
and contacts crude oil in a reservoir. Where
reservoir conditions are such that the
production of associated gas does not
substantially affect the recovery of crude oil in
the reservoir, such gas may also be
reclassified as non-associated gas by a
regulatory agency. Also called associated
free gas. See gas cap.
Association of Energy Service Companies
(AESC) n: organisation that sets some of the
standards, principles, and policies of oilwell
servicing contractors. Its official publication is
Well Servicing. Address: 6060N. Central

ASTM abbr: American Society for Testing

and Materials.

athwart prep or adv: from side to side of a

ship or offshore drilling rig.
atm abbr: atmosphere.
atmosphere (atm) n: a unit of pressure equal
to the atmospheric pressure at sea level, 14.7
pounds per square inch (101.325 kilopascals)
atmospheres absolute n pi: total pressure at
a depth underwater, expressed as multiples
of normal atmospheric pressure.
atmospheric diving system (ADS) n: a oneperson atmospheric suit rated to depths of
2,300 feet (701 metres). Advantages include
allowing the operator to work in a safe
environment for debris salvage or recovery
operations.
atmospheric pressure n: the pressure
exerted by the weight of the atmosphere. At
sea level, the pressure is approximately 14.7
pounds per square inch (101.325 kilopascals), often referred to as 1 atmosphere.
Also called barometric pressure.
atmospheric pressure cure n: the aging of
specimens for test purposes at normal
atmospheric pressure for a designated period
of time under specified conditions of
temperature and humidity.
atoll n: a coral island consisting of a reef
surrounding a lagoon.
atom n: the smallest quantity of an element
capable of either entering into a chemical
combination or existing alone.
atomic number n: a number that expresses
the number of protons and an equal number
of electrons in each atom of an element.
atomic weight n: a number that
approximates the number of protons plus the
number of neutrons in an atom; it expresses
the relative weights of atoms.

atomise
atomise v: to spray a liquid through a
restricted opening, causing it to break into
tiny droplets and mix thoroughly with the
surrounding air.
attachment
efficiency
n:
in
crane
operations, the relative strength of a sling's
end attachment, such as a loop eye or a
swaged terminal, which attaches the sling to
the load to be lifted by the crane. The less
efficient the attachment is, the more the
sling's strength is reduced.

11

automatic wire welding

automatic drilling control unit n: see

automatic driller.
automatic fill-up shoe n: a device usually
installed on the first joint of casing to
regulate automatically the amount of mud in
the casing. The valve in this shoe keeps
mud from entering the casing until mud
pressure causes the valve to open, allowing
mud to enter.

attapuigite n: a fibrous clay mineral that is a

viscosity-building substance; used principally
in saltwater-base drilling muds. Also called
fuller's earth.

authority for expenditure n: an estimate of

costs prepared by a lease operator and sent
to each non operator with a working interest
for approval before work is under taken.
Normally used in connection with well-drilling
operations.
automated plant n: a plant that contains
instruments for the measurement and control
of temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and
properties of resulting products and thereby
makes necessary corrections in the plant
operating conditions so as to maintain
specification products. Such a plant contains
shutdown and other automatic devices for
minimising damage in the absence of
operating personnel.
automatic cathead n: see breakout cathead, cathead. makeup cathead.
automatic choke n: an adjustable choke that
is power-operated to control pressure of flow.
See adjustable choke.
automatic control n: a device that regulates
various factors (such as flow rate, pressure,
or temperature) of a system without
supervision or operation by personnel. See
instrumentation.
automatic custody transfer n: a system for
automatically measuring and sampling oil or
products at points of receipt or delivery. See
lease automatic custody transfer.
automatic driller n: a mechanism used to
regulate the amount of weight 00 the bit
without the presence of personnel. Automatic
drillers free the driller from the sometimes
tedious task of manipulating the drawworks
brake to maintain correct weight on the bit.
Also called an automatic drilling control unit.

automatic shutdown n: a system in which

certain instruments are used to control or to
maintain the operating conditions of a
process. If conditions become abnormal, this
system automatically stops the process and
notifies the operator of the problem.
automatic slips n pi: a device, operated by
air or hydraulic fluid, that fits into the opening
in the rotary table when the drill stem must be
suspended in the wellbore (as when a
connection or trip is being made). Automatic
slips, also called power slips, eliminate the
need for roughnecks to set and take out slips
manually. See slips.

attest v: to verify or witness, by a designated

company official, the signature of the signing
company officer and the affixing of the official
company or corporation seal. The title of the
company official executing the instrument
and the title of the company official attesting it
should appear under the signatures.
auger n: a boring tool that consists of a shaft
with spiral channels. An auger may be used
to bore the hole for a pipeline that must cross
beneath a roadbed.

systematic basis, which can be tested to

determine the quality of the liquid flowing in
the line. An automatic sampling device
consists of a probe inserted into the line, an
extractor, a timer or other device that
controls the sampling rate, and a small tank
(sample receiver) that holds the samples.

automatic gauge n: a measuring device installed on the outside of a tank to permit

observation of the depth of the liquid inside.
automatic gauging tape n: the flexible
measuring or connecting element that is
used to measure the liquid level in tanks by
the automatic gauge method.
automatic J n: a mechanism in packers and
other tools in which straight pickup or setdown action will set or release the tool.
Rotation is not needed to set or release a
tool with an automatic J.
automatic
positioner:

positioner

n:

see

hook

automatic positioner lock n: a device 00 a

drilling rig's hook that allows the hook to
rotate freely when hoisting the drill string out
of open (uncased) hole but automatically
rotates the elevators to face the derrickhand
when they reach the monkeyboard. Allowing
the elevators to rotate prevents them from
damaging the open hole and prevents the
drilling line from becoming twisted. The
positioner lock can also lock die elevators
into one position when tripping in cased hole
where it is not necessary to allow the
elevators to rotate freely.
automatic pumping station n: an
automatically operated station installed on a
pipeline to provide pressure when a fluid is
being transported.
automatic sampler n: a device that, when
installed in a pipe or flow channel and
actuated by automatic control equipment.
enables a representative sample to be
obtained of the fluid flowing therein.
automatic sampling n: the gathering of
small quantities of liquid from a pipeline on a

automatic tank gauge n: an instrument that

automatically measures and displays liquid
levels or ullages in one or more tanks
continuously, periodically, or on demand.
automatic tank gauge tape n: a metal tape
used to connect the liquid level-detecting
element and the gauge-head mechanism.
automatic temperature compensator n: a
meter accessory that enables a meter that is
measuring volume at stress temperature to
register the equivalent volume at a reference
or base temperature.
automatic Yawl tank gauging system n: a
system that automatically measures and
displays liquid levels or ullage in one or more
vessel tanks on a continuous, periodic, or ondemand basis.
automatic welding n: a welding technique
for joining pipe ends. Two general types of
automatic
welding
used
in
pipeline
construction are submerged-arc welding and
automatic wire welding.
automatic wire welding n: an automatic
welding process utilising a continuous wire
feed and a shielding gas. Automatic wire
welding is similar to semiautomatic welding
except that manual adjustment of the rate of
wire feed and amount of shielding gas is
unnecessary. See also semiautomatic
welding.

automation

12

automation n: automatic, self-regulating

control
of
equipment,
systems,
or
processes. See instrumentation.

mum or minimum boiling point, which is

either higher or lower than that of its
components.

autotransformer n: a transformer with only

one winding, part of which is used for either
the primary or secondary conductor, and
part of which is used as both primary and
secondary conductors.

azimuth n: 1. in directional drilling, the

direction of the wellbore or of the face of a
deflection tool in degrees (0"-359") clockwise from true north. 2. an arc of the horizon
measured between a fixed point (such as
true north) and the vertical circle passing
through the centre of an object.

auxiliaries n pi: equipment on a drilling or

workover rig that is not a direct part of the
rig's drilling equipment, such as the
equipment used to generate electricity for rig
lighting or the equipment used to mix drilling
fluid.
auxiliary brake n: a braking mechanism on
the drawworks, supplemental to the
mechanical brake, that permits the lowering
of heavy hook loads safely at retarded rates
without
incurring
appreciable
brake
maintenance. There are two types of
auxiliary brake-the hydrodynamic and the
electrodynamic. In both types, work is
converted into heat, which is dissipated
through liquid cooling systems. See
electrodynamic brake, hydrodynamic brake.
auxiliary equipment n: see auxiliaries.
auxiliary meter equipment n: equipment
such as strainers, air separators, or flow
conditioners installed in conjunction with a
meter to protect or improve the performance
of
the
meter;
does
not
include
instrumentation and accessories driven by
the meter's output rotation or pulses.
average (avg) n: approximately or
resembling an arithmetic mean, specifically,
about midway between extremes.
average sample n: in tank sampling, a
sample that consists of proportionate parts
from several sections of the tank.
average value n: the average of all the
instantaneous values of current or voltage in
one-half a cycle of AC electricity; equal to
0.636 times the maximum value.
avg abbr: average.
Avogadro's law n: states that under the
same
conditions
of
pressure
and
temperature, equal volumes of all gases
contain equal numbers of molecules. Also
called Avogadro's hypothesis.
Avogadro's number n: 6.024 x 1023.
axial compression n: pressure produced
parallel with the cylinder axis when casing
hits a deviation in the hole or a sticky spot
and stops. The force pushing down on the
pipe causes axial compression.
axial flow turbine meter n: a velocitymeasuring device in which gas flow is
parallel to the rotor axis and the speed of
rotation is proportional to the rate of flow.
azeotrope n: a mixture of liquids that distills
without a change in composition. The
azeotropic mixture exhibits a constant maxi-

azimuth angle indicator n: see riser angle

indicator.

azimuth angle indicator

B abbr: bottom of ; used in drilling reports.

babbitt n: metal alloy, either tin-based or
lead-based, used primarily in friction
bearings.
backbarrier complex n: the depositional
environments associated with a shallow
lagoon shoreward from a coastal barrier
island.
These environments are highly
variable and may include tidal channels, salt
marshes, shell reefs, and mangrove swamps,
among others.
back emf n: voltage induced in the armature
of a motor by the magnetic field in which it is
turning. Also called counter emf. See
electromotive force.
backfilling n: the technique for covering a
completed pipeline so that adequate fill
materal is provided underneath the pipe as
well as above it. Backfilling prevents pipe
damage caused by loose rock, abrasion,
shifting, and washouts.
background gas n: in drilling operations, gas
that returns to the surface with the drilling
mud in measurable quantities but does not
cause a kick. Increases in background gas
may indicate that the well is about to kick or
has kicked.
backhaul n: a transport of gas by
displacement against the flow on a single
pipeline, so that the gas is redelivered
upstream of its point of receipt.
backhoe n: an excavating machine fitted with
a hinged arm to which is rigidly attacheda
bucket that is drawn toward the machine in
operation.
The backhoe is used for
excavating and for clearing blasted rock out
of the ditch during ditching and pipe laying.
back-in n: an option right reserved by the
granting company of a farmout to convert an
overriding royalty to a working interest once
the conditions for such back-in have been
met. Compare election at casing point.
back-in unit n: a portable servicing or
workover rig that is self-propelled, using the
hoisting engines for motive power. Because
the driver's cab is mounted on the end
opposite the mast support, the unit must be
backed up to the wellhead. See carrier rig,
drive-in unit.
back off v: the procedure whereby one
threaded piece (such as a pipe) is unscrewed
from another.
back-off connector n: see washover backoff connector.
back-off joint n: a section of pipe with lefthand threads on one end and conventional
right-hand threads on the other. In setting a
liner, a back-off joint is attached to it so that

the drill pipe may be disengaged from the

liner by conventional right-hand rotation.
back-off wheel n: see wheel-type back-off
wrench.
backout v: to overcome the positive
electrical potentials of anodic areas in
cathodic protection systems.
back-pressure n: 1. the pressure maintained
on equipment or systems through which a
fluid flows 2. in reference to engines, a term
used to describe the resistance to the flowof
exhaust gas through the exhaust pipe. 3. the
operating pressure level measured downstream from a measuring device4.
back-pressure valve n: 1. a valve used to
regulate back-pressure on equipment or
systems through which a fluid flows. 2. a
valve used to regulate automatically a
uniform pressure on the inlet side of the
valve.
backshore n: that part of the seashore that
lies between high-tide and storm-flood level.
back up v: to hold one section of an object
such as pipe while another section is being
screwed into or out of it.
backup element n: a metal sealing ring on
either side of the center packing element of
an annular blowout preventer to limit the
packer's extrusion.
backup ring n: a cylindrical ring employed to
back up (or assist) a sealing member against
extrusion under temperature and pressure.
backup tongs n pl: the tongs latched on the
drill pipe joint hanging in the totary by the
slips, used to keep the pipe from turning as
the makeup or breakout tongs (the lead
tongs) apply torque to make up or break out
the tightened tool joint connection. Compare
lead tongs.
backup wrench n: any wrench used to hold
a pipe or a blot to prevent its turning while
another length of pipe or a nut is being
screwed into or out of it.
backwash v: to reverse the flow of fluid from
a water injection well to get rid of sediment
that has clogged the wellbore.
BACT
abbr:
best-available
control
technology.
bacteria n pl: a large, widely distributed
group of typically one-celled microorganisms. See anaerobic bacteria, sulfate
reducing bacteria.
bactericide n: anything that destroys
bacteria.
bad oil n: oil that contains a sufficient
amount of sediment and water to make it
unaccetable to a pipeline or other oil
transportation system.
baffle plate n: 1. a partial restriction,
generally a plate, placed to change the

13

direction, guide the flow, or promote mixing

within a tank or vessel. 2. a device that is
seated on the bit pin, in a tool joint, or in a
drill pipe float, to centralize the lower end of a
go-devil while permitting the bypass of drilling
fluid.
bag filter n: on an engine, a bag-shaped
piece made of cotton or fiber cloth that fits
into a special holder in the fuel system piping.
Fuel is circulated through the bag, which
removes foreign matter from the fuel.
baguio n: a tropical cyclone in the
Philippines. Also called baruio.
bail n: a cylindrical steel bar (similar to the
handle or bail of a bucket, only much larger)
that supports the swivel and connects it to
the hook. Sometimes, the two cylindrical
bars that support the elevators and attach
them to the hook are called bails or links. v:
to recover bottomhole fluids, samples, or drill
cuttings by lowering a cylindrical vessel
called a bailer to the bottom of a well, filling it,
and retrieving it.

bailer

bailer n: a long, cylindrical container fitted

with a valve at its lower end, used to remove
water, sand, mud, drilling cuttings, or oil from
a well in cable-tool drilling.
bailing v: the operation of cleaning mud
cuttings and other material from the bottom of
the well bore with a bailer.
bailing drum n: the reel around which the
bailing line is wound. See bailing line.
bailing line n: the cable attached to a bailer,
passed over a sheave at the top of the
derrick, and spooled on a reel.
bail pin n: a large steel dowel (pin) that
attaches the swivel's bail to the swivel's body.
Normally, swivels have two bail pins, one for
each side of the bail where it attaches to the
body. See bail.
bail throat n: the inside curve in the
swivel's bail where the bail hangs from the
travelling block's hook. See bail.
balance point n: the point at which enough
pipe has been snubbed into the hole to allow
the pipe's weight to overcome the upward
force of well pressure. See snubbing,
stripping in.
bail n: a spherical object that, when pumped
down the hole, operates certain hydraulic
tools.
bail-and-seat valve n: a device used to
restrict fluid flow to one direction. It consists
of a polished sphere, or ball, usually of metal,
and an annular piece, the seat, ground and
polished to form a seal with the surface of the
ball. Gravitational force or the force of a
spring holds the ball against the seat. flow in
the direction of the force is pre- vented, while
flow in the opposite direction overcomes the
force and unseats the ball.
ballast n: 1. for ships, water taken on board
into specific tanks to permit proper angle of
repose of the ve.'lSe1 in the water, and to
assure structural stability. 2. for mobile offshore drilling rigs, weight added to make the
rig more seaworthy, increase its draft, or
submerge it to the seafloor. Seawater is
usually used for ballast, but sometimes
concrete or iron is also used to lower the rig's
centre of gravity permanently.
ballast control n: the act of maintaining a
floating offshore drilling rig on even keel,
regardless of weather or load conditions.
ballasted condition n: the condition of a
floating offshore drilling rig when ballast has
been added.
ballast engineer n: on a semi submersible
drilling rig, the person responsible for
maintaining the rig's stability under all
weather and load conditions.
ballast leg n: see ballast movement.

14

ballast movement n: a voyage or voyage leg

made without any paying cargo in the
vessel's tanks. To maintain proper stability,
trim, or draft, seawater is usually carried
during such movements. Also called ballast
leg or ballast passage.
ballast passage n: see ballast movement.
ballast tank n: any shipboard tank or tanker
compartment normally used for carrying
saltwater ballast. When these compartments
or tanks are not connected with the cargo
system, they are called segregated ballast
tanks or systems.
ball bearing n: a bearing in which a finely
machined shaft (a journal) turns on freely
rotating hardened-steel spheres that roll
easily within a groove or track (a race) and
thus convert sliding friction into rolling friction.
See ball race.
ball catcher n: a cylindrical tube placed
around the retrieving neck of a retrievable
bridge plug to catch debris or frac balls.
ball cock n: a device for regulating the level
of fluid in a tank. It consists of a valve
connected to a hollow floating ball that, by
rising or falling, shuts or opens the valve.
balled-up bit n: see ball up.
ballistic prover n: see small-volume prover.
ball joint n: see flex joint.
ball mill n: a hollow drum that contains
material to be ground or pulverised, heavy
steel or ceramic balls, and a liquid such as
water. The drum is rolled or agitated so that
the balls crush or polish the material as they
roll about.
ball-mill v: to use a ball mill to grind, polish,
or pulverise metal or stone particles.
balloon v: in reference to tubing under the
effects of temperature changes, sucker rod
pumping, or high internal pressure, to
increase in diameter while decreasing in
length. Compare reverse-balloon.
ball-out v: to plug open perforations by using
ball sealers.
ball race n: a track, channel, or groove in
which ball bearings turn.
ball sealers n pi: balls made of nylon, hard
rubber, or both and used to shut off
perforations through which excessive fluid is
being lost.
ball up v: 1. to collect a mass of sticky
consolidated material, usually drill cuttings,
on drill pipe, drill collars, bits, and so forth.
A bit with such material attached to it is
called a balled-up bit. Balling up is
frequently the result of inadequate pump
pressure or insufficient drilling fluid. 2. in
reference to an anchor, to fail to hold on a
soft bottom, pulling out, instead, with a
large ball of mud attached.
ball valve n: a flow-control device
employing a ball with a rotating mechanism
to open or close the tubing.

banana peel n: a thin sheet of steel

created when a washover pipe's rotary
shoe grinds into the casing and mills a
portion of the casing. It can be prevented
by selecting a shoe diameter that is much
smaller than the diameter of the casing but
is still of adequate diameter to remove the
material that is sticking the fish.
bank draft n: see draft.
bar v: to move or turn (as a flywheel) with a
bar used as a lever.
barefoot completion n: see open-hole
completion.
barge n: 1. a flat-decked, shallow-draft
vessel, usually towed by a boat. Barges are
not self-propelled. They are used to transport
oil or products on rivers, lakes, and inland
waterways. Also, a complete drilling rig may
be assembled on a barge and the vessel
used for drilling wells in lakes and in inland
waters and marshes. Similarly, well service
and workover equipment can be mounted on
a barge. 2. an offshore drilling vessel built in
the shape of a ship. Unlike a ship, however, it
is not self-propelled. Also called a drill barge.

baric wind law n: see Buys-Ballots law.

barite n: barium sulphate, BaSO4; a mineral
frequently used to increase the weight or
density of drilling mud. Its relative density is
4.2 (i.e., it is 4.2 times denser than water).
See barium sulphate, mud.
barium sulphate n: a chemical compound of
barium, sulphur, and oxygen (BaS4), which
may form a tenacious scale that is very
difficult to remove. Also called barite.
barograph n: an aneroid barometer that
continuously records atmospheric pressure
values on a graph or chart.
barometer n: an instrument for measuring
atmospheric
pressure.
See
aneroid
barometer, mercury barometer.

barometric pressure

barometric pressure n: see atmospheric

pressure.
barrel (bbl) n: 1. a measure of volume for
petroleum products in die United States. {A)e
barrel is the equivalent of 42 US gallons or
0.15899 cubic meters (9,702 cubic inches).
One cubic metre equals 6.2897 barrels. 2.
the cylindrical part of a sucker rod pimp in
whid1 the piston like plunger moves up and
down. Operating as a piston inside a cylinder,
the plunger and ~I create pressure energy to
lift well fluid to the surface.
barrel compressor n: a special type of
centrifugal compressor with a barrel-shaped
housing.
barrel equivalent n: a laboratory unit used
for evaluating or testing drilling fluids. One
gram of material, when added to 350
millilitres of fluid, is equivalent to 1 pound of
material added to one 42-gallon barrel of
fluid.
barrel-mile n: a unit of measure for pipeline
shipment of oil or liquid product that signifies
1 barrel moved 1 mile.
barrel reamer n: in pipeline construction, a
cylindrical device fitted on both ends with
hollow cutting teeth, used in directionally
drilled river crossings. Used during the p111back portion of a crossing effort, the barrel
reamer opens the hole and keeps the pull on
course.
barrels per day (bpd) n: in the United
States, a measure of the rate of flow of a
well; the total amount of oil and other fluid
produced or processed per day.
barring n: turning over an engine by hand. A
solid-steel rod (a bar) is inserted into special
holes in the engine's flywheel. By lifting up or
pressing down on the bar, the flywheel can
be turned, which rotates the pistons in the
cylinders. Barring is used as a precautionary
measure before starting an engine that has
not been run in some time.
bar sand n: reservoir rock formed from a
mass of sand, gravel, or alluvium deposited
on the bed of a stream, sea, or lake by waves
and currents.
baruio n: see baguio.
baryte n: variation of barite. See barite.
basalt n: an extrusive igneous rock that is
dense, fine grained, and often dark gray to
black. Compare gabbro.
base n: a substance capable of reacting with
an acid to form a salt. A typical base is
sodium hydroxide (caustic), with the chemical
formula NaOH. For example, sodium
hydroxide combines with hydrochloric acid to
form sodium chloride (a salt) and water. This

15

reaction is written chemically as NaOH + HCl

-+ NaCI + H2O.
base abstract n: an abstract of title that
contains full and complete copies of all
recorded instruments from the sovereignty of
the soil to the date the same is completed as
set forth in the abstractor's certificate.
base exchange n: the replacement of cations associated with a clay surface by those
of another element, e.g., the conversion of
sodium clay to calcium clay.
base gas n: the volume of gas needed as
permanent inventory to maintain adequate
underground storage reservoir pressures and
deliverability rates throughout the withdrawal
season.
base line n: I. the fore and aft reference line
at the upper surface of the flat plate keel at
the centre line for flush shell plate vessels. 2.
the thickness of the garboard strake above
that level for vessels having lap seam shell
plating.
base load n: as applied to gas, a given sendout of gas remaining fairly constant over a
period of time and usually not temperature
sensitive. For example, residential base load
is a given send-out of gas consumed by
clothes dryers, water heaters, and in cooking.
base map n: horizontal representation of
nongeologic surface features such as
streams, roads, buildings, survey benchmarks, and property lines.
basement rock n: igneous or metamorphic
rock, which seldom contains petroleum.
Ordinarily, it lies below sedimentary rock.
When it is encountered in drilling, the well is
usually abandoned.
base metal n: 1. any of the reactive metals at
the lower end of the electrochemical series.
2. metal to which cladding or plating is
applied.
base pressure n: the pressure exerted by a
specific number of molecules contained in a
specific volume (usually I cubic foot) at a
specific temperature. Base pressure is a
factor used in calculating gas volume.
Standard base pressure varies from state to
state. In Texas, for example, base pressure
is 14.73 psia at 6().F. In Louisiana, base
pressure is 15.025 psia at 6()F.
base price II: the value of natural gas, usually
at the wellhead, before any imposition of
taxes, gathering, compression, or other
charges, as stated in a gas sales contract.
basicity II: pH value above 7 and the ability to
neutralise or accept protons from .:ids.
basic sediment n: see sediment.
basic sediment and water (BS&W) n: see
sediment and water (S& W).
basin n: 1. a local depression in the earth's
crust in which sediments can accumulate to

batch treatment

form thick sequences of sedimentary rock. 2.

the area drained by a stream and its
tributaries. 3. a geologii: structure in which
strata are inclined toward a common centre.
basket n: a device placed in the drill or work
string that catches debris when a drillable
object is being milled or drilled downhole.
basket
grapple n:
an expandable,
cylindrically shaped gripping mechanism that
is fitted into an overshot to retrieve fish from
the borehole. See grapple.
basket hitch n: in crane operations, a
method of attaching a sling to a load in which
both ends of the sling are passed under the
load and then attached to the crane's hook.
basket sub n: a fishing accessory run above
a bit or a mill to recover small, nondrillable
pieces of metal or junk in a well.
batch n: 1. a specific quantity of material that
is processed, treated. or used in one
operation. 2. in corrosion control, a quantity
of chemical corrosion inhibitors injected into
the lines of a production system. 3. in oilwell
cementing, a part of the total quantity of
cement to be used in a well. 4. in pipelining, a
quantity of one weight or type of crude or
liquid product pumped next to one of different
weight or type.
batch cementing n: in oilwell cementing, the
pumping of cement in partial amounts, or
batches, as contrasted with pumping it all in
one operation.
batching n: in pipelining, the pumping of a
quantity of crude or product of one weight
next to one of different weight or type.
Usually, a small amount of mixing occurs
where the two batches come in contact.
batching sphere n: a large rubber ball
placed in a pipeline to separate batches and
prevent mixing.
batch mixer n: a cement-mixing system in
which dry cement and water are blended by a
stream of air. The primary disadvantages are
uneven mixing and volume limitations.
batch treating n: the process by which a
single quantity of crude oil emulsion is broken
into oil and water. The emulsion is gathered
and stored in a tank or container prior to
treating. Compare flow-line treating.
batch treatment n: in corrosion control, the
injection of a quantity of chemical corrosion
inhibitors into the lines of a production
system, usually on a regular schedule.

bath

bath n: liquid placed in a container and held

at a controlled temperature to regulate the
temperature of any system placed in it or
passing through it.
battery n: 1. an installation of identical or
nearly identical pieces of equipment (such as
a tank battery or a battery of meters). 2. an
electricity storage device.
Baume gravity n: specific gravity as
measured by the Baume scale. Two arbitrary
scales are employed: one for liquids lighter
than water and the other for liquids heavier
than water. This scale is also used to
describe the density of acid solutions.
Baume scale n: either of two arbitrary
scales-one for liquids lighter than water and
the other for liquids heavier than water-that
indicates specific gravity in degrees.
bbl abbr: barrel.
bbV acre-ft abbr: barrels per acre-foot. bbVd
abbr: barrels per day.
Bcf abbr: billion cubic feet.
Bcf/d abbr: billion cubic feet per day.
b/d abbr: barrels per day; often used in
drilling reports.
BID abbr: barrels per day.
BOC abbr: bottom dead centre
beam n: (1) the extreme width (breadth) of
the hull of a ship or mobile offshore drilling
rig. (2) a walking beam. See walking beam.
beam-balanced pumping unit n: a beam
pumping unit that has a counterbalance
weight on the walking beam.
beam counterbalance n: the weights on a
beam pumping unit installed on the end of
the walking beam, which is opposite the end
over the well. The counterbalance offsets, or
balances, the weight of sucker rods and other
downhole equipment installed in the well.
beam pumping unit n: a machine designed
specifically for sucker rod pumping. An
engine or motor (prime mover) is mounted on
the unit to power a rotating crank. The crank
moves a horizontal member (walking beam)
up and down to produce reciprocating
motion. This reciprocating motion operates
the pump. Compare pump jack.
beam well n: a well whose fluid is being lifted
by rods and pump actuated by a beam
pumping unit.
bean n: a nipple or restriction placed in a line
(a pipe) to reduce the rate of flow of fluid
through the line. Beans are frequently placed
in Christmas trees to regulate the flow of
fluids corning out of the well. Also called a
flow bean. See Christmas tree.

16

bearing n: 1. an object, surface, or point that

supports. 2. a machine part in which another
part (such as a journal or pin) turns or slides.
bearing cap n: a device that is fitted around
a bearing to hold or immobilise it.
bearing pin n: a machined extension around
which are placed bit bearings.
Beaufort scale n: a numerical ranking
system that provides an estimate of the force
of wind and the height of waves. Higherscale values correlate with higher forces.
bed n: a specific layer of earth or rock that
presents a contrast to other layers of different
material lying above, below, or adjacent to it.
bedding plane n: the surface that separates
each successive layer of a stratified rock
from the preceding layer. It is here that minor
changes in sediments or depositional
conditions can be observed.
bed load n: the gravel and coarse sand that
are rolled and bounced along the bottom of a
flowing stream. Compare dissolved load,
suspended load.
bedrock n: solid rock just beneath the soil.
belching n: slang. See flow by heads.
bell v: to flare the end of a cylindrical object
so that it resembles the bottom of a bell.
belled box n: a tool joint box which has been
subjected to a torque which has resulted in
permanent enlargement of the box diameter.
This normally occurs adjacent to the box
sealing shoulder.
bell hole n: a hole shaped like a bell, larger
at the top than at the bottom. A bell hole may
be dug beneath a pipeline to allow access for
workers and tools.
bell nipple n: a short length of pipe (a nipple)
installed on top of the blowout preventer. The
top end of the nipple is flared, or belled, to
guide drill tools into the hole and usually has
side connections for the fill line and mud
return line.
bellows n pi: a pressure-sensing element of
cylindrical shape whose walls contain
convolutions that cause the length of the
bellows to change when pressure is applied.
bellows meter n: see orifice meter.
belt n: a flexible band or cord connecting and
wrapping around each of two or more pulleys
to transmit power or impart motion.
belt guard n: a protective grill or cover for a
belt and pulleys.
benchmark n: a marking on the pin and the
box of a tool joint that gauges the amount of
metal that can be safely removed when
dressing (facing) the pin or box shoulder.

benzene ring

benchmark price n: the price per barrel of

certain crude oils such as West Texas
intermediate and North Sea Brent, which
serves as an indicator of worldwide oil prices.
bending load pressure n: the force created
on an object by applying the weight of another object so that the weight bends or
tends to bend the first object.
bending stress n: in crane operations,
stress that is imposed on the wires making
up a wire rope's strand or on the wire rope
itself when the wire rope is bent or curved.
Bendix n: the brand name for a type of
friction clutch in an electric starter for small
engines. When electric current is applied to
the starter, the friction clutch (the Bendix)
moves forward to engage a pinion gear on
the starter with a ring gear on the engine
flywheel. As the starter's pinion rotates, it
rotates the ring gear, which moves the
flywheel to turn the engine over.
bends n: a highly painful and potentially fatal
condition in which air or other breathable
gases come out of solution in the bloodstream and cause distress or death. So
named because the bending joints of the
body are most often affected. Also called
decompression sickness.
bent housing n: a special housing for the
positive-displacement downhole mud motor,
which is manufactured with a bend of 10 to
30 to facilitate directional drilling.
bentonite n: a colloidal clay, composed
primarily of montmorillonite, that swells when
wet. Because of its gel-forming properties,
bentonite is a major component of waterbase drilling muds. See gel, mud.
bentonite extenders n pi: a group of
polymers that can maintain or increase the
viscosity of bentonite while flocculating other
clay solids in the mud. With bentonite
extenders, desired viscosity can often be
maintained using only half the amount of
bentonite that would otherwise be required.
bent sub n: a short cylindrical device
installed in the drill stem between the bottom
most drill collar and a downhole motor. Its
purpose is to deflect the downhole motor off
vertical to drill a directional hole. See drill
stem.
benzene n: C6H6' colourless, volatile,
flammable toxic liquid aromatic hydrocarbon
used as a solvent and as a motor fuel.
benzene ring n: the structural arrangement
of atoms believed to exist in benzene.

bequeath

bequeath v: to make a gift of personal

property by means of a will. Compare devise.
Bernoulli's theorem n: a mathematical
expression of the conservation of energy in
streamline flow; the theorem states that the
sum of the ratio of the pressure to the mass
density, the product of the gravitational
constant and the vertical height. and the
square of the velocity divided by 2 are
constant.
best-available control technology (BACT)
n: an air emission standard of technology
determined by the states on a case-by-case
basis. The BACT is applied in attainment
areas that meet or exceed NAAQS. and
states can consider cost and economic
impact when determining exactly what the
BACT is and how it will be applied in a
specific case.
beta particle n: one of the extremely small
particles, sometimes called rays, emitted
from the nucleus of a radioactive substance
such as radium or uranium as it disintegrates.
Beta particles have a negative charge.
beta ratio ( ) n: measure of the relationship
of the size of the pipe through which fluid is
flowing and the size of a restriction, such as
an orifice.
bevel gear n: one of a pair of toothed wheels
whose working surfaces are inclined to nonparallel axes.
BFPH abbr: barrels of fluid per hour; used in
drilling reports.
BRA abbr: bottomhole assernbly.
bhhp abbr: bit hydraulic horsepower.
bhp abbr: brake horsepower.
BHP abbr: bottomhole pressure.
BHT abbr: bottomhole temperature.
bias drilling n: see directional drilling.
Big Inch n: the first cross-country pipeline
with a 24-inch (61-centimetre) diameter. The
1,340-mile (2,157 -kilometre) Big Inch was
begun in 1942 with government financing as
a part of an emergency construction program
(War Emergency Pipelines) to meet the
demand for petroleum products during World
War II.
big-inch pipe n: thin-walled pipe of high
tensile strength with a diameter of 20 inches
(51 centimetres) or more.
bilge radius n: the radius of the rounded
portion of a vessel's shell that connects the
bottom to the sides.
billet n: a solid steel cylinder used to produce
seamless casing. The billet is pierced
lengthwise to form a hollow tube that is
shaped and sized to produce the casing.
bill of lading n: a document by which the
master of a ship acknowledges having
received in good order and condition (or the
reverse) certain specified goods consigned
by a particular shipper, and binds himself or
herself to deliver them in similar condition,
unless the perils of the sea, fire, or enemies
prevent it, to the consignees of the shippers

17

at the point of destination on their paying the

stipulated freight.
biochemical
adj:
involving
chemical
reactions in living organisms.
biofacies n: a part of a stratigraphic unit that
differs in its fossil fauna and flora from the
rest of the unit.
biogenic adj: produced by living organisms.
bioherm n: a reef or mound built by small
organisms and their remains, such as coral,
plankton, and oysters. Originally a waveresistant coral structure served as an anchor
for calcareous debris that formed limestone.
It was tectonically submerged, or the sea
level rose faster than the corals could build it,
and it was eventually buried beneath marine
shales. A bioherm is often porous enough to
hold large accumulations of hydrocarbons,
especially if it has been dolomitized. A
bioherm is a stratigraphic trap.
biomass n: the total mass of living
organisms per unit volume per unit of time.
bioremediation n: I. the process of breaking
down organic wastes with microbes. Bacteria
that are naturally present in the environment
use microbial enzymes to break down die
materials into a soluble form that passes
through the cell walls of the bacteria. The
bacteria metabolise d1e material and convert
it into components d1at are more readily
assimilated in d1e environment, such as
water or carbon dioxide (i.e., a gardener's
compost pile). 2. the creation of engineered
and managed conditions to boost natural
bioremediation processes. Nutrients are
added to stimulate the bacteria naturally
present in the waste. Oxygen ari1 pH levels
are adjusted for maximum effectiveness, and,
if conditions are right, the bacteria grow in
large numbers and break down the
hydrocarbons much more rapidly than with
natural bioremediation. In cases in which the
necessary bacteria are not already present in
the waste, suppliers can provide diem along
with die appropriate nutrients.
biosphere n: the thin zone of air, water, and
soil where all terrestrial life exists.
biota n pi: the animals, plants, fungi, etc., of a
region or period.
biotic adj: relating to life, biologic; relating to
the actions of living organisms.
biotite n: a type of mica that is high in
magnesium and dark in colour.
birdcage n: a wire rope that has been
flattened and the strands of which have been
spread. v: to flatten and spread the strands of
a wire rope.
birdcaged adj: see wickered.
birdcaged wire n: wire rope used for hoisting
that has had its wires distorted into the shape
of a birdcage by a sudden release of load.
bird-dog v: to supervise another too closely

bit dresser

bit n: the cutting or boring element used in

drilling oil and gas wells. The bit consists of a
cutting element and a circulating element.
The cutting element is steel teeth, tungsten
carbide buttons, industrial diamonds, or
polycrystalline diamonds (PDCs). The
circulating element permits the passage of
drilling fluid and utilises the hydraulic force of
the fluid stream to improve drilling rates. In
rotary drilling, several drill collars are joined
to the bottom end of the drill pipe column,
and the bit is attached to the end of the drill
collars.
bit breaker n: a special device that fits into a
bit breaker adapter (a plate that goes into the
rotary table) and conforms to the shape of
the bit. Rig workers place the bit to be made
up or broken out of the drill stem into the bit
breaker and lock the rotary table to hold the
bit breaker and bit stationary so that they can
tighten or loosen the bit.
bit breaker adapter n: a heavy plate that fits
into the rotary table and holds the bit breaker;
a device used to hold the bit while it is being
made up or broken out of the drill stem.
bit cone n: on a roller cone bit, a coneshaped steel device from which the
manufacturer either mills or forges steel
teeth, or into which the manufacturer inserts
tungsten carbide buttons. Most roller cone
bits have three cones, which roll, or rotate, on
bearings as the bit rotates. As the cones roll
over the formation, the cutters on the cone
scrape or gouge the formation to remove the
rock.
bit cutter n: the cutting elements of a bit.
bit dresser n: 1. a member of a cable-tool
drilling crew who repairs bits. 2. a machine
used to repair, sharpen, and gauge bits.

bit drift

bit drift n: the tendency of the bit to move

other than vertically, caused by an interaction
between the rotation of the bit and the
varying resistance of the formation being
drilled.
bit gauge n: a circular ring used to determine whether a bit is of the correct outside
diameter. Bit gauges are often used to
determine whether the bit has been worn
down to a diameter smaller than
specifications allow; such a bit is described
as undergauge.
bit hydraulic horsepower n: the measure of
hydraulic power expended through the bit
nozzles for cleaning the bit cutters and the
hole bottom.
bit matrix n: on a diamond bit, the material
(usually powdered and fused tungsten
carbide) into which the diamonds are set.
bit nozzle n: see nozzle.
bit pin n: the threaded element at the top of
a bit that allows it to be made up in a drill
collar or other component of the drill stern.
bit program n: a plan for the expected
number and types of bits that are to be used
in the drilling of a well. The bit program takes
into account all the factors that affect bit
performance so that reliable cost calculations
can be made.
bit record n: a report that lists each bit used
during a drilling operation, giving the type, the
footage it drilled. the formation it penetrated,
its condition, and so on.
bit shank n: the threaded portion of the top
of the bit that is screwed into the drill collar.
Also called the pin.
bit sub n: a sub inserted between the drill
collar and the bit. See sub.
bitumastic material n: a compound of
asphalt and filler that is used to coat metals
exposed to corrosion or weathering.
bitumen n: a substance of dark to black
colour consisting almost entirely of carbon
and hydrogen with very little oxygen,
nitrogen, or sulphur. Bitumens occur naturally
and can also be obtained by chemical
decomposition.
bituminous shale n: see oil shale.
bit walk n: the tendency of the bit to drill in
the direction of rotation in an inclined hole;
e.g., a right-rotating bit walks to the right
bit whirl n: the motion a bit makes when it
does not rotate around its centre but instead
drills with a spiral motion. It usually occurs to
a bit drilling in a soft or medium soft formation
when the driller does not apply enough
weight or does not rotate the bit fast enough.
A whirling bit drills an overgauge hole (a hole
larger than the diameter of the bit) and
causes the bit to wear abnormally.
bl abbr: black; used in drilling reports. black
granite n: see diorite.
blackout n: the total loss of power on a
drilling rig or production facility
blank casing n: casing without perforations.

18

blanket gas n: a gas phase above a liquid

phase in a vessel. It is placed there to protect
the liquid from contamination, to reduce the
hazard of detonation, or to pressure the
liquid. The gas has a source outside of the
vessel.
blank flange n: a solid disk used to deadend, or close off, a companion flange.
blanking plug n: a plug used to cut of flow of
liquid.
blank joint n: a heavy wall sub placed in the
tubing string opposite flowing perforations.
blank liner n: liner with no perforations.
blank off v: to close off (as with a blank flange
or bull plug).
blank pipe n: pipe, usually casing, with no
perforations.
blasthole drilling n: the drilling of holes into
the earth for the purpose of placing a blasting
charge (such as dynamite) in them. blasting
n: see shooting rock.
blasting mats n pi: coverings used to
contain flying debris and rock caused by the
use of explosives during pipeline ditching.
blast joint n: a tubing sub made of abrasionresistant material. It is used in a tubing string
where high-velocity flow through perforations
may cause external erosion.
bld abbr: bailed; used in drilling reports.
bleed v: to drain off liquid or gas, generally
slowly, through a valve called a bleeder. To
bleed down, or bleed off, means to release
pressure slowly from a well or from
pressurised equipment.
bleeder valve n: a special valve used to
bleed pressure slowly from a line or vessel.
Also called a blow-down valve.
bleed line n: a pipe through which pressure
is bled, as from a pressurised tank, vessel, or
other pipe.
blending stock n: a petroleum product that
is mixed, or blended, with another petroleum
product.
blend sample n: a representative sample
taken from any suitable JX>int in a tank. or
from a tank side sample connection after
mixing the tank contents and before any
significant separation of phases bas
occurred.
blind n: a circular metal disk installed in a
pipeline to prevent flow by fastening it
between flanges. v: to close a line to prevent
flow.
blind drilling n: a drilling operation in which
the drilling fluid is not returned to the surface;
rather. it flows into an under- ground
formation.
Sometimes
blind-drilling
techniques are resorted to when lost
circulation occurs.
blind ram n: an integral part of a blowout
preventer. which serves as the closing
element on an open hole. Its ends do not fit
around the drill pipe but seal against each
other and shut off the space below
completely. See ram.

block and bleed valve

blind ram preventer n: a blowout preventer

in which blind rams are the closing elements.
See blind ram.
blizzard box n: a housing built around
controls on equipment that is sensitive to
cold. such as heater-treaters.
BLM abbr: Bureau of Land Management.
block n: any assembly of pulleys on a
common framework; in mechanics. one or
more pulleys. or sheaves. mounted to rotate
on a common axis. The crown block is an
assembly of sheaves mounted on beams at
the top of the derrick or mast. The drilling line
is reeved over the sheaves of the crown
block alternately with the sheaves of the
travelling block. which is hoisted and lowered
in the derrick or mast by the drilling line.
When elevators are attached to a hook on a
conventional travelling block. and when drill
pipe is latched in the elevators. the pipe can
be raised or lowered in the derrick or mast.
See crown block, travelling block.

block and bleed valve n: a high-integrity

valve with double seals and with provision for
determining whether either seal leaks.

block billing

block billing n: FERC proposal calling for

separation of old and new gas into blocks. or
batches. for interstate sales and shipping.
block diagram n: a three-dimensional
perspective view of a cube. or block. of earth.
It is developed from cross sections of the
area.
block squeeze n: a technique in squeeze
cementing in which (1) the zone below the
producing interval is perforated and a high
pressure squeeze carried out; (2) the zone
the producing interval is perforated and
squeezed off in a similar manner; (3) the hole
is drilled out; and (4) the producing interval is
perforated. The purpose of block squeezing
is to isolate the producing interval and
prevent communication with the sand
immediately above and below the producing
interval.
block valve n: a valve that completely shuts
off flow of a fluid. It is usually either
completely open or completely closed.
blooey line n: the discharge pipe from a wen
being drilled by air drilling. The blooey line is
used to conduct the air or gas used for
circulation away from the rig to reduce the
fire hazard as well as to transport the cuttings a suitable distance from the wen. See
air drilling.
bloom n: the colour of fluorescent light
exhibited by some oils when viewed by
reflected light. This usually differs from the
colour as seen by transmitted light.
blow v: 1. to supercharge an engine. See
supercharge. 2. to depressure. See
depressure.
blowby n: the percentage of gases that
escape past the piston rings from the
combustion chamber into the crankcase of an
engine.
blow case n: 1. a pressurised device
capable of transferring liquid; sometimes
used to transfer crude oil and water mixtures
if pump agitation would create unwanted
emulsions. 2. a small tank in which liquids
are accumulated and drained by applying gas
or air pressure above the liquid level. Such a
vessel is usually located below a pipeline or
other equipment at a location where an
outside power source is not convenient for
removing the drained liquids. Sometimes
referred to as a drip.
blow down v: to empty or depressure a
vessel. Also called depressure.
bIowdown n: 1. the emptying or
depressurising of material in a vessel. 2. the
material thus discarded.
blowdown period n: that period following the
completion of a cycling or pressure
maintenance operation in a reservoir in which
the remaining gas is produced from the

19

reservoir without being replaced by injected

gas.
blow-down valve n: see bleeder valve.
blown adj: supercharged. See supercharge.
blown oil n: fatty oil the viscosity of which has
been increased by blowing air through it at an
elevated temperature.
blowoff cock n: a device that permits or
arrests a flow of liquid from a receptacle or
through a pipe, faucet. tap, or stop valve.
blowout n: an uncontrolled flow of gas, oil, or
other well fluids into the atmosphere. A
blowout, or gusher, occurs when formation
pressure exceeds the pressure applied to it
by the column of drilling fluid. A kick warns of
an impending blowout. See kick.
blowout preventer n: one of several valves
installed at the wellhead to prevent the
escape of pressure either in the annular
space between the casing and the drill pipe
or in open hole (i.e., hole with no drill pipe)
during drilling or completion operations.
Blow- out preventers on land rigs are located
beneath the rig at the land's surface; on
jackup or platform rigs, at the water's surface;
and on floating offshore rigs, on the seafloor.
See annular blowout preventet; ram blowout
preventer:

blowout preventer control panel n:

controls, usually located near the driller's
position on the rig floor, that are manipulated
to open and close the blowout preventers.
See blowout preventer.
blowout preventer control unit n: a device
that stores hydraulic fluid under pressure in
special containers and provides a method to
open and close the blowout preventers
quickly and reliably. Usually, compressed air
and hydraulic pressure provide the opening
and closing force in the unit. See blowout
preventer. Also called an accumulator.
blowout preventer drill n: a training
procedure to determine that rig crews are
familiar with correct operating practices to be
followed in the use of blowout prevention
equipment.

boil weevil

blowout preventer operating and control

system n: See blowout preventer control
unit.
blowout preventer rams n pi: the closing
and sealing components of a preventer.
Corresponds to the gate in the gate valve.
blowout preventer stack n: the assembly of
well-control equipment including preventers.
spools. valves. and nipples connected to the
top of the wellhead.
blowout sticking n: jamming or wedging of
the drill string in the borehole by sand or
shale that is driven uphole by formation fluids
during a blowout.
BLPD abbr: barrels of liquid per day; usually
used in reference to total production of oil
and water from a well.
blue pod n: see hydraulic control pod.
BO abbr: barrels of oil; used in drilling
reports.
bob n: see gaugers bob.
bob-tail plant n: an extraction plant without
fragmentation facilities.
body lock ring n: an internal mechanism
employed in certain tools to lock cones to the
mandrel.
body wave n: transverse or longitudinal
seismic waves transmitted in the interior of
an elastic solid or fluid and not related to a
boundary surface.
boilaway test n: see weathering test.
boiler n: a closed pressure vessel that has a
furnace equipped to bum coal. oil. or gas and
that is used to generate steam from water.
boiler feed water n: water piped into a boiler
from which steam is generated.
boiler fuel n: fuel suitable for generating
steam or hot water in large industrial or
electricity-generating utility applications.
boiler fuel gas n: natural gas used as a fuel
for the generation of steam or hot water.
boiler house v: (slang) to make up or fake a
report.
boiling point n: the temperature at which the
vapour pressure of a liquid becomes equal to
the pressure exerted on the liquid by the
surrounding atmosphere. The boiling point of
water is 212F or 100C at atmospheric
pressure (14.7 pounds per square inch
gauge or 101.325 kilopascals).
boil weevil n: (slang) an inexperienced rig or
oilfield worker; sometimes shortened to
weevil.

boll weevil comer

boll weevil comer n: (slang, obsolete) the

work station of an inexperienced rotary
helper, on the opposite side of the rotary from
the rotary helper who sets pipe back on the
rig floor during trips.
boll weevil hanger n: a tubing hanger.
bomb n: a thick-walled container, usually
steel, used to hold devices that determine
and record pressure or temperature in a
wellbore. See bonomhole pressure.
bomb hanger n: a device set in a tubing
coupling to facilitate the landing of pressure
bombs (recorders).
bond n: the adhering CK joining together of
two materials (as cement to formation). v: to
adhere or to join to another material.
bonnet n: the part of a valve that packs off
and encloses the valve stem.
bonus consideration n: a cash payment by
the lessee for the execution of an oil and gas
lease by the mineral owner; expressed as
dollars per acre. Occasionally, an oil payment
or overriding royalty may be reserved as a
bonus by a lessor in addition to regular
royalty.
boom n: 1. a movable arm of tubular or bar
steel used on some types of cranes or
derricks to support the hoisting lines that
carry the load. 2. floating device used to
contain oil. 3. a period of high activity in the
oil industry.
boom dog n: a ratchet device on a crane
that prevents the boom of the crane from
being lowered but still permits it to be raised.
Also called a boom ratchet.
boomer n: 1. (slang) an oilfield worker who
moves from one centre of activity to another;
a floater or transient. 2. a device used to
tighten chains on a load of pipe or other
equipment on a truck to make it secure.
boom pendant n: the large-diameter wire
rope or the strands that support the boom of
a crane.
boom ratchet n: see boom dog.
boom stop n: the steel projections on a
crane struck by the boom if it is raised too
high or lowered too far.
booster station n: an installation on a
pipeline that maintains or increases pressure
of the fluid corning through the pipeline and
being sent on to the next station or terminal.
booster-type pump n: usually a small pump
mounted upstream of anod1er pump that
charges the fluid being pumped prior to the
fluid's reaching the main pump.
boot n: 1. a tubular device placed in a
vertical position, either inside or outside a
larger vessel, and through which well fluids

20

are conducted before they enter the larger

vessel. A boot aids in the separation of gas
from wet oil. Also called a flume or conductor
pipe. 2. a large pipe connected to a process
tank to provide a static head that can absorb
surges of fluid from the process tank. Also
called surge column.
boot basket n: see junk sub.
boot sub n: a device made up in the drill
stem above the mill to collect bits of junk
ground away during a milling operation.
During milling, drilling mud under high
pressure forces bits of junk up the narrow
space between the boot sub and hole wall.
When the junk reaches the wider annulus
above the boot sub and pressure drops
slightly, the junk falls into the boot sub. A
boot sub also can be run above the bit during
routine drilling to collect small pieces of junk
that may damage the bit or interfere with its
operation. Also called a junk sub or junk boot.
BOP abbr: blowout preventer.
BOPD abbr: barrels of oil per day.
BOPE abbr: blowout preventer equipment.
BOP stack n: the assembly of blowout
preventers installed on a well.
bore n: 1. the inside diameter of a pipe or a
drilled hole. 2. the diameter of the cylinder of
an engine. v: to penetrate or pierce with a
rotary tool. Compare tunnel.
bored crossing n: a hole under a road, railroad, stream, or other obstacle under which a
pipeline must cross. It is created by using an
auger or other type of drill.
borehole n: a hole made by drilling or boring;
a wellbore.
borehole ballooning n: an effect that occurs
when certain shale zones are penetrated by
the wellbore and the pressure exerted by the
drilling mud exceeds the pressure exerted by
the shale. The pressure differential causes
the borehole to flex, or balloon, and the
borehole no longer behaves as a fixed, rigid
cylinder.
borehole-contact log n: any logging device
whose operation depends on a portion of the
logging tool touching the wellbore.
borehole effect n: false influence on well
logging measurement caused by the borehole environment, e.g., diameter, shape,
rugosity, type of fluid, or mud cake.
borehole pressure n: the total pressure
exerted in the wellbore by a column of fluid
and any back-pressure imposed at the
surface.
borings sample n pi: obtained by collecting
the chips made by boring holes with a ship
auger from the top to the bottom of the

bottomhoIe assembly

material contained in a barrel, case, bag, or

cake.
bottled gas n: liquefied petroleum gas
placed in small containers for sale to
domestic customers.
bottleneck n: an area of reduced diameter in
pipe caused by excessive longitudinal strain
or by a combination of longitudinal strain and
the swaging action of a body. A bottleneck
may result if the downward motion of the drill
pipe is stopped with the slips instead of the
brake.
bottleneck elevator n: an elevator that is
bored to match the 18-degree taper of a tool
joint.
bottle test n: a test in which different
chemicals are added to bottle samples of an
emulsion to determine which chemical is the
most effective at breaking the emulsion into
oil and water. Once an effective chemical is
determined, varying amounts of it are added
to bottle samples of the emulsion to
determine the minimum amount required to
break the emulsion effectively.
bottle-type submersible rig n: a mobile
submersible drilling structure constructed of
several steel cylinders or bottles. When the
bottles are flooded, the rig submerges and
rests on bottom; when water is removed from
the bottles, the rig floats. The latest designs
of this type of rig drill in water depths up to
100 feet (30.5 metres). See submersible
drilling rig.
bottom angle n: the angle formed where the
bottom and the side of the oil tank meet.
usually nearly 9()'.
bottom dead centre (BOC) n: the
positioning of the piston at the lowest point
possible in the cylinder of an engine; often
marked on the engine flywheel.
bottom guide wire anchor n: a bar welded
to the bottom of a tank to which guide wires
or cables for the float of an automatic tank
gauge are attached.
bottom hold-down n: a mechanism for
anchoring a bottomhole pump in a well;
located on the lower end of the pump.
Compare top hold-down.
bottomhole n: the lowest or deepest part of
a well. adj: pertaining to the bottom of the
wellbore.
bottomhoIe assembly n: the portion of the
drilling assembly below the drill pipe. It can
be very simple - composed of only the bit and
drill collars - or it can be very complex and
made up of several drilling tools.

bottomhole choke

bottomhole choke n: a device with a

restricted opening placed in the lower end of
the tubing to control the rate of flow. See
choke.
bottomhole contract n: a contract providing
for the payment of money or other
considerations upon the completion of a well
to a specified depth.
bottomhole flow regulator
n: see
bottomhole choke.
bottomhole heater n: an electric heater
screwed onto lengths of tubing and lowered
into the well. It raises the bottomhole
temperature of the well to prevent
solidification of paraffin in subsurface
equipment.
bottomhole letter n: a contract providing for
the payment of money or other C(X1Siderati~
on the completion of a well to a specified
depth, regardless of whether the well is a
producer of oil or gas or is a dry hole.
bottomhole money n: money paid by a
contributing company in exchange for the
information received from the drilling on the
completion of a wen to a specified depth,
regardless of whether the well is a producer
of oil or gas or is a dry hole.
bottomhole packer n: a device, installed
near the bottom of the hole, that blocks passage through the annular space between two
strings of pipe. See packer.
bottomhole plug n: a bridge plug or cement
plug placed near the bottom of the bole to
shut off a depleted, water-producing, or
unproductive zone.
bottomhole pressure n: 1. the pressure at
the bottom of a borehole. It is caused by the
hydrostatic pressure of the wellbore fluid and,
sometimes, by any back-pressure held at the
surface, as when the well is shut in with
blowout preventers. When mud is being
circulated, bottomhole pressure is the
hydrostatic pressure plus the remaining
circulating pressure required to move the
mud up the annulus. 2. the pressure in a well
at a point opposite the producing formation,
as recorded by a bottomhole pressure bomb.
bottomhole pressure bomb n: a pressuretight container (bomb) used to record the
pressure in a well at a point opposite the
producing formation.
bottomhole pressure gauge n: an
instrument to measure bottomhole pressure.
Also called bottomhole pressure bomb.
bottomhole pressure test n: a test that
measures the reservoir pressure of the well,
obtained at a specific depth or at the midpoint of the producing zone. A flowing
bottomhole pressure test measures pressure
while the well continues to flow; a shut-in
bottomhole pressure test measures pressure
after the well has been shut in for a specified
period of time. See bottomhole pressure.
bottomhole pressure gauge.

21

bottomhole pump n: any of the rod pumps,

high-pressure liquid pumps, or centrifugal
pumps located at or near the bottom of the
well and used to lift the well fluids. See
centrifugal
pump.
hydraulic
pumping.
submersible pump. sucker rod pumping.
bottomhole separator n: a device used to
separate oil and gas at the bottom of wells to
increase the volumetric efficiency of the
pumping equipment.
bottomhole temperature n: temperature
measured in a well at a depth at the midpoint of the thickness of the producing zone.
bottom-intake electric submersible pump
n: a submersible pump configuration in which
the pump and die motor sections are
reversed, with the pump intake through a
stinger at the bottom of the unit. It is used
where casing size prohibits the desired
production volume because of tubing friction
loss or pump diameter restriction.
bottom loading pressure n: the pressure
exerted on the bottom hull of a columnstabilised semisubmersible drilling rig when
the hull is submerged to drilling water depth.
bottom plug n: a cement wiper plug that
precedes cement slurry down the casing. The
plug wipes drilling mud off the walls of the
casing and prevents it from contaminating the
cement. See cementing, wiper plug. bottompull method n: an offshore pipeline construction technique in which the pipe
string remains below the surface while it is
towed to its final location.
bottoms n pi: 1. the liquids and the residue
that collect in the bottom of a vessel (such as
tank bottoms) or that remain in the bottom of
a storage tank after a period of service. 2. the
residual fractions remaining at the bottom of
a fractionating tower after lighter components
have been distilled off as vapours.
bottom sample n: in tank sampling, a
sample obtained from the material near the
bottom surface of the tank, container, or line
at a low point.
bottomset bed n: the part of a marine delta
that lies farthest from shore. It consists of silt
and clay extending well out from the toe of
the steep delta face. Such beds grow slowly,
out of reach of most of the effects of river
current and wave action.
bottom sub n: a device run at or near the
bottom of the tubing sting to which production
tools can be attached.
bottoms up n: a complete trip from the
bottom of the wellbore to the top.
bottom-supported offshore drilling rig n: a
type of mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU)
that has a part of its structure in contact with
the seafloor when it is on site and drilling a
well. The remainder of the rig is supported
above the water. The rig can float. however,
allowing it to be moved from one drill site to
another. Bottom-supported units include

box threads

submersible rigs and jack up rigs. See mobile

offshore drilling unit.
bottoms-up time n: the time required for
mud to travel up the borehole from the bit to
the surface.
bottom time n: the total amount of time,
measured in minutes, from the time a diver
leaves the surface until he or she begins the
ascent.
bottom water n: water found below oil and
gas in a producing formation.
bottom-water drive n: see water drive.
bottom water sample n: a spot sample of
free water taken from beneath the petroleum
contained in a ship or barge compartment or
a storage tank.
bottom wiper ping n: a device placed in the
cementing head and run down the casing in
front of cement to clean the mud off the walls
of the casing and to prevent contamination
between the mud and the cement.
bounce dive n: a rapid dive with a very short
bottom time to minimise decompression time.
Bourdon tube n: a pressure-sensing
element consisting of a twisted or curved
tube of noncircular cross section, which tends
to straighten when pressure is applied
internally. By the movements of an indicator
over a circular scale, a Bourdon tube
indicates the pressure applied.
bowl n: in drilling operations, an insert that
fits into the opening of a master bushing and
accommodates the slips.
bowline knot n: a knot used primarily in
lifting heavy equipment with the catline, since
it can be readily tied and untied regardless of
the weight of the load on it.
bow lines n pl: the lines running from the
bow of a mobile offshore drilling rig,
especially the forward mooring lines.
box n: the female section of a connection.
See tool joint.
box and pin n: see tool joint.
box tap n: old-style tap with longitudinal
grooves across the threads. See tap, taper
tap.
box threads n pi: threads on the female
section, or box, of a tool joint. See tool joint.

Boyle's law

Boyle's law n: the principle that states that at

a fixed temperature, the volume of an ideal
gas or gases varies inversely with its
absolute pressure. As gas pressure
increases,
gas
volume
decreases
proportionately.
bpd or BPD abbr: barrels per day.
BPH abbr: barrels per hour; used in drilling
reports.
B-P mix n: a liquefied hydrocarbon product
composed chiefly of butanes and pr0- pane.
If it originates from a refinery, it may also
contain butylenes and propylene.
BPO abbr: before payout; commonly used in
land departments.
brackish water n: water that contains
relatively low concentrations of soluble salts.
Brackish water is saltier than fresh water but
not as salty as salt water.
bradding n: a condition in which the weight
on a bit tooth has been so great that the tooth
has dulled until its softer inner portion caves
over the harder case area.
bradenhead n: (obsolete) casinghead. Glen
T. Braden invented a casinghead in the
1920s that became so popular that all
casingheads were called bradenheads.
bradenhead flange n: a flanged connection
at the top of the oil well casing.
bradenhead gas n: see casinghead gas.
bradenhead squeeze n: a process used to
repair a hole in the casing by pumping
cement down tubing or drill pipe. First. the
casinghead, or bradenhead, is closed to
prevent fluid from moving up the casing.
Then the rig's pumps are started. Pump
pressure moves the cement out of the tubing
or pipe and, since the top of the casing is
closed, the cement goes into the hole in the
casing. The tubing or pipe is pulled from the
well and the cement allowed to harden. The
hardened cement seals the hole in the
casing. Although the term "bradenhead
squeezing" is still used, the term
,."bradenhead" is obsolete. See annular
space. casinghead, squeeze.
braided sling n: in crane operations, a sling
made from a braided wire rope.
braided wire rope n: a rope formed by
plaiting (braiding) several strands of wire
rope.
brake n: a device for arresting the motion of
a mechanism, usually by means of friction. as
in
the
drawworks
brake.
Compare
electrodynamics brake. hydrodynamic brake.
brake band n: a part of the brake
mechanism consisting of a flexible steel band
lined with a material that grips a drum when
tightened. On a drilling rig, the brake band
acts on the flanges of the drawworks drum to
control the lowering of the travelling block
and its load of drill pipe, casing, or tubing.
brake block n: a section of the lining of a
brake band shaped to conform to the

22

curvature of the band and attached to it with

countersunk screws. See brake band.
brake Bange n: the surface on a winch,
drum, or reel to which the brake is applied to
control the movement of the unit by means of
friction.
brake horsepower n: the power produced by
an engine as measured by the force applied
to a friction brake or by an absorption
dynamometer applied to the shaft or the
flywheel.
brake lining n: the part of the brake that
presses on the brake drum. On the drawworks, the circular series of brake blocks are
bolted to the brake bands with counter- sunk
brass bolts; the lining is the frictional, or
gripping, element of a mechanical brake.
brake linkage n: everything from the dead
ends of the brake bands to the brake lever.
brake rider n: (slang) a driller who is said to
rely too heavily on the drawworks brake.
brake rim n: see brake linkage.
braking capacity n: how much weight the
brake can stop in a given length of time.
branch line n: a line, usually a pipe, joined to
and diverging from another line. branded
distributor n: gasoline wholesaler who, under
the supplier's brand name, provides his or
her own financing, transportation, and
storage and who may also retail. brash n: a
mass of ice fragments.
brass running nipple n: a device used in the
flow cross of the Christmas tree as a thread
protector while the rods are being run. Because it is brass, it prevents friction sparks.
breadth n: the greatest overall dimension
measured perpendicular to the longitudinal
centreline of the hull of a mobile offshore
drilling rig. Also called the beam.
break v: to begin or start (e.g., to bleak
circulation or break tour).
breakaway torque n: see starting torque.
break circulation v: to start the mud pump for
restoring circulation of the mud column.
Because the stagnant drilling fluid has
thickened or gelled during the period of no
circulation, high pump pressure is usually
required to break circulation.
breakdown n: 1. a failure of equipment. 2. in
a fracture treatment or a squeeze job, the
failure of formation rock to withstand
pressure, allowing it to rupture. adj:
pertaining to the amount of pressure needed
at the wellhead to rupture the formation in a
fracture treatment or a squeeze job (as in
formation breakdown pressure).
breakdown torque n: the maximum torque
an induction motor will develop as load is
increased, starting from full speed at no load
until the motor begins to stall.
breaker n: a surface wave that has become
too steep to be stable.
breaker plate n: see bit breaker adapter.

breathe

breaker points n: contacts that interrupt the

current in the primary circuit of the ignition
system in a spark-ignition engine.
breaking down v: unscrewing the drill stem
into single joints and placing them 00 the
pipe rack. The operation takes place 00
completion of the well, or in changing from
one size of pipe to another. See lay down
pipe.
breaking strength n: in crane operations,
the amount of load that causes a wire rope or
a sling to fail. Also called actual strength.
Compare minimum acceptance strength.
nominal strength.
break out v: 1. to unscrew one section of
pipe from another section, especially drill
pipe while it is being withdrawn from the
wellbore. During this operation, the tongs are
used to start the unscrewing operation. 2. to
separate, as gas from a liquid or water from
an emulsion.
breakout block n: a heavy plate that fits in
the rotary table and holds the drill bit while it
is being unscrewed from the drill collar. See
bit breaker.
breakout cathead n: a device attached to
the catshaft of the drawworks that is used as
a power source for unscrewing drill pipe;
usually located opposite the driller's side of
the drawworks. See cathead.
breakout tongs n pi: tongs that are used to
start unscrewing one section of pipe from
another section, especially drill pipe coming
out of the hole. Compare makeup tongs. See
also tongs.
breakover n: the change in the chemistry of
a mud from one type to another. Also called
conversion.
break tour (pronounced "tower") v: to
begin operating 24 hours a day. Moving the
rig and rigging up are usually carried on
during daylight hours only. When the rig is
ready for operation at a new location, crews
break tour.
breathe v: to move with a slight, irregular
rhythm. Breathing occurs in tanks of vessels
when vapours are expelled and air is taken
in. For example, a tank of crude oil expands
because of the rise in temperature during the
day and contracts as it cools at night,
expelling vapours as it expands and taking in
air as it contracts. Tubing breathes when it
moves up and down in sequence with a
sucker rod pump.

breather

breather n: a small vent in an otherwise

airtight enclosure for maintaining equality of
pressure inside and outside.
breathing n: see tubing movement.
breathing bag n: part of the semiclosed
circuit breathing apparatus, used to mix gas
and ensure low breathing resistance.
breccia n: a conglomerate rock composed
largely of angular fragments greater than
0.08 inch (2 millimetres) in diameter.
buckling stress n: bending of pipe that may
occur because of hole deviation. Pipe may
bend because of the angle of the hole or because of an abrupt deviation such as a
dogleg.
brecciation n: the breaking of solid rock into
coarse, angular fragments by faulting or
crushing.
Brent n: a major area of oil production in the
British sector of the North Sea.
bridge n: 1. an obstruction in the borehole,
usually caused by the caving in of the well or
the borehole or by the intrusion of a large
boulder. 2. a tool placed in the hole to retain
cement or other material; it may later be
removed, drilled out, or left permanently.
bridge over n: a phenomenon that sometimes occurs when a well blows out. Rocks,
sand, clay, and other debris clog the hole and
stop the blowout.
bridge plug n: a downhole tool, composed
primarily of slips, a plug mandrel, and a
rubber sealing element, that is run and set in
casing to isolate a lower zone while an upper
section is being tested or cemented.
bridge socket n: a forged or cast steel fitting
for a wire rope or a strand. It has a basket
with adjustable bolts that secure rope ends.
bridging materials n pI: the fibrous, flaky, or
granular material added to a cement slurry or
drilling fluid to aid in sealing formations in
which lost circulation has occurred. See lost
circulation, lost circulation material.
bridle n: a cable on a pumping unit, looped
over the horsehead and connected to the
carrier bar to support the polished rod clamp.
See sucker rod pumping.
bridle sling n: in crane operations, a sling
composed of several legs, the tops of which
are gathered in a fitting that goes over the
crane's lifting hook. See leg.
bright oil n: oil that contains little or no
water.
bright spot n: a seismic phenomenon that
shows up on a seismic, or record, section as
a sound reflection that is much stronger than
usual. A bright spot sometimes directly
indicates natural gas in a trap. See record
section.
brine n: water that has a large quantity of
salt, especially sodium chloride, dissolved in
it; salt water.
bring in a well v: to complete a well and put
it on producing status.

23

bring on a well v: to bring a well on-line, that

is, to put it on producing status. British
thermal unit (Btu) n: a measure of heat
energy equivalent to the amount of heat
needed to raise 1 pound of water 1F at or
near its point of maximum density (39.1F).
Equivalent to 0.252 kilogram- calorie or 1,055
joules.
brittleness n: the state of having rigidity but
little tensile strength. Compare toughness.
brkn abbr: broken; used in drilling reports.
broaching n: blowing out of formation fluids
outside the casing and under the rig.
bromine value n: the number of centigrams
of bromine that are absorbed by 1 gram of oil
under certain conditions. This is a test for the
degree of unsaturatedness of a given oil.
Brownian movement n: the random
movement exhibited by microscopic particles
when suspended in liquids or gases. It is
caused by the impact of molecules of fluid
surrounding the particle.
brush n: a carbon block used to make an
electrical connection between the rotor of a
generator or motor and a circuit.
BS&W abbr: basic sediment and water. API
Committee on Petroleum Measurement
prefers simply S&W.
Bscf/d abbr: billion standard cubic feet per
day.
Btu abbr: British thermal unit.
bubble bucket n: a bucket of water into
which air from the drill stem is blown through
a hose during the first low period of a drill
stem test. In drill stem testing, the flow into
the bubble bucket is an easy way to judge
flow and shut-in periods.
bubble cap n: a metal cap, mounted on a
tray, that has openings allowing vapour
bubbles in a gas-processing tower to contact
cool liquids, causing some of the vapour to
condense to liquid.
bubble-cap tray n: a perforated steel tray on
which bubble caps are mounted. Bubble caps
and trays are arranged in bubble towers,
cylindrical vessels set vertically. See sieve
tray. valve tray.

bubble chopper n: a special well-control tool

made up in the drill pipe usually just above
the drill collars. Should a large quantity, or

bug blower

bubble, of gas enter the annulus, the bubble

chopper allows mud in the drill string to be
diverted into the gas bubble by means of an
opening, or port, in the tool. The mud from
the drill string mixes with and spreads out the
large gas bubble so that the gas cannot
expand to a great extent as it nears the
surface. Reducing the amount of bubble
expansion reduces pressure on the casing
near the surface and thus minimises the
chances of formation fracture and an
underground blowout.
bubble point n: 1. the temperature and
pressure at which part of a liquid begins to
convert to gas. For example, if a certain
volume of liquid is held at constant pressure,
but its temperature is increased, a point is
reached when bubbles of gas be- gin to form
in the liquid. That is the bubble point.
Similarly, if a certain volume of liquid is held
at a constant temperature but the pressure is
reduced, the point at which gas begins to
form is the bubble point. Compare dew point.
2. the temperature and pressure at which
gas, held in solution in crude oil, breaks out
of solution as free gas.
bubble tower n: a vertical cylindrical vessel
in which bubble caps and bubble-cap trays
are arranged.
bubble tray n: see bubble-cap tray.
buck up v: to tighten up a threaded
connection (such as two joints of drill pipe).
buddy system n: a method of pairing two
persons for their mutual aid or protection.
The buddy system is used to ensure that
each crew member is accounted for,
particularly in situations where hydrogen
sulphide may be encountered.
buffer n: any substance or combination of
substances that, when dissolved in water,
produces a solution that resists a change in
its hydrogen ion concentration with the
addition of acid or base.
bug blower n: (slang) any large fan
installed on a drilling rig or production facility
to move large quantities of air across the rig
floor or other area.

builder's monogram

builder's monogram n: a plate on a tank

built to API specifications that records the
name of the manufacturer, erection date of
the tank, and nominal diameter, height, and
capacity. building assembly n: see fulcrum
assembly. buildup test n: a test in which a
well is shut in for a prescribed period of time
and a bottom hole pressure bomb run in the
well to record the pressure. From these data
and from knowledge of pressures in nearby
wells, the effective drainage radius or the
presence of permeability barriers or other
production deterrents surrounding the
wellbore can be estimated.
bulb n: the temperature-sensing (detecting)
element of a temperature-measuring device.
bulkhead n: an interior wall that subdivides a
ship or a mobile offshore drilling rig into
compartments.
bulkhead deck n: the highest deck to which
water bulkheads extend on a ship or a mobile
offshore drilling rig.
bulk modulus n: the ratio of the intensity of
stress to the volume of strain produced by
stress.
bulk plant n: a wholesale distributing point
for products made from natural gas and
petroleum.
bulk tank n: on a drilling rig, a large metal
bin that usually holds a large amount of a
certain mud additive, such as bentonite, that
is used in large quantities in the makeup of
the drilling fluid. Also called a P-tank.
bullet perforator n: a tubular device that,
when lowered to a selected depth within a
well, fires bullets through the casing to
provide holes through which the formation
fluids may enter the wellbore.

24

bull plug n: a threaded nipple with a

rounded, closed end used to stop up a hole
or close off the end of a line.
bull shaft n: see crankshaft.
bull wheel n: one of the two large wheels
joined by an axle and used to hold the drilling
line on a cable-tool rig.
bump a well v: to cause the pump on a
pumping unit to hit the bottom of the well by
having too long a sucker rod string in the unit.
bumped adj: in cementing operations,
pertaining to a cement plug that comes to
rest on the float collar. A cementing operator
may say, "I've a bumped plug" when the plug
strikes the float collar.

bumper jar n: a device

made up in the drill
string
that,
when
actuated, de- livers a
heavy downward blow
to the string. A bumper
jar has a hollow body
that moves upward
when the drill string is
picked up. When the
string
is
dropped
quickly, the jar body
produces
a
sharp
downward blow on the
tubing or pipe made up
below the jar. If downward blows can free a
fish, a bumper jar can
be very effective.

bumper sub n: a percussion tool run on a

fishing string to jar downward or upward on a
stuck fish to knock it free. The bumper sub
body moves up and down on a mandrel.
bump off a well v: to disconnect a pull-rod
line from a central power unit.

bullets n pI: the devices loaded into

perforating guns to penetrate casing and
cement and for some distance into the
formation when the guns are fired. See gunperforate.
bull gear n: the large circular gear in a mud
pump that is driven by the prime mover and
that, in turn, drives the connecting rods.
bullheading n: 1. forcing gas back into a
formation by pumping into the annulus from
the surface. 2. any pumping procedure in
which fluid is pumped into the well against
pressure.

Buna-N n: a nitrile rubber used in seals and

packing units throughout the oilfield.
bunker C oil n: see residuals.
bunkers n: heavy fuel oil (#6 oil) used by
ships as fuel to power the vessel.
buoyancy n: the apparent loss of weight of
an object immersed in a fluid. If the object is
floating, the immersed portion displaces a
volume of fluid the weight of which is equal to
the weight of the object.
buoyant weight n: the weight of the drill
stem in a mud-filled borehole. Buoyant
weight is less than the weight of the drill
buoyant effect of stem in air because of the
mud on the drill stem.

burst strength

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) n: an

agency within the Department of the Interior
(DOI) that is responsible for managing the
nation's public lands and resources in a
combination of ways that best serves the
needs of the American people. The resources on public lands under BLM authority
include recreation; forestry; fish and wildlife;
range;
timber;
minerals;
water-shed;
wilderness; and natural, scientific, and
cultural values. Address: Dept. of the Interior,
Main Interior Bldg.; Washington, DC 20240;
Director's Office (202) 452- 5125.
burette n: graduated glass tube with small
opening and stopcock used for delivering
measured quantities of liquid or for
measuring liquid or gas received or
discharged.
buried hill n: an elevation on an ancient land
surface that is covered by younger
sedimentary rocks.
buried valley n: a depression in an ancient
land surface that is concealed by younger
deposits.
burner tip n: an attachment to a natural gas
line for a burner head that forms a burner
port modified for a specific application. The
burner tip represents the end of the
transportation of natural gas from the
wellhead and includes its consumption. By
definition, it also includes its consumption as
a feedstock (an ingredient in manufactured
products) and its use in pipeline operations
and other overhead activities.
burning point n: the lowest temperature at
which an oil or fuel will bum when an open
flame is held near its surface.
bum over v: to use a mill to remove the
outside area of a permanent downhole tool.
bum pit n: an earthen pit in which waste oil
and other materials are burned.
bum shoe n: a milling device attached to the
bottom of washpipe that mills or drills debris
accumulated around the outside of the pipe
being washed over. Usually, a bum shoe has
pieces of very hard tungsten carbide
embedded in it. Also caned a rotary shoe.
See washpipe.
burst pressure n: the amount of internal
pressure, or stress, required to burst casing
or other pipe. When the pipe's internal
pressure is greater than its external pressure,
the pipe bursts.
burst rating n: the pressure at which a
manufacturer has determined that a pipe or
vessel will burst from internal pressure.
burst strength n: a pipe or vessel's ability to
withstand rupture from internal pressure.

bury barge

bury barge n: a vessel used to bury a pipeline beneath the seafloor. The barge moves
forward by means of anchors. A jet sled is
lowered over the pipeline; as the barge pulls
it over the pipe, high-pressure jets of water
remove soil from beneath the pipe, allowing
the pipe to fall into the jetted-out trench.
bury sled n: in pipeline construction, a pipestraddling device, fitted with nozzles, spoil
from beneath the pipe is removed and
pumped to one side of the trench. The line
then sages naturally into position in the
trench.
bus n: an assembly of electrical conductors
for collecting current from several sources
and distributing it to feeder lines so that it will
be available where needed. Also called bus
bar.
bus bar n: see bus.
bushing n: 1. a pipe fitting on which the
external thread is larger than the internal
thread to allow two pipes of different sizes to
be connected. 2. a removable lining or sleeve
inserted or screwed into an opening to limit
its size, resist wear or corrosion, or serve as
a guide.
butane n: a paraffin hydrocarbon, C4H10 ,
that is a gas in atmospheric conditions but is
easily liquefied under pressure.
It is a
constituent of liquefied petroleum gas. See
commercail butane, field-grade butane,
normal butane.
butane, commercial n: see commercial
butane.
butanes required n pl: the quantity of butane
extracted in a precessing plant for wich lease
settlement is included in the settlement made
for natural gasoline by virtue of the gasoline
settlement's being used on a higher vapour
pressure natural gasoline actually extracted.
Sometimes called free butane or excess
butanes.
butene n: see butylene
Butterworth tank cleaning system n: trade
name for appratus for cleaning and freeing oil
tanks of gas by means of high-pressure jets
of hot water. It consistes essentially of
opposed double nozzles, which rotate slowly
about their horizontal and vertical axes and
project two streams of hot water at a
pressure of 175 psi (1,206 kilo pascals)
against all inside surfaces of the deck, bulkheads, and shell plating.
button bit n: a drilling bit with tungsten
carbide inserts on the cones that resemble
plugs or buttons. See roller cone bit.
button bit n: a drilling bit with tungsten
carbide "buttons" in lieu of conventional
wicker-type teeth to set tools in very hard
casing.
button up v: to secure the wellhead or other
components.
buttress n: a special type of heavy-duty
threads.

25

butylene n: hydrocarbon member of the

olefin series, with the chemical formula C4H8.
Its official name is butene.
Buys-Ballot's law n: a law that clarifies the
relationship between the horizontal wind
direction in the earth's atmosphere and the
distribution of pressure. The law states that if
one stands facing the wind, the barometric
pressure to the right is lower than to the left
in the Northern Hemisphere.
This
relationship is reversed in the Southern
Hemisphere. Also known as the baric wind
law.
BW abbr: barrels of water; used in drilling
reports.
BWPD abbr: barrels of water per day.
BWPH abbr: barrels of water per hour; used
in drilling reports.
by heads n: intermittent flow in a flowing
well.
by pass n: 1. a pipe connction around a
valve or other control mechanism that is
installed to permit passage of fluid through
the line while adjustments or repairs are
being made on the control. 2. a delivery of
gas to a customer by means of a pipeline
other than that customer's traditional
supplier. For example, delivery of gas to an
end user directly off a transmission pipeline
without moving the gas through the end
user's traditional local distribution company
supplier.
bypass valve n: a valve that permits flow
around a control valve, a piece of equidment,
or a system.

bypass valve

C abbr: Celsius (formerly centigrade). See

Celsius scale.
C sym: coulomb.
C' n: 1. the rate of flow in cubic feet per hour
at base conditions. Also called flow
coefficient. 2. a factor used in the calculation
of gas volume flow through an orifice meter,
now largely supplanted by an equation
formulated
in
1992.
Mathematical
accounting for variations in pressure,
temperature, density, and so on, of a gas as
it flows through an orifice of a particular
size. Also called orifice flow constant;
formerly called flow coefficient.

pump installation is made possible by power

cables
designed for tensile loads in excess of
100,000 pounds (45,360 kilo- grams).
cable-tool drilling n: a drilling method in
which the hole is drilled by the rig's
equipment dropping a sharply pointed and
heavily weighted bit on bottom. The bit and
weight are attached to a cable, and the rig's
equipment repeatedly drops the cable to drill
the hole.

equipment below the waterline of an Arctic

submersible rig, thereby protecting the
equipment from damage by moving ice.
caisson-type drilling platform n: a drilling
platform that rests on a steel or concrete
caisson. Used mainly in the Arctic, caissontype drilling platforms are mobile offshore
drilling units built to withstand the ravages of
moving ice in Arctic waters.
caisson-type platform rig n: see caissontype drilling platform. platform rig.
cake n: see filter cake.

CAA abbr: Clean Air Act.

cable n: 1. a rope of wire, hemp, or other
strong fibers; often, but not always,
personnel in the petroleum industry call it
cable wire rope. 2. braided wire used to
conduct electricity, often called power cable.
cable-guide assembly n: fishing equipment
used to recover wireline tools stuck in the
hole when the wireline or cable is intact. It
consists of a cable hanger, spear point rope
socket, spearhead overshot, conventional
overshots, drill pipe, and elevators.

cake comistency n: the character or state

of the drilling mud filter cake. According to
API RP I3B, such notations as "hard," "soft,"
"tough," "rubbery," and "firm" may be used
to convey some idea of cake consistency.
cake thickness n: the thickness of drilling
mud filter cake.
calcareous adj: containing or composed
largely of calcium carbonate, or calcite
(CaCO3)'
calcite n: calcium carbonate, CaCO3'
calcium n: one of the alkaline earth
elements with a valence of 2 and an atomic
weight of about 40. Calcium compounds are
a common cause of water hardness.
Calcium is also a component of lime,
gypsum, and limestone.
cable-wind pumping unit n: a sucker rod
pumping unit. not commonly used. that
employs cable wound around a spool. one
end going into the hole. the other with a
suspended counterweight. This type of unit
can achieve 40- to SO-foot ( 12- to 24metre) stroke lengths. reducing dynamic
loads, rod reversals. gas locking. and power
usage and can be applied to deep pump
applications

cable-guide fishing n: a method of

retrieving wireline tools using a cable-guide
assembly.
cable hanger n: a fishing device made up
on a cable-guide assembly to prevent the
cable form falling in the hole. It is used in
the recovery of wireline tools.
cable-suspended submersible pump n: a
form of electric submersible pumping for
artificial lift, in which the pump can be run or
pulled on the power cable. This type of

cage n: in a sucker rod pump, the device

that contains and confines the valve ball and
keeps it the proper operating distance from
the valve seats.
cage wrench n: a special wrench designed
for use in connecting the cage of a sucker
rod pump to the sucker rod string.
caisson n: 1. one of several columns made
of steel or concrete that serve as the
foundation for a rigid offshore platform rig,
such as the concrete gravity platform rig. 2.
a steel or concrete chamber that surrounds

26

calcium carbonate n: a chemical

combination of calcium, carbon, and
oxygen, CaCO3' It is the main constituent of
lime-stone. It forms a tenacious scale in
water-andling facilities and is a cause of
water hardness.

calcium chloride

calcium chloride n: a moisture-absorbing

chemical compound, or desiccant, CaCI2,
used to accelerate setting times in cement
and as a drying agent. It is also added to
fresh water to increase the water's weight
and to give it desirable properties during well
completion or workover.
calcium contamination n: dissolved calcium
ions in sufficient concentration to impart
undesirable properties, such as flocculation,
reduction in yield of bentonite, and increased
fluid loss, in a drilling fluid. See also
anhydrite, calcium carbonate, calcium
sulphate, gypsum, lime.
calcium hydroxide n: the active ingredient
of slaked (hydrated) lime, and the main
constituent in cement (when wet). Referred to
as "lime" in field terminology. Its symbol is
Ca(OH)2
calcium magnesium carbonate n: a
chemical
combination
of
calcium,
magnesium, carbon, and oxygen, CaMgCO3.
It is the main constituent of dolomite.
Compare calcium carbonate.
calcium sulphate n: a chemical compound
of calcium, sulphur, and oxygen, CaS4. Although sometimes considered a contaminant
of drilling fluids, it may at times be added to
them to produce certain proper- ties. Like
calcium carbonate it forms scales in waterhandling facilities, which may be hard to
remove. See anhydrite, gypsum.
calcium-treated mud n: a freshwater drilling
mud using calcium oxide (lime) or calcium
sulphate (gypsum) to retard the hydrating
qualities of shale and clay formations, thus
facilitating drilling. Calcium-treated muds
resist salt and anhydrite contamination but
may require further treatment to prevent
gelation (solidification) under the high
temperatures of deep wells.
calibration
n:
the
adjustment
or
standardising of a measuring instrument or of
a standard capacity measure, a tank prover,
or a pipe prover. Log calibration is based on
the use of a permanent calibration facility of
the American Petroleum Institute at the
University of Houston to establish standard
units for nuclear logs.
calibration coefficient n: pulse per unit
volume.
calibration
constant
n:
in
turbine
operations, a constant that accounts for the
difference between theoretical rotor speed
and actual rotor speed.
calibration table n: 1. a table that shows the
capacities of, or volumes in, a tank for
various liquid levels measured from the dip
point or from the ullage reference point. Also
called gauge or tank capacity table. 2. a table
that is developed by recognised industry
methods to represent volumes in each tank
according to the liquid (image) or empty
space (ullage) measured in the tank. Also
called tank capacity table, tank table.

27

calibration tank n: see prover tank.

caliper n: an instrument with two legs or jaws
that can be adjusted for measuring linear
dimensions, thickness, or diameters.
caliper log n: a record showing variations in
wellbore diameter by depth, indicating undue
enlargement due to caving in, washout, or
other causes. The caliper log also reveals
corrosion, scaling, or pitting inside tubular
goods.

call on oil n: an option to buy crude oil for an

extended period of time.
CALM abbr. catenary anchor leg mooring.
calorie n: the amount of heat energy
necessary to raise the temperature of I gram
of water 10 Celsius. It is the metric equivalent
of the British thermal unit.
calorimeter n: an apparatus used to determine the heating value of a combustible
material.
cam n: an eccentrically shaped disk,
mounted on a camshaft, that varies in
distance from its centre to various points on
its circumference. As the camshaft is rotated,
a set amount of motion is imparted to a
follower riding on the surface of the cam. In
the intenal-combustion engine, cams are
used to operate the intake and exhaust
valves.
Cameron gauge n: a pressure gauge usually
used in lines or manifolds.
cam follower n: output link of a cam
mechanism.
camshaft n: the cylindrical bar used to support a rotating device called a cam.
Canadian Association of Oil well Drilling
Contractors (CAODC) n: a trade association
that represents virtually 100% of the rotary
drilling contractors and the majority of well
service rig operators in western Canada. The
organisation concerns itself with research,
education, accident prevention, government

capacitor

relations, and other matters of interest to

members. Address: 540 5th Avenue SW,
Suite 800; Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P
OM2; (403) 264-4311; fax (403) 263-3796.
canal-lay construction n: a pipeline
construction technique used in swamps and
marshes. The first of several barges clears
the right-of-way and digs a trench large
enough to float itself and the following
barges.
candela (cd) n: the fundamental unit of
luminous intensity in the metric system.
canted leg adj: pertaining to an independentleg jack up rig designed so that the legs may
be slanted outward to increase support
against lateral stresses when the unit is on
the seafloor.
cantilever n: beams that project outward
from a structure and are supported only at
one end.
cantilevered jackup n: a jackup drilling unit
in which the drilling rig is mounted on two
cantilevers that extend outward from the
barge hull of the unit. The cantilevers are
supported only at the barge end. Com- pare
keyway.

canvas packer n: (obsolete) a device for

sealing the annular space between the top of
a liner and the existing casing string.
CAODC abbr: Canadian Association of
Oilwell Drilling Contractors.
capacitance (C) n: the ratio of an impressed
electrical charge on a conductor to the
change in electrical potential; measured in
farads. See capacitor.
capacitance probe n: a device used in most
net-oil computers that senses the different
dielectric constants of oil and water in a
water-oil emulsion. See dielectric constant.
capacitor n: an electrical device that. when
wired in the line of an electrical circuit, stores
a charge of electricity and returns the charge
to the line when certain electrical conditions
occur. Also called a condenser.

capacity indicator

capacity indicator n: a device fitted to a

proving tank to indicate the position of the
liquid surface in relation to the reference
mark corresponding to the nominal capacity
of the proving tank, thus enabling the
determination of the tank's liquid contents.
capacity rating n: a rating equal to the
maximum number of cubic feet of gas that
will pass through a meter when the pressure
differential across the meter equals a 0.5inch water column and the flowing pressure
is 0.25 psig.
capacity table n: a table that tells the
quantity of liquid contained in a tank at any
given level.
cap a well v: to control a blowout by placing
a very strong valve on the wellhead. See
blowout.
cap bead n: the final welding pass made to
complete the uniting of two joints of pipe.
cap gas n: natural gas trapped in the upper
part of a reservoir and remaining separate
from any crude oil, salt water, or other liquids
in the well.

capillaries n pi: very small fissures or cracks

in a formation through which water or
hydrocarbons flow.
capillarity n: the rise and fall of liquids in
small-diameter tubes or tubelike spaces,
caused by the combined action of surface
tension (cohesion) and wetting (adhesion).
See capillary pressure.
capillary meter seal n: the liquid seal that
reduces slippage between moving parts of a
meter.
capillary pressure n: a pressure or adhesive
force caused by the surface tension of water.
This pressure causes the water to adhere
more tightly to the surface of small pore
spaces than to larger ones. Capillary
pressure in a rock formation is comparable to
the pressure of water that rises higher in a
small glass capillary tube than it does in a
larger tube.
capitalise v: in accounting, to include
expenditures in business accounts as assets
instead of expenses.
capitalised adj: pertaining to expenditures
treated as assets instead of expenses.

28

capped well n: a well capable of production

but lacking wellhead installations and a
pipeline connection.
caprock n: 1. a disklike plate of anhydrite,
gypsum, limestone, or sulphur overlying most
salt domes in the Gulf Coast region. 2.
impermeable rock overlying an oil or gas
reservoir that tends to prevent migration of oil
or gas out of the reservoir.
captive customers n pi: buyers who can
purchase natural gas from only one supplier
and have no access to alternate fuel sources.
This term is usually applicable to residential
and small commercial users, but can, under
certain conditions of alternative fuel
availability, be applied to large industrial and
electric utility users as well. Also called core
customers.
capture cross section n: the tendency of
elements in their compounds to reduce
energy or number of particles by absorbing
them. The more densely populated an area
may be, the more certain it is that energy will
be absorbed or that the particles will be
retained within the atomic structure.
capture gamma ray n: a high-energy
gamma ray emitted when the nucleus of an
atom captures a neutron and becomes
intensely excited. Capture gamma rays are
counted by the neutron logging detector.
carbonate n: 1. a salt of carbonic acid. 2. a
compound containing the carbonate radical
(CO3)' 3. a carbonate rock.
carbonate mud n: a mud that forms on the
seafloor by the accumulation of calcite
particles. It may eventually become
limestone.
carbonate reef n: see reef.
carbonate rock n: a sedimentary rock composed primarily of calcium carbonate (calcite)
or calcium magnesium carbonate (dolomite).
carbonation n: 1. a chemical reaction that
produces carbonates. 2. in geology, a form of
chemical weathering in which a mineral
reacts with carbon dioxide (in solution as
carbonic acid) to form a carbonate mineral.
carbon black n: very fine particles of almost
pure amorphous carbon, usually produced
from gaseous or liquid hydrocarbons by
thermal decomposition or by controlled
combustion with a restricted air supply. It is
used in the manufacture of carbon paper,
tires, cosmetics, and so on.
carbon dioxide n: a colourless, odourless
gaseous compound of carbon and oxygen, A
product of combustion and a filler for fire
extinguishers, this heavier-than-air gas can
collect in low-lying areas, where it may
displace oxygen and present the hazard of
anoxia.
carbon dioxide excess n: see hypercapnia.
carbonic adj: of or relating to carbon,
carbonic acid, or carbon dioxide.
carbonise v: to convert into carbon or a
carbonic residue.

carnotite

carbon log n: a record that indicates the

presence of hydrocarbons by measuring
carbon atoms and that reveals the presence
of water by measuring oxygen atoms. Oil and
water
saturations
can
be
closely
approximated without the requirement of
adequate salinity of known concentration to
calculate saturations (as in resistivity and
pulsed neutron surveys).
carbon monoxide n: a colourless, odourless
gaseous compound of carbon and oxygen,
CO. A product of incomplete combustion, it is
extremely poisonous to breathe.
carbonyl sulphide n: a chemical compound
of the aldehyde groups containing a carbonyl
group and sulphur, COS A contaminant in
gas liquids, it is usually removed to meet
sulphur specifications.
carboxymethyl
cellulose
n:
a
nonfermenting cellulose product used in
drilling fluids to combat contamination from
anhydrite (gypsum) and to lower the water
loss of the mud.
carburetion n: the mixing of fuel and air in
the carburetor of an engine.
carburetor n: the device in a spark-ignition
internal-combustion engine in which fuel and
air are mixed in controlled quantities and
proportions.
carburise v: to impregnl1te or combine with
carbon.
carcinogen n: cancer-causing material or
substance.
care abbr: Conservation Award for
Respecting the Environment.
cargo manifest n: a document that lists the
goods or materials carried by a ship, train,
airplane, or truck.
cargo quantity option certificate n: a
certificate signed by vessel representatives
acknowledging the amount of cargo that they
intend to load. In general, most product
cargoes have a tolerance based on supplier,
receiver, or vessel capabilities. Each party
involved with the loading agrees to the
quantity to be loaded.
carnotite n: see radioactive tracer.

carriage

carriage n: the transportation of a third

party's natural gas by a pipeline as a
separate service for a fee, as opposed to the
pipeline's transportation of its own system's
supply of natural gas.
carried interest n: an interest in oil and gas
properties that belongs, for example, to a
working interest owner or unleased landowner who agrees to a joint operation without
being willing to pay a share of the costs of
the operation. An interest may be carried until
the well pays out, at which point it may stop
or may continue for the life of production.
Stated another way, an agreement between
two or more working interests whereby one
party (the carried party) does not share in
lease revenue until a certain amount of
money has been recovered by the other party
(the carrying party). The carrying party pays
costs applicable to the carried party's
interests in the property and is reimbursed
out of the revenue applicable to the carried
party's interest.
carrier n: a pipeline, trucking company, or
marine
transportation
company
that
transports oil or gas.
carrier bar n: yoke or clamp fastened to a
pumping well's polished rod and to which the
bridle of the pumping unit's horsehead is
attached.
carrier pipe n: term used to refer to a pipeline when other pipe, called casing, is used
with it in crossing under roadbeds and railroad rights-of-way. See casing.
carrier rig n: a large, specially designed,
self-propelled workover rig that is driven
directly to the well site. Power from a carrier
rig's hoist engine or engines also propels the
rig on the road. While a carrier rig is primarily
intended to perform workovers, it can also be
used to drill relatively shallow wells. A carrier
rig may be a back-in type or a drive-in type.
Compare back-in unit, drive-in unit.

carrier unit n: see carrier rig.

carved-out interest n: an interest in oil and
gas created out of a greater interest and
assigned by the owner. Examples are the
grant of an overriding royalty interest out of a
working interest and the grant of an oil
payment out of a working interest.
cascade system n: in systems supplying a
breathable source of air to workers wearing
breathing equipment in a toxic atmosphere.
a serial connection of air cylinders in which
the output of air from one adds to that of the
next.
cased adj: pertaining to a wellbore in which
casing has been run and cemented. See
casing.

29

cased hole n: a wellbore in which casing has

been run.
cased.hole fishing n: the procedure of recovering lost or stuck equipment in a well
bore in which casing has been run.
case-hardened adj: hardened (as for a
ferrous alloy) so that the surface layer is
harder than the interior.
case law n: see common law.
cash flow n: the difference between inflow
and outflow of funds over a period of time.
Cash flow can be positive (profit) or negative
(loss).
cash flow analysis n: an economic analysis
that relates investments to subsequent
revenues and also makes possible a
comparison between investments. It usually
also includes the general plan to be used for
the figuring of federal income tax on the
investments.

casing n: 1. steel pipe placed in an oil or gas

well to prevent the wall of the hole from
caving in, to prevent movement of fluids from
one formation to another, and to improve the
efficiency of extracting petroleum if the well is
productive. A joint of casing may be 16 to 48
feet (4.8 to 14.6 metres) long and from 4.5 to
20 inches (11.4 to 50.8 centimetres) in
diameter. Casing is made of many types of
steel alloy, which vary in strength, corrosion
resistance, and so on. 2. large pipe in which
a carrier pipeline passes under railroad
rights-of-way and some roads to shield the
pipeline from the unusually high load
stresses of a particular location. State and
local regulations identify specific locations
where casing is mandatory.
casing adapter n: a swage nipple, usually
beveled, installed on the top of a string of
pipe that does not extend to the surface. It
prevents a smaller string of pipe or tools from
hanging up on the top of the column when it
is run into the well.
casing burst pressure n: the amount of
pressure that, when applied inside a string of
casing, causes the wall of the casing to fail.
This pressure is critically important when a
gas kick is being circulated out, because gas
on the way to the surface expands and exerts
more pressure than it exerted at the bottom
of the well.
casing centraliser n: a device secured
around the casing at regular intervals to
centre it in the hole. Casing that is centralised

casinghead

allows a more uniform cement sheath to form

around the pipe.
casing collar n: a coupling between two
joints.
casing coupling n: a tubular section of pipe
that is threaded inside and used to connect
two joints of casing.
casing cutter n: a heavy cylindrical body.
fitted with a set of knives, used to free a
section of casing in a well. The cutter is run
downhole on a string of tubing or drill pipe,
and the knives are rotated against the inner
walls of the casing to free the section that is
stuck.

casing elevator n: see elevators.

casing float collar n: see float collar.
casing float shoe n: see float shoe.
casing gun n: a perforating gun run into the
casing string. Most perforating guns are run
into the well through the tubing string. casing
hanger n: a circular device with a frictional
gripping arrangement of slips and packing
rings used to suspend casing from a
casinghead in a well.
casinghead n: a heavy, flanged steel fitting
connected to the first string of casing. It
provides a housing for slips and packing
assemblies,
allows
suspension
of
intermediate and production strings of casing,
and supplies the means for the annulus to be
sealed off. Also called a spool.

casinghead gas

casinghead gas n: gas produced with oil.

casinghead gas contract n: a contract used
by industry for the purchase and sale of
casinghead gas.
gasoline n: (obsolete) natural gasoline.
casing overshot n: see casing-patch tool.
casing pack n: a means of cementing casing
in a well so that the casing may, if necessary,
be retrieved with minimum difficulty. A special
mud, usually an oil mud, is placed in the well
ahead of the cement after the casing has
been set. Nonsolidifying mud is used so that
it does not bind or stick to the casing in the
hole in die area above the cement Since the
mud does not gel for a long time, the casing
can be cut above the cemented section and
retrieved. Casing packs are used in wells of
doubtful or limited production to permit reuse
of valuable lengths of casing.
casing-pack v: to cement casing in a well in
a way that allows for easy retrieval of
sections of casing. See casing pack.
casing-patch tool n: a special tool with a
rubber packer or lead seal that is used to
repair casing. When casing is damaged
downhole, a cut is made below the damaged casing, the damaged casing and the
casing above it are pulled from the well, and
the damaged casing is removed from the
casing string. The tool is made up and
lowered into the well on the casing until it engages the top of the casing that remains in
the well, and a rubber packer or lead seal in
the tool forms a seal with the casing that is in
the well. The casing-patch tool is an
overshot1ike device and is sometimes called
a casing overshot.
casing point n: 1. the depth in a well at
which casing is set, generally the depth at
which the casing shoe rests. 2. the objective
depth in a drilling contract, either a specified
depth or the depth at which a specific zone is
penetrated. When the depth is reached, the
operator makes a decision with respect to
running and setting a production string of
casing. Under some farm- out and letter
agreements, some owners are carried to
casing point.
casing pressure n: the pressure in a well
that exists between the casing and the tubing
or the casing and the drill pipe.
casing protector n: a short threaded nipple
screwed into the open end of the coupling
and over the threaded end of casing to
protect the threads from dirt accumulation
and damage. It is made of steel or plastic.
Also called thread protector.
casing rack n: see pipe rack.
casing roller n: a tool composed of a
mandrel on which are mounted several
heavy-duty rollers with eccentric roll surfaces.
It is used to restore buckled, collapsed, or
dented casing in a well to normal diameter
and roundness. Made up on tubing or drill
pipe and run into the well to the depth of the
deformed casing, the tool is rotated slowly,

30

allowing the rollers to contact all sides of the

casing and restore it to roughly its original
condition.
casing scraper n: a bladed tool used to
scrape away junk or debris from inside
casing; it is usually run into the casing on drill
pipe or tubing.
casing seal receptacle n: a casing sub
containing a seal bore and a left-handed
thread; it is run as a crossover sub between
casing sizes and to provide a tubing anchor.
casing seat n: the location of the bottom of a
string of casing that is cemented in a well.
Typically, a casing shoe is made up on the
end of the casing at this point.
casing seat test n: a procedure whereby the
formation immediately below the casing shoe
is subjected to a pressure equal to the
pressure expected to be exerted later by the
drilling fluid or by the drilling fluid and the
back-pressure created by a kick. See leakoff test.
casing shoe n: see guide shoe. casing slip
n: see spider.
casing spear n: a fishing tool designed to
grab casing from the inside so that when the
spear is retrieved, the attached casing comes
with it.
casing spider n: see spider.
casing string n: the entire length of all the
joints of casing run in a well. Most casing
joints are manufactured to specifications
established by API, although non-API
specification casing is available for special
situations. Casing manufactured to API
specifications is available in three length
ranges. A joint of range 1 casing is 16 to 25
feet (4.8 to 7.6 metres) long; a joint of range
2 casing is 25 to 34 feet (7.6 to 10.3 metres)
long; and a joint of range 3 casing is 34 to 48
feet (10.3 to 14.6 metres) long. The out- side
diameter of a joint of API casing ranges from
4Yz to 20 inches (11.43 to 50.8 centimetres).
casing sub n: a sub used to join two
dissimilar joints of casing.
casing swage n: a solid cylindrical body
pointed at the bottom and equipped with a
tool joint at the top for connection with a jar. It
is used to make an opening in a collapsed
casing and drive it back to its original shape.
casing tongs n pi: large wrench used for
turning when making up or breaking out
casing. See tongs.
casing-tubing annuals n: in a wellbore, the
space between the inside of the casing and
the outside of the tubing.
Cat n: 1. short for an industrial or gas engine
manufactured by Caterpillar, Inc. 2. short for
any piece of industrial equipment. such as a
bulldozer manufactured by Caterpillar, Inc.
catalyst n: a substance that alters,
accelerates, or instigates chemical reactions
without itself being affected.
catalytic cracking n: 1. the breaking down of
heavier hydrocarbon molecules into lighter
hydrocarbons using catalysts and relatively

catenary

low temperatures and pressures. 2. a motor

gasoline refining process in which heavy
hydrocarbon components are broken down
into light hydrocarbon components using
catalysts and relatively low temperatures and
pressures. It produces a gasoline that has a
higher octane rating and a lower sulphur
content than that produced by thermal
cracking.
catastrophism n: the theory that the earth's
landforms
assumed
their
present
configuration in a brief episode at the
beginning of geologic history-possibly in a
single great catastrophic event-and have
remained relatively unchanged since that
time. Compare uniformtarianism.
catcher n: a device fitted into a junk basket
that retains the junk picked up by the basket
catch samples v: to obtain cuttings for geological information as formations are
penetrated by the bit The samples are
obtained from drilling fluid as it emerges from
the wellbore or, in cable-tool drilling, from the
bailer. Cuttings are carefully washed until
they are free of foreign matter, dried, and
labelled to indicate the depth at which they
were obtained.
cat cracker gas n: gas that is a by-product of
refining liquid hydrocarbons in a catalytic
cracker.
categorical exclusion n: a category of
actions that do not individually or
cumulatively have a significant effect on the
human environment and that have been
found to have no such effect in procedures
adopted by a federal agency when
implementing NEPA regulations. Therefore,
neither an environmental assessment nor an
environmental impact statement is required.
catenary n: the curve assumed by a perfectly
flexible line hanging under its own weight
between two fixed points. A suspension
bridge is an example of a catenary structure;
an anchor chain is a catenary.

catenary anchor leg mooring

catenary anchor leg mooring (CALM) n: a

type of offshore mooring in which the facility
is anchored by at least six anchors; it
generally has no storage facility.
cathead n: a spool-shaped attachment on
the end of the catshaft. around which rope for
hoisting and moving heavy equipment on or
near the rig floor is wound. See break- out
cathead, makeup cathead.

cathead spool n: see co/head.

cathode n: 1. one of two electrodes in an
electrolytic cell, represented as the positive
terminal of a cell. 2. in cathodic protection
systems, the protected structure that is
representative of the cathode and is
protected by having a conventional current
flow from an anode to the structure through
the electrolyte.
cathodic protection n: a means of
preventing the destructive electrochemical
process of corrosion of a metal object by
using it as the cathode of a cell with a
sacrificial anode. Current at least equal to
that caused by the corrosive action is
directed toward the object, offsetting its
electrical potential.
cation n: a positively charged ion; the ion in
an electrolysed solution that migrates to the
cathode. See ion. Compare anion.
catline n: a hoisting or pulling line powered
by the cathead and used to lift heavy
equipment on the rig. See cathead.
catshaft n: an axle that crosses through the
drawworks and contains a revolving spool
called a cathead at either end. See cathead.
catwalk n: I. the ramp at the side of the
drilling rig where pipe is laid to be lifted to the
derrick floor by the catline or by an air hoist.
See carline. 2. any elevated walkway.
caustic soda n: sodium hydroxide, NaOH. It
is used to maintain an alkaline pH in drilling
mud and in petroleum fractions.
caustic treater n: a vessel holding sodium
hydroxide or other alkalis through which a
solution flows for removal of sulphides,
mercaptans, or acids.
cave-in n: the collapse of the walls of the
wellbore.
cavern n: a natural cavity in the earth's crust
that is large enough to permit human entry.
Commonly formed in limestone by groundwater leaching. Compare vug.
cavernous formation n: a rock formation
that contains large open spaces, usually
resulting from the dissolving of soluble

31

substances by formation waters that may still

be present. See vug.
caving n: collapsing of the walls of the
wellbore. Also called sloughing.
cavings n pi: particles that fall off (are
sloughed from) the wall of the wellbore.
Compare cuttings.
cavitation n: the formation and collapse of
vapour gas-filled cavities that result from a
sudden decrease and increase of pressure.
Cavitation can cause mechanical damage to
adjacent surfaces in meters, valves, pumps,
and pipes at locations where flowing liquid
encounters a restriction or change in
direction.
Cb abbr: cumulonimbus.
CBHT
abbr:
circulating
bottomhole
temperature.
CBL abbr: cement bond log.
Cc abbr: cirrocumulus.
cc abbr: cubic centimetre.
CCL abbr: casing collar log.
cd abbr: candela.
ceiling n: the height above the ground up to
the base of the lowest layer of clouds when
over half the sky is obscured.
ceiling price n: the maximum lawful price
that may be charged for the first sale of a
specified NGPA category of natural gas.
cellar n: a pit in the ground, usually lined with
concrete, steel pipe, or wood, that provides
additional height between the rig floor and
the wellhead to accommodate the installation
of blowout preventers, rathole, mousehole,
and so forth. It also collects drainage water
and other fluids for subsequent disposal.
cellar deck n: the lower deck of a doubledecked semisubmersible drilling rig. See
milin deck, Texas deck.
cellophane n: a thin, transparent material
made from cellulose and used as a lost
circulation material. See cementing milterials.
Celsius scale n: the metric scale of
temperature measurement used universally
by scientists. On this scale, O' represents the
freezing point of water and 100. its boiling
point at a barometric pressure of 760 mm.
Degrees Celsius are converted to degrees
Fahrenheit by using the following equation:
F = 9/5 (C) + 32.
The Celsius scale was formerly called the
centigrade scale; now, however, the term
"Celsius" is preferred in the International
System of Units (SI).
cement n: a powder consisting of alumina.
silica, lime, and other substances that
hardens when mixed with water. Extensively
used in the oil industry to bond casing to the
walls of the wellbore.
cement additive n: a material added to
cement to change its properties. Chemical
accelerators, chemical retarders, and weightreduction materials are common additives.
See cementing materials.
cementation n: I. the crystallisation or
precipitation of soluble minerals in the pore

cementre

spaces between clastic particles, causing

them
to
become
consolidated
into
sedimentary rock. 2. precipitation of a binding
material around grains or minerals in rocks.
cement bond n: the adherence of casing to
cement and cement to formation. When
casing is run in a well, it is set, or bonded, to
the formation by means of cement.
cement bond log n: an acoustic logging
method based on the fact that sound travels
at different speeds through materials of
different densities. The fact that sound travels
faster through cement than through air can
be used to determine whether the cement
has bonded properly to the casing.
cement bond survey n: an acoustic survey
or sonic-logging method that records the
quality or hardness of the cement used in the
annulus to bond the casing and the
formation. Casing that is well bonded to the
formation transmits an acoustic signal
quickly; poorly bonded causing transmits a
signal slowly. See acoustic survey. acoustic
well logging.
cement casing v: to fill the annulus between
the casing and wall of the hole with cement to
support the casing and prevent fluid
migration between permeable zones.
cement channelling n: when casing is being
cemented in a borehole, the cement slurry
can fail to rise uniformly between the casing
and the borehole wall, leaving spaces devoid
of cement. Ideally, the cement should
completely and uniformly surround the casing
and form a strong bond to the borehole wall.
cement dump bailer n: a cylindrical
container with a valve used to release small
batches of cement in a remedial cementing
operation.
cementre n: a retrievable cement squeeze
tool that is used in remedial cementing. See
remedial cementing; secondary cementing.

cementing

cementing n: the application of a liquid slurry

of cement and water to various points inside
or outside the casing. See primary
cementing, secondary cementing. squeeze
cementing.
cementing barge n: a barge containing the
cementing pumps and other equipment
needed for oilwell cementing in water
operations.
cementing basket n: a collapsible or folding
metal cone that fits against the walls of the
wellbore to prevent the passage of cement;
sometimes called a metal-petal basket.
cementing head n: an accessory attached to
the top of the casing to facilitate cementing of
the casing. It has passages for cement slurry
and retainer chambers for cementing wiper
plugs. Also called retainer head.
cementing materials n pi: a slurry of portland cement and water and sometimes one
or more additives that affect either the
density of the mixture or its setting time. The
portland cement used may be high early
strength, common (standard), or slow setting. Additives include accelerators (such as
calcium chloride), retarders (such as gypsum), weighting materials (such as barium
sulphate), lightweight additives (such as
bentonite), or a variety of lost circulation
materials (such as mica flakes).
cementing pump n: a high-pressure pump
used to force cement down the casing and
into the annular space between the casing
and the wall of the borehole.
cementing time n: the total elapsed time
needed to complete a cementing operation.
cement kIinker n: a substance formed by
melting ground limestone, clay or shale, and
iron ore in a kiln. Cement kIinker is ground
into a powdery mixture and combined with
small amounts of gypsum or other materials
to form cement.
cement plug n: 1. a portion of cement placed
at some point in the well bore to seal it. 2. a
wiper plug. See cementing, wi per plug.
cement retainer n: a tool set temporarily in
the casing or well to prevent the passage of
cement, thereby forcing it to follow another
designated path. It is used in squeeze
cementing and other remedial cementing
jobs.
cement system n: a particular slurry
containing cement and water, with or without
additives.
Cenozoic era n: the time period from 65
million years ago until the present. It is
marked by rapid evolution of mammals and
birds, flowering plants, grasses, and shrubs,
and little change in invertebrates.
centre distance n: in a chain-and-sprocket
drive, the distance between the centres of the
two sprockets or the shafts they fit on.
centre-latch elevators n: elevators that have
the handles and latch arranged so that when
a crew member opens the latch, they part in

32

the middle. Compare side-door elevators.

See elevators.
centreline n: the middle line of the hull of a
mobile offshore drilling rig from stem to stem,
as shown in a waterline view.
centre of buoyancy n: the centre of gravity
of the fluid displaced by a floating body (such
as a ship or mobile offshore drilling rig).
centre of flotation n: the geometric centre of
the water plane at which a mobile off- shore
drilling rig floats and about which a rig rotates
when acted on by an external force without a
change in displacement.
centre of gravity n: the point at which an
object can be supported so that it balances,
and at which all gravitational forces on the
body and the weight of the body are
concentrated; the centre of mass.
centre of pressure n: the point at which all
wind pressure forces are concentrated.
centre spear n: a barbed fishing tool used to
snag and retrieve broken wireline from the
wellbore.
centigrade scale n: see Celsius scale.
centimetre (cm) n: a unit of length in the
metric system equal to one-hundredth of a
metre (1-2 metre).
centimetre-gram-second (cgs) n: a variant
of the metric system in which the measures
are founded on the centimetre, gram, and
second rather than directly on the kilogram
and metre.
centipoise (cp) n: one-hundredth of a poise;
a measure of a fluid's viscosity, or resistance
to flow.
central facility n: an installation serving two
or more leases and providing one or more of
such functions as separation, compression,
dehydration, treating, gathering, or delivery of
gas and oil.
centraliser n: see casing centralise
central oil-treating station n: a processing
network used to treat emulsion produced
from several leases, thus eliminating the
need for individual treating facilities at each
lease site.
centrifugal compressor n: a compressor in
which the flow of gas to be compressed is
moved away from the centre rapidly, usually
by a series of blades or turbines. It is a
continuous-flow compressor with a low
pressure ratio and is used to transmit gas
through a pipeline. Gas passing through the
compressor contacts a rotating impeller, from
which it is discharged into a diffuser, where
its velocity is slowed and its kinetic energy
changed to static pressure. Centrifugal
compressors are nonpositive-displacement
machines, often arranged in series on a line
to achieve multistage compression.
centrifugal force n: the force that tends to
pull all matter from the centre of a rotating
mass.
centrifugal pump n: a pump with an impeller
or rotor, an impeller shaft, and a casing,
which discharges fluid by centrifugal force.

CFR

An electric submersible pump is a centrifugal

pump.
centrifuge n: a machine that uses centrifugal
force to separate substances of varying
densities. A centrifuge is capable of spinning
substances at high speeds to obtain high
centrifugal forces. Also called the shake-out
or grind-out machine.
centrifuge test n: a test to determine the
amount of S&W in samples of oil or emulsion.
The samples are placed in tubes and spun in
a centrifuge, which breaks out the S&W.
CEQ abbr: Council on Environmental Quality.
cerci. abbr: Comprehensive Environmental
Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of
1980.
certificate n: a certificate of public
convenience and necessity issued under the
Natural Gas Act.
certificate natural gas n: any natural gas
that has a certificate issued and that in effect
is transported by an interstate pipeline.
certified copy n: a copy made from records
in a recorder's or county clerk's office and
certified to by the recorder or county clerk as
being an exact copy of the paper on file or of
record.
certs n pi: (slang) certifications of materials
on physical and chemistry properties.
cessation of production clause n: a clause
in an oil and gas lease that provides the
lessee with the right to begin new operations
within a stated time period should production
cease.
cetane number n: a measure of the ignition
quality of fuel oil. The higher the cetane
number, the more easily the fuel is ignited.
CFG abbr: cubic feet of gas; used in drilling
reports.
CFR abbr: I. Code of Federal Regulations. 2.
Coordinating Fuels and Equipment Research Committee.

chain

chain n: in offshore drilling, a heavy line

constructed of iron bars looped together and
used for a mooring line.
chain and gear drive n: see chain drive.
chain-and-sprocket drive n: a type of drive
that consists of a loop of chain that goes
around two shafts with sprockets fitted on the
shafts. The driving shaft provides power and
the driven shaft receives power. When the
sprocket on the driving shaft turns, the chain
moves and turns the driven sprocket. chainand-sprocket transmission n: a selective
transmission made up primarily of chain-andsprocket drives. There are three two-strand
chain-and-sprocket drives and a pair of gears
for reversing, located between the input shaft
coming from the compound, and the output
shaft on a mechanically driven drawworks.
Each of these chain-and- sprocket drives has
a different sprocket ratio to provide three
speeds to the high-drum drive and three to
the low-drum drive. Com- pare gear
transmission.
chain case n: see chain guard.
chain drive n: a mechanical drive using a
driving chain and chain gears to transmit
power. Power transmissions use a roller
chain, in which each link is made of side
bars, transverse pins, and rollers on the pins.
A double roller chain is made of two
connected rows of links, a triple roller chain
of three, and so forth.
chain guard n: in a chain-and-sprocket drive,
a case that protects workers from the moving
drive. It also protects die drive from dirt and is
part of the cooling and lubrication systems.
Some enclose only one drive and some
enclose several drives. May be made of
sheet metal or plate metal. Heavier guards
also support the shafts on bearings. Both
types have access panels for inspection and
maintenance.
chain of title n: recorded transfers (links) in
title from patent to present.
chain reducer n: a reduction unit between a
prime mover and a beam pumping unit that
reduces the prime mover's output speed by
means of a series of chains.
chain tongs n pi: a hand tool consisting of a
handle and chain that resembles the chain on
a bicycle. In general, chain tongs are used for
turning pipe or fittings of a diameter larger
than that which a pipe wrench would fit. The
chain is looped and tightened around the
pipe or fitting, and the handle is used to turn
the tool so that the pipe or fitting can be
tightened or loosened.

33

chain width n: in roller chain, the width of the

rollers, which is the distance between the
inside faces of the roller link plates.
chamber gas lift n: a specialised form of
intermittent-flow gas lift that functions in the
same way as other forms, except that, when
the injection gas is off, incoming well fluids
accumulate in a chamber having a larger
diameter than the tubing. For the same
volume of fluid, hydrostatic head and
wellbore pressure at the formation are both
reduced.
change house n: a small building, or doghouse, in which members of a drilling rig or
roustabout crew change clothes, store
personal belongings, and so on.
change rams v: to take rams out of a blowout preventer and replace them with rams of
a different size or type. When the size of a
drill pipe is changed, the size of the pipe
rams must be changed to ensure that they
seal around the pipe when closed (unless
variable-bore pipe rams are in use).
channeling n: when casing is being
cemented in a borehole, the cement slurry
can fail to rise uniformly between the casing
and the borehole wall, leaving spaces, or
channels, devoid of cement. Ideally, the
cement should completely and uniformly
surround the casing and form a strong bond
to the borehole wall. See cement channeling.
charcoal test n: a test standardised by the
American Gas Association and the Gas
Processor Association for determining the
natural gasoline content of a given natural
gas. The gasoline is adsorbed from the gas
on activated charcoal and then recovered by
distillation. The test is described in Testing
Code 101-43, a joint AGA and GPA
publication.
charge stock n: oil that is to be treated in, or
charged to, a particular refinery unit.
Charles's law n: an ideal gas law that states
that at constant pressure the volume of a
fixed mass or quantity of gas varies directly
with the absolute temperature; that is, at a
constant pressure, as temperature rises, gas
volume increases proportionately.
charter party n: an agreement by which a
ship owner agrees to place an entire ship, or
part of it, at the disposal of a merchant or
other person to carry cargo for an agreedupon sum.
chart integration department n: part of a
company that interprets and processes the
Information obtained from the orifice meter

chemical consolidation

charts. The department's responsibilities

include calculating the gas flow from the
information on the chart. Today, charts have
been largely supplanted by electronic readouts generated by computer controlled
sensors at the orifice meter station. These
readouts are transmitted to the company's
computers in a central, or district, office,
where they are recorded and read.
chase pipe v: to lower the drill stem rapidly a
few feet into the hole and then stop it
suddenly with the drawworks brake. A surge
of pressure in the mud in the drill stem and
annular space results and may help to flush
out debris accumulated in or on die pipe. The
pressure surge may break down a formation,
however, causing lost circulation, or may
damage the bit if it is near the bottom.
chase threads v: to clean and deburr the
threads of a pipe so that it will make up
properly.
cheater n: a length of pipe fitted over a
wrench handle to increase the leverage of
the wrench. Use of a larger wrench is usually
preferred. Also called a snipe.
checkerboard farnout n: an agreement for
the acquisition of mineral rights (i.e., oil and
gas leases) in a checkerboard pattern of
alternate tracts, usually beginning, in the
case of farmouts, with the drill site tract.
check meter n: a device for measuring gas
throughput, usually installed in conjunction
with the primary measuring device owned
and operated by the party having the
obligation to provide measurement services
at a specific point on a pipeline system.
check valve n: a valve that permits flow in
one direction only. If the gas or liquid starts to
reverse, the valve automatically closes,
preventing reverse movement. Commonly
referred to as a one-way valve.
Chemelectric treater n: a brand name for an
electrostatic treater.
chemical n: a substance defined under
HAZCOM (OSHA) as any element, chemical
compound, or mixture of elements and/or
compounds.
Chemical barrel n: a container in which
various chemicals are mixed prior to addition
to drilling fluid.
chemical consolidation n: the procedure by
which a quantity of resinous material is
squeezed into a sandy formation to
consolidate the sand and to prevent its
flowing into the well. The resinous material
hardens and creates a porous mass that
permits oil to flow into the well but holds back
the sand at the same time. See sand
consolidation.

chemical cut off

chemical cut off n: a method of severing

steel pipe in a well by applying high-pressure
jets of a very corrosive substance against the
wall of the pipe. The resulting cut is very
smooth.
chemical cutter n: a fishing tool that uses
high-pressure jets of chemicals to sever
casing, tubing, or drill pipe stuck in the hole.
chemical fingerprinting n: the process of
tracking down the source of an illegal waste
discharge through sampling the waste and
possible sources to determine which source
matches the discharge best. Fingerprinting is
expensive, but in large damage cases, it can
help prove or disprove whether a substance
was discharged from a particular source.
chemical flooding n: see alkaline (caustic)
flooding, micellarpolymer flQoding.
chemical inhibitor n: liquid chemical compounds that are injected into lines carrying
fluids that contain H2S, Most of these
inhibitors are designed to coat equipment
surfaces to physically isolate them from
compressive substances. Others react with
sulfur compounds to form less-destructive
compounds.
chemical inventory n: an inventory required
by HAZCOM. Under HAZCOM, all employers
must keep a complete list, or inventory, of all
hazardous materials on site.
chemical protective clothing n: clothing
that is designed to protect against a specific
chemical hazard (i.e., suits or aprons made
of or coated with chemical-resistant materials
like butyl rubber, neoprene, or polyvinyl
chloride).
chemical pump n: an injection pump used to
introduce a chemical into a fluid stream or
receptacle.
chemicals n pi: in drilling-fluid terminology, a
chemical is any material that produces
changes in the viscosity, yield point, gel
strength, fluid loss, and surface tension.
chemical treatment n: any of many
processes in the oil industry that involve the
use of a chemical to effect an operation.
Some chemical treatments are acidising,
crude
oil
demulsification,
conclusion
inhibition, paraffin removal, scale removal,
drilling fluid control, refinery and plant
processes, cleaning and plugging operations,
chemical flooding, and water purification.
chert n: a rock of precipitated silica whose
crystalline structure is not easily discemible
and that fractures conchoidally (like glass).
Flint, jasper, and chat are forms of chert.
chicken hook n: a long steel pole with a
hook on one end that allows one of the rotary
helpers to release the safety latch on the
drilling hook so that the bail of the swivel can
be removed (as when the kelly is set back
prior to making a trip). Also called a
shepherd's stick, or hook.
Chicksan line n: a flexible coupling used in
high-pressure lines.

34

chiller n: a heat exchanger that cools

process fluids with a refrigerant.
chip hold-down effect n: the holding of
formation rock chips in place as a result of
high differential pressure in the wellbore (i.e.,
pressure in the wellbore is greater than
pressure in the formation). This effective- its
the cutting action of the bit by retarding
circulation of bit cuttings out of the hole.
chk abbr: choke; used in drilling reports.
chlorine n: a greenish-yellow, acrid gas (CI)
that irritates the skin and mucous
membranes and causes breathing difficulties.
chlorine log n: a record of the presence and
concentration of chlorine in oil reservoirs.
See chlorine survey.

chlorine survey n: a special type of radioactivity-logging survey used to measure die

relative amount of chlorine in the formation.
Rocks with low chlorine content are likely to
contain gas or oil; rocks with high chlorine
content usually contain salt water only.
choke n: a device with an orifice installed in
a line to restrict the flow of fluids. Surface
chokes are part of the Christmas tree on a
well and contain a choke nipple, or bean. with
a small-diameter bore that serves to restrict
the flow. Chokes are also used to control the
rate of flow of the drilling mud out of the hole
when the well is closed in with the blow-out
preventer and a kick is being circulated out of
the hole. See adjustable choke. bottomhole
choke. positive choke.

choke angle n: in crane operations, the

angle between the vertical part and choked
part of a choker sling. As this angle decreases, the load-lifting capacity of the sling
also decreases. See choker sling.
choke bean n: a device placed in a choke
line that regulates the flow through the choke.
Flow depends on the size of the opening in

Christmas tree

the bean; the larger the opening. the greater

the flow.
choke control panel n: a panel or board on
the rig floor, usually near the driller's position,
that allows a person to remotely adjust the
size of the opening of a choke installed in the
choke manifold. By adjusting the choke's
opening, the operator can increase or
decrease the amount of back-pressure being
held on the well by the choke. Usually, the
panel also has pressure gauges and other
instruments to help the operator control the
well.
choke flow n: see criticalflow.
choke flow line n: see choke line.
choke line n: a pipe attached to the blowout
preventer stack out of which kick fluids and
mud can be pumped to the choke manifold
when a blowout preventer is closed in on a
kick.
choke manifold n: an arrangement of piping
and special valves, called chokes. In drilling,
mud is circulated through a choke manifold
when the blowout preventers are closed. In
well testing, a choke manifold attached to the
wellhead allows flow and pressure control for
test components down- stream.
choke nipple n: see bean.
choke pressure n: see back-pressure.
choker hitch n: in crane operations, a method
of attaching a sling to a load in which one
end of the sling is passed around the load,
through an attachment or an eye on the other
end, and then to the crane's hook. As the
load is lifted by the crane, the hitch tightens
on the load.
choker sling n: a wire rope sling that forms
CHRISTMAS a slip noose around an TREE
object to re moved or lifted by a crane.
Christmas tree n: the conbul valves,
pressure gauges, and chokes assembled at
the top of a well to control the flow of oil and
gas after the well has been drilled and
completed. It is used when reservoir pressure
is sufficient to cause reservoir fluids to flow to
the surface.

chromate

chromate n: a compound in which chromium

has a valence of 6, e.g., sodium bichromate.
Chromate may be added to drilling fluids
eimer directly or as a constituent of chrome
lignites or chrome lignosulfonates. In certain
areas, chromate is widely used as a
corrosion inhibitor, often in conjunction with
lime.
chromatograph n: an analytical instrument
mat separates mixtures of substances into
identifiable components by means of
chromatography.
chromatograph tests n pi: a laboratory
analysis of a gas sample to determine me
composition of me gas. The analysis will
determine the percentage of each component
of the gas; this percentage can be used to
calculate liquid volume percentage, GPMs,
Btu, and gravity.
chromatography n: a method of separating
a solution of closely related compounds by
allowing it to seep through an adsorbent so
mat each compound is adsorbed in a
separate layer.
chrome lignite n: mined lignite, usually
leonardite, to which chromate has been
added or has reacted. The lignite can also be
causticised with either sodium or potassium
hydroxide.
Ci abbr: cirrus.
arc abbr: circulated; used in drilling reports.
circle wrench n: see wheel-type back-off
wrench.
circuit n: a complete electrical path from one
terminal of a source of electricity to me other,
usually connected to a load. When me circuit
is closed, electric current flows through it;
when it is opened, me current flow stops.
circular reader n: a metering instrumentation
system
component mat counts
me
revolutions of me index shaft.
circulate v: to pass from one point throughout a system and back to me starting point.
For example, drilling fluid is circulated out of
the suction pit, down the drill pipe and drill
collars, out the bit, up the annulus, and back
to the pits while drilling proceeds.

35

circulate-and-weight method n: see concurrent method.

circulate the short way v: see reverse
circulation.
circulating and releasing overshot n: an
external gripping tool that allows direct
circulation through the tool and the fish to
keep the wellbore lubricated during fishing.
See overshot.
circulating components n pi: the equipment
included in the drilling fluid circulating system
of a rotary rig. Basically, the components
consist of the mud pump, the rotary hose, the
swivel, the drill stem, the bit, and the mud
return line.
circulating density n: see equivalent
circulating density.
circulating fluid n: see drilling fluid, mud.
circulating head n: an accessory attached to
the top of the drill pipe or tubing to form a
connection with the mud system to permit
circulation of the drilling mud. In some cases,
it is also a rotating head.
circulating pressure n: the pressure
generated by the mud pumps and exerted on
the drill stem.
circulating rate n: the volume flow rate of
the circulating drilling fluid usually expressed in gallons or barrels per minute in
the United States. Elsewhere, it is expressed
in cubic metres per minute.
circulation n: the movement of drilling fluid
out of the mud pits, down the drill stem, up
the annulus, and back to the mud pits. See
normal circulation, reverse circulation.
circulation sleeve n: see sliding sleeve.
circulation squeeze n: a variation of
squeeze cementing for wells with two
producing zones in which (1) the upper fluid
sand is perforated; (2) tubing is run with a
packer, and the packer is set between the
two perforated intervals; (3) water is
circulated between the two zones to remove
as much mud as possible from the channel;
(4) cement is pumped through the channel
and circulated; (5) the packer is released and
picked up above the upper perforation, a low
squeeze pressure is applied, and the excess
cement is circulated out. The process is
applicable where there is communication
behind the pipe between the two producing
zones because of channelling of the primary
cement or where there is essentially no
cement in the annulus.
circulation valve n: an accessory employed
above a packer, to permit annulus-to-tubing
circulation or vice versa.
cirrocumulus n: a white high-level cloud that
is composed primarily of ice crystals. This
type of cloud forms from cirrus or cirrostratus
clouds and has a rippled appearance. status
n: a very thin, white, high-level cloud that
produces halos visible around the sun or
moon. This type of cloud is composed of ice
crystals and appears as a thin veil in the sky.

Class I injection wells

cirrus n: a high-level, white, feather like

cloud that is composed of ice crystals.
citations n pi: notations that appear in
government documents for cross-referencing
information.1f you are reading a regulation
that refers to another regulation or to a
different section in the same regulation, the
citation will be listed so that you may refer to
the appropriate material for more information.
city gas station n: see city gate station.
city gate station n: a station to which a
transmission company delivers gas to the
distribution company. This is the point at
which interstate and intrastate pipelines sell
and deliver gas to local distribution
companies. Usually built adjacent to a natural
gas transmission line in a sparsely populated
area on the outskirts of a population centre.
Also called city gas station, town border
station.
civil law n: see statute law.
civil penalties n pi: penalties for damages to
private individuals or organisations typically
determined by a court decision on suits filed
against private individuals or corporations.
Cl form: chlorine.
clabbered adj: (slang) commonly used to
describe moderate to severe flocculation of
mud due to various contaminants. Also called
gelled-up.
cladding n: metal coating bonded to another
metal usually by means of high heat and
pressure.
clamp n: a mechanical device used to hold
an object in place. For example, a leak-repair
clamp, or saddle clamp, holds a piece of
metal with the same curvature as the pipe
over a hole in a line, effecting a temporary
seal. A wireline clamp holds the end of a wire
rope against the main rope, while a polishedrod clamp attaches the top of the polished
rod to the bridle of a pumping unit
Class I injection wells n pi: a classification
of injection wells under Safe Drinking Water
Act that are related to hazardous, industrial
nonhazardous, and municipal wastewater
disposal below underground sources of
drinking water.

Class II injection wells

Class II injection wells n pi: a classification

of injection wells under SDWA that are
related to oil and gas activity. Typically, these
wells are used to dispose of produced waters
into depleted oil formations below drinking
water sources; to inject produced water from
production operations back into the
producing zone; to inject fluids for enhanced
recovery; and to store hydrocarbons.
classic rock n: a sedimentary rock composed of fragments of preexisting rocks. The
principal distinction among clastics is grain
size. Conglomerates, sandstones, and shales
are clastic rocks.
clastics n pi: I. sediments formed by the
breakdown of large rock masses by
climatological
processes,
physical
or
chemical. 2. the rocks formed from these
sediments.
clastic texture n: rock texture in which
individual rock, mineral, or organic fragments
are cemented together by an amorphous or
crystalline minera1 such as calcite. Compare
crystalline texture.
Claus process n: a process to convert
hydrogen sulfide into elemental sulfur by
selective oxidation.
clay n: I. a term used for particles smaller
than \1156 millimetre (4 microns) in size,
regardless of mineral composition. 2. a group
of hydrous aluminum silicate minerals (clay
minerals). 3. a sediment of fine clastics.
clay extender n: any of several substances usually organic compounds of high molecular
weight-that,
when
added
in
low
concentrations to a bentonite or to certain
other clay slurries, will increase the viscosity
of the system. See low-solids mud.
Clean Air Act (CAA) n: one of the first
environmental laws passed by the federal
government. The CAA addresses and
regulates airborne pollution that may be
potentially hazardous to public health or
natural resources.
clean ballast n: ballast that is free of any
measurable quantity of hydrocarbon cleaning
and priming machine n: a self- propelled
machine with a rotating set of brushes and
buffers that removes from pipe surface any
loose material and applies a thin coat of
primer to prepare the pipe for coating.
clean out v: to remove sand, scale, and
other deposits from the producing section of
the well to restore or increase production.
cleanout door n: an opening made to permit
removal of sediments from the bottom of a
tank. Usually a plate near ground level is
removed from the side of the tank to make
the door.
cleanout tools n pi: the tools or instrument,
such as bailers and swabs, used to clean out
an oilwell.
clean-up operation n: (HAZWOPER) an
operation during which hazardous substances are removed, contained, incinerated,
neutralised, stabilised. cleaned up, or in any

36

other manner processed or handled. with the

ultimate goal of making the site safer for
people or the environment.
Clean Water Act (CWA) n: law that
regulates the discharge of toxic and nontoxic
pollutants into the surface waters of the
United States. Under the jurisdiction of both
the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers,
CWA's short-term goal is to make surface
waters safe for recreation, fishing, and other
uses. Its long-term goal is to eliminate all
harmful discharges into surface waters.
clearance n: 1. the distance by which one
object clears another. 2. the amount of space
between two objects.
clearance pocket n: a device mounted on
the cylinder of a compressor that allows the
amount of clearance space to be adjusted.
Clearance space may have to be adjusted to
compensate for increases or decreases in
the load on the compressor.
clearance sample n: in tank sampling, a
spot sample taken 4 inches (100 millimetres) below the level of the tank outlet.
clearance space n: in a reciprocating
compressor, the volume between the top of
the piston and the cylinder head with the
piston at the top of its stroke.
clearance volume n: the amount of space
between the travelling and standing val~ in a
sucker rod pump when the pump is at the
bottom of its stroke.
clear brine n: a drilling fluid made up mainly
of chemical salts, such as sodium chloride,
calcium chloride, or potassium chloride. Clear
brine contains little or no clay or other solid
material and is virtually transparent. It is often
used when drilling into a producing formation
because clear brine minimises formation
damage. See completion fluid formation
damage.
clear water drilling n: drilling operations in
which plain water (usually salt water) is used
as the circulating fluid.
cleat n: see coal clear.
clevis n: see shackle.
CLFP abbr: choke-line friction pressure.
clingage n: the amount of oil that adheres to
the wall of a measuring or prover tank after
draining.
Clinton flake n: finely shredded cellophane
used as a lost circulation material for cement.
clip n: a U-bolt or similar device used to
fasten parts of a wire cable together.
closed circuit n: 1. a life-support system in
which the gas is recycled continually while
the carbon dioxide is removed and oxygen
added periodically. 2. a television installation
in which the signal is transmitted by wire to a
limited number of receivers.
closed-in pressure n: see shut-in pressure.
closed stationary tank prover n: see positivevolume prove1:
closed system n: a water-handling system
(such as a saltwater-disposal system) in

cloud point

which air is not allowed to enter, thereby

preventing corrosion or scale.
close in v:.1. to shut in a well temporarily
that is capable of producing oil or gas. 2. to
close the blowout preventers on a well to
control a kick. The blowout preventers close
off the annulus so that pressure from below
cannot flow to the surface.
close nipple n: a very short piece of pipe
threaded its entire length.
closing gauge n: the measurement in a tank
after a delivery or receipt. Compare opening
gauge.
closing machine n: a machine that braids
wires into strands and strands into rope in the
manufacture of wire rope. Also called a
stranding machine.
closing ratio n: the ratio between the
pressure in the hole and the operating-piston
pressure needed to close the rams of a blowout preventer.
closing unit n: see blowout preventer control
unit.
closing-up pump n: an electric or hydraulic
pump on an accumulator that pumps
hydraulic fluid under high pressure to the
blowout preventers so that they may be
closed or opened.
closure n: I. the vertical distance between
the top of an anticline., or dome, and the bottom, an indication of the amount of producing
formation that may be expected. 2. the
process of closing down a site, such as
plugging and abandoning a well or filling in a
pit.
cloud on a title n: a claim or encumbrance
that, if upheld by a court, would impair the
owner's title to the property.
cloud point n: the temperature at which
paraffin wax begins to congeal and become
cloudy.

clump weights

clump weights n pi: special segmented

weights attached to the guy wires of a guyed
compliant platform that keep the guy wires
taut as the platform jacket moves with the
waves and current of the water. As tension
on a guy wire is lessened, one or more
segments of the weight drop to the seafloor
and re-establish tension on the wire. As
tension increases on a guy wire, the tension
pulls one or more segments off the seafloor
so that the wire is not over stressed.
clutch n: a coupling used to connect and
disconnect a driving and a driven part of a
mechanism, especially a coupling that
permits the former part to engage the latter
gradually and without shock. In the oilfield, a
clutch permits gradual engaging and
disengaging of the equipment driven by a
prime mover. v: to engage or disengage a
clutch.
cm abbr: centimetre.
cm2 abbr: square centimetre.
3
cm abbr: cubic centimetre.
CMC abbr: carboxymethylcellulose.
CO form: carbon monoxide.
CO2 form: carbon dioxide.
coagulation n: see flocculation.
coal n: a carbonaceous, rocklike material
that forms from the remains of plants that
were subjected to biochemical processes,
intense pressure, and high temperatures. It is
used as fuel.
coal cleat n: the cleavage or fracture plane
of coal as found in a mine or in a coal deposit. Natural gas often migrates through
cleats.
coalesce v: to unite as a whole.
coalescence n: 1. the change from a liquid
to a thickened, curdlike state by chemical
reaction. 2. the combining of globules in an
emulsion caused by molecular attraction of
the surfaces.
coalescer n: a device used to cause the
separation and removal of one liquid from another. May be used to remove water from a
petroleum liquid sample withdrawn from a
pipeline.
coal fine n: coal crushed sufficiently finely to
pass through a screen.
coal gas n: gas produced from coal and
used for fuel. It contains primarily hydrogen,
methane, and carbon monoxide.
coal tar epoxy n: a thermosetting resin
made from the by-product of the
carbonisation of bituminous coal. It is used as
a coating because of its adhesiveness,
flexibility, and resistance to chemicals.
Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Act of
1972 n: a congressional act that established
policies for the balanced protection and wise
development of coastal resources.
coastal zone management (CZM) program
n: a state-level program that provides for
state review of exploration, development, and
production plans that affect the coastal zone.
coast ice n: see fast ice.

37

coating n: any material that forms a

continuous film over a metal surface to
prevent corrosion damage.
coating flaw n: a gap or flaw in pipe coating.
Coating flaws, which must be repaired to
prevent corrosion problems, are detected
through mechanical or visual inspections of
the line. Also called holiday.
coating machine n: a machine that applies
an even layer of coating material to pipe
surface. Most coating machines also apply
outer wrapping on the pipe.
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) n: an
annual paperback set of all the final and
permanent agency rules and regulations
published in the Federal Register. The CFR
is divided into 50 titles, which represent
broad areas subject to federal regulation.
coefficient n: a number that serves as a
measure of some property or characteristic
and that is commonly used as a factor in
computations.
coefficient of cubical expansion n: see
coefficient of expansion.
coefficient of discharge n: the ratio of
actual flow to theoretical flow.
coefficient of elasticity n: see modulus of
elasticity .
coefficient of expansion n: the increment in
volume of a unit volume of solid, liquid, or
gas for a rise of temperature of I' at constant
pressure. Also called coefficient of cubical
expansion, coefficient of thermal expansion,
expansion coefficient, expansivity.
coefficient of expansion adjuster n: an
accessory for a meter that is used with an
automatic temperature compensator. It is
used to regulate the magnitude of
temperature compensation consistent with
the coefficient of expansion of the liquid
being metered.
coefficient of thermal expansion n: see
coefficient of expansion.
COFCAW abbr: combination of forward
combustion and water flooding. Also called
wet combustion.
cofferdam n: the empty space between two
bulkheads that separates two adjacent
compartments. It is designed to isolate the
two compartments from each other, thereby
preventing the liquid contents of one
compartment from entering the other in the
event of the failure of the bulkhead of one to
retain its tightness. In oil tankers, cargo
spaces are always isolated from the rest of
the ship by cofferdams fitted at both ends of
the tank body.
cogeneration n: an energy-producing
process
involving
the
simultaneous
generation of thermal and electrical energy
from a single primary heat source.
cohesion n: the attractive force between the
same kinds of molecules (i.e., the force that
holds the molecules of a substance together).
coil n: an accessory of tubing or pipe for
installation
in
condensers
or
heat

coiled-tubing workover

exchangers. In more complex installations, a

tube bundle is used instead of a coil.
coiled tubing n: a continuous string of
flexible steel tubing, often hundreds or thousands of feet long, that is wound onto a reel,
often dozens of feet in diameter. The reel is
an integral part of the coiled tubing unit,
which consists of several devices that ensure the tubing can be safely and efficiently
inserted into the well from the surface. Because tubing can be lowered into a well
without having to make up joints of tubing,
running coiled tubing into the well is faster
and
less
expensive
than
running
conventional tubing. Rapid advances in the
use of coiled tubing make it a popular way in
which to run tubing into and out of a well.
Also called reeled tubing.
coiled-tubing unit n: the equipment for
transporting and using coiled tubing,
including a reel for the coiled tubing, an
injector head to push the tubing down the
well, a wellhead blowout preventer stack, a
power source (usually a diesel engine and
hydraulic pumps), and a control console. A
unique feature of the unit is that it allows
continuous circulation while it is being
lowered into the hole. A coiled tubing unit is
usually mounted on a trailer or skid.
coiled-tubing workover n: a workover performed with a continuous steel tube, normally
0.75 inch to I inch (1.9 to 2.54 centimetres)
outside diameter, which is run into the well in
one piece inside the normal tubing. Lengths
of the tubing up to 16,000 feet (4,877 metres)
are stored on the surface on a reel in a
manner similar to that used for wireline. The
unit is rigged up over the wellhead. The
tubing is injected through a control head that
seals off the tubing and makes a pressuretight connection.

coke

coke n: 1. a solid cellular residue produced

from the dry distillation of certain
carbonceous materials that contains carbon
as its principal constituent 2. a residue of
heavier hydrocarbons formed by thermal
cracking and distillation and deposited in the
reservoir during in situ combustion. This
residue catches fire and becomes the fuel for
continued combustion.
coke breeze n: crushed coke used for
packing underground anodes in cathodic
protection systems to obtain increased anode
efficiency at a reduced cost See coke.
cold front n: the leading edge of a cold air
mass that replaces warmer air. The warm air
is lifted to ride up over the cool air.
cold wall n: the sharp water-temperature
gradient between the Gulf Stream and the
Labrador Current.
cold-work n: plastic deformation of metal at
a temperature low enough to insure or cause
permanent strain.
coliform n: any of several bacilli found in the
large intestine of humans and animals; its
presence in water indicates fecal pollution.
collapse pressure n: the amount of force
needed to crush the sides of pipe until it
caves in on itself. The pipe collapses when
the pressure outside it is greater than the
pressure inside it.
collapse resistance n: the ability of the wall
of a pipe or vessel to resist collapse.
collar n: 1. a coupling device used to join two
lengths of pipe, such as casing or tubing. A
combination collar has left-hand threads in
one end and right-hand threads in the other.
2. a drill collar. See drill collar.
collar-lift elevator n: an elevator that is
bored to match a square shouldered tool
joint.
collar locator n: a logging device used to
determine accurately the depth of a well; the
log measures and records the depth of each
casing collar, or coupling, in a well. Since the
length of each joint of casing is written down,
along with the number of joints of casing that
were put into the well, knowing the number
and depth of the collars allows an accurate
measure of well depth.
collar locator log n: see collar locatol:
collar pipe n: heavy pipe used between the
drill pipe and the bit in the drill stem. See drill
collar.
collet n: a finger like device used to lock or
position certain tool components by
manipulating the tubing string or downhole
tool.
collision bulkhead n: the foremost bulkhead that extends from the bottom to the
freeboard deck of a drill ship. It keeps the
main hull watertight if a collision occurs.
colloid n: 1. a substance whose particles are
so fine that they will not settle out of
suspension or solution and cannot be seen
under an ordinary microscope. 2. the mixture

38

of a colloid and the liquid. gaseous, or solid

medium in which it is dispersed.
colloidal adj: pertaining to a colloid. i.e.,
involving particles so minute (less than 2
microns) that they are not visible through
optical microscopes. Bentonite is an example of a colloidal clay.
colloidal composition n: a colloidal
suspension containing one or more colloidal
constituents.
colloidal suspension n: finely divided
particles of ultramicroscopic size suspended
in a liquid.
colour test n: a visual test made against
fixed standards to determine the colour of a
petroleum or other type of product.
column-stabilised drilling unit n: see
semisubmersible drilling rig.
combination drive n: a combination of two
or more natural energies that work together
in a reservoir to force fluids into a wellbore.
Possible combinations include gas-cap and
water drive, solution gas and water drive, and
gas-cap drive and gravity drainage.
combination book-block n: a piece of
drilling equipment that joins the hook and
travelling block into one unit designed to
support the swivel and drill stem during
drilling and to raise and lower drilling tools in
and out of the hole.
combination rig n: a light rig that has the
essential elements for both rotary and cabletool drilling. It is sometimes used for reconditioning wells.
combination strand n: a wire rope strand
that uses two or more strand designs to form
a single strand. Compare Seale strand,
Warrington strand.
combination string n: a casing string with
joints of various collapse resistance, internal
yield strength, and tensile strength, designed
for various depths in a specific well to best
withstand the conditions of that well. In deep
wens, high tensile strength is required in the
top casing joints to carry the load, whereas
high collapse resistance and internal yield
strength are needed in the bottom joints. In
the middle of the casing, average quality is
usually sufficient. The most suitable
combination of types and weights of pipe
helps to ensure efficient production at a
minimum cost.
combination trap n: I. a subsurface
hydrocarbon trap that has the features of
both a structural trap and a stratigraphic trap.
2. a combination of two or more structural
traps or two or more stratigraphic traps.
combined misatignment n: a type of chain
misalignment that may result from combined
angular and offset misalignment, or from two
shafts that are not level with each other.
combining weight n: see equivalent weight.
combustible gas indicator n: device used
to measure the percentage of combustible
gas present in a sample of atmosphere.

commercial propane

combustion n: 1. the process of burning.

Chemically, it is a process of rapid oxidation
caused by the union of oxygen from the air
with the material that is being oxidised or
burned. 2. the organised and orderly burning
of fuel inside the cylinder of an engine.
come-along n: a manually operated device
that is used to tighten guy wires or move
heavy loads. Usually, a come-along is a
gripping tool with two jaws attached to a ring
so that, when the ring is pulled, the jaws
close.
come in v: to begin to produce; to become
profitable.
come out of the hole v: to pull the drill stem
out of the wellbore to change the bit, to
change from a core barrel to the bit, to run
electric logs, to prepare for a drill stem test,
to run casing, and so on. Also called trip out.
come to see you v: (slang) to blowout. A
well will "come to see you" if it blows out.
commercial amount n: see commercial
quantity.
commercial
butane
n:
a
liquefied
hydrocarbon consisting chiefly of butane or
butylenes and conforming to the GPA
specification for commercial butane defined
in GPA Publication 2140.
commercial gauger n: someone licensed by
the US Customs Service to perform the
duties
of
independent
inspector
or
independent surveyor.
commercial laboratory n: US Customs
Service-approved laboratory, including those
of commercial gaugers.
commercial production n: oil and gas
production of sufficient quantity to justify
keeping a well in production.
commercial propane n: a liquefied hydrocarbon product consisting chiefly of pr0- pane
and/or propylene and conforming to the GPA
specification for commercial pro- pane as
defined in GPA Publication 2140.

commercial quantity

commercial quantity n: an amount of oil and

gas production large enough to enable the
operator to realise a profit, however small. To
keep the lease in force, production must be in
quantities sufficient to yield a return in excess
of operating costs, even though drilling and
equipment costs may never be recovered.
commingle v: to mix crude oil or oil products
rather than moving them as separate
batches. See batch.
commingling n: the mixing of crude oil
products that have similar properties, usually
for convenient transportation in a pipe- line.
commingling facility n: an installation,
serving two or more leases, that provides
services such as gathering, separating,
treating, and storing more economically than
several smaller facilities.
commingling gas n: gas from two or more
sources that is combined in a single stream.
committed reserves n: in gas contracts, the
amount of gas the seller has available to sell
to the buyer or buyers named in the contract.
common carrier n: any cargo transportation
system available for public use. Nearly all
pipelines are common carriers.
common cement n: a regular portland
cement classified as either API Class A or
ASTM Type I cement.
common law n: a system of law based on
court decisions, or judicial precedent, rather
than on legislated statutes or executive
decrees. Common law began in England and
was later used in English colonies. It is still
applied in most of the United States; however, Louisiana operates under the
Napoleonic Code. Also called case law.
common rail n: the line in a certain type of
fuel-injection system for a diesel engine that
keeps fuel at a given pressure and feeds it
through feed lines to each fuel injector.
common-rail injection n: a fuel-injection
system on a diesel engine in which one line,
or rail, holds fuel at a certain pressure and
feed lines run from it to each fuel injector.
community property n: property, usually
acquired after marriage, held jointly by
husband and wife.
Community Right to Know n: see SARA
1l"tle Ill.
commutator n: a series of bars connected to
the armature coils of an electric motor or
generator. As the commutator rotates in
contact with fixed brushes, the direction of
flow of current to or from the armature is in
one direction only.
comp abbr: completed or completion; used in
drilling reports.
compact n: see insert.
compaction n: a decrease in the volume of a
stratum due to pressure exerted by overlying strata, evaporation of water, or other
causes.
compaction anticline n: see draped anticline.

39

company
hand
n:
see
company
representative.
company
man
n:
see
company
representative.
company representative n: an employee of
an operating company who supervises the
operations at a drilling site or well site and
co-ordinates the hiring of logging, testing,
service, and workover companies. Also
called company hand, company man.
compartment n: a subdivision of space on a
floating offshore drilling rig, a ship, or a
barge.
compemated neutron log n: a measure and
record of limestone porosity. The log is
produced using one source and two
detectors instead of just one detector, as an
uncompensated neutron log does. A
compensated neutron log is less influenced
by borehole effects than an uncompensated
neutron log. See borehole effect.
compemating index n: a meter index that
has a pressure correction factor built into the
gear ratio of the dial.
compemation n: provision of a supplemental
device, circuit. or special materials to
counteract known sources of error.
compemator governor n: a type of engine
governor that prevents hunting (an engine's
speeding up and slowing down as it seeks to
run at the speed dictated by the engine
governor.) A compensator on the governor
anticipates the engine's return to its set
speed. When an engine's speed goes faster
than the set speed, the compensator drops
the engine's rpm; when engine speed drops
below set speed, the compensator increases
the engine's rpm. Normally, engine operators
set the compensator to keep the drop small.
With a small speed drop, the governor and
compensator quickly make the engine go
back to control speed. See govemo1;
hunting.
compematory royalty n: payments to royalty
owners as compensation for losses in income
that they may be suffering because of failure
to develop a lease adequately.
competitive field n: an oil or gas field comprising wells operated by various operators.
competitive leasing n: a procedure, based
on competitive bidding, used to acquire oil
and gas leases to federal lands within areas
designated by USGS as known geologic
structures (KGS) or on offshore federal lands.
complete a well v: to finish work on a well
and bring it to productive status. See well
completion.
completion fluid n: low-solids fluid or drilling
mud used when a well is being completed. It
is selected not only for its ability to control
formation pressure, but also for the properties that minimise formation damage.
compliant piled tower n: an offshore platform jacket that flexes with wind, wave, and
current forces and is supported by piles

compounding transmission

driven through guides attached to outside

legs of the jacket.
compliant platform n: an offshore platform
that is designed to flex with wind and waves.
Two types are the guyed-tower platform rig
and the compliant piled tower.
composite sample n: a sample of a substance that is made up of equal portions of
two or more spot samples obtained from a
tank or pipeline. In a crude oil storage tank,
one type of composite sample is taken at the
top, at the bottom, and in the middle.
composite spot sample n: in tank sampling,
a blend of spot samples mixed in equal proportions for testing.
composite stream n: 1. a flow of oil and gas
in one stream. 2. a flow of two or more
different liquid hydrocarbons in one stream.
compound n: I. a mechanism used to
transmit power from the engines to the pump,
the drawworks, and other machinery on a
drilling rig. It is composed of clutches, chains
and sprockets, belts and pulleys, and a
number of shafts, both driven and driving. 2.
a substance formed by the chemical union of
two or more elements in definite proportions;
the smallest particle of a chemical compound
is a molecule. v: to connect two or more
power-producing de- vices, such as engines,
to run driven equipment, such as the
drawworks.
compounding n: 1. the act of connecting two
or more power-producing devices to run
driven equipment. 2. the act of paying an
amount on the accrued interest and the
principal. Compare discounting.
compounding transmission n: on a
mechanical-drive rig, the type of transmission
that sends power from the engines to the
drawworks and the rotary table, and
sometimes to the mud pumps. See also
transmission.

(CERCLA)

Comprehensive Environmental Response,

Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980
(CERCLA) n: a congressional act that gives
the government the authority to clean up any
site where there is an unremedied release of
a hazardous substance. Frequent]y, these
sites, which are referred to as "Superfund"
sites, are areas where hazardous waste has
been disposed of improperly.
compressibility n: the change in volume per
unit of volume of a liquid caused by a unit
change in pressure at constant temperature.
compressibility factor n: the ratio of the actual
volume of gas at a given temperature and
pressure to the volume of gas when
calculated by the idea] gas law.
compression n: the act or process of
squeezing a given volume of gas into a
smaller space.
compression ignition (Cl) n: an ignition
method used in diesel engines by which the
air in the cylinder is compressed to such a
degree by the piston that ignition occurs upon
the injection of fuel. About a I-pound (7kilopascal) rise in pressure causes a ZO-F (]
O-C) increase in temperature.
compression packer n: a packer that is
locked in its set position by tubing weight set
down on it.
compression pressure n: the pounds-persquare-inch (kilopascal) increase in pressure
at the end of the compression stroke in an
engine, about 500 pounds per square inch
(3,500 kilopascals) in a diesel engine.
compression ratio n: 1. the ratio of the
absolute discharge pressure from a
compressor to the absolute intake pressure.
2. the ratio of the volume of an engine
cylinder before compression to its volume
after compression. For example, if a cylinder
volume of ]0 cubic inches (10 cubic
centimetres) is compressed into] cubic inch (]
cubic centimetre), the compression ratio is
]0:].
compression-refrigeration cycle n: the
refrigeration cycle in which refrigeration is
supplied by the evaporation of a liquid
refrigerant such as propane or ammonia.
Compare absorption-refrigeration cycle.
compression test n: a type of testing used
extensively on casing head gas that has a
propane content of above 0.5 to ].0 gallon per
thousand cubic feet to determine the liquid
hydrocarbon content of the gas.
compression wave n: wave in an elastic
medium that causes an element of the
medium to change volume without rotating.

40

compressive yield strength n: the maximum stress a metal, subjected to

compression, can withstand without a
predefined
amount
of
permanent
deformation.
compressor n: a device that raises the
pressure of a compressible fluid such as air
or gas. Compressors create a pressure
differential to move or compress a vapour or
a gas, consuming power in the process. They
may be positive-displacement compressors
or nonpositive-displacement compressors.
See centrifugal compressor; jet compressor;
reciprocating compressor.

(CERCLA)

concrete gravity platform rig n: a rigid

offshore drilling platform built of steelreinforced concrete and used to drill
development wens. The platform is floated to
the drilling site in a vertical position. At the
site, one or more tall caissons that serve as
the foundation of the platform are flooded so
that the platform comes to rest on bottom.
Because of the enormous weight of the
platform, the force of gravity alone keeps it in
place. See platform rig.

compressor clearance n: the ratio of the

volume remaining in a compressor cylinder at
the end of a compression stroke to the
volume displaced by one stroke of the piston.
Usually expressed as a percentage.
compressor fuel n: natural gas burned as
fuel to operate a compressor.
compressor station n: a facility consisting of
one or more compressors with the necessary
auxiliaries for delivering compressed gas.
compressor valve n: a device in a
compressor that closes while gas is being
compressed and opens to allow the
compressed
gas
to
discharge
and
uncompressed gas to be drawn in.
Compton effect n: a reaction in which
gamma rays with intermediate energy levels
(0.6 to 2.5 million electron volts) lose their
energy by colliding with orbital electrons.
computerised production control (CPC) n:
centralised computer control for a completely
automated lea.c;e or multilease operation.
computing counter-printer n: a counterprinter with selective means for setting price
per standard unit of measurement. It can
compute the total price for a quantity of
product delivered.
concentric piston n: tubing pressure acting
on the net piston area and causing a force to
be exerted on a mandrel.
concentric-tubing workover n: a workover
performed with a small-diameter tubing work
string inside the normal tubing. Equipment
needed is essentially the same as that for a
conventional workover except that it is
smaller and lighter.
concession n: a tract of land granted by a
government to an individual or company for
exploration and exploitation of minerals.

concrete island drilling system (CIDS) n: a

structure made primarily of concrete which is
designed for drilling in arctic waters. The
structure is very strong and is de- signed to
withstand the great force of moving ice.
concurrent method n: a method for killing
well pressure in which circulation is
commenced immediately and mud weight is
brought up in steps, or increments, usually a
point at a time. Also called circulate- andweight method.
condensate n: a light hydrocarbon liquid
obtained by condensation of hydrocarbon
vapours. It consists of varying proportions of
butane, propane, pentane, and heavier
fractions, with little or no methane or ethane.
condensate liquids n pi: hydrocarbons that
are gaseous in the reservoir but that will
separate out in liquid form at the pressures
and temperatures at which separators
normally operate. Sometimes called distillate.
condensate ratio n: the ratio of the volume
of liquid produced to the volume of residue
gas produced; usually expressed in barrels
per million cubic feet.
condensate reservoir n: a reservoir in which
both condensate and gas exist in one
homogeneous phase. When fluid is drawn
from such a reservoir and the pressure decreases below the critical level, a liquid
phase (condensate) appears.
condensate trap n: a device installed on or
near the fuel tank of a drilling rig engine into
which the engine operator drains condensate
water. See condensate water.

condensate water

condensate water n: water that condenses

out the air inside a fuel tank. When the
temperature drops, water vapour in the air
that lies above the fuel in a tank condenses
into liquid water. This water tends to fall to
the bottom of the tank where it can be
drained. It is good practice to keep the tank
full of fuel to minimise the amount of air out of
which condensate water can drop.
condensate well n: a gas well producing
from a condensate reservoir.
condensation n: the process by which
vapours are converted into liquids, chiefly
accomplished by cooling the vapours,
lowering the pressure on the vapours, or
both. Condensation is often the cause of the
presence of water in fuels.
condenser n: 1. a form of heat exchanger in
which the heat in vapours is transferred to a
flow of cooling water or air, causing the
vapours to form a liquid. 2. a capacitor.
condistometer n: a thickening-time tester
having a stirring apparatus to measure the
relative thickening time for mud or cement
slurries under predetermined temperatures
and pressures.
condition v: to treat drilling mud with
additives to give it certain properties. Sometimes the term applies to water used in
boilers, drilling operations, and so on. To
condition and circulate mud is to ensure that
additives are distributed evenly throughout a
system by circulating the mud while it is
being conditioned.
conditions of approval n pi: special
conditions or additional requirements that are
attached to permits to drill, deepen, or plug
back. These conditions range from
administrative matters, such as the frequency
and number of required reports, to technical
or environmental conditions, such as
requirements for drilling mud disposal. In all
cases, these are specific conditions that
amplify or explain a requirement in OCSLA,
MMS regulations, OCS Orders, or lease
stipulations.
conductivity n: 1. the ability to transmit or
convey (as heat or electricity). 2. an
electricallogging measurement obtained from
an induction survey, in which eddy currents
produced by an alternating magnetic field
induce in a receiver coil a voltage
proportionate to the ability of the formation to
conduct electricity. See induction log.
conductor n: a material with a high
concentration of free electrons. It readily conduct.. an electric current.
conductor Casing n: generally, the first
string of casing in a well. It may be lowered
into a hole drilled into the formations near the
surface and cemented in place; it may be
driven into the ground by a special pile driver
(in such cases, it is sometimes called drive
pipe); or it may be jetted into place in
offshore locations. Its purpose is to prevent
the soft formations near the surface from

41

caving in and to conduct drilling mud from the

bottom of the hole to the surface when drilling
starts. Also called conductor pipe, drive pipe.
conductor line n: a small-diameter
conductive line used in electric wireline
operations, such as electric well logging and
perforating, in which the transmission of
electrical current is required. Compare
wireline.
conductor pipe n: 1. see conductor casing.
2. a boot, or flume.
cone n: a conical-shaped metal device into
which cutting teeth are formed or mounted on
a roller cone bit. See roller cone bit.
cone bit n: a roller bit in which the cutters are
conical. See bit.
cone offset n: the amount by which lines
drawn through the centre of each cone of a
bit fail to meet in the centre of the bit. For
example, in a roller cone bit with three cones,
three lines can be drawn through the centre
of each cone and extended to the centre of
the bit If these cone centrelines do not meet
in the bit's centre, the coles are said to be
offset In general, bits designed for drilling soft
formations have more offset than cones for
hard formations, because offset affects the
angle at which the bit teeth contact the
formation. Since soft formations require a
gouging and scraping action by bit teeth, high
offset achieves the necessary action.

cone-roof tank n: a tank with a fixed conical

roof.
cone shake n: shaking or vibrating of the
cones of a bit that occurs when the bit
bearings are worn.
cone shell n: that part of the cone of a Toner
cone bit out of which the teeth are milled or
into which tungsten carbide inserts are
placed and inside of which the bearings are
housed.
cone skidding n: locking of a cone on a
roller cone bit so that it will not turn when the
bit is rotating. Cone skidding results in the
flattening of the surface of the cone in contact
with the bottom of the hole.
confirmation well n: the second producer in
a new field, following the discovery well.
conformable adj: layered in parallel and
unbroken rows of rock, indicating that no
disturbance occurred during deposition of the
rock. Compare unconformity.

connate water

congl abbr: conglomerate; used in drilling

reports.
conglomerate n: a sedimentary rock
composed of pebbles of various sizes held
together by a cementing material such as
clay. Conglomerates are similar to sandstone
but are composed mostly of grains more than
2 millimetres (0.08 inch) in diameter. Most
conglomerates are found in discontinuous,
thin, isolated layers; they are not very
abundant. In common usage, the term
"conglomerate" is restricted to coarse
sedimentary rock with rounded grains;
conglomerates made up of sharp, angular
fragments are called breccia.
conical angle n: the angle of the cone of a
bit. This angle may be steep, in which case
the cone has a sharp taper, or it may be
shallow, in which case the cone has a flatter
taper.
conical drilling unit (CDU) n: a drilling
structure whose base is shaped like a
truncated (cut off) cone. It is designed for
drilling in offshore arctic waters, where
moving ice can damage the structure. The
cone shape helps deflect the ice around the
base and keep it intact
coning n: the encroachment of reservoir
water or gas into the oil column and well
because of production. The water or gas
tends to rise near the well bore and assume
a conical shape.

connate water n: water retained in the pore

spaces, or interstices, of a formation from the
time the formation was created. Compare
interstitial water:

connecting rod

connecting rod n: 1. a forged-metal shaft

that joins the piston of an engine to the
crank-shaft. 2. the metal shaft that is joined to
the bull gear and crosshead of a mud pump.
connecting rod bearing n: the bearing
between the rod and the crankshaft. Often
called the rod bearing.
connection n: 1. a section of pipe or fitting
used to join pipe to pipe or to a vessel. 2. a
place in electrical circuits where wires join. 3.
the action of adding a joint of pipe to the drill
stem as drilling progresses.
connection gas n: the relatively small
amount of gas enters a well when the mud
pump is stopped for a connection to be
made. Since bottomhole pressure decreases
when the pump is stopped, gas may enter
the well.
connector link n: in roller chain, a type of
link used to make a continuous loop of chain
by connecting the two ends of the chain. The
connector link is a pin link with either a spring
clip or a cotter to hold the pins.
conservation n: preservation; economy;
avoidance of waste. It is especially important
in the petroleum industry, since the amount
of oil and gas is finite. Many conservation
practices, such as the trapping of
condensable vapours, are used in the
industry.
Conservation Award for Respecting the
Environment (CARE) program n: an MMS
award program that recognises and
champions
exemplary
actions
and
accomplishments by private companies
engaged in offshore energy development that
support the broader conservation and
environmental goals of the nation, the
Department of the Interior, and the coastal
states.
consideration n: a promise or an act of legal
value bargained for and received in return for
a promise; an essential element of a contract.
In oil and gas leases, consideration may be
payment in money or in kind; it must often be
serious consideration.
Compare bonus
consideration.
consistency n: the cohesion of the individual
particles of a given materal (i.e., its ability to
deform or its resistance to flow).
consistometer n: a thickening-time tester
with a stirring appratus to measure the
relative thickening time for mud or cement
slurries under predetermined temperatures
and pressures.
Console n: see drillers consoel.
Consolidation n: the process by which sand
or other loose materials become firm.
constant choke-pressure method n: a
method of killing a well that has kicked, in
which the choke size is adjusted to maintain
a constant casing pressure. This method
does not work unless the kick is all or nearly
all salt water. If the kick is gas, this method
will not maintain a constant bottomhole

42

pressure, because gas expands as it rises in

the annulus.
In any case, it is not a
recommended well-control procedure.
constant pit-level method n: a method of
killing a well in which the mud level in the pits
is held constant while the choke size is
reduced and the pump speed slowed. It is
not effective, and therefore is not
recommended, because casing pressure
increases to the point at which the formation
fractures or the casing ruptures, and control
of the well is lost.
construction n: in contract law, the
interpretation given by a court of competent
jurisdiction for example, an interpretation of
a possibly ambiguous instrument or statute.
consultant n: a person who contracts with
an oil company to supervise the operations at
a drilling site or well site and to coordinate
the hiring of logging, testing, service, and
workover companies
contact n: 1. In geology, any sharp or welldefined boundary between two different
bodies of rock. 2. A bedding plane or
unconformity that separtaes formations.
contact angle n: the angle formed when two
immiscible fluids meet a solid surface. For
example, in a reservoir where water contacts
a grain of sand or rock, it conforms to the
shape of the solid and its angle of contact is
at or near zero. Because of surface tension,
any oil in the area does not conform to the
shape of the water and grain; instead, the oil
surrounds the wet grain and produces angles
at the point of contact between the oil and the
water.
contact area n: the gas-oil or oil-water
interface in a reservoir.
contact log n: any log in which the logging
sonde must be put into contact with the walls
of the hole or casing to obtain the log.
contact metamorphism n: a type of
metamorphism that occurs when an intruded
body of molten igneous rock changes the
rocks immediately around it, primarily ny
heating and by chemical alteration.
contact metamorphism n: a type of
metamorphism that occurs when an intruded
body of molten igneous rock changes the
rocks immediately around it, primarily by
heating and by chemical alteration.
contactor n: 1. a vessel or piece of
equipment in which two or more substances
are brought together. 2. a switch used to
open or close an electric circuit.
contaminant n: a material, usually a mud
component, that becomes mixed with cement
slurry during displacement and that affects it
adversely.
continental drift n: according to a theory
proposed by Alfred Wegener, a German
meteorologist, in 1910, the migration of
continents across the ocean floor like rafts
drifting at sea. Compare plate tectonics.

continuous steam injection

continental margin n: a zone that separates

emergent continents from the deep sea
bottom.
continenetal rise n: the transition zone
between the continental slope and the
oceanic abyss.
continental shelf n: a zone, adjacent ot a
continent, that extends from the lower
waterline to the continental slope, the point at
which the seafloor begins to slope off steeply
into the oceanic abyss.
continental slope n: a zone of steep,
variable topography forming a transition from
the continental shelf edge to the ocean basin.
continuous development clause n: in an oil
and gas lease, a clause designed to keep
drilling operations going steadily after the
primary term has expired. In some clauses,
designated intervals between completion of
one well and commencement of the drilling of
another may require the operator to develop
the leased land up to its allowable density.
continuous flowmeter log n: a log used to
determine the contribution of each zone to
the total production or injection.
These
sureys are used to indicate chages in the
flow pattern versus changes in conditions at
the suface, in time, in type of operation, or
after stimulation treatments; particularly
useful for measuring gas well flow.
continuous flow-responsive sampler n: a
sampler that automatically adjusts the
quantity of sample in proportion to the rate of
flow.
continuous line sampling n: see automatic
sampling.
continuous phase n: the liquid in which
solids are suspended or droplets of another
liquid are dispersed, sometimes called the
external phase. In a water-in-oil emulsion, oil
is the continuous phase. Compare internal
phase.
continuous sample n: a pipeline sample
that is withdrawn in a uniform and continuous
rate or in one or more increments per minute.
continuous spinner flowmeter n: a
produciton log used to determine which of
several zones contributes the most to the
total production or, in the case of an injection
well, which zone is receiving the most
injected fluids.

continuous steam injection

continuous steam injection n: see steam

drive.
continuous time-cycle sampler n: a
sampler that transfers equal increments of oil
from the pipeline to the sample container at a
uniform rate.
continuous treatment n: in corrosion
control, the constant injection of small
quantities of chemical corrosion inhibitors into
the lines of a production system.
contour map n: a map constructed with
continuous lines connecting points of equal
value, such as elevation, formation thickness,
and rock porosity.
contract n: a written agreement that can be
enforced by law and that lists the terms under
which the acts required are to be performed. A drilling contract covers such
factors as the cost of drilling the well
(whether by the foot or by the day), the
distribution of expenses between operator
and contractor, and the type of equipment to
be used.
contract carrier n: a facility that voluntarily
provides its services to others on a private
contractual basis.
contract demand n: the amount of gas a
seller agrees to deliver on a periodic (daily,
monthly, annually) basis in accordance with a
service agreement. The buyer need not take
this maximum quantity during the applicable
period.
contract depth n: the depth of the wellbore
at which a drilling contract is fulfilled.
contracted reserves n pi: natural gas
reserves dedicated to the fulfillment of gas
purchase contracts.
contract market n: oldest system for trading
oil. Suppliers offer long-term contracts to
customers with the contracts specifying all
terms except price, which is fixed at the time
of sale.
contract maximum quantity n: the
maximum quantity of gas the seller is
required to make available to the purchaser
during a specified period under terms of a
gas sales contract.
contract minimum quantity n: the minimum
quantity of gas the seller is required to make
available to the purchaser during a specified
period under terms of a gas sales contract.
contractor n: see drilling contractor:
contract volume n: quantity of gas based on
measurement conditions and procedures
specified in a gas sales contract.
control board n: a panel on which are
grouped various control devices such as
switches and levers, along with indicating
instruments.
control chart n: a chart of successive meter
factors (or relative meter errors) generally
plotted as a function of time. Used to
evaluate meter stability and to determine
when meter performance has departed from
its normal range.

43

control head n: a special blowout preventer

used in snubbing.
controlled aggregation n: a condition in
which clay platelets remain stacked by a
polyvalent cation, such as calcium, and are
deflocculated by use of a thinner.
controlled directional drilling n: see
directional drilling.
controller n: an electric device used for
governing the power that goes to an
apparatus to which it is connected.
control line n: a small hydraulic line used to
run fluid from the surface to a downhole tool,
such as a subsurface safety valve.
control panel n: switches and devices to
start. stop, measure, monitor, or signal what
is taking place.
control pod n: see hydraulic control pod.
control rack n: on a diesel engine, the rackand-pinion gear that allows the engine
operator to regulate the amount of fuel the
injector forces into the combustion chamber
of the engine. See rack-and-pinion gear.
control valve n: a valve designed to regulate
the flow or pressure of a fluid.
control well n: a well previously drilled in an
area of drilling interest, the data from which
may be a reliable source of information in the
planning of a new well.
conventional chart n: a circular paper or
lightweight plastic chart on which circular
graduations are printed and on which a pen
or stylus draws a recording indicating the
quantities being measured. Conventional
charts have a uniform scale in that minor
graduations are spaced an equal distance
between major graduations.
conventional completion n: a method for
completing a well in which tubing is set inside
4.5-inch (1.4-centimetre) or larger casing.
Compare
miniaturised
completion.
conventional coupling n: piping configuration
that uses ten diameters of straight full pipe
upstream of a meter and straightening vanes;
the downstream contains five or more full
pipe diameters.
Conventional Electric Log n: an electric log
in which current flow in the logging tool was
dispersed through the mud in the wellbore
prior to entering the formation. As a result,
formation resistivity measurements were
often inaccurate. These logs are no longer
used.
conventional gas-lift mandrel n: see gaslift mandrel.
conventional gravel pack n: a type of gravel
pack in which the well's production packer is
removed and a service packer is run in with
the gravel pack assembly. After packing, the
service tool is retrieved and the production
packer rerun.
conventional mud n: a drilling fluid
containing essentially clay and water; no
special
or
expensive
chemicals
or
conditioners are added.

converter

conventional pollutants n pi: those air

pollutants
that
fall
under
NAAQS:
particulates, ozone, carbon monoxide,
nitrogen dioxide, lead, and sulphur dioxide.
Sometimes called criteria pollutants.
conventional pump n: see fixed pump.
conventional river crossing n: a waterway
crossing in which pipeline construction
techniques similar to those on land are used.
In a conventional crossing, the route is
graded and ditched; the pipe is welded,
tested, and pulled across the stream; and
then the pipe is tied in on each side to the
cross-country line.
conventional rotating system n: the rotary
drilling system that uses a conventional
swivel, a kelly, a kelly drive bushing, a master
bushing, and a rotary table to turn the drill
stem and bit. Compare top drive.
conventional tank n: a tank of a shape
commonly used in the petroleum industry. It
is not constructed to withstand any
appreciable pressure or vacuum in the
vapour space; it may, therefore, be gauged
directly through an open hatch.
convergence pressure n: the pressure at a
given temperature for a hydrocarbon system
of fixed composition at which the vapourliquid equilibrium values of the various
components in the system become or tend to
become unified. The convergence pressure
is used to adjust vapour-liquid equilibrium
values to the particular system under
consideration.
conversion n: the change in the chemistry of
a mud from one type to another. Reasons for
making a conversion may be (1) to maintain
a stable well bore, (2) to provide a mud that
will tolerate higher weight, or density, (3) to
drill soluble formations, or (4) to protect
producing zones. Also called a breakover.
converter n: a device for changing
alternating current to direct current or vice
versa; usually, if the device changes AC to
DC, it is called a rectifier.

convey

convey v: to transfer title to property from

one party to another, usually by means of a
written instrument.
coolant n: a cooling agent, usually a fluid,
such as the liquid applied to the edge of a
cutting tool to carry off frictional heat or a
circulating fluid for cooling an engine.
coolant pump n: see water pump.
cooler n: a heat exchanger that reduces the
temperature of a fluid by transferring the heat
to a nonprocess medium.
cooling tower n: a structure in which air
contact is used to cool a stream of water that
has been heated by circulation through a
system. The air flows countercurrently or
crosscurrently to the water.
cooling water n: treated fresh water that
circulates inside a diesel engine to transfer
heat. cooperative n: an organisation or
company that collects money or resources
from several companies into a common-use
pool, which can be utilised by any
cooperative member if the need arises. One
of the largest private oil spill response
cooperatives is the Marine Spill Response
Corporation (MSRC), formed by a group of
US oil companies.
Coordinating Research Council, Inc.
(CRC) n: a nonprofit organisation sup- ported
jointly by the American Petroleum Institute
and the Society of Automotive Engineers,
Inc. It administers work of the CFR and other
committees that correlate test work and other
studies on fuels, lubricants, engines, and
engine equipment. Address: 219 Perimeter
Centre Parkway, Suite 400; Atlanta, GA
30346; (770) 396-3400.
co-owners n pi: see cotenants.
copolymer n: a substance formed when two
or more substances polymerise at the same
time to yield a product which is not a mixture
of separate polymers but a complex having
properties different from either polymer
alone. See polymer. Examples are polyvinyl
acetatemaleic anhydride copolymer (clay
extender and selective and selective
flocculant),
acrylamide-carboxylic
and
copolymer (total flocculant).
copper loss n: see J2R loss.
copper strip test n: a test using a small strip
of pure copper to determine qualitatively the
corrosivity of a product.
copper sulfate electrode n: a commonly
used nonpolarising electrode used in
corrosion control to measure the electrical
potential of a metal structure to a surrounding
electrolyte to determine the potential for
corrosion damage or to monitor the
effectiveness of existing control measures.
See half-cell.
cord n: a small-diameter wire rope or strand.
cordage n: all of the rope on a ship or an
offshore drilling rig.
cordonazo n: a tropical cyclone in Mexico.
core n: 1. a cylindrical sample taken from a
formation for geological analysis. 2. the

44

metallic, partly solid, and partly molten

interior of the earth, about 4,400 miles (7,084
kilometres) in diameter. 3. the central, axial
member of a wire rope around which the
strands are laid. v: to obtain a solid,
cylindrical formation sample for analysis. See
radiator core.

core analysis n: laboratory analysis of a

core sample to determine porosity,
penneability, lithology, fluid content, angle of
dip, geological age, and probable productivity
of the formation.
core barrel n: a tubular device, usually from
10 to 60 feet (3 to 18 metres) long, run at the
bottom of the drill pipe in place of a bit and
used to cut a core sample.
core bit n: a bit that does not drill out the
centre portion of the hole, but allows this
centre portion (the core) to pass through the
round opening in the centre of the bit and into
the core barrel.
core catcher n: the part of the core barrel
that holds the formation sample.
core customers n pi: see captive customers.
core cutter head n: the cutting element of the
core barrel assembly. In design it
corresponds to one of the three main types of
bits: drag bits with blades for cutting soft
formations; roller bits with rotating cutters for
cutting
medium-hard
formations;
and
diamond bits for cutting very hard formations.
core-drill v: to obtain a core from the bottom of an existing well by using a core bit.
See core (defn. I), core bit.
core marker n: a metal device that is placed
in the inner core barrel before coring. When
all of the core has been removed from the
core barrel, the core marker falls out to
indicate that the barrel is empty. Also called a
rabbit.
corer n: a tool used to obtain cylindrical
samples of rock and other materials from the
wellbore.
core sample n: 1. a small portion of a
formation obtained by using a core bit in an
existing wellbore. See core bit. 2. a spot
sample of the contents of an oil or oil product
storage tank usually obtained with a thief, or
core sampler, at a given height in the tank.
core thief n: see thief.
core-type junk basket n: a device made up
on a fishing string that drills a formation core
surrounding and containing the fish to be
retrieved. It has two sets of catchers: one to
break off the drilled core, and another to form
a basket below the core and the fish.

corrosion cell

coring n: the process of cutting a vertical,

cylindrical sample of the formations encountered as an oilwell is drilled. The
purpose of coring is to obtain rock samples,
or cores, in such a manner that the rock
retains the same properties that it had before
it was removed from the formation.
coring reel n: see sand reel.
Coriolis force n: an apparent force caused
by the rotation of the earth about a vertical
axis. This force causes wind or water to
move clockwise in the Northern Hemi- sphere
and counter clockwise in the South- em
Hemisphere.
corkscrew n: the buckling of tubing in a
large-diameter pipe or casing.
Corod n: a trade name for a special form of
sucker rod. Corod, or continuous rod,
normally has no joints between the downhole
pump and the surface. It is installed into the
well by unwinding it from a reel. See sucker
rod.
correlate v: to relate subsurface information
obtained from one well to that of others so
that the formations may be charted and their
depths and thicknesses noted. Correlations
are made by comparing electrical well logs,
radioactivity logs, and cores from different
wells.
correlative rights n pi: rights afforded the
owner of each property in a pool to produce
without waste his or her equitable share of
the oil and gas in such pool.
corrodent n: a corrosion agent, e.g., acid.
corrosion n: any of a variety of complex
chemical or electrochemical processes, e.g.,
rust, by which metal is destroyed through
reaction with its environment.
corrosion cell n: an area on a corrodable
substance (usually metal) where corrosion
occurs because electrical current is able to
flow.

corrosion control

corrosion control n: the measures used to

prevent or reduce the effects of corrosion.
These practices can range from simply
painting metal, to isolating it from moisture
and chemicals and insulating it from galvanic
currents, to cathodic protection, in which a
galvanic or impressed direct electric current
renders a pipeline cathodic, thus causing it to
be a negative element in the circuit. The use
of chemical inhibitors and closed systems are
other examples of corrosion control.
corrosion coupon n: a metal strip inserted
into a system to monitor corrosion rate and to
indicate corrosion inhibitor effectiveness.
corrosion
fatigue
n:
metal
fatigue
concentrated in corrosion pits. See fatigue.
corrosion inhibitor n: a chemical substance
that minimises or prevents corrosion in metal
equipment.
corrosion-resisting steel n: a steel alloy
that contains chromium and nickel and that
does not corrode as quickly as normal steel
alloys.
corrosion test n: one of a number of tests to
determine qualitatively or quantitatively the
corrosion-inducing compounds in a product.
corroosiveness n: the tendency to wear
away a metal by chemical attack.
corrosive product n: a hydrocarbon product
that contains corrosion-inducing com- pounds
in excess of the specification limits for a
sweet product.
corrosivity n: the quality of being corrosive.
cosurfactant n: a surfactant, generally an
alcohol, added to a micellar solution to adjust the viscosity of the solution, maintain its
stability, and prevent adsorption of the main
surfactant by reservoir rock.
cotenants n pi: persons who hold
possessory interests, from title or a lease, in
the same piece of land. Also called coowners or tenants in common.
cotton core n: see fiber core.
coulomb (C) n: the metric unit of electric
charge.
Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ)
n: a council established under NEPA as the
agency responsible for ensuring that other
federal agencies comply with the pro- visions
stated in NEPA.
counterbalance n: see tong counterbalance.
counterbalance effect n: the effect of
counterweights on a beam pumping unit. The
approximate ideal counterbalance effect is
equal to half the weight of the fluid plus the
buoyant weight of the rods.
counterbalance system n: see two-step
grooving system.
counterbalance weight n: a weight applied
to compensate for existing weight or force.
On pumping units in oil production,
counterweights are used to offset the weight
of the column of sucker rods and fluid on the
upstroke of the pump, and the weight of the
rods on the downstroke.

45

counterbalancing n: the placing of a weight

on a mechanism to restore it to equilibrium,
or balance.
counterbore n: flat-bottomed enlargement of
the mouth of a cylindrical bore. v: to enlarge
part of a hole by means of a counter- bore.
countercurrent n: a current that flows
adjacent to, but in the opposite direction of,
an accompanying current.
counter emf n: see back emf.
countershaft n: a shaft that gets its
movement from a main shaft and transmits it
to a working part.
counterweight n: see counterbalance
weight.
couplant n: that which couples.
couple v: to join, connect with a coupling.
coupling n: 1. in piping, a metal collar with
internal threads used to join two sections of
threaded pipe. 2. in power transmission, a
connection extending longitudinally between
a driving shaft and a driven shaft. Most such
couplings are flexible and compensate for
minor misalignment of the two shafts.
courtesy rights n: the rights of a husband to
a life interest in all of his wife's inheritable
lands. These rights come into effect on her
death, provided the couple have children
capable of inheriting. Effective in some
states.
covalent reaction n: a method of forming
compounds in which atoms share electrons,
thus forming nonpolar, or covalent, unions.
coverall clause n: see Mother Hubbard
clause.
cover depth n: the measurement from the
top of a pipeline to the top of the soil used to
cover the pipeline along a right-of-way. Ditch
depth and cover requirements are regulated
by the US Department of Transportation.
cover requirements n pi: requirements,
usually set by a regulatory agency,
concerning the characteristics and manner of
covering a pipeline.
CP abbr: casing pressure or casing point;
used in drilling reports.
CPC abbr: computerised production control.
CfI. abbr: the correction for pressure on
liquid; a factor used during a proving run to
adjust for pressure on the liquid in the prover
and pipe.
Cps abbr: the correction for pressure on
steel; a factor used during a proving run to
adjust for pressure on the steel of the prover
and pipe.
cracked gas n: hydrocarbon gases formed in
the catalytic cracking process.
cracked naphtha n: the hydrocarbon liquid
lighter than kerosene that can be recovered
by catalytic or thermal cracking in a refinery.
cracking n: the process of breaking down
large chemical compounds into smaller
compounds under the influence of heat or
catalysts. In petroleum refining, the two major
types of cracking are thermal cracking and
catalytic cracking.

crank wash

crane n: a machine for raising, lowering, and

revolving heavy pieces of equipment,
especially on offshore rigs and platforms.
crank n: an arm keyed at right angles to a
shaft and used for changing radius of rotation
or changing reciprocating motion to circular
motion or circular motion to reciprocating
motion. On a beam pumping unit, the crank is
connected by the pitman to the walking
beam, thereby changing circular motion to
reciprocating motion.
crank arm n: a steel member connected to
each end of the shaft extending from each
side of the speed reducer on a beam
pumping unit.
crank-balanced pumping unit n: a beam
pumping unit that has the counterbalance
weight on the crank arm.
crankcase n: die housing that encloses the
crankshaft of an engine.
crank pin n: a cylindrical projection on a
crank that holds a connecting rod and is held
by a bearing.
crankshaft n: a rotating shaft to which
connecting rods are attached. It changes up
and down (reciprocating) motion to circular
(rotary) motion.
crank throw n: on a crankshaft, the highly
polished and accurately machined portion of
the crankshaft to which a piston rod is
attached.
crank wash n: an off-line method of
compressor
cleaning
in
which
the
compressor is washed with water and
detergent or solvents. Ineffective for
removing baked-on contaminants.

crater

crater v: (slang) to cave in; to fail. After a

violent blowout, the force of the fluids
escaping from the wellbore sometimes blows
a large hole in the ground. In this case, the
well is said to have cratered. Equipment
craters when it fails.
crawler n: a self-propelled X-ray machine
that rides inside pipe to examine welds for
possible defects.
CRC abbr: Coordinating Research Council,
Inc.
crd abbr: cored; used in drilling reports.
creaming or emulsiom n: the settling or
rising of the particles of the dispersed phase
of an emulsion. Identifiable by a difference in
colour shading of the layers formed.
Creaming can be either upward or downward, depending on the relative densities of
the continuous and dispersed phases.
created fracture n: fracture induced by
means of hydraulic or mechanical pressure
exerted on the formation. crest n: the top of a
wave.
Cretaceous ad}: of or relating to the geologic
period from about 135 million to 65 million
years ago at the end of the Mesozoic era, or
to the rocks formed during this period,
including the extensive chalk deposits for
which it was named.
crew n: 1. the workers on a drilling or
workover rig, including the driller, the
derrickhand, and the rotary helpers. 2. any
group of oilfield workers.
crew chief n: the driller or head well puller in
charge of operations on a well servicing rig
that is used to pull sucker rods or tubing.
crg abbr: coring; used in drilling reports.
criminal penalties n pi: penalties (fines or
imprisonment) for damages against society
or government, typically determined by court
cases brought against individuals or
corporations.
criteria pollutants n pi: the six air pollutants
listed under NAAQS in the CAA: ozone,
carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,lead.
nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter.
Sometimes called conventional pollutants.
critical density n: the density of a substance
at the critical temperature and pressure.
critical flow n: the rate of flow of a fluid that
is equivalent to the speed of sound in that
fluid.
critical-flow prover n: a pipe-shaped device
with a restriction, usually an orifice or nozzle,
that is used to measure the velocity of gas
flow during an open-flow test of a gas well.
critical point n: 1. the point at which, in
terms of temperature and pressure, a fluid
cannot be distinguished as being either a gas
or a liquid, i.e., the point at which die physical
properties of a liquid and a gas are identical.
2. one of the places along die length of
milling line at which strain is exerted as pipe
is run into or pulled out of the hole.
critical pressure n: the pressure needed to
condense a vapour at its critical temperature.

46

critical speed n: the speed reached by an

engine or rotating system that corresponds to
a resonant frequency of the engine or
system. Often, in combination with power
impulses, critical speed can cause damaging
shock waves.
critical temperature n: the highest
temperature at which a substance can be
separated into two fluid phases-liquid and
vapour. Above the critical temperature, a gas
cannot be liquefied by pressure alone.
critical value n: see critical point, defn. 1.
critical velocity n: the velocity at the
transitional point between laminar and
turbulent fluid flow. See laminar flow,
turbulent fluid flow. critical volume n: the
specific volume of gas at its critical
temperature and pressure.
critical weight n: weight placed on the bit
that results in tension on the drill string, which
causes the mill string to vibrate at tile rotary
speed being used. A drill stem operating with
critical weight and at the critical speed for
that weight will have stresses develop that
cause very rapid failure.
critical zone n: in tanks with floating roofs,
the vertical range in which the gauging
measurements are not accurate.
crooked bole n: a wellbore that has been
unintentionally drilled in a direction other than
vertical. It usually occurs where there is a
section of alliterating hard and soft strata
steeply inclined from the horizontal.
crooked bole country n: an area in which
particular subsurface formations make it
difficult to keep a drilled hole straight.
cross assignment n: when several
producers, either voluntarily or by state
regulation, pool acreages to form a "unit."
They may cross-assign their leases to one
another, creating a common obligation to
each royalty owner.
cross-bedding n: sedimentation in which
laminations are transverse to the main
stratification planes.
crosshead n: the block in a mud pump that
is guided to move in a straight line and
serves as a connection between the pony rod
and the Commenting rod.
cross linking n: a process of molecular
bridging of polymers with other chemical
substances that alters viscosity and shear
rates to enhance lifting of bit cuttings and
increase drilling rates.
crossover n: the place at each end of the
drawworks drum where the drilling line being
spooled onto or off of the drum stops moving
in one direction and starts moving in the
other direction. Also called turn back.
crossover joint n: a length of casing with one
thread on the field end and a different thread
in the coupling, used to make a changeover
from one thread to anod1er in a string of
casing.
cover packer n: a type of packer developed
for a dual-completion well in which there are

crown block

both an oil and a gas zone, with the gas zone

on the bottom.
crossover section n: see angle-control
section.
crossover sub n: a sub that allows different
sizes and types of drill pipe to be joined.
cross sea n: the irregular wave patterns
produced when different wave systems cross
each other at an angle.
cross section n: I. the property of atomic
nuclei of having the probability of collision
with a neutron. The nucleus of a lighter
element is more likely to collide with a
neutron than is the nucleus of a heavier
element. Cross section varies with the
elements and with the energy of the neutron.
2. a geological or geophysical profile of a
vertical section of the earth.
cross sectional area n: total area of the wall
thickness if the pipe were to be cut
transversally.
cross-thread v: to screw together two
threaded pieces when the threads of the
pieces have not been aligned properly.
crown n: I. the crown block or top of a derrick
or mast. 2. the top of a piston. 3. a high spot
formed on a tool joint shoulder as the result
of wobble.
crown block n: an assembly of sheaves
mounted on beams at the top of the derrick
or mast and over which the drilling line is
reeved. See block, reeve the line. sheave.

crown frame flanges

crown frame flanges n pi: projections on the

frame to which the crown block is attached.
Crown-O-Matic n: see crown saver:
crown platform n: the working platform at
the top of the derrick or mast that permits
access to the sheaves of the crown block and
provides a safe working area for service to
the gin pole. See crown block.
crown saver n: a device mounted near the
drawworks drum to keep the driller from
inadvertently raising the travelling block into
the crown block. A probe senses when too
much line has been pulled onto the drum,
indicating that the travel block is about to
strike the crown. The probe activates a
switch that simultaneously disconnects the
drawworks from its power source and
engages the drawworks brake.
crown walkaround n: the structure at the top
of the drilling derrick or mast that supports
the crown block. Also called water table.
crow's nest n: an elevated walkway where
employees work (as on the top of a derrick or
a refinery tower).
crude oil n: unrefined liquid petroleum. It
ranges in gravity from 9. API to 55. API and
in colour from yellow to black. and may have
a paraffin, asphalt, or mixed base. If a crude
oil, or crude, contains a sizeable amount of
sulphur or sulphur compounds, it is called a
sour crude; if it has little or no sulphur, it is
called a sweet crude. In addition, crude oils
may be referred to as heavy or light
according to API gravity, the lighter oils
having the higher gravities.
crude oil average domestic first purchase
price n: the average price at which all
domestic crude oil is purchased. Before
February 1976, the price represented an
estimate of the average of posted prices;
since then, it represents an average of actual
first purchase prices. Frequently called
wellhead price.
crude oil refinery input n: total crude oil
(including lease condensate input to crude oil
distillation units and other processing units.
crude oil stocks n: stocks of crude oil and
lease condensate held at refineries, in pipelines, at pipeline terminals, and on leases.
crust n: the outer layer of the earth, varying
in thickness from 50 to 30 miles (10 to 50
kilometres). It is composed chiefly of oxygen,
silicon, and aluminum.
cryogenic plant n: a gas-processing plant
that is capable of producing natural gas liquid
products, including ethane, at very low
operating temperatures.
cryogenics n: the study of the effects of very
low temperatures.
crystalline e n: rock texture that is the result
of progressive and simultaneous interlocking
growth of mineral crystals. Compare clastic
texture.
crystallisation n: the formation of crystals
from solutions or melts.
Cs abbr: cirrosttatus.

47

Ctl abbr: the correction for temperature of

liquid; a factor used during proving to convert
the temperature of a liquid to a standard
temperature.
Cts abbr: the correction for temperature of
steel; a factor used during proving to adjust
the temperature of the prover steel to a
standard temperature.
CU abbr: cubic.
Cu abbr: cumulus.
3
cubic centimetre (cm ) n: a commonly used
unit of volume measurement in the metric
system equal to 10-6 cubic metre, or I
millilitre. The volume of a cube whose edge is
1 centimetre.
cubic foot (ft3) n: the volume of a cube, all
edges of which measure I foot. Natural gas in
the United States is usually measured in
cubic feet. with the most common standard
cubic foot being measured at roof and 14.65
pounds per square inch absolute, although
base conditions vary from state to state.
3
cubic metre (m ) n: a unit of volume
measurement in the metric system, replacing
the previous stagnant unit known as the
barrel, which was equivalent to 35 imperial
gallons or 42 US gallons. The cubic metre
equals approximately 6.2898 barrels.
cumulonimbus n: a cloud formed from a
cumulus cloud that has reached great vertical
development. This type of cloud has a top
composed of ice crystals and a bottom
composed of water droplets. Also called a
thunderhead.
cumulus n: a white, puffy cloud with a dark
base. Its shape is constantly changing.
Prominent in the summer months, cumulus
clouds generally cover only 25% of the sky.
cup case thermometer n: a holder for a
mercury-in-glass
thermometer
that
incorporates a small metal container into
which the bulb of the thermometer is inserted
and that serves to hold a small sample of
liquid the temperature of which is being
measured. The liquid in the cup keeps the
bulb sub-merged in liquid until the
temperature is recorded.
cup pecker n: a device made up in the drill
stem and lowered into the well to allow the
casing and blowout presenters to be
pressure- tested. The sealing device is cupshaped and is therefore called a cup.
cup test n: see packer test.
cup-type elements n pi: rubber seals that
are energised by pressure and not by
mechanical force.
cure v: to age cement under specified
conditions of temperature and pressure.
cure a title v: to remedy defects and
omissions that, in the opinion of the
examining attorney, could make the present
owner's claim to property questionable. To
cure a title. a title examiner may require
additional facts not evident in the material
examined. The curative material is usually
obtained in recordable form.

curtailment

current n: 1. the flow of electric charge or the

rate of such flow, measured in amperes. 2.
the predominantly horizontal movement of
ocean waters.
current meter n: an instrument that records
an ocean current's speed and direction
(along with temperature, salinity, pressure,
and other variables). The current meter is
moored in position by an anchor or weight on
the ocean bottom that is connected to a float
at the surface.
curtailment n: reduction in service or
purchases below contracted-for levels.
Curtailment of gas sales service is a method
of balancing a utility's natural gas
requirements with its natural gas supply.
There is usually a hierarchy of customers for
the curtailment plan based on priority of usage according to established regulatory
standards of priority. A customer may be
required to cut back partially or totally to
eliminate this take of gas, depending on the
severity of the shortfall between gas sup- ply
and demand and the customer's position in
the hierarchy. From the customer's
standpoint. curtailment may also mean a
reduction by the customer of its takes of gas
from its supplier. Curtailment of a
transportation service occurs when demands
for service exceed the capacity of the
pipeline. Capacity curtailment is based on
contract rather than end-use priority. All
interruptible service must be entirely curtailed before any firm service is curtailed.
Currently, interruptible transportation service
is curtailed based on position in the firstcome, first-served queue. Firm transportation
service is usually curtailed on a pro rata
basis.

cushion

cushion n: a quantity of water, drilling fluid,

or compressed gas placed inside drill pipe or
tubing to control both annular and formation
pressures. Usually mud in the pipe or tubing
supports prevents the pipe or tubing from
collapsing; mud also holds back formation
pressure pushing up the pipe or tubing. But
sometimes, such as in drill stem testing, it is
necessary to have empty pipe or tubing
downhole. The cushion protects the pipe or
tubing until it is in place. It also allows control
of the rising formation pressure as the
cushion is removed, as in drill stem testing, to
prevent formation damage.
cushion gas n: see blanket gas.
custodian n: also called a lease operator or
pumper. See pumper.
custody transfer n: the changing of the
ownership of or the responsibility for
quantities of gas, petroleum, or petroleum
products. See also lease automatic custody
transfer:
cut n: 1. portion or fraction of hydrocarbons
that have been separated according to
boiling point or gravity. 2. the line of
demarcation on the measuring scale made
by the material being measured.
cut and fill v: to cut down high ground or fill
in low ground to achieve a uniform grade for
a pipeline.
cut-and-fill boundary n: the limits to which a
crew may cut and fill when laying a pipeline.
cut drilling fluid n: a drilling mud whose
density has been decreased by the
entrainment of formation fluids or air.
cut fluorescence test n: a test involving the
observation of a formation sample immersed
in solvent and under ultraviolet light. If any
hydrocarbons,
which
fluoresce
under
ultraviolet light, are in the sample, they will
dissolve and appear as streamers or streaks
of colour different from the solvent.
cutoff valve n: a special valve on an engine
that, when activated, blocks the flow of fuel to
the engine to make it stop running.
cut oil n: an oil that contains water, usually in
the form of an emulsion. Also called wet oil.
cutterhead n: in pipeline construction, the
lead component in a directional drilling
assembly. A circular steel band ringed with
conical cutting teeth, the cutterhead does the
actual boring of the hole for the pipeline
under the waterway being crossed. Also
called fly cutter.

cutters n pI: 1. on a bit used on a rotary rig,

the elements on the end (and sometimes the

48

sides) of the bit that scrapes, gouges, or

otherwise removes the formation to make
hole. 2. the parts of a reamer that actually
contact the wall of the hole and open it to full
gauge. A three-point reamer has three
cutters; a six-point reamer has six cutters.
Cutters are available for different formations.
cutting in n: an action of wire rope during
loose drum spooling in which a layer of rope
spreads apart so that the next layer travels in
the groove produced. Crushing, flattening, or
distorting of the rope results.
cuttings n pI: the fragments of rock
dislodged by the bit and brought to the
sulphur in the drilling mud. Washed and dried
cuttings samples are analysed by geologists
to obtain information about the formations
drilled.

cuttings-sample log n: a record of hydrocarbon content in cuttings gathered at the

shale shaker; usually recorded on the mud
log.
CWA abbr: Oean Water Act.
cycle n: the number of strokes a piston
makes from one intake stroke to another
intake stroke. Diesel engines may have either
two strokes or four strokes per cycle.
cycle condense n: condense produced from
cycle gas.
cycle gas n: gas that is compressed and
returned to the gas reservoir to minimise the
decline of reservoir pressure.
cyclic compound n: a compound that
contains a ring of atoms.
cyclic steam injection n: the injection of
steam into the rock surrounding a production
well to lower the viscosity of heavy oil and
increase its flow into the wellbore. Steam
injection may be followed by immediate
production or by closing the well (called the
soak phase) to allow even heat distribution
before production is begun. The cycle of
injection, soak, and production is repeated as
long as the oil yield is profitable. Also called
steam soak and huff 'n' puff.
cyclic stressing n: stress that occurs on a
pipe. vessel. or machine in cycles. such as
the sucker rod string.
cycling n: the process by which effluent gas
from a gas reservoir is passed through a gasprocessing plant or separation system and
the remaining residue gas returned to the
reservoir. The word recycling is sometimes
used for this function, but it is not the
preferred term.

CZM

cycling plant n: a plant that cycles residue

gas back into the reservoir.
cyclogenesis n: the development of a lowpressure system, or cyclone.
cyclone n: 1. a low-pressure area, around
which wind flow is counter-clockwise in the
Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the
Southern Hemisphere. The term is
sometimes used to describe storms occurring
in the atmosphere; in the Indian Ocean it is
used to designate a tropical cyclone. 2. a
device for the separation of various particles
from a drilling fluid, most commonly used as
a desander. The fluid is pumped tangentially
into a cone, and the fluid rotation provides
enough centrifugal force to separate particles
by mass weight.
cyclonic wind n: the wind associated with a
low-pressure area.
cyclonite n: a powerful, highly explosive
material
(cyclo-trimethylene-trinitramine)
used as the main charge in jet perforating
guns. Also called RDX. See jet-perforate.
cycloparaffin n: a saturated nonaromatic
hydrocarbon compound with ring-shaped
molecules. of the general chemical formula
CnH2n' Also called naphthene.
cylinder n: 1. the unit of an internalcombustion engine in which combustion and
compression take place. 2. a chamber in a
pump from which the piston expels fluid.
cylinder block n: a housing that has one or
more cylinders in it. See engine block.
cylinder gas n: liquefied petroleum gas,
oxygen, acetylene. or any other gas that is
C(XD- pressed and confined in a pressure
cylinder.
cylinder head n: the device used to seal the
top of a cylinder. In modem drilling rig
engines, it also houses the valves and has
exhaust passages. In four-cycle operation,
the cylinder head also has intake passages.
Also called head.
cylinder liner n: a removable. replaceable
sleeve that fits into a cylinder. When the
sliding of the piston and rings wears out the
liner. it can be replaced without the block's
having to be replaced.
CZM abbr: coastal zone management. actual
boring of the hole for the pipeline under the
waterway being crossed. Also called fly
cutter.

D&A abbr: dry and abandoned; used in

drilling reports.
daily contract quantity (DCQ) n: that daily
quantity of gas, formulated on some basis
(usually a combination of reserves and
delivery capacity or delivery capacity only).
that the pipeline company will attempt to
take; mayor may not equal the take-or-pay
quantity.
daily drilling report n: a record made each
day of the operations on a working drilling rig
and, traditionally. phoned or radioed in to the
office of the drilling company every morning.
Also called morning report. See driller's
report.
Dalton's law n: the law that states that the
pressure of a mixture of gases is equal to the
sum of the partial pressures of the gases of
which it is composed. Also called law of
partial pressures.
damage clause n: the clause in an oil and
gas lease that specifies that the lessee will
be liable to the surface owner for damage to
growing crops and other listed items.
dampener n: an air- or inert gas-filled device that minimises pressure surges in the
output line of a mud pump. Sometimes called
a surge dampener.
dampening n: the dissipation of energy in
motion of any type. especially oscillatory
motion, and the consequent reduction of
decay of the motion.
damper n: a valve or plate used to regulate
the flow of air or other gas.
damping sub n: see Shock Sub.
D&P platform n: a drilling and production
platform. Such an offshore platform is a large
structure with room to drill and Complete a
number of wells.
darcy (Pl. darcys) n: a unit of measure of
permeability. A porous medium has a
permeability of 1 darcy when differential
pressure of 1 atmosphere across a sample 1
centimetre long and I square centimetre in
cross section will force a liquid of 1 centipoise
of viscosity through the sample at the rate of
1 cubic centimetre per second. The
permeability of reservoir rocks is usually so
low that it is measured in millidarcys.
Datty's law n: a law stating that the rate of
flow of a fluid through a rock varies directly
with the amount of interconnected pore
space (permeability) and the applied
pressure and varies inversely with the
viscosity, or flow resistance, of the fluid.

dart n: a device, similar to a ball, used to

manipulate hydraulically operated down- hole
tools. See ball.
dart-type inside blowout preventer n: a drill
pipe inside blowout preventer that is installed
on top of the drill stem when the well is
kicking through the drill stem. It is stabbed in
the open position and then closed against the
pressure. The valve that closes is dartshaped, thus the name.
database n: a complete collection of
information, such as contained on magnetic
disks or in the memory of an electronic
computer.
datum n: any numerical or geometrical
quantity or quantities that serve as a
reference or base for other quantities.
datum elevation n: a reference elevation, or
height, used in mapping, usually sea level.
datum level n: a height. or elevation, usually
sea level, from which altitudes are measured
in surveys.
datum plate n: a level metal plate attached
to the tank shell or bottom and located
directly under the gauging reference point to
provide a fixed contact surface from which
liquid depth measurement can be made.
datum point n: the point to which all
measurements for the calibration of a tank
are related.
davit n: an A-frame that booms out 5 to 10
feet over the side of a barge. It has a cable or
chain that is lowered to pick up pipeline. A
diver attaches the pipeline to the line and it is
reeled in on the davit.
daylight tour (pronounced "tower") n: in
areas where three 8-hour tours are worked,
the shift of duty on a drilling rig that starts at
or about daylight. Compare evening tour;
graveyard tour.
day tank n: a fuel tank in the fuel supply
system for a diesel engine between the main
supply tank and the engine that holds a
limited amount of fuel.
day tour (pronounced "tower") n: in areas
where two 12-hour tours are worked. a period
of 12 daylight hours worked by a drilling or
workover crew when equipment is being run
around the clock.
daywork adj: descriptive of work done on
daywork rates.
daywork rates n pi: the basis for payment on
drilling contracts when footage rates are
suspended (as when the drilling rig is used in
taking extra cores. logging. or other activities
that delay actual drilling) or when the contract
calls for the entire well to be drilled at

49

daywork rates. In effect, daywork rates pay

the drilling contractor by the hour rather than
by the foot.
DC abbr: I. direct current. 2. drill collar; used
in drilling reports.
DCFR abbr: discounted cash flow rate of
return.
DDC abbr: deck decompression chamber.
dead end n: the end of a brake band that is
anchored to the drawworks frame and does
not move.
deadline n: the drilling line from the crown
block sheave to the anchor. so called
because it does not move. Comparefastline.

deadline anchor n: see deadline tie-down

anchor.
deadline sheave n: the sheave on the crown
block over which the deadline is reeved.

deadline tie-down anchor

deadline tie-down anchor n: a device to

which the deadline is attached, securely
fastened to the mast or derrick substructure.
Also called a deadline anchor.
deadman n: 1. a buried anchor to which guy
wires are tied to steady the derrick, mast,
stacks, and so on. 2. an anchoring point
against which the winch on a boring machine
for pipe lining can pun.
dead oil n: oil in which little or no gas is
dissolved.
dead sheave (pronounced "shiv") n: the
sheave on a crown block over which the
deadline is reeved.
deadweight ton (dwt) n: a unit of capacity of
tank ships equal to the difference in tons
between the ship's displacement when
unloaded and when loaded.
dead well n: 1. a wen that has ceased to
produce oil or gas, either temporarily or
permanently. 2. a wen that has kicked and
been killed.
deadwood n: any fitting, appurtenance, or
structural member that affects the capacity of
an oil storage tank. It is positive if it increases
tank capacity and negative if it decreases
capacity.
dead wraps n: the first of several wraps of
wire rope around the drawworks drum that
will never be played out (unspooled) as the
rope moves off the drum.
deaerator n: a device used for removing air
or other noncondensable gases from a
process stream or steam condensate and
boiler feed water.
Dean-Stark apparatus n: a device that uses
a solvent to reflux, or flow back over, a
sample to clean it. Such a device extracts oil
or salt-laden water efficiently without harming
the core samples.
DEA unit n: a treating system using
diethanolamine (DEA) for reduction of
hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, carbonyl
sulfide, and other acid gases from sour
process streams.
debug v: to detect, locate, and correct malfunctions in a computer, instrumentation, or
other type of system.
deburr v: to remove small projections (burrs)
from metal pieces or threads.
debutanised liquid n: hydrocarbon mixture
remaining after the removal of butane and
lighter hydrocarbons.
debutaniser n: a unit of equipment for
separating butane, with or without lighter
components, from a mixture of hydrocarbons
and leaving a bottoms product that is
essentially butane free.
decanewton n: ten times the newton, which
is the unit of force in the metric system.
decision tree n: a graphic representation of
predicted financial gains or losses for the
outcomes of several courses of action.
deck n: (nautical) floor.
deck decompression chamber n: a
chamber in which excessive pressure can
gradually be reduced to atmospheric

50

pressure. It is especially equipped to help

divers
complete
their
decompression
schedules and may also be used to treat
diving casualties. One or more of the
compartments may be installed on the deck
of a work boat or barge.
declination n: 1. the angle, variable with
geographic position, between the direction in
which a magnetic needle points and the true
meridian. 2. a turning aside or swerving.
decompression n: the process of gradually
lowering elevated ambient pressure to
eliminate dissolved gases from a diver's
blood- stream and tissues.
decompression sickness n: a condition
resulting from the formation of gas bubbles in
a diver's blood or tissues during ascent.
Failure to rid tissues of the inert gas may
cause a wide variety of symptoms, including
pain, nausea, paralysis, unconsciousness,
temporary blindness, and even death. Also
called the bends.
decompression table n: a profile of ascent
rates and breathing mixtures that safely
reduce the pressure on a diver to
atmospheric after a dive. The table shows
depths, bottom times, decompression stops,
and total decompression times.
decontaminants n pi: materials added to
cements or cement slurries to counteract the
effects of contamination.
decontamination n: (under HAZWOPER)
the removal of hazardous substances from
employees and their equipment to the extent
necessary to preclude the occurrence of
foreseeable adverse health effects.
decontrol n: the act of ending federal
government control of the wellhead price of
new natural gas sold in interstate commerce.
Also called deregulation.
dedication n: the commitment of reserves of
natural gas to a buyer or lessor.
deed of trust n: an instrument used to
transfer legal title to property as security for
the repayment of a loan or the fulfillment of
some other obligation. Compare mortgage.
deep drilling n: any drilling project that is
deeper than average for a given area or time
period.
deepen v: to increase the depth of a well.
Deepening is generally a workover operation
carried out to produce from a deeper
formation or to control excessive gas found in
the upper levels of a reservoir.
deep-sea dress n: see standard dress.
deep tank n: one of the bulk liquid tanks on
freighters, usually under the cargo holds.
deep test well n: see exploration well.
deep water n: in offshore operations. water
depths greater than normal for the time and
current technology.
deepwater adj: of or pertaining to operations
in deep water.
deepwater drilling n: offshore drilling
operations in relatively deep oceans or seas.
It presents a number of special problems
related to water depth.

deflect-to-connect connection

deep-well pump n: a production pump

designed for service in a deep well.
deethanised liquid n: hydrocarbon mixture
remaining after the removal of ethane and
lighter hydrocarbons.
deferred production agreement n: an
agreement between working-interest owners
of a lease under which an owner's share of
the gas reserves under the lease is
considered to remain in the reservoir while
the other owner's share of the gas is being
produced.
deficiency gas n: the difference between the
quantity of gas a purchaser is obligated by a
gas sales contract to take or to pay for if not
taken and the quantity of gas actually taken.
deficiency payment n: the amount paid by
the purchaser for the quantity of deficiency
gas as required by a gas sales contract.
deflection n: a change in the angle of a wellbore. In directional drilling, it is measured in
degrees from the vertical.

deflection tool n: a device made up in the

drill string that causes the bit to drill at an
angle to the existing hole. It is often called a
kickoff tool. because it is used at the kick-off
point to start building angle.
deflect-to-connect connection n: an underwater pipe-joining technique in which the pipe
is pulled to a target area in line with the
platform but to one side of it. The connection
is made by winding or otherwise deflecting
the pipe laterally until it mates with the riser
connection.
Compare
direct
pull-in
connection.

deflocculation

deflocculation n: the dispersion of solids

that have stuck together in drilling fluid,
usually by means of chemical thinners. See
flocculation.
defoamer n: any chemical that prevents or
lessens frothing or foaming in another agent.
deformation n: the action of earth stresses
that results in folding, faulting, shearing, or
compression of rocks.
degasser n: the device used to remove
unwanted gas from a liquid, especially from
drilling fluid.
degradation product n: an unwanted
substance produced because of some
reaction such as cracking, dehydrogenation,
or polymerization. The term implies the
formation of a contaminant or low-value
product.
degrade v: to break down a compound; to
deteriorate.
degree API n: a unit of measurement of the
American Petroleum Institute that indicates
the weight, or density, of oil. See API gravity.
degree-day n: a unit of temperature and
time, computed per day, equivalent to the
difference between a 65F (18.3C) base and
a daily mean temperature (when the latter is
less than 65F). The total of degree-days for
a given period of time can be used to
estimate energy requirements such as the
amount of fuel oil needed to heat a building.
dehydrate v: to remove water from a substance. Dehydration of crude oil is normally
accomplished by treating with emulsion
breakers. The water vapor in natural gas
must be removed to meet pipeline
requirements; a typical maximum allowable
water vapor content is 7 pounds per million
cubic feet (3.2 kilograms per million cubic
metres) per day.
dehydration n: the removal of water or water
vapor from gas or oil.
dehydration plant n: a plant having
equipment or apparatus for effecting
dehydration.
dehydrator n: equipment or apparatus for
effecting dehydration.
dehydrogenation n: the process of
removing hydrogen from a compound.
delamination n: a phenomenon in which
layers of surface metal peel away from the
rest of the metal body. Journal (plain)
bearings sometimes fail by delamination.
delayed (chronic) health hazard n:
carcinogens and other hazardous chemicals
that cause an adverse effect on a target
organ (as defined by the Code of Federal
Regulations) that manifests itself after a long
period of time following or during repeated
contact with the substance.
delay rental n: a sum of money payable to
the lessor by the lessee for the privilege of
deferring the commencement of drilling

51

operations and keeping the lease valid. May

be paid monthly, quarterly, or annually.
delineation well n: a well drilled in an
existing field to determine, or delineate, the
extent of the reservoir.
deliquescence n: the liquefaction of a solid
substance due to the solution of the solid by
adsorption of moisture from the air.
deliverability n: the ability of a gas to be
delivered.
deliverability capacity n: the maximum
amount of gas a producer can deliver to the
purchaser at a specified delivery point.
deliverability plot n: a graph that compares
flowing bottom hole pressure of a well with
production in barrels of oil per day to show
the relationship between draw down and the
producing rate. Its main purpose is to find the
most efficient flow rate for the well.
deliverability test n: a type of test for either
an oil well or a gas well to determine the
actual flow rate.
delivery n: I. the actual volume delivered
through a meter during a proving or metering
operation. 2. a volume of delivered liquid that
is measured by a meter. A batch or tender
may also be called a delivery. See batch.
delivery capacity (DC) n: the total daily rate
that seller maintains and can deliver on
demand over an extended period to buyer.
delivery gas n: natural gas delivered to a
distribution point, such as a gas plant or a
city gate. Compare redelivery gas.
deliveryman n: a shipper's representative
who takes delivery of oil from a pipeline
company at a terminal or junction.
delivery ticket n: see measurement ticket.
delivery tube n: a small device used inside a
bottle when tap sampling. The tube al- lows
for the delivery of liquid from the tank into the
bottle with little or no splashing.
delta n: see lacustrine delta. marine delta.
delta connection n: three-wire connection
used in three-phase circuits, resembling the
Greek letter delta (A). Used alone or in
various combinations with wye connections.
demand n: the quantity of oil, gas, or other
petroleum products, or commodities (such as
electricity) wanted at a specified time and
price.
demand meter n: a quantity recorder that
measures and integrates the instantaneous
demands on a circuit during a given period,
usually 15 minutes.
demand rate n: the highest rate of power
consumption for a minimum period of 15
minutes during a billing period, usually one
month. This rate is registered on a demand
meter.
demand regulator n: the part of the opencircuit diving system that allows a diver to
expel all used air directly into the water and
avoid rebreathing exhaled carbon dioxide.
The regulator reduces the air pressure in the

density log

tanks to a diver's ambient pressure so that

he or she can breathe the air with no
resistance. Also called open-circuit regulator.
demethaniser n: see rich-oil demethaniser.
demulsifier n: a chemical with properties
that cause the water droplets in a water-inoil emulsion to merge and settle out of the
oil, or oil droplets in an oil-in-water emulsion
to coalesce, when the chemical is added to
the emulsion. Also called emulsion breaker.
See demulsify, emulsion breaker.
demulsifier-solvent stock n: a combination
of a demulsifier and solvent that is used
during testing for the suspended S& W content of oil and during other operations.
demulsify v: to resolve an emulsion,
especially of water and oil, into its
components. See emulsion treating.
densification n: the process of making a
substance heavier, or denser. For example,
in a gas plant, a product may be densified.
Densilog n: a logging company's name for a
density log.
densimeter n: a device that measures the
specific gravity or relative density of a gas,
liquid, or solid.
densitometer n: see densimeter.
density n: the mass or weight of a substance
per unit volume. For instance, the density of
a drilling mud may be 10 pounds per gallon,
74.8 pounds/cubic
foot,
or
1,198.2
kilograms/cubic metre. Specific gravity,
relative density, and API gravity are other
units of density.
density log n: a special radioactivity log for
open-hole surveying that responds to
variations in the specific gravity of
formations. It is a contact log (i.e., the
logging tool is held against the wall of the
hole). It emits neutrons and then measures
the secondary gamma radiation that is
scattered back to the detector in the
instrument. The density log is an excellent
porosity-measure device, especially for
shaley sands. Some trade names are
Formation Density Log, Gamma- Gamma
Density Log, and Densilog.

dent

dent n: a small depression made b, striking

or pressing. Sometimes called, ding.
Department of Energy (DOE) n: a federal
department set up to provide a frame- work
for a complete and balanced national energy
plan
through
coordination
and
administration of the energy functions of the
federal government. It is responsible for longterm, high-risk research and development of
energy technology, the marketing of federal
power, energy conservation, the nuclear
weapons
program,
energy
regulatory
programs, and a central energy data
collection and analysis program. Address:
1000 Independence Ave. SW; Washington,
DC 20585; (202) 586-5000.
Department of the Interior (DOl) n: a
federal department set up as the nation's
principal conservation agency. The DOl is
responsible for nationally owned lands and
natural resources. It fosters wise use of land
and water resources, protects fish and wildlife, preserves the environmental and cultural
values of national parks and historic places,
and provides for the enjoyment of life through
outdoor recreation. Address: 1849 C Street
NW; Washington, DC 20240; (202) 2083100.
Department of Transportation (DOT) n: a
federal department that develops regulations
governing transportation. Each mode of
transportation has a different administration.
The administrations under DOT include the
US Coast Guard, the Federal Aviation
Administration,
the
Federal
Highway
Administration,
the
Federal
Railroad
Administration, the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, the Urban Mass
Transportation Administration, the Saint
Lawrence
Seaway
Development
Corporation, and the Research and Special
Programs Administration. Address: 400 7th
Street SW; Washington, DC 205W; (202)
366-4000.
departure n: see deviation.
deplete v: to exhaust a supply. An oil and
gas reservoir is depleted when most or all
economically recoverable hydrocarbons have
been produced.
depletion n: 1. the exhaustion of a resource.
2. a reduction in income reflecting the
exhaustion of a resource. The concept of
depletion recognizes that a natural resource
such as oil is used up over several
accounting periods and permits the value of
this resource to be expensed periodically as
the resource is exhausted.
depletion allowance n: a reduction in US
taxes for owners of an economic interest in
minerals in place to compensate for the
exhaustion of an irreplaceable capital asset.
This economic interest includes mineral
interest, working interest in a lease, royalty,

52

overriding royalty, production payment

interest, and net profits interest.
depletion drive n: see gas drive.
depletion n: the laying down of sediments or
other potential rock-forming material.
depositional environment n: the set of
physical, chemical, and geological conditions
(such as climate. stream flow, and sediment
source) under which a rock layer was laid
down.
depreciation n: 1. decrease in value of an
asset such as a plant or equipment due to
normal wear or passing of time; real property
(land) does not depreciate. 2. an annual
reduction of income reflecting the loss in
useful value of capitalized investments by
reason of wear and tear. The concept of
depreciation recognizes that the purchase of
an asset other than land will benefit several
accounting cycles (periods) and should be
expensed periodically over its useful life.
depressure v: to release the pressure
contained in a tank, vessel, or pipe to a
predetermined value. See bleed.
depropaniser n: a unit of equipment for
separating propane, with or without lighter
components. from a mixture of hydrocarbons
and leaving a bottoms product that is
essentially propane-free.
depth n: 1. the distance to which a well is
drilled, stipulated in a drilling contract as
contract depth. Total depth is the depth after
drilling is finished. 2. on offshore drilling rigs,
the distance from the baseline of a rig or a
ship to the uppermost continuous deck. 3.
the maximum pressure that a diver attains
during a dive. expressed in feet (metres) of
seawater.
depth in n: the depth of the wellbore when a
new bit or other tool is run in. Compare depth
out.
depthometer n: a device used to measure
the depth of a well or the depth at a specific
point in a well (such as to the top of a liner or
to a fish) by counting the turns of a calibrated
wheel rolling on a wireline as it is lowered
into or pulled out of the well.
depth out n: the depth of the wellbore when
a bit or other tool is pulled out of the hole.
Compare depth in.
derating factor n: the percentage of the
rated power output that a given motor can
deliver without being thermally overloaded.
deregulation n: see decontrol.
deregulation clause n: a clause in a contract currently governed by regulatory price
ceilings to provide a process to reset the
price of gas should price controls and
regulatory authority cease.
derrick n: a large load-bearing structure,
usually of bolted construction. In drilling, the
standard derrick has four legs standing at the
comers of the substructure and reaching to
the crown block. The substructure is an

desiccant

assembly of heavy beams used to elevate

the derrick and provide space to install
blowout preventers, casingheads, and so
forth. Because the standard derrick must be
assembled piece by piece, it has largely
been replaced by the mast, which can be
lowered and raised without disassembly.
Compare mast.

derrick floor n: also called the rig floor or the

drill floor. See rig floor.
derrickhand n: the crew member who
handles the upper end of the drill string as it
is being hoisted out of or lowered into the
hole. On a drilling rig, he or she is also
responsible for the circulating machinery and
the conditioning of the drilling or workover
fluid.
derrickman n: see derrickhand.
desalt v: to remove dissolved salt from crude
oil. Sometimes fresh water is injected into the
crude stream to dissolve salt for removal by
electrostatic treaters.
desander n: a centrifugal device for
removing sand from drilling fluid to prevent
abrasion of the pumps. It may be operated
mechanically or by a fast-moving stream of
fluid inside a special cone-shaped vessel, in
which case it is sometimes called a
hydrocyclone. Compare desiller.
descent and distribution laws n: the laws
in a state that determine the disposition of
property among heirs in the absence of a
will.
desiccant n: a substance able to remove
water from another substance with which it is
in contact. It may be liquid (e.g., triethylene
glycol) or solid (e.g., silica gel).

desiccator

desiccator n: a device used for removing

moisture from substances. For drying core
samples, the desiccator is a container with a
bottom section holding moisture-absorbing
chemicals and a top section in which the
sample is placed.
design factor n: the ratio of the ultimate load
a vessel or structure will sustain to the
permissibly safe load placed on it. Such
safety factors are incorporated into the
design of casing, for example, to allow for
unusual burst, tension, or collapse stresses.
design factor of wire rope n: see safety
factor of wire rope.
design water depth n: 1. the vertical
distance from the ocean bottom to the
nominal water level plus the height of
astronomical and storm tides. 2. the deepest
water in which an offshore drilling rig can
operate.
desilter n: a centrifugal device for removing
very fine particles, or silt, from drilling fluid to
keep the amount of solids in the fluid at the
lowest possible point. Usually, the lower the
solids content of mud, the faster is the rate of
penetration. The desilter works on the same
principle as a desander. Com- pare
desander.
Desk and Derrick Club n: an association of
employees in the petroleum and allied
industries. The principal function of the group
is to provide informational and educational
programs for the enlightenment of its
members about the industry they serve.
Membership ranges from secretaries through
managers and directors of companies.
Address: 4823 S. Sheridan, Suite 308- A;
Tulsa, OK 74145; (918) 622-1675.
desorb v: to remove an absorbate or
adsorbate from an absorbent or adsorbent.
desorption n: the process of removing an
absorbate or adsorbate from an absorbent or
adsorbent.
destroctive testing n: a procedure in which
a weld is tom apart so that its structure can
be examined. Destructive testing is used
primarily during the qualification procedures
required of all welders who work on
pipelines.
desulfurise v: to remove sulfur or sulfur
compounds from oil or gas.
detector n: a device used to sense or
ascertain the presence of such items as
objects, radiation, poisonous gases, or
chemicals.
detector signal n: a contact closure change,
or other signal, that starts or stops a prover
counter/timer and defines the calibrated
volume of the prover.
detector switch n: in a pipe prover, an
electrical
switch
activated
by
the
displacement sphere as it moves through the
U-portion of the prover. Activating the switch

53

sends an electric current through a cable to a

pulse generator.
detent n: a mechanism that keeps one part
in a certain position relative to that of another; it can be released by applying force to
one of the parts.
detergent n: in lubricating oils and in some
engine fuels, a chemical that is added to the
oil or to the fuel that suspends dirt, carbon,
and other foreign matter in the oil or fuel. As
a result of the detergents in motor oil, the oil
will very quickly appear dirty because it is
suspending the particles.
determinable fee n: an interest in property
that will end at the happening or
nonhappening of a particular event. In some
states, an oil and gas lease is considered a
determinable fee in real estate.
detonation n: 1. an explosion. 2. the knock
or ping produced when fuel of too-low octane
rating is used in the engine. Compare
preignition.
deuterium n: the isotope of the element
hydrogen that has one neutron and one
proton in the nucleus; atomic weight is
2.0144.
development and production plan n: a
plan required by the MMS before
development and production can take place
in the OCS. The MMS approves or
disapproves
the
plan
based
on
environmental, technical, and economic
considerations.
development drilling n: drilling d1at occurs
after the initial discovery of hydrocarbons in a
reservoir. Usually, several wells are required
to adequately develop a reservoir.
development well n: 1. a well drilled in
proven territory in a field to complete a
pattern of production. 2. an exploitation well.
deviation n: departure of the wellbore from
the vertical, measured by the horizontal
distance from the rotary table to the target.
The amount of deviation is a function of the
drift angle and hole depth. The term is
sometimes used to indicate the angle from
which a bit has deviated from the vertical
during drilling. See drift angle.

DF

deviation and azimuth indicator n: see

double recorder.
deviation effect n: when a gas is confined
within a pressure-tight container, the
tendency of the gas pressure to be slightly
above or below that which is normally
expected because of the attraction or
repulsion of individual gas molecules.
deviation survey n: an operation made to
determine the angle from which a bit has
deviated from the vertical during drilling.
There are two basic deviation-survey, or driftsurvey, instruments: one reveals the drift
angle; the other indicates both the angle and
the direction of deviation.
devise v: to make a gift of real property (e.g.,
land) by means of a will. Compare bequeath.
Devonian adj: of or relating to the geologic
period from about 400 million to 350 million
years ago in the Paleozoic era, or to the
rocks formed during this period, including
those of Devonshire, England, where
outcrops of such rock were first identified.
dew point n: the temperature and pressure
at which a liquid begins to condense out of a
gas. For example, if a constant pressure is
held on a certain volume of gas but the
temperature is reduced, a point is reached at
which droplets of liquid condense out of the
gas. That point is the dew point of the gas at
that pressure. Similarly, if a constant
temperature is maintained on a volume of
gas but the pressure is increased, the point
at which liquid begins to condense out is the
dew point at that temperature. Compare
bubble point.
dew-point recorder n: a device used by gas
transmission companies to determine and to
record continuously the dew point of the gas.
dew-point spread n: the difference between
the actual air temperature and the dew-point
temperature.
dew-point temperature n: the temperature
at which the rate at which water vapor leaves
a gas equals the rate at which water vapor
enters the gas at a given pressure.
dew-point tester n: a high-pressure
stainless steel or nickel-plated brass
chamber with a magnifying window, a
sample inlet. a pressure gauge, a tripod
socket. a gas outlet. and an angle-mounted
mirror. It ascertains dew point by observing
the temperature and the pressure at which
condensation occurs on and disappears from
the mirror.
DF abbr: derrick floor; used in drilling reports.

diagenesis

diagenesis n: the chemical and physical

changes that sedimentary deposits undergo
(compaction, cementation, recrystallisation,
and sometimes replacement) during and
after lithification.
dial thermometer n: a thermometer on
which the temperature is indicated by a
moving needle or pointer on a circular face or
disk rather than with liquid in a glass or a
liquid crystal display (LCD).
dial-type assembly n: see dial thermometer.
diamagnetic adj: antimagnetic. Diamagnetic
materials resist flux by aligning themselves at
right angles to the lines of force in a
ferromagnetic.
magnetic
field.
See
paramagnetic.
diameter n: the distance across a circle,
measured through its center. In the
measurement of pipe diameters, the inside
diameter is that of the interior circle and the
outside diameter that of the exterior circle.
diamond bit n: a drill bit that has small
industrial diamonds embedded in its cutting
surface. Cutting is performed by the rotation
of the very hard diamonds over the rock
surface.
diaphragm n: a sensing element consisting
of a thin, usually circular, plate that is deformed by pressure applied across the plate.
diaphragm meter tangent n: part of a
diaphragm meter that regulates the length of
the diaphragm stroke; used to adjust the
volumetric displacement.
diapir n: a dome or anticlinal fold in which a
mobile plastic core has ruptured the more
brittle overlying rock. Also called piercement
dome.

diapirism n: the penetration of overlying

layers by a rising column of salt or other
easily deformed mineral caused by
differences in density.
diastrophism n: the process or processes of
deformation of the earth's crust that produce oceans, continents, mountains, folds,
and faults.
diatom n: any of the algae of the class
Bacillariophyceae, noted for symmetrical and
sculptured siliceous cell walls. After death,

54

the cell wall persists and forms diatomite.

Diatoms first appeared in the Cretaceous
period and still live today.
diatomaceous earth n: an earthy deposit
made up of the siliceous cell walls of onecelled marine algae called diatoms. It is used
as an admixture for cement to produce a lowdensity slurry.
diatomite n: a rock of biochemical origin,
which is composed of the siliceous (glassy)
shells of microscopic algae called diatoms.
die n: a tool used to shape, form, or finish
other tools or pieces of metal. For example, a
threading die is used to cut threads on pipe.
die collar n: a collar or coupling of tool steel,
threaded internally, that can be used to
retrieve pipe from the well on fishing jobs; the
female counterpart of a taper tap. The die
collar is made up on the drill pipe and
lowered into the hole until it contacts the lost
pipe. If the lost pipe is stuck so that it cannot
rotate, rotation of the die collar on top of the
pipe cuts threads on the outside of the pipe,
providing a firm attachment. The pipe is then
retrieved from the hole. It is not often used
because it is difficult to re- lease it from the
fish should it become necessary. Compare
taper tap.
dielectric n: a substance that is an insulator,
or nonconductor, of electricity.
dielectric constant n: the value of
dielectricity assigned to a substance. A
substance that is a good insulator has a high
dielectric constant, whereas a poor insulator
has a low one. The dielectric constant of oil
is lower than that of water, and on this
principle a net-oil computer operates. die
nipple n: a device similar to a die collar but
with external threads.
dies n pi: see insert.
diesel-electric power n: the power supplied
to a drilling rig by diesel engines driving
electric generators; used widely. dieselelectric rig n: see electric rig. diesel engine n:
a high-compression,
internal-combustion engine used extensively
for powering drilling rigs. In a diesel engine,
air is drawn into the cylinders and
compressed to very high pressures; ignition
occurs as fuel is injected into the compressed and heated air. Combustion takes
place within the cylinder above the piston,
and expansion of the combustion products
imparts power to the piston.
diesel fuel n: a light hydrocarbon mixture for
diesel engines, similar to furnace fuel oil; it
has a boiling range just above that of
kerosene.
diesel-oil plug n: see gunk plug.
diethylene glycol n: a liquid chemical used
in gas processing to remove water from the
gas. See glycol. glycol dehydrator.
differential n: 1. the difference in quantity or
degree between two measurements or units.

differential range

For example, the pressure differential across

a choke is the variation between the
pressure on one side and that on the other.
2. the value or volume payment
accompanying an exchange of oil for oil. The
payment serves as compensation for quality,
location, or gravity differences between the
oils being exchanged.
differential displacing valve n: a specialpurpose valve used to facilitate spacing out
and flanging up the well, run in on the tubing
string.
differential drop n: the reduction in pressure
that occurs as gas flows through a restriction
in a line, such as through an orifice.
differential fill-up collar n: a device installed near the bottom of the casing. It has a
valve that keeps mud out of the casing so
that the casing can be floated into the hole to
lessen the weight on the rig's equipment This
valve will, however, automatically open to let
mud into the casing when the pressure of the
mud outside the casing becomes high
enough to collapse the joints of casing near
the bottom of the string. Thus, this special
collar, with its pressure-sensitive valve, not
only allows casing to float, but also keeps it
from collapsing.
differential head n: see differential pressure.
differential pen n: on a flow recorder, the
pen used to record differential pressure
across the orifice in the meter; usually
recorded in red ink on the flow recorder
chart.
differential pressure n: the difference
between two fluid pressures; for example,
the difference between the pressure in a
reservoir and in a well bore drilled in the
reservoir, or between atmospheric pressure
at sea level and at 10,000 feet (3,048
metres). Also called pressure differential.
differential-pressure gauge n: a pressuremeasuring device actuated by two or more
pressure-sensitive elements that act in
opposition to produce an indication of the
difference between two pressures.
differential-pressure
reducer
n:
an
electrical device that senses very small
bellows or diaphragm movement in a bellows
meter. Allows a computer to calculate flow
rates directly by producing electrical output
differential-pressure valve n: a valve used
to regulate automatically a uniform difference
in pressure between two locations in a
pipeline.
differential range n: the extent of variation
between the lowest and highest differential
pressures that an orifice meter can
accurately measure.

differential sticking

differential sticking n: a condition in which

the drill stem becomes stuck against the wall
of the wellbore because part of the drill stem
(usually the drill collars) has become
embedded in the filter cake. Necessary
conditions for differential-pressure sticking,
or wall sticking, are a permeable formation
and a pressure differential across a nearly
impermeable filter cake and drill stem. Also
called wall sticking. See differential pressure,
filter cake.
differential test n: a test taken at a particular
point in the flow of a meter, which is
compared with the same flow rate on a
differential curve that was established at the
time the meter was installed. If the differential
pressure reading obtained during the test is
50% higher than the original test value (at
the same flow rate), with pressure and
temperature conditions being approximately
the same, the meter is removed and the
cause of the increased operating resistance
determined.
diffuser n: a device that uses part of the
kinetic energy of a fluid passing through a
machine by gradually increasing the cross
section of the channel or chamber through
which it flows so as to decrease its speed
and increase its pressure.
diffusion n: 1. the spontaneous movement
and scattering of particles of liquids, gases,
or solids. 2. the migration of dissolved
substances from an area of high
concentration
to
an
area
of
low
concentration.
digital adj: pertaining to data in the form of
digits, especially electronic data stored in the
form of a binary code.
digital readout n: a type of register on which
the information is indicated by directly
readable characters, particularly numerals.
Compare analog data.
digital signal n: the representation of the
magnitude of a variable in the form of
discrete values or pulses of a measurable
physical quantity.
dilatant fluid n: a dilatant. or inverted plastic,
fluid is usually made up of a high
concentration of well-dispersed solids that
exhibits a nonlinear consistency curve
passing through the origin. The apparent
viscosity increases instantaneously with
increasing rate of shear. The yield point, as
determined by conventional calculations from
the direct-indicating viscometer readings, is
negative; however, the true yield point is
zero.
diluent n: liquid added to dilute or dtin a
solution.
dimensionless number n: a number that
does not have a unit of measurement
associated with it.

55

diode n: 1. an electronic device that resbicts

current flow chiefly in one direction. 2. a radio
tube that contains an anode and a cathode.
diorite n: intrusive. or platonic. generally
coarse-grained igneous rock composed
largely of plagioclase feldspar with smaller
amounts of dark-colored minerals. Also
known as black granite. Compare andesite.
dip n: 1. a European term for the depth of
liquid in a storage tank. 2. formation dip. See
formation dip. iMage. ullage.
dip gauge point n: a European term for the
point on the bottom of a container that the
dip weight touches during gauging and from
which the measurement of the oil and water
depths are taken. The dip point usually
corresponds with the datum point, but any
difference in levels must be designated in the
calibration table.
dip batch n: a European term for the
opening in the top of a container through
which dipping (gauging) and sampling
operations are carried out.
dip log n: see dipmeter survey.
dipmeter log n: see dipmeter survey.
dipmeter survey n: an oilwell-surveying
method that determines the direction and
angle of formation dip in relation to the
borehole. It records data that permit
computation of both the amount and direction
of formation dip relative to the axis of the
hole and thus provides information about the
geologic structure of the formation. Also
called dipmeter log or dip log.
dipping reference point n: a European term
for a point marked on the dip hatch of a tank
directly above the dip point to indicate the
position at which dipping should be carried
out.
dip plate n: a European term for datum
plate. dip rod n: a rigid length of wood or
metal that is provided with a scale for
measurement and usually graduated in units
of volume. It is used for manual
measurement of liquid in a container. Also
called dipstick.
dip slip n: upward or downward
displacement along a fault plane.
dip-slip fault n: a fault in which the slip is
practically in the line of the fault dip.

dip tape n: a European tem1 for gauging

tape.
dip tube n: the small-diameter tube
extending below the pump suction of a
sucker rod pump, usually inside the mud
anchor, as in a "poor boy" gas anchor.

directional drilling

dip weight n: a European term for a plumb

bob that is attached to a metal dip tape and
that is of sufficient weight to keep the tape
taut and of such shape as to facilitate the
penetration of any sludge that might be
present on the datum plate of a tank. Also
called outage bob.
direct-acting electric actuator n: a device
on a diesel engine's governor that increases
the engine's speed by increasing positive
voltage going to the actuator and governor.
As the engine needs more fuel to go faster,
the direct-acting actuator increases positive
voltage to make the governor increase the
fuel flowing to the fuel injectors. See
electrically actuated governor:
direct connection n: a straightforward
connection that makes the speeds of a prime
mover and a driven machine identical.
direct current (DC) n: electric current that
flows in only one direction. Compare
alternating current.
direct heater n: used in emulsion treating to
heat noncorrosive emulsions that are under
comparatively low pressure.
Types are
tubular, fluid-jacket, internal firebox, and
volume, or jug-type. Compare indirect heater.
direct-indicating viscometer n: commonly
called a "V-G meter:' A rotational device
powered by means of an electric motor or
handcrank. Used to determine the apparent
viscosity, plastic viscosity, yield point, and
gel strengths of drilling fluids.
directional drilling n: 1. intentional deviation
of a wellbore from the vertical. Although well
bores are normally drilled vertically, it is
sometimes necessary or advantageous to
drill at an angle from the vertical. Controlled
directional drilling makes it possible to reach
subsurface areas laterally remote from the
point where the bit enters the earth. It often
involves the use of deflection tools. 2. a
technique of river crossing in pipeline
construction in which the pipe is buried under
the riverbed at very much greater than those
of conventional crossings. With this
technique, a hole in the form of an inverted
arc is drilled beneath the river, and the
made-up pipeline is pulled through it.

directional drilling service company

directional drilling service company n: a

business that provides directional hole
planning, sophisticated directional tools, and
on- site assistance to the oil company
operator of a drilling rig.
directional drilling supervisor n: an
employee of a directional drilling service
company whose main job is to help the driller
at a well site keep the wellbore as close as
possible to its planned course. Also called
directional operator.
directional hole n: a wellbore intentionally
drilled at an angle from the vertical. See
directional drilling.
directional operator n: see directional
drilling supervisor.
directional perforating n: see oriented
perforating.
directional survey n: a logging method that
records drift angle, or deflection from the
vertical, and direction of the drift. A singleshot directional-survey instrument makes a
single photograph of a compass reading of
the drift direction and the number of degrees
the hole is off vertical. A multi shot survey
instrument obtains numerous readings in the
hole as the device is pulled out of the well.
See directional drilling.
directional survey instrument n: a tool that,
when lowered into the wellbore, makes a
photographic record of the angle and drift of
the wellbore; that is, it records the number of
degrees the hole is off vertical and the
direction in which it is off vertical. Several
types of instrument are available; some are
capable of photographing only a single
record - single-shot survey instrumentswhereas others are capable of making
several records in one run - multishot survey
instruments.
direct measurement n: a measurement that
produces a final result directly from the scale
on an instrument.
direct pull-in connection n: an underwater
pipe-joining technique in which the pipe with
its connector sled is steered straight onto the
matching receiver at the base of the platform.
Compare deflect-to-connect connection.
direct reading chart n: a type of orifice
meter chart that indicates the differential
pressure and static pressure for a particular
time period. The pressures can be read
directly from the chart instead of being
calculated from information given on the
chart.
direct-reading viscometer n: a device for
measuring the viscosity of a fluid (a fluid's
resistance to flow) that provides a value for
the viscosity on the device. No calculations
have to be made since the device gives a
direct reading of the value.
direct sale n: a natural gas sales transaction
in which at least one of the intermediary par-

56

ties in the natural gas delivery system (i.e.,

pipeline transmission company or local
distributing company) does not take title to
the natural gas but only transports it.
Historically, a sale of natural gas to an end
user, as opposed to a "sale for resale." More
recently, the term has also been applied to a
sale by a producer directly to a local
distribution company.
disbonding n: a common coating failure in
which the coating separates from the pipe.
discharge coefficient n: a measure of the
efficiency with which gas flows through an
actual orifice. Compares the actual orifice's
discharge rate with an ideal orifice's
discharge rate.
discharge line n: a line through which
drilling mud travels from the mud pump to the
standpipe on its way to the wellbore.
discharge of dredged material n: any
addition of dredged material into US waters.
discharge valve n: on a mud pump, the
valve that opens to allow mud to be pushed
out of the pump (discharged) by the pistons
moving in the liners.
discharge vessel ratio n: the total
calculated volume (TCV) by vessel
measurement on arrival, less remaining on
board (ROB), divided by the TCV by shore
measurement at discharge.
disclaimer n: complete denial and
renunciation of any claim to title to property.
Surface tenants, for example, often sign
disclaimers (in the form of tenant consent
agreements) relating to the mineral estate
and title of land leased for oil and gas
exploration.
disconformity n: an interruption in
sedimentation caused by erosion; the strata
above and below the disconformity are
unconformity.
Compare
parallel.
See
nonconformity.
disconnect n: a device such as a switch or
circuit breaker used to open a circuit.
discounted cash flow rate or return n: the
rate that causes the sum of the discounted
outflows and inflows of funds to equal the net
cash outlay in year zero of a project. It is
used in evaluating exploration investments.
discounting n: taking account of future
value
in
present
calculations,
i.e.,
determining present value of future dollars.
Discounting is compounding in reverse.
discovery well n: the first oil or gas well
drilled in a new field that reveals the
presence of a hydrocarbon-bearing reservoir.
Subsequent wells are development wells.
discrimination n: the ability to sense and
record the actual temperature of a liquid to
the specified temperature increments.
disk lubrication n: see slinger disk
lubrication.

displacement meter

disk-spring compressor valve n: a type of

compressor valve in which springs and disks
are used to open and close the valve.
dispatcher n: an employee responsible for
scheduling movement of oil through pipelines.
dispersant n: a substance added to cement
that chemically wets the cement particles in
the slurry, allowing the slurry to flow easily
without much water.
dispersed phase n: that part of a drilling
mud clay, shale, barite, and other solids that is dispersed throughout a liquid or
gaseous medium. forming the mud.
disperser n: see emulsifying agent.
dispersible inhibitor n: an inhibitor
substance that can be dispersed evenly in
another liquid with only moderate agitation.
dispersion n: a suspension of extremely fine
particles in a liquid (such as colloids in a
colloidal solution).
dispersion medium n: see continuous
phase.
dispersoid n: a colloid or finely divided
substance. See also colloid.
displacement n: 1. the weight of a fluid
(such as water) displaced by a freely floating
or submerged body (such as an offshore
drilling rig). If the body floats, the
displacement equals the weight of the body.
2. replacement of one fluid by another in the
pore space of a reservoir. For example, oil
may be displaced by water.
displacement efficiency n: the proportion
by volume of oil swept out of the pore space
of a reservoir by the encroachment of another fluid. The displacing fluid may be
reservoir water or gas or an injected fluid.
displacement engine n: see reciprocating
engine.
dispIacement fluid n: in oilwell cementing,
the fluid. usually drilling mud or salt water,
that is pumped into the well after the cement
is pumped into it to force the cement out of
the casing and into the annulus.
displacement meter n: 1. a meter in which a
piston is actuated by the pressure of a
measured volume of liquid, and the volume
swept by the piston is equal to the volume of
the liquid recorded. 2. a meter in which the
measuring element measures a volume of
liquid by mechanically separating the liquid
into discrete quantities of fixed volume and
counting the quantities in volume units.

displacement plunger

displacement plunger n: a device used to

pump liquids, usually at high pressures, with
an action similar to that of a piston.
displacement rate n: a measurement of the
speed with which a volume of cement slurry
or mud is pumped down the hole.
displacer n: a spherical or cylindrical object
that is a component part of a pipe prover that
moves through the prover pipe. The
displacer has an elastic seal that contacts
the inner pipe wall of a prover to prevent
leakage. The displacer is made to move
through the prover pipe by the flowing fluid
and displaces a known measured volume of
fluid between two fixed detecting devices.
disposal well n: a well into which salt water
or spent chemical is pumped, most
commonly part of a saltwater-disposal
system.
dissociation n: the separation of a molecule
into two or more fragments (atoms, ions) by
interaction with another body or by the
absorption of electromagnetic radiation.
dissolved gas n: natural gas that is in
solution with crude oil in the reservoir.
dissolved-gas drive n: a source of natural
reservoir energy in which the dissolved gas
coming out of the oil expands to force the oil
into the well bore. Also called solution-gas
drive. See reservoir drive mechanism.
dissolved load n: in a flowing stream of
water, those products of weathering that are
carried along in solution. Compare bed load,
suspended load.
dissolved water n: water in solution in oil at
a defined temperature and pressure.
distillate n: 1. a product of distillation, i.e.,
the liquid condensed from the vapor
produced in a still. Sometimes called
condensate. 2. heavy gasoline or light
kerosenes used as fuels.
distillate fuel oil n: light fuel oils distilled
during the refining process and used
primarily for space heating, on- and offhighway diesel engine fuel, and electric
power generation.
distillation n: the process of driving off gas
or vapor from liquids or solids, usually by
heating, and condensing the vapor back to
liquid to purify, fractionate, or form new
products.
distribution n: the apportioning of daily
production rates to wells on a lease.
Because there may be many wells on a
lease, such production is apportioned on the
basis of periodic tests rather than on the
individual receiving and gauging of oil at
each well.
distribution main n: in a gas distribution
system, such as in a city or town, a relatively
large pipeline through which gas is supplied
to several smaller pipelines. The smaller

57

lines provide gas to homes, schools, and

other buildings.
distribution system n: a system of pipelines and other equipment by which natural
gas or other products are distributed to
customers, to lease operations, or to other
points of consumption, that is, the mains,
services, and equipment that carry or control
the supply of gas from the point of local
supply to and including the sales meters.
distribution transformer n: an electrical
device designed to reduce voltage from
primary distribution levels, usually 7,200 or
12,400 volts, to utilization voltages of 480,
240, or 120 volts. See power transfornlet:
distributor n: a device that directs the
proper flow of fuel or electrical current to the
proper place at the proper time in the proper
amount.
distributor timing n: on a diesel engine with
a distributor-type fuel injection system, the
sequence in which the distributor sends fuel
to each engine cylinder.
district regulator station n: station to which
odorized gas is piped from the city gate
station. This station uses regulators and
controllers to maintain consistent pressure
and to ensure a constant supply of natural
gas to consumers. See also city gale station.
disulfides n pi: chemical compounds
containing an -S-S linkage. They are
colorless liquids completely miscible with
hydrocarbons, insoluble in water, and sweet
to the doctor test. Mercaptans are converted
to disulfides in treating processes employing
oxidation reactions.
ditch n: a trench or channel made in the
earth, usually to bury pipeline, cable, and so
on. On a drilling rig, the mud flow channel
from the conductor-pipe outlet is often called
a ditch. See mud return line. v: to excavate a
trench in which to lay pipe or cable. Ditching
equipment and methods for pipe laying vary
according to terrain and weather.
ditch breaker n: a device that divides a ditch
into sections to form internal barriers to water
movement. Ditch breakers are used for
pipelines in areas where washouts are a
threat.
ditch magnet n: a powerful magnet placed
in the return line between the wellbore and
the mud pit to remove metal particles from
the drilling mud. A ditch magnet is often used
during milling operations.
diurnal tide n: a tide having one high water
level and one low water level a day.
diverter n: a device used to direct fluids
flowing from a well away from the drilling rig.
When a kick is encountered at shallow
depths, the well often cannot be shut in
safely; therefore, a diverter is used to allow
the well to flow through a side outlet (a
divetter line).

dogleg

diverter line n: a side outlet on a rig that

directs flow away from the rig.
diverter valve n: a type of valve that
changes the direction of fluid flow from the
intended path to an alternate route.
divided agreement n: type of operating
agreement that provides for sharing of costs
and benefits based on participating areas
that may change.
divided interest n: a fractional interest in
minerals that, when conveyed, gives the new
owner a 100% interest in the designated
fraction of the described tract. For example,
a one-quarter dividabl interest in an 80-acre
(32- hectare) tract results in a 100% interest
in 20 specific, describable acres (8 hectares)
out of that tract. Compare undivided interest.
diving bell n: a cylindrical or spherical
compartment used to transport a diver or
dive team to and from an underwater work
site. division order n: a contract of sale of oil
or gas to a purchaser who is directed to pay
for the oil or gas products according to the
proportions set out in the division order. The
purchaser may require execution thereof by
all owners of interest in the property.
division order opinion n: a statement of
opinion by a title examiner on the state of the
title to land, mineral, royalty, or working
interests in a producing tract of land. This
opinion, usually in letter form, is the basis of
payment to all affected owners and must
recite all the owners' interests. Com- pare
drill site opinion. title opinion.
dizzy nut n: a mechanism used in packers to
lock components together.
dk abbr: dark; used in drilling reports.
doctor test n: a qualitative method for
detecting hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans
in
petroleum
distillates.
The
test
distinguishes between sour and sweet
products.
DOE abbr: Department of Energy.
dog n: a spring-loaded finger in a tubing end
locator.
doghouse n: 1. a small enclosure on the rig
floor used as an office for the driller and as a
storehouse for small objects. 2. any small
building used as an office, a change house,
or a place for storage.
dogleg n: 1. an abrupt change in direction in
the wellbore, frequently resulting in the
formation of a keyseat. 2. a sharp bend
permanently put in an object such as a pipe,
wire rope. or a wire rope sling.

dognut

dognut n: an upper kelly cock that is

enclosed in a ball-shaped housing.
DOl abbr: Department of the Interior.
dol abbr: dolomite; used in drilling reports.
dolly n: see pipe dolly.
dolly assembly n: on a top-drive unit, the
device that attaches the unit to the guide
rails. See guide rails, top drive.
dolo abbr: dolomite; used in drilling reports.
dolomite n: a type of sedimentary rock
similar to limestone but containing more than
50
percent
magnesium
carbonate;
sometimes a reservoir rock for petroleum.
dolomitisation n: the shrinking of the solid
volume of rock as limestone turns to
dolomite, i.e., the conversion of limestone to
dolomite rock by replacement of a portion of
the calcium carbonate with magnesium
carbonate.
dolostone n: rock composed of dolomite.
dome n: a geologic structure resembling an
inverted bowl, i.e., a short anticline that dips
or plunges on all sides.

dome-roof tank n: a storage tank with a

dome-shaped roof affixed to the shell.
doodlebug n: (slang) a person who
prospects for oil, especially by using
seismology. Also called doodlebugger. v:
(slang) to explore for oil, especially by using
seismic techniques in which explosive
charges are detonated in shot holes to create
shock waves (name taken from the
resemblance of these explosions to the puffs
of loose dirt thrown up by the doodlebug, or
ant lion, when digging its funnel-shaped
hole).
door sheet n: a plate at the base of a tank
shell or wall that is removed so the tank can
be cleaned.
dope n: a lubricant for the threads of oilfield
tubular goods. v: to apply thread lubricant.
dope bucket n: the container in which dope
is stored on the rig floor.
dope pot n: a portable container used to
melt coal tar enamel and maintain it at the
temperature required by a pipe-coating
operation.
doping n: 1. the process of adding certain
impurities to an element. 2. applying lubricant
(dope) to a tool joint or other threaded
connection.
DOT abbr: Department of Transportation.

58

double n: a length of drill pipe, casing, or

tubing consisting of two joints screwed
together. Compare fourble, single, thribble.
double-acting adj: in reference to a mud
pump, the action of the piston moving mud
through the cylinder on both its forward and
backward stroke. Compare single-acting.
double board n: the name used for the
working platform of the derrickhand (the
monkeyboard) when it is located at a height
in the derrick or mast equal to two lengths of
pipe joined together. Compare fourble board,
thribble board.
double-box coupling n: a special coupling
that has a female connection (box) on each
end and that is used to connect sucker rods
that have a male connection (pin) on each
end.
double-drum hoist n: a device consisting of
two reels on which wire rope is wound that
provides two separate hoisting drums in the
assembly. The main drum is used for pulling
tubing or drill pipe; the second drum is used
for coring and swabbing. See hoist.
double extra-strong pipe n: a pipe
incorporating twice as many safety design
factors as normally used.
double grip n: a tool employing gripping
devices (slips) that limit tool movement from
pressure either above or below the tool.
double bull tanker n: tanker with two hulls.
Theoretically, the first hull absorbs all or most
of any impact, leaving the second hull intact
or less damaged and thus able to contain the
cargo.
double jointing n: the process of welding
two pipe joints together-usually on a doublejoint rack-to form a single piece of pipe. The
usual length of a double joint for pipeline
construction is 80 feet (24 metres).
double-plane roller assembly n: in a kelly
bushing, a double set of roller assemblies
that are installed on two levels, or planes,
within the bushing. Compare single-plane
roller assembly. See also kelly bushing, roller
assembly.
double-post mast n: a well-servicing unit
whose mast consists of two steel tubes.
Double-pole masts provide racking platforms
for handling rods and tubing in stands and
extend from 65 to 67 feet (20 to 20.4 metres)
so that rods can be suspended as 50-foot (
15-metre) doubles and tubing set back as
30- foot (9-metre) singles. See pole mast.
double recorder n: a device containing an
angle indicator, a timing element, and a
replaceable chart that is used to measure the
direction and the degree of deviation as a
hole is being drilled. The timing element goes
off when the tool has come to rest just above
the drill bit and descends on the sharply
pointed angle indicator, which then punches
a hole in the chart. The chart rotates 180.,
and a second hole is punched to verify a

downhole telemetry

correct reading of the resting angle of the

tool.
doughnut n: a ring of wedges or a threaded,
tapered ring that supports a string of pipe.
dovetail n: a cutout section in a cone
enabling positive slip movement without the
aid of conventional slip return springs.
dowel n: a pin fitting into a hole in an abutting piece to prevent motion or slipping.
dower property n: in some states, that part
of an estate to which a wife is entitled (for her
lifetime) on the death of her husband.
downcomer n: a tube that conducts liquids
downward in a vessel such as an absorber.
downcutting n: the direct erosive action of
flowing water on a streambed.
downdip adj: lower on the formation dip
angle than a particular point.
down-draft retort n: a device that measures
the saturation, or the amount, of each fluid in
a core sample by distilling the fluid from the
core with heat. The core sample is heated to
about 350F (176.7C). The fluids are
vaporized and cooled until they condense in
receiving tubes, where they are measured.
downhole adj, adv: pertaining to the wellbore.
downhole motor n: a drilling tool made up in
the drill string directly above the bit. It causes
the bit to turn while the drill string remains
fixed. It is used most often as a deflection
tool in directional drilling, where it is made up
between the bit and a bent sub (or,
sometimes, the housing of the motor itself is
bent). Two principal types of down-hole
motor are the positive-displacement motor
and the downhole turbine motor. Also called
mud motor.
downhole telemetry n: signals transmitted
from an instrument located downhole to a
receiving monitor on the surface-a surfacereadout instrument. Downhole telemetry may
be transmitted via a special wireline or via
mud pulse (much as radio signals are
transmitted through the air). Frequently,
downhole telemetry is employed in
determining the drift angle and direction of a
deviated wellbore. See measurement while
drilling.

downstream

downstream adv. adj: in the direction of flow

in a stream of fluid moving in a line.
downstream market n: the sale of products
after they are refined or processed.
downstream pipeline n: a pipeline receiving
natural gas from another pipeline
at an interconnection point.
downthrow n: the wall of a fault that has
moved relatively downward.

downtime n: 1. time during which rig

operations are temporarily suspended
because of repairs or maintenance. 2. time
during which a well is off production.
dozer n: a powered machine for earthwork
excavation; a bulldozer.
DP abbr: drill pipe; used in drilling reports.
draft n: 1. the vertical distance between the
bottom of a vessel floating in water and the
waterline. 2. a written order drawn on a
solvent bank that authorizes payment or a
specified sum of money for a specific
purpose to a named person. A draft mayor
may not be negotiable, depending on how it
is drawn up. Also called bank draft.
draft marks n pi: numbers placed on the
sides or ends of a floating offshore drilling rig
to indicate its draft.
drag n: 1. an excess of draft at the stem of a
ship or drill ship, as compared to the bow. 2.
friction between a moving device (such as a
bit) and another moving or nonmoving part
(such as the formation). 3. the bending of
rock strata adjacent to a fault.
drag bit n: any of a variety of drilling bits that
have no moving parts. As they are rotated on
bottom, elements of the bit make hole by
being pressed into the formation and being
dragged across it. See fishtail bit.
drag blocks n pi: spring-loaded buttons on a
packer that provide friction with casing to
retard movement of one section of a packer
while another section rotates for setting.
drag fold n: minor folds that form in an
incompetent bed when competent beds
parallel to it and on each side of it move in
opposite directions.
drag springs n: spring-loaded curved metal
bands on a packer that operate like drag
blocks.

59

drainage n: the migration of oil or gas in a

reservoir toward a wellbore due to pressure
reduction caused by the well's penetration of
the reservoir. A drainage point is a wellbore
(or, in some cases, several wellbores) that
drains the reservoir.
drainage clause n: clause in a gas sales
contract that states that the pipeline
company will attempt to take sufficient
volume to prevent the seller from being
drained.
drainage radius n: the area of a reservoir in
which a single well serves as a point for
drainage of reservoir fluids.
drainage
relative
permeability
n:
displacement of hydrocarbons or fluids in a
reservoir by increasing the non wetting
phase saturation. See nonwetting phase.
drainage time n: a fixed time period for
draining a standard capacity measure
calibrated "to deliver." The drain period starts
when flow ceases and dripping begins and
has the same duration as the drain period
used when calibrating the standard.
drain sample n: in tank sampling, a sample
obtained from the draw-off or discharge
valve.
Drake well n: the first well drilled in the
United States in search of oil. Some 69 feet
(21 metres) deep, it was drilled near
Titusville, Pennsylvania, and was completed
in 1859. It was named after Edwin L. Drake,
who was hired by the well owners to oversee
the drilling.
draped anticline n: an anticline composed
of sedimentary deposits atop a reef or atoll,
along whose flanks greater thicknesses of
sediments have been deposited and
compacted than atop the reef itself. Also
called compaction anticline.
drawdown n: I. the difference between static
and flowing bottomhole pressures. 2. the
distance between the static level and the
pumping level of the fluid in the annulus of a
pumping well.
draw-off level n: the height of the valve on a
liquid storage tank from which liquid exits the
tank.
drawworks n: the hoisting mechanism on a
drilling rig. It is essentially a large winch that
spools off or takes in the drilling line and thus
raises or lowers the drill stem and bit.

drawworks brake n: the mechanical brake

on the drawworks that can prevent the
drawworks drum from moving.

drift diameter

drawworks drum n: the spool-shaped

cylinder in the drawworks around which
drilling line is wound, or spooled.
drawworks-drum socket n: a receptacle on
the drawworks drum to which the drilling line
is attached.
dredged material n: material that is
excavated or dredged from water.
dress v: to sharpen, repair, or add
accessories to items of equipment (such as
drilling bits and tool joints).
drift n: 1. an ocean current's speed of
motion. 2. an observed change, usually
uncontrolled, in meter performance, meter
factor, etc., that occurs over a period of time.
v: 1. to move slowly out of alignment, off
center, or out of register. 2. to gauge or
measure pipe by means of a mandrel passed
through it to ensure the passage of tools,
pumps, and so on.
drift angle n: the angle at which a wellbore
deviates from the vertical, expressed in
degrees, as revealed by a directional survey.
Also called angle of deviation, angle of drift,
and inclination. See directional survey.
drift bottle n: a bottle released at sea to
measure currents. It contains a card stating
the date and location of release. The person
who finds the bottle writes on the card the
date and location of the bottle's recovery and
returns the card. Also called a floater.
drift card n: a card encased in a buoyant,
waterproof envelope that is used to measure currents. The card states the date and
location of release. The person who finds it
writes on it the date and place that it was
found and returns it.
drift diameter n: 1. in drilling, the effective
hole size. 2. in casing, the guaranteed
minimum diameter of the casing. The drift
diameter is important because it indicates
whether the casing is large enough for a
specified size of bit to pass through.

drift indicator

drift indicator n: a device dropped or run

down the drill stem on a wireline to a point
just above the bit to measure the inclination
of the well off vertical at that point. It does not
measure the direction of the inclination. drift
survey n: see deviation survey.
drill v: to bore a hole in the earth, usually to
find and remove subsurface formation fluids
such as oil and gas.
drillable adj: pertaining to packers and other
tools left in the wellbore to be broken up later
by the drill bit. Drillable equipment is made of
cast iron, aluminum, plastic, or other soft,
brittle material.
drillable squeeze packer n: a permanent
packer, drillable in nature, capable of
withstanding extreme working pressures, for
remedial work. It has a positive flow-control
valve built in.
drill ahead v: to continue drilling operations.
drill around v: 1. to deflect the wellbore
away from an obstruction in the hole. 2.
(slang) to get the better of someone (e.g.,
"He drilled around me and got the
promotion").
drill barge n: a floating offshore drilling unit
with the configuration of a ship but not selfpropelled. Compare drill ship.
drill bit n: the cutting or boring element used
for drilling. See bit.
drill collar n: a heavy, thick-walled tube,
usually steel, used between the drill pipe and
the bit in the drill stem to provide weight to
the bit.

drill collar clamp n: see safety clamp. drill

collar slips n pi: see slips.
drill collar sub n: a sub made up between
the drill string and the drill collars that is used
to ensure that the drill pipe and the collar can
be joined properly.
drill column n: see drill stem.
drilled show n: oil or gas in the mud
circulated to the surface.
driller n: the employee directly in charge of a
drilling or workover rig and crew. The driller's
main duty is operation of the drilling and
hoisting equipment, but this person is also
responsible for downhole condition of the
well, operation of downhole tools, and pipe
measurements.
driller's BOP control panel n: a series of
controls on the rig floor that the driller
manipulates to open and close the blowout
preventers.

60

driller's console n: a metal cabinet on the

rig floor containing the controls that the driller
manipulates to operate various components
of the drilling rig.

driller's control panel n: see driller's console.

driller's log n: a record that describes each
formation encountered and lists the drilling
time relative to depth, usually in 5- to IO-foot
(1.5- to 3-metre) intervals.
driller's method n: a well-killing method
involving two complete and separate
circulations. The first circulates the kick out
of the well; the second circulates heavier
mud through the wellbore.
driller's panel n: see driller's console.
driller's position n: the area immediately
surrounding the driller's console.
driller's report n: a record kept on the rig for
each tour to show the footage drilled. tests
made on drilling fluid, bit record, and other
noteworthy items. It is usually telephoned or
radioed to the drilling contractor's main office
every morning and is therefore sometimes
called the morning report.
driller's side n: a panel, or console, on the
left side of the drawworks (looking at it from
the front).
drill floor n: also called rig floor or derrick
floor. See rig floor.
drill in v: to penetrate the productive formation after the casing is set and cemented
on top of the pay zone.
drill-in fluid n: a drilling fluid specially
formulated to minimize formation damage as
the borehole penetrates the producing zone.
See formation damage. Compare completion
fluid.
drilling and delay rental clause n: the
clause in an oil and gas lease that allows the
lease to expire after a given period of time
(often 1 year from the date of the lease)
unless drilling begins or delay rental is paid.
Also called "unless" clause.
drilling and spacing unit n: a parcel of land
of the size required or permitted by statutory
law or by regulations of a state conservation
body for drilling an oil or gas well. Also called
a proration unit.
drilling blind n: drilling without mud returns,
as in the case of severe lost circulation.
drilling block n: a lease or a number of
leases of adjoining tracts of land that

drilling fluid analysis

constitute a unit of acreage sufficient to

justify the expense of drilling a wildcat.
drilling break n: a sudden increase in the
drill bit's rate of penetration. It sometimes
indicates that the bit has penetrated a highpressure zone and thus warns of the
possibility of a kick.
drilling contract n: an agreement made
between a drilling company and an operating
company to drill and complete a well. It sets
forth the obligation of each party,
compensation, identification, method of
drilling, depth to be drilled, and so on.
drilling contractor n: an individual or group
of individuals who own a drilling rig or mast
and contract their services for drilling wells to
a certain depth.
drilling control n: a device that controls the
rate of penetration by maintaining a predetermined constant weight on the bit. Also
called an automatic driller or automatic
drilling control unit.
drilling crew n: a driller, a derrickhand, and
two or more helpers who operate a drilling or
workover rig for one tour each day.
drilling draft n: the depth at which a drilling
rig rests below the water's surface.
drilling engine n: an internal-combustion
engine used to power a drilling rig. From two
to six engines are used on a rotary rig and
are usually fueled by diesel fuel, although
liquefied petroleum gas, natural gas, and,
very rarely, gasoline can also be used.
drilling engineer n: an engineer who
specializes in the technical aspects of
drilling.
drilling fluid n: circulating fluid, one function
of which is to lift cuttings out of the wellbore
and to the surface. It also serves to cool the
bit and to counteract downhole formation
pressure. Although a mixture of barite, clay,
water, and other chemical additives is the
most common drilling fluid, wells can also be
drilled by using air, gas, water, or oil-base
mud as the drilling mud. Also called
circulating fluid, drilling mud. See mud.
drilling fluid analysis n: see mud analysis.

drilling-fluid cycle time

drilling-fluid cycle time n: the time required

for the pump to move drilling fluid down the
hole and back to the surface. The cycle in
minutes equals the barrels of mud in the hole
divided by barrels per minute.
drilling foreman n: the supervisor of drilling
or workover operations on a rig. Also called a
rig
manager,
rig
supervisor,
rig
superintendent, or toolpusher.
drilling bead n: a special rotating head that
has a gear-and-pinion drive arrangement to
allow turning of the kelly and simultaneous
sealing of the kelly against well pressure.
drilling hook n: the large hook mounted on
the bottom of the traveling block and from
which the swivel is suspended. When drilling,
the entire weight of the drill stem is
suspended from the hook.
drilling in n: the operation during the drilling
procedure at the point of drilling into the pay
formation.
drilling line n: a wire rope used to support
the drilling tools. Also called the rotary line.

drilling mud n: a specially compounded

liquid'circulated through the wellbore during
rotary drilling operations. See drilling fluid,
mud.
drilling out n: the operation during the drilling procedure when the cement is drilled out
of the casing before further hole is made or
completion is attempted.
drilling pattern n: see well spacing.
drilling platform rig n: see platform rig.
drilling rate n: the speed with which the bit
drills the formation; usually called the rate of
penetration (ROP).
drilling recorder n: an instrument that
records hook load, rate of penetration, rotary
speed and torque, pump rate and pressure,
mud flow, and so forth during drilling. drilling
rig n: see rig.
drilling slot n: see keyway.
drilling spool n: a fitting placed in the blowout preventer stack to provide space
between preventers for facilitating stripping
operations, to permit attachment of choke
and kill lines, and for localizing possible
erosion by fluid flow to the spool instead of to
the more expensive pieces of equipment.

61

drilling superintendent n: an employee,

usually of a drilling contractor, who is in
charge of all drilling operations that the
contractor is engaged in. Also called a
toolpusher, rig manager, rig supervisor, or
drilling foreman.
drilling template n: see temporary guide
base.
drilling time log n: a record of the time
required for a hole to be drilled; it is a record
of the rate of penetration of the bit through
various formations encountered during the
drilling of a well.
drilling under pressure n: the continuation
of drilling operations while maintaining a seal
at the top of the wellbore to prevent the well
fluids from blowing out.
drilling unit n: the acreage allocated to a
well when a regulatory agency grants a well
permit.
drill-off test n: a method of detennining
optimum weight on bit and overall bit
performance. A given amount of weight is put
on the bit and the drawworks brake is tied off
so that no more weight is applied to the bit as
it drills. The time it takes for the bit to stop
drilling ahead with the given amount of
weight is measured. Different weights are
applied and the times are compared to
determine which amount is best.
drill out v: 1. to remove with the bit the
residual cement that normally remains in the
lower section of casing and the wellbore after
the casing has been cemented. 2. to remove
the settlings and cavings that are plugged
inside a hollow fish (such as drill pipe) during
a fishing operation.
drillout tool n: a device used to remove
settlings and cavings that are plugged inside
a hollow fish (such as drill pipe) during a
fishing operation. It consists of a body inside
of which is a hexagonal kelly tipped with a
junk mill. It is run on drill pipe to the top of the
fish.
drill pipe n: seamless steel or aluminum
pipe made up in the drill stem between the
kelly or top drive on the surface and the drill
collars on the bottom. During drilling, it is
usually rotated while drilling fluid is circulated
through it. Joints of pipe about 30 feet long
are coupled together by means of tool joints.
drill pipe body n: the tubular part of the drill
pipe between the tool joints, which are on
each end of the pipe.
drill pipe cutter n: a tool to cut drill pipe
stuck in the hole. Tools that cut the pipe
either internally or externally, permitting
some of it to be withdrawn, are available. Jet
cutoff or chemical cutoff is also used to free
stuck pipe.
drill pipe float n: a check valve installed in
the drill stem that allows mud to be pumped
down the drill stem but prevents flow back up
the drill stem. Also called a float.

drill site opinion

drill pipe pressure n: the amount of

pressure exerted inside the drill pipe as a
result of circulating pressure, entry of
formation pressure into the well, or both.
drill pipe pressure gauge n: an indicator,
mounted in the mud circulating system, that
measures and indicates the amount of
pressure in the drill stem. See drill stem.
drill pipe protector n: an antifriction device
of rubber or steel attached to each joint of
drill pipe to minimize wear.
drill pipe rubber n: a rubber or elastomer
disk that is placed around a joint of drill pipe
and is held stationary below the rotary table.
As pipe is removed from the well, the rubber
wipes mud off the outside of the pipe to
minimize corrosion.
drill pipe safety valve n: see lower kelly
cock.
drill pipe slips n pI: see slips.
drill ship n: a self-propelled floating offshore drilling unit that is a ship constructed to
permit a well to be drilled from it. Although
not as stable as semisubmersibles, drill ships
are capable of drilling exploratory wells in
deep, remote waters. See floating offshore
drilling rig.

drill site n: the location of a drilling rig.

drill site opinion n: the written statement of
opinion for a title examiner on the status of
the title to a drill site. usually in letter form.
Compare division order opinion, title opinion.

drum brake

drill stem n: all

members in the
assembly used
for rotary drilling
from the swivel
to
the
bit,
including
the
kelly, the drill
pipe and tool
joints, the drill
collars,
the
stabilizers, and
various
specialty items.
drill
Compare
string
drill stem safety valve n: a special valve
normally installed below the kelly. Usually,
the valve is open so that drilling fluid can flow
out of the kelly and down the drill stem. It
can, however, be manually closed with a
special wrench when necessary. In one
case, the valve is closed and broken out, still
attached to the kelly to prevent drilling mud in
the kelly from draining onto the rig floor. In
another case, when kick pressure inside the
drill stem exists, the drill stem safety valve is
closed to prevent the pressure from escaping
up the drill stem. Also called lower kelly cock,
mud saver valve.
drill stem test (DST) n: the conventional
method of formation testing. The basic drill
stem test tool consists of a packer or
packers, valves or ports that may be opened
and closed from the surface, and two or
more pressure-recording devices. The tool is
lowered on the drill string to the zone to be
tested. The packer or packers are set to
isolate the zone from the drilling fluid column.
The valves or ports are then opened to allow
for formation flow while the recorders chart
static pressures. A sampling chamber traps
clean formation fluids at the end of the test.
Analysis of the pressure charts is an
important part of formation testing.
drill stem test gases n pi: formation gases
that are produced during a drill stem test,
which is the conventional method of testing
formations. Although these gases typically
are produced only in very small quantities
and consist mainly of natural gas, they
become an environmental concern when the
gases fall into the extremely hazardous
substance category under SARA and are
produced in sufficient quantities so that they
exceed the TPQ limit set for that substance.
Typically, wells are not set up for production
operations when the drill stem test is run;
consequently, gas-containment equipment is
not installed or operational during the running
of the test and such gases must be released
or flared.

62

drill string n: the column, or string, of drill

pipe with attached tool joints that transmits
fluid and rotational power from the kelly to
the drill collars and the bit. Often, especially
in the oil patch, the tenD is loosely applied to
include both drill pipe and drill collars.
Compare drill stem.
drill string float n: a check valve in the drill
string that will allow fluid to be pumped into
the well but will prevent flow from entering
the string.
drill to granite v: to drill a hole until basement rock is encountered, usually in a
wildcat well. If no hydrocarbon-bearing
fonnations are found above the basement,
the well is assumed to be dry. The term
comes from the fact that basement rock is
sometimes granite.
drill under pressure v: to carry on drilling
operations with a mud whose density is such
that it exerts less pressure on bottom than
the pressure in the fonnation while
maintaining a seal (usually with a rotating
head) to prevent the well fluids from blowing
out under the rig. Drilling under pressure is
ad- vantageous in that the rate of penetration
is relatively fast; however, the technique
requires extreme caution.
drip n: 1. the water and hydrocarbon liquids
that have condensed from the vapor state in
the natural gas flow line and accumulated in
the low points of the line. 2. the receiving
vessel that accumulates such liquids.
drip accumulator n: the device used to collect liquid hydrocarbons that condense out of
a wet gas traveling through a pipeline.drip
gasoline n: hydrocarbon liquid that separates
in a pipeline transporting gas from the well
casing, lease separation, or other facilities
and drains into equipment from which the
liquid can be removed.
drip lubrication n: a method of lubricating a
chain-and-sprocket drive in which a reservoir
drips oil onto the chain at 4 to 20 drops per
minute, depending on the speed of the drive.
A drip lubricator for a multistrand drive has a
pipe to distrioote the oil to all strands.
drip pot n: a device installed in a flow
recorder's manifold to collect liquid that may
condense out the gas in the manifold and to
minimize the chance of inaccurate differential
and static readings caused by liquid in the
manifold lines.
drip time n: the amount of time it takes for
the liquid clinging to the sides of a tank
prover to fall and drip out of the vessel.
drive n: 1. the means by which a machine is
given motion or power, or by which power is
transferred from one part of a machine to
another. 2. the energy of expanding gas,
inflowing water, or other natural or artificial
mechanisms that forces crude oil out of the
reservoir formation and into the wellbore. v:
to give motion or power.

drum brake

drive bushing n: see kelly bushing.

drive chain n: a chain by means of which a
machine is propelled.
drive dog n: in a gas meter, part of the
mechanism that drives the meter.
drive-in unit n: a type of portable service or
workover rig that is self-propelled, using
power from the hoisting engines. The driver's
cab and steering wheel are mounted on the
same end as the mast support; thus the unit
can be driven straight ahead to reach the
wellhead. See carrier rig.
drive pipe n: see conductor casing.
drive rollers n pi: see kelly bushing rollers.
drive shaft n: in a top drive, d1e shaft that
comes out of the drive's drilling motor.
Usually, crew members attach a saver sub (a
short pipe fitting) to the drive shaft and attach
the top joint of drill pipe to the sub. The drive
shaft transmits the motor's rotating fon:e to
the drill string and bit. See top drive.
driven shaft n: in a chain-and-sprocket
drive, the shaft that receives the power.
Compare driving shaft.
driving fluid n: in a hydraulic coupling or
torque converter, the moving fluid that
impinges against blades to move the
member being driven.
driving shaft n: in a chain-and-sprocket
drive, the shaft that provides the power.
Compare driven shaft.
drlg abbr: drilling; used in drilling reports.
drogue n: a current-measuring instrument
that is suspended by a buoy and lowered to
a specified ocean depth. The effect of the
current on the drogue is shown by the
movement of the buoy at the surface.

drum n: 1. a
cylinder
around
which wire rope is
wound
in
the
drawworlcs.
The
drawworks drum is
that part of the hoist
on which the drilling
line is wound. 2. a
steel container of
general cylindrical
form. Some refined
products
are
shipped in steel
drums with

capacities of about 50 to 55 US gallons, or

about 200 litres.
drum brake n: a device for arresting the
motion of a machine or mechanism by
means of mechanical friction; in this case, a
shoe is pressed against a turning drum.

drum clutch

drum clutch n: a type of friction clutch that

has a metal housing lined with an
expandable diaphragm and pads of friction
material called friction shoes. The pressure
of the expanded diaphragm squeezes the
friction shoes against a drum attached to the
driving shaft. Friction between the shoes and
the drum allows the clutch to engage. See
clutch. Compare plate clutch.
drumshaft n: in the drawworks, the axle on
which the drawworks drum rotates. See
drawworks.
dry air cleaner n: on an engine, a device
that contains an air filter element that does
not depend on oil to effectively filter the air
entering the engine. Instead, the filter
element has a number of folds and chambers
that b'ap dust and dirt going into the engine's
air intake. Some dry elements may be
cleaned and reinstalled; others are discarded
and replaced. Compare wet air cleane1:
dry bed n: the solid adsorption materials
such as molecular sieves, charcoal, or other
materials used for purifying or for recovering
liquid from a gas. See adsorption.
dry-bed dehydrator n: a device for
removing water from gas in which two or
more packages, or beds, of solid desiccant
are used. The desiccant bed is usually
contained in a tower and wet gas is sent
through one bed for drying while the other is
prepared for later use.
dry-bottom prover n: a type of open tank
prover that has a gauge glass on the neck of
the prover but not on the bottom of the
prover. Compare wet-bottom prover.
dry Btu n: a measure of heating value for
natural gas that is free of moisture.
Contractually, natural gas may be defined as
"dry" even though it does contain some water
vapor, typically less than 7 pounds per
million cubic feet (3.2 kilograms per million
cubic
metres).
This
standard
of
measurement reflects the conditions under
which natural gas is usually actually
delivered for first sales.
dry cell n: a primary cell, such as a flashlight
battery, in which the electrolyte is a paste.
The term "dry" is misleading, because
moisture is necessary for the electrolyte to
function.
dry combustion n: the use of air as the only
injected heat carrier during an in situ
in
situ
combustion
operation.
See
combustion. The main difficulty with dry
combustion is that about 80 percent of the
injected heat is lost to the formation.
Compare wet combus- tion.
dry drilling n: a drilling operation in which no
fluid is circulated back up to the surface
(often as a result of lost circulation).
However, fluid is usually circulated into the
well to cool the bit. See blind drilling.

63

dry gas n: 1. gas whose water content has

been reduced by a dehydration process. 2.
gas containing few or no hydrocarbons
commercially recoverable as liquid product.
Also called lean gas.
dry hole n: any well that does not produce
oil or gas in commercial quantities. A dry
hole may flow water, gas, or even oil, but not
in amounts large enough to justify
production.
dry bole clause n: a clause in an oil and gas
lease that allows the operator to keep the
lease if he or she drills a dry hole. The
operator has a specified period of time in
which to drill a subsequent well or begin
paying delay rentals again.
dry bole letter n: a fonn of support
agreement in which the contributing
company agrees to pay so much per foot
drilled by another company in return for
information gained from the drilling. The
contribution is paid only if the well is a dry
hole in all formations encountered in drilling.
dry bole money n: money paid by a
contributing company on the basis of so
much per foot drilled by the primary company
in return for information gained from the
drilling. The contribution is paid only if thee
well is a dry hole in all formations
encountered in drilling.
dry monsoon n: a winter monsoon that
exhibits little or no rainfall.
dry oil n: oil that has been treated so that
only small quantities of water and other
extraneous materials remain in it.
dry string n: the drill pipe from which drilling mud has been emptied as it is pulled out
of the wellbore.
dry suit n: a protective diving garment that is
completely sealed to prevent water entry. It is
designed to accommodate a layer of
insulation between the diver and die suit.
This insulation gives a diver maximum
warmth and protection from the water.
dry welding n: arc, gas, or plasma welding
performed in an underwater habitat with a
gas environment at ambient pressure.
dry well n: see dry hole.
DST abbr: drill stem test.
DST tool n: drill stem test tool; used for
formation evaluation.
dual-chamber fitting n: an orifice meter
fitting having two chambers. The orifice plate
is rolled from one chamber to another; the
lower chamber is isolated from the upper
chamber so that the gas flow can continue
unimpeded while the plate is removed.
Compare single-chamber fitting.
dual completion n: a single well that
produces from two separate formations at
the same time. Production from each zone is
segregated by running two tubing strings with
packers inside the single string of production
casing, or by ruunign one tubing string with a

dummy pipe

packer through one zone while the other is

produced through the annulus.
In a
miniaturised dual completion, two separate
4.5-inch (11.4-centimetre) or smaller casing
strings are run and cemented in the same
wellbore.

dual induction focused log n: a log

designed
to
provide
the
resistivity
measurements necessary to estimate the
effects of mud filtrate invasion into the
formation surrounding the wellbore so that
more reliable values for the the formation
resistivity may be obtained. The resistivity
curves on this log are made by deep-,
medium-,
and
shallow-investigation
induction. Visual Observation of the dual
induction focused log can give valuable
information regarding invasion, porosity, and
hydrocarbon content. The three curves on
the log can be used to correct for deep
invasion and obtain a better value for
formation resistivity. Compare induction
survey.
dual meter counter shifter n: an
arrangement for connecting two or more
meter counters to enable shifting the
registration from one counter to another.
duck's nest n: a relatively small, excavated
earthen pit into which are channeled
quantities of drilling mud that overflow the
usual pits.
ductile adj: capable of being permanently
drawn out without breaking (e.g., wire may
be ductile).
ductility n: measure of steel's ability to
withstand a crack or flaw without fracturing. It
can be altered by changing chemical
composition, microstructure, and heat
treatment. Compare brittleness.
dummy pipe n: the pipe used to slick-bore a
road. The dummy pipe is bored through first
to create the hole, and the carrier pipe is
welded to it. The dummy is pulled through,
thereby positioning the carrier pipe.

dummy valve

dummy valve n: a blanking valve placed in a

gas lift mandrel to block off annular
communication to the tubing.
dump n: the volume of oil delivered to a
pipeline in a complete cycle of a measuring
tank in a LACT installation. A series of such
dumps covered by a single scheduling ticket
is called a run.
dump bailer n: a bailing device with a
release valve. usually of the disk or flapper
type. used to place. or spot, material (such
as cement slurry) at the bottom of the well.
dump meter n: a liquid-measuring device
consisting of a small tank with narrowed
sections at top and bottom that automatically
fills and empties itself and records the
number of dumps.
dump tank n: a calibrated metering tank
designed to release a specific volume of
liquid automatically. Also called a measuring
tank.
dump valve n: the valve through which oil
and water are discharged from separators.
treaters. and so on. It is usually a motor
valve. but may be a liquid-level controller as
well. dunefield n: an accumulation of
windbome sand on that part of the seashore
that lies above storm-flood level.
duplex pump n: a reciprocating pump with
two pistons or plungers and used extensively
as a mud pump on drilling rigs.

duster n: a dry hole.

dutchman n: 1. the portion of a stud or
screw that remains in place after the head
has inadvertently been twisted off. 2. a tool
joint pin broken off in the drill pipe box or drill
collar box.
DV tool n: originally a trademarked name. It
is a stage cementing tool. used in selective
zone primary cementing.
dwt abbr: deadweight ton.
Dyna-DrillTM n: trade name for a down- hole
motor driven by drilling fluid that imparts
rotary motion to a drilling bit connected to the
tool. thus eliminating the need to turn the
entire drill stem to make hole. Used in
straight and directional drilling.
DynaflexTM tool n: the trade name for a
directional drilling tool that deflects the

64

drilling assembly off vertical without having to

be pulled from the hole. The device that
causes the tool to be deflected can be
caught and retrieved with a wireline.
dynamic adj: moving. active. Compare
static.
dynamic equilibrium n: a condition in which
several processes act simultaneously to
maintain a system in an overall state that
does not change with time.
dynamic fluid level n: the point to which the
static fluid level drops in the casing or tubing
of a well under producing conditions.
dynamic loading n: exerting force with
continuous movement. i.e.. cyclic stressing.
dynamic miscibility n: the ability of
substances to mix while moving.
dynamic positioning n: a method by which
a floating offshore drilling rig is maintained in
position over an offshore well location
without the use of mooring anchors.
Generally, several propulsion units, called
thrusters, are located on the hulls of the
structure and are actuated by a sensing
system. A computer to which the system
feeds signals directs the thrusters to maintain
the rig on location.
dynamic pressure n: the sum of two
deviation forces, one caused by an attractive
force between molecules, the other, by a
repulsive force between the same molecules.
dynamic tensioning n: a sophisticated
monitoring system for laying pipe offshore. It
is used to control pipe release off a stinger.
This system compensates immediately for
horizontal and vertical wave motion by either
paying out the pipe string or hauling it back.
Dynamic tensioning maintains a constant
level of tension on the pipe and prevents
excessive stress on the line.
dynamometer n: 1. an instrument or
assembly of instruments used to measure
torque and other force-related properties of
rotating or reciprocating machinery. 2. in
sucker rod pumping, a device used to
indicate a variation in load on the polished
rod as the rod string reciprocates. A
continuous record of the result of forces
acting along the axis of the polished rod is
provided on a dynamometer card, from which
an analysis is made of the performance of
the well pumping equipment.
dynamometer card n: a continuous record
made by the dynamometer of the result of
forces acting along the axis of the polished
rod in sucker rod pumping.
dyne n: the unit of force in the centimetregram-second system of units, equal to the
force that gives an acceleration of 2 centimetres/second squared to a 1 gram mass.

dyne

E&P abbr: 1. exploration and production. 2.

those activities that include subsurface
studies, seismic and geophysical activities,
locating underground hydrocarbon deposits,
drilling for hydrocarbon deposits and bringing
hydrocarbons to the surface, well completion,
and field processing of hydrocarbons prior to
entering the pipeline. 3. the upstream end of
the petroleum industry.
ears n pi: protrusions added to a traveling
block to hold the elevators.
earth lifting n: see pressure parting.
Earth Resource Technology Satellite
(ERTS) n: see Landsat.
easement n: a right that one individual or
company has on the surface of another's
land. In the petroleum industry, it usually
refers to the permission given by a landowner for a pipeline or access road to be laid
across his or her property.
ebb current n: the movement of the tidal
current away from the shore.
ebullition n: boiling, especially as applied to
a system to remove heat from engine jacket
water, wherein the water is permitted to boil
and the evolved vapours are condensed in
air-fin coolers.
eccentric bit n: a bit that does not have a
uniformly round cross section; instead, the bit
has a protuberance that projects from one
side. An eccentric bit drills a hole slightly
overgauge to compensate for certain
formations, such as shale or salt, that deform
and enlarge after being drilled. Eccentric bits
can also ream undergauge holes.
ECD abbr: equivalent circulating density.
ecology n: science of the relationships between organisms and their environment.
Economic
Regulatory Administration
(ERA) n: federal agency that administers
federal energy programs other than those
regulated by the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission. See also Department of Energy. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
eco-out abbr: economic out.
economic out (eco-out) n: provision in gas
purchase contracts that permits the
purchaser to rescind contracts involving
deregulated natural gas if prices of
competitive fuels drop to the extent that
distributors cannot compete in selling the
gas.
eddy current loss n: a transformer loss
caused by magnetic currents induced in the
core of a transformer that take energy from
the circuit. Eddy current loss is minimized by
the use of laminated cores.

edgewater n: the water that touches the

edge of the oil in the lower horizon of a
formation.
edgewater drive n: see water drive.
edge well n: a well on the outer fringes of a
productive subsurface formation.
eductor n: a device similar to an ejector for
mixing two fluids.
effective inside tank height n: the distance
from the gauge point on the tank floor or
datum plate to the top of the top angle or
where the tank contents would begin to
overflow.
effective permeability n: a measure of the
ability of a single fluid to flow through a rock
when another fluid is also present in the pore
spaces. Compare absolute permeability.
relative permeability.
effective porosity n: the percentage of the
bulk volume of a rock sample that is
composed of interconnected pore spaces
that allow the passage of fluids through the
sample. See porosity.
effective value n: the value of an AC current
or voltage that produces the same heating
effect as a direct current of the same
amount; equal to 0.707 times the maximum
value. Electrical measuring devices read
effective values unless otherwise indicated.
Also called RMS value.
efficiency n: the ratio of useful energy
produced by an engine to the energy put into
it.
effluent limitation n: any restriction imposed
on quantities, discharge rates, and
concentrations of pollutants that are
discharged from point sources into US
waters, the waters of the contiguous zone, or
the ocean.
efm abbr: electronic flow measurement
egress unit n: see emergency escape unit.
Eh sym: oxidation-reduction potential.
EHS abbr: extremely hazardous substance.
EIA abbr: Energy Information Administration.
eight round n: a tapered connection with 8
threads per inch (centimetre). One turn
equals 0.125 inch (0.318 centimetre) of
travel. A very common oilfield connection.
ejector n: a nozzle like device that increases
the velocity of a fluid, It is often used to mix
two fluids or a fluid and solids,
elastic collision n: a collision between a
neutron and the nucleus of an atom of an
element such as hydrogen. In such a
collision, the neutron's energy is reduced by
exactly the amount transferred to the nucleus
with which it collided. The angle of collision
and the relative mass of the nucleus
determine energy loss.
65

elastic deformation n: temporary changes

in dimensions caused by stress. The material
returns to the original dimensions after
removal of the stress.
elasticity modulus n: see modulus of
elasticity.
elastic limit n: the point at which a material
permanently deforms when stressed.
elastic modulus n: see modulus of
elasticity,
elastomer n: an elastic material made of
synthetic rubber or plastic; often the main
component of the packing material in blowout preventers and downhole packers.
elbow n: a fitting that allows two pipes to be
joined at an angle of less than 180., usually
90. or 45.,
elec log abbr: electric log; used in drilling
reports.
election at casing point n: a decision taken
to exercise or not to exercise an option to
participate in the completion attempt on a
well, including the costs of running
completion production casing and all related
completion costs, The decision is made
when the operator is ready to run casing and
complete the well and so ratifies the party
owning the election.
electrical filter n: a circuit used to eliminate
or reduce certain waves or frequencies while
leaving others relatively unchanged.

electrically-actuated governor

66

electrically-actuated
governor
n: a
hydraulic governor on an engine that has a
reversible electric motor (it runs both
clockwise and counterclockwise). By
manipulating a remote control, the engine
operator can adjust the electric motor to
closely control the engine's speed. See
governor; hydraulic governor.
electrical potential n: voltage.
electric dehydration n: see emulsion
breaker.
electric drive n: see electric rig.
electric-drive rig n: see electric rig.
electric generator n: a machine by which
mechanical energy is changed into electrical
energy, such as an electric generator on a
drilling rig in which a diesel engine
(mechanical power) turns a generator to
make electricity (electrical energy).
electrician n: the rig crew member who
maintains and repairs the electrical
generation and distribution system on the
rig.
electric line n: see conductor line.
electric log n: see electric well log.
electric logging n: the process of running
an electric log. See electric well log.
electric rig n: a drilling rig on which the
energy from the power source usually
several diesel engines is changed to
electricity by generators mounted on the
engines. The electrical power is then
distributed through electrical conductors to
electric motors. The motors power the
various
rig
components.
Compare
mechanical rig.
electric starter n: a device that uses a
battery, an electric motor, gears, and cables
to provide a way of starting an engine. An
electrically actuated motor turns the engine
over by means of a pinion gear in the starter
that engages a ring gear on the engine
flywheel.
electric submersible pumping n: a form of
artificial lift that utilizes an electric
submersible multistage centrifugal pump.
Electric power is conducted to the pump by
a cable attached to the tubing.
electric survey n: see electric well log.
electric well log n: a
record of certain electrical
charac-teristics (such as
resistivity
and
conductivity) of forma-tions
traversed by the borehole.
It is made to identify the
forma-tions, determine the
nature and amount of
fluids they contain, and
estimate their depth. Also
called an electric log or
electric survey.
electrochemical
series
electromotive series.

n:

see

electrochemical treater n: see electrostatic

treater.
electrode n: a conductor of electric current
as it leaves or enters a medium such as an
electrolyte, a gas, or a vacuum.
electrodeposition n: an electrochemical
process by which metal settles out of an
electrolyte that contains the metal's ions and
is then deposited at the cathode of the cell.
electrodynamic brake n: a device mounted
on the end of the drawworks shaft of a
drilling rig. The electrodynamic brake
(sometimes called a magnetic brake) serves
as an auxiliary to the mechanical brake
when pipe is lowered into a well. The
braking effect in an electrodynamic brake is
achieved by means of the interaction of
electric currents with magnets, with other
currents, or with themselves.

electrodynamometer n: a quantity indicator

for AC current or voltage.
electrolysis n: the decomposition of a
chemical compound brought about by the
passage of an electrical current through the
compound or through the solution containing
the compound. Corroding action of stray
currents is caused by electrolysis.
electrolyte n: 1. a chemical that, when
dissolved in water, dissociates into positive
and negative ions, thus increasing its
electrical conductivity. See dissociation. 2.
the electrically conductive solution that must
be present for a corrosion cell to exist.
electrolytic moisture analyzer n: an
instrument that uses the principle that
moisture is absorbed on a phosphorous
pentoxide film between two electrodes to
measure the amount of water in a fluid such
as gas.
electrolytic property n: the ability of a
substance, usually in solution, to conduct an
electric current.
electrolyze v: to decompose by electrolysis.
electromagnetic propagation tool (EPT) n:
device that emits microwaves into a
formation and measures the way in which
these microwaves are affected by the
formation. By interpreting the effects,
dielectric constants of fluids can be
determined. Dielectric constants, in turn, can
tell one whether fluid is water or
hydrocarbons.
electromagnetic propagation tool (EPT)
n: device that emits microwaves into a
formation and measures the way in which
these microwaves are affected by the
formation.
By interpreting the effects,
dielectric constants of fluids can be
determined. Dielectric constants, in turn,
66

electrovalent reaction
can tell one whether fluid is water or
hydrocarbons.
electromagnetism n: magnetism produced
by the action of a current flowing through a
conductor.
The
electromagnetic
field
contracts and disappears when the current
stops flowing.
electromechanical adj: refers to equipment
comprising both mechanical and electrical
components, such as electromechanical
valves and electromechanical counters.
electromotive force (emf) n: 1. the force
that drives electrons and thus produces an
electric current. 2. the voltage or electric
pressure that causes an electric current to
flow along a conductor. 3. a difference of
potential, or electrical, flow through a circuit
against a resistance.
electromotive series n: a list of elements
arranged in order of activity (tendency to
lose electrons). The following metals are so
arranged: magnesium, beryllium, aluminum.
zinc, chromium, iron, cadmium, nickel, tin.
copper, silver, and gold. If two metals widely
separated in the list (e.g., magnesium and
iron) are placed in an electrolyte and
connected by a metallic conductor, an
electromotive force is produced. See
corrosion.
electron n: a particle in an atom that has a
negative charge. An atom contains the same
number of electrons and protons (which
have a positive charge). Electrons orbit the
nucleus of the atom.
electronic flow measurement (efm)n: the
measurement of natural gas flow in a
pipeline by the use of electronic devices,
including computers.
electronic transfer n: the exchange of data
for business transactions by computer. Often
used for nominations, dispatching, billing,
and payment.
electroscanner n: device to scan and
analyze paper charts electronically. Greatly
increases the number of charts that can be
processed daily.
electic meter n: a meter that measures
voltage directly, rather than in terms of its
relation to current.
electrostatic treater n: a vessel that
receives an emulsion and resolves the
emulsion to oil, water, and usually gas, by
using heat, chemicals, and a high-voltage
electric field. This field, produced by grids
placed perpendicular to the flow of fluids in
the treater, aids in breaking the emulsion.
Also called an electrochemical treater. See
emulsion treating.
electrovalent reaction n: the most common
method of forming compounds, in which a
positively charged ion and a negatively
charged ion attract each other. Compare
covalent reaction.

element

element n: one of more than a hundred

simple substances that consist of atoms of
only one kind and that either singly or in
combination make up all matter. For
example, the simplest element is hydrogen,
and one of the most abundant elements is
carbon. Some elements, such as radium and
uranium, are radioactive.
elev abbr: elevation; used in drilling reports.
elevated tank n: a vessel above a datum
line (usually ground level).
elevator bails n pI: see elevator links.
elevator links n pI: cylindrical bars that
support the elevators and attach them to the
hook. Also called elevator bails.
elevators n pl: on conventional rotary rigs
and top-drive rigs, hinged steel devices with
manual operating handles that crew
members latch on to a tool joint (or a sub).
Since the elevators are directly connected to
the traveling block, or to the integrated
traveling block in the top drive, when the
driller raises or lowers the block or the topdrive unit, the drill pipe is also raised or
lowered.

eliminator n: see separator.

elliptical tank n: a tank that has an elliptical
cross section.
elongation n: see stretch.
EMD abbr: 1. Electromotive Division of
General Motors Corporation. 2. a twostroke-cycle diesel engine manufactured by
the General Motors Corp.
emergency escape unit n: a self-contained
breathing apparatus that is used only for
escape to a safe area. This self-contained
breathing
apparatus,
when
properly
serviced, furnishes a 5- to 15-minute supply
of breathing air. Emergency escape units
may have masks or hoods. Also called
egress unit. Compare work unit.
Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act of 1986 (EPCRA) n:
see SARA Title III.
emergency response n: (under HAZWOPER) a response to an uncontrolled
release of a hazardous substance that
requires action by employees or other
responders from outside the immediate
release area. In other words, it is an
emergency response if the release poses a
potential safety or health hazard, and the
release cannot be controlled by employees

67
in the immediate area or by maintenance
personnel.
emergency response plan n: a plan for
emergency response situations that is
available to employees and OSHA
personnel for inspection and that contains
(at a minimum) pre-emergency planning and
coordination with outside parties; personnel
roles, lines of authority, training, and
communication; emergency recognition and
prevention; safe distances and places of
refuge; site security and control; evacuation
routes and procedures; decontamination;
emergency
alerting
and
response
procedures; critique of response and followup; and personal protective equipment
(PPE) and emergency equipment.
emf abbr: electromotive force.
"Employee Right to Know" Standard n:
see Hazard Communication Standard
emulsified water n: water so thoroughly
combined with oil that special treating
methods must be applied to separate it from
the oil. Compare free water.
emulsifier n: see emulsifying agent.
emulsify v: to convert into an emulsion.
emulsifying agent n: a material that causes
water and oil to form an emulsion. Water
normally occurs separately from oil; if,
however, an emulsifying agent is present,
the water becomes dispersed in the oil as
tiny droplets. Or, rarely, the oil may be
dispersed in the water. In either case, the
emulsion must be treated to separate the
water and the oil.
emulsion n: a mixture in which one liquid,
termed the dispersed phase, is uniformly
distributed (usually as minute globules) in
another liquid, called the continuous phase
or dispersion medium. In an oil-in-water
emulsion, the oil is the dispersed phase and
the water the dispersion medium; in a waterin-oil emulsion, the reverse holds.
emulsion breaker n: a system, chemical,
device, or process used for breaking down
an emulsion and producing two or more
easily separated compounds (such as water
and oil). Emulsion breakers may be (1)
devices to heat the emulsion, thus achieving
separation by lowering the viscosity of the
emulsion and allowing the water to settle
out; (2) chemical compounds, which destroy
or weaken the film around each globule of
water, thus uniting all the drops; (3)
mechani- cal devices, such as settling tanks
and wash tanks; or (4) electrostatic treaters,
which use an electric field to cause
coalescence of the water globules.
emulsion mud n: see oil-in-water emulsion
mud.
emulsion test n: a procedure carried out to
determine the proportions of sediment and
dispersed compounds, such as water, in an
emulsion. Such tests may range from
elaborate
distillation
conducted
in

67

EIA
laboratories to simple and expedient
practices used in the field.
emulsion treating n: the process of
breaking down emulsions to separate oil
from water or other contaminants. Treating
plants may use a single process or a
combination of processes to effect
demulsification, de- pending on what
emulsion is being treated.
emulsoid n: colloidal particles that take up
water. See also colloid.
enamel coating n: a collective term for a
variety of petroleum-based derivatives such
as asphalts, coal tars, grease and wax,
mastics, and asphalt mastics that are used
to coat pipe.
encroachment n: see water encroachment.
encumbrance n: a claim or charge on
property, for example, a mortgage or lien for
unpaid taxes.
endangered species n: a species that is in
danger of extinction.
Endangered Species Act (ESA) n: an act
that declares the intentions of Congress to
conserve threatened and endangered
species and the ecosystems on which those
species depend. ESA provides for federal
designation of species determined to be
endangered or threatened. It prohibits the
taking of an endangered or threatened
species of fish, wildlife, or vegetation.
end device n: for automated lease
operation, a sensor on field equipment to
transmit status of operations, report data, or
take action as needed.
endpoint n: the point marking the end of
one stage of a process. In filtrate analysis,
the endpoint is the point at which a particular
result is achieved through titration.
end-to-end plot n: in data acquisition, a
printout of data obtained from the start of a
process to its completion.
end user n: one who actually consumes or
bums a product, as opposed to the one who
sells or resells it.
energy n: the capability of a body for doing
work. Potential energy is this capability due
to the position or state of the body. Kinetic
energy is the capability due to the motion of
the body.
Energy Information Administration (EIA)
n: a part of the Department of Energy (DOE)
the main purpose of which is to disseminate
information such as statistics to Congress,
the administration, and the general public.
Address: 1000 Independence Avenue SW;
Washington, DC 20585; (202) 586-2363.

ENTELEC

Energy
Telecommunications
and
Electrical Association (ENTELEC) n: a
non-profit, tax-exempt organization that aids
the energy industry in dealing with
technological advances by advising and
educating members on new equipment and
safety. Address: Box 795038; Dallas, TX
75379- 5038; (972) 235-0655; fax (972) 2350653.
engine n: a machine for converting the heat
content of fuel into rotary motion that can be
used to power other machines. Compare
motor.
engine block n: the cast steel or aluminum
body into which the engine manufacturer
bores and machines the cylinders; and onto
and into which additional engine parts are
installed.
engine fan n: a multi-bladed propeller
usually installed behind an engine's radiator,
which moves air over an engine. It helps
cool the engine and equalizes the
temperature of the air as it flows over the
engine, thus preventing hot spots. Engine
power usually operates the fan, although
some fans have auxiliary electric motors that
power them when the engine is stopped.
engine jacket water n: coolant, such as
water, that circulates through spaces in the
engine block.
engine temperature switch (ETS) n: a
device on an engine that senses overheating
and shuts down the engine if overheating
occurs.
Engler distillation n: a test that determines
the volatility of a gasoline by measuring the
percentage of the gasoline that can be
distilled at various temperatures.
enhanced oil recovery (EOR) n: 1. the
introduction
of
artificial
drive
and
displacement mechanisms into a reservoir to
produce a portion of the oil unrecoverable by
primary recovery methods. To restore
formation pressure and fluid flow to a
substantial portion of a reservoir, fluid or
heat is introduced through injection wells
located in rock that has fluid communication
with production wells. See alkaline (caustic)
flooding, gas injection, micellar-polymer
flooding, primary recovery, secondary
recovery, tertiary recovery, thermal recovery,
waterflooding. 2. the use of certain recovery
methods that not only restore formation
pressure but also improve oil displacement
or fluid flow in the reservoir. These methods
may include chemical flooding, gas injection,
and thermal recovery.
ENTELEC
abbr:
Energy
Telecommunications
and
Electrical
Association.
enthalpy n: the heat content of fuel. A
thermodynamic property, it is the sum of the
internal energy of a body and the product of
its pressure multiplied by its volume.

68
entitlement n: working-interest owner's
share of production. This volume may not
equal actual sales because of contractual or
market conditions.
entrained adj: drawn in and transported by
the flow of a fluid.
entrained gas n: formation gas that enters
the drilling fluid in the annulus. See gas-cut
mud.
entrained liquid n: liquid particles that may
be carried out of the top of a distillation or
absorber column with the vapors or residue
gas.
entrained water n: water suspended in oil.
Includes emulsions but does not include
dissolved water.
entrapment n: 1. the underground
accumulation of oil and gas in geological
traps. 2. the accumulation in rock pores of
large polymer or surfactant molecules
unable to move because of small exit
openings. The coiled-up molecules reduce
the permeability of pores to water but permit
oil to pass through the pores.
entropy n: the internal energy of a
substance that is attributed to the internal
motion of the molecules. This energy is
within the molecules and cannot be utilized
for external work.
environment n: 1. the sum of the physical,
chemical, and biological factors that
surround an organism. 2. the water, air, and
land and the interrelationship that exists
among and between water, air, and land and
all living things. 3. as defined by the US
government, the navigable waters, the
waters of the contiguous zone, the ocean
waters, and any other surface water,
groundwater, drinking water supply, land
surface, subsurface strata, or ambient air
within the United States.
environmental assessment n: a detailed
environmental review document required
under NEPA.
environmental impact statement n: as
defined in the Environmental Quality
Improvement Act of 1970, a statement
designed to "serve as an action-forcing
device to ensure that the policies and goals
of the act are infused into the ongoing
policies of the government..' Its purpose is to
"avoid or minimize adverse impacts" on the
environment by providing the environmental
analyses (used with other relevant materials)
to make sound decisions regarding the
environment.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
n: a federal agency that was created in 1970
from a variety of existing agencies. The EPA
administers air pollution, water pollution,
pesticide, solid waste, noise control, drinking
water, and toxic substances acts. It also has
major research responsibilities. Ad- dress:
401 M Street SW; Washington, DC 20460;
(202) 260-2090.

68

epoxy
environment of deposition n: see
depositional environment.
EOR abbr: enhanced oil recovery.
EPA
abbr:
Environmental
Protection
Agency.
EP additive n: see extreme-pressure
lubricant.
EPA generator identification number
(GIN) n: a number issued to any person, by
site, whose act or process produces
hazardous waste. Such a number is required
by the EPA under the Resource
Conservation and Liability Act of 1976 for
the purpose of tracking hazardous waste.
EPCRA abbr: Emergency Planning and
Community Right-to-Know Act.
epeiric sea n: a shallow arm of the ocean
that extends from the continental shelf deep
into the interior of the continent Also called
epicontinental sea.
ephemeral streams n pi: streams that last a
short time.
epicontinental sea n: see epeiric sea.
epithermal neutron n: a neutron having an
energy level of 0.02 to 100 electron volts.
epithermal neutron log n: a special neutron
log used mainly in air- or gas-drilled holes to
help determine formation porosity. An
epithermal neutron log detects epithermal
neutrons, which are neutrons released at
energy levels higher than those released in
normal neutron logging.
epm abbr: equivalents per million. EP mix
abbr: ethane-propane mix.
epoch n: a division of geologic time; a
subdivision of a geologic period.
epoxy n: 1. any compound characterized by
the presence of a reactive chemical
structure that has an oxygen atom joined to
each of two carbon atoms that are already
bonded. 2. any of various resins capable of
forming tight cross-linked polymer structures
characterized
by
toughness,
strong
adhesion, and high corrosion and chemical
resistance. Epoxys are used extensively as
coatings and adhesives.

equalizer

equalizer n: 1. a device used with

mechanical drawworks brakes to ensure
that, when the brakes are used, each brake
band will receive an equal amount of tension
and also that, in case one brake fails, the
other will carry the load. A mechanical brake
equaliser is a dead anchor attached to the
draw works frame in the form of a yoke
attached to each brake band. Some
drawworks are equipped with automatic
equalisers. 2. any device used to distribute
force equally on two pieces of equipment-for
example, the pitmans on a beam pumping
unit.
equalizing slings n pi: in crane operations,
multiple-leg slings of wire rope and fittings
that equally distribute the load among the
slings.
equation of state n: a mathematical
expression that defines the physical state of
a homogeneous substance by relating
volume
to
pressure
and
absolute
temperature for a given mass of the
material.
equatorial
circumference
n:
the
circumference of the horizontal great circle
at the equator of a spherical tank. Compare
great circle.
equilibrium n: a state of balance between
opposing forces or actions that is either
static or dynamic.
equilibrium constant n: see vapour-liquid
equilibrium ratio.
equilibrium vapour pressure n: the
pressure at which a liquid and its vapour are
in equilibrium at a given temperature.
equity n: those maxims and general
principles that developed in England to
moderate the common law and allow
remedy for injury. In the broadest sense,
justice.
equivalent circulating density (ECD) n:
the increase in bottomhole pressure
expressed as an increase in pressure that
occurs only when mud is being circulated.
Because of friction in the annulus as the
mud is pumped, bottomhole pressure is
slightly, but significantly, higher than when
the mud is not being pumped. ECD is
calculated by dividing the annular pressure
loss by 0.052, dividing that by true vertical
depth, and adding the result to the mud
weight Also called circulating density, mudweight equivalent
equivalent dip n: a European term for the
depth of liquid in a tank. corresponding to a
given ullage. It is obtained by subtracting the
observed ullage from the height of the ullage
reference point above the dip point on the
bottom of the tank.
equivalents per million (epm) n: the unit
chemical weight of solute per million unit
weights of solution. The epm of a solute in
solution is equal to the ppm (parts per
million) divided by the equivalent weight.

69
equivalent weight n: the atomic or formula
weight of an element, compound, or ion
divided by its valence. Elements entering
into combination always do so in quantities
proportional to their equivalent weights.
ERA
abbr:
Economic
Regulatory
Administration.
era n: one of the major divisions of geologic
time.
erosion n: the process by which material
(such as rock or soil) is worn away or
removed (as by wind or water).
erosion drilling n: the high-velocity ejection
of " a stream of drilling fluid ". from the
nozzles of a jet bit to remove rock
encountered during drilling. Sometimes sand
or steel shot is added to the drilling fluid to
increase its erosive capabilities.

erosion surface n: the upper surface of the

most recent sediment layer, formerly smooth
and horizontal, modified by running water or
other agents.
error and repeatability of measurements
n: the closeness of the agreement between
the results of successive measurements of
the same quantity carried out by the same
method, under the same environment, by
the same observer, with the same
measuring instruments, in the same
laboratory, at quite short intervals.
error curve n: a curve or graph that
represents the error of a measuring device
such as a pressure gauge as a function
either of the quantity measured or of any
other quantity that has an influence on the
error.
ERTS abbr: Earth Resource Technology
Satellite.
ES abbr: electric survey. See electric wen
log.
ESA abbr: Endangered Species Act.
escarpment n: a cliff or relatively steep
slope that separates level or gently sloping
areas of land.
escheat n: the reversion of property to the
state in the event that the owner thereof dies
without leaving a will (intestate) and has no
heirs to whom the property may pass by
lawful descent. Also called unclaimed
property statute.
ESD abbr: emergency shut down, an
automated platform system to shut in an
SCSSV and/or SSV.
est abbr: estimated; used in drilling reports.
69

even keel
estate n: the nature and extent of a person's
ownership or right or interest in land or other
property.
estimated ROB (remaining on board) n:
estimated material remaining on board a
vessel after a discharge. Includes residue or
sediment clingage, which builds up on the
interior surfaces of the vessel's cargo
compartments.
estoppel n: a legal restraint on a person to
prevent him or her from contradicting a
previous statement.
estuary n: a coastal indentation or bay into
which a river empties and where fresh water
mixes with seawater. Compare marine delta.
et aI. abbr: and others (Lat. et alii).
Commonly used in oil and gas leases.
ETBE abbr: ethyl tertiary butyl ether.
ethane n: a paraffin hydrocarbon, C2H6;
under atmospheric conditions, a gas. One of
the components of natural gas.
ethene n: see ethylene.
ethylene n: a chemical compound of the
olefin series with the formula C2H4 Official
name is ethene.
ethylene glycol n: a colourless liquid used
as an antifreeze and as a dehydration
medium in removing water from gas. See
glycol, glycol dehydrator.
ethyl tertiary butyl ether (ETBE) n: a
compound of ethanol and isobutylene.
Compare methyl tertiary butyl ether.
ETS abbr: engine temperature switch.
et ox. abbr: and wife (Lat. et uxor, and
woman). Commonly used in oil and gas
leases.
et vir abbr: and husband (Lat. et vir, and
man). Commonly used in oil and gas leases.
EVE abbr: external upset end.
evaporation loss n: a loss to the
atmosphere of petroleum fractions through
evaporation, usually while the fractions are
in storage or in process. See vaporisation.
evaporator n: a vessel used to convert a
liquid into its vapour phase.
evaporite n: a sedimentary rock formed by
precipitation of dissolved solids from water
evaporating in enclosed basins. Examples
are gypsum and salt.
evening tour (pronounced "tower") n: the
shift of duty on a drilling rig that starts in the
afternoon and runs through the evening.
Sometimes called afternoon tour. Compare
daylight tour; graveyard tour:
even keel n: on a ship or floating offshore
drilling rig, the balance when the plane of
flotation is parallel to the keel.

examination of title

examination of title n: a thorough

inspection of the recorded documents
pertaining to a tract's history of ownership.
Title examinations are performed by
attorneys who look for gaps in the chain of
title, ambiguities, or any doubtful points that
would cloud the present owner's claim to the
property. The examiner then sets forth in a
written opinion the facts and instruments
that, in his or her judgement, are necessary
to make the title merchantable or legally
defensible.
excelsior n: a fibrous material used as a
filtering element in heaters or heatertreaters.
excess butanes n pl: see butanes required.
excess capacity n: the difference in the
amount of gas between the producer's
deliverability capacity and the purchaser's
excess flow valve n: a valve used
automatically to prevent the liquid flow rate
in a pipeline from exceeding a high limit.
excess gas used n: gas purchased for
lease use, surface or subsurface, when the
amount the producer is entitled to is
insufficient.
exchange
agreement
n:
agreement
between producers that provides for the
exchange of gas produced from one
property or interest for gas produced from
another property or interest.
exchange gas n: gas exchanged under
provisions of an exchange agreement.
exchanger n: a piping arrangement that
permits heat from one fluid to be transferred
to another fluid as they travel counter
currently to one another.
In the heat
exchanger of an emulsion-treating unit, heat
from the outgoing clean oil is transferred to
the incoming well fluid, cooling the oil and
heating the well fluid. In the heat exchanger
of a glycol dehydration unit, heat from the
hot lean glycol flows through the inner flow
tube in the opposite direction of the cool rich
glycol, which flows through a shell built
around the tube.

70
excited state of nucleus n: the increased
energy condition of the nucleus of an atom
after it has captured a neutron. On capture,
the nucleus emits a high-energy gamma ray
called a capture gamma ray.
exciter n: a small DC generator mounted on
top of a main generator to produce the field
for the main generator.
execution n: the completion of a legal
instrument by the required actions-for
example, by signing and delivering the
instrument. Execution includes the actual
delivery of the signed document to the
named grantee, lessee, or assignee.
executive rights n pi: in regard to mineral
rights and interests, the right to execute oil
and gas leases. Executive rights may not
include the right to bonus or rentals.
executor n: the person named in a will to
carry out its provisions.
exempt adj: free or released from liability or
requirement to which others are subject.
exempt interest n: an interest owned in a
property, usually by a charitable or a
governmental agency, that is not subject to
state production taxes as provided in the
applicable tax regulations. Compare tax-free
interest.
exhaust n: the burned gases that are removed from the cylinder of an engine. v: to
remove the burned gases from the cylinder
of an engine.
exhaust manifold n: a piping arrangement,
immediately adjacent to the engine, that
collects burned gases from the engine and
channels them to the exhaust pipe.
exhaust pipe n: on an engine, flexible steel
tubing that connects the engine exhaust
manifold outlet to the muffler. See muffler.
exhaust port n: an opening in a cylinder wall
through which exhaust gas is expelled when
the exhaust port is uncovered by the piston.
exhaust silencer n: see muffler;
exhaust stack n: see tail pipe.
exhaust valve n: the cam-operated
mechanism through which burned gases are
ejected from an engine cylinder.
exhibit n: see rider.
expanded perlite n: a siliceous volcanic
rock that is finely ground and subjected to
extreme heat. The resulting release of water
leaves the rock particles considerably
expanded and thus more porous. Expanded
perlite is sometimes used in cement to
increase its yield and decrease its density
without an appreciable effect on its other
properties.
expanding cement n: cement that expands
as it sets to form a tighter fit around casing
and formation.
expansibility factor n: see expansion
factor.
expansion coefficient n: see coefficient of
expansion.
expansion dome n: a cylindrical projection
on top of a tank, tank car, or truck into which
70

exploitation
liquids may expand without overflowing.
Gauge point is often in the expansion dome.
Shell thickness is part of dome capacity.
expansion factor n: a multiplying factor
used when calculating gas flow rate. This
factor corrects for the reduction in fluid
density
that
a
compressible
fluid
experiences when it passes through an
orifice as a result of the increased fluid
velocity and the decreased static pressure.
Also called expansibility factor.
expansion joint n: a device used to connect
long lines of pipe to allow the pipe joints to
expand or contract as the temperature rises
or falls.
expansion loop n: a loop built into a pipeline to allow for expansion and contraction of
the line.
expansion refrigeration n: cooling obtained
from the evaporation of a liquid refrigerant or
the expansion of a gas.
expansion thermometer n: a type of
thermometer that uses a known cubical
coefficient of expansion of a solid, a liquid,
or a gas to provide indication in terms of
degrees of temperature.
expansion turbine n: a device that converts
the energy of a gas or vapour stream into
mechanical work by expanding the gas or
vapour through a turbine.
expansivity n: see coefficient of expansion.
expected value concept n: a risk analysis
process that multiplies expected gain or loss
of a decision by its probability of occurrence
and averages all possible outcomes to
choose the action with the highest expected
benefit.
expendable gun n: a perforating gun that
consists of a metal strip on which are
mounted shaped charges in special
capsules. After firing, nothing remains of the
gun but debris. See gun-perforate.
expendable plug n: a temporary plug set on
a pressure-setting assembly and landed
inside a production packer. The plug
temporarily converts the packer into a bridge
plug.
expendable-retrievable
gun
n:
a
perforating gun that consists of a hollow,
cylindrical carrier into which are placed
shaped charges. On detonation, debris
created by the exploded charges falls into
the carrier and is retrieved when the gun is
pulled out of the hole; however, the gun
cannot be re-used. See gun-perforate.
expensed adj: deducted from income in the
year in which the expenditure is incurred.
exploitation n: the development of a
reservoir to extract its oil.

exploitation well

exploitation well n: a well drilled to permit

more effective extraction of oil from a
reservoir. Sometimes called a development
well.
exploration n: the search for reservoirs of
oil and gas, including aerial and geophysical
surveys, geological studies, core testing,
and drilling of wildcats.
exploration and production n: see E&P.
exploration plan n: a plan required by the
MMS before exploration can take place in
the OCS. The plan must include measures
to protect the environment. The MMS
reviews
the
plan,
analyzes
the
environmental effects, and determines any
appropriate mitigating measures before
approving the plan.
exploration well n: a well drilled either in
search of an as-yet-undiscovered pool of oil
or gas (a wildcat well) or to extend greatly
the limits of a known pool. It involves a
relatively high degree of risk. Exploratory
wells may be classified as (1) wildcat, drilled
in an unproven area; (2) field extension or
step-out, drilled in an unproven area to
extend the proved limits of a field; or (3)
deep test, drilled within a field area but to
unproven deeper zones.
explosimeter n: an instrument used to
measure the concentration of combustible
gases in the air. Also called a gas sniffer.
explosion cover n: see explosion door:
explosion door n: on an engine, one of
usually several spring-loaded, lightweight
metal plates placed over openings in the
engine's crankcase. Oxygen in the air
entering the base of an engine mixes with
the oil there. A hot spot could cause the oil
and oxygen to explode and damage the
crank- case. To prevent such damage, the
spring- operated explosion covers (doors)
open to release the pressure from the
explosion. They then slam closed to prevent
more air from entering. Also called explosion
cover.
explosion-proof motor n: a motor with an
enclosure designed to contain an internal
explosion and to prevent ignition of
surrounding gases or vapours by sparks that
may occur in the motor.
explosive fracturing n: when explosives
are used to fracture a formation. At the
moment of detonation, the explosion
furnishes a source of high-pressure gas to
force fluid into the formation. The rubble
prevents fracture healing, making the use of
proppants unnecessary. Compare hydraulic
fracturing.
exposure limits n pi: the limits (based on
time of exposure, concentration of material,
means of contact, and material toxicity) of
worker exposure to hazardous materials
without ill effect. Exceeding exposure limits
set for various materials can result in

71
temporary health problems, chronic illness,
acute illness, or death.
extended nozzle n: a special bit nozzle,
often used on large bits, that lengthens the
nozzle and therefore places the jet of drilling
fluid exiting the nozzle close to the bottom of
the hole. With large bits, where regular
nozzles can be relatively distant from the
bottom of the hole, the cleaning power of the
jet of drilling fluid may be lost because the
velocity, or speed, of the jet diminishes rapidly after it exits the nozzle. By extending the
length of the nozzles, the jets are placed
closer to bottom for maximum cleaning.
extended-reach well n: a directionally
drilled well that has a high degree of
deflection.
extender n: 1. a substance added to drilling
mud to increase viscosity without adding
clay or other thickening material. 2. an
additive that assists in getting greater yield
from a sack of cement. The extender acts by
requiring more water than required by neat
cement.
extension n pI: tubular components
attached to the bottom of a packer to extend
its bore. extension sub n: a device made up
on an overshot to lengthen it so that it can
pass over the damaged top of a fish and
securely engage an undamaged area of the
fish. See overshot.
external cutter n: a
fishing :tool containing
metal-cutting knives that
is lowered into the hole
and over the outside of a
length of pipe to cut it.
The severed part of the
pipe can then be brought
to the surface. Also called
an
outside
cutter.
Compare internal cutter.
external line-up clamp n:
a clamp used on the
outside of pipe to align
two lengths of pipe.

External line-up clamps are usually used on

pipe with a diameter of 8 inches (20
centimetres) or less. Compare internal lineup clamp.
externally actuated sampler n: a device
that is operated by a power source other
than the fluid being sampled, for example,
an electric or pneumatic motor.
external phase n: see continuous phase.
external upset end (EVE) n: on tubing,
casing, or drill pipe, the thickening at each
end of the joint such that the internal
diameter of the joint is not affected; i.e., it
remains uniform throughout the joint's
length. Only the outside diameter is enlarged
at each end. Pipe is thickened, or upset, at
each end to increase its strength so that
71

eye splice
threads, couplings, or tool joints may be
attached. Compare internal-external upset
end, internal upset end.
extraction n: the process of separating one
material from another by means of a solvent.
The term can be applied to absorption,
liquid-liquid extraction, or any other process
using a solvent.
extraction loss n: the reduction in volume
of wet natural gas due to the removal of
natural gas liquids, hydrogen sulfide, carbon
dioxide, water vapour, and other impurities
from the natural gas stream. See also
shrinkage.
extraction plant n: a plant equipped to
remove liquid constituents from casinghead
gas or wet gas.
extractor n: in automatic sampling, a device
for removing small amounts of liquid from a
flowing stream and diverting these to a
storage container.
extra-long rotary slips n pI: slips for drill
pipe that fit into the tapered insert bowl of a
four-pin master bushing and whose taper
length is 12 inches (324 millimetres) long.
Compare long rotary slips. See also master
bushing, slips.
extratropical cyclone n: a cyclone that
develops in the middle and upper latitudes.
extremely hazardous substance (EHS) n:
1. chemical determined by the EPA to be
extremely hazardous to a community during
an emergency spill or release as a result of
its toxicity and physical or chemical
properties. 2. (under SARA) a substance
listed in appendixes A and B of 40 CPR 355.
extreme-pressure lubricant n: additives
that, when added to drilling fluid, lubricate
bearing surfaces subjected to extreme
pressure.
extrusion n: 1. the emission of magma (as
lava) at the earth's surface. 2. the body of
igneous rock produced by the process of
extrusion.
extrusive adj: volcanic; derived from
magnetic materials poured out on the earth's
surface, as distinct from intrusive rocks
formed from magma that has cooled and
solidified beneath the surface.
extrusive rock n: igneous rock fanned from
lava poured out on the earth's surface.
eye splice n: a loop, with or without a
thimble, formed at the end of a wire rope.
Also called an eye. See thimble.

F abbr: Fahrenheit. See Fahrenheit scale.

F sym: farad.
FAA abbr: Federal Aviation Administration.
fabrication n: a collective term for the
specialised connections and fittings on a
pipeline. Fabrication assemblies control
product flow, direct products to the proper
location, aid in product separation, and
facilitate maintenance operations.
fabrication crew n: pipeline construction
workers responsible for welding fabrication
assemblies into the line. The fabrication
crew works independently of the rest of the
spread. face mask n: a mask made of a
rubber frame surrounding a clear, flat lens,
used to seal all or a portion of a diver's face
from the underwater environment.
face seal n: a type of seal in which
deformation of the seal is accomplished by a
plate or flat surface.
facies n: part of a bed of sedimentary rock
that differs significantly from other parts of
the bed.

facility n: an installation serving two or more

leases, providing one or more functions such
as separation, compression, de- hydration,
treating, gathering, or delivery.
Faciolog n: a log generated at a computer
centre that identifies various sediments, or
facies, raw log data, and a litho-analysis log.
factoring counter n: an electronic register
capable of expressing true throughput
volume. It includes selective means for
automatically applying meter factor.
Fahrenheit scale n: a temperature scale
devised by Gabriel Fahrenheit, in which 32.
represents the freezing point and 212. the
boiling point of water at standard sea-level
pressure. Fahrenheit degrees may be
converted to Celsius degrees by using the
following formula:
C = 5/9 (F-32).
fall safe adj: said of equipment or a system
so constructed that, in the event of failure or
malfunction of any part of the system,
devices are automatically activated to

stabilise or secure the safety of the

operation.
fairleader n: a device used to maintain or
alter the direction of a rope or a chain so that
it leads directly to a sheave or drum without
undue friction.
fair weather cumulus n: a cumulus cloud
that lies horizontally and shows little vertical
development, indicating good weather
conditions.
falls n pi: see parts of line.
fan-driven heater n: a portable electric
heater that circulates air over an electric
heating element into the space to be heated.
fanglomerate n: coarse-grained. poorly
sorted sedimentary rock derived from
sediments deposited in alluvial fans; a type
of conglomerate.
Fan V-GTM meter n: trade name of a device
used to record and measure at different
speeds the flow properties of plastic fluids
(such as the viscosity and gel strength of
drilling fluids).
farad (F) n: the unit of electrical
capacitance.
Faraday's First Law n: the amount of any
substance dissolved or deposited in
electrolysis is proportional to the total
electric charge passed.
farm boss n: an oil company supervisor
who controls production activities within a
limited area.
farmee n: the individual or company that has
a lease farmed out to it.
farm in v: to accept, as an operator, a farmout. See farmout.
farm-in n: an agreement identical to a farmout, with the operator as the third party. The
operator takes the farm-in. See farmout.
farmor n: the individual or company that
farms out a lease.
farmout n: an agreement whereby the
owner of a lease who does not wish to drill
at the time agrees to assign the leasehold
interest, or some part of it, to a third party
who does wish to drill, conditional on the
third party's drilling a well within the
expiration date of the primary term of the
lease. The assignment may include the
entire interest together with dry hole money,
or partial interest or entire interest with or
without an override. If an override is
retained, the owner of the lease may retain
an option to convert such overriding royalty
retained to an agreed-upon working interest.
A farmout is distinguished from a joint
operating agreement by the fact that the
partner farming out does not incur any of the
72

drilling costs. The primary characteristic of a

farmout is the obligation of the third party to
drill one or more wells on the farmout
acreage as a condition prerequisite to
completion of the transfer of title to such
third party.
farm out v: for a lessee, to agree to assign a
leasehold interest to a third party, subject to
stipulated conditions. See farmout.
fast ice n: sea ice attached to the shore.
Also called coast ice.
fastline n: the end of the drilling line that is
affixed to the drum or reel of the drawworks, so called because it travels with
greater velocity than any other portion of the
line. Compare deadline.

fast sample loop

fast sample loop n: a secondary pipeline

circuit designed for quickly transferring
product sample. This arrangement enables a
representative sample passing through the
main pipeline to be brought quickly to the
sampling equipment, which may be located
some distance from the main pipeline.
fast sheave n: that sheave on the crown
block over which the fastline is reeved.
fathom n: a measure of ocean depth equal
to 6 feet, or 1.83 metres.
fatigue n: the tendency of material such as
a metal to break under repeated cyclic
loading at a stress considerably less than
the tensile strength shown in a static test.
fatigue crack n: a fracture starting from a
nucleus where there is an abnormal
concentration
of
cyclic
stress
and
propagating through the metal.
fault n: a break in the earth's crust along
which rocks on one side have been
displaced (upward, downward, or laterally)
relative to those on the other side.
fault dip n: the vertical inclination of a fault's
surface, or plane, measured from a
horizontal plane.
fault plane n: a surface along which faulting
has occurred.

fault trap n: a subsurface hydrocarbon trap

created by faulting, in which an impermeable
rock layer has moved opposite die reservoir
bed or where impermeable gouge has
sealed the fault and stopped fluid migration.

fauna n pi: the animals of a given region or

period considered as a whole.
faunal succession n: the principle that
fossils in a stratigraphic sequence succeed
one another in a definite, recognisable order.
"favored nation" clause n: a provision in a
gas sales contract under which the seller is
guaranteed that, if the buyer purchases gas
within a certain area close to his or her well,
that same price will be paid to the seller.
FCC
abbr:
Federal
Communications
Commission.
fcp abbr: final circulating pressure.

73

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) n:

an agency of the US Department of
Transportation that sets and enforces
federal aviation requirements. Address: 800
Independence Avenue SW; Washington, DC
20591; (202) 267-3883.
Federal Communications Commission
(FCC) n: the US agency that sets standards
and licenses radiotelephone and radio
telegraph stations. Address: 1919 M Street
NW; Washington, DC 20554; (202) 4180500.
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
(FERC) n: an independent agency (created
in 1977) of the Department of Energy that
has jurisdiction over oil pipelines engaged in
interstate commerce. With respect to the
natural gas industry, the general regulatory
principles of the FERC are defined in the
Natural Gas Act (NGA), and the Natural Gas
Policy Act (NGPA). The FERC also has
jurisdiction over wholesale interstate electric
rates, hydroelectric licensing, and oil pipeline
rates. Its predecessor was the Federal
Power Commission (FPC). Address: 888 1st
Street NE; Washington, DC 20426; (202)
208-0200.
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) n: congressional
act that regulates the manufacture, use, and
application of pesticides.
Federal Land Policy and Management Act
of 1976 (FLPMA) n: congressional act that
establishes
comprehensive
land
use
guidelines for the Bureau of Land
Management (BLM) on how to manage
lands under its jurisdiction.
federal lease n: an oil and gas lease on
federal land issued under the Mineral
Leasing Act. Federal leases usually provide
step- scale or sliding-scale royalty; a flat
discovery royalty of one-eighth may also be
specified.
Federal Oil and Gas Royalty Management
Act of 1982 (FOGRMA) n: congressional
act that was designed primarily to assure
proper and timely revenue accountability
from production and leasing of federal lands.
Federal Register n: a daily government
publication that publishes proposed changes
in agency rules and regulations. It also
includes other government actions such as
presidential proclamations and a monthly
notice of changes in existing rules and
regulations.
fee n: an estate in real property, completely
owned, which the owner can sell or devise to
his or her heirs. Often a term for
distinguishing private lands (fee lands) from
federal or state lands.
feedback control n: an automatic process
by which an operation is monitored and

73

fee tail male

corrective action is taken to eliminate

deviations from the operating norm.
feed in n: in drilling, the entrance of
formation fluids into the wellbore because
hydrostatic pressure is less than formation
pressure.
feed off v: to lower the bit continuously or
intermittently by allowing the brake to
disengage and the drum to turn. The feed-off
rate is the speed with which the cable is
unwound from the drum.
feedstock n: material other than a catalyst
introduced into a plant for processing. With
regard to natural gas, used as an essential
component of a process for the production of
a product. Use of gas as a feedstock may be
required because of the chemical reaction
involved, or because of the physical burning
characteristics of gas compared with other
fuels, such as temperature and by-products.
Examples of feedstock use include fertiliser
manufacture, glass manufacture, and white
brick manufacture.
feed tank n: a vessel containing a charge
stock or a vessel from which a stream is
continuously fed for further processing.
fee in surface n: an estate on the surface of
land created when the owner separates or
severs his or her mineral interests from the
surface of the land.
fee simple n: a freehold estate on which
there are no restrictions or limitations as to
who may inherit.
fee simple absolute n: an estate limited
absolutely to a person and to his or her heirs
and assigns forever, without limitation or
condition.
fee tail n: a freehold estate in which there is
a fixed line of inheritable succession limited
to the issue of the body of the grantee or
devisee and in which the regular and
general succession of heirs at law is cut off.
fee tail female n: an estate limited by a
deed or will that conveys ownership to a
person and the female heirs of his or her
body. Male heirs cannot inherit the estate.
fee tail male n: an estate limited by a deed
or will that conveys ownership to a person
and the male heirs of his or her body.
Female heirs cannot inherit the estate.

feldspar

feldspar n: a group of silicate minerals that

includes a wide variety of potassium,
sodium, and aluminium silicates. Feldspar
makes up about 60 percent of the outer 9.3
miles (15 kilometres) of the earth's crust.
feldspathic adj: containing or largely composed of feldspar or feldspar grains.
female connection n: a pipe, a coupling, or
a tool threaded on the inside so that only a
male connection can be joined to it.
Compare male connection.

fence diagram n: see panel diagram.

fencing crew n: pipeline construction
workers
responsible
for
constructing
temporary gates at points where a right-ofway crosses fence lines.
FeO form: ferrous oxide.
FERC abbr: Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission.
FERC/FPC decontrol clause n: clause in a
gas sales contract that covers what buyer
and seller agree to do about price in the
event of decontrol.
FERC out n: provision in gas purchase
contracts that allows the purchaser to
reduce the price paid to the producer by an
amount that FERC did not allow in the
purchaser's rate base for ultimate passthrough to the purchaser's customer.
fermentation n: a decomposition process of
certain organic substances, such as starch,
in which a chemical change is brought about
by enzymes, bacteria, or other micro
organisms. Often referred to as "souring."
ferromagnetic
adj:
highly
magnetic;
ferromagnetic materials react to a magnet
and can themselves become magnets. See
diamagnetic. paramagnetic.
ferrous alloy n: a metal alloy in which iron is
a major component.
ferrous oxide n: a black, powdery
compound of iron and oxygen (FeO)
produced in petroleum operations from the
oxidation of ferrous sulphide (FeS), a
reaction that releases a great deal of heat.
Also called iron monoxide.
ferrous sulphide n: a black crystalline
compound of iron and sulphur (FeS)
produced in petroleum operations from the
reaction of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) and the
iron (Fe) in steel. Also called iron sulphide.
ferrule n: a metallic button, usually
cylindrical in shape, normally fastened to a
wire rope by swaging, but sometimes by
brazing.
FeS form: ferrous sulphide.

74

fetch n: the area of wind wave development

where a certain wind force prevails from the
same direction for a period of time. Also the
distance over which the wind blows to
generate the observed waves at a given
position or point.
fibre core n: cord or rope of vegetable or
synthetic fibre used as the axial member of a
rope.
fibrous material n: any tough, stringy
material of threadlike structure used to
prevent loss of circulation or to restore
circulation in porous or fractured formations.
fiduciary n: a person who serves, with or
without bond, to act for the benefit of another
in all matters connected with a specified
undertaking. Fiduciary obligations exist, for
example, between trustees and the
beneficiaries of the trust.
field n: 1. a geographical area in which a
number of oil or gas wells produce from a
continuous reservoir. A field may refer to
surface area only or to underground
productive formations as well. A single field
may have several separate reservoirs at
varying depths. 2. the magnetic field in a
motor or generator, or that part of a motor or
generator that produces a magnetic field; the
magnetic field about any current-carrying
electrical conductor.

field administration n: in pipeline

construction, the assistant superintendent
and crew foremen.
field bevel n: a rebeveling of pipe ends in
the field. usually required because of
damage sustained by the pipe during
transport or because a defective weld must
be cut out.
field coefficient n: a value used to quickly
determine gas volume flow: it is derived from
several factor, such as the basic orifice
factor (Fb), and the pressure base factor
(Fph)'
field-extension well n: see exploration well.
field facility n: an installation designed for
one or more specific field processing unitsscrubbers,
absorbers,
drip
points,
compressors, single- or multiple-stage
separation
units,
low-temperature
separators, and other types of separation
and recovery equipment. See also battery.
field gas facility n: see central facility.
field-grade butane n: a product consisting
chiefly of normal butane and isobutane,
74

filler-wire strand

produced at a gas processing plant. Also

called mixed butane.
field office manager n: the individual
responsible for the contractor's financial
affairs on a pipeline spread. The field office
manager oversees billing arrangements,
payroll, and other money-related matters.
field processing n: the processing of oil
and gas in the field before delivery to a
major refinery or gas plant, including
separation of oil from gas, separation of
water from oil and from gas, and removal of
liquid hydrocarbons.
field processing unit n: a unit through
which a well stream passes before the gas
reaches a processing plant or sales point.
field pump n: a pump installed in a field to
transfer oil from a production tank to a
central gathering station near a main
pipeline.
field superintendent n: an employee of an
oil company who is in charge of a particular
oil or gas field from which the company is
producing.
field support personnel n: in pipeline
construction, the mechanics, parts and
warehouse workers, truck drivers, and
others who service the machinery that
actually lays pipe.
FIFRA abbr: Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,
and Rodenticide Act.
fifty-gallon drum n: see drum.
FIB abbr: fluid in hole; used in drilling
reports.
file for record v: to send a legal document
to the county clerk for recording.
filler material n: a material added to cement
or cement slurry to increase its yield.
filler pass n: fourth of five passes or beads
in pipeline welding.
filler wire n: 1. small spacer wire within a
wire-rope strand that positions and supports
other wires in the strand. 2. a wire-rope
strand pattern that uses filler wires. See
filler-wire strand, strand pattern.
filler-wire strand n: a wire rope strand in
which two layers of wire of the same size are
laid around a centre wire, with the inner
layer having half the number of wires of the
outer layer. Small wires-the filler wires - are
laid in the valleys of the inner layer.

filler-wire strand

filling density n: the percent ratio of the

wieght of gas in a tank to the weight of water
that the tank will hold.
fill line n: see fill-up line.
fill material n: any material used for the
primary purpose of replacing an aquatic area
with dry land or of changing the bottom
elevation of a water body. The term does
not include any pollutant discharged into the
water.
fill the hole v: to pump drilling fluid into the
wellbore while the pipe is being withdrawn to
ensure that the wellbore remains full of fluid
enen though the pipe is being withdrawn to
ensure that the wellbore remains full of fluid
even though the pipe is withdrawn. Filing
the hole lessens the danger of a kick or
caving the wall of the wellbore.
fill-up line n: the smaller of the side fittings
on a bell nipple, used to fill the hole when
drill pipe is being removed from the well.
fill-up rate n: the frequency with which the
hole is filled with drilling fluid to replace the
pipe removed from the hole.
filter n: a porous medium through which a
fluid is passed to separate particles of
suspended solids from it.
filter n: a porous medium through which a
fluid is passed to separate particles of
suspended solids from it.
filter cake n: 1. compacted solid or
semisolid material remaining on a filter after
pressure filtration of mud with a standard
filter press.
Thickness of the cake is
reported in thirty seconds of an inch or in
millimetres. 2. the layer of concentrated
solids from the drilling mud or cement slurry
that forms on the walls of the borehole
opposite premeable formations; also called
wall cake or mud cake.

filter cake thickness n: a measurement of

the solids deposited on filter paper in thirty
seconds of an inch during a standard 30minute API filter test. See cake thickness.
In certain areas the filter cake thickness is a
measurement of the solids deposited on
filter paper for 7.5 minutes.
filter element n: see air cleaner filter
element.
filter loss n: the amount of fluid that can be
delivered through a permable filter medium

75

after being subjected to a set differential

pressure for a set length of time.
filter paper n: porous unsized paper for
filtering liquids.
The API filtration test
specifies one thickness of 9-centimetre
Whatman No. 50, S&S No. 576, or the
equivalent filter paper.
filter press n: a device used in the testing of
filtration properties of drilling mud. See mud.

filtrate n: 1. a fluid that has been passed

through a filter. 2. the liquid portion of
drilling mud that is forced into porous and
permeable formations next to the borehole.
filtration n: the process of filtering a fluid.
filtration loss n: the escape of the liquid
part of a drilling mud into permeable
formations.
filtration qualities n pl: the filtration
characteristics of a drilling mud. In general,
these qualities are inverse to the thickness
of the filter cake deposited on the face of a
porous medium and the amount of filtrate
allowed to escape from the drilling fluid into
or through the medium.
filtration rate n: see fluid loss.
fin n: a thin, sharp ridge around the box or
the pin shoulder of a tool joint, caused by the
use of boxes and pins with different sized
shoulders. See radiator fin.
final circulating pressure n: the pressure
at which a well is circulated during wellkilling procedures after kill-weight mud has
filled the drill stem.
This pressure is
maintained until the well is completely filled
with kill-weight mud.
final squeeze pressure n: the fluid pressure
at the completion of a squeeze-cementing
operation.
finding of no significat impact (FONSI) n:
an NEPA document that is required when
agencies determine that there are no
significant environmental impacts from a
proposed federal action. The FONSI states
the reasons why the agency came to that
conclusion.
fine n: a fragment or particle of rock or
mineral that is too minute to be treated as
ordinary coarse materal.
fingerboard n: a rack that supports the tops
of the stands of pipe being stacked in the
derrick or mast.
It has several steel
fingerlike projections that form a series of
75

filler-wire strand

slots into drill pipe after it is pulledout of the

hole and removed from the drill string.

fingering n: 1. a phenomenon that often

occurs in an injection project in which the
fluid being injected does not contact the
entire reservoir but bypasses sections of the
reservior fluids in a fingerlike manner.
Fingering is not desiratble, because portions
of the reservoir are not contacted by the
injection fluid. 2. the same phenomenon in
which water bypasses oil in the reservoir on
its way to the well.
finger-type junk basket n: a fishing tool
that uses fingerlike catchers to gather and
trap junk at the bottom of the hole for
retrieval. Aso called a poor-boy junk basket.
fin-tube n: a tube or pipe having an
extended suface in the form of fins used in
heat exchangers or other heat-transfer
equipment.
fire v: to start and maintain the fire in a
boiler or heater.
fire bending n: one of the earliest methods
for bending pipe. The joint was first placed
over a small bonfire and, when the heat had
rendered it sufficiently malleable, it was
placed against a tree and pressure was
applied until the desired benk was achieved.
Fire bends significantly weakened the pipe.
A cold-work process is less damaging.
fired heater n: a furnace in which natural
gas or ther fuel is burned to heat the gas or
liquid passing through the furnace tubes.
fire flooding n: see in situ conbustion.
fire hazard n: flammable, combustible
pyrophoric and oxidizer (as defined by the
Code of Federal Regulations.)
fireman n: the member of the crew on a
steam-powered rig who is responsible for
care and operation of the boilers. Compare
matorman.
fire point n: the temperature at which a
petroleum product burns continuously after
being ignited. See flash point.
fire tube n: a pipe, or set of pipes, within a
tank through which steam or hot gases are
passed to warm a liquid or gas in the tank.
See steam coil.

filler-wire strand

fire wall n: a structure erected to contain

petroleum or a petroleum-fed fire in case a
storage vessel ruptures or collapses. Usually
a dike is built around the petroleum storage
tank and a steel or stone wall is put up
between the prime movers and the oil
pumps in a pipeline pumping station.
firing line n: in pipeline construction. the
welding crew that takes over after the root
pass and the hot pass have been made. The
firing line is responsible for the filler pass
and the cap bead, which complete the joint.
first responder awareness level n:
attaining level achieved by any employee
who has been HAZWOPER trained to
witness
the
release,
make
proper
notifications, and take no further action. In
other words, if the employee has been
trained to recognise an emergency and to
notify the proper people, this person has
attained the first responder awareness level.
first responder operational level n: a training
level achieved by any employee who has
been HAZWOPER trained to take a
defensive role in emergency response. In
other words, the employee is not trained to
stop the release, but rather to help contain
the release from a safe distance and to
prevent exposure.
first sale of natural gas n: defined by the
FERC as any sale of natural gas to any
interstate pipeline or intrastate pipeline, to
any local distribution company, or to any
per- son for use by such person.
first sale of NGL/NGLP n: defined by FERC
as the first transfer for value to a class of
purchaser for which a fixed price per unit of
volume is determined.
fish n: an object that is left in the wellbore
during drilling or workover operations and
that must be recovered before work can
proceed. It can be anything froo1 a piece of
scrap metal to a part of the drill stem. v: 1. to
recover from a well any equipment left there
during drilling operations, such as a lost bit
or drill collar or part of the drill string. 2. to
remove from an older well certain pieces of
equipment (such as packers. liners, or
screen liner) to allow reconditioning of the
well.

fish eyes n pi: the appearance of the

surface of the mud in a mud pit when dry
polymer fails to dissolve fully in the mud.

76

fishing n: the procedure of recovering lost

or stuck equipment in the wellbore. See fish.
fishing assembly n: seefishing string.
fishing head n: a specialised fixture on a
downhole tool that will allow the tool to be
fished out after its use downhole. See fish.
fishing magnet n: a powerful permanent
magnet designed to recover metallic objects
lost in a well.
fishing neck n: a device placed on a piece
of equipment that is lowered into a wellbore
so that the equipment may be retrieved by
wireline.
fishing string n: an assembly of tools made
up on drill pipe that is lowered into the hole
to retrieve lost or stuck equipment. Also
called a fishing assembly.
fishing tap n: a tool that goes inside pipe
lost in a well to provide a firm grip and permit
recovery of the fish. Sometimes used in
place of a spear.
fishing tool n: a tool designed to recover
equipment lost in a well.
fishing-tool operator n: the person (usually
a service company employee) in charge of
directing fishing operations.
fishtail bit n: a drilling bit with cutting edges
of hard alloys. Developed about 1900, and
first used with the rotary system of drilling, it
is still useful . drilling very soft formations.
Also called drag bit
fissure n: a crack 0 fracture in a subsurface
formation.
fitting n: a small, often standardised, part

(such as a coupling, valve, or gauge)

installed in a larger apparatus.
five-spot n: four input or injection wells
located in a square pattern with the
production well in the centre.
fixed choke n: a choke whose opening is
one size only, that is, not adjustable.
Compare adjustable choke.
fixed clearance pocket n: a clearance
pocket that, when open, adds a specific
volume to a compressor cylinder.
fixed costs n pi: costs that do not vary with
the level of operation or units produced or
sold. Examples are land costs, depreciation.
and license fees.
fixed-head bit n: any bit. such as a diamond
bit. whose cutting elements do not move on
76

filler-wire strand

the face. or head. of the bit. Compare rollercone bit.

fixed pump n: a type of downhole hydraulic
pump that is attached to the end of tubing;
the tubing must be pulled to service the
pump. See hydraulic pump. Compare free
pump.
fixed-rate contract n: a contract that enjoys
a known rate of dollars per million Btus
during every month of sale; the rate paid
may change from month to month. however.
fixed-rate royalty n: royalty calculated on
the basis of a fixed rate per unit of
production. without regard to the actual
proceeds received from the sale of such
production.
fix-factored correction n: a meter
correction to which a constant temperature
or pressure correction is applied.
ft abbr: flowed or flowing; used in drilling
reports.
flag n: 1. a piece of cloth. rope. or nylon
strand used to mart the wireline when
swabbing or bailing. 2. an indicator of wind
direction used during drilling or workover
operations where hydrogen sulphide (sour)
gas may be encountered. v: 1. to signal or
attract attention. 2. in swabbing or bailing. to
attach a piece of cloth to the wireline to
enable the operator to estimate the position
of the swab or bailer in the well.
flag arm n: in a two-diaphragm. fourchamber diaphragm displacement meter. the
link- age that transfers oscillating motion
from the flag rods to turn a tangent and
crank assembly.
flammable adj: capable of being easily
ignited. Sometimes the term "inflammable" is
used. But flammable is preferred because it
correctly describes the condition.
flange n: a projecting rim or edge (as on
pipe fittings and openings in pumps and
vessels), usually drilled with holes to allow
bolting to other flanged fittings.
flanged fitting n: a device that holds an
orifice plate centred in the line in which a
fluid is flowing. It consists of two pieces that
are joined by placing them together and
tightening bolts and nuts. The orifice plate
fits between the two pieces. To remove or
inspect the orifice plate in a flanged fitting.
the line must be bled and the flow of fluid
rerouted so that no pressure exists on the
fitting.
flanged orifice fitting n: a two-piece orifice
fitting with flanged faces that are bolted
together.
flange tap n: in a flanged orifice fitting. a
threaded hole on each side of the orifice
plate into which are screwed lines that
connect the fitting with the flow recorder.

flange union

flange union n: a device in which two

matching flanges are used to join the ends
of two sections of pipe.
flange up v: 1. to use flanges to make final
connections on a piping system. 2. (slang) to
complete any operation, as in, "They flanged
up the meeting and went home."
flapper valve n: a hinged closure
mechanism operating in a pivot manner.
used to shut off tubing flow. Also called a
kickstand valve.
flare n: an arrangement of piping and
burners used to dispose (by burning) of
surplus combustible vapours, usually
situated near a gasoline plant, refinery, or
producing well. v: to dispose of surplus
combustible vapours by igniting them in the
atmosphere. Raring is rarely used, because
of the high value of gas and the stringent air
pollution controls.
flare gas n: gas or vapour that is flared.
flare line n: a line (pipe) that comes out of a
mud-gas separator and carries the
separated gas a safe distance away from
the rig. Usually, the gas is disposed of by
burning, or flaring.
flare pit n: on land rigs, an earthen pit dug
at the end of the flare line. Gas is flared over
the flare pit to protect the surrounding area
from heat and fire.
flash n: the sudden vaporisation of a liquid
caused by a rapid decrease in pressure
and/or an increase in temperature.
flash gas n: gas released from liquid
hydrocarbons as a result of an increase in
temperature or a decrease in pressure.
flashing n: the continuing process by which
a liquid is caused to flash.
flash point n: the temperature at which a
petroleum product ignites momentarily but
does not bum continuously. Compare fire
point.
flash point check n: test made to verify that
each product vaporises within the specified
proper temperature range.
flash set n: a premature thickening or
setting of cement slurry, which makes it
unpumpable.
flash tank n: a vessel used for separating
the liquid phase from the gaseous phase
formed from a rise in temperature and/or a
reduction of pressure on the flowing stream.
flash welding n: 1. a form of resistance butt
welding used to weld wide, thick members or
members with irregular faces together, and
tubing to tubing. 2. in pipeline construction, a
welding technique in which low voltage is
applied to each pipe joint while the ends are
in light contact. This contact produces a
rapid arcing, called flashing. After the pipe
ends have been adequately heated, the
current is abruptly increased, and die pipe
joints are brought together rapidly and

77

forcefully. The current is then reduced,

excess flash material in the pipe is cleared.
and the weld is completed.
flat n: see kelly flat.
flat gel n: a condition wherein the 10-minute
gel strength is substantially equal to the
initial gel strength.
flat pricing n: pricing directly from the
posting, without reference to gravity.
fleet angle n: the angle created by drilling
line between the drawworks drum and die
fast sheave. The line is parallel to the
sheave groove at only one point on the
drum. As the rope moves from this point
either way. the fleet angle is created. The
fleet angle should be held to a minimum-less
than 1.5 degrees for grooved drums.
flexible drill pipe n: specially manufactured
drill pipe that has several pressure- tight
joints over the length of the pipe. These
joints allow the pipe to bend considerably
more than regular drill pipe and are used in
directional wells (especially horizontal ones)
where the angle of deflection from vertical is
relatively abrupt.
flex joint n: a device that provides a flexible
connection between the riser pipe and the
subsea
blowout
preventers.
By
accommodating lateral movement of a
mobile offshore drilling rig, flex joints help to
prevent a build up of abnormal bending load
pressure.
flipped adj: when the opposite occurs of
what is intended in a drilling fluid. In an
invert water-in-oil emulsion, the emulsion is
said to be flipped when the continuous and
dispersed phases reverse.
float n: 1. an element of a level-control
assembly designed to operate while partially
or completely submerged in a liquid the level
of which is controlled by the assembly. The
buoyancy of the liquid activates the float and
the control valve to which it is linked and
modifies the rate of the inflow or the outflow
of the vessel to maintain a preset level. 2. a
drill pipe float. 3. a long flat-bed semi-trailer.
float collar n: a special
coupling device inserted
one or two joints above
the bottom of the casing
string that contains a
check valve to permit
fluid to pass downward
but not upward through
the casing. The float
collar prevents drilling
mud from entering the
casing while it is being
lowered, allowing die
casing to float during its
descent
and
thus
decreasing die load on
die derrick or mast.
77

Boating tap

A float collar also prevents backflow of

cement during a cementing operation.
floater n: see drift bottle. floating offshore
drilling rig.
float guide wires n pi: solid wires or flexible
cables used to guide the travel of an
automatic gauge float.
floating cover n: a lightweight covering of
either metal or plastic material designed to
float on the surface of the liquid in a tank.
Alternatively, it may be supported by a float
system so that it is just above the free liquid
surface. Used to minimise the evaporation of
volatile products in a tank.
floating offshore drilling rig n: a type of
mobile offshore drilling unit that floats and is
not in contact with the seafloor (except with
anchors) when it is in the drilling mode.
Floating units include barge rigs, drill ships,
and semi-submersibles. See mobile offshore
drilling unit.

floating roof n: a tank covering that rests on

the surface of a hydrocarbon liquid in the
tank and rises and falls with the liquid level.
A floating roof eliminates vapour space
above the liquid in the tank and conserves
light fractions of the liquid.
floating roof tank n: a tank in which the roof
floats freely on the surface of the liquid
contents except at low levels, when the
weight of the roof is transmitted by its
supporting legs to the tank bottom.
floating screen n: a lightweight metal or
plastic covering that is arranged to float on
the surface of a liquid in a container to retard
evaporation.
Boating tank n: a tank with its main gate
valve open to the main line at a station. Oil
may thus enter or leave the tank as pumping
rates in the main line vary.
Boating tap system 11: a type of tap
sampling system found on liquid storage
tanks. The permanently installed taps on the
out- side of the tank are attached to pipes
and a floating boom inside the tank that rises
and falls with the liquid level.

float shoe

float shoe n: a short. heavy, cylindrical steel

section with a rounded bottom that is
attached to the bottom of the casing string. It
contains a check valve and functions
similarly to the float collar but also serves as
a guide shoe for the casing.
float switch n: a switch in a circuit that is
opened or closed by the action of a float and
that maintains a predetermined level of liquid
in a vessel.
float valve n: see drill pipe float.
float well n: an enclosure built into the roof
of a floating roof tank to contain and guide
the float of an automatic tank gauge.
flocculates n pi: chemicals that, when
added to a liquid, cause it to coagulate.
flocculating agent n: material or chemical
agent that enhances flocculation.
flocculation n: the coagulation of solids in a
drilling fluid, produced by special additives or
by contaminants.
fIocs abbr: flocculates.
floe n: a floating ice field of any size.
flood v: 1. to drive oil from a reservoir into a
well by injecting water under pressure into
the reservoir formation. See water flooding.
2. to drown out a well with water.
floodable length n: the length of a ship or
mobile offshore drilling rig that may be
flooded without its sinking below its safety or
margin line, usually a few inches below the
freeboard deck.
flood current n: the movement of the tidal
current toward the shore.
flood district office n: state or local office
that is concerned with areas that are subject
to flooding. This office can help deter- mine
if a site is in the floodplain and what
locations may be involved in flooding. In the
event of a hazardous materials incident,
these offices can help determine the route of
runoff from the incident.
floor crew n: those workers on a drilling or
workover rig who work primarily on the rig
floor. See rotary Mlper.
floorhand n: see rotary helper. floorman n:
see rotary helper.
flora n pi: the plants of a given region or
period considered as a whole.
fIotation cell n: a large, cylindrical tank in
which water that is slightly oil-contaminated
is circulated to be cleaned before it is
disposed of overboard or into a disposal
well. Since oil droplets cling to rapidly rising
gas, a device such as a bubble tower is
usually installed in the cell to permit the
introduction of gas into the water.
flotation level n: the depth of submergence
of a buoyant automatic gauge float in a liquid
of known density or weight.
flotation vest n: most commonly worn by
sport divers to overcome the buoyancy
effect of water and keep them afloat in the

78

proper position. Carbon dioxide cartridges

inside the vest are fired when inflation is
necessary.
flow n: a current or stream of fluid.
flowback n: fluids moving up the well.
flow bean n: a plug with a small hole drilled
through it, placed in the flow line at a wellhead to restrict flow if it is too high. Compare chou.
flow by beads v: to produce intermittently.
flow chart n: a record made by a recording
meter that shows the rate of production.
flow check n: a method of determining
whether a kick has occurred. The mud
pumps are stopped for a short period to see
whether mud continues to flow out of the
hole; if it does, a kick may be occurring.
flow coefficient n: see C'.
flow computer n: computer that handles all
calculations, analysis, and processing of
electronically transmitted data from a pipeline.
flow-control connection n: a device that
controls product flow and directs it to the
proper location. Mainline valves and side
taps
are
examples
of
flow-control
connections.
flow coupling n: a tubing sub made of
abrasion-resistant material and used in a
tubing string where turbulent flow may cause
internal erosion.
flowing bottomhole pressure n: pressure at
the bottom of the wellbore during normal oil
production.
flowing bottomhole pressure test n: a
bottomhole pressure test that measures
pressure while the well is flowing. See
bottomhole pressure test.
flowing pressure n: pressure registered at
the wellhead of a flowing well.
flowing temperature n: recorded temperalure of gas or liquid flowing through a pipe.
flowing well n: a well that produces oil or gas
by its own reservoir pressure rather than by
use of artificial means (such as pumps). flow
line n: the surface pipe through which oil
travels from a well to processing equipment
or to storage.
flow-line manifold n: a place in the flow line
from a well, heater-treater, or other device
where valves, meters, inlets, outlets, and
various gauges may be installed.
flow-line sensor n: a device to monitor the
rate of fluid flow from the annulus.
flow-line temperature n: the temperature of
the drilling mud as it flows out of the
borehole.
flow-line treater n: a cylindrical vessel into
which an emulsion is piped to be broken
down into its components. See electrostatic
treater; heater-treater.
flow-line treating n: the process of
separating, or breaking down, an emulsion
into oil and water in a vessel or tank on a
78

flow recorder

continuous basis (i.e., without an interruption

in the flow of emulsion into the tank or
vessel). Compare batch treating.
flowmeter n: a device that measures the
amount of fluid moving through a pipe. See
orifice meter; positive-displacement meter.
flowmeter discrimination n: a measure of
the smallest increment of change in the
pulse output of a flowmeter as it relates to
the actual volume being measured.
flow monitor n: any device that senses the
state of fluid flowing in a pipeline or other
container.
flow nozzle n: a restriction installed in a line
in which fluid is flowing that produces a
pressure differential. The volume of fluid can
be determined by measurement of the
differential. Flow nozzles can handle dirty
and abrasive gases better than orifices.
flow period n: in formation testing, an
interval during which a well is allowed to flow
while flow characteristics are being
measured.
flow pressure n: see flowing pressure.
flow proportional sample n: a sample
taken from a pipeline during the whole
period of transfer of a batch at a rate that is
proportional to the rate of flow of the liquid in
the pipeline at any instant.
flow range n: the range between the
maximum and the minimum flow rates of a
meter, generally determined by the limits of
acceptable error.
flow rate n: the speed, or velocity, of fluid
flow through a pipe or vessel.
flow recorder n: a device with a chart and
pens used to record static and differential
pressures and sometimes temperature in an
orifice meter installation.

flow recorder clock

flow recorder clock n: a clock in a flow

recorder that moves an orifice chart during a
specific time period, such as 24 hours.
flow-sensing device n: a tool inserted into
a pipeline or other container that can sense
the flow of fluid within the container.
flow straightener n: a length of straight pipe
containing straightening vanes or the
equivalent and installed at the inlet of a
flowmeter to eliminate swirl from the liquid
from entering the meter and causing
measurement errors.
ftowstream n: the flow of fluids within a
pipe.
ftowstream samples n pi: small quantities
of fluid taken at the wellhead or from the flow
line and analyzed to determine composition
of the flow.
flow string n: the string of casing or tubing
through which fluids from a well flow to the
surface.
flow tank n: see production tank.
flow test n: a preliminary test to confirm flow
rate through a tool prior to going downhole.
flow-through meter n: any of several types
of meter in which the fluid to be measured
travels through the meter.
flow treater n: a single unit that acts as an
oil and gas separator, an oil heater, and an
oil- and water-treating vessel. See heatertreater.
flow tube n: a restriction installed in a line of
flowing fluid that produces relatively high
differential pressures with relatively low
permanent pressure losses as the fluid flows
through the device. By measuring the
differential, the volume of fluid flowing
through the tube can be inferred.
FLPMA abbr; Federal Land Policy and
Management Act of 1976.
flue gas n: the gases that are produced
from the combustion of a flammable
substance in a special chamber or firebox.
Also called stack gas.
fluid n: a substance that flows and yields to
any force tending to change its shape.
Liquids and gases are fluids.
fluid catalytic cracker n: a catalytic cracker
that is used to crack gas or liquid
hydrocarbons.
fluid contact n: the approximate point in a
reservoir where the gas-oil contact or oilwater contact is located.
fluid coupling n: see hydraulic coupling.
fluid density n: the unit weight of a fluid,
e.g., pounds per gallon.
fluid end n: the portion or end of a fluid
pump that contains the parts involved in
moving the fluid (such as liners and rods) as
opposed to the end that produces the power
for movement.
fluid flow n: in fluid dynamics, the state of a
fluid in motion is determined by the type of

79

fluid (e.g., Newtonian, plastic, pseudoplastic, dilatant); properties of the fluid such
as viscosity and density; geometry of the
system; the velocity. Thus, under a given set
of conditions and fluid properties, the fluid
flow can be described as plug flow, laminar
(called also Newtonian, streamline, parallel,
or viscous) flow, or turbulent flow.
fluid injection n: injection of gases or
liquids into a reservoir to force oil toward and
into producing wells.
fluidity n: the reciprocal of viscosity. The
measure of rate with which a fluid is
continuously deformed by a shearing stress;
ease of flowing.
fluid level n: the distance from the earth's
surface to the top of the liquid in the tubing
or the casing in a well. The static fluid level
is taken when the well is not producing and
has stabilised. The dynamic, or pumping,
level is the point to which the static level
drops under producing conditions.
fluid loss n: the unwanted migration of the
liquid part of the drilling mud or cement
slurry into a formation, often minimised or
prevented by the blending of additives with
the mud or cement.
fluid-loss additive n: a compound added to
cement slurry or drilling mud to prevent or
minimise fluid loss.
fluid pound n: the erratic impact of a pump
plunger against a fluid when the pump is
operating with a partial vacuum in the
cylinder, with gas trapped in the cylinder, or
with the well pump off.
fluid sampler n: an automatic device that
periodically takes a sample of a fluid flowing
in a pipe.
fluid saturation n: the amount of the pore
volume of a reservoir rock that is filled by
water, oil, or gas and measured in routine
core analysis.
flume n: see boot.
flume pipe n: large pipe used in creek and
stream ditching in pipeline construction to
allow the water to flow normally and to
provide a passage for equipment over the
water.
fluor abbr: fluorescence; used in drilling
reports.
fluorescence n: instantaneous reemission
of light of a greater wave length than that
light originally absorbed.
fluoroelastomer n: an elastomer (a material
such as synthetic rubber) in which the
hydrogen atoms in the hydrocarbons are
replaced by fluorine atoms.
flushed zone n: the area near the wellbore
where invading mud filtrate forces out the
movable formation fluids. Often abbreviated
Rxo
flushing case thermometer n: an assembly
including a mercury-in-glass thermometer
affixed to a cylindrical chamber with closures
79

flyweight

at the top and bottom of the chamber. When

lowered into a tank in the open position,
liquid flushes through the chamber. The
chamber can be closed at any level in the
tank, trapping a sample of liquid around the
base of the thermometer and allowing for
more accurate temperature reading when
the thermometer is raised to the surface.
flush-joint casing n: a casing in which the
outside diameter of the joint is the same as
the outside diameter of the casing itself.
flush-joint pipe n: pipe in which the outside diameter of the joint is the same as the
outside diameter of the tube. Pipe may also
be internally flush-joint.
flush production n: a high rate of flow from
a newly drilled well.
fluted drill collar n: see spirally grooved
drill collar:
fluvial deposit n: sediment deposited by
flowing water.
flux n: the lines in a magnetic field.
flux field n: the area of magnetic or electric
lines of force.
flux gate n: a detector that produces an
electrical signal whose magnitude and
phase are proportional to the magnitude and
direction of the external magnetic field acting
along its axis. It is used to indicate the
direction of the earth's magnetic field.
fly cutter n: see cutterhead.
flysch n: a type of rock consisting of thinly
bedded sandstone and shale, thought to be
the result of the action of turbidity currents; a
succession of turbidites originating in marine
depositional basins, usually near the base of
the continental slope. Flysch deposites are
especially common in the Alpine region of
Europe.
flyweight n: on a mechanical engine
governor, one of usually two small metal
weights that spin as the engine runs. When
the engine speeds up, centrifugal force on
the spinning flyweights increases, which
causes a spring to compress and slow the
engine down. Conversely, when the engine
slows down, centrifugal force on the flyweights decreases which causes the spring
to expand and speed the engine up.

flywheel

flywheel n: a large. circular disk, connected

to and revolving with an engine crankshaft. It
stores energy and disburses it as the engine
runs.
fm abbr: formation; used in drilling reports.
foam n: a two-phase system, similar to an
emulsion, in which the dispersed phase is a
gas or air.
foam drilling n: see mist drilling.
foaming agent n: a chemical used to lighten
the water column in gas wells, in oilwells
producing gas, and in drilling wells in which
air or gas is used as the drilling fluid so that
the water can be forced out with the air or
gas to prevent its impeding the production or
drilling rate. See mist drilling.
FOB price n: see free on board price.
fog n: a cloud of minute water droplets or ice
crystals suspended in the air so that the
cloud bottom rests on the earth's surface,
either ground or water. See advention fog,
ice fog, steam fog.
fog bank n: a well-defined mass of fog.
FOGRMA abbr: Federal Oil and Gas Royalty
Management Act of 1982.
fold n: a flexure of rock strata (e.g., an arch
or a trough) produced by horizontal
compression of the earth's crust. See
anticline, syncline.
foliated metamorphic rock n: metamorphic
rock that has a layered look not necessarily
associated with the original layering in
sedimentary rock.
follower n: see cam follower:
FONSI abbr: finding of no significant impact.
fool's gold n: see pyrite.
footage rates n pi: a fee basis in drilling
contracts stipulating that payment to the
drilling contractor is made according to the
number of feet or metres of hole drilled.
foot-pound n: a unit of measure of twisting
force, or torque. The amount of energy
required to move 1 pound 1 foot vertically.
The metric equivalent is the centimetrekilogram. or, in SI units, the joule.
foot valve n: a check valve at the inlet end
of the suction pipe of a pump that enables
the pump to remain full of liquid when it is
not in operation.
footwall n: the rock surface forming the
underside of a fault when the fault plane is
not vertical-that is, if the dip is less than
90.Compare hanging wall.
foraminifera n pi: single-celled, mostly
microscopic
animals
with calcareous
exoskeletons; mostly marine.
force n: that which causes, changes, or
stops the motion of a body.
forced draft n: air blown into a furnace or
other equipment by a fan or blower.
forced pooling n: pooling of leased tracts
undertaken without the willing cooperation of
all the parties. Forced pooling may occur as

80

the result of an order from a state regulatory

agency, or an order sought by one or more
of the parties affected.
forced unitisation n: !lee statutory
unitisation.
force majeure clause n: in an oil and gas
lease, the clause that usually contains a
statement that the lease is subject to state
and federal laws. It also excuses the lessee
from timely performance of obligations
should certain events beyond the lessee's
power to control occur. Force majeure
means a force or event that cannot be
anticipated or controlled.
fore and aft n: the lerigthwise measurement
of a mobile offshore drilling rig or ship.
foreset bed n: a depositional layer on the
steep seaward face of a marine delta that
lies beyond the topset beds and is
composed of finer sedimentary materials
than the topset beds.
foreshore n: that part of the seashore that
lies between low- and high-tide levels.
Forest Service n: a service under the
Department of Agriculture that has three
major program areas: national forest
administration. state and private forestry,
and research. The Forest Service manages
154 national forests and 19 national
grasslands, comprising 188 million acres
(75.2 million hectares) in 41 states and
Puerto Rico. Address: 201 14th Street SW;
Washington. DC 20250; (202) 205-1760.
formate fluid n: a special drilling fluid that
contains a salt or an ester of formic acid
(formate), which is chemically combined with
another element such as potassium or
cesium. Formate fluids are very stable at
high temperatures and can be made very
dense (heavy) without adding weighting
materials such as barite. Formate fluids are
used as completion fluids because they
minimise formation damage. See completion
fluid, formation damage.
formation n: a bed or deposit composed
throughout of substantially the same kind of
rock; often a lithologic unit. Each formation is
given a name, frequently as a result of the
study of the formation outcrop at the surface
and sometimes based on fossils found in the
formation.
formation boundary n: the horizontal limits
of a formation.
formation breakdown n: die fracturing of a
formation from excessive borehole pressure.
formation breakdown pressure n: the
pressure at which a formation will fracture.
formation competency n: the ability of the
formation to withstand applied pressure.
Also called formation integrity.
formation competency test n: a test used
to determine the amount of pressure
required to cause a formation to fracture.

80

formation fracturing

formation damage n: the reduction of

permeability in a reservoir rock caused by
the invasion of drilling fluid and treating
fluids to the section adjacent to die wellbore.
It is often called skin damage.
Formation Density LogTM n: trade name for
a density log.
formation dip n: the angle at which a
formation bed inclines away from the
horizontal. Dip is also used to describe the
orientation of a fault.
formation evaluation n: the analysis of
subsurface formation characteristics, such
as lithology, porosity, permeability, and
saturation, by indirect methods such as
wireline well logging or by direct methods
such as mud logging and core analysis.
formation face n: that part of a formation
exposed to the well bore.
formation fluid n: fluid (such as gas, oil, or
water) that exists in a subsurface rock
formation.
formation fracture gradient n: a plot of
pressure versus depth that reveals the
pressure at which a formation will fracture at
a given depth.
formation fracture pressure n: the point at
which a formation will crack from pressure in
the wellbore.
formation fracturing n: a method of
stimulating production by opening new flow
channels in the rock surrounding a
production well. Often called a frac job.
Under extremely high hydraulic pressure, a
fluid (such as distillate, diesel fuel, crude oil,
dilute hydrochloric acid. water, or kerosene)
is pumped downward through production
tubing or drill pipe and forced out below a
packer or between two packers. The
pressure causes cracks to open in the
formation, and die fluid penetrates the
formation through the cracks. Sand grains,
aluminum pellets, walnut shells. or similar
materials (propping agents) are carried in
suspension by die fluid into the cracks.
When die pressure is released at the
surface, the fracturing fluid returns to the
well. The cracks partially close on the
pellets. leaving channels for oil to flow
around them to the well. See explosive
fracturing, hydraulic fracturing.

formation gas

formation gas n: gas initially produced from

an underground reservoir.
formation integrity n: see formation
competency.
formation pressure n: the force exerted by
fluids in a formation, recorded in the hole at
the level of the formation with the well shut
in. Also called reservoir pressure or shut-in
bottomhole pressure.
formation resistivity n: a measure of the
electrical resistance of fluids in a formation.
formation sensitivity n: the tendency of
certain producing formations to react
adversely to invading filtrates.
formation strength n: the ability of a
formation to resist fracture from pressures
created by fluids in a borehole.
formation strike n: see strike.
formation tester n: see wireline formation
tester.
formation testing n: the gathering of
pressure data and fluid samples from a
formation to determine its production
potential before choosing a completion
method. Formation testing tools include
formation testers and drill stem test tools.
formation volume factor n: the factor that
is used to convert stock tank barrels of oil to
reservoir barrels. It is the ratio between the
space occupied by a barrel of oil containing
solution gas at reservoir conditions and a
barrel of dead oil at surface conditions. Also
called reservoir volume factor.
formation water n: 1. the water originally in
place in a formation. See connate water: 2.
any water that resides in the pore spaces of
a formation.
formic acid n: a simple organic acid,
HCOOH, used for acidising oilwells. It is
stronger than acetic acid rot much less
corrosive than hydrofluoric or hydrochloric
acid and is usually used for hightemperature wells.
formonitrile n: see hydrogen cyanide.
forward adv: in the direction of the bow on a
ship or an offshore drilling rig.
forward combustion n: a common type of
in situ combustion in which the combustion
front moves in the same direction as the
injected air. Burning is started at an injection
well and moves toward production wells as
air is continuously injected into the injection
well. Compare reverse combustion.
FoRxo LogTM n: trade name for focused
electric log that investigates the flushed
zone.
fossil n: the remains or impressions of a
plant or animal of past geological ages that
have been preserved in or as rock.
frac abbr: fractured or fracturing; used in
drilling reports.
fossiliferous adj: containing fossils.
fossilize v: to become changed into a fossil.

81

fouling factor n: a factor used in heattransfer calculations to represent the

resistance to the flow of heat caused by dirt,
scale. or other contaminants in the flowing
fluids.
foundation pile n: the first casing or
conductor string (generally with a diameter
of 30 to 36 inches-76 to 91 centimetres) set
when drilling a well from a floating offshore
drilling rig. It prevents sloughing of the
ocean-floor formations and is a structural
support for the permanent guide base and
the blowout preventers.
foorble n: a section of drill pipe. casing. or
tubing consisting of four joints screwed
together. Compare double. single. thribble.
fourble board n: the name used for the
working platform of the derrickman. or the
monkeyboard. when it is located at a height
in the derrick equal to approximately four
lengths of pipe joined together. Compare
double board, thribble board.
four comer role n: a rule of interpretation
holding that an instrument such as an oil and
gas lease must be interpreted from within
the four comers of the instrument.
Interpretation is made without any aid from
knowledge of the circumstances under
which the instrument came into being; the
instrument is constructed as a whole. without reference to anyone part more than
another.
four-pin kelly bushing n: a kelly bushing
that has four steel dowels. or pins. that fit
into corresponding holes in the master
bushing. When the pins are engaged with
the holes. the rotating master bushing also
turns the kelly bushing. which then turns the
kelly and the drill stem. See kelly, kelly
bushing, master bushing.
four-pin master bushing n: a master
bushing that has four holes symmetrically
positioned on its outside perimeter and into
which fit four corresponding steel dowels. or
pins. on the kelly bushing. When the pins
are engaged into the holes and the master
bushing turns. the kelly bushing also turns.
See kelly bushing, master bushing.
four-strokelcyde engine n: an engine in
which the piston moves from top dead
centre to bottom dead center two times to
complete a cycle of events. The crankshaft
must make two complete revolutions. or
720.
four-way drag bit n: a drag bit with four
blades. See bit. fishtail bit.
FP abbr: flowing pressure; used in drilling
reports.
frac fluid n: a fluid used in the fracturing
process (i.e., a method of stimulating
production by opening new flow channels in
the rock surrounding a production well).
Under extremely high hydraulic pressure,
frac fluids (such as distillate, diesel fuel,
81

fracture pressure

crude oil, dilute hydrochloric acid, water, or

kerosene) are pumped downward through
production tubing or drill pipe and forced out
below a packer or between two packers. The
pressure causes cracks to open in the
formation, and the fluid penetrates the
formation through the cracks. Sand grains,
aluminum pellets, walnut shells, or similar
materials (propping agents) are carried in
suspension by the fluid into the cracks.
When the pressure is released at the
surface, the fracturing fluid returns to the
well but leaves behind the propping agents
to hold open the formation cracks.
frac gradient n: see fracture gradient. frac
job n: see formation fracturing.
fraction n: a part of a mixture of
hydrocarbons, usually defined by boiling
range--for example, naphtha. gas oil, or
kerosene.
fractional analysis n: a test for the
composition of gas or two-phase gascondensate streams. The analysis generally
shows not only the composition in
percentage of each hydrocarbon present
through hexanes or heptanes but also the
gallons per thousand cubic feet of liquids by
component and the heating value of the gas.
fractionate v: to separate single fractions
from a mixture of hydrocarbon fluids, usually
by distillation.
fractionating column n: the vessel or tower
in a gas plant in which fractionation occurs.
See fractionate.
fractionating tower n: see fractionating
column.
fracture n: a crack or crevice in a formation,
either natural or induced. See explosive
fracturing, hydraulic fracturing.
fracture addizing n: a procedure by which
acid is forced into a formation under
pressure high enough to cause the formation
to crack. The acid acts on certain kinds of
rocks, usually carbonates, to increase the
permeability of the formation. Also called
acid fracturing. Compare matrix acidizing.
fracture gradient n: the pressure gradient
(psi/foot) at which a formation accepts whole
fluid from the wellbore. Also called frac
gradient.
fracture pressure n: the pressure at which
a formation will break down, or fracture.

fracture zone

fracture zone n: zone of naturally occurring

fissures or fractures that can pose problems
with lost circulation.
fracturing n: shortened form of formation
fracturing. See formation fracturing.
fracturing fluid n: a fluid, such as water, oil,
or acid, used in hydraulic fracturing. The
fluid carries propping agents that hold open
the formation cracks after hydraulic pressure
dissipates. See acid fracturing, hydraulic
fracturing, propping agents.
fractus n: a cloud that has a ragged
appearance, as if tom. Such clouds are tom
from a main cloud bank by strong winds.
Also called scud.
free air space n: any of the cavities in the
human body that contain air and are
normally connected to the atmosphere,
including lungs, sinuses, and middle ear.
freeboard n: the vertical distance between
the waterline and the freeboard deck on a
ship, boat, or floating offshore drilling rig.
Draft plus freeboard equal total height of
vessel.
freeboard
deck n: the
uppermost
continuous deck on a ship or floating rig that
has a permanent means of closing all
openings to the sea.
free butane n: see butanes required.
free electron n: an electron on the outer
shell of an atom that moves readily from one
atom to another.
free gas n: a hydrocarbon that exists in the
gaseous phase at reservoir pressure and
temperature and remains a gas when
produced under normal conditions.
free on board (FOB) price n: the price
actually charged at the producing country's
port of loading.
free oxygen n: oxygen that exists in
molecular form (O2) without being bound in a
compound.
free point n: an area or point above the
point at which a tubular, such as drill pipe, is
stuck in the wellbore.
free-point indicator n: a device run on
wireline into the wellbore and inside the
fishing string and fish to locate the area
where a fish is stuck. When the drill string is
pulled and turned, the electromagnetic fields
of free pipe and stuck pipe differ. The freepoint indicator is able to distinguish these
differences, which are registered on a
metering device at the surface.
free pump n: a type of downhole hydraulic
pump that moves in and out of the well by
means of circulating fluids. See hydroulic
pump. Compare fixed pump.
Freestone rider n: see Pugh clause.
free water n: 1. water produced with oil. It
usually settles out within five minutes when
the well fluids become stationary in a settling
space within a vessel. Compare emulsified

82

water. 2. the measured volume of water that

is present in a container and that is not in
suspension in the contained liquid at
observed temperature.
free-water knockout (FWKO) n: a vertical
or horizontal vessel into which oil or
emulsion is run to allow any water not
emulsified with the oil (free water) to drop
out.
freewheeling n: the action in which the
clutch
used
between
an
auxiliary
hydrodynamic brake and the drawworks
drumshaft automatically disengages and
runs freely while the empty block is being
hoisted.
freeze pipe n: a device fitted on the vertical
support members of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) to circulate a refrigerant
continuously between the subsoil and the
top of the pipe. The refrigerant keeps the
ground beneath the pipeline frozen to
prevent frost heaving.
freeze point n: the depth in the hole at
which the tubing, casing, or drill pipe is
stuck. See free-point indicator.
freezing point n: the temperature at which a
liquid becomes a solid.
frequency converter n: an electronic
instrument for converting frequency (pulse
train) to a proportionate analog signal.
frequency modulation (FM) n: modulation
of the frequency of the carrier wave in
accordance with speech or a signal.
frequency output n: an output in the form of
frequency that varies as a function of the
applied measurand (e.g., angular speed and
flow rate).
frequency range n: the measured values
over which a meter or other measuring
instrument is intended to measure, specified
by their upper and lower limits.
fresh water n: 1. water that has little or no
salt dissolved in it. 2. underground water,
generally located near the surface, that does
not contain a large amount of salt and from
which most underground drinking water
supplies are drawn. 3. inland surface water,
such as lakes, streams, and ponds, that is
not salty.
freshwater mud n: see mud.
friction n: resistance to movement created
when two surfaces are in contact. When
friction is present, movement between the
surfaces produces heat.
frictional drag n: a force that slows the
speed of an object as it moves. Drag occurs
as an object moves through a fluid because
of the friction that occurs between the object
and the fluid; it also occurs as an object
moves against another object.
frictional resistance n: the opposition to
flow created by a fluid when it flows through
a line or other container. Frictional
resistance occurs within the fluid itself and it
82

ft3

is created by the walls of the pipe or

container as the fluid flows past them.
friction bearing n: see insert bearing,
journal bearing.
friction cathead n: a spool on the side of
the drawworks cathead that reels in a soft
line, called the catline; used for hoisting light
equipment on the rig floor.
friction clutch n: a clutch that makes
connection by sliding friction.
friction loss n: a reduction in the pressure
of a fluid caused by its motion against an
enclosed surface (such as a pipe). As the
fluid moves through the pipe, friction
between the fluid and the pipe wall and
within the fluid itself creates a pressure loss.
The faster the fluid moves, the greater are
the losses.
friction shoe n: in a drum clutch, pads of
friction material are squeezed against a
drum attached to the driving shaft. Friction
between the shoes and the drum allows the
clutch to engage.
front n: an interface between two air
masses.
frontal zone n: in meteorology, a threedimensional layer of large, horizontal
pressure gradients.
frost heaving n: movement of the soil
resulting from alternate thawing and
freezing. Frost heaving generates stress on
vertical support members of pipelines in the
Arctic and, by extension, on the pipe itself.
frost wedging n: the phenomenon resulting
when water invades rock, freezes, and, by
its expansion, wedges apart the rock.
Repeated freeze-thaw cycles can quickly
break up any rock that has even the tiniest
cracks.
frozen up adj: said of equipment the
components of which do not operate freely.
ft abbr: foot.
ft-lb abbr: foot-pound.
ft/min abbr: feet per minute.
ft/s abbr: feet per second.
ft2 abbr.: square foot.
ft3 abbr: cubic foot.

ft3/bbl

ft3/bbl abbr: cubic feet per barrel.

ft3/d abbr: cubic feet per day.
ft3/min abbr: cubic feet per minute.
ft3/s abbr: cubic feet per second.
fuel centrifuge n: a device an engine
operator uses to separate water and solid
materials from fuel. Centrifugal force created
by the rapidly spinning centrifuge causes dirt
and water. which are heavier (denser) than
fuel, to move to the outside of the centrifuge
where they are removed.
fuel content n: in improved recovery, the
amount of coke available for in situ
combustion. measured in pounds per cubic
foot of burned area. Coke is formed by
thermal cracking and distillation in the
combustion zone. The amount of available
coke depends on the composition of the
reservoir cn* oil.
fuel-injection nozzle n: see nozzle.
fuel injector n: a mechanical device that
sprays fuel into a cylinder of an engine at the
end of the compression stroke.
fuel knock n: a hammer like noise produced
when fuel is not burned properly in a
cylinder.
fuel modulator n: a device installed on a
diesel engine to reduce the amount of
smoke coming out of the engine's exhaust. If
the engine's governor delivers more fuel
than air to the engine, the engine smokes
too much. A fuel modulator makes the
governor increase the fuel supply only at the
same rate as the air increase. Such rate
control holds down the black smoke from the
engine exhaust during acceleration or
sudden loading. See governor.
fuel oil n: 1. diesel fuel. 2. heavier liquid
hydrocarbons. such as bunker oil, that is
used to fuel turbines on a ship or other
vessel
fuel pump n: the pump that pressurises fuel
to the pressure used for injection. In a diesel
engine the term is used to identify several
different pumps: it is loosely used to
describe the pump that transfers fuel from
the main storage tank to the day tank; it is
also used to describe the pump that supplies
pressure to the fuel-injection pumps,
although this is actually a booster-type
pump.
fulcrum n: the support about which a lever
turns.
fungible adj: relating or pertaining to
petroleum products with characteristics so
similar that they can be mixed together, or
commingled.
funnel viscosity n: viscosity as measured
by the Marsh funnel, based on the number
of seconds it takes for 61 cubic inches
(1,000 cubic centimetres) of drilling fluid to
flow through the funnel.

83

FWKO

fulcrum assembly n: a bottomhole

assembly. usually made up of drill collars
and a stabiliser just above the bit, that can
be used to increase hole angle. In holes
inclined 3 degrees or more off vertical. the
stabiliser acts as a fulcrum; the drill collars
above the fulcrum sag toward the low side of
the hole, forcing the bit toward the high side
and increasing hole angle.

fulcrum effect n: the tendency of a fulcrum

assembly to increase hole angle. See
fulcrum assembly.
fuller's earth n: see attapulgite.
full-gauge bit n: a bit that has maintained its
original diameter.
full-gauge hole n: a wellbore drilled with a
full-gauge bit. Also called a true-to-gauge
hole.
full-load displacement n: the displacement
of a mobile offshore drilling rig or ship when
floating at its deepest design draft.
full-wave rectification n: the conversion to
direct current of both the negative and the
positive pulsations of alternating current.
full-well stream n: the production from a
well as it emerges from the mouth of the well
and prior to any separation of the stream's
components.

83

fuse n: a device used to protect electrical

equipment from overload. It has a wire that
melts at high temperature to open the circuit.
fusible plugs n pi: a thermal device
employed on surface flow lines as part of an
ESD.
fusion-bonded epoxy coating n: a
powdered resin coating that forms a skin
over pipe when applied to its heated steel
surface. Usually applied at the mill.
futures market n: market in which prices
are determined by open bidding for contracts
on the trading floor of a commodities market
such as the New York Mercantile Exchange.
A futures contract is a commitment to deliver
or receive a specific quantity and grade of oil
or product during a designated future month
at a preset price. Delivery of the physical
product occurs in only a small number of
cases, with most participants liquidating their
positions be- fore the end of trading.
FWKO abbr: free-water knockout.

g abbr: gram.
G&OCM abbr: gas- and oil-cut mud; used in
drilling reports.
gabbro n: an intrusive igneous rock with the
same composition as basalt.
gage n, v: variation of gauge. Until recently
the API preferred "gage" to "gauge."
gal abbr: gallon.
gale n: a wind that is blowing at 28 to 55
knots. Gales are classified as moderate,
fresh. strong, or whole.
galena (PbS) n: lead sulphide. Technical
grades (specific gravity about 7) are used for
increasing the density of drilling fluids to
points impractical or impossible with barite.
gall n: damage to steel surfaces caused by
friction and improper lubrication.

galling adj: the result of the sticking or

adhesion of two mating surfaces of metal.
not protected by a film of lubricant. and
tearing due to lateral displacement.
galling limit n: one of the limitations on
chain-and-sprocket life. This limitation on the
strength of the metal the chains and
sprockets are made of may cause the metal
to wear even though it is lubricated because
of a heavy load or a high speed.
gallon n: a unit of measure of liquid capacity
that equals 3.785 litres and has a volume of
231 cubic inches (0.00379 cubic metres). A
gallon of water weighs 8.34 pounds (3.8
kilograms) at OO"F (16"C). The imperial
gallon. formerly used in Great Britain. equals
approximately 1.2 US gallons.
gal/min abbr: gallons per minute.
galvanic action n: the production of current
flow when two dissimilar metals are placed
in an electrolyte.
galvanic anode n: in cathodic protection, a
sacrificial anode that produces current flow
through galvanic action. See sacrificial
anode.

galvanic cell n: electrolytic cell created by

the difference in electrical potential between
two dissimilar metals.
galvanic corrosion n: a type of corrosion
that occurs when a small electric current
flows from one piece of metal equipment to
another. It is particularly prevalent when two
dissimilar metals are present in an
environment in which electricity can flow (as
two dissimilar joints of tubing in an oil or gas
well).
galvanize v: to immerse an iron or steel
object in molten zinc to produce a coating of
zinc-iron alloy on the object. This zinc- iron
coating resists corrosion.
galvanized steel n: steel that is coated with
zinc to protect it from rusting.
galvanometer n: a permanent magnet
meter for detecting weak electric current. It
can be adapted with shunts or resistors to
measure larger currents or voltage.
Gamma-Gamma Density LogTM n: trade
name for a density log. gamma particle n: a
short, highly penetrating X-ray emitted by
radioactive
substances
during
their
spontaneous
disintegration.
The
measurement
of
gamma
particles
(sometimes called gamma rays) is the basis
for a number of radioactivity well logging
methods.
gamma ray n: see gamma particle.
gamma ray curve n: a plot of gamma
radiation detected in a wellbore.
gamma ray detector n: a device that is
capable of sensing and measuring the
number of gamma particles emitted by
certain radioactive substances.
gamma ray log n: a type of radioactivity well
log that records natural radioactivity around
the wellbore. Shales generally pr0- duce
higher levels of gamma radiation and can be
detected and studied with the gamma ray
tool. In holes where salty drilling fluids are
used, electric logging tools are less effective
than gamma ray tools. See radioactivity well
logging.
gamma ray spectroscopy log n: a special
gamma ray log that reveals the relative
amounts of radioactive uranium, thorium,
and potassium in a formation. This
information can help identify shales and
clays.
gang pusher n: the supervisor of a roustabout crew or the person in charge of a
pipe-line crew.
garbet, garbot, or garbutt rod n: a short
rod on the lower end of the travelling valve
84

of a rod pump. It is attached to the standing

valve and is used to pull the valve out of its
seat when repairs are needed.
gas n: a compressible fluid that completely
fills any container in which it is confined.
Technically, a gas will not condense when it
is compressed and cooled, because a gas
can exist only above the critical temperature
for its particular composition. Below the
critical temperature, this form of matter is
known as a vapour, because liquid can exist
and condensation can occur. Sometimes the
terms "gas" and "vapour" are used interchangeably. The latter, however, should be
used for those streams in which
condensation can occur and that originate
from, or are in equilibrium with, a liquid
phase.
gas anchor n: a tubular, perforated device
attached to the bottom of a sucker-rod pump
that helps to prevent gas lock. The device
works on the principle that gas, being lighter
than oil, rises. As well fluids enter the
anchor, gas breaks out of the fluid and exits
from the anchor through perforations near
the top. Remaining fluids enter the pump
through a mosquito bill (a tube within the
anchor), which has an opening near the
bottom. In this way, all or most of the gas
escapes before the fluids enter the pump.

gas balance

gas balance n: comparison of the sum of

the volumes of gas production or receipts
with the sum of the volumes of the
dispositions of the gas.
gas balancing agreement n: an agreement
between partners in a joint-interest well to
determine the share due each partner if the
gas is sold to two or more markets. Stated
another way, an agreement covering the
manner in which volumes of deferred gas
production or exchange gas will be balanced
between the parties to the agreement.
gas bubble n: an excess supply of natural
gas, as when the available supply of natural
gas exceeds the demand.
gas buster n: see mud-gas separator.
gas cap n: a free-gas phase overlying an oil
zone and occurring within the same
producing formation as the oil. See
associated gas, reservoir.

gas-cap drive n: drive energy supplied

naturally (as a reservoir is produced) by the
expansion of the gas cap. In such a drive,
the gas cap expands to force oil into the well
and to the surface. See reservoir drive
mechanism.
gas-cap gas n: see associated gas.
gas chromatograph n: a device used to
separate and identify gas compounds by
their adhesion to different layers of a filtering
medium such as clay or paper, sometimes
indicated by colour changes in the medium.
gas collection cells n pi: a device in which
cores are thawed and samples of water and
gas in the cores are collected. Neon is
added to the system to ensure that a full
charge of 'gas is obtained.
gas-condensate-glycol separator n: a
device used in a glycol dehydration system
installed where water is being removed from
gas condensate; the separator removes
glycol from the gas condensate.
gas constant n: a constant number,
mathematically the product of the total
volume and the total pressure divided by the
absolute temperature for 1 mole of any ideal
gas mixture of ideal gases at any
temperature.
gas contract n: a mutually negotiated set of
rules governing conduct between the parties
thereto relating to all matters of common
interest.
gas-cut mud n: a drilling mud that contains
entrained formation gas, giving the mud a

85

characteristically fluffy texture. When entrained gas is not released before the fluid
returns to the well, the weight or density of
the fluid column is reduced. Because a large
amount of gas in mud lowers its density,
gas-cut mud must be treated to reduce the
chance of a kick.
gas cutting n: a process in which gas becomes entrained in a liquid.
gas detection analyser n: a device used to
detect and measure any gas in the drilling
mud as it is circulated to the surface.
gas distribution company n: the entity that
is responsible for moving natural gas from
the pipeline to the consumer. Usually called
the local gas company.
gas drilling n: see air drilling.
gas drive n: the use of the energy that
arises from the expansion of compressed
gas in a reservoir to move crude oil to a
wellbore. Also called depletion drive. See
dissolved- gas drive. gas-cap drive. reservoir
drive mechanism.
gas eliminator n: see air eliminator.
gas expansion n: when oil and gas are
found in the same reservoir under pressure,
the drilling of a well into the reservoir
releases the pressure, causing the gas to
expand. The expanding gas drives the oil
toward and up the well bore. The expansive
energy of the gas can be harnessed whether
the gas is in solution or forming a cap above
the oil.
gas field n: a district or area from which
natural gas is produced.
gas Bow recorder clock n: see flow
recorder clock.
gas imbalance n: a discrepancy between a
transporter's receipts and deliveries of
natural gas for a shipper. Most pipelines
require that shipper's deliveries to the
pipeline and receipts from the pipeline
remain essentially in balance within certain
tolerances, or the pipeline may assess
charges or penalties until the imbalance is
rectified.
gasing-up n: a condition in a producing
oilwell
that
occurs
when
lighter
hydrocarbons come out of the oil and reach
the surface in gaseous form.
gas injection n: the injection of gas into a
reservoir to maintain formation pressure by
gas drive and to reduce the rate of decline of
the original reservoir drive. One type of gas
injection uses gas that does not mix (i.e.,
that is not miscible) with the oil. Examples of
these gases include natural gas, nitrogen,
and flue gas. Another type uses gas that
does mix (i.e., that is miscible) with the oil.
The gas may be naturally miscible or
become miscible under high pressure.
Examples of miscible gases include
propane, methane enriched with other light
hydrocarbons,
methane
under
high
pressure, and carbon dioxide under

gas-lift valve

pressure. Frequently, water is also injected

in alternating steps with the gas.
gas injection well n: see gas input well.
gas input well n: a well into which gas is
injected for the purpose of maintaining or
supplementing pressure in an oil reservoir.
More commonly called a gas injection well.
gas into the system n: gas that is
purchased, taken on exchange, or injected
from storage.
gasket n: any material (such as paper, cork,
asbestos, or rubber) used to seal two
essentially stationary surfaces.
gas laws n pi: laws such as Charles's,
Boyle's, and Avogadro's that describe the
behaviour of gas volumes under pressure
and temperature.
gas leak detector n: device used to detect
combustible hydrocarbons.
gas lift n: the process of raising or lifting
fluid from a well by injecting gas down the
well through tubing or through the tubingcasing annulus. Injected gas aerates the
fluid to make it exert less pressure than the
formation does; the resulting higher
formation pressure forces the fluid out of the
wellbore. Gas may be injected continuously
or intermittently, depending on the producing
characteristics of the well and the
arrangement of the gas-lift equipment.
gas-lift mandrel n: a device installed in the
tubing string of a gas-lift well onto which or
into which a gas-lift valve is fitted. There are
two common types of mandrel. In the
conventional gas-lift mandrel, the gas-lift
valve is installed as the tubing is placed in
the well. Thus, to replace or repair the valve,
the tubing string must be pulled. In the sidepocket mandrel, however, the valve is
installed and removed by wireline while the
mandrel is still in the well, eliminating the
need to pull the tubing to repair or replace
the valve.
gas-lift valve n: a device installed on a gaslift mandrel, which in turn is put on the tubing
string of a gas-lift well.
Tubing and casing
pressures
cause
the valve to open
and close, thus
allowing gas to be
injected into the
fluid in the tubing to
cause the fluid to
rise to the surface.

gas-lift well

gas-lift well n: a well in which reservoir

fluids are artificially lifted by the injection of
gas.
gas liquids n pi: see liquefied petroleum
gas.
gas lock n: I. a condition sometimes encountered in a pumping well when dissolved
gas, released from solution during the
upstroke of the plunger, appears as free gas
between the valves. If the gas pressure is
sufficient, the standing valve is locked shut,
and no fluid enters the tubing. 2. a device
fitted to the gauging hatch on a pressure
tank that enables manual dipping and
sampling without loss of vapour. 3. a
condition that can occur when gas-cut mud
is circulated by the mud pump. The gas
breaks out of the mud, expands, and works
against the operation of the piston and
valves.
gas-miscible flooding n: see gas injection.
gas oil n: a refined fraction of crude oil
somewhat heavier than kerosene and often
used a.., diesel fuel.
gas oil contact n: the point or plane in a
reservoir at which the bottom of a gas sand
is in contact with the top of an oil sand.
gas-oil ratio n: a measure of the volume of
gas produced with oil, expressed in cubic
feet per barrel or cubic metres per tonne.
Also called solution gas-oil ratio.
gasoline n: a volatile, flammable liquid
hydrocarbon refined from crude oils and
used universally as a fuel for internal
combustion, spark-ignition engines.
gasoline plant n: also called a natural gas
processing plant, a term that is preferred,
because it distinguishes the plant from a unit
that makes gasoline within an oil refinery.
See natural gas processing plant.
gas pipeline n: a transmission system for
natural gas or other gaseous material. The
total
system
comprises
pipes
and
compressors needed to maintain the flowing
pressure of the system.
gas plant products n pi: liquids recovered
from natural gas in a gas processing plant
and, in some situations, from field facilities.
See natural gas liquids.
gas processing n: the separation of
constituents from natural gas for the purpose
of making salable products and also for
treating the residue gas to meet required
specifications.
gas processing agreement n: an
agreement under which gas not sold under a
percentage of proceeds contract belongs to
the producer as it passes through the
processing plant. Normal payment is a
percentage of the products recovered; the
seller retains title to the residue gas.
gas processing plant n: see natural gas
processing plant.

86

Gas Processors Association (GPA) n: an

organisation of companies that engage in
gas processing. Its official publication is
Proceedings. Address: P.O. Box 35584;
Thlsa, OK 74153; (918) 493-3872.
gas reguIator n: an automatically operated
valve that, by opening and closing in
response to pressure, permits more or less
gas to flow through a pipeline and thus
controls the pressure.
gas reservoir n: a geological formation
containing a single gaseous phase. When
produced, the surface equipment mayor may
not contain condensed liquid, depending on
the temperature, pressure, and composition
of the single reservoir phase.
gas sand n: a stratuln of sand or porous
sand- stone from which natural gas is
obtained.
gas separator n: see separator:
gasser n: a well that produces natural gas.
gas show n: the gas that appears in drilling
fluid returns, indicating the presence of a
gas zone.
gas sniffer n: see explosimeter.
gas transmission system n: the central or
trunk pipeline system by means of which dry
natural gas is transported from field
gathering stations or processing plants to
the industrial or domestic fuel market Well
pressure is supplemented at intervals along
the transmission line by compressors to
maintain a flow strong enough to move the
gas to its destination.
gas treating n: the removal of hydrogen
sulphide and carbon dioxide from raw gas or
the green gas stream.
gas turbine n: an engine in which gas,
under pressure or formed by combustion, is
directed against a series of turbine blades.
The energy in the expanding gas is
converted into rotary motion.
gas well n: a well that primarily produces
gas. Legal definitions vary among die states.
gas zone n: an area in a reservoir that is
occupied by natural gas.
gate n: in a logging tool, a shutter like device
that opens and closes very quickly to permit
a measurement of the time a formation is
exposed to sound, radioactivity, or other
energy; usually timed in millionths of a
second (microseconds).
gate valve n: a valve that employs a sliding
gate to open to open or close the passage in
it.
gather v: to cause to come together, such
as oil from several wells.
gathering n: the process of mnging oil, gas,
or both from a well or wells in a field to a
point for delivery to a pipeline or other
transporting system.
gathering line n: a pipeline, usually of small
diameter, used to move crude oil or gas from
the field to a main pipeline.

gauge path

gathering station n: a central point where

there is the accessory equipment for
delivering a clean and salable product to the
market or to another pipeline.
gathering system n: the pipelines and other
equipment needed to transport oil, gas, or
both from wells to the gathering station. An
oil gathering system includes oil and gas
separators, emulsion treaters, gathering
tanks, aIxI similar equipment A gas
gad}ering system includes regulators,
compressors, dehydrators, and associated
equipment.
gauge n: 1. the diameter of a bit or the hole
drilled by die bit 2. a device (such as a
pressure gauge) used to measure some
physical property. v: to measure size,
volume, depth, or other measurable
property.
gauge cutters n pi: the teeth or tungsten
carbide inserts in the outermost row on the
cones of a bit, so called because they cut
the outside edge of the hole and determine
the hole's gauge or sire. Also called heel
teeth.
gauge glass n: a glass tube or metal
housing with a glass window that is
connected to a vessel to indicate the level of
the liquid contents.
gauge hatch n: the lidded opening in the top
of an oil or oil product storage tank through
which gauging and sampling operations are
carried out.
gauge head n: the housing of an automatic
tank gauge. It may include the indicator aIxI
the transmitter.
gauge height n: the distance from the
gauge, or reference, point from the bottom of
a tank to a gauge, or reference, point at the
top of the tank, usually on the hatch. On
marine vessels, the measurement must be
made when the vessel is on even keel.
gauge joint n: the heaviest-wall casing
section of the string, usually located just
below the preventers or tree.
gauge lines n pi: small-diameter pipes
leading from an orifice fitting to a bellows in
a flow recorder. They allow gas pressure to
be exerted on the bellows so that the
pressure drop across the orifice plate can be
recorded.
gauge path n: the vertical distance from the
reference point on the gauge hatch to the
bottom of the tank or to the datum plate.

gauge pipe

gauge pipe n: a vertical pipe that extends

from the gauge hatch to the bottom of the
tank or to the datum plate.
gauge point n: 1. the point at which a tape
is lowered and read on a tank, usually at the
rim of the hatch, manway, or expansion
dome. 2. a point to which all subsequent
measurements are related. 3. the point from
which the reference height is determined
and from which the ullages/innages are
taken.
gauge pressure n: 1. the amount of
pressure exerted on the interior walls of a
vessel by the fluid contained in it (as
indicated by a pressure gauge). It is
expressed in pounds per square inch gauge
or in kilo- pascals. Gauge pressure plus
atmospheric pressure equals absolute
pressure. 2. pressure measured relative to
atmospheric pressure considered as zero.
gauger n: a pipeline representative for the
sale or transfer of crude oil from the
producer to the pipeline. He or she samples
or tests the crude oil to determine quantity
and quality and uses a calibrated, flexiblesteel tape with a plumb bob at the end to
measure the oil in the tank.
gauge ring n: a cylindrical metal ring used
to guide, and centralise, packers or tools
inside casing.
gauge-row patterns n pi: the configuration
or shape of the teeth in the outermost row of
teeth on a bit.
gauger's bob n: a graduated weight used
with a graduated tape to measure the height
of the liquid in a storage tank. The weight of
the bob keeps the tape taut in order to
ensure a correct reading of the liquid level.
gauger's tape n: a graduated, metal,
nonsparking, noncorrosive measuring tape
used with a gauger's bob to measure the
height of the liquid in a storage tank.
gauge surface n: the outside surfaces of
the outermost rows of teeth on a bit. They
determine the diameter or gauge of the hole
to be drilled.
gauge trip n: running of a gauge on tubing
or slickline to verify casing dimensions.
gauging n: determining the liquid level of a
tank so that its volume can be calculated.
Usually done by lowering a weighted
graduated steel tape through the tank roof
and noting the level at which the oil surface
cuts the tape when the weight gently
touches the tank bottom. It can also be done
by measuring the distance between liquid
height and a reference point and subtracting
the distance from the gauge height to
determine liquid height.
gauging hatch n: the opening in a tank or
other vessel through which measuring and
sampling are performed.

87

gauging nipple n: a small section of pipe in

the top of a tank through which a tank may
be gauged.
gauging tables n pi: tables prepared by
computers to show the calculated number of
barrels or cubic metres for any given depth
of liquid in a tank. Sometimes called
strapping tables.
gauging tape n: a metal tape used to
measure the depth of liquid in a tank.
GC abbr: gas-cut; used in drilling reports.
GCC abbr: Gulf Cooperation Council.
GCM abbr: gas-cut mud; used in drilling
reports.
GDC survey n: a density log in which a
gamma ray log, a Densilog, and a caliper log
are recorded simultaneously.
gear n: a toothed wheel made to mesh with
another toothed wheel.
gear-and-pinion adj: see rack-and-pinion
gear.
gear pump n: a rotary pump that moves
fluid by means of two contrarotating,
meshing gear wheels. The teeth of one
wheel mesh with the spaces between the
teeth of the other wheel. The fluid enters one
side of the pump, is forced through by the
moving gears, and is discharged on the
other side.
gear reducer n: see gear reduction unit.
gear reducing unit n: a gear or series of
gears that mesh with other gears in a
machine and the purpose of which is to
reduce the speed of the machine's output
shaft or wheel.
gear transmission n: a system consisting of
several toothed wheels (gears) that, when
manipulated (shifted) by an operator,
reduces or increases the speed of a member
being driven by the gears.
gel n: a semisolid, jelly like state assumed
by some colloidal dispersions at rest. When
agitated. the gel converts to a fluid state.
Also a nickname for bentonite. v: to take the
form of a gel; to set.
gel cement n: cement or cement slurry that
has been modified by the addition of
bentonite.
gelled up adj: see clabbered.
gel strength n: a measure of the ability of a
colloidal dispersion to develop and retain a
gel form, based on its resistance to shear.
The gel. or shear, strength of a drilling mud
determines its ability to hold solids in
suspension. Sometimes bentonite and other
colloidal clays are added to drilling fluid to
increase its gel strength.
general gas law n: any law relating to the
pressure, temperature, or volume of a gas.
generalised viscosity cone n: a plot of
calibration coefficient versus a modified
expression of Reynolds number.
generator n: a machine that changes
mechanical energy into electrical energy.

geology

generator identification number (GIN) n:

an identification number required for
producers of hazardous or acute hazardous
waste that exceed EPA minimum's under
RCRA.
geochemistry n: study of the relative and
absolute abundances of the elements of the
earth and the physical and chemical
processes that have produced their
observed distributions.
geological correlation n: the relating of
subsurface information obtained from one
wen to that of others.
geologic time scale n: the long periods of
time dealt with and identified by geology.
Geologic time is divided into eras (usually
Cenozoic,
Mesozoic,
Paleozoic,
and
Precambrian), which are subdivided into
periods and epochs. When the age of a type
of rock is determined, it is assigned a place
in the scale and thereafter referred to as, for
example, Mesozoic rock of the Triassic
period.
geologist n: a scientist who gathers and
interprets data pertaining to the rocks of the
earth's crust.

GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE

GeolographTM n: trade name for a patented
device that automatically records the rate of
penetration and depth during drilling.
geology n: die science of the physical
history of the earth and its life, especially as
recorded in the rocks of the crust.

geomorphic unit

geomorphic unit n: one of the features that,

taken together, make up the form of the
surface of the earth.
geophone n: an instrument placed on the
surface that .detects vibrations passing
through the earth's crust. It is used in conjunction with seismography. Geophones are
often called jugs. See seismograph.
geophysical exploration n: measurement
of the physical properties of the earth to
locate subsurface formations that may
contain commercial accumulations of oil,
gas, or other minerals; to obtain information
for the design of surface structures; or to
make other practical applications. The
properties most often studied in the oil
industry
are
seismic
characteristics,
magnetism, and gravity.
geophysicist
n:
one
who
studies
geophysics.
geophysics n: the physics of the earth,
including
meteorology,
hydrology,
oceanography, seismology, volcanology,
magnetism, and radioactivity.
geopressure n: abnormally high pressure
exerted by some subsurface formations. The
deeper the formation, the higher the
pressure it exerts on a wellbore drilled into it.
geopressured shales n pi: impermeable
shales, highly compressed by overburden
pressure, that are characterized by large
amounts of formation fluids and abnormally
high pore pressure.
geoscience n: a science dealing with the
earth-geology, physical geography, geophysics, geomorphology, geochemistry.
geostatic pressure n: the pressure to which
a formation is subjected by its overburden.
Also called ground pressure, lithostatic
pressure, rock pressure.
geostatic pressure gradient n: the change
in geostatic pressure per unit of depth in the
earth.
geothermal adj: pertaining to heat within the
earth.
geothermal gradient n: the increase in the
temperature of the earth with increasing
depth. It averages about 1F per 60 feet
(1C per 18.3 metres), but may be
considerably higher or lower.
geothermal reservoir n: 1. a subsurface
layer of rock containing steam or hot water
that is trapped in the layer by overlying
impermeable rock. 2. a subsurface layer of
rock that is hot but contains little or no water.
Geothermal reservoirs are a potential source
of energy.
geronimo n: see safety slide.
get a bite v: to set tools in casing.
GilsoniteTM n: trade name for asphaltum
mined, manufactured, or marketed by or for
American Gilsonite Company.
gimbal n: a mechanical frame that permits
an object mounted in it to remain in a

88

stationary
or near-stationary
position
regardless of movement of the frame.
Gimbals are often used offshore to
counteract undesirable wave motion.

GIN abbr: generator identification number.

gin pole n: a pole (usually single) with guy
wires and used with block and tackle to hoist
equipment. On a drilling rig, the gin pole is
typically secured to the mast or derrick
above the monkeyboard.
gin pole truck n: a truck equipped with
hoisting equipment and a pole or
arrangement of poles for use in lifting heavy
machinery.
girt n: one of the horizontal braces between
the legs of a derrick.
GL abbr: ground level; used in drilling reports.
gland n: a device used to form a seal
around a reciprocating or rotating rod (as in
a pump) to prevent fluid leakage.
Specifically, the movable part of a stuffing
box by which the packing is compressed.
See stuffing box.
gland packing n: material placed around a
gland to effect a seal around a reciprocating
or rotating rod.
gland-packing nut n: a threaded device the
sides of which are arranged so that a
wrench can be fitted onto them and used to
retain the gland packing in place around a
rod. See gland packing.
glass disk n: a sub with a glass blockage in
the bore, used to isolate a surge chamber in
gravel packing or perforation cleaning
operations.
globe valve n: see valve.
glow plug n: a small electric heating
element placed inside a diesel engine
cylinder to heat the air and to make starting
easier. GLR abbr: gas-liquid-ratio.
glycol n: a group of compounds used to
dehydrate gaseous or liquid hydrocarbons or
to inhibit the formation of hydrates. Glycol is
also used in engine radiators as an
antifreeze. Commonly used glycols are
ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, and
triethylene glycol.
glycol absorber n: a cylinder consisting of
several perforated trays with bubble caps
mounted over the perforations and

Gondwanaland

functioning as a part of a glycol dehydration

system.
glycol/amine process n: a process that
uses a solution comprising 10 to 30 percent
monoethanolamine, 45 to 85 percent glycol,
and 5 to 25 percent water for the
simultaneous removal of water vapour, H2S
and CO2 from gas streams.
glycol dehydrator n: a processing unit used
to remove all or most of the water from gas.
A glycol unit usually includes an absorber, in
which the wet gas is put into contact with
glycol to remove the water, and a reboiler,
which heats the wet glycol to remove the
water from it so that it can be recycled.
glycol knockout n: a component in the
contactor of a glycol dehydration unit that
recovers any glycol that has gotten past the
mist extractor.
GM abbr: General Motors Corporation; a
manufacturer of two-stroke-cycle diesel
engines used in the petroleum industry.
go-devil n: 1. a device that is inserted into a
pipeline for the purpose of cleaning; a line
scraper. Also called a pig. 2. a device that is
lowered into the borehole of a well for
various purposes such as enclosing
surveying
instruments,
detonating
instruments, and the like. v: to drop or pump
a device down the borehole, usually through
drill pipe or tubing.
go in the hole v: to lower the drill stem, the
tubing, the casing, or the sucker rods into
the wellbore.
Gondwanaland n: the southern part of the
supercontinent Pangaea, comprising the
future land masses of South America, Africa,
Antarctica, Australia, and India.

gone to water

gone to water adj: pertaining to a well in

which production of oil has decreased and
production of water has increased (e.g.,
"The well has gone to water").
good title n: see lnerr:hantable title.
gooseneck n: the curved connection
between the rotary hose and the swivel. See
swivel. GOR abbr: gas-oil ratio.
gouge n: finely abraded material occurring
between the walls of a fault as the result of
grinding movement.
governor n: any device that limits or
controls the speed of an engine.
GPA abbr: Gas Processors Association.
GPG abbr: grains per gallon; parts per
million equals grains per gallon Y 17.1.
gpm abbr: 1. gallons per minute when
referring to rate of flow. 2. gallons per
thousand cubic feet when referring to natural
gas in terms of chromatograph analysis or
theoretical gallons.
gr abbr: gray; used in drilling reports.
grab n: in sampling petroleum and
petroleum products, a small sample, usually
1.5 millilitres (0.05 ounce), obtained by the
probe and sampler in an automatic sampling
system. Several grabs constitute a sample.
graben n: a block of the earth's crust that
has slid downward between two faults.
Compare horst.

grab sample n: sample obtained by

collecting loose solids in equal quantities
from each part or package of a shipment
and in sufficient quantity to be characteristic
of all sizes and components.
graded stream n: a flowing stream that is
stable, or in balance with its average load. It
is just steep enough to carry out of its basin
the amount of sediment brought in during an
average-flow year.
graded string n: a casing string made up of
several weights or grades of casing and
designed to take into account well depth,
expected pressures, and weight of the fluid
in the well. Also called mixed string.
grades or drill pipe n: most present-day
seamless drill pipe falls into one of four
American Petroleum Institute (API) grades.
(1) E-75, with a minimum yield strength of
75,000 psi (517,125 kilopascals-kPa), a
maximum yield strength of 105,000 psi
(723,975 kPa), and a minimum tensile
strength of 100,000 psi (689,500 kPa); (2) X-

89

95, with a minimum yield strength of 95,000

psi (655,025 kPa), a maximum yield strength
of 125,000 psi (861,875 kPa), and a
minimum tensile strength of 105,000 psi
(723,975 kPa); (3) G-105, with a minimum
yield strength of 105,000 psi (723,975 kPa),
a maximum yield strength of 135,000 psi
(930,825 kPa), and a minimum tensile
strength of 115,000 psi (792,925 kPa); and
S-135, with a minimum yield strength of
135,000 psi (930,825 kPa), a maximum yield
strength of 165,000 psi (1,137,675 kPa), and
a minimum tensile strength of 145,000 psi
(999,775 kPa). V-150 is a non- API, but
higher strength, grade. It has a minimum
yield strength and a tensile strength of
150,000 psi (1,034,250 kPa).
grading n: the process of providing a
smooth and even work area to facilitate the
movement of equipment onto and along a
right-of-way. Grading entails leveling, cutting, and filling.
gradualism n: see unifonnitarianism.
graduated neck n: the section of reduced
cross-sectional area at the top and/or rottom
of an open tank prover. It has visible
graduations to enable measuring small
volumes.
graduated neck prover n: an open tank:
prover with one or two graduated necks. See
graduated neck.
Graham's Law or Diffusion n: law that
states that the rate of diffusion of a gas is
inversely proportional to the square root of
its density.
grains per gallon (GPG) n: a unit of
measure for the strength, or concentration.
of a solution. It is based on a unit of weight
called the grain, which equals 0.002285
ounce, or 0.0648 gram. One grain per gallon
equals 0.058479 part per million.
gram n: a unit of metric measure of mass
and weight equal to 1/1,000 kilogram and
nearly equal to 1 cubic centimetre of water
at its maximum density.
gram molecular weight n: see molecular
weight.
granite n: an igneous rock composed
primarily of feldspar, quartz. and mica. It is
the most common intrusive rock - that is, it
originally solidified below the surface of the
earth. Its rock crystals are easily seen by the
eye.
grantee n: a person to whom property is
conveyed. Compare grantor:
granting clause n: clause in an oil aIxl gas
lease that specifies die rights and interests
granted by the lessor to die lessee. Such
rights usually involve searching and drilling
for, then producing, oil and gas.
grantor n: a person who conveys property.
COfnpaIe grantee.
graphite n: a soft. black, shiny mineral of
pure carbon produced when hydrocarbons
are subjected to high temperahires and

gravity check

pressures. Used in pencils and crucibles, as

a lubricant. and in atomic-energy plants to
control the release of radiation from uranium
fuel.
grapple n: a mechanism that is fitted into an
overshot to grasp and retrieve fish from the
borehole. The interior of a grapple is
wickered to engage the fish. See basket
grapple. spiral grapple.
grasshopper n: see water outlet.
grass-roots refinery n: a refinery roilt from
the ground up. as opposed to one to which
an addition or a modification has been
made.
gravel n: sand or glass beads of uniform
size and roundness used in gravel packing.
gravel pack n: a mass of very fine gravel
placed around a slotted liner in a wen. See
gravel packing.
gravel-pack v: to place a slotted or
perforated liner in a wen and surround it with
gravel. See gravel packing.
gravel packing n: a method of well
completion in which a slotted or perforated
liner, often wire-wrapped, is placed in the
well and surrounded by gravel. If open hole,
the well is sometimes enlarged by
underreaming at the point where the gravel
is packed. The mass of gravel excludes
sand from the wellbore rot allows continued
production.
gravel-pack packer n: a packer used for the
well completion method of gravel packing.
graveyard tour (pronounced "tower") n: the
shift of duty on a drilling rig that starts at
midnight. Sometimes caned the morning
tour.
gravimeter n: an instrument used to detect
and measure minute differences in the
earth's gravitational pull at different locations
to obtain data about subsurface formations.
gravimetric survey n: the survey made with
a gravimeter.
gravitometer n: a device for measuring and
recording the density or specific gravity of a
gas or liquid passing a point of
measurement. Also called a densimeter.
gravity n: 1. the attraction exerted by the
earth's mass on objects at its surface. 2. the
weight of a body. See API gravity. relative
density, specific gravity.
gravity check n: in marketing, the checking
of the gravity of the fuel at the terminal.

gravity compensator

gravity compensator n: a double index

scale against which a fixed reference pointer
may be moved to correct for variations in
gravity from a base point computed for water
at 60F. The compensator is marked in both
specific gravity and API gravity units.
gravity differentiaI n: the difference in
density between the water and the oil in an
oilfield emulsion. The greater the gravity
differential. the easier it is to break the
emulsion.
gravity drainage n: the movement of fluids
in a reservoir resulting from the force of
gravity. In the absence of an effective water
or gas drive. gravity drainage is an important
source of energy to produce oil. and it may
also supplement other types of natural drive.
Also called segregation drive.
gravity segregation n: the tendency of
reservoir fluids to separate into distinct
layers according to their respective
densities. For example. water is heavier than
oil; therefore. water injected during water
flooding will tend to move along the bottom
portion of a reservoir.
gravity survey n: an exploration method in
which an instrument that measures the
intensity of the earth's gravity is passed over
the surface or through the water. In places
where the instrument detects stronger-or
weaker-than-normal gravity forces. a
geologic structure containing hydrocarbons
may exist.
Gray valve n: see inside blowout preventer:
graywacke n: a sandstone that contains
more than 15 percent silt and clay. and
whose grains tend to be angular and poorly
sorted.
grease fitting n: a device on a machine that
is designed to accept the hose of a grease
gun so that grease can be added to the part
in need of lubrication.
grease injector n: a surface device used in
pressure control for slickline. See also
lubricator.
grease sample n: sample obtained by
scooping or dipping a quantity of soft or
semi-liquid material, such as grease. from a
package so that the material on the scoop or
dipper is representative of the material in the
package.
greasing out n: when essentially waterinsoluble greasy materials (e.g., emulsifiers.
lubricants) separate out of drilling fluids.
great circle n: the path on the surface of a
sphere-type tank defined by the intersection
of a plane surface and including the centre
of the sphere. Compare equatorial
circumference.
green gas n: raw. untreated gas; gas as it
leaves the well and before it enters any field
or other treating facilities.
greenhouse effect n: a process whereby
the earth's atmosphere retains long-wave

90

radiation. The atmosphere works in much

the same way as the glass panes of a
greenhouse.
greensand n: a sand that contains
considerable quantities of glauconite, a
greenish mineral composed of potassium,
iron. and silicate, which gives the sand its
colour and name.
Grem vane wheel (GVW) n: a free-running
propeller mounted on or near the shaftdriven main propeller of a ship or tanker
ship. The Grem vane wheel turns like a
windmill because of the high-speed flow of
water created by the main propeller. A GVW
improves efficiency and thus can increase a
ship's speed without additional power.
grief stem n: (obsolete) kelly; kelly joint.
grinding and buffing n: in pipeline
construction, the process of cleaning pipe
ends of dirt. rust, mill scale, or solvent to
prepare them for welding. Grinding and
buffing tasks are accomplished with power
hand tools such as wire brushes and buffers.
grind out v: to test for the presence of water
in oil by use of a centrifuge.
grind-out machine n: see centrifuge.
grip n: see wire rope grip.
grn abbr: green; used in drilling reports.
GRN abbr: gamma-ray-neutron (a well log).
groove n: 1. the depression in a sheave
(pulley) into which wire rope seats as the
wire rope moves over the sheave. 2. on a
draw- works drum, one of several
depressions on the surface of the drum
around which the wire rope drilling line is
wrapped. The grooves keep the wire rope
from wrapping unevenly across the drum.
groove radius n: in measuring grooves of a
sheave, the radius of a circle that fits inside
a groove. Used to determine wear on wire
rope.
gross energy Consumption n: total energy
use, including electrical system energy
losses.
gross beating value n: the number of kilojoules (Btu 's) evolved by the complete
combustion, at constant pressure, of 1
standard cubic metre of gas, with all of the
water formed by the comoostion reaction
being condensed to the liquid state.
gross meter throughput n: the indicated
throughput corrected only for meter
performance (i.e., by multiplying by the
meter factor).
gross observed volume (GOV) n: the total
volume of all petroleum liquids and sediment
and water, excluding free water. at observed
temperature and pressure.
gross production n: the total production of
oil from a well or lease during a specified
period of time.
gross standard volume (GSV) n: the total
volume of all petroleum liquids and sediment
and water, excluding free water, corrected
by the appropriate temperature correction

ground block

factor (Ctl)for the observed temperature and

API gravity, relative density, or density to a
standard temperature such as 60F or 15C,
and also corrected by the applicable
pressure correction factor (Cpl) and meter
factor.
gross standard weight (GSW) n: the total
weight of all petroleum liquids and sediment
and water (if any), excluding free water. It is
determined by applying the appropriate
weight conversion factors to the gross
standard volume.
gross tonnage n: the interior capacity of a
ship or a mobile offshore drilling unit. The
capacity is expressed in tons, although the
actual measurement is in volume, 1 ton
being equivalent to 100 cubic feet of volume.
This rule holds for measuring ship capacity
for US maritime purposes. All principal
maritime governments have their own rules
describing how tonnage is to be measured.
gross volume n: the total amount of liquid in
a storage tank excluding any adjustments for
S&W, temperature, or density. Compare net
volume.
gross wet gas withdrawal n: full well
stream volume, including all natural gas
plant liquid and nonhydrocarbon gases, but
excluding lease condensate. Also includes
amounts delivered as royalty payments or
consumed in field operations.
gross working interest n: a workinginterest owner's total ownership in
production, before deduction of related
royalty, overriding royalty, or production
payment interests.
ground anchor n: see deadman.
ground bed n: in cathodic protection, an
interconnected group of impressed-current
anodes that absorbs the damage caused by
generated electric current.
ground block n: a wireline sheave, or
pulley, that is fastened to the ground anchor
and that changes a horizontal pull on a wireline to a vertical pull (as in swabbing with a
derrick over a well). See block.

ground pressure

ground pressure n: see geostatic pressure.

groundwater n: water that seeps through soil
and fills pores of underground rock
formations; the source of water in springs
and wells.
grout n: a motar-like material used to seal
between objects. v: to force sealing material
into a soil, sand. or rock formation to
stabilise it.
growth fault n: an active fault that continues
to slip while sediments are being deposited. causing the strata on the
downthrust side to be thicker than those on
the other side. Also called rollover fault.

guaranteed royalty n: the minimum amount

of royalty income a royalty owner is to
receive under the terms of the lease
agreement, regardless of the royalty owner's
share of actual proceeds from the sale of
production. guard n: a metal shield placed
around moving parts of machinery to lessen
or avoid the chance of injury to personnel. In
the oilfield, guards are used on equipment
such as belts, power transmission chains,
drums, flywheels, and drive shafts.
guard-electrode log n: a focused system
designed to measure the true formation
resistivity in well bores filled with salty mud.
Current is forced by guard electrodes to flow
into the formation. Also called Laterolog N.
guardian n: person appointed by a court of
competent jurisdiction for the purpose of
managing property and rights for another
person who is considered incapable of
managing for himself or herself-for example,
a minor child, a mentally ill person, or
someone judged mentally incompetent.
guardrail n: a railing for guarding against
danger or trespass. On a drilling or workover
rig, for example, guardrails are used on the
rig floor to prevent persons from falling;
guardrails are also installed on the mud pits
and other high areas where there is any
danger of falling.
guar gum n: a naturally occurring
hydrophilic polysaccharide derived from the
seed of the guar plant. The gum is
chemically classified as a galactomannan.
Guar gum slurries made up in clear fresh or
brine water possess pseudoplastic flow
properties.
guidance
system
n:
in
pipeline
construction, the means by which a river
crossing stays on course. Frequently
computerised, guidance systems may be
based
on
information
gathered
by
pendulums, which determine inclination;

91

gyroprobes, which are sensitive to drift and

bearing; and sonar. Lasers are also used to
guide crossing.
guide base n: see permanent guide base,
temporary guide base.
guide fossil n: the petrified remains of
plants or animals, useful for correlation and
age determination of the rock in which they
were found.
guideline n: on a spinning chain, a piece of
fiber rope (soft line) that is attached to the
end of the chain that is wrapped around the
tool joint. When the makeup cathead pulls
the chain off the drill pipe, a rotary helper
uses the guideline to control the chain's
movement.
guidelines n pl: lines, usually four, attached
to the temporary guide base and permanent
guide base to help position equipment (such
as blowout preventers) accurately on the
seafloor when a well is drilled offshore from
a floating vessel.
guide pole n: a device, usually in the form
of a cylindrical vertical tube, used in floating
roof tanks to prevent rotation of the roof.
guide rails n pl: on some top drives, the
steel tracks on which the top-drive unit
travels up and down when the driller raises
or lowers the traveling block. The rails also
keep the unit from turning when its motor
rotates the drill stem. Compare torque track,
torque tube. See also top drive.
guide ring n: a cylindrical metal ring used to
guide packers past casing obstructions.
guide shoe n: 1. a short, heavy, cylindrical
section of steel filled with concrete and
rounded at the bottom, which is placed at
the end of the casing string. It prevents the
casing from snagging on irregularities in the
borehole as it is lowered.
A passage
through the centre of the shoe allows drilling
fluid to pass up into the casing while it is
being lowered and allows cement to pass
out during cementing operations.
Also
called casing shoe. 2. a device, similar to a
casing shoe, placed at the end of other
tubular goods.

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) n:

association of Persian Gulf nations-Bahrain,
Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, United
Arab Emirates-formed to defend themselves
collectively against aggression.

gunk squeeze

Gulf Stream n: warm ocean current that

flows north from the Gulf of Mexico along the
eastern US coast to an area off the southeastern coast of Newfoundland.

n:
any
hydrophilic
plant
gum
polysaccharides or their derivatives that.
when dispersed in water. swell to produce a
viscous dispersion or solution. Unlike resins,
they are soluble in water and insoluble in
alcohol.
gumbo n: any relatively sticky formation
(such as clay) encountered in drilling.
gun barrel n: a settling tank used to
separate oil and water in the field. After
emulsified oil is heated and treated with
chemicals, it is pumped into the gun barrel,
where the water settles out and is drawn off,
and the clean oil flows out to storage. Gun
barrels have largely been replaced by
unified heater-treater equipment, rot are still
found, especially in older or marginal fields.
Also called a wash tank.
GuniteTM n: trade name for a cement-sand
mixture used to seal pipe against air,
moisture, and corrosion damage.
gunk n: the collection of dirt, paraffin, oil,
mill scale, rust, and other debris that is
cleaned out of a pipeline when a scraper or
a pig is put through the line.
gunk plug n: a slurry in crude or diesel oil
containing any of the following materials or
combinations: bentonite, cement. attapulgite,
and guar gum (never with cement). Used
primarily in combating lost circulation.
gunk slurry n: a mixture of diesel oil and
bentonite that is sometimes used to seal a
lost circulation zone.
gunk squeeze n: a bentonite and diesel oil
mixture that is pumped down the drill pipe
and into the armulus to mix with drilling moo.
The stiff. puttylike material is squeezed into
lost circulation zones to seal them.

gun-perforate

gun-perforate v: to create holes in casing

and cement set through a productive
formation. A common method of completing
a well is to set casing through the oil-bearing
formation and cement it. A perforating gun is
then lowered into the hole and fired to
detonate high-powered jets or shoot steel
projectiles (bullets) through the casing and
cement and into the pay zone. The formation
fluids flow out of the reservoir through the
perforations and into the wellbore. See jetperforate, perforating gun.

gun the pits v: to agitate the drilling fluid in

a pit by means of a mud gun, electric mixer,
or agitator.
gunwale n: the intersection of the deck
plating with the side shell plating on a ship.
gusher n: an oilwell that has come in with
such great pressure that the oil jets out of
the well like a geyser. In reality, a gusher is
a blowout and is extremely wasteful of
reservoir fluids and drive energy. In the
early days of the oil industry, gushers were
common and many times were the only
indication that a large reservoir of oil and
gas had been struck. See blowout.

92

guyed-tower platform rig n: a compliant

offshore drilling platform used to drill
development wells. The foundation of the
platform is a relatively lightweight jacket on
which all equipment is placed. A system of
guy wires anchored by clump weights helps
secure the jacket to the seafloor and allows
it to move with wind and wave forces. See
platform rig.
guying system n: the system of guy lines
and anchors used to brace a rig.
guy line n: a wireline attached to a mast,
derrick, or offshore platform to stabilise it.
See load guy line. wind guy line.
guy line anchor n: a buried weight or
anchor to which a guy line is attached. See
deadman.
guy wire n: a rope or cable used to steady a
mast or pole.
GVW abbr: Grem vane wheel. gyp n: (slang)
gypsum.
gypsum n: a naturally occurring crystalline
fom1 of calcium sulphate in which each
molecule of calcium sulphate is combined
with two molecules of water. See anhydrite.
calcium sulphate.
gyroscope n: a wheel or disk mounted to
spin rapidly about one axis but free to rotate
about one or both of two axes perpendicular
to each other. The inertia of the spinning
wheel tends to keep its axis pointed in one
direction regardless of how the other axes
are rotated.
gyroscopic surveying instrument n: a
device used to detem1ine direction and
angle at which a wellbore is drifting off the
vertical.
Unlike
magnetic
surveying
instruments, a gyroscopic instrument reads
true direction and is not affected by
magnetic irregularities that may be caused
by casing or other ferrous metals. See
directional drilling, directional survey.

gyroscopic surveying instrument

H sym: henry.
h abbr: hour.
HCN form: hydrogen cyanide.
H2S form: hydrogen sulphide.
H2S trim n: see trim.
H2SO3 form: sulphurous acid.
H2SO4 form: sulphuric acid.
habendum clause n: the clause in an oil
and gas lease that fixes the duration of the
lessee's interest in both a primary and a
secondary term. Also called tenrm clause.
half-cell n: a single electrode immersed in
an electrolyte for the purpose of measuring
metal-to-electrolyte potentials and. therefore.
the corrosion tendency of a particular
system.
half-life n: the amount of time needed for
half of a quantity of radioactive substance to
decay or transmute into a nonradioactive
substance. Half-lives range from fractions of
seconds to millions of years.
half mule shoe n: a cutoff pup joint below a
packer that is used as a fluid entry device
and a seal assemblies guide.
half siding n: the flat. horizontal section of
the bottom shell plating measured from the
centerline of the vessel to the edge of the
flat keel plate.
halite n: rock salt (NaCI).
hammer n: tool used to drive the conductor
pipe into the ground. The single-acting
diesel is the most popular. as it has the most
foot -pounds of energy for the weight of the
hammer. Other types of hammer include
impact and vibrating.
hammer drill n: a drilling tool that, when
placed in the drill stem just above a roller
cone bit, delivers high-frequency percussion
blows to the rotating bit. Hammer drilling
combines the basic features of rotary and
cable-tool drilling (i.e.. bit rotation and
percussion).
hammer-drill v: see hammer drill.
hammering-up n: connection of treating line
during well servicing. from pump trucks to
the tree or wellhead.
hammer test n: a method of locating
corroded sections of pipe by striking the pipe
with a hammer. When struck, a corroded
section resounds differently from a
noncorroded section.
hand n: a worker in the oil industry,
especially one in the field.

handling costs n pi: see marketing costs.

handrail n: a railing or pipe along a passageway or stair that serves as a support or a
guard.
hand-tight coupling n: a coupling screwed
onto casing tight enough so that a wrench
must be used to remove it.
handy n: a connection that can be
unscrewed by hand.
hanger n: see casing hanget; tubing hanger.
hanger-packer n: a device that fits around
the top of a string of casing or a string of
tubing and supports part of the weight of the
casing or tubing while providing a pressuretight seal. See hanger, packer.

hanger plug n: a device placed or hung in

the casing below the blowout preventer
stack to form a pressure-tight seal.
Pressure is then applied to the blowout
preventer stack to test it for leaks.
hanging wall n: the rock surface forming the
upper side of a fault when the fault plane is
not vertical-that is, if the dip is less than 90".
Compare footwall.
hangline n: a single length of wire rope
attached to the crown block by which the
travelling block is suspended when not in
use. Also called a hang-off line.
hang off v: to close a ram blowout preventer
around the drill pipe when the annular
preventer has previously been closed to offset the effect of heave on floating offshore
rigs during well-control procedures.
hang-offline n: see hangline.
hang rods v: to suspend sucker rods in a
derrick or mast on rod hangers rather than to
place them horizontally on a rack.
HAP abbr: hazardous airborne pollutant.

93

hard banding n: a special wear-resistant

material often applied to tool joints to
prevent abrasive wear to the area when the
pipe is being rotated downhole.
hardfacing n: an extremely hard material,
usually crushed tungsten carbide, that is
applied to the outside surfaces of tool joints,
drill collars, stabilisers, and other rotary
drilling tools to minimise wear when they are
in contact with the wall of the hole.
hard hat n: a hard plastic helmet worn by
oilfield workers to minimise the danger of
being injured by falling objects.
hard shut in n: in a well-control operation,
closing the BOP without first opening an
alternate flow path up the choke line. When
the BOP is closed, pressure in the annulus
cannot be read on the casing pressure
gauge.
hard water n: water that contains dissolved
compounds of calcium, magnesium, or both.
Compare soft water.
harmful quantity n: any quantity that
produces a sheen, sludge, film, or
discoloration of the surface water in
navigable US waters.
harmonic motion n: a periodic motion with
a single frequency or amplitude or one that
is composed of two or more such motions.
hatch n: I. an opening in the roof of a tank
through which a gauging line may be
lowered to measure its contents. 2. the
opening from the dock into the cargo space
of ships.
hawser n: a rope, usually of large diameter,
used to moor or tow marine vessels.
hay n: excelsior, used in emulsion treating to
encourage coalescence.
hay pulley n: a pulley that is normally
attached to the wellhead at a convenient
place for the wireline to pass through as it
comes from the stuffing box sheave before
being spooled onto the wireline reel. The
hay pulley prevents any lateral force from
being exerted on the lubricator and the
wellhead.
hayrack n: (obsolete) a rack used to hold
pipe on a derrick; a fingerboard.
hayrake n: see hayrack.

hay section

hay section n: a section of a heater or a

heater-treater that is filled with fibrous
material through which oil and water
emulsions are filtered.
Hazard Communication Standard (HAZCOM, "CS, or the "Employee Right to
Know") n: an OSHA standard that
guarantees employees the right to know
about chemical hazards on the job and how
to protect themselves from those hazards.
Under HAZCOM, all manufacturers and
employers must prepare a written hazard
communication program; prepare a list of all
hazardous materials in the workplace; label
all containers of hazardous materials in the
workplace; collect and maintain a material
safety data sheet (MSDS) for each
hazardous material present in the workplace; and provide employee training on
specific topics related to hazardous
substances.
hazardous adj: involving or exposing one to
risk. The lists of material or waste that are
considered hazardous vary from agency to
agency and from regulation to regulation:
hazardous materials in transport are
regulated by DOT; hazardous substances in
the workplace are regulated by OSHA;
hazardous waste is regulated under EPA's
RCRA; toxic substances are regulated under
EPA's TSCA; hazardous air pollutants are
regulated under EPA's CAA; and so on. The
hazardous list for that regulation is tailored
to that purpose.
hazardous airborne pollutant (HAP) n:
(CAA) air emissions that are immediately
hazardous to human health or that cause
cancer, gene mutation, or reproductive
harm. Due to its harmful nature, the
allowable emission of a hazardous airborne
pollutant is much lower than that for a
conventional, or criteria, pollutant.
hazardous chemical n: 1. (OSHA) (HAZCOM) any chemical that is a physical hazard
or a health hazard. 2. (SARA) any
hazardous chemical as defined under 29
CFR 1910.1200(c), except those that are
regulated by other agencies or laws.
hazardous materials (HAZMAT) n pi:
(DOT) substances or materials in quantities
or forms that may pose an unreasonable risk
to health, safety, or property when stored,
transported, or used in commerce.
hazardous materials specialist level n: a
training level achieved by any employee who
has been HAZWOPER trained to assist and
support a hazardous materials technician in
making certain emergency action decisions.
The duties of hazardous materials
specialists parallel those of the technician,
but require a more directed or specific
knowledge of the various substances they
may be called on to contain. The hazardous
materials specialist also acts as the site
liaison with federal, state, local, and other

94
government authorities in regard to site
activities.
hazardous materials technician level n: a
training level achieved by any employee who
has been HAZWOPER trained to take an
offensive role in emergency response.
Technicians are trained to take certain
actions that deal directly with stopping a
release, such as approaching the point of
release to plug, patch, or otherwise stop the
release.
hazardous substance n: 1. any substance
designated under CWA or CERCLA as
posing a threat to waterways and the
environment when released. 2. (CERCLA)
any substance designated in 40 CFR 302.
hazardous waste n: 1. any solid waste
("solid" includes any solid, liquid, semi-solid,
or contained gaseous material) resulting
from industrial, commercial, mining, or
agricultural operations, or from community
activities, that meets certain characteristics
of hazard (i.e., ignitable, corrosive, reactive,
toxic) or that is listed as a waste from
specific or nonspecific sources or that is a
listed commercial chemical product or
manufacturing
intermediate
that
is
sometimes discarded. 2. (RCRA) discarded
materials regulator by the EPA because of
public health and safety concerns. 3.
(HAZWOPER) a waste or combination of
wastes as defined in 40 CFR 261.3, or those
substances defined as hazardous wastes in
49 CFR 171.8.3. (CERCLA) those wastes
listed in 40 CFR 261.3.
hazardous waste generator n: an operator
that produces hazardous or acute hazardous
waste. If the quantity of waste exceeds EPA
minimum's under RCRA, the operator must
obtain a generator identification number and
must meet other RCRA requirements. The
hazardous waste generator must place
hazardous wastes in proper containers; label
the containers; ensure safe handling of the
material; manifest shipments to licensed
disposal sites; and report discrepancies in
waste shipments to the EPA.
hazardous waste manifest n: a document
that identifies the waste and all parties
responsible for it while it is being shipped.
Hazardous
Waste
Operations
and
Emergency
Response
Standard
(HAZWOPER) n: an OSHA standard that is
concerned primarily with worker safety in
emergency
response
situations.
HAZWOPER requires employers to protect
the safety and health of three specific
groups of workers: those involved in
emergency response or cleanup at
hazardous waste sites; those involved in
emergency response at treatment, storage,
and disposal (TSD) sites; and those involved
in emergency response to incidents
involving hazardous substances.
hazard warning n: (OSHA) any words,
pictures, symbols, or combination thereof

heading
appearing on a label or other appropriate
form of warning that convey the hazard(s) of
the chemical(s) in the container(s).
HAZCOM abbr: Hazard Communication
Standard.
HAZMAT abbr: hazardous material.
HAZMAT team n: the designated and
trained personnel who respond to hazardous
material incidents.
HAZWOPER abbr: Hazardous Waste
0perations and Emergency Response
Standard.
HBP abbr: held by production; commonly
used in land departments.
HCN form: hydrogen cyanide. H-crossover
n: circulating member with integrallanding
nipples.
HCS
abbr:
Hazard
Communication
Standard.
head n: 1. the height of a column of liquid
required to produce a specific pressure. See
hydraulic head. 2. for centrifugal pumps, the
velocity of flowing fluid converted into
pressure expressed in feet or metres of
flowing fluid. Also called velocity head. 3.
that part of a machine (such as a pump or
an engine) that is on the end of the cylinder
opposite the crankshaft. Also called cylinder
head.
headache n: (slang) the position in which
the mast on a mobile rig is resting
horizontally over the driver's cab.
headache post n: the post on cable-tool rigs
that supports the end of the walking beam
when the rig is not operating.
header n: a chamber from which fluid is
distributed to smaller pipes or conduits, e.g.,
a manifold.
head gasket n: a thin piece of material
made of cork or other similar material placed
between an engine's cylinder head and
engine block. It seals between the head and
block, and flexes to maintain the seal as the
head and block expand at different rates
with changes in engine temperature.
headgate n: the gate valve nearest the
pump or compressor on oil or gas lines.
heading n: intermittent flow of fluid from a
well.

headlog

headlog n: in river craft of rectangular

shape, the structural member at the extreme
end between the rake shell plating and the
deck.
head meter n: 1. a constriction placed in a
closed conduit of flowing fluid. 2. a flowmeter that depends on pressure head
change to operate.
head room n: in crane operations, the
vertical distance the crane can hoist a load
before it strikes an obstruction.
head well puller n: crew chief.
health hazard n: (OSHA) the potential
human health hazard associated with
contact with materials or substances. A
chemical that is listed as a health hazard is a
chemical for which there is statistically
significant evidence based on at least one
study conducted in accordance with
established scientific principles that acute or
chronic health effects may occur in exposed
employees.
health, safety, and environment n: a
phrase covering a company's concern for
the health and safety of its employees, as
well as the environment in which they work.
heat a connection v: to loosen a collar or
other threaded connection by striking it with
a hammer. Also called warm a connection or
whip a connection.
heat checking n: a condition that occurs
when the cutters of a bit drag on a formation
and become very hot because of friction and
then are cooled by the drilling fluid; the rapid
cooling causes small cracks (heat checks) to
develop.
heater n: container or vessel enclosing an
arrangement of tubes and a firebox in which
an emulsion is heated before further
treating, or in which natural gas is heated in
the field to prevent the formation of hydrates.
heater-treater n: a vessel that heats an
emulsion and removes water and gas from
the oil to raise it to a quality acceptable for a
pipe- line or other means of transport. A
heater- treater is a combination of a heater,
free- water knockout, and oil and gas
separator.

heat exchanger n: see exchanger.

heating cable n: flexible, insulated wire of
known resistance, which can be wrapped

95
around or strapped to a pipeline or valves for
heating.
heating coils n pi: (marine) a system of
piping in tank bottoms in which steam is
carried as required to heat high pour-point
liquid cargoes to pumpable viscosity level.
heating medium n: a material, whether
flowing or static, used to transport heat from
a primary source such as combustion of fuel
to another material. Heating oil and steam
are examples of heating mediums. Also
called heat medium.
heating value n: the amount of heat
developed by the complete combustion of a
unit quantity of a material. Also called heat
of combustion.
heat medium n: see heating medium.
heat of combustion n: see heating value.
heat of hydration n: heat generated when
cement is mixed with water to form a slurry.
Also called heat of reaction or heat of
solution.
heat of reaction n: see heat of hydration.
heat of solution n: see heat of hydration.
heat of vaporisation n: the quantity of
energy required to evaporate 1 mole of a
liquid at constant pressure and temperature.
heat pump n: an electric heater that is
similar to an air conditioner. It heats and
cools from a single system by reversing the
flow of gas from the compressor to coils.
heave n: the vertical motion of a ship or a
floating offshore drilling rig.
heave compensator n: a device that moves
with the heave of a floating offshore drilling
rig to prevent the bit from being lifted off the
bottom of the hole and then dropped back
down (i.e., to maintain constant weight on
the bit). It is used with devices such as
bumper subs. See motion compensator.

heaving n: the partial or complete collapse

of the walls of a hole resulting from internal
pressures due primarily to swelling from
hydration or formation gas pressures. See
caving.
heavy ends n pi: 1. the parts of a
hydrocarbon mixture that have the highest
boiling point and the highest viscosity (such
as fuel oils and waxes). 2. hexanes and
heptanes in a natural gas stream.
heavy hydrocarbons n pi: see heavy ends.
heavy metals n pi: any metal with a density
of 5.0 or greater, such as lead, mercury,

heavyweight drill pipe

copper, and cadmium, especially one that is
toxic to organisms.
heavy oil n: oil composed mainly of heavy
ends.
heavy-walled drill pipe n: drill pipe that is
manufactured with walls that are thicker than
those in standard drill pipe. Special
extnilength tool joints are attached to the
heavier-walled tube. lYPically, 5-inch heavy
wall ,.drill pipe weighs50 pounds per foot (75
kilograms per metre); 5-inch conventional
drill pipe weighs 19.5 pounds per foot (29
kilograms per metre). Also attached to the
tube is a centre wear pad that protects the
outside diameter of the pipe from abrasion.
Heavy wall pipe is often used in the drill
stem just above the drill coilars, in the
transition zone between the stiffer collars
and the more limber drill string, and in place
of some drill collars to apply weight on the
drill bit in smalliameter and horizontal holes.
Sometimes erroneously called heavyweight
drill pipe. Compare heavy- weight drill pipe.

heavyweight additive n: a substance or

material added to cement to make it dense
enough for use in high-pressure zones.
Sand. barite. and hematite are some of the
substances used as heavyweight additives.
heavyweight drill pipe n: drill pipe that is
like conventional drill pipe except that it is
manufactured with a thicker wall, which increases its weight and tensile strength. For
example. five-inch lEU grade E75 standardweight drill pipe weighs 19.5 pounds per foot
(29 kilograms per metre). while five- inch
lEU grade E75 heavyweight drill pipe weighs
25.ro pounds per foot (38.4 kilograms per
metre). Heavyweight drill pipe is placed in
the top of the string to support a very long
string of pipe. Heavyweight drill pipe may be
used in the drill stem when high-tensile
strength drill pipe is required hit high-grade
steel cannot be used because of the highgrade steel's susceptibility to hydrogen
embrittlernent, which is a form of corrosion
caused by hydrogen sulphide. Compare
heavy- walled drill pipe.

hectare

hectare n: an internationally used unit of

measurement equal to 2.47 acres.
hedging n: a financial insurance device for
minimising losses and protecting profits
during the production, storage, processing,
and marketing of commodities. A marketer
sells a product on the futures market and
locks in prices for later delivery. That
contract may then continue to be exchanged
on the futures market among other
marketers with similar concerns and
expectations.
heel n: the inclination of a ship or a floating
offshore drilling rig to one side, caused by
wind, waves, or shifting weights on board.
Also called list.
heel teeth n: see gauge cutters.
helical adj: spiral-shaped.
helical groove n: spooling of wire rope onto
a drum on which the grooves take the form
of a helix-that is. like the threads on a pipe
end. Also called helical spooling.
helium unscrambler n: an electronic device
that lowers the voice of divers breathing
helium as part of their breathing-gas mixture
so that the surface crew may understand
them.
helmet n: a protective enclosure for a diver's
entire head. It is part of the life-support
system and also contains a communications
system.
henry (H) n: the unit of self-inductance or
mutual inductance in the metric system.
hepatic gas n: see hydrogen sulphide.
heptane n: a saturated hydrocarbon of the
paraffin series; one of the heavy ends in a
gaseous hydrocarbon mixture.
hereditaments n pi: whatever can be inherited. Of the two kinds of hereditaments,
corporeal and incorporeal, the first usually
includes tangible things and the second,
rights connected with land. Land itself would
be a corporeal hereditament; the right to rent
would be an incorporeal hereditament
Herschel tube n: a venturi tube used to
measure fluid flow when a low permanent
pressure drop is required for measurement
hertz (Hz) n: a unit in the metric system
used to measure frequency in cycles per
second.
hesitation squeeze n: a method of squeeze
cementing in which cement is pumped in
and the pumps are stopped for a few
minutes. Pumping is started and stopped
until the desired pressure is obtained.
hexagonal kelly n: a kelly with a six-sided
(hexagonal) cross section. Compare square
kelly. See also kelly.
hexane n: C2H14 a liquid hydrocarbon of the
paraffin series.
hex kelly n: see kelly.
HGOR abbr: high gas-oil ratio; used in
drilling reports.
hbp abbr: hydraulic horsepower.

96
high drum drive n: the drive for the draw
works drum used when hoisting loads are
light.
high pH mud n: a drilling fluid with a pH
range above 10.5, i.e., a high-alkalinity mud.
high-pressure area n: an area of high
atmospheric pressure.
high-pressure distribution system n: a
system that operates at a pressure higher
than the standard service pressure delivered
to the customer; thus, a pressure regulator is
required on each service to control pressure
delivered to the customer. Sometimes called
medium pressure.
high-pressure nervous syndrome n: a
term used to describe symptoms caused by
high partial pressures of helium.
high-pressure pipeline n: pipeline in which
gas is often compressed up to or in excess
of 100 times the normal atmospheric
pressure.
high-pressure squeeze cementing n: the
forcing of cement slurry into a well at the
point to be sealed with a final pressure equal
to or greater than the formation breakdown
pressure. See squeeze cementing.
high-purity water n: water that has little or
no ionic content and is therefore a poor
conductor of electricity.
high-salinity adj: having high salt content.
high vapour pressure liquid n: a liquid that,
at the measurement or proving temperature
of the meter, has a vapour pressure that is
equal to or higher than atmospheric
pressure. Compare low vapour pressure
liquid.
high-yield drilling clay n: a classification
given to a group of commercial drilling-clay
preparations having a yield of 35 to 50
barrels (5,565 to 7,950 litres) per ton and
intermediate between bentonite and lowyield clays. Usually prepared by peptizing
low- yield calcium montmorilionite clays or,
in a few cases, by blending some bentonite
with the peptised low-yield clay.
hi-io cam n: a mechanism in some packers
to set and release the tool with a minimum of
rotation.
hinged master bushing n: a two-piece
master bushing that has a jointed, swinging
device (a hinge) on each half into which
large pins fit to hold the bushing together. A
two-piece insert bowl to hold the slips fits
inside this type of master ooshing. Compare
solid master bushing, split master bushing.
See also insert bowl, master bushing, slips.
In.B abbr: hydrophilic-lipophilic balance.
HOCM abbr: heavily oil-cut mud; used in
drilling reports.
bogging n: the distortion of the hull of an
offshore drilling rig when the bow and the
stem are lower than the middle, caused by
wave action or unbalanced or heavy loads.
Compare sagging.
hoist n: 1. an arrangement of pulleys and
wire rope or chain used for lifting heavy

hole
objects; a winch or similar device. 2. the
drawworks. v: to raise or lift.
hoisting cable n: the cable that supports
drill pipe, swivel, hook, and traveling block
on a rotary drilling rig.
hoisting components n pi: drawworks,
drilling line, and travelling and crown blocks.
Auxiliary hoisting components include
catheads, catshaft, and air hoist.
hoisting dmm n: the large flanged spool in
the drawworks on which the hoisting cable is
wound. See drawworks.
hoisting engine n: the relatively small
pneumatically operated engine on an air
hoist, or tugger.
hoisting plug n: also called a lifting sub or a
lifting nipple. See lifting nipple.
hoisting system n: the system on the rig
that performs all the lifting on the rig,
primarily the lifting and lowering of drill pipe
out of and into the hole. It is composed of
drilling line, travelling block, crown block,
and drawworks.
See
also hoisting
components.
hold-down n: a mechanical arrangement
that prevents the upward movement of
certain pieces of equipment installed in a
well. A sucker rod pump may use a
mechanical hold-down for attachment to a
seating nipple.
hold-down button n: a hydraulic, toothed
device in a packer that uses differential
pressure across the packer to grip casing
and prevent upward packer movement.
hole n: in drilling operations, the wellbore or
borehole. See borehole, wellbore.

hole angle

hole angle n: the angle at which a hole

deviates from vertical.
hole drift n: the amount a wellbore is
deflected from vertical.
hole geometry n: the shape and size of the
wellbore.
hole opener n: a device used to enlarge the
size of an existing borehole. It has teeth
arranged on its outside circumference to cut
the formation as it rotates.
holiday n: a gap or void in coating on a
pipeline or in paint on a metal surface.
holiday detector n: an electrical device
used to locate a weak place, or holiday, in
coatings on pipelines and equipment. Also
called jeep.
hollow carrier gun n: a perforating gun
consisting of a hollow, cylindrical metal tube
into which are loaded shaped charges or
bullets. On detonation, debris caused by the
exploding charges falls into the carrier to be
retrieved with the reusable gun.
homestead property n: property such as
land, house, outooildings, and tools, that
cannot be seized to pay general debts.
homocline n: a series of beds dipping in the
same direction

homogeneous rock n: rock whose

characteristics
(permeability,
porosity,
density, and so on) are generally similar
throughout.
honeycomb formation n: a stratum of rock
that contains large void spaces, i.e., a
cavernous or vuggy formation.
hook n: a large, hook-shaped device from
which the swivel is suspended. It is designed
to carry maximum loads ranging from 100 to
650 tons (90 to 590 tonnes) and turns on
bearings HOOK in its supporting housing. A
strong spring within the assembly cushions
the weight of a stand (90 feet, about 27
metres) of driI1 pipe, thus permit- ting the
pipe to be made up and broken out with less
damage to the tool joint threads. Smaller
hooks without the spring are used for
handling tubing and sucker rods. See also
.stand, swivel.
hook-block
combination
n:
see
combination hook-block.
hook load n: the weight of the drill stem that
is suspended from the hook.
hook load capacity n: the nominal rated
load capacity of a portable hoist and mast

97
arrangement, usually calculated by an API
formula.
hook positioner n: a device in which a hook
can be rotated to a required position and
locked in place. Also called an automatic
positioner.
hook-wall packer n: a packer equipped with
friction blocks or drag springs and slips and
designed so that rotation of the pipe
unlatches the slips. The friction springs
prevent the slips from turning with the pipe
and assist in advancing the slips up a
tapered sleeve to engage the wall of the
outside pipe as weight is put on die packer.
Also called a wall-hook packer. See packer.
hopper n: a large funnel- or cone-shaped
device into which dry components (such as
powdered clay or cement) can be poured to
mix uniformly with water or other liquids. The
liquid is injected through a nozzle at the
bottom of die hopper. The resulting mixture
may be drilling mud to be used as the
circulating fluid in a rotary drilling operation,
or it may be cement slurry to be used in
bonding casing to the borehole.
horizon n: distinct layer or group of layers of
rock.
horizontal drilling n: deviation of the borehole at least 80. from vertical so that the
borehole penetrates a productive formation
in a manner parallel to the formation. A
single horizontal hole can effectively drain a
reservoir and eliminate the need for several
vertical boreholes.

horizontal heater-treater n: a heatertreater of cylindrical shape lying parallel to

the ground.
horizontal permeability n: the permeability
of reservoir rock parallel to the bedding
plane. Compare vertical permeability.
horizontal release n: a clause in an oil or
gas lease that excludes, or releases,
nonproducing acreage from the lease at the
end of a specified period.
horizontal separator n: a separator of
cylindrical shape lying parallel to the ground.
horizontal station n: a pre-established
location in the horizontal plane at ground
level along the tank circumference. Compare
vertical station.
horsehead n: the generally horseheadshaped steel piece at the front of the beam

hose bundle reel

of a pumping unit to which the bridle is
attached in sucker rod pumping.

horsepower n: a unit of measure of work

done by a machine. One horsepower equals
33,000 foot-pounds per minute. (Kilowatts
are used to measure power in the
international,
or
SI,
system
of
measurement.)
horst n: a block of the earth's crust that has
been raised (relatively) between two faults.
Compare graben.

hose bundle reel n: on offshore floating

rigs, a large spool, or reel, onto which the
hose bundle is wrapped. The hose bundle
consists of several control lines, some
electrical and some hydraulic, that run to the
control pods on the subsea blowout
preventer. When the driller or other person
actuates a BOP control on the rig at the
surface, the control signal goes through the
hose bundle to the control pod on the BOP
stack.

hot carbonate process

hot carbonate process n: a process for removing the bulk of acid gases from a gas
stream by contacting the stream with a water
solution of potassium carbonate at a
temperature in the range of 220.F to 240.F
(104.C to 116C).
hot oil n: 1. absorption or other oil used as a
heating medium. 2. oil produced in violation
of state regulations or transported interstate
in violation of federal regulations, or oil that
is stolen.
hot-oil treatment n: the treatment of a
producing well with heated oil to melt
accumulated paraffin in the tubing and the
annulus.
hot pass n: the second pass made on a
weld. The hot pass follows the root, or
stringer, bead and precedes the filler pass
and cap.
hot spot n: an abnormally hot place on a
casing coupling when a joint is being made
up. It usually indicates worn threads on the
pipe and in the coupling.
hot tap v: to make repairs or modifications
on a tank, pipeline, or other installation
without shutting down operations.
hot tie-in n: a weld made on a pipeline already in service. The gas from the line is
purposely ignited at the point where the
welding is to be done, thereby eliminating
the chance that a spark could cause an
explosion of gas and air.
hot water flooding n: a method of thermal
recovery in which water at the boiling point is
injected into a formation to lower the
viscosity of the oil and allow it to flow more
freely toward producing wells. Although
generally less effective than steam injection
because of lower heat, hot waterflooding
may be preferable under certain conditions,
such as formation sensitivity to fresh water
or high pressures.
howling n: something that covers or
protects, as the casing for a moving
mechanical part.
hp abbr: horsepower.
HPNS
abbr:
high-pressure
nervous
syndrome.
HRC valve n: trade name for a remotecontrolled valve on the choke line that
controls the flow of fluids through the line
from the well to the choke manifold.
HSE abbr: health, safety, and environment.
huff'n' puff n: (slang) cyclic steam injection.
hull n: the framework of a vessel including
all decks, plating, and columns, but
excluding machinery.
humic acid n: organic acids of indefinite
composition in naturally occurring leonardite
lignite. The humic acids are the most
valuable constituent. See lignins.
hunting n: a surge of engine speed to a
higher number of revolutions per minute
(rpm), followed by a drop to normal speed
without manual movement of the throttle. It

98
is often caused by a faulty or improperly
adjusted governor.
hurricane n: a tropical storm with high winds
and heavy rains that occurs in the North
Atlantic, the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico,
and in the Eastern Pacific and Central
Pacific. Pacific hurricanes, however, are
called typhoons.
hurricane warning n: an announcement
warning that hurricane-force winds are in the
area and advising inhabitants in that area to
seek shelter.
hurricane watch n: an announcement
warning that hurricane-force winds may
pose a threat to an area and cautioning
inhabitants in that area to listen for
subsequent advisories.
HWDP abbr: heavy wall drill pipe. Hydrafrac"
n: the copyrighted name of a method of
hydraulic
fracturing
for
increasing
productivity.
hydrate n: a hydrocarbon and water
compound that is formed under reduced
temperature and pressure in gathering,
compression, and transmission facilities for
gas. Hydrates often accumulate in
troublesome amounts and impede fluid flow.
They resemble snow or ice. v: to enlarge by
taking water on or in.
hydrated lime n: calcium hydroxide,
Ca(OH)2, a dry powder obtained by treating
quicklime with enough water to satisfy its
chemical affinity for water.
hydration n: I. a chemical reaction in which
molecular water is added to the molecule of
another compound without break- ing it
down. 2. reaction of powdered cement with
water. The cement gradually sets to a solid
as hydration continues.
hydraulic adj: 1. of or relating to water or
other liquid in motion. 2. operated, moved, or
effected by water or liquid.
hydraulic area n: the area available for flow
at a restriction.
hydraulic bond n: a bonding of cement to
the casing or to the formation that blocks the
migration of fluids. It is usually determined
by applying increasing amounts of liquid
pressure at the pipe-cement or formationcement interface until leakage occurs.
hydraulic
brake
n:
also
called
hydrodynamic brake or Hydromatic@brake.
See hydrodynamic brake.
hydraulic control pod n: a device used on
floating offshore drilling rigs to provide a way
to actuate and control subsea blowout
preventers from the rig. Hydraulic lines from
the rig enter the pods, through which fluid is
sent toward the preventer. Usually two pods,
one yellow and one blue, are used, each to
safeguard and back up the other. Also called
blue pod, yellow pod.
hydraulic coupling n: a fluid connection
between a prime mover and the machine it
drives; it uses the action of liquid moving

hydraulic jar
against blades to drive the machine. Also
called fluid coupling.
hydraulic fluid n: a liquid of low viscosity
(such as light oil) that is used in systems
actuated by liquid (such as the brake system
in a modem passenger car).
hydraulic force n: force resulting from
pressure on water or other hydraulic fluid.
hydraulic fracturing n: an operation in
which a specially blended liquid is pumped
down a well and into a formation under
pressure high enough to cause the formation
to crack open, forming passages through
which oil can flow into the wellbore. Sand
grains, aluminum pellets, glass beads, or
similar materials are carried in suspension
into the fractures. When the pressure is
released at the surface, the fractures
partially close on the proppants, leaving
channels for oil to flow through to the well.
Compare explosive fracturing.
hydraulic governor n: a governor on an
engine that operates by means of oil inside
its housing. Unlike a mechanical governor,
which is mechanically linked to the engine's
speed control, a hydraulic governor operates
the speed control with oil pressure inside the
governor.
Compare
governor.
See
mechanical governor.
hydraulic hammer effect n: see water
hammer.
hydraulic head n: the force exerted by a
column of liquid expressed by the height of
the liquid above the point at which the
pressure is measured. Although "head"
refers to distance or height, it is used to
express pressure, since the force of the
liquid column is directly proportional to its
height. Also called head or hydrostatic head.
Compare hydrostatic pressure.
hydraulic holddown n: an accessory or
integral part of a packer used to limit the
packer's upward movement under pressure.
hydraulic horsepower n: a measure of the
power of a fluid under pressure.
hydraulic jar n: a type of mechanical jar in
which a fluid moving through a small
opening slows the piston stroke while the
crew stretches the work string. After the
hydraulic delay, a release mechanism in the
jar trips to allow a mandrel to spring up and
deliver a sharp blow. Compare mechanical
jar, rotary jar.

hydraulic jet pump

hydraulic jet pump n: a specialised form of

hydraulic pump, used in artificial lift. whose
main working parts are nozzle, throat, and
diffuser. The nozzle converts the highpressure, low-velocity energy of the power
fluid to high-velocity, low-pressure energy.
The power fluid is then mixed with the lowpressure pump intake fluid in the throat to
produce a low-pressure stream with a
velocity less than that of the nozzle exit, but
a high velocity, nevertheless. The velocity
energy of this mixed stream is then
converted to static pressure in the diffuser to
provide the pressure necessary to lift fluid
from the well. The power fluid may be either
oil or water.
hydraulic pump n: a device that lifts oil from
wells without the use of sucker rods. See
hydraulic pumping.

hydraulic pumping n: a method of pumping

oil from wells by using a downhole pump
without sucker rods. Subsurface hydraulic
pumps consist of two reciprocating pumps
coupled and placed in the well. One pump
functions as an engine and drives the other
pump (the production pump). The downhole
engine is usually operated by clean crude oil
under pressure (power oil) that is drawn
from a power-oil settling tank by a triplex
plunger pump on the surface. If a single
string of tubing is used, power oil is pumped
down the tubing string to the pump, which is
seated in the string, and a mixture of power
oil and produced fluid is returned through the
casing-tubing annulus. If two parallel strings
are used, one supplies power oil to the
pump while the other returns the exhaust
and produced oil to the surface. A hydraulic
pump may be used to pump several wells
from a central source and has been used to

99
lift oil from depths of more than 10,000 feet
(3,048 metres).
hydraulic ram n: a cylinder and piston
device that uses hydraulic pressure for
pushing, lifting, or pulling. It is commonly
used to raise portable masts from a
horizontal to a vertical position, for leveling a
production rig at an uneven location, or for
closing a blow- out preventer against
pressure.
hydraulic n: 1. the branch of science that
deals with practical applications of water or
other liquid in motion. 2. the planning arxI
operation of a rig hydraulics program,
coordinating the power of circulating fluid at
the bit with other aspects of the drilling
program so that bottomhole cleaning is
maximised.
hydraulic-set packer n: a packer that is
anchored in the well by the application of
fluid pressure.
hydraulic snubber n: on a drilling rig's
hook, a device inside the hook that is filled
with hydraulic fluid. It dampens the tendency
of the hook to bounce (move rapidly up and
down) when crew members break out a joint
of drill pipe. As the last engaged threads of
the tool joint pin clears the box threads, the
release may be sudden and, if not
dampened, the pin could easily strike the
box and damage the threads on both.
hydraulic starter n: on an engine, a device
used to start the engine that uses hydraulic
fluid under pressure to operate a motor on
the starter. When engaged, the starter motor
turns the engine's flywheel to make the
engine start.
hydraulic sucker rod pumping unit n: a
sucker rod pumping unit that uses reciprocal
hydraulic pumps. Few are still in operation.
hydraulic torque converter n: see
hydraulic coupling.
hydraulic torque wrench n: a hydraulically
powered device that can break out or make
up tool joints and assure accurate torque. It
is fitted with a repeater gauge so that the
driller can monitor tool joints as they go
downhole, doubly assuring that all have the
correct torque. Sometimes called an Iron
TM
Roughneck , after the manufacturer of one
such wrench.
hydraulic workover n: a series of hydraulic
rams to restrain and pull tubing under well
pressure, temporarily attached to the
wellhead for workover
hydraulic workover preventer n: a series
of hydraulic rams to restrain and pull tubing
under well pressure, temporarily attached to
the wellhead for workover.
Hydril' n: the registered trademark of a
prominent
manufacturer
of
oilfield
equipment, especially annular blowout
preventers.
hydrocarbon pore volume n: the volume of
the pore space in a reservoir that is
occupied by oil, natural gas, or other

hydroforming
hydrocarbons (including nonhydrocarbon
impurities). It may be expressed in acrefeet, barrels, or cubic feet.
hydrocarbons n pi: organic compounds of
hydrogen and carbon whose densities,
boiling points, and freezing points increase
as their molecular weights increase.
Although composed of only two elements,
hydrocarbons exist in a variety of
compounds, because of the strong affinity of
die carbon atom for other atoms and for
itself.
The
smallest
molecules
of
hydrocarbons are gaseous; the largest are
solids. Petroleum is a mixture of many
different hydrocarbons.
hydrochloric acid n: an acid compound,
HCI, commonly used to acidize carbonate
rocks. It is prepared by mixing hydrogen
chloride gas in water. Also known as
muriatic acid.
hydrocracking n: cracking in the presence
of low-pressure hydrogen, consuming a net
amount of hydrogen in the process.
hydrocyanic acid n: see hydrogen cyanide.
hydrocyclone n: a cone-shaped separator for
separating various sizes of particles and
liquid by centrifugal force. See desandet;
desilter.
hydrodynamic brake n: a device mounted
on the end of the drawworks shaft of a
drilling rig. It serves as an auxiliary to the
mechanical brake when pipe is lowered into
the wen. The braking effect is achieved by
means of an impeller turning in a housing
filled with water. Sometimes called hydraulic
brake or Hydromatic@ brake.
hydrodynamic trap n: a petroleum trap in
which the major trapping mechanism is the
force of moving water.
hydroelectric adj: driven by water power.
hydrofluoric acid n: a strong, poisonous
liquid acid compound of hydrogen and
fluorine (HF). Often mixed with hydrochloric
acid, it is used mainly to remove mud from
the wellbore and surrounding formation
pores. Also called mud acid.
hydrofluoric-hydrochloric acid n: a
mixture of acids used for removal of mud
from the well bore. See mud acid.
hydroforming n: a process of petroleum
refining in which straight-run, cracked, or
mixed naphthas are passed over a solid
catalyst at elevated temperatures and
moderate pressures in the presence of
added hydrogen or hydrogen-containing
gases. The main chemical reactions are
dehydrogenation and aromatization of the
nonaromatic constituents of the naphtha to
form either high-octane motor fuel or highgrade aviation gasoline high in aromatic
hydrocarbons such as toluene and xylenes.
Ninety percent of die sulphur contained in
the naphtha is removed.

hydrogen cyanide

hydrogen cyanide n: an extremely

poisonous compound of hydrogen, carbon,
and nitrogen (HCN), with a boiling point of
79F (26C) and having the odour of bitter
almonds. It is water-soluble in all
proportions.
Also
called
formonitrile,
hydrocyanic acid. or prussic acid.
hydrogen embritdement n: low ductility of
a metal caused by its absorption of
hydrogen gas. Also called acid brittleness.
hydrogen ion concentration n: a measure
of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution,
normally expressed as pH. See pH.
hydrogen patch probe n: an instrument
that, when attached to the exterior of a
vessel that has been corroded by hydrogen
sulphide, senses the hydrogen content in the
steel and records the rate of corrosion.
hydrogen richness n: a formation's
hydrogen content.
hydrogen sulphide n: a flammable,
colourless gaseous compound of hydrogen
and sulphur (H2S), which in small amounts
has the door of rotten eggs. Sometimes
found in petroleum, it causes the foul smell
of petroleum fractions. In dangerous
concentrations, it is extremely corrosive and
poisonous, causing damage to skin. eyes,
breathing passages, and lungs and attacking
and paralysing the nervous system,
particularly that part controlling the lungs
and heart. In large amounts, it deadens the
sense of smell. Also called hepatic gas or
sulphureted hydrogen.
hydrogen sulphide cracking n: a type of
corrosion that occurs when metals are
exposed to hydrogen sulphide gas; it is
characterised by minute cracks that form just
under the metal's surface.
hydrolysis n: the breaking down of a
mineral by chemical reaction with water.
Hydromatic brake n: trade name for a type
of hydrodynamic brake.
hydrometer n: an instrument with a
graduated stem, used to determine the
gravity of liquids. The liquid to be measured
is placed in a cylinder, and)he hydrometer
dropped into it. It floats"at a certain level in
the liquid (high if tI1'e liquid is light, low if it is
heavy), and the stem markings indicate the
gravity of the liquid.
hydrophilic adj: tending to adsorb water.
hydrophili-dipophilic balain (HLB) n: an
expression of the relative attraction of an
emulsifier for water and oil, determined
lalgely by the chemical composition and
ionisation characteristics of a given
emulsifier. The HLB of an emulsifier is not
directly related to solubility, but it determines
the type of emulsion that tends to be formed.
It is an indication of the behavioural
characteristics and not an indication of
emulsifier efficiency.
hydrophobic adj: tending to repel water.

100
hydrophone n: a device trailed in an array
behind a boat in offshore seismic exploration
that is used to detect sound reflections,
convert them to electric current. and send
them through a cable to recording
equipment on the boat.

hydroscopic adj: able to absorb water from

the air.
hydroset tool n: a wireline pressure setting
tool for setting permanent downhole tools.
HydrostarterTM n: a brand name of an airmotor starter. See air-motor starlet:
hydrostatic bailer n: a sand bailer that
consists of a sealed cylinder with a rubber
disk and a piercing tool at the bottom. A
sharp blow on the bottom ruptures the disk.
allowing the hydrostatic pressure of the well
fluid to force sand into the bailer.
hydrostatic head n: see hydrostatic
pressure.
hydrostatic junk basket n: a hydraulically
powered fishing tool that uses pressure
differential to trap and retrieve junk from the
bottom of the hole.
hydrostatic pressure n: the force exerted
by a body of fluid at rest. It increases directly
with the density and the depth of the fluid
and is expressed in pounds per square inch
or kilopascals. The hydrostatic pressure of
fresh water is 0.433 pounds per square inch
per foot (9. 792 kilopascals per metre) of
depth. In drilling. the term refers to the
pressure exerted by the drilling fluid in the
wellbore. In a water drive field. the term
refers to the pressure that may furnish the
primary energy for production.
hydrostatic testing n: the most common
final quality-control check of the structural
soundness of a pipeline. The line is filled
with water and then pressured to a
designated point. This
pressure is
maintained for a specified period of time.
and any ruptures or leaks revealed by the
test are repaired. The test is repeated until
no problems are noted.
hydrotest v: to apply hydraulic pressure to
check for leaks in tubing or tubing couplings.
usually as the tubing is being run into the
well. If water leaks from any place in the
tubing. the joint of tubing. the coupling, or
both are replaced.
hydrotrip pressure sub n: a sub with a ball
seat run on top of a hydraulically set packer
to provide a means to set the packer.

Hz
hydroxide n: a designation that is given for
basic compounds containing the hydroxide
(OH) radical. When these substances are
dissolved in water. they increase the pH of
the solution. See base.
hygrometer n: an instrument used to
measure water vapour in the air. See
psychrometer; sling psychrometer:
hygroscopic adj: absorbing or attracting
moisture from the air.
hyperbaric adj: relating to or utilising
greater than normal pressure.
hypercapnia n: excessive amount of carbon dioxide in the blood, often resulting from
an excessive carbon dioxide partial pressure
in a diver's breathing supply. Also called
carbon dioxide excess.
hypothermia n: reduced body temperature
caused by overexposure to chilling
temperatures.
hypoxia n: see anoxia.
hysteresis n: the difference between the
indications of a measuring instrument when
the same value of the quantity measured is
reached by increasing or decreasing the
quantity.
hysteresis loss.. n: a transformer loss
caused by magnetism retained in the core of
the transformer each time the alternating
current is reversed. Some energy must be
used to overcome the residual magnetism
each time the current reverses.
Hz sym: hertz.

IADC abbr: International Association of

Drilling Contractors.
IBOP abbr: inside blowout preventer.
ICC
abbr:
Interstate
Commerce
Commission.
ice fog n: a fog, composed of ice crystals,
that occurs in moist air during cold, calm
conditions in winter. It may be produced
artificially by the combustion of fuel in cold
air. This type of fog is common in the Arctic.
ice ridge n: floating sea ice formed by the
merging of floes.
ice scour n: the abrasion of material in contact with moving ice in a sea, ocean, or other
body of water.
ICP abbr: initial circulating pressure; used in
drilling reports.
ICS abbr: incident command system.
ID abbr: inside diameter.
ideal gas n: 1. a gas whose molecules are
infinitely small and exert no force on each
other. 2. a gas that obeys Boyle's law and
Joule's law. Also called a perfect gas.
ideal gas law n: the equation of the state of
an ideal gas, showing a close approximation
to real gases at sufficiently high temperature
and low pressures:
PV=RT
whereP = pressure
R = gas constant
T = temperature
V = volume per mole of gas.
ideal pressure n: see kinetic pressure.
identification inscriptions n pi: all of the
words, letters, numbers, and marks carried
by a measuring instrument to indicate its
origin, destination, operation, characteristics,
method of use, and so on.
identification plate n: on a flow recorder,
the record of the static and differential spring
ranges.
idiot stick n: (slang) 1. a shovel. 2. a thread
profile gauge.
idle v: to operate an engine without applying
a load to it.
idler n: a pulley or sprocket used with belt or
chain drives on machinery to maintain
desired tension on the belt or chain.
IDLH abbr: immediately dangerous to life
and health.
I-ES abbr: induction-electric survey.
I-EUE abbr: internal-external upset end.
IFP abbr: Institute Francais du Petrole.
ig abbr: igneous; used in drilling reports.
igneous rock n: a rock mass formed by the
solidification of magma within the earth's
crust or on its surface. It is classified by
chemical composition and grain size.
Granite is an igneous rock.

ignitability n: the ability of a substance to

catch fire, burn.
ignition coil n: a coil in the ignition system
of an engine that stores energy in a
magnetic field slowly and releases it
suddenly to cause a spark that ignites the
fuel mixture in a cylinder.
ignition quality n: the ability of a fuel to
ignite when it is injected into the
compressed-air charge in a diesel engine
cylinder. It is measured by an index called
the cetane number.
ignorant end n: (slang) the heavier end of
any device (such as a length of pipe or a
wrench).
IHTS abbr: immersion heater temperature
switch.
ilmenite n: an iron-black mineral of
composition FeTiO3 or FeoTiOx, with a
specific gravity of about 4.67, sometimes
used for increasing the density of oilwell
cement slurries.
imaging radar n: radar carried on airplanes
or orbital vehicles that forms images of the
terrain.
imbibition
relative
permeability
n:
displacement of hydrocarbons or fluids in a
reservoir by increasing the wetting phase
saturation. See wetting phase.
imbrication n: in sedimentary rocks, the
arrangement of pebbles in a flat, overlapping pattern like bricks in a wall. Often
shown by stream gravel deposits.

IMCO abbr: Intergovernmental Maritime

Consultative Organisation.
immediately dangerous to life or health
(IDLH) adj: (HAZWOPER) having an
atmospheric concentration of any toxic,
corrosive, or asphyxiant substance that
poses an immediate threat to life or that
would cause irreversible or delayed adverse
health effects or that would interfere with an
individual's ability to escape from a
dangerous atmosphere. n: 1. a substance
that is immediately dangerous to life or
health. 2. a situation in which immediate
danger conditions exist.
immersion heater temperature switch n: a
temperature-sensitive device installed on
engines in extremely cold climates, such as
101

in Alaska and Siberia. Before the engine is

started, the switch senses very cold coolant
and turns on an immersion heater in the
coolant tank, thus ensuring that the engine
warms up quickly.
immiscible adj: not capable of mixing (like
oil and water).
IMO
abbr:
International
Maritime
Organisation.
IMP abbr: Institute Mexican the Petroleo
(Mexican Petroleum Institute).
impact pressure n: pressure exerted by a
moving fluid on a plane perpendicular to its
direction of flow.
impedance (Z) n: 1. the total resistance a
circuit has to the flow of electricity. 2. the
sum of resistance and reactance in an AC
circuit. Measured in ohms.

impeller

impeller n: a set of mounted blades used to

impart motion to a fluid (e.g., the rotor of a
centrifugal pump).
impending blowout n: early manifestation
or indication of a blowout.
impermeable adj: preventing the passage of
fluid. A formation may be porous yet
impermeable if there is an absence of
connecting passages between the voids
within
it. See permeability.

implied covenant n: an obligation or benefit

not specified in an oil and gas lease but held
by the courts to be implicit in such lease. for
example. an obligation on the part of the
lessee to drill an initial well.
importer n: (OSHA) the first business with
employees within the customs territory of the
United States that receives hazardous
chemicals produced in other countries for
the purpose of supplying them to distributors
or employers within the United States.
impressed-current anode n: anode to which
an external source of IK>sitive electricity is
applied (such as from a rectifier or DC
generator). The negative electricity is
applied to a pipeline. casing. or other
structure to be protected by the impressedcurrent method of cathodic protection.
impression block n: a block with lead or
another relatively soft material on its bottom. It is made up on drill pipe or tubing at
the surface. run into a well. and set down on
the object that has been lost in the well. The
block is retrieved and the impression is
examined. The impression is a mirror image
of the top of the fish; it also indicates the
fish's position in the hole. i.e.. whether it is
centred or off to one side. From this
information. the correct fishing tool can be
selected.
impression tool n: a lead-filled cylindrical
device used to ascertain the shape of the
top of a fish.
improved recovery n: the introduction of
artificial drive and displacement mechanisms
into a reservoir to produce a portion of the oil
unrecoverable by primary recovery methods.
See enhanced oil recovery.
impulse coupling n: a special coupling
between the camshaft and the magneto of a
large engine. At cranking speeds the
magneto is made to rotate in quick spurts to

102

produce large pulses of voltage at the time

of ignition for each cylinder.
impulse factor n: the increase in the weight
in sucker rods in fluid plus the weight of the
fluid, caused by the effects of inertia or
acceleration. For example, if an increased
pumping rate causes an inertial effect of
30% of the weight of the rods in fluid plus
the weight of the fluid, the impulse factor will
be 1.3.
in. abbr: inch.
in2 abbr: square inch.
in3 abbr: cubic inch.
incandescent lamp n: an ordinary light
bulb.
inches (millimetres) of mercury n: a scale
for measuring small increases or decreases
in pressure. usually in conjunction with a
manometer, a U-tube containing mercury.
Pressure on one side of the U-tube causes
the mercury to move upward on the other
side. The movement is measured in inches
or millimetres. See manometer.
inches (millimetres) of water n: a scale for
measuring small increases or decreases in
pressure, usually in conjunction with a
manometer, a U-tube containing water.
Pressure on one side of the U-tube causes
the water to move upward on the other side.
The movement is measured in inches or
milli- metres. See manometer.
inch-pound (in.-lb) n: one-twelfth of a footpound and a measure of small amounts of
twisting fon;e, or torque. Compare footpound (ft-lb).
incident command system (ICS) n: a
written plan that describes the chain of
command in an emergency response and
designates senior officials and their authority
for a given site.
incipient blowout n: see impending blowout.
inclination n: see drift angle.
incompetent n: a person judged by the
court to be incapable of managing his or her
own affairs by reason of insanity, imbecility,
or feeblemindedness (referred to as non
compos mentis).
incompetent formation n: a formation
composed of materials that are not bound
together. It may produce sand along with
hydrocarbons if preventive measures not
taken, or it may slough or cave around the
bit CX' drill stem when a hole is drilled into it.
incremental pricing account n: account
maintained by a pipeline that contains the
cost subject to pass-through to certain
users.
indefinite pricing provision n: any
provision of any contract that provides for
the establishment or adjustment of the price
for natural gas delivered under such contract
by reference to other prices for natural gas,
crude oil, or refined petroleum products, or

index shaft

that allows for the establishment or

adjustment of the price of natural gas
delivered under any contract by negotiation
between the patties.
Independent n: a nonintegrated oil
company or an individual whose operations
are in the field of petroleum production,
excluding transportation, refining, and
marketing.
independent inspector n: a person or
organisation acting independently, but on
behalf, of one or more parties involved in the
transfer, storage, inventory, or analysis of a
commodity or the calibration of land or
marine vessels for the purpose of
determining the quantity, capacity, and/or
quality of a commodity.
Independent Petroleum Association of
America (IPAA) n: an organisation of
independent oil and gas producers
concerned with the relationships between
the oil industry and the public and
government. Its official publication is
Petroleum Independent. Address: 1101 16th
Street NW, 2nd FL.; Washington, DC 20036;
(202) 857-4722.
Independent surveyor n: often used to
mean independent inspector, but usually
implying a person or organisation capable of
total quantity and quality inspection and
calibration of shore, truck, rail, and marine
vessels, meter proving, and physical
properties determinations.
independent tank n: a tank the boundaries
of which are not part of the hull structure of a
barge.
Independent wire rope centre (IWRC) n:
see independent wire rope core
independent wire rope core (IWRC) n: a
core for wire rope consisting of a strand of
steel wires with a spiral winding that is
opposite that of the outer strands of the
rope. Also called independent wire rope
centre.
index n: a fixed or movable part of a
measuring instrument's indicating device
(pointer, liquid surface, recording stylus,
etc.) the position of which with reference to
the scale, indicates the value of the
measured quantity.
indexing valve n: operates on the same
principle as an annular valve, except it
requires pipe rotation for opening and
closing operations.
index shaft n: in a simple gas meter, a shaft
that revolves as fluid flows past it; by
counting the number of revolutions of the
shaft, gas volume can be inferred.

indicated demand

indicated demand n: the sum of crude oil

production and imports less changes in
crude oil stocks.
indicated throughput n: the difference
between the opening meter reading and the
closing meter reading.
indicated volume n: the change in meter
reading that occurs during receipt or delivery
of a liquid product.
indicated volume with factor n: the
indicated volume multiplied by the meter
factor for the particular liquid and operating
conditions under which the meter was
proved.
indicating instrument n: a measuring
instrument in which the value of the
measured quantity is visually indicated but
not recorded.
indicator n: I. a dial gauge used on the rig
to measure the hookload. 2. substances in
acid-base titrations that, in solution, change
colour or become colourless as the
hydrogen ion concentration reaches a
definite value, these values varying with the
indicator. In other titrations. such as chloride,
hardness, and other determinations, these
substances change colour at the end of the
reaction.
Common
indicators
are
phenolphthalein and potassium chromate.
indirect heater n: apparatus or equipment
in which heat from a primary source, usually
the composition of fuel, is transferred to a
fluid or solid, which acts as the heating
medium. The substance to be heated does
not come into contact with the heat from the
primary source. Compare direct healer.
Indirect measurement n: a measurement
that produces a final result by calculation
using results from one or more direct
measurements.
induced emf n: electromotive force that is
developed in a conductor by moving the
conductor within a magnetic field or moving
the magnetic field in relation to the
conductor.
induced fracture n: a fracture in a formation
caused by artificial outside forces. The
opposite of a natural fracture.
induced magnetism n: developed in a
magnetic material by bringing it into a
magnetic field.
Induced voltage n: see induced em}:
inductance (L) n: 1. the electrical effect that
resists any change of current in a circuit and
causes voltage to lead current; measured in
henrys. 2. an apparatus to produce
inductance in a circuit, such as a coiled
conductor.
induction n: the process by which a
magnetic field generates a magnetic field in
an unmagnetized material or generates an
emf in a conductor by virtue of being near
the magnetic material or conductor.

103

induction-electric survey n: see induction

survey.
induction log n: see induction survey.
induction motor n: an alternating-current
motor in which the primary winding on a part
(usually the stator) is connected to a source
of power, and the secondary winding
(usually on the rotor) carries current induced
by the magnetic field of the primary winding.

induction survey n: an electric well log in

which the conductivity of the formation rather
than the resistivity is measured. Because oilbearing formations are less conductive of
electricity than water-bearing formations, an
induction survey, when compared with
resistivity readings, can aid in determination
of oil and water zones.
indurated adj: hardened, as in indurated
steel.
inelastic collision n: the collision of a
neutron and the nucleus of an atom in which
the total energy of the neutron is absorbed
by the nucleus.
inert gas n: 1. the part of a breathing
medium, such as helium, that serves as a
transport for oxygen and is DOl used by the
body as a life-support agent. Its purpose is
to dilute the flow of oxygen to the lungs,
thereby preventing oxygen toxicity. 2. in
chemistry, gases that have a fined outer
electron shell and thus do DOl easily react
with other substances. Examples are helium,
argon, neon, and xenon.
inertia n: the tendency of an object having
mass to resist a change in velocity.
inertia brake n: a brake that utilises the
energy of a heavy, turning member to
actuate the braking action.
Inerting n: 1. the process of pressurising the
vapour space of a vessel with an inert gas
blanket (usually exhaust gas) to prevent the
formation of an explosive mixture. 2. a
procedure used to produce the oxygen
content of a vessel's cargo sp~s to 8% or
less by volume by introducing an inert gas
such as nitrogen or carbon dioxide or a
mixture of gases such as flue gas.

inherent motor temperature protection

inferential mass meter n: a volume meter

with the addition of a densitometer from
which mass flow is inferred.
infill drilling n: drilling wells between known
producing wells to exploit the re- sources of
a field to best advantage.
infilling well n: a well drilled between known
producing wells to exploit the reservoir
better.
inflatable packer n: a packer with an
element that inflates by means of gas or
liquid pumped from the surface through a
line. It is deflated by means of slots that can
be opened to allow the gas or liquid to flow
out They are used when a temporary packer
is needed in a hole with weakened casing
that could be damaged by mechanical slips.
Inflow n: see feed in.
inflow performance relationship (IPR) n:
the relation between the midpoint pressure
of the producing reservoir and the liquid
inflow rate of a producing well.
inflow performance relationship curve n:
a productivity curve piotted when a well has
two-phase flow. both oil and gas. based on
well tests or a combination of computations
and well tests. Also called IPR curve.

influx n: an intrusion of formation fluids into

the borehole, i.e., a kick.
Information to Lessees and Operators
(ITL) n: an MMS document sent to offshore
lessees and operators to clarify or
supplement operational guidelines.
INGAA abbr: Interstate Natural Gas
Association of America.
inhalation hazards n pi: substances that, on
reing inhaled, ad~ly affect health or life.
inherent motor temperature protection n:
overload or short-circuit protection built into
the motor windings.

inhibited acid

inhibited acid n: an acid that has been

chemically treated before the acidizing or
acid fracture of a well to lessen its corrosive
effect on the tubular goods and yet maintain
its effectiveness. See acid fracture, acidize.
inhibited mud n: a drilling fluid to which
chemicals have been added to prevent it
from causing clay particles in a formation to
swell and thus impair the permeability of a
productive zone. Salt is a mud inhibitor.
inhibitor n: an additive used to retard
undesirable chemical action in a product. It
is added in small quantities to gasolines to
prevent oxidation and gum formation, to
lubricating oils to stop colour change, and to
corrosive
environments
to
decrease
corrosive action.
initial circulating pressure (ICP) n: the
pressure at which a well that has been
closed in on a kick is circulated when wellkilling procedures are begun.
initial gel n: see initial gel strength.
initial gel strength n: the maximum reading
(deflection) taken from a direct-reading
viscometer after the fluid has been quiescent
for 10 seconds. It is reported in pounds/ 100
square feet. See also gel strength.
initial potential n: the early production of an
oilwell, recorded after testing operations and
recovery of load oil and used as an indicator
of the maximum ability of a well to produce
on completion without subsequent reservoir
damage.
initial set n: the point at which a cement
slurry begins to harden, or set up, and is no
longer pumpable.
initial stability n: the stability of an off-shore
drilling rig when upright or having only a
small angle of heel.
initial stretch n: the permanent lengthening
that occurs to new wire rope when it is put
into service.
injection n: the process of forcing fluid into
something. In a diesel engine, the
introduction of high-pressure fuel oil into the
cylinders.
injection gas n: 1. a high-pressure gas
injected into a formation to maintain or
restore reservoir pressure. 2. gas injected in
gas-lift operations.
injection log n: a survey used to determine
the injection profile, that is, to assign specific
volumes or percentages to each of the
formations taking fluid in an injection well.
The injection log is also used to check for
casing or packer leaks, bad cement jobs,
and fluid migration between zones.
injection pattern n: the spacing and pattern of wells in an improved recovery project,
determined from the location of existing
wells, reservoir size and shape, the cost of
drilling new wells, and the oil recovery
expected from various patterns. Common

104

injection patterns include line drive, five spot,

seven spot, nine spot, and peripheral.
injection profile n: specific volumes or
percentages assigned to each of the
intervals in a well that are taking fluid.
injection pump n: a chemical feed pump
that injects chemical reagents into a flowline system to treat emulsions at a rate
proportional to that of the flow of the well
fluid. Operating power may come from
electric motors or from linkage with the
walking beam of a pumping well.
injection timing n: the injection of fuel at
precisely the right moment in an engine's
operating cycle. Proper injection timing is
vital, because it gives maximum power from
the fuel, good fuel economy, and clean
combustion.
injection valve n: a poppet spring-loaded
subsurface valve run in on wireline, landed
in a profile, to shut the well in if injection
ceases.
injection water n: water that is introduced
into a reservoir to help drive hydrocarbons to
a producing well.
injection well n: a well through which fluids
are injected into an underground stratum to
increase reservoir pressure and to displace
oil. Also called input well.
injector head n: a control head for injecting
coiled tubing into a well that seals off the
tubing and makes a pressure-tight
connection.
in-kind n: the taking by an owner of a share
of gas or liquids for separate marketing or
disposition rather than permitting that share
to be disposed of jointly with gas or products
belonging to other owners.
inland barge rig n: a floating off-shore
drilling structure consisting of a barge on
which the drilling equipment is constructed.
When moved from one location to another,
the barge floats. When stationed on the drill
site. the barge can be anchored in the
floating mode or submerged to rest on the
bottom typically. inland barge rigs are used
to drill wells in marshes, shallow inland bays,
and areas where the water is not too deep.
Also called swamp barge. See floating
offshore drilling rig.

input well

inlet manifold n: the passage that leads

from the air filter to the cylinders of an
engine. In a diesel engine, air only is
introduced on the intake stroke.
in-line system n: a type of automatic
sampling system where the probe and
extractor are located directly on the pipeline
and the sample is withdrawn from the liquid
stream. Compare sample loop.
innage n: the height of a liquid in a tank as
measured from the bottom (datum plate) of
the tank to the liquid surface.
innage bob n: a weight attached to the end
of a gauge tape. The tape and bob are used
to measure liquid height in a tank. The bob
keeps the tape vertical so that an accurate
reading can be obtained from the tape.
innage gauge n: a measure of the liquid in a
tank from the bottom of the tank or a fixed
datum plate to the surface of the liquid.
innage measurement n: a measure of the
liquid height in a tank from the bottom of the
tank or datum plate to the top of the liquid.
innage tape-and-bob procedure n: a
method of measuring the height of the liquid
in a tank using a pointed gauger's bob and a
graduated tape. In this method, the liquid
height is measured from the bottom of the
liquid to the top. Compare outage tape-andbob procedure.
inorganic compounds n pi: chemical compounds that do not contain carbon as the
principal element (excepting that in the form
of carbonates, cyanides, and cyanides).
Such compounds make up matter that is not
plant or animal.
in phase adj: in an AC circuit voltage and
current are in phase when they begin, reach
a maximum in the same direction, and return
to zero at exactly the same time. Two or
more alternating emfs of the same frequency
are in phase when their polarities and
instantaneous values occur at the same
time.
input shaft n: the transmission shaft for the
drawworks that is driven directly by the
compounding transmission on a mechanicaIdrive rig and is connected to it with the
master clutch; or, on an electric-drive rig, the
shaft driven directly by the electric motors.
The input shaft drives the jackshaft or output
shaft.
input signal n: a signal applied to a device,
element, or system.
input well n: see injection well

inrush current

inrush current n: heavy current that

develops when an induction motor is started
at full voltage. Usually decreases gradually
as the speed increases and drops sharply
when the motor reaches full speed.
in/sec abbr: inches per second.
insert n: 1. a cylindrical object, rounded,
blunt, or chisel-shaped on one end and
usually made of tungsten carbide, that is
inserted in the cones of a bit, the cutters of a
reamer, or the blades of a stabiliser to form
the cutting element of the bit or the reamer
or the wear surface of the stabiliser. Also
called a compact. 2. a removable part
molded to be set into the opening of the
master bushing so that various sizes of slips
may be accommodated. Also called a bowl.
3. a removable, hard-steel, serrated piece
that fits into the jaws of the tongs and firmly
grips the body of the drill pipe or drill collars
while the tongs are making up or breaking
out the pipe. Also called die.

insert bit n: see tungsten carbide bit.

insert bowl n: a two-piece steel device with
a tapered interior surface that fits into a onepiece or a hinged master bushing. It
provides a place in the master bushing for
crew members to set the slips. See master
bushing, slips.
insert pump n: a sucker rod pump that is
run into the well as a complete unit.
inside blowout preventer n: anyone of
several types of valve installed in the drill
stem or in a top drive to prevent highpressure fluids from flowing up the drill stem
and into the atmosphere. Flow is possible
only downward, allowing mud to be pumped
in but preventing any flow back up the stem.
Also called an internal blowout preventer.
Inside BOP abbr: an inside blowout
preventer.
inside cutter n: see internal cutter.
inside diameter (lD) n: distance across the
interior of a circle, especially in the
measurement of pipe. See diameter.
in situ combustion n: a method of
improved recovery in which heat is
generated within the reservoir by injecting air
and burning a portion of the oil in place. The
heat of initial combustion cracks the crude
hydrocarbons,
vaporises
the
lighter
hydrocarbons, and deposits the heavier

105

hydrocarbons as coke. As the fire moves

from the injection well in the direction of
producing wells, it bums the deposited coke,
releases hot combustion gases, and
converts connate water into steam. The
vaporised hydrocarbons and the steam
move ahead of the combustion zone,
condensing into liquids as they cool and
moving oil by miscible displacement and hot
waterflooding. Combustion gases provide
additional gas drive. Heat lowers the
viscosity of the oil, causing it to flow more
freely. This method is used to recover
heavy, viscous oil. Also called fire flooding.
insolation n: solar radiation received at the
earth's surface.
installation n: an offshore production
platform.
instantaneous value n: the value of current
or voltage at any given instant in a cycle of
an AC circuit.
Institute Mexicano del Petro`leo (Mexican
n:
a
Petroleum
Institute)
(IMP)
decentralised public-interest body created by
the Mexican government. Its main objective
is to carry out research and technological
development as required by the petroleum,
petrochemical, and chemical industries; to
provide technical services for those
industries; and to train personnel involved
with the Mexican petroleum industry.
Address: Apartado Postal 14.805; Mexico,
14, D.F., Mexico.
instrumentation n: a device or assembly of
devices designed for one or more of the
following functions: to measure operating
variables (such as pressure, temperature,
rate of flow, and speed of rotation); to
indicate these phenomena with visible or
audible signals; to record them; to control
them within a predetermined range; and to
stop operations if the control fails. Simple
instrumentation might consist of an
indicating pressure gauge only. In a
completely automatic system, desired
ranges of pressure, temperature, and so on
are predetermined and preset.
instrumented pig n: an electronic device
inserted into a pipeline that senses and
records irregularities in the line that could be
corroded spots. Also called smart pig.
instrument hanger n: a hanger used to lock
instruments, such as pressure and
temperature bombs, into a seating nipple.
Instrument Society of America (ISA) n: a
group that sets standards for instruments
made and used in the United States. Its
official publications are InTech and
Programmable Controls. Address: Box
12277; Research Triangle Park, NC 27709;
(919) 549-8411; fax (919) 549-8288.
instrument transformer n: used to reduce
current or voltage to a known proportion of
that in the circuit. A meter is attached to the
reduced voltage or current and the voltage

integrating orifice meter

or current in the circuit is computed from the

meter reading.
insulating flange n: a flange equipped with
plastic pieces to separate its metal parts,
thus preventing the flow of electric current.
Insulating flanges are often used in cathodic
protection systems to prevent electrolytic
corrosion and are sometimes installed when
a flow line is being attached to a wellhead.
insulator n: a material with a very low
concentration of free electrons that resists
the flow of electric current.
intake manifold n: on an engine, a special
fitting through which air (and sometimes
fuel) enters the engine. On diesel engines,
only air enters the intake manifold; on
gasoline and other spark-ignition engines,
both fuel and air usually enter the manifold.
Intake port n: an opening in a cylinder wall
through which gas flows into the cylinder
when the intake port is uncovered by the
piston.
intake valve n: 1. the cam-operated
mechanism on an engine through which air
and sometimes fuel are admitted to the
cylinder. 2. on a mud pump, the valve that
opens to allow mud to be drawn into the
pump by the pistons moving in the liners.
intangible development cost n: expense of
an item that does not have a salvage value,
such as site costs, rig transportation, rig
operation, drilling fluid, formation tests,
cement, and well supplies.
integral hull tank n: tank the boundaries of
which are the bottom, side, deck, or bulkhead of the barge hull.
integrating orifice meter n: an orifice meter
with an automatic integrating device. It is
constructed so that the product of the square
roots of the differential and static pressures
is recorded on the chart. The products are
continuously totaled and shown on a counter
index. When the product total is multiplied by
the orifice flow constant, the rate of flow is
determined directly.

integrating wattmeter

integrating wattmeter n: see watthour

meter.
integration department n: the department
of an oil and gas company that receives
orifice meter charts and integrates, or averages, the static and differential pressure
readings recorded on the chart.
intensifier n: a pressure-multiplier-type well
servicing mobile pump.
interest n: pertaining to real estate, a right
or a claim to property.
interface n: 1. the contact surface between
two boundaries of liquids (e.g., the surface
between water and the oil floating on it). 2. a
means for coupling unlike equipment or
functions so that they may communicate and
work in unison.
interfacial tension n: the surface tension
occurring at the interface between two
liquids that do not mix, such as oil and
water. Interfacial tension is caused by the
difference in fluid pressures of the liquids.
interfit n: the distance that the ends of one
bit cone extend into the grooves of an
adjacent one in a roller cone bit. Also called
intermesh.
Intergovernmental Maritime Comultative
Organisation (lMCO) n: an international
organisation
that
regulates
maritime
practices, including possible pollution of the
oceans by tanker-cleaning effluent. Later
became International Maritime Organisation.
interlocking n: automatic process by which
an operation cannot be initiated until certain
requirements have been met.
INTERMAR abbr: Office of International
Activities and Marine Minerals (MMS).
intermediate casing string n: the string of
casing set in a well after the surface casing
but before production casing is set to keep
the hole from caving and to seal off troublesome formations. In deep wells, one or more
intermediate strings may be required. Sometimes called protection casing.
intermediate gears n pi: a system of gears
that transmits rotary motion.
intermesh n: see interfit.
intermittent-flow gas lift n: see gas lift.
intermittent sample n: a pipeline sample
withdrawn by equal increments at a rate of
less than one increment per minute.
intermittent sampler n: a sampler that
transfers equal increments of oil from a
pipeline to the sample container at a uniform
rate.
intermitter n: a regulation device used in
production of a flowing well. The well flows
wide open (or through a choke) for short
periods several times a day and is then
closed in. Also used in some gas lift
installations.
internal blowout preventer n: see inside
blowout preventer.

106

internal-combustion engine n: a heat

engine in which the pressure necessary to
produce motion of the mechanism results
from the ignition or burning of a fuel-air
mixture within the engine cylinder.
internal cutter n: a fishing tool containing
metal-cutting knives that is lowered into the
inside of a length of pipe stuck in the hole to
cut the pipe. The severed portion of the pipe
can then be returned to the surface.
Compare external cutter.
internal energy n: energy possessed by a
body by reason of its molecular forces,
independent of its potential or kinetic energy.
A match or explosive has internal energy.
internal-external upset end (I-EUE) n: on
tubing, casing, or drill pipe, the thickening at
each end of the joint such that the internal
diameter and die external diameter of die
joint increase in thickness at each end.
Compare external upset end, internal upset
end.
internal line-up clamp n: an alignment
clamp used on the inside of pipe. It uses a
number of small expandable blocks, or
shoes, to grip the inside surfaces of both
pipe joints and hold them in place. The
clamp can also act as a swab to clean the
inside of the pipe. Compare external line- up
clamp.
internal phase n: the fluid droplets or solids
that are dispersed throughout another liquid
in an emulsion. Compare continuous phase.
internal preventer n: see inside blowout
preventer.
internal upset end (lUE) n: an extra-thick
inside wall on the end of tubing or drill pipe
at the point where it is threaded to
compensate for the metal removed in
threading. Unlike external upset drill pipe,
which has the extra thickness on the
outside, drill pipe with internal upset has the
extra thickness inside and a uniform, straight
wall outside. Compare external upset end,
internal-external upset end.
internal-upset pipe n: see internal upset
end. International Association of Drilling
Contractors (IADC) n: an organisation of
drilling contractors that sponsors or conducts
research on education, accident prevention,
drilling technology, and other matters of
interest to drilling contractors and their
employees. Its official publication is The
Drilling Contractor: Address: Box 4287;
Houston, TX 77210; (281) 578-7171; fax
(281) 578-0589.
International Maritime Organisation (IMO)
n: an agency of the United Nations that
provides an international forum for nations to
discuss international cooperative efforts to
improve marine safety and to protect the
ocean environment. International treaties on
safety
(SOLAS)
and
environmental
protection (MARPOL) have been negotiated
at IMO. The governing body of the IMO is

IOGCC

the Assembly, which meets once every two

years and is open to all 136 member states
(countries). IMO is headquartered in
London. Address: 4 Albert Embankment;
London SE I 75R; 717357611.
international standard n: a standard
recognised by an international agreement to
serve as the basis for fixing the value of all
other standards of the given quantity.
international system of units (SI) n: a
system of units of measurement based on
the metric system, adopted and described
by the Eleventh General Conference on
Weights and Measures. It provides an
international standard of measurement to be
followed when certain customary units, both
US and metric, are eventually phased out of
international trade operations. The symbol
SI (Le Syste`me International d'Unite's)
designates the system, which involves
seven base units: (1) metre for length, (2)
kilogram for mass, (3) second for time, (4)
Celsius for temperature, (5) ampere for
electric current, (6) candela for luminous
intensity, and (7) mole for amount of
substance. From these units, others are
derived without introducing numerical
factors.
interpulse spacing n: variations in meter
pulse width/space, normally expressed as a
percentage.
Interstate Commerce Commission (iCC)
n: a federal agency that until 1977 had
jurisdiction over oil pipelines engaged in
interstate commerce. See Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission.
Interstate Natural Gas Association of
America (INGAA) n: an association of gas
transmission companies, producers, and
distributors. Address: 555 13th Street NW,
Suite 300- W; Washington, DC 20004; (202)
626-3200.
Interstate Oil
and
Gas
Compact
Commission (IOGCC) n: a commission that
comprises governors of oil-producing states.
It works cooperatively with the EPA to assist
states in improving regulatory programs.
Address: Box 53127; Oklahoma City, OK
73152-3127; (405) 525-3556.

interstate pipeline

interstate pipeline n: a natural gas pipeline company that is engaged in the

transportation, by pipeline, of natural gas
across state boundaries. The pipeline is
subject to FERC jurisdiction under the
Natural Gas Act and under the Natural Gas
Policy Act.
interstice n: a pore space in a reservoir
rock.

interstitial water n: water contained in the

interstices, or pores, of reservoir rock. In
reservoir engineering, it is synonymous with
connate water. Compare connate wate,;
intertropical convergence zone n: the lowpressure frontal zone that serves as the
dividing line between the northeast and
southeast trade winds.
intestate adj: without leaving a will. A
person may be said to have died intestate.
intrastate pipeline n: a natural gas pipeline
company that is engaged in the
transportation, by pipeline, of natural gas not
subject to FERC jurisdiction under the
Natural Gas Act and under the Natural Gas
Policy Act.
intrinsic and unique adj: a phrase applied
to operations that are necessary and
uniquely associated with oil and gas
exploration and production operations. In
order to be intrinsic and unique to E&P
operations, they must be associated with
efforts to locate oil or gas deposits; to
remove oil or natural gas from the ground; or
to remove impurities from substances as an
integral part of primary field operations.
intrusive rock n: an igneous rock that, while
molten, penetrated into or between other
rocks and solidified.
invaded zone n: an area within a permeable
rock adjacent to a wellbore into which a
filtrate (usually water) from the drilling mud
has passed, with consequent partial or total
displacement of the fluids originally present
in the zone.
invert-emulsion mud n: an oil mud in which
fresh or salt water is the dispersed phase
and diesel, crude, or some other oil is the
continuous phase. See oil mud.
inverter n: see converter.
invert oil-emulsion n: a water-in-oil
emulsion in which fresh or salt water is the

107

dispersed phase and diesel. crude. or some

other oil is the continuous phase. Water
increases d1e viscosity and oil reduces the
viscosity.
iodine number n: d1e number indicating the
amount of iodine absorbed by oils. fats. and
waxes. giving a measure of the unsaturated
linkages present. Generally. the higher the
iodine number. the more severe the action of
the oil on rubber.
IOGCC abbr: Interstate Oil and Gas
Compact Commission.
ion n: an atom or a group of atoms charged
either positively (a cation) or negatively (an
anion) as a result of losing or gaining
electrons.
ionization n: the process by which a neutral
atom becomes positively or negatively
charged through the loss or gain of electrons.
IPAA
abbr:
Independent
Petroleum
Association of America.
IPR abbr: inflow performance relationship.
IPR curve n: see inflow performance
relationship curve.
IR drop n: voltage drop. as determined by
the formula E = JR.
iron count n: a measure of iron compounds
in the product stream. determined by
chemical analysis. which reflects the
occurrence and the extent of corrosion.
iron monoxide n: see ferrous oxide.
iron pyrite n: see pyrite.
Iron RoughneckTM n: a manufacturer's
name for a floor-mounted combination of a
spinning wrench and a torque wrench. The
Iron Roughneck moves into position
hydraulically and eliminates the manual
handling involved with suspended individual
tools.
iron sponge process n: a method for
removing small concentrations of hydrogen
sulphide from natural gas by passing the gas
over a bed of wood shavings that have been
impregnated with a form of iron oxide (iron
sponge). The hydrogen sulphide reacts with
the iron oxide, forming iron sulphide and
water.
iron sulphide n: see ferrous sulphide.
ISA abbr: Instrument Society of America.
isobar n: a line drawn on a weather map
connecting points of equal atmospheric
pressure.
isobutane n: 1. a hydrocarbon of the
paraffin series with the formula C4"lO and
having its carbon atoms branched. 2. in
commercial transactions, a product meeting
the GPA specification for commercial butane
and, in addition, containing a minimum
of95% liquid volume isobutane.
isochore map n: a contour map that shows
the thickness of a pay section in a reservoir.
Used for estimating reservoir content. See
contour map.

isomerization

isochronal test n: a short-time backpressure test for low-permeability reservoirs

that otherwise require excessively long times
for pressure stabilisation when wells are
shut in.
isochronous governor n: a governor that
maintains a constant speed of the prime
mover regardless of the load applied, within
the capacity of the prime mover.
isogonic chart n: a map that shows the
isogonic lines joining points of magnetic
declination, which is the variation between
magnetic north and true north. For example,
in Los Angeles, California, when the
compass needle is pointing toward north,
true north actually lies 150 east of magnetic
north. See declination.
isogonic line n: an imaginary line on a map
that joins places on the earth's surface at
which the variation of a magnetic compass
needle from true north is the same. This
variation, which may range from 0 to 30 or
more degrees either east or west of true
north, must be compensated for to obtain an
accurate reading of direction.
isokinetic sample n: a sample taken from a
pipeline in which the linear velocity of the
fluid through the opening of the sample
probe is equal to the linear velocity in the
pipeline and is in the same direction as the
bulk of the fluid in the pipeline approaching
the probe.
isolate v: to pack off above and below a
zone of interest.
isolith map n: a map of a formation on
which points of similar lithology are
connected by a series of contours.

isomerization n: in petroleum refining, the

process of altering the arrangement of the
atoms in the molecule without adding or
removing anything from the original material.
Straight-chain hydrocarbons are converted
to branched-chain hydrocarbons with a
substantially higher octane rating in the
presence of a catalyst at moderate
temperatures and pressures. The process is
basic to the conversion of normal butene
into isobutane.

isomerization

isometric diagram n: a drawing of a three

dimensional object in which lines parallel to
the edges are drawn to scale without
perspective or foreshortening.
isopach map n: a geological map of
subsurface strata showing the various
thicknesses of a given formation as a series
of contours. It is widely used in calculating
reserves and in planning improved recovery
projects.

isopachous line n: a contour line drawn on

a map joining points of equal thickness in a
stratigraphic unit.
isoparaffin n: a material that irritates the
skin very little and that is used as an
odourless solvent, reaction diluent, and in
some proprietary formulations.
isostasy n: equilibrium between large
segments of the earth's crust, which float on
the denser mantle in such a way that thicker
segments extend higher and deeper than
thinner segments, and lighter blocks rise
higher than denser blocks.

isotherm n: constant temperature curve.

isothermal
compression
n:
the
compression of air or gas that exists when
the inter-change of heat between the air or
gas and surrounding bodies (i.e., cylinders
or pistons) takes place at a rate exactly
sufficient to maintain the air or gas at
constant temperature as the pressure
increases.
isotope n: a form of an element that has the
same atomic number as its other forms
1:MJt has a different atomic mass. Isotopes
of an element have the same number of
protons 1:MJt different numbers of neutrons
in the nucleus.
I2R loss n: an energy loss in an electric
circuit caused by the resistance in ohms of

108

the copper to the flow of current. Equal to

the current squared times the resistance in
ohms. Also called copper loss.
ITCZ abbr: intertropical convergence zone.
ITL abbr: Information to Lessees and
Operators.
IUE abbr: internal upset end.
IWRC abbr: independent wire rope core.

isomerization

J sym: joule.
jack n: 1. an oil well pumping unit that is
powered by an internal-combustion engine,
electric motor, or rod line from a central
power source. The walking beam of the
pumping jack provides reciprocating motion
to the pump rods of the well. See walking
beam. 2. a device that is manually operated
to turn an engine over for starting. v: to raise
or lift.
jack board n: a device used to support the
end of a length of pipe while another length
is being screwed onto the pipe. Sometimes
referred to as a stabbing jack.
jacket n: 1. a tubular piece of steel in a
tubing liner-type of sucker rod pump, inside
of which is placed an accurately bored and
honed liner. In this type of sucker rod pump,
the pump plunger moves up and down within
the liner and the liner is inside the jacket. 2.
the support structure of a steel offshore
production platform; it is fixed to the seabed
by piling, and the superstructure is mounted
on it.
jacket water n: water that fills, or is
circulated through, a housing that partially or
wholly surrounds a vessel or machine to
remove, add, or distribute heat and thereby
to control the temperature within the vessel
or machine.
jackhammer n: 1. a rock drill that is
pneumatically powered and usually held by
the operator. 2. an air hammer.
jackknife mast n: a structural steel, opensided tower raised vertically by special lifting
tackle attached to the travelling block. See
mast. Compare standard derrick.

jackknife rig n: a drilling rig d1at has a jackknife mast instead of a standard derrick.

jackshaft n: a short shaft that is usually set

between two machines to provide increased
or decreased flexibility and speed.
jackup n: a jackup driUing rig.
jackup drilling rig n: a mobile bottomsupported offshore drilling structure with
columnar or open-truss legs that support the
deck and hull. When positioned over the
drilling site. the bottoms of the legs rest on
the seafloor. A jackup rig is towed or
propelled to a location with its legs up. Once
the legs are firmly positioned on the bottom,
the deck and hull height are adjusted and
leveled. Also called self-elevating drilling
unit.

jar n: a percussion tool operated manually or

hydraulically to deliver a heavy downward
blow to fish stuck in the borehole. v: to apply
a heavy blow to the drill stem by use of a jar
or bumper sub.
jar accelerator n: a hydraulic tool used in
conjunction with a jar and made up on the
fishing string above the jar to increase the
power of the jarring force.
jar intensifier n: see jar accelerator:
jaw n: see tong jaw.
jaw clutch n: a positive-type clutch in which
one or more jaws mesh in the oppos- ing
clutch sections.
jaying-up n: the act of getting ready to use a
J-slot packer or tool.
J curve n: the configuration of pipe when it
enters the water from an inclined ramp on
the stem of a lay barge instead of from a
stinger. The J curve eliminates overbend,
which can stress the pipe.
jeep n: see holiday detector.
jerk line n: a wire rope, one end of which is
connected to the end of the breakout tongs
and the other end of which is attached to the
breakout cathead. When the driller activates
the cathead, the cathead pulls on the jerk
line with great force to apply torque to break
out a tool joint (or to tighten a drill collar
connection).

109

jet n: 1. a hydraulic device operated by a

centrifugal pump used to clean the mud pits,
or tanks, and to mix mud components. 2. in
a perforating gun using shaped charges, a
highly penetrating, fast-moving stream of
exploded particles that forms a hole in the
casing, cement, and formation.
jet bit n: a drilling bit having replaceable
nozzles through which the drilling fluid is
directed in a high-velocity stream to the
bottom of the hole to improve the efficiency
of the bit. See bit.

jet bottomhole cutter n: a fishing tool that

fires a shaped charge downhole to break up
junk so that it can be retrieved. It is run into
the hole on drill pipe and collars.
jet compressor n: a device employing a
venturi nozzle through which a highpressure stream creates a lower pressure or
a vacuum into which the gas to be
compressed flows. The gas is discharged
from the nozzle with the expanded highpressure medium.
jet cutoff n: a procedure for severing pipe
stuck in a well by detonating special
Shaped- charge explosives similar to those
used in jet perforating. The explosive is
lowered into the pipe to the desired depth
and detonated. The fon:e of the explosion
makes radiating horizontal cuts around the
pipe, and die severed portion of the pipe is
retrieved.
jet cutter n: a fishing tool that uses shaped
charges to sever casing, tubing, or drill pipe
stuck in the hole. See jet cutoff. Compare
chemical cuffer.

jet deflection bit

jet deflection bit n: a special jet bit that has

a very large nozzle used to deflect a hole
from the vertical. The large nozzle erodes
one side of the hole so that the hole is
deflected off vertical. A jet deflection bit is
especially effective in soft formations.
jet gun n: an assembly, including a carrier
and shaped charges, that is used in jet
perforating.
jet hopper n: a device to hold or feed
drilling-mud additives. See mud-mixing
devices. jet mixer n: a cement mixing system
that combines dry cement with a jet of water.
The turbulence from the water thoroughly
mixes the cement slurry.
jet out v: to use a jet for cleaning out mud
tanks, cellar, and other areas.
jet-perforate v: to create holes through the
casing with a shaped charge of high
explosives instead of a gun that fires
projectiles. The loaded charges are lowered
into the hole to the desired depth. Once
detonated, the charges emit short,
penetrating jets of high- velocity gases that
make holes in the casing and cement for
some distance into the formation. Formation
fluids then flow into the wellbore through
these perforations. See bullet perforato1;
gun-perforate.

jet-powered junk basket n: see reversecirculation junk basket.

jet pump n: a pump that operates by means
of a jet of steam, water, or other fluid that
imparts motion and subsequent pressure to
a fluid medium.
jet sled n: in pipeline construction offshore,
a pipe-straddling device fitted with nozzles

on either side that is lowered by a bury

barge. As water is pumped at high pressure
through the nozzles, spoil from beneath the

110

pipe is removed and pumped to one side of

the trench. The line then sags naturally into
position in the trench.
jet stream n: a relatively narrow band of
winds in the upper troposphere, with speeds
as high as 300 knots and travelling from
west to east.
jet the well in v: circulating a lower-density
fluid to under balance the well's formation
pressure to initiate flow.
jetting n: the process of periodically
removing a portion or all of the water, mud,
and/or solids from the pits, usually by means
of pumping through a jet nozzle
arrangement. jobber n: a wholesaler who
buys gasoline for resale to retailers.
joint n: 1. in drilling, a single length (from 16
feet to 45 feet, or 5 metres to 14.5 metres,
depending on its range length) of drill pipe,
drill collar, casing, or tubing that has
threaded connections at both ends. Several
joints screwed together constitute a stand of
pipe. 2. in pipelining, a single length (usually
40 feet-12 metres) of pipe. 3. in geology, a
crack or fissure produced in a rock by
internal stresses. 4. in sucker rod pumping,
a single length of sucker rod that has
threaded connections at both ends.
joint identifier n: a gauge for detennining
whether the connections of drill collars and
tool joints match.
joint movement n: the shipment of a tender
of oil through the facilities of one or more
pipeline companies.
joint operating agreement n: a contract by
which two or more co-owners of the
operating rights in a tract of land join to
share the costs of exploration and possible
development. Compare farmout.
joint tariff n: a rate sheet, issued jointly by
two or more companies, setting forth
charges for moving oil over the facilities of
each.
joint tenants n pi: two or more persons who
are granted lands or tenements to hold in
fee simple, fee tail for life, for years, or at
will, whose joint title is created by one and
the same deed or will. The survivor receives
the whole on the death of the other.
joint venture n: a business undertaking,
usually of more limited scope and length
than a partnership, in which control, profits,
losses, and liability are all shared.
Jones effect n: the net surface tension of
salt solutions first decreases with an
increase of concentration, passes through a
minimum, and then increases as the
concentration is raised.
joule (J) n: the unit used to measure heat,
work, and energy in the metric system. It is
the amount of energy required to move an
object of I kilogram mass to a height of I
metre. Also called a newton-metre.
Joule's law n: a law that states that the
number of units of heat that develop in a

J-tube method

circuit is proportional to the circuit's

resistance, to the square of the strength of
the current, and to the time that the current
lasts.
Joule- Thomson effect n: the change in
gas temperature that occurs when the gas is
expanded adiabatically from a higher
pressure to a lower pressure. The effect for
most gases, except hydrogen and helium, is
a cooling of the gas.
journal n: the part of a rotating shaft that
turns in a bearing.
journal angle n: the angle formed by lines
perpendicular to the axis of the journal and
the axis of the bit. Also called pin angle.

journal bearing n: a machine part in which

a rotating shaft (a journal) revolves or slides.
Also called a plain bearing.
J-slot n: a type of mechanism in a packer or
a tool in which tubing rotation moves the
tool's mandrel through a series of motions,
similar to a letter J, to set and release the
tool.
J-tool n: a sleeve receptacle that has a fitted
male element and pins that fit into milled Jshaped slots of the sleeve. The short sides
of the J-slots provide a shoulder for
supporting weight on the pins of the male
element. When the male element is lowered
and turned relative to the sleeve, the pins
slide in the slot toward the long side of the J,
which is open-ended. The pins may thus be
raised out, releasing weight that may be
supported by the sleeve. The releasing
procedure is called "unjaying the tool."
J-tube method n: a method for joining a
pipeline to a subsea riser on a platform. In
the J-tube method. the pipe is lifted off the
ocean floor when it reaches the platform and
is then fed up to the surface through a guide
tube. During this process, the pipe assumes
a J configuration. Compare reverse J-tube
method.

judicial determination

judicial determination n: see judicial

transfer.
judicial transfer n: transfer by the court of
an interest or of interests in real property.
When ownership of land is concerned, a
judicial transfer usually involves the
appointment of a receiver by the court. The
receiver can then act, for example, to
execute an oil and gas lease on the
property. The citation may arise when the
landowner is missing or unknown, after
foreclosures, or after tax sales. Also called
judicial determination.
jug n: see geophone.
jug hustler n: (slang) the member of a
seismograph crew who places the
geophones.
jumbo burner n: a flare for burning waste
gas when the volume of gas is very small or
when no market is readily available.
jumbo tank cars n pi: tank cars having
capacities of 30,000 gallons (114 cubic
metres) or more. Standard tank cars have a
apacity of 10,000 to 11,000 gals (38 to 42
cubic metres).
junior orifice fitting n: a one-piece orifice
fitting without flanges.
junk n: metal debris lost in a hole. Junk may
be a lost bit, pieces of a bit, milled pieces of
pipe, wrenches, or any relatively small object
that impedes drilling or completion and must
be fished out of the hole. v: to abandon (as a
nonproductive well).
junk basket n: a device made up on the
bottom of the fishing string to catch and
retrieve pieces of junk from the bottom of the
hole.
junk boot n: see boot sub.
junk cement n: a quantity of cement that is ,
left over after an adequate amount of
cement has been pumped into a well during
a cement job.
junk mill: a mill used to grind up junk in he
hole. See mill.
junk pusher n: a scraper device run below
retainers or packers to clean away debris
from casing ID.
junk retriever n: a special tool made up on
the bottom of the drill stem to pick up junk
from the bottom of the hole. Most junk
retrievers are designed with ports that allow
drilling fluid to exit the tool a short distance
off the bottom. This flow of fluid creates an
area of low pressure inside the tool so that
the junk is lifted and caught in the retriever
by the higher pressure outside the tool. See
junk, junk basket.
junk shot n: an explosive charge detonated
in the borehole to break up large pieces of
junk in order to facilitate the junk's removal
from the hole.
junk sub n: see boot sub.

111

junk sub

K sym: kelvin.
KalrezTM n: a trademark for a specially
compounded fluoroelastomer for extreme
temperature,
pressure,
and
hostile
environment service. See elastomer,
ftuoroelastomer.
kaolinite n: Al2Si205(OH)4, a light-coloured
clay mineral.
KB abbr: kelly bushing; used in drilling
reports.
K capture n: an interaction in which a
nucleus captures an electron from the K
shell of atomic electrons (shell nearest the
nucleus) and emits a neutrino.
keel n: a centreline strength tube running
fore and aft along the bottom of a ship or a
floating offshore drilling rig and forming the
backbone of the structure.
keeper n: an exploration well intended for
completion.
keep whole n: provision in gas processing
agreements that essentially allows the
producer to receive at least an amount equal
to the proceeds the producer would have
been entitled to had he or she sold the gas
at the wellhead without processing.
kelly n: the heavy steel tubular device, fouror six-sided, suspended from the swivel
through the rotary table and connected to
the top joint of drill pipe to turn the drill stem
as the rotary table turns. It has a bored
passageway that permits fluid to be
circulated into the drill stem and up the
annulus, or vice versa. Kellys manufactured
to API specifications are available only in
four- or six-sided versions, are either 40 or
54 feet (12 to 16 metres) long, and have
diameters as small as 2112 inches (6
centimetres) and as large as 6 inches (15
centimetres).
kelly bushing (KB) n: a special device
placed around the kelly that mates with the
kelly flats and fits into the master bushing of
the rotary table. The kelly bushing is
designed so that the kelly is free to move up
or down through it. The bottom of the
bushing may be shaped to fit the opening in
the master bushing or it may have pins that
fit 'into the master bushing. In either case,
when the kelly bushing is inserted into the
master bushing and the master bushing is
turned, the kelly bushing also turns. Since
the kelly bushing fits onto the kelly, the kelly
turns, and since the kelly is made up to the

drill stem, the drill stem turns. Also called the

drive bushing. See kelly, master bushing.
kelly bushing lock assembly n: a feature
on four-pin kelly bushings installed on
floating offshore rigs (which employ a
conventional rotary table assembly) that
secures the kelly bushing's pins to the
master bushing's corresponding drive holes
so that the kelly bushing will not separate
from (lift off of) the master bushing as the rig
heaves up and down with wind and wave
motion. See kelly bushing, master bushing.
kelly bushing rollers n pi: rollers in the
kelly bushing that roll against the flat sides of
the kelly and allow it to move freely upward
or downward. Also called drive rollers.

kelly bypass n: a system of valves and

piping that allows drilling fluid to be
circulated without the use of the kelly.
kelly cock n: a valve installed at one or both
ends of the kelly. When a high-pressure
backflow occurs inside the drill stem, the
valve is closed to keep pressure off the
swivel and rotary hose. See lower kelly cock,
upper kelly cock.
kelly flat n: one of the flat sides of a kelly.
Also called a flat.
kelly hose n: see rotary hose.
112

kelly joint n: see kelly.

kelly saver sub n: a heavy and relatively
short length of pipe that fits in the drill stem
between the kelly and the drill pipe. The
threads of the drill pipe mate with those of
the sub, minimising wear on the kelly.
kelly spinner n: a pneumatically operated
device mounted on top of the kelly that,
when actuated, causes the kelly to turn or
spin. It is useful when the kelly or a joint of
pipe attached to it must be spun up, that is,
rotated rapidly for being made up.
kelly sub n: see kelly saver sub.
kelvin (K) n: the fundamental unit of
thermodynamic temperature in the metric
system. See kelvin temperature scale.
kelvin temperature scale n: a temperature
scale with the degree interval of the Celsius
scale and the zero point at absolute zero.
On the kelvin scale, water freezes at 273.16.
and boils at 373.16.. See absolute
temperature scale.
kerosene n: a light, flammable hydrocarbon
fuel or solvent.
key n: 1. a hook-shaped wrench that fits the
square shoulder of a sucker rod and is used
when rods are pulled or run into a pumping
oilwell. Usually used in pairs; one key backs
up and the other breaks out or makes up the
rod. Also called a rod wrench. 2. a slender
strip of metal that is used to fasten a wheel
or a gear onto a shaft. The key fits into slots
in the shaft and in the wheel or gear. v: to
use a cotter key to prevent a nut from
coming loose from a bolt or a stud.
keyseat n: 1. an undergauge channel or
groove cut in the side of the bore- hole and
parallel to the axis of the hole. A key seat
results from the rotation of pipe on a sharp
bend in the hole. 2. a groove cut parallel to
the axis in a shaft or a pulley bore.

keyseat barge

keyseat barge n: a barge in which the mast

is placed over a channel cut out of the side
of the barge and through which drilling or
workover operations are performed.
keyseat reamer n: see keyseat wiper.
keyseat wiper n: a device used to ream out
a hole where keyseating has occurred.
Usually a bumper sub is used first to loosen
stuck pipe from a sharp bend, and then a
keyseat wiper is used to enlarge the hole at
the keyseat caused by the pipe. Also called
a keyseat reamer. See keyseat. key valve
n: see shutoff valve.
keyway n: a slot in the edge of the barge
hull of a jackup drilling unit over which the
drilling rig is mounted and through which
drilling tools are lowered and removed from
the well being drilled. Compare cantilevered
jackup.
K factor n: nominal pulses per unit volume.
Used in design of meters.
kg abbr: kilogram.
KGS abbr: known geologic structures.
kick n: an entry of water, gas, oil, or other
formation fluid into the wellbore during
drilling. It occurs because the pressure
exerted by the column of drilling fluid is not
great enough to overcome the pressure
exerted by the fluids in the formation drilled.
If prompt action is not taken to control the
kick. or kill the well, a blowout may occur.
See blowout.

kick fluids n pi: oil, gas, water, or any

combination that enters the borehole from a
permeable formation.
kick off v: 1. to bring a well into production;
used most often when gas is injected into a
gas lift well to start production. 2. in
workover operations, to swab a well to
restore it to production. 3. to deviate a
wellbore from the vertical, as in directional
drilling.
kickoff point (KOP) n: the depth in a
vertical hole at which a deviated or slant
hole is started; used in directional drilling.
kickoff pressure n: the gas pressure
required to kick off a gas lift well, usually

113

greater than that required to maintain the

well in production. See gas lift.
kickoff tool n: see deflection tool.
kickstand valve n: see flapper valve.
kick tolerance n: the amount of pressure
that the casing seat can take without
fracturing. It is calculated from the height
and volume of the kick in the well.
kill v: 1. in drilling, to control a kick by taking
suitable preventive measures (e.g., to shut
in the well with the blowout preventers,
circulate the kick out, and increase the
weight of the drilling mud). 2. in production,
to stop a well from producing oil and gas so
that reconditioning of the well can proceed.
Production is stopped by cir- culating a kill
fluid into the hole.
kin fluid n: drilling mud of a weight great
enough to equal or exceed the pressure
exerted by formation fluids.
kin line n: a pipe attached to the blowout
preventer stack, into which mud or cement
can be pumped to overcome the pressure of
a kick. Sometimes used when normal kill
procedures (circulating kill fluids down the
drill stem) are not sufficient.
kill rate n: the speed, or velocity, of the mud
pump used when killing a well. Usually
measured in strokes per minute, it is
considerably slower than the rate used for
normal operations.
kill rate pressure n: the pressure exerted
by the mud pump (and read on the
standpipe or drill pipe pressure gauge) when
the pump's speed is reduced to a speed
lower than that used during normal drilling. A
kill rate pressure or several kill rate
pressures are estab- lished for use when a
kick is being circulated out of the wellbore.
Also called p-low.
kill sheet n: a printed form that contains
blank spaces for recording information about
killing a well. It is provided to remind
personnel of the necessary steps to take to
kill a well.
kill string n: small-diameter tubing that is
used inside production tubing for continuous
injection of specialised fluids such as
corrosion inhibitors or kill fluids. Sometimes
used to refer to the drill string through which
kill fluids are circulated in drilling.
kilogram n: the metric unit of mass equal to
1,000 grams.
kilogram calories n pi: the amount of heat
required to raise the temperature of 1 kilogram of water 1C.
kilogram-metre (kg-m) n: in the metric
system, a unit of measure of twisting force,
of a strand; other wires in the strand are laid
around this wire. or torque. The amount of
energy required to move I kilogram I metre
vertically.
kilometre (km) n: a metric unit of length
equal to 1,000 metres. One kilometre equals
.62 miles.

knockout

kilopascal n: 1,000 pascals.

kilovolt-amperes n pi: the product of the
number of kilovolts and the number of
amperes in a circuit.
kilowatt n: a metric unit of power equal to
approximately 1.34 horsepower.
kilowatt-hour n: the power of I kilowatt
applied for I hour.
kinematic viscosity n: the absolute
viscosity of a fluid divided by the density of
the fluid at the temperature of the viscosity
measurement. Usually expressed in square
metres/second.
kinetic energy n: energy possessed by a.
body because of its motion.
kinetic momentum principle n: the
principle that recognises the fact that, when
a sample of fluid is vibrated by a weight in
contact with the fluid, both the mass of the
fluid and the mass of the weight increase.
kinetic pressure n: the pressure exerted by
a gas under ideal conditions.
kinetic theory n: describes the behaviour of
gas molecules in a confined space.
king wire n: in a wire rope, the centre wire
of a strand; other wires in the strand are laid
around this wire.
kink n: a loop in a wire rope that, having
been pulled tight, causes permanent
distortion.
kip n: a unit of weight or force equal to 1,000
pounds (4,448 newtons).
Kirchoff's second law n: the law stating
that, at each instant of time, the increase in
voltage around a closed loop in a network is
equal to the algebraic sum of the voltage
drops.
Klinkenberg correction n: used to convert
air permeability values to equivalent liquid
permeability values to obtain an accurate
reading of permeability in laboratory analysis
of core samples.
Klinkenberg effect n: the difference in the
flow of a gas and of a liquid through a
formation. The difference occurs because
gas molecules flow uniformly through small,
interconnected pores. Liquid molecules tend
to move faster through the centre of a pore
than along the sides.
knockout n: any liquid condensed from a
stream by a scrubber following compression
and cooling.

knockout drops

knockout drops n pi: (slang) chemical used

to treat an oilfield emulsion when it is being
tested to determine the amount of treating
chemical required to break the emulsion.
knockout plug n: a plugging device used to
effect a dry tubing during run in. It is opened
by knocking it out of the tubing; used with
retainer and packers.
knockout pot n: a vessel that is placed in a
pipeline or pipeline sample line and
arranged to remove entrained liquids or
solids by gravitational means.
knot n: a unit of speed equal to I nautical
mile (1.852 kilometres or about I y, statute
miles) per hour.
knowledge box n: (slang) the cupboard or
desk in which the driller keeps the various
records pertaining to a drilling operation.
knuckle joint n: a deflection tool, placed
above the drill bit in the drill stem. with a ball
and socket arrangement that allows the tool
to be deflected at an angle; used in
directional drilling. It is useful in fishing
operations because it allows the fishing tool
to be deflected to the side of the hole, where
a fish may have come to rest.
KO abbr: kicked off; used in drilling reports.
KOP abbr: kickoff point.
kPa abbr: kilopascal.
K shell n: the shell of electrons nearest the
nucleus in an atom.
Ksi abbr: one thousand pounds per square
inch.
k V abbr: kilovolt.
K value n: see vapour-liquid equilibrium
ratio.
KW abbr: kilowatt.
kwh, KWH, kw-h abbr: kilowatt-hour.

114

kwh, KWH, kw-h

L abbr: litre.
Labrador Current n: cold ocean current that
flows south along the Labrador coast
through the Davis Strait to the Grand Banks,
where it divides and flows into the North
Atlantic and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
LACT abbr: lease automatic custody
transfer.
LACT unit n: an automated system for
measuring, sampling, and transferring oil
from a lease gathering system into a pipeline. See lease automatic custody transfer.
Iacustrine delta n: a collection of sediment
in a lake at the point at which a river or
stream enters. When the flowing water
enters the lake, the encounter with still water
absorbs most or all of the stream's energy,
causing its sediment load to be deposited.
LAER abbr: lowest achievable emission
rate.
lagging edge n: the positive-to-negative
transition of an electric signal.
laminar flow n: a smooth flow of fluid in
which no turbulence or cross flow of fluid
particles occurs between adjacent stream
lines. See also Reynolds number.
land n: 1. the area of a partIy machined
surface (as with grooves or indentation) that
is left smooth. 2. the area on a piston
between the grooves into which the rings fit.
v: to seat tubular goods (such as casing or
tubing) into a special device designed to
support them from the surface.
land a wellhead v: to attach casing heads
and other wellhead equipment not already in
place at the time of well completion.
land casing v: to install casing so that it is
supported in the casinghead by slips.
land department n: that section or unit of an
oil company that seeks out and acquires oil
and gas leases.
land disposal n: (RCRA) placement in or on
the land; placement in a landfill, surface
impoundment, waste pile, injection well, land
treatment facility, salt dome formation, salt
bed formation, underground mine or cave. or
in a concrete vault or bunker intended for
disposal purposes.
landed cost n: the price of imported crude
oil at the port of discharge. Includes
purchase price at the foreign port plus
charges for transporting and insuring the
crude oil from the purchase point to the port
of discharge; does not include import tariffs
or fees. wharfage charges. or demurrage
costs.

landform n: a recognisable. naturally

formed physical land feature having a
characteristic shape. such as a plain. alluvial
fan. valley. hill. or mountain.
landing depth n: the depth to which the
lower end of casing extends in the hole
when casing is landed.
landing equipment n: any downhole tool
placed in the tubing string that facilitates the
later placement of special tools at that point.
landing nipple n: a device machined
internally to receive the movable locking
devices used to position. lock. and seal
subsurface production controls in tubing. A
landing nipple provides a seat at a known
depth into which various types of retrievable
flow control equipment can be set. Also
called a seating nipple.
landman n: a person in the petroleum
industry who negotiates with landowners for
oil and gas leases. options, minerals, and
royalties and with producers for joint
operations relative to production in a field.
Also called a leaseman.
land rig n: any drilling rig that is located on
dry land. Compare offshore rig.
Landsat n: an unstaffed earth-orbiting
NASA satellite that transmits multispectral
images to earth receiving stations; formerly
called ERTS (Earth Resowce Technology
Satellite).
landspreading n: the process of disking, or
tilling. low-toxicity wastes into surface soil;
land farming.
lang lay n: a type of wire rope construction
in which the wires that make up the wire
rope strands are twisted in the same
direction as the strands themselves.
lap n: an interval in the cased hole where
the top of a liner over- laps the bottom of a
string of casing. See liner lap.

large structure n: a relative term that

implies the existence of a geologic formation
bigger than is usual for a particular area.
115

last engaged thread n: the last pipe thread

that is actually screwed into the coupling
thread in making up a joint of drill pipe, drill
collars, tubing, or casing. If the pipe makes
up perfectly, it is also the last thread cut on
the pipe.
latch on v: to attach elevators to a section of
pipe to pull it out of or run it into the hole.
latch sub n: a device, usually with
segmented threads, run with seal subs on
the bottom of a tubing string and latched into
a permanent packer to prevent tubing
movement.
lateral curve n: in conventional electric
logging. the curve drawn on the log by a
device on an electric logging tool that is
designed to measure formation resistivity
about 36 feet (11 metres) from the wellbore.
lateral focus log n: a resistivity log taken
with a sonde that focuses an electrical
current laterally, away from the wellbore,
and into the formation being logged. Allows
more precise measurement than was
possible with earlier sondes. The lateral
focus log is a useful means of distinguishing
thin rock layers. Also called LaterologTM.
LaterologTM n: trade name for a
Schlumberger guard or lateral focus
resistivity log, but so commonly used as to
be almost a generic term.
latex cement n: an oil well cement
composed of latex, cement, a surfactant,
and water and characterised by its highstrength bond with other materials and its
resistance to contamination by oil or drilling
mud.

Laurasia

Laurasia n: the northern part of the supercontinent Pangaea, comprising the future
land masses of North America, Greenland.
and Eurasia.
lava n: magma that reaches the surface of
the earth.
law of corresponding states n: law that
states that when, for two substances, any
two ratios of pressure, temperature. or
volume to their respective critical properties
are equal. the third ratio must equal the
other two.
law of partial pressures n: see Dalton's
law.
lay n: 1. the spiral of strands in a wire rope
either to the right or to the left, as viewed
from above. 2. a term used to measure wire
rope. signifying the linear distance a wire
strand covers in one complete rotation
around the rope.
lay barge n: a barge used in the
construction and placement of underwater
pipelines. Joints of pipe are welded together
and then lowered off the stem of the barge
as it moves ahead.

lay-barge construction n: a pipe-laying

technique used in swamps and marshes in
which the forward motion of d1e barge
sends the pipe down a ramp and into the
water. Also called marine lay.
lay down pipe v: to pull drill pipe or tubing
from the hole and place it in a horizontal
position on a pipe rack. Compare set bad.
layer n: a bed, or stratum, of rock.
laying down n: the operation of laying down
pipe. See lay down pipe.
Ib abbr: pound.
Ib/bbl abbr: pounds per barrel.
lb/ft3 abbr: pounds per cubic foot.
LCM abbr: lost circulation material.
LDC abbr: local distribution company.
leaching n: in geology, the removal of
minerals from rock by solution in water or
another solvent.
lead acetate test n: a method for detecting
the presence of hydrogen sulphide in a fluid
by discoloration of paper that has been
moistened with lead acetate solution.
lead-add battery n: a storage battery in
which the electrodes are grids of lead oxides
that change in composition during charging
and discharging, and the electrolyte is dilute
sulphuric acid.

116

leading edge n: the negative-to-positive

transition of an electric signal.
lead line (pronounced "leed") n: the pipe
through which oil or gas flows from a well to
additional equipment on the lease.
lead-tong hand (pronounced "leed") n: the
crew member who operates the lead tongs
when drill pipe and drill collars are being
handled. Also called lead-tong man.
lead tongs (pronounced "Iced") n pi: the
pipe tongs suspended in the derrick or mast
and operated by a chain or a wire rope
connected to the makeup cathead or the
break- out cathead. Personnel call the
makeup tongs the lead tongs if pipe is going
into the hole; similarly, they call the breakout
tongs the lead tongs if pipe is coming out of
the hole. Compare backup tongs.
leak-off point n: in a leak-offtest, the
pressure at which drilling mud begins to leak
off, or enter, the formation from the borehole.
Ieak-off rate n: the rate at which a fracturing
fluid leaves the fracture and enters the
formation
surrounding
the
fracture.
Generally, it is desirable for fracturing fluids
to have a low leak-off rate (i.e., very little
fluid should enter the formation being
fractured), so that the fracture can be better
extended into the formation.
leak-off test n: a gradual pressurising of the
casing after the blowout preventers have
been installed to permit estimation of the
formation fracture pressure at the casing
seat.
lean amine n: amine solution that has been
stripped of absorbed acid gases, giving a
solution suitable for recirculation to the
contactor.
lean gas n: 1. residue gas remaining after
recovery of natural gas liquids in a gasprocessing plant. 2. unprocessed gas
containing few or no recoverable natural gas
liquids. Also called dry gas.
lean glycol n: glycol from which water has
been removed.
lean oil n: a hydrocarbon liquid, usually
lighter in weight than kerosene and heavier
than paint thinner. In a gas processing plant.
lean oil is used in an absorber to remove
heavier hydrocarbons from natural gas.
lease n: 1. a legal document executed
between a landowner, as lessor, and a
company or individual, as lessee, that grants
the right to exploit the premises for minerals
or other products; the instrument that
creates a leasehold or working interest in
minerals. 2. the area where production wells,
stock tanks, separators, LACf units, and
other production equipment are located.
lease automatic custody transfer (LACT)
n: the measurement, sampling, and transfer
of oil from the producer's tanks to the
connected pipeline on an automatic basis
without a representative of either the

lease metering site

producer or the gathering company having

to be present. See LACT unit.
lease bonus n: usually, the cash
consideration that is paid by the lessee for
the execution of an oil and gas lease by a
landowner. It is usually based on a per acre
basis.
lease broker n: an independent landman
who may work with several operators or
companies.
lease condensate n: a natural gas liquid
recovered from gas well gas in lease
separators or natural gas field facilities.
Consists primarily of pentanes and heavier
hydrocarbons. Usually blended with crude oil
for refining.
leasee n: see lessee.
lease facility n: facility such as a
dehydrator, compressor, or separator
installed to serve only a single lease.
leasehold n: the estate in real property
created by a lea. A leasehold is held by a
lessee, usually for a fixed period.
leasehold interest n: all or a fractional part
of the interest of a lessee (grantee) under an
oil and gas lease. Such interest includes the
lessee's right to search for, drill, and
produce oil and gas from a lease tract
subject to royalty payments. The term
usually refers to the remaining leasehold or
working interest exclusive of any nonoperating interests created and assigned
therefrom, such as overriding royalty
interests and production payments. Also
called operating interest, working interest.
lease hound n: (slang) a landman who
procures leases on tracts of land for
petroleum exploration and production.
leaseman n: see landman.
lease metering site n: the point on a lease
where the volume of oil produced from the
lease is measured, usually automatically.

Iease operator

Iease operator n: dte oil company employee

who attends to producing wells. He or she
attends to any number of wells, ensures
steady production, prepares reports, tests,
gauges, and so forth. Also called a
custodian, pumper, or switcher.
lease purchase agreement n: an
agreement between companies for the
purchase by one company of a block of the
other's leases. Also used between lease
brokers and companies.
Iease stipulation n pi: special stipulations,
or requirements, that are often included in
OCS oil and gas leases in response to
concerns raised by coastal states, fishing
groups, federal agencies, and others. The
stipulations may require biological surveys of
sensitive seafloor habitats, environmental
training for operations personnel, special
waste-discharge procedures, archaeological
resource reports to determine the potential
for the encounter of historic or prehistoric
resources, special operating procedures
near military bases or their zones of activity,
and other restrictions on OCS oil and gas
operations. Lease stipulations are legally
binding, contractual provisions.
lease superintendent n: the oil company
employee who supervises one or more lease
operators.
lease tank n: see production tank.
ledge n: a wellbore irregularity caused by
penetration of alternating layers of hard and
soft formations, where the soft formation is
washed out and causes a change of
diametrical size.
leeward ad}: (nautical) downwind.
leg n: in crane operations, a single length of
wire-rope sling, one end of which is attached
to the load and the oilier end of which is
attached to the crane's hook. Usually, but
not always, slings with at least two legs are
used.
legal effect clause n: in an oil and gas
lease, the clause that binds the parties and
declares the lease effective for the lessor
when he or she signs the instrument.
lens n: 1. a porous, permeable, irregularly
shaped sedimentary deposit surrounded by
impervious rock. 2. a lenticular sedimentary
bed that pinches out, or comes to an end, in
all directions.

lens-type trap n: a hydrocarbon reservoir

consisting of a porous, permeable,
irregularly shaped sedimentary deposit
surrounded by impervious rock. See lens.

117

leonardite n: a naturally occurring oxidised

lignite. See lignins.
LEPC abbr: Local Emergency Planning
committees.
lessee n: the recipient of a lease (such as
an oil and gas lease). Also called leasee.
lessor n: the conveyor of a lease (such as
an oil and gas lease).
letter of indemnity n: an agreement in
which a party receiving gas sales proceeds
agrees to refund part of such proceeds in
the event FERC orders the party to return
part of the gas sales proceeds to the
purchaser because a portion of the rate is
deemed unjustified.
letter of protest n: a letter issued by any
participant in a custody transfer citing any
condition with which issue is taken. This
serves as a written record that a particular
action or finding was questioned at the time
of occurrence. Also called notice of apparent
discrepancy.
Letter to Lessees and Operators (LTL) n:
an MMS document sent to offshore lessees
and operators to clarify or supplement
operational guidelines.
levee n: 1. an embankment that lies along
the sides of a sea channel, a canyon, a river,
or a valley. 2. the low ridge sometimes
deposited by a stream along its sides.
level n: 1. the height or depth at which the
top of a column of fluid is located (the level
of fluid in a well). 2. horizontally even
surface. 3. a device used to determine
whether a surface is horizontal.
level-control assembly n: a system of
devices whose purpose is to maintain the
volume of liquid in a tank or vessel at a
predetermined height.
Liberian certification n: a license and
certification obtained by those who work at
sea from the Liberian Maritime Registry
System, which adheres to STCW standards.
See Standards for Training, Certification,
and Watchstanding.
lifeline n: a line attached to a diver's helmet
by which he or she is lowered and raised in
the water.
life tenant n: someone who holds the
exclusive right to possess and use property
during his or her lifetime but who cannot
devise or bequeath the property. Compare
remainderman.
lifter n: a device in an engine against which
a cam rotates as the engine runs. As the
high point of the cam rotates, it pushes
against (lifts) the lifter. The lifter, in turn,
actuates a push rod or other device to open
a valve or similar device. Sometimes called
a cam follower.
lifter-roof tank n: a tank whose roof rises
and falls with the changes of pressure in the
tank but does not float on the product stored
in it.

light products

lifting costs n pi: the costs of producing oil

from a well or a lease.
lifting nipple n: a short
piece of pipe with a
pronounced upset, or
shoulder, on the upper
end, screwed into drill
pipe, drill collars, or
casing to provide a
positive grip for the
elevators. Also called a
lifting sub or a hoisting
plug.

lifting sling n: an arrangement of special

hooks that fit into receptacles in a master
bushing or an insert bowl and chains or wire
rope that are connected to a rig's air hoist,
all of which enables crew members to insert
or remove the master bushing and insert
bowls as required.
lifting sub n: also called hoisting plug or
lifting nipple. See lifting nipple.
light crude oil n: a crude oil of relatively
high API gravity (usually 40. or higher).
light displacement n: on mobile offshore
drilling rigs, the weight of the rig with all
permanently attached equipment but without
fuel, supplies, crew, ballast, drill pipe, and so
forth.
light ends n pi: the lighter hydrocarbon
molecules that comprise gasoline, light
kerosene, heptane, natural gas, and so
forth.
lightening hole n: a hole cut into a
strengthening member that reduces its
weight but does not significantly affect its
strength.
lighter n: a large, usually flat-bottomed,
barge used in unloading or loading ships. v:
to convey by a lighter.
light fuels n pi: fuels, such as gasoline, that
have relatively high volatility.
light hydrocarbons n pi: the low molecular
weight hydrocarbons such as methane,
ethane, propane, and butanes.
light hydrogen n: see protium.
lightning arrester n: a device incorporated
into an electrical system to prevent damage
by heavy surges of high-voltage electricity,
such as a stroke of lightning or voltage
surges resulting from mishaps in operations.
light products n pi: petroleum fractions,
such as ethylene, that are relatively light in
molecular weight.

lightweight cement

lightweight cement n: a cement or cement

system that handles stable slurries having a
density less than that of neat cement. Lightweight cements are used in low-pressure
zones where the hydrostatic pressure of
long columns of neat cement can fracture
the formation and result in lost circulation.
lightweight gear n: all diving equipment
less complex than the standard dress. This
equipment employs face masks or helmets,
protective clothing, and swim fins or boots.
lignins n pi: naturally occurring special
lignites, e.g., leonardite, that are produced
by strip mining from special lignite deposits.
Used primarily as thinners and emulsifiers.
lignosulphonate n: an organic drilling fluid
additive derived from by-products of a
paper-making process using sulphite. It
minimises fluid loss and reduces mud
viscosity.
limber hole n: a hole cut in a structural
member of ship or offshore drilling rig,
usually in a tank, to allow water to pass
through freely.
lime n: a caustic solid that consists primarily
of calcium oxide (CaO). Many forms of CaO
are called lime, including the various
chemical and physical forms of quicklime,
hydrated lime, and even calcium carbonate.
Limestone is sometimes called lime.
lime mud n: 1. a calcite-rich sediment that
may give rise to shaly limestone. 2. a drilling
mud that is treated with lime to provide a
source of soluble calcium in the filtrate to
obtain desirable mud properties for drilling in
shale or clay formations.
limestone n: a sedimentary rock rich in
calcium carbonate that sometimes serves as
a reservoir rock for petroleum.
limited-entry technique n: a fracturing
method in which fracturing fluid is injected
into the formation through a limited number
of perforations (i.e., fluid is not injected
through all the perforations at once; rather,
injection is confined to a few selected
perforations). This special technique can be
useful when long, thick, or multiple
producing zones are to be fractured.
limited exposure n: a generic term to
describe certain types of packers where the
packing element is positioned in such a
fashion as to limit wellbore media exposed
to the tool's
setting or releasing
mechanisms.
line n: 1. any length of pipe through which
liquid or gas flows. 2. rope or wire rope. 3.
electrical wire.
lineament n: a linear topographic or tonal
feature on the terrain and on images and
maps of the terrain that is thought to indicate
a zone of subsurface structural weakness.
linear caliper n: see caliper:
linear chart n: a direct reading chart used
on the flow recorder of an orifice metering

118

system on which are recorded static and

differential pressures during a particular time
period. It must have the same static and
differential ranges as the flow recorder.

linearity of a meter n: an expression of a

meter's deviation from accuracy.
linear meter range n: the flow range over
which the meter factor does not deviate from
specified limits.
linear polarisation n: a technique used to
measure instantaneous corrosion rates by
changing the electrical potential of a
structure that is corroding in a conductive
fluid and measuring the current required for
that change.
line circulation n: petroleum or other liquid
delivered through a pipeline system into a
receiving vessel or tank to ensure that the
section of pipeline from the source tank to
the receiving tank is full in order to minimise
the amount of air in the pipeline.
line contractor n: control device that makes
and breaks the power circuit to the motor.
line displacement n: an operation to replace
previous material in a pipeline.
line drive n: in waterflooding, a straight-line
pattern of injection wells designed to
advance water to the producing wells in the
form of a nearly linear frontal movement.
See waterflooding.
line drop n: opening (venting to
atmosphere) in a vessel's piping system so
as to allow, to the extent possible, drainage
into a tank where the material may be
gauged and accounted for.
line loss n: the reduction in the quantity of
natural gas flowing through a pipeline that
results from leaks, venting, and other
physical and operational circumstances.
line pack n: see line press.
line parts n pi: see parts of line.
line pipe n: a steel or plastic pipe used in
pipelines, gathering systems, flow lines, and
so forth.
line press n: the recorded difference in a
tank's gauges taken both while the tank's
valves are closed (off-line), and while the
tank's valves are opened (on-line) into a
closed system. All downstream valves of die
line section to be pressed are opened while
the terminating valves remain closed. Also
called line pack.
liner n: 1. a string of pipe used to case open
hole below existing casing. A liner extends

liner lap

from the setting depth up into another string

of casing, usually overlapping about 100 feet
(30.5 metres) above the lower end of the
intermediate or the oil string. Liners are
nearly always suspended from the upper
string by a hanger device. 2. a relatively
short length of pipe with holes or slots that is
placed opposite a producing formation.
Usually, such liners are wrapped with
specially shaped wire that is designed to
prevent the entry of loose sand into the well
as it is produced. They are also often used
with a gravel pack. 3. in jet perforation guns,
a conically shaped metallic piece that is part
of a shaped charge. It increases the
efficiency of the charge by increasing the
penetrating ability of the jet. 4. a replaceable
tube that fits inside the cylinder of an engine
or a pump. See cylinder linel:

line rate n: the rate of flow of a fluid through

a line.
liner barrel n: a pump barrel used for either
tubing pumps or rod (insert) pumps. A fullcylinder barrel consists of a steel jacket
inside of which is a full-length tube of cast
iron or special alloy. The inner surface of the
barrel is polished to a mirror like finish to
permit a fluid-tight seal between it and the
plunger. In a sectional liner barrel, the tube
placed inside the steel jacket consists of a
series of sections placed end to end and
held firmly in place by means of threaded
collars on the ends of the steel jacket.
liner completion n: a well completion in
which a liner is used to obtain
communication between the reservoir and
the wellbore.
liner hanger n: a slip device that attaches
the liner to the casing. See liner.
liner lap n: the distance that a liner extends
into the bottom of a string of casing. See lap.

liner patch

liner patch n: a stressed-steel corrugated

tube that is lowered into existing casing in a
well to repair a hole or leak in the casing.
The patch is cemented to the casing with
glass fibre and epoxy resin.
liner shoe n: a casing shoe attached to liner
rather than to casing.
line scraper n: see pig.
line speed indicator n: an instrument
calibrated to show the speed in feet per
minute at which wire line is raised or lowered
in the hole. The line speed indicator may be
driven mechanically by the measuring wheel
and placed next to the depth odometer, or it
may be driven by a motor.
line spooler n: a device fitted on the drawworks and used to cause the fastline to
reverse its direction on the drawworks drum
or spool when a layer of line is completed on
the drum and the next layer is started.
line travel applied coating n: in pipeline
construction, the coating applied to pipe over
the ditch. Coal tar enamels are particularly
effective.
link-block bolt n: a bolt that secures
elevators in the bail. Manufactured with the
nut end toward the derrickhand so that
workers can monitor the nut pins when
latching and unlatching elevators during a
trip.
link ear n: a steel projection on the drilling
hook by means of which the elevator links
are attached to the hook.
link locking arm n: on a drilling rig's hook, a
device that firmly secures and locks the
elevator link into the link ear's opening.
link-tilt arms n pi: on a top drive, a device
that, when actuated by the driller, tilts the
unit's built-in elevators into a position to
make it easy for crew members to latch the
elevators onto a joint of pipe stored in the
mousehole. See top drive.
lipophile n: a substance usually colloidal
and easily wet by oil.
lipophilic adj: having an affinity for lipids, a
class of compounds that includes most
hydrocarbons.
liquefaction n: the process whereby a
substance in its gaseous or solid state is
liquefied.
liquefiable
hydrocarbons
n
pi:
hydrocarbon components of natural gas that
can be extracted and saved in liquid form.
liquefied natural gas (LNG) n: a liquid
composed chiefly of natural gas (i.e., mostly
methane). Natural gas is liquefied to make it
easy to transport if a pipeline is not feasible
(as across a body of water). Not as easily
liquefied as LPG, LNG must be put under
low temperature and high pressure or
under extremely low (cryogenic) temperature
and close to atmospheric pressure to liquefy.
liquefied natural gas carrier (LNGC) n: a

119

vessel such as a ship used to transport

liquefied natural gas.
liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) n: a mixture
of
heavier,
gaseous,
paraffinic
hydrocarbons, principally butane and
propane. These gases, easily liquefied at
moderate pressure, may be transported as
liquids and converted to gases on release of
the pressure. Thus, liquefied petroleum gas
is a portable source of thermal energy that
finds wide application in areas where it is
impractical to distribute natural gas. It is also
used as a fuel for internal-combustion
engines and has many industrial and
domestic uses. Principal sources are natural
and refinery gas, from which the liquefied
petroleum gases are separated by
fractionation.
liquefied refinery gas (LRG) n: liquid
propane or butane produced by a crude oil
refinery. It may differ from LP gas in that
propylene and butylene may be present.
liquid n: a state of matter in which the shape
of the given mass depends on the containing
vessel, but the volume of the mass is
independent of the vessel. A liquid is a fluid
that is almost incompressible.
liquid and solid ROB (remaining on
board) n: the measurable material
remaining on board a vessel after a
discharge. Includes measurable sludge,
sediment, oil, and water or oil residue lying
on the bottom of the vessel's cargo
compartments and in associated lines and
pumps.
liquid calibration procedure n: a method of
determining a tank's capacity by filling and
withdrawing from the tank accurately
determined volumes of liquid.
liquid cut n: the mark on the gauger's tape
indicating the height of the liquid.
liquid desiccant n: a hygroscopic liquid,
such as glycol, used to remove water from
other fluids.
liquid displacement n: the crude oil or
product that is forced into the hatch or up
around the edges of a floating roof by the
weight of the roof.
liquid head stress n: the hydrostatic
pressure of the liquid in a stock or holding
tank, which causes the shell to expand and
contract as liquid is added or removed from
the tank.
liquid hydrocarbons n pi: liquids that have
been extracted from natural gas, such as
propanes, butanes, pentanes, and heavier
products. Liquid hydrocarbons extracted in
gas processing plants are often referred to
as "plant products,"
Liquid-in-glass thermometer n: a type of
thermometer in which the sensitive part of
the instrument consists of a liquid like
mercury or alcohol contained in an envelope
of glass.

litre

Liquid-level controller n: any device used

to control the liquid level in a tank by
actuating electric or pneumatic switches that
open and close the discharge valve or the
intake valve, thus maintaining the liquid at
the desired level.
liquid-level gauge n: any device that
indicates the level or quantity of liquid in a
container.
liquid-level indicator n: a device connected
to a vessel and coupled with either a float in
the vessel or directly with the fluid therein. It
is calibrated to give a visual indication of the
liquid level.
liquid phase n: in drilling fluids, that part of
the fluid that is liquid. Normally, the liquid
phase of a drilling fluid is water, oil, or a
combination of water and oil.
lis pendens n: notice that a suit has been
filed in a court of law and that the property
owned by the defendant may be liable to
judgement.
list n: the position of a ship or offshore
drilIing rig that heels to one side because of
a shift in cargo, machinery, or supplies. Also
called heel.
list correction n: the correction applied to
the volume or gauge observed in a vessel's
tank when the vessel is listing, provided that
liquid is in contact with all bulkheads in the
tank. List correction may be accomplished
by referring to the list correction tables for
each of the vessel's tanks or by
mathematical calculation.
List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants n: a list published
periodically in the Federal Register that
names endangered and threatened wildlife
and plants.
lithification
n:
the
conversion
of
unconsolidated deposits into solid rock.
lithofacies map n: a facies map showing
lithologic variations within a formation. It
shows the variations of selected lithologic
characteristics within a stratigraphic unit.
lithology n: 1. the study of rocks, usually
macroscopic. 2. the individual character of a
rock in terms of mineral composition,
structure, and so forth.
lithostatic pressure n: see geostatic
pressure.
litre (L) n: a unit of metric measure of
capacity equal to the volume occupied by 1
kilogram of water at 4.C and at the standard
atmospheric pressure of 760 millimetres.

Little Big Inch

Little Big Inch n: a 20-inch (50.8centimetre) products line constructed during

the same period as Big Inch as part of the
World War II effort. See Big Inch.
liveboating n: a diving operation involving
the use of a boat or vessel that is under way.
live end n: the end of a flexible steel brake
band that is attached to a brake lever by
means of a linkage. Moving the brake lever
pulls the live end down, and the whole band
tightens around the flange. This slows or
stops the drum by friction.
live oil n: crude oil that contains gas and
has not been stabilised or weathered. It can
cause gas cutting when added to mud and is
a potential fire hazard.
Lizzy n: an on-site patented fire-suppressor
system
that
uses
monoammonium
phosphate to put out the fire on a burning
well. 1m abbr: lime; used in drilling reports.
LMRP abbr: lower marine-riser package.
LNG abbr: liquefied natural gas.
LNGC abbr: liquefied natural gas carrier.
load n: 1. in mechanics, the weight or
pressure placed on an object. The load on a
bit refers to the amount of weight of the drill
collars allowed to rest on the bit. See weight
on bit. 2. in reference to engines. the amount
of work that an engine is doing; for example,
50 percent load means that the engine is
putting out 50 percent of the power that it is
able to produce. 3. the amount of gas
delivered or required at any specified point
or points on a system; load originates
primarily at the gas-consuming equipment of
the customer. v: 1. to engage an engine so
that it works. Compare idle. 2. to set a
governor to maintain a given pressure as the
rate of gas flow through the governor varies.
Compare demand.
load binder n: a chain or cable with a
latching device, used to secure loads
(usually of pipe) on trucks. Also called a
boomer.
load capacity n: the amount of weight a
device can safely carry or support.
loaded on top (LOT) procedure n: see
LOT (loaded on top) procedure.
loader n: the individual who handles the
filling of tank cars, ships, barges, or
transport trucks.
load guy n: see guy line.
load guy line
n: the wireline
attached to a
mast or derrick
to provide the
main
support for the
structure.
Compare wind
guy line.

120

loading line n: see suction line.

loading rack n: the equipment used for
transferring crude oil or petroleum products
into tank cars or trucks.
load loss n: loss from a cargo of oil. Usually
the losses occur because the light ends
escape during transport.
load oil n: the crude or refined oil used in
fracturing a formation to stimulate a well, as
distinguished from the oil normally produced
by the well.
load on top n: the shipboard procedure of
collecting and settling water and oil mixtures.
It results from ballasting and tank-cleaning
operations (usually in a special slop tank or
tanks) and the subsequent loading of cargo
on top and the pumping of the mixture
ashore at the discharge port. v: to
commingle on- board quantity with cargo
being loaded.
load vessel ratio (LVR) n: the total
calculated volume (TCV) by vessel
measurement on sailing, less onboard
quantity (OBQ), divided by the TCV by shore
measurement at loading:
LVR = TCV sailing volume + OBQ/TCV
received from shore at loading.
lobed impeller n: a rounded blade on a
displacement meter that separates the liquid
stream into discrete quantities.
LOC abbr: location; used in drilling reports.
local distribution company (LDC) n: a
company that sells natural gas to homes,
offices, and businesses in towns, cities, or
relatively small rural areas.
Local Emergency Planning Committee
(LEPC) n: a local community committee
required under SARA. Committee members
are approved by the SERC and include
elected state and local officials; police, fire,
and public health officials; environmental
advocates; hospital and transportation
officials;
industry
representatives;
community groups; and the media. The
function of the LEPC is to develop an
emergency response plan that will be
implemented if a hazardous material is
released in the community.
location n: the place where a well is drilled.
Also called well site.
location damages n pi: compensation paid
to the surface owner for actual and potential
damage to the surface and crops in the
drilling and operation of a well.
locator sub n: a device, larger than die bore
of a permanent packer, which is run with
seal subs on the 00tt0m of a tubing string
and used to locate the top of a permanent
packer.
locator tubing seal assembly n: a device
made up in the tubing string and run inside a
packer to prevent fluid and pressure from
escaping between the tubing and the
packer.

log deflection

lock assembly n: see kelly bushing lock

assembly.
locking device n: see rotary locking device.
locking mandrels n pi: slickline tools with
slips and rubber cups to contain pressure
and pack-off tubing in wells not equipped
with landing nipples.
lock-in thermometer n: a dial-indicating
temperature instrument with an automatic
locking device for the indicator, which
ensures that the indication cannot change
until the reading has been taken and the
instrument reset.
lock segment n: a device to lock a packer's
mandrel to its dragblock housing.
LocksetTM (Iokset) n: a trademark for a
packer with bi-directional slips used in
completion.
loess
n:
unstratified,
homogeneous
accumulation of silt, often containing small
amounts of clay or sand and redeposited by
wind from glacial outwash or deserts.
log n: a systematic recording of data, such
as a driller's log, mud log, electrical well log,
or radioactivity log. Many different logs are
run in wells to discern various characteristics
of downhole formation. v: to record data.

logarithm n: the exponent that indicates the

power to which a number is raised to
produce a given number. For example, the
logarithm of 100 to the base 10 is 2.
logarithmic scale n: a scale in which the
distances of numbers from a reference point
are proportional to the logarithms of the
numbers.
log a well v: to run any of the various logs
used to ascertain downhole information
about a well.
logbook n: a book used by station
engineers, dispatchers, and gaugers for
keeping notes on current operating data.
log cross section n: a cross section of a
reservoir or part of a reservoir constructed
with electric or radioactivity logs.
log deflection n: the movement of the curve
on a log away from a reference, or base,
line.

logging devices

logging devices n pi: any of several

electrical,
acoustical,
mechanical,
or
radioactivity devices that are used to
measure and record certain characteristics
or events that occur in a well that has been
or is being drilled.
logging while drilling (LWD) n: logging
measurements obtained by measurementwhile-drilling techniques as the well is being
drilled.
log sheet n: for pipelines, a daily report
sheet on which operating data are entered
by gaugers, dispatchers, and station
operators.
longitude n: the arc or portion of the earth's
equator intersected between the meridian of
a given place and the prime meridian (at
Greenwich, England) and expressed either
in degrees or in time.
long-range forecast n: a weather forecast
covering more than a week in advance
(sometimes for a month or a season).
long rotary slips n pi: slips designed to fit a
square-drive master bushing, and whose
taper length is 8/<fj inches (224 millimetres). Compare extra-long rotary slips.
See also slips, square-drive master bushing.
longshore current n: movement of
seawater parallel to the shore.
long string n: 1. the last string of casing set
in a well. 2. the string of casing that is set at
the top of or through the producing zone,
often called the oil string or production
casing.
long thread n: anyone of two types of
thread that are cut on casing as
standardised by API. The other is the short
thread. long way n: displacing fluid from the
tubing up the annulus. Compare short way.
look box n: that portion of the gauge
housing that contains a shielded or glassedin opening through which a gauge is
observed.
looping n: the technique of laying an
additional pipeline alongside an existing one
when additional capacity is needed.
loose emulsion n: an emulsion that is
relatively easy to break. Compare tight
emulsion.
loss of circulation n: see lost circulation.
loss of head n: friction loss. See pressuredrop loss.
lost circulation n: the quantities of whole
mud lost to a formation, usually in
cavernous, fissured, or coarsely permeable
beds. Evidenced by the complete or partial
failure of the mud to return to the surface as
it is being circulated in the hole. Lost
circulation can lead to a blowout and, in
general, can reduce the efficiency of the
drilling operation. Also called lost returns.
low vapour pressure liquid
lost circulation additives n pi: materials
added to the mud in varying amounts to

121

control or prevent lost circulation. Classified

as fiber, flake, or granular.
lost circulation material (LCM) n: a
substance added to cement slurries or
drilling mud to prevent the loss of cement or
mud to the formation. See bridging
materials.
lost circulation plug n: cement set across a
formation that is taking excessively large
amounts of drilling fluid during drilling
operations.
lost bole n: a well that cannot be drilled
further or produced because of a blowout,
unsuccessful fishing job, and so forth.
lost pipe n: drill pipe, drill collars, tubing, or
casing that has become separated in the
hole from the part of the pipe reaching the
surface, necessitating its removal before
normal operations can proceed, i.e., a fish.
lost returns n pi: see lost circulation.
LOT (loaded on top) procedure n: a
procedure in which tank-cleaning operations
are carried out on board ships and the
resulting water/oil mixture is collected in a
tank and allowed to separate. The relatively
clean water is then pumped out of the
vessel, and part of the next cargo is loaded
on top of the remaining cargo/water-cleaning
residue. This residue is called slops.
Louisiana Independent Oil and Gas
Association (LIOGA) n: a group of
independent oil producers and persons who
own royalties from oil and gas wells in
Louisiana. Address: 1 American Pl., Ste.
1020; Baton Rouge, LA 70825; (504) 3889525.
low clay-solids mud n: heavily weighted
muds whose high solids content (a result of
the large amounts of barite added)
necessitates the reduction of clay solids.
low drum drive n: the drawworks drum
drive used when hoisting loads are heavy.
lowering-in n: the process of laying pipe in
a ditch in pipeline construction. Pipe can be
lowered into the ditch as part of the coating
operation or lowered separately by a
lowering-in crew.
lowering-up n: in pipeline construction, the
process of raising pipe and placing it on
vertical support members in parts of the
world where frozen earth prevents normal
burial of the line. Lowering-up is the
counterpart of lowering-in in more temperate
climates.
lower kelly cock n: a special valve normally
installed below the kelly. Usually, the valve
is open so that drilling fluid can flow out of
the kelly and down the drill stem. When the
mud pump is stopped, the valve can be
manually closed with a special wrench to
prevent pressurised fluids in the drill string
from flowing into the kelly. When closed, the
valve also prevents mud in the kelly from
spilling onto the rig floor when the kelly is

low vapour pressure liquid

broken out of the drill string. Also called a

drill stem safety valve, mud saver valve.
lower kelly valve n: see drill stem safety
valve. lower kelly cock.
lower marine riser package (LMRP) n: the
equipment that attaches the lower part of the
marine riser to the subsea blowout preventer
(BOP) stack. It includes the BOP connector,
a flexible joint to compensate for side-to-side
movement, and the marine riser connector.
See marine riser; subsea blow- out
preventer:
lower sample n: in tank sampling, a spot
sample obtained at a level of fi/ the depth
of liquid below the surface.
lower tier n: a category of oil production for
purposes of price control. It refers to old oil,
i.e., oil contained in reservoirs that were
being produced during 1972.
lowest achievable emission rate (LAER)
n: an air emission standard determined by
the states on a case-by-case basis. LAER is
applied in nonattainment areas, which do not
meet NAAQS, and is more stringent than the
BACT applied in attainment areas.
Consequently, cost and economic impact
are not taken into consideration in
determining LAER.
low-pressure area n: an area of low
atmospheric pressure.
low-pressure distribution system n: a
system in which the gas pressure in the
mains and the service lines is substantially
the same as that delivered to the customers'
appliances; ordinarily, a pressure regulator
is not required on individual service lines.
low-solids fluid n: see low-solids mud.
low-solids mud n: a drilling mud that
contains a minimum amount of solid material
(sand, silt, and so on) and that is used in
rotary drilling when possible because it can
provide fast drilling rates.
low-temperature
fractionation
n:
separation of a hydrocarbon fluid mixture
into components by fractionation, wherein
the reflux condenser is operated at
temperatures requiring refrigeration. See
pod (Podbielniak) analysis.
low-temperature processing n: gas
processing conducted below ambient
temperatures.
low vapour pressure liquid n: a liquid that,
at the measurement or proving temperature
of the meter, has a vapour pressure less
than atmospheric pressure. Compare high
vapour pressure liquid.

low-yield clay

low-yield clay n: commercial clay chiefly of

the calcium montmorillonite type and having
a yield of approximately 15 barrels per ton
(2,385 litres per tonne).
LPG abbr: liquefied petroleum gas.
LRG abbr: liquefied refinery gas.
ls abbr: limestone; used in drilling reports.
Ise abbr: lease; used in drilling reports.
L-10 chart n: a chart used in measuring gas
with orifice meters on which are recorded
differential and static pressures. It uses a
logarithmic scale from 0 to 10. The readings
must be converted, but it can be used on
any flow recorder, regardless of range. Also
called square-root chart.
LTL abbr: Letter to Lessees and Operators.
LTX unit n: low-temperature separator. A
mechanical separator that uses refrigeration
obtained by expansion of gas from high
pressure to low pressure to increase
recovery of gas-entrained liquids.
lubricant n: a substance-usually petroleumbased-that is used to reduce friction
between two moving parts.
lubricate v: 1. to apply grease or oil to
moving parts. 2. to lower or raise tools in or
out of a well with pressure inside d1e well.
The term comes from d1e fact that a
lubricant (grease) is often used to provide a
seal against well pressure while allowing
wireline to move in or out of the well.
lubricator n: a specially fabricated length of
casing or tubing usually placed temporarily
above a valve on top of the casing- head or
tubing head. It is used to run swabbing or
perforating tools into a producing well and
provides a method for sealing off pressure
and thus should be rated for highest
anticipated pressure.
lubricator stack n: see lubricator.
lug n: a projection on a casting to which a
bolt or other part may be fitted.
lugging power n: the torque, or turning
power, delivered to the flywheel of a diesel
engine.
lunar tide n: that portion of a tide that is due
to the gravitational attraction of the moon on
the earth.
LWD abbr: logging while drilling.
lyophilic adj: having an affinity for the
suspending medium, such as bentonite in
water. lyophilic colloid n: a colloid that is not
easily precipitated from a solution and is
readily dispersible after the precipitation by
an addition of the solvent. See colloid.
lyophobic colloid n: a colloid that is readily
precipitated from a solution and cannot be
redispersed by an addition of the solution.
See colloid

122

lyophobic colloid

m sym: metre.
m2 abbr: square metre.
m3 abbr: cubic metre.
mA abbr: milliampere.
macaroni rig n: a workover rig. usually
lightweight, that is specially built to run a
string of 3/4-inch or 1-inch (1.9- or 2.54centimetre) tubing. See macaroni string.
macaroni string n: a string of tubing or
pipe, usually 3/4 or I inch (1.9 or 2.54
centirnetres) in diameter.
mackerel sky n: a banded arrangement of
cirrocumulus clouds.
MACT abbr: maximum achievable control
technology.
magma n: the hot fluid matter within the
earth's crust that is capable of intrusion or
extrusion and that produces igneous rock
when cooled.
MagnafiuxTM n: trade name for the
equipment and processes used for detecting
cracks and other surface discontinuities in
iron or steel. A magnetic field is set up in die
part to be inspected, and a powder or paste
of magnetic particles is applied. The
particles
arrange themselves
around
discontinuities in the metal, revealing
defects.
magnet n: a metal that has the property of
attracting ferrous and certain other metals to
it.
magnetic brake n: see electrodynamic
brake.
magnetic field n: magnetic lines of force
produced by a magnetic or current-carrying
conductor. See field.
magnetic field generator n: a source of
electricity that converts mechanical energy
into electrical energy by the action of a
magnetic field on a conductor when one is
moving in relation to the other.
magnetic flux n: see flux.
magnetic meter n: a meter used to
measure the electrical conductivity of liquids.
magnetic north n: the northerly direction in
the earth's magnetic field indicated by the
needle of a magnetic compass.
magnetic survey n: an exploration method
in which an instrument that measures the
intensity of the natural magnetic forces
existing in the earth's subsurface is passed
over the surface or through the water. The
instrumentation detects
deviations
in
magnetic forces, and such deviations may
indicate the existence of underground

formations that favour the entrapment of

hydrocarbons.
magnetic surveying instrument n: a
device used to determine the direction and
drift angle of a deviated wellbore. It uses a
magnetic compass to measure magnetic
direction, which differs from true direction by
the amount of local declination.
magnetic testing n: a method of testing for
defects in steel parts that is carried out by
magnetising the steel and sprinkling a
magnetic powder on the surface to detect
flaws or cracks.
magneto n: an alternator with permanent
magnets, which is used for generating
current for the ignition system of an internalcombustion engine.
magnetometer n: an instrument used to
measure the intensity and direction of a
magnetic field, especially that of the earth.
magnetomotive force (mmf) n: a force that
carries a magnetic pole of a given strength
around a magnetic circuit.
magnetostrictive transducer n: a tightly
banded scroll of special steel that vibrates
when a magnetic field is applied to it. The
vibration of the scroll sets off a transmitter,
which is alternately switched on and off at 15
to 60 times per second. The transmitter
causes compressional sound waves to travel
through the formations surrounding the
borehole. Each formation material will exhibit
its own characteristic effect on the elastic
wave propagation.
main bearing n: in an engine, a large
circular friction-reducing device installed on
the engine's crankshaft. Main bearings are
mounted in the engine's crankcase and the
crankshaft rotates on them. Engine oil
lubricates them as the engine runs. Most
main bearings are plain bearings, in that
their wear surface is flat or plain and do not
have balls or rollers. Compare ball bearing,
roller bearing.
main brake n: two bands fined with brake
pads; the bands fit over the two rims of the
drawworks drum. When the driller engages
this brake, the pads press down on the rims
to stop the drum from hoisting or from letting
out drilling line. The main brake also keeps
the drum from rotating (and therefore holds
the drill stem stationary) when making up or
breaking out drill pipe.
main deck n: the principal deck extending
from front to back of a ship or offshore
drilling rig. Also called the Texas deck.

123

mainline n: a large-diameter pipeline

between distant points, i.e., a trunk line.
mainline plant n: a plant that processes the
gas that is being transported through a
cross-country transmission line. Also called
pipe- line, on-line, or straddle plant.
mainline valve n: a device for controlling
fluid flow in a mainline.
main tank n: in a drilling rig's fuel-supply
system, a large tank in which diesel fuel is
stored. If the rig has a day tank, it is filled
from the main tank; otherwise, the main tank
supplies fuel to the engine. Compare day
tank.
major n: a large oil company, such as
Exxon, Chevron, or Mobil, that not only
produces oil, but also transports, refines,
and markets it and its products.
make a connection v: to attach a joint of
drill pipe onto the drill stem suspended in the
well bore to permit deepening the wellbore
by the length of the joint (usually about 30
feet, or 9 metres).
make a hand v: (slang) to become a good
worker.
make a trip v: to hoist the drill stem out of
the wellbore to perform one of a number of
operations, such as changing bits or taking a
core, and so forth, and then to return the drill
stem to the well bore.
make hole v: to deepen the hole made by
the bit, i.e., to drill ahead.

make up

make up v: 1. to assemble and join parts to

form a complete unit (e.g., to make up a
string of drill pipe). 2. to screw together two
threaded pieces. Compare break out. 3. to
mix or prepare (e.g., to make up a tank of
mud). 4. to compensate for (e.g., to make up
for lost time).
makeup adj: added to a system (e.g.,
makeup water used in mixing mud).
make up a joint v: to screw a length of pipe
into another length of pipe.
makeup cathead n: a device that is
attached to the shaft of the draw works and
used as a power source for screwing
together joints of pipe. It is usually located
on the driller's side of the drawworks. Also
called spinning cathead. See cathead.
make-up gas n: 1. gas that is taken in
succeeding years and has been paid for
previously under a take-or-pay clause in a
gas purchase contract The contract will
normally specify the number of years after
payment in which the purchaser can take
delivery of make-up gas without paying a
second time. 2. gas injected into a reservoir
to maintain a constant reservoir pressure
and
thereby
prevent
retrograde
condensation. 3. in gas processing, the gas
that makes up for plant losses. During
processing there is a reduction in gas
volume because of fuel and shrinkage.
Some
agreements
between
gas
transmission companies and plant owners
require plant losses to be made up or to be
paid for.
makeup tongs n pi: tongs used for screwing
one length of pipe into another for making up
a joint. Compare breakout tongs. See also
tongs.
makeup water n: the water used as a base
in water-based drilling muds. It may be
fresh, brackish, or salty.
male connection n: a pipe, coupling, or tool
that has threads on the outside so that it can
be joined to a female connection. Compare
female connection.
mammas n pi: breast-shaped protuberances
appearing on the undersides of clouds,
indicating the approach of a storm.
mandrel n: a cylindrical bar, spindle, or shaft
around which other parts are arranged or
attached or that fits inside a cylinder or tube.
manhole n: a hole in the top or side of a
tank through which a person can enter.
manifold n: 1. an accessory system of
piping to a main piping system (or another
conductor) that serves to divide a flow into
several parts, to combine several flows into
one, or to reroute a flow to anyone of several
possible destinations. 2. a pipe fitting with
several side outlets to connect it with other
pipes. 3. a fitting on an internal-combustion
engine made to receive exhaust gases from
several cylinders.

124

manifold valve n: a valve placed in a series

of piping that is called a manifold.
manometer n: a U-shaped piece of glass
tubing containing a liquid (usually water or
mercury) that is used to measure the
pressure of gases or liquids. When pressure
is applied, the liquid level in one arm rises
while the level in the other drops. A set of
calibrated markings beside one of the arms
permits a pressure reading to be taken,
usually in inches or millimetres.
mantle n: the hot, plastic part of the earth
that lies between the core and the crust. It
begins 5 to 30 miles (10 to 50 kilometres)
beneath the surface and extends to 1,800
miles (2,900 kilometres).
manual welding n: a welding process in
which an electric arc melts and fuses the
pipe ends with the metal of an electrode held
by the welder. Also called stick welding.
manufactured gas n: see liquefied
petroleum gas.
manufacturer n: 1. Under TSCA, anyone
who manufactures or imports for commercial
purposes over 10,000 pounds per year of a
substance listed on the TSCA inventory. 2.
under HAZCOM, production and drilling
companies are considered manufacturers of
crude oil, natural gas, and other products
and must maintain an MSDS for these
products.
manway n: see manhole.
marginal well n: a well that is approaching
depletion of its natural resource to the extent
that any profit from continued production is
doubtful.
marigraph n: a gauge that makes a
continuous graphic record of tide height in
relation to time.
marine delta n: 1. a triangular sea-level
extension of land shaped like the Greek
letter . 2. a depositional environment in
which riverborne sediments accumulate as
the flow energy of the river is dissipated in
the ocean.

marine lay n: see lay-barge construction.

Marine Mammal Protection Act n:
congressional act that provides for
protection of all marine mammals.
Marine Plastic Pollution Research and
Control Act of 1987 n: a congressional act
that implements Annex V of the International
Convention for the Prevention of Pollution
from Ships (MARPOL). Under the provisions
of this act, all ships and water-craft

marketable title

(including all commercial and recreational

fishing vessels) are prohibited from dumping
plastics at sea. The law also severely
restricts dumping other vessel-generated
garbage and solid waste both at sea and in
US navigable waters.
Marine
Protection,
Research,
and
Sanctuaries Act of 1973 n: congressional
act that identifies marine environments of
special national significance, provides
authority for conservation of these areas,
and enhances public awareness and wise
use of the marine environment through
educational
programs
and
research.
Sometimes called the Marine Sanctuaries
Act or the Ocean Dumping Act.
marine riser connector n: a fitting on top of
the subsea blowout preventers to which the
riser pipe is connected.
marine riser pipe n: see riser pipe.
marine riser system n: see riser pipe.
Marine Sanctuaries Act n: see Marine
Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act
of 1973.
Marine Spill Response Corporation
(MSRC) n: an oil spill cooperative formed by
a group of US oil companies. MSRC is a
national, private, nonprofit organisation that
will provide response to catastrophic spills in
certain US waters. It is primarily geared to
respond to large, open water spills.
Maritime Administration n: a federal
agency that stipulates construction and
equipment requirements for vessels built
under federal government subsidies.
Address: 400 7th Street SW; Washington,
DC 20590; (202) 366-5823.
marker bed n: a distinctive, easily identified
rock stratum, especially one used as a guide
for drilling or correlation of logs.
marketable title n: see merchantable title.

marketing costs

marketing costs n pi: costs incurred in

making gas merchantable, such as
compression, dehydration, or treating, and
costs of transporting gas to the point of
delivery to the purchaser. Sometimes called
handling costs.
market-out adj: a provision in a natural gas
sales contract that allows one or both parties
to renegotiate the sales price or terminate
the contract if the contractual sales price no
longer reasonably reflects the current
market. There are many forms of market-out
provisions with differing rights and effects.
marl n: a semisolid or unconsolidated clay,
silt, or sand.
MARPOL 73/78 n: the short name for the
International Convention for Prevention of
Pollution from Ships, 1973 and 1978.
(MARPOL is not an abbreviation or
acronym; rather it is a contraction of
"maritime pollution:') MARPOL is an
international treaty negotiated under the
auspices of the IMO and is made up of 5
Annexes, each of which addresses a
different kind of ship- generated pollution.
(Under the terms of the convention, offshore
platforms are considered ships.) The
responsibility
for
administration
and
enforcement of MARPOL is split between
the flag state (the country where the ship is
registered) and the coastal state (in the
United States, the USCG is responsible).
MARPOL has led to the promulgation and
implementation of several US laws. For
example, the Marine Plastic Pollution
Research and Control Act of 1987
implements Annex V of MARPOL.
marsh buggy n: a tractor like vehicle the
wheels of which are fitted with extra large
rubber tires for use in swamps.
Marsh funnel n: a calibrated funnel used in
field tests to determine the viscosity of
drilling mud.
Marsh funnel viscosity n: see funnel
viscosity; kinematic viscosity.
Martin-DeckerTM n: a trademarked name for
a rig weight indicator. See also weight
indicator.
MASP abbr: maximum allowable surface
pressure.
mass n: the quantity of matter a substance
contains, independent of such external
conditions as the buoyancy of the
atmosphere or the acceleration caused by
gravity.
mass flow rate n: a calculation of gas flow
through an orifice meter where the quantity
of the gas (independent of external condition
like temperature, pressures, or gravity) is
determined; usually expressed in pounds
mass per unit time.
mass-transfer zone n: the depth of the solid
desiccant bed, in a solid desiccant

125

dehydration system, from saturation to initial

adsorption.
mast n: a portable derrick that is capable of
being raised as a unit, as distinguished from
a standard derrick, which cannot be raised
to a working position as a unit
For
transporting by land, the mast can be
divided into two or more sections to avoid
excessive length extending from truck beds
on the highway.
Oil workers and
manufacturers often use the words "mast"
and "derrick" interchangeably. Compare
derrick.

master bushing n: a device that fits into the

rotary table to accommodate the slips and
drive the kelly bushing so that the rotating
motion of the rotary table can be transmitted
to the kelly. Also called rotary bushing. See
kelly bushing, slips.
master choke line valve n: the valve on the
choke line that is nearest to the preventer
assembly. Its purpose is to control the flow
through the choke line. See also HRC valve.
master clutch n: the clutch that connects
the compounding transmission on a
mechanical- drive rig to the input shaft of the
drawworks.
master control panel n: on a drilling rig, the
primary station that controls the operation of
the blowout preventers and other wellcontrol equipment. Also called primary
control panel. Backup control panels are
usually installed should the master panel fail,
or should it become inaccessible. See also
driller's BOP control panel.
master gate n: see master valve.
master meter n: a meter that is proved
using a certified prover and then used to
calibrate other provers or to prove other
meters.
master tape n: a measuring tape that has
been certified accurate at a specified
temperature and tension by the NIST. It is
used to calibrate a working tape. See also
strap, working tape.
master valve n: 1. a large valve located on
the Christmas tree and used to control the
flow of oil and gas from a well. Also called

maximum achievable control technology

master gate. 2. the blind or blank rams of a

blowout preventer (obsolete).
material balance n: a calculation used to
inventory the fluids produced from a
reservoir and the fluids remaining in a
reservoir. Using the equations of the
calculation, the volume of original oil in gas
in place, the amount of drive-water influx,
forecasts of production rates for several
years, and estimates of ultimate recovery
can be made.
material safety data sheet (MSDS) n: a
reference document prepared by the
chemical manufacturer and required under
HAZCOM to be kept with the material during
shipment and distributed in the workplace for
any employee who may work with that
material. The information on the MSDS may
take a variety of forms but it must include the
identity of the chemical, chemicals, or
mixtures as listed on the container label; the
physical and chemical characteristics of the
material; the physical hazards of the
material; the health hazards of the material;
the primary routes of entry into the human
body; the permissible exposure limits, if
available; whether the material has been
found to be a carcinogen, a potential
carcinogen, or is regulated by OSHA; any
generally applicable precautions for safe
handling; any generally applicable control
measures; emergency first aid procedures;
the date the MSDS was prepared; and the
name, address, and telephone number of
the material source or another responsible
party who can provide additional information
and emergency procedures for the material
if necessary.
matrix n: 1. in rock, the fine-grained material
between larger grains in which the larger
grains are embedded. A rock matrix may be
composed of fine sediments, crystals, clay,
or other substances. 2. the material in which
the diamonds on a diamond bit are set.
matrix acidizing n: an acidizing treatment
using low or no pressure to improve the
permeability of a formation with fracturing it.
See wellbore soak. Compare fracture
acidizing.
matter n: anything that possesses mass and
occupies space.
maximum achievable control technology
(MACT) n: air emission standards under
CAA that require the best pollution
prevention methods available in specific
industry categories for major sources of
hazardous airborne pollutants.

maximum achievable control technology

maximum allowable pressure n: the

greatest pressure that may safely be applied
to a structure, pipe, or vessel. Pressure in
excess of this amount leads to failure or
explosion.
maximum allowable surface pressure
(MASP) n: the maximum amount of pressure
that is allowed to appear on the casing
pressure gauge during a well-killing
operation. This pressure is often determined
by a leak-off test and if exceeded can lead to
formation fracture at the casing shoe and a
subsequent
underground
blowout
or
broaching.
maximum capacity n: the maximum out-put
of a system or unit (such as a refinery,
gasoline plant, pumping unit, or producing
well).
maximum efficiency rate (MER) n: the
producing rate of a well that brings about
maximum volumetric recovery from a
reservoir with a minimum of residual-oil
saturation at the time of depletion. It is often
used to mean the field production rate that
will achieve maximum financial returns from
operation of the reservoir. The two rate
figures seldom coincide, however.
maximum lawful price (MLP) clause n: the
provision in a gas sales contract that allows
the price of gas to track the monthly
increases allowed under the Natural Gas
Policy Act of 1978.
maximum loading gauge n: the maximum
permissible gauge measurement to which a
railroad tank car may be loaded according to
Interstate
Commerce
Commission
regulations. Also called stop gauge.
maximum value n: the maximum voltage or
current in a cycle of an AC circuit.
maximum water n: in oilwell cementing, the
maximum ratio of water to cement that will
not cause the water to separate from the
slurry on standing.
Mbopd abbr: thousands of barrels of oil per
day.
MBTA abbr: Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
Mcf abbr: 1,000 cubic feet of gas, commonly
used to express the volume of gas
produced, transmitted, or consumed in a
given period.
Mcf/d abbr: 1,000 cubic feet of gas per day.
md abbr: millidarcy (pI, millidarcys).
MD abbr: measured depth.
mean n: the average of two or more
observed values.
measurand n: a physical quantity, property,
or condition that exists or is to be measured.
This term is preferred to "input," "parameter
to be measured," "physical phenomenon,"
"stimulus," and "variable."
measured depth (MD) n: the total length of
the wellbore, measured in feet along its
actual course through the earth. Measured
depth can differ from true vertical depth,

126

especially in directionally drilled wellbores.

Compare true vertical depth.

measured gallons n pi: the quantity in

gallons in a railroad tank car at ambient
temperature.
measured signal n: the electrical,
mechanical, pneumatic, or other variable
applied to the input of a device. It is the
analog of the measured variable produced
by a transducer.
measured variable n: the physical quantity,
property, or condition that is to be measured.
Common
measured
variables
are
temperature, pressure, rate of flow,
thickness. and velocity.
measure in v: to obtain an accurate
measurement of the depth reached in a well
by measuring the drill pipe or tubing as it is
run into the well.
measurement error n: the discrepancy
between the result of the measurement and
the value of the quantity measured.
measurement technician n: a person
employed by an oil or gas transmission
company whose primary responsibility is the
maintenance and repair of metering
equipment.
measurement ticket n: paper or readouts in
a meter station that is automated. remotely
controlled. and/or computerised. Also called
delivery ticket. receipt ticket. run ticket.
measurement while drilling (MWD) n: 1.
directional and other surveying during
routine drilling operations to determine the
angle and direction by which the wellbore
deviates from the vertical. 2. any system of
measuring downhole conditions during
routine drilling operations.
measurement-while-drilling system n: a
system in which downhole conditions are
monitored during the drilling of a well.
measure out v: to measure drill pipe or
tubing as it is pulled out of the hole, usually

maximum achievable control technology

to determine the depth of the well or the

depth to which the pipe or tubing was run.
measuring chamber n: the portion of a
displacement meter that contains the
measuring element.
measuring device n: a special reel and
power arrangement for single-stranded
wireline to make depth measurements in a
well. A calibrated wheel and roller assembly
is used to measure the footage of wireline as
it is lowered into the well.
measuring element n: 1. the portion of a
displacement meter that moves within the
measuring chamber so as to divide the liquid
into measured segments as the liquid
passes through the meter. 2. the rotating
member of a turbine meter, commonly
referred to as the rotor.
measuring range n: the difference between
the maximum and minimum values of a
measuring instrument or of a quantity to be
measured. This range is obtained under
normal conditions and should not be
affected by an error exceeding the maximum
permissible error.
measuring station n: part of the pipeline
system in which are found the orifice meter
and recorder, volume controller, and
temperature recorder.
measuring tank n: a calibrated tank that, by
means of weirs, float switches, pressure
switches, or similar devices, automatically
measures the volume of liquid run in and
then released. Measuring tanks are
sometimes used in LACT systems. Also
called metering tanks or dump tanks.
mechanic n: an optional crew member who
is an all-around repairer for the rig's
mechanical components.
mechanical brake n: a brake that is
actuated by machinery (such as levers or
rods) that is directly linked to it.
mechanical displacement prover n: see
pipe prover.
mechanical-drive rig n: see mechanical rig.
mechanical governor n: a speed-control
device on an engine. Mechanical governors
consist
of
flyweights,
springs,
and
mechanical connections to the engine's
speed control. Compare electrically-actuated
governor; hydraulic governor. See governor.

mechanical integrity test (MIT)

mechanical integrity test (MIT) n: a test

required prior to initial injection and once
every five years thereafter (at a minimum)
for certain types of injection wells under
SDWA. These tests evaluate the operational
integrity of the well so that underground
sources of drinking water will not be
endangered. EPA defines mechanical
integrity as no significant leak in the casing,
tubing, and packer and no significant fluid
movement into a USDW through vertical
channels adjacent to the injection well bore.
mechanical jar n: a percussion tool
operated mechanically to give an upward
thrust to a fish by the sudden release of a
tripping device inside the tool. If the fish can
be freed by an upward blow, the mechanical
jar can be very effective. Also called a
hydraulic jar.
mechanical log n: a log of, for instance,
rate of penetration or amount of gas in the
mud, obtained at the surface by mechanical
means. See driller's log, mud log.
mechanical perforating n: a procedure
used to punch one hole at a time into the
tubing string to circulate or to kill a well.
Hydraulic jarring action fires a powder
charge with enough force to drive a small
button through the tubing, but not through
the casing.
mechanical rig n: a drilling rig in which the
source of power is one or more internalcombustion engines and in which the power
is distributed to rig components through
mechanical devices (such as chains,
sprockets, clutches, and shafts). Also called
a power rig. Compare electric rig.
mechanical sticking n: a condition in which
solid material such as sloughing shale, sand,
or shale driven uphole by a blowout, or junk
in the hole causes the drill stem to become
stuck against the wall of the wellbore.
mechanical wireline n: see nonconductive
wireline.
median n: a statistical measure of the midmost value, such that half the values in a set
are greater and half are less than the
median.
medical surveillance n: the process of
obtaining baseline physicals for employees
involved in emergency response or
hazardous waste cleanup and monitoring
their health at specified intervals. Under
HAZWOPER, medical surveillance is applied
to members of organised HAZMAT teams
and hazardous materials specialists and any
emergency response employee who exhibits
signs or symptoms of exposure, or wears a
respirator for thirty days or more a year, or is
exposed to hazardous substances at or
above the permissible exposure limits.

127

A 200-mesh screen with a wire diameter of

0.0021 inch (0.0533 millimetre) has an
opening of 0.074 millimetre, or will pass a
particle of 74 microns. See micron.
Mesozoic era n: a span from 230 to 65
million years ago, the era of the dinosaurs
and the first mammals.
metacentre n: a point located somewhere
on a line drawn vertically through the centre
of buoyancy of the hull of a floating vessel
with the hull in one position (e:g., level) and
then another (e.g., inclined). When the hull
inclines to a new position, the centre of
buoyancy of the hull also moves to a new
position. If a second line is drawn vertically
through the new centre of buoyancy, it
intersects the first line at a point called the
metacenter. Location of the metacenter is
important because it affects the stability of
floating vessels (such as mobile offshore
drilling rigs).
medium-pressure distribution system n:
see high-pressure distribution system.
medium-range forecast n: a weather
forecast covering a week or less.
megajoule n: the metric unit of service given
by a hoisting line in moving 1,000 newtons
of load over a distance of 1,000 metres.
mega pascal n: one million pascals.
megger n: an instrument for measuring
large amounts of resistance in a circuit or
insulation. Its name comes from Mega
Ohmmeter, a proprietary trade name.
melting point (mp) n: the temperature at
which the solid and liquid states of a
substance coexist in equilibrium. The
melting point temperature of a substance is
usually determined at normal atmospheric
pressure.
meniscus n: the curved upper surface of a
liquid column, concave when the containing
walls are wet by the liquid (negative
meniscus) and convex when not (positive
meniscus).
MER abbr: maximum efficiency rate.
mercaptan n: a compound chemically
similar to alcohol, but in which sulphur
replaces oxygen in the chemical structure.
Many mercaptans have an offensive odour;
thus they are used as odourants in natural
gas.
merchantable oil n: a crude oil in which the
S&W content is not in excess of that allowed
for purchase; therefore, it is salable.
merchantable title n: a title free from
material defects or grave doubts and
reasonably free from litigation, which can be
sold or successfully defended in court; a
court of equity will compel the vendor to
accept such a title as sufficient. Also called
marketable title or good title.
mercury barometer n: a barometer that
uses mercury to measure atmospheric
pressure. Cistern barometers and siphon

metamorphism

barometers are the two types of mercury

barometer.
mercury pump n: a device used to measure
bulk volume of core samples by measuring
the amount of mercury displaced by a core
sample.
mercury vapour lamp n: a high-intensity
discharge lamp in which the gas is vaporised
mercury. Starts with the arcing of argon gas
between the main electrodes and gives off a
blue-white light.
meridian n: a north-south line from which
longitudes and azimuths are reckoned.
mesh n: a measure of the openings of a
woven material, screen, or sieve; e.g., a
200- mesh sieve has 200 openings per
linear inch.

metal n: opaque crystalline material, usually

of high strength, that has good thermal and
electrical
conductivity,
ductility,
and
reflectivity.
metal-edge strainer n: in an engine, a fuel
filter that consists of several very thin metal
discs stacked inside a housing. As fuel flows
through the strainer, foreign matter in the
fuel is trapped by the very small spaces
between the discs.
metallic area n: the sum of the crosssectional areas of all the wires in a wire rope
or in a strand.
metallic circuit n: the path of electric
current through the metallic portions of a
corrosion cell.
metal-petal basket n: see cementing
basket.
metamorphic rock n: a rock derived from
preexisting rocks by mineralogical, chemical,
and structural alterations caused by heat
and pressure within the earth's crust. Marble
is a metamorphic rock.
metamorphism n: the process in which rock
may be changed by heat and pressure into
different forms.

meter

meter n: a device used to measure and

often record volumes, quantities, or flow
rates of gases, liquids, or electric currents. v:
to measure quantities or properties of a
substance.
meter
accumulator
n:
see
meter
combinator.
meter accuracy factor n: see meter factor.
meter bank n: fluid meters coupled in
parallel. The sum of the fluid measured by
the meter bank represents the total fluid
measured.
meter calibration n: 1. the operation by
which meter readings are compared with an
accepted standard. 2. adjustment of a meter
so that its readings conform to a standard.
meter calibration adjuster n: a device to
enable the adjusting of a meter register to
indicate true volume within acceptable
tolerance.
meter capacity n: the maximum or
minimum rate of flow recommended by tile
manufacturer to maintain a designated
accuracy.
meter case n: the outer portion of a meter,
which encloses the measuring chamber and
other working parts.
meter characteristic n: see meter factor.
meter chart n: in gas measurement. a
circular chart of special paper that shows the
range of differential pressure and static
pressure and is marked by the recording
pens of a flow recorder in an orifice metering
system.

meter combinator n: a device or system for

accumulating the registration of two or more
meters so that their total may be shown on a
single readout device. Also called meter
accumulator.
meter counter n: a counting device.
electrical or mechanical. coupled to the
measuring element to register the indicated
volume that has passed through the meter.
meter difference n: difference in a volume
determined from separate meters measuring
the same gas stream. occasioned by the fact

128

that gas volumes in field operations are not

precisely determinable.
meter factor n: a number used to correct a
meter's inaccuracy. The factor is derived by
dividing the actual volume of liquid passed
through a meter during proving by the
volume registered by the meter. For
subsequent metering operations, the actual
throughput, or gross measured volume, is
determined by multiplying the indicated
volume registered on the meter by the meter
factor.
meter fitting n: see orifice fitting.
meter flow rate n: the maximum rate of flow
recommended by the meter manufacturer or
authorised by a regulatory body. The
maximum
rate
is
determined
by
considerations of accuracy, durability, and
pressure drop.
metering manifold n: a collection of pipe
and fittings. a manifold, in which is mounted
a meter for measuring fluid flow through the
manifold. Usually a meter is mounted in a
manifold so fluid flow is diverted into it for
measurement.
metering separator n: a complete separator
and volume meter integrated into a single
vessel. Two-phase units separate oil and
gas and meter the oil; three-phase units
separate oil, water, and gas and meter the
oil and water.
metering tank n: see measuring tank.
meter installation n: in gas measurement,
the orifice plate, orifice fitting, manifold, and
flow recorder. Also called a meter run, meter
station, orifice meter installation.

meter K-factor n: pulses per barrel. See

pulse generator:
meter-line thermometer n: a thermometer
located in a pipeline either immediately
upstream or immediately downstream of the
meter: used to determine the temperature of
the liquid flowing through the meter.
meterman n: see measurement technician.
meter performance n: a general expression
for the relationship between the volume
registered by a meter and the actual volume
that has passed through it. May refer to
meter error. meter factor. meter accuracy.
and so on.
meter pickup n: a device for converting
meter rotor movement into an electrical
output signal.

meter skid

meter proof n: the multiple passes or round

trips of the displacer in a prover for purposes
of determining a meter factor. v: to establish
the meter factor by comparing meter
through-put to a prover of known volume.
meter prover n: a device used to determine
the accuracy of a meter. Two popular types
are pipe provers and open tank provers. A
pipe prover has a calibrated pipe that
contains a known volume. A sphere
displaces oil or liquid product through the
pipe while the meter being proved registers
the amount of oil or liquid displaced. The
meter's reading is then compared to the
known volume in the pipe. An open tank
prover is a calibrated tank that contains a
known volume. Oil or liquid product is put
into the tank while the meter being proved
registers the amount. The meter's reading is
then compared to the known volume in the
tank.
meter proving n: the procedure required to
determine the relationship between the true
volume of liquid measured by a meter and
the volume indicated by the meter.
meter proving counter n: a device in a pipe
prover that. when actuated by the displacer
sphere. registers pulses sent from a pulse
generator on the meter being proved. By
reading the number of pulses the counter
registers, the amount of oil or liquid product
the meter registered as having passed
through the prover can be determined. The
amount the meter registered is then
compared to the known volume of the prover
to determine the meter's accuracy. See
meter prove1; pipe prove,;
meter proving run n: any single prover
volume measurement in a set of prover
volume measurements required to prove a
meter.
meter reading n: the instantaneous display
of the number of units of volume or
equivalent thereof read directly from a meter
register.
meter receiver instrument n: an instrument
that receives signals from a transmitter.
meter register n: a device that accumulates
and displays the indicated volume passed
through a meter.
meter run n: see meter installation.
meter run point n: the point in a gas
gathering system at which a field measuring
meter and accessories are situated.
meter skid n: a small platform fabricated
from pipe or bar stock and steel plate onto
which a meter and a manifold are mounted.

meter slippage

meter slippage n: the volume of liquid at a

given flow rate that passes through a meter
without being measured.
meter station n: see meter installation. m
eter tube n: an important part of the primary
element of an orifice meter installation that
must create a known flow pattern for the
fluid as it reaches the plate. It is the straight
upstream pipe of the same size between the
orifice and nearest pipe fitting and the similar
downstream pipe between the orifice and
nearest pipe fitting.
metes and bounds n pI: a method of
describing a piece of land that measures the
boundaries by beginning at a well-marked
reference point and following the boundaries
of the land all the way around to the
beginning point again. The description relies heavily on reference to natural or
artificial but permanent objects (such as
roads and streams).
methane n: a light, gaseous, flammable
paraffinic hydrocarbon, CH4, that has a
boiling point of -25F (and is the chief
component of natural gas and an important
basic
hydrocarbon
for
petrochemical
manufacture.
methane series n: the paraffin series of
hydrocarbons .
methanol (methyl alcohol) n: the lightest
alcohol, having the chemical formula CH30H.
Also called wood alcohol.
methyl orange alkalinity n: see M1.
methyl tertiary butyI ether (MTBE) n: leadfree antiknock compound added to gasoline.
Compare ethyl tertiary butyl ether:
metre (m) n: the fundamental unit of length
in the international system of measurement
(SI). It is equal to about 3.28 feet, 39.37
inches, or 100 centimetres.
metric system n: a decimal system of
weights and measures based on the metre
as the unit of length, the gram as the unit of
weight, the cubic metre as the unit of
volume, the litre as the unit of capacity, and
the square metre as the unit of area. The
international system of measurement (SI) is
based on the metric system.
metric ton n: a measurement equal to 1,000
kilograms or 2,204.6 avoirdupois. In some
oil-producing countries, production is
reported in metric tons. One metric ton is
equivalent to about 7.4 barrels (42 U5
gallons = I barrel) of crude oil with a specific
gravity of .0184, or 360 API. In the 51
system it is called a tonne.
MFETM abbr: a trademark name for multiple
formation evaluation. See also drill stem
test.
mg abbr: milligram.
mho n: unit of conductivity. Compare ohm.
mica n: a silicate mineral characterised by
sheet cleavage; i.e.. it separates into thin
sheets. Biotite is ferromagnesian black mica.

129

and muscovite is potassic white mica.

Sometimes mica is used as a lost circulation
material in drilling.
micellar adj: capable of forming micelles.
micellar-polymer flooding n: a method of
improved oil recovery in which chemicals
dissolved in water are pumped into a
reservoir through injection wells to mobilise
oil left behind after primary or secondary
recovery and to move it toward production
wells. The chemical solution includes
surfactants or surfactant-forming chemicals
that reduce the interfacial and capillary
forces between oil and water. releasing the
oil and carrying it out of the pores where it
has been trapped. The solution may also
contain cosurfactants to match the viscosity
of the solution to that of the oil to stabilise
the solution and to prevent its adsorption by
reservoir rock. An electrolyte is often added
to aid in adjusting viscosity. Injection of the
chemical solution is followed by a slug of
water thickened with a polymer. which
pushes the released oil through the
reservoir.
decreases
the
effective
permeability of established channels so that
new channels are opened. and serves as a
mobility buffer between the chemical
solution and the final injection of water.
micelle n: a round cluster of hydrocarbon
chains formed when the amount of
surfactant in an aqueous solution reaches a
critical point. The micelles are able to
surround and dissolve droplets of water or
oil. forming an emulsion.
microcaliper log n: a special caliper log
combined with a MicrologTM. See caliper log,
MicrologTM.
microemulsion n: a stable. translucent
micellar emulsion of oil. one or more surface
active agents. water. and sometimes' an
electrolyte. A microemulsion is classed as
an emulsion because it is a mixture of
immiscible substances (oil and water) and
because it can have oil-in-water and waterin-oil phases. It can also have a phase in
which neither oil nor water is dispersed.
however, but are alternated in layers. A
microemulsion has certain properties that
are like a solution rather than an emulsion: it
is optically clear rather than clouded. and it
is stable, i.e.. the oil and water do not
separate. Microemulsions are used for
chemical flooding of reservoirs. See
chemical flooding, emulsion. solution.
MicroIaterolog n: a guard-electrode log that
measures the resistivity of the flushed zone.
MicrologTM n: trade name for a special
electric survey method in which three
closely-spaced electrodes are pressed
against the wall of the borehole to obtain a
measurement of formation characteristics
next to the wall of the hole.
micrometer n: 1. a caliper for making
precise measurements; a spindle is moved

migration

by a screw thread so that it touches the

object to be measured. 2. an instrument
used with a telescope or microscope to
measure minute distances.
micron ( ) n: a unit of length equal to one
millionth part of a metre, or one thousandth
part of a millimetre. Also called a micrometre.
micropaleontology n: paleontology dealing
with fossils of microscopic size.
micropore paper n: heavy-duty paper
perforated with several very small holes
(pores). Folded in accordion pleats,
micropore paper often serves as a
secondary filter element in an engine's fuel
system. Fuel passes through the pores,
while the unperforated part of the paper
stops dirt.
microresistivity log n: a resistivity logging
tool consisting of a spring device and a pad.
While the spring device holds the pad firmly
against the borehole sidewall, electrodes in
the pad measure resistivities in mud cake
and nearby formation rock. See resistivity
well logging.
microsecond n: one millionth of a second.
MicroSurvey n: a proprietary name for a
logging tool that measures resistivity of the
flushed zone of the formation adjacent to the
wellbore.
MICT abbr: moving in cable tools; used in
drilling reports.
middle distillate n: hydrocarbons in the
middle range of refinery distillation, e.g.,
kerosene, light and heavy diesel oil, heating
oil.
middle sample n: in tank sampling, a spot
sample obtained from the middle of the tank
contents.
middle spot sample n: taken on tanks that
have a capacity larger than 1,000 barrels
(159,000 titres) and that contain 10 feet (3
metres) or less of crude oil. One middle spot
sample should be taken as near the centre
of the vertical column of oil as possible.
migration n: the movement of oil from the
area in which it was formed to a reservoir
rock where it can accumulate.

migratory bird

migratory bird n: a bird that moves

(migrates) from one place to another, usually
in connection with changing seasons. During
times of migration, such birds, especially
those attracted to bothes of water, may
choose to rest in a drilling rig's reserve pit.
To prevent harm to the birds, rig owners
place netting over the pit so that they cannot
alight in the liquid in the pit.
Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) n: a
congressional act that established treaties
with Great Britain, Mexico, Canada, Japan,
and the former Soviet Union to protect
migratory birds and their habitats. MBTA
authorises fines and even imprisonment for
operators who allow migratory birds to
become injured in pits or open-topped tanks
that contain oil, oil products, caustic
materials, or contaminants. such as arsenic
or boron, that are poisonous or hazardous to
migratory birds.
milk emulsion n: see oil-emulsion water.
mill n: a downhole tool with rough, sharp,
extremely hard cutting surfaces for removing
metal, packers. cement, sand, or scale by
grinding or cutting. Mills are run on drill pipe
or tubing to grind up debris in the hole,
remove stuck portions of drill stem or
sections of casing for sidetracking, and ream
out tight spots in the casing. They are also
called junk mills. reaming mills. and so forth,
depending on their use. v: to use a mill to cut
or grind metal objects that must be removed
from a well.

mill-coated pipe n: pipe coated at the mill

as opposed to pipe coated over the ditch in
pipeline construction.
milled bit n: also called a milled-tooth bit or
a steel-tooth bit. See steel-tooth bit,
milled-tooth bit n: also called milled bit or
steel-tooth bit. See steel-tooth bit,
mill extension n: a special mill made up on
the bottom of an overshot to grind away the
top of a damaged fish so that the overshot
can engage the fish. See overshot.
millidarcy (md) (pI, millidarcys) n: onethousandth of a darcy,
millilitre n: one-thousandth of a litre. In
analysing drilling mud. this term is used
interchangeably with cubic centimetre. A
quart equals 964 millilitres.
millimetre n: a measurement unit in the
metric system equal to 10-3 metre (0.001
metre). It is used to measure pipe and bit
diameter. nozzle size. liner length and
diameter. and cake thickness.
millimho n: one-thousandth of an mho.

130

milling shoe n: see burn shoe. rotary shoe.

milling tool n: the tool used in the operation
of milling. See mill.
millisec abbr: millisecond.
millivolt n: one-thousandth of a volt.
mill out v: to use a mill on the end of a
work-string to remove a permanent tool or
fish.
mill-out extension n: a pinned-end pup joint
used to provide additional length and inside
diameter necessary to accommodate a
standard milling tool.
mill scale n: thin. dense oxide scale that
forms on the surface of newly manufactured
steel as it cools. Mill scale can become
cathodic to its own steel base. forming
galvanic corrosion cells.
min abbr: minute.
mined (humic:) acid lignins n pi: naturally
occurring special lignite. e.g., leonardite. that
is produced by strip mining from special
lignite deposits. The active ingredient is the
humic acids. Mined lignins are used
primarily as thinners. which mayor may not
be chemically modified; however, they are
also widely used as emulsifiers.
mineral n: 1. a naturally occurring inorganic
crystalline element or compound with a
definite
chemical
composition
and
characteristic physical properties such as
crystal shape. melting point, colour. and
hardness. Most minerals found in rocks are
not pure. 2. broadly. a naturally occurring
homogeneous substance that is obtained
from the ground for human use (e.g.. stone.
coal. salt, sulphur. sand. petroleum. water.
natural gas).
mineral acre n: the full mineral interest and
rights in one acre of land.
mineral deed n: the legal instrument that
conveys minerals in place together with the
rights to search for and produce them.
mineral estate n: rights and interests in the
minerals found on or beneath the surface of
land, created when the owner severs or
separates his or her interests in the property.
mineral owner n: owner of the rights and
interests in a mineral estate (where interests
in a landed estate have been severed).
Compare surface owner.
mineral rights n pi: the rights of ownership.
conveyed by deed. of gas. oil. and other
minerals beneath the surface of the earth. In
the United States. mineral rights are the
property of the surface owner unless
disposed of separately.
Minerals Management Service (MMS) n:
an agency of the US Department of the
Interior that establishes requirements
through the Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) for drilling while operating on the
Outer ContinentaI Shelf of the United States.
The agency regulates rig design and
construction, drilling procedures, equipment,
qualification of personnel, and pollution

miscibility

prevention. Address: 1849 C Street NW;

Washington, DC 20240; (202) 208-3500.
Mine Safety and Health Administration
(MSHA) n: a US government agency that
evaluates research in the causes of
occupational diseases and accidents. It is
responsible for administration of the
certification of respiratory safety equipment.
Address: 4015 Wilson Blvd.; Arlington, VA
22203; (703) 235-1385.
miniaturised completion n: a well
completion in which the production casing is
less than 4.5 inches (11.43 centimetres) in
diameter. Compare conventional completion.
minilog n: see pad resistivity device.
minimum acceptance strength n: a
measure of the strength of a wire rope.
Minimum acceptance strength is 2 percent
lower than the catalog or nominal strength.
See nominal strength.
minimum internal yield pressure n: the
lowest internal pressure at which permanent
distortion of a pipe occurs.
minimum pipeline velocity n: the velocity
that exists at the lowest operating flow rate,
excluding those rates that occur infrequently
or for periods of less than five minutes.
minimum polished rod load n: the lowest
load imposed on the polished rod throughout a complete sucker rod pump cycle.
minimum royalty n: a royalty payment
amount to be made regardless of the rate of
production. The excess of such payments
over regular royalty is chargeable against
future production, if any, accruing to the
royalty interest.
minimum yield strength n: the stress level
of tubular drill pipe above which permanent
deformation will occur.
mining partnership n: a form of joint
venture very similar to an oil and gas joint
operating agreement. Profits, losses,
operations, and ownership are all shared,
and the partners are jointly as well as
severally (separately) liable.
MIR abbr: moving in rig; used in drilling
reports.
miscibility n: the capability of mixing
together to form a single homogeneous
phase. For example, alcohol and oil are

miscibility pressure

miscibility pressure n: the pressure at

which a gas injected into a reservoir
vaporises hydrocarbons from crude oil to
form a miscible transition zone between the
gas and the crude oil. This liquid transition
zone moves reservoir oil toward production
wells. Miscibility pressure depends on the
characteristics of the gas and the
temperature and gravity of the reservoir
crude oil. For carbon dioxide, hydrocarbon
vaporisation begins at pressures between
1,000 pounds per square inch and 2,000
pounds per square inch at temperatures
below 200F with oils above 30. API.
Several hundred additional points per
square inch are required to reach the
optimum miscibility pressure, at which
sufficient hydrocarbons are vaporised to
produce a profitable amount of oil.
miscible adj: 1. capable of being mixed. 2.
capable of mixing in any ratio without
separation of the two phases.
miscible displacement n: see miscible
drive.
miscible drive n: a method of enhanced
recovery in which various hydrocarbon
solvents or gases (such as propane, LPG,
natural gas, carbon dioxide, or a mixture
thereof) are injected into the reservoir to
reduce interfacial forces between oil and
water in the pore channels and thus displace
oil from the reservoir rock. See chemical
flooding. gas injection. micellar-polymer
flooding.
miscible flood n: see miscible drive.
mist drilling n: a drilling technique that uses
air or gas to which a foaming agent has
been added.
mist extractor n: a metal device used to
remove small droplets of moisture or
condensable hydrocarbons from a gas
stream in an oil and gas separator. The
small droplets of moisture collect on the
metal surface to form larger drops, which are
removed from the separator along with other
separated liquids.
MIT abbr: mechanical integrity test.
mitron u = MU n: a unit of length equal to
one-millionth part of a metre, or onethousandth part of a millimetre.
mixed butane n: seefit'ld-grade butaM.
mixed gas n: in diving, oxygen and one or
more inert gases.
mixed-gas diving n: diving in which a diver
uses a breathing medium of oxygen and one
or more inert gases synthetically mixed.
mixed naphtha n: a combination of straightrun and cracked naphtha.
mixed string n: a combination string. See
graded string.
mixed tide n: a tide that has characteristics
of both semidiurnal and diurnal tides.
mixing mud n: preparation of drilling fluids
from a mixture of water and other fluids and

131
one or more of the various dry mud-making
materials such as clay and chemicals.
mixing tank n: any tank or vessel used to
mix components of a substance (as in the
mixing of additives with drilling mud).
mix mud v: to prepare drilling fluids from a
mixture of water or other liquids and any one
or more of the various dry mud-making
materials (such as clay, weighting materials.
and chemicals).
mixture n: a 1. physical combination of two
or more elements or components that
maintain their chemical identity; no chemical
reaction is involved. 2. under OSHA, any
combination of two or more chemicals if the
combination is not, in whole or in part, the
result of a chemical reaction.
MJ abbr: megajoule. m1 abbr: millilitre.
ml abbr: millimetre.
MM bopd abbr: millions of barrels of oil per
day.
MMBTU abbr: one million Btus.
MMcf abbr: million cubic feet; a common
unit of measurement for large quantities of
gas.
mmf abbr: magnetomagnetic force.
MMscf abbr: million standard cubic feet. The
standard referred to is usually 60F and 1
atmosphere (14.7 pounds per square inch)
of pressure, but it varies from state to state.
MMscf/d abbr: million standard cubic feet
per day.
2
mm abbr: square millimetre.
mm3 abbr: cubic millimetre.
MMS abbr: Minerals Management Service.
MO abbr: moving out; used in drilling
reports.
mobile arctic caisson (MAC) n: a
submersible offshore drilling rig designed to
drill in the ice-choked waters of the arctic. It
consists of a caisson base, which is a large
concrete or steel tube. that rests on the
seafloor. The drilling equipment is installed
on top of the caisson above the water (ice)
line. The caisson is built to withstand the
enormous force of moving pack ice.
mobile offshore drilling unit (MODU) n: a
drilling rig that is used exclusively to drill
offshore exploration and development wells.
It floats on the surface of the water when
being moved from one drill site to another.
but it mayor may not float once drilling
begins. Two basic types of mobile offshore
drilling unit are used to drill most offshore
wildcat wells: bottom-supported off- shore
drilling rigs and floating drilling rigs.
mobile offshore production unit (MOPU)
n: a movable, reusable structure, such as a
converted jack- up drilling rig, from which
offshore wells are produced. The main
advantage over a conventional fixed or
compliant platform is that MOPUs are less
expensive.

MODU

mobility n: a measure of the ease with

which a fluid moves through a reservoir.
Mobility is measured by dividing a
formation's permeability to a fluid by the
fluid's viscosity.
mobility buffer n: a polymer-water solution
used in micellar-polymer flooding as a zone
of viscosity transition between the initial
injection of surfactant-water solution and the
final injection of drive water. The lead edge
of the polymer solution has a mobility equal
to or less than that of the surfactant solution.
and the trailing edge has a mobility close to
that of water. This buffer zone prevents the
drive water from fingering past the surfactant
solution and thus reducing sweep efficiency.
See micellar-polymer flooding.
mobility ratio n: the ratio of the mobility of a
driving fluid (water or a chemical solution at
residual oil saturation to the mobility of the
driven fluid (oil) at connate water saturation.
The mobility ratio affects the sweep
efficiency of an improved recovery project.
model n: a description or analogy used to
help visualise something that cannot be
observed directly, such as the structures,
porosities, and permeabilities of a geological
formation.
modified cement n: a cement whose
properties, chemical or physical, have been
altered by additives.
MODU abbr: mobile offshore drilling unit.

modular-spaced workover rig

modular-spaced workover rig n: workover equipment designed in equipment

packages or modules that are light enough
to be lifted onto an offshore platform by a
platform crane. In most cases, the maximum
weight of a module is 12,000 pounds (5,443
kilograms). Once lifted from the work boat,
the rig can be erected and working within
twenty-four to thirty-six hours.
modulus of elasticity n: the ratio of the
increment of some specified form of stress
to the increment of some specified form of
strain, such as bulk modulus, shear
modulus, or Young's modulus. Also called
coefficient of elasticity. elasticity modulus,
elastic modulus.
mol sym: mole.
molar volume n: the volume occupied by
one mole of a substance.
molasse n: a thick sequence of soft,
ungraded,
cross-bedded,
fossiliferous
marine and terrestrial conglomerates.
sandstones, and shales derived from the
erosion of growing mountain ranges.
molded depth n: the vertical distance from
the baseline of a ship or offshore vessel to
the underside of the deck plating at the side.
measured at the midlength of the vessel.
molded dimensions n pi: the dimensions of
a vessel to the molded lines.
molded draft n: the depth of the vessel
below the waterline, measured vertically
from the baseline to the waterline.
molded lines n pi: the lines defining the
geometry of a hull as a surface without
thickness.
molded volume n: the volume of a
compartment without deduction for internal
structure or fittings.
mole n: the fundamental unit of mass of any
substance. A mole of any substance is the
number of grams or pounds indicated by its
molecular weight. For example, water, H2O,
has a molecular weight of approximately 18.
Therefore, a gram-mole of water is 18 grams
of water; a pound-mole of water is 18
pounds of water. See molecular weight.
molecular sieves n pi: synthetic zeolites
packaged in bead or pellet form for (I) use in
recovering contaminants or impurities from
liquid and vapour product streams by
selective adsorption and (2) use as a
catalyst.
molecular weight n: the sum of the atomic
weights in a molecule. For example. the
molecular weight of water, H2O, is 18,
because the atomic weight of each of the
hydrogen molecules is 1 and the atomic
weight of oxygen is 16. See mole.
molecule n: the smallest particle of a substance that retains the properties of the
substance. It is composed of one or more
atoms.
mole percent n: the ratio of the number of
moles of one substance to the total number

132
of moles in a mixture of substances.
multiplied by 100 (to put the number on a
percentage basis).
moment n: 1. a turning effect created by a
force. F. acting at a perpendicular distance.
S. from the centre of rotation. 2. the product
of a force and a distance to a particular axis
or point.
moment of inertia n: the sum of die
products formed by multiplying the mass (or
sometimes, the area) of each element of a
figure by die square of its distance from a
specified line. Also called rotational inertia.
M1 n: the methyl orange alkalinity of the
filtrate, reported as the number of millimetres of 0.02 normal (N/50) acid required
per millimetre of filtrate to reach the methyl
orange end point (pH 4.3). M1 is a measure
of the alkalinity of the drilling fluid. Usually,
drilling fluids should have a high pH value
(alkalinity) to ensure that they perform as
they should.
Monel steel n: a nickel-base alloy
containing copper. iron. manganese. silicon.
and carbon. Corrosion-resistant parts are
often made of this material.
monitor n: an instrument that reports the
performance of a control device or signals if
unusual conditions appear in a system. For
example. an S&W monitor provides a
mechanical
means
of
preventing
contaminated oil from entering the pipeline
by detecting the presence of excessive
water and actuating valves to divert the flow
back to dehydration facilities.
monkey board n:
the derrickhand's
working platform.
As pipe or tubing
is run into or out
of the hole. the
derrickhand must
handle the top
end of the pipe.
which may be as
high as 90 feet
(27 metres) or
higher
in
the
derrick or mast.
The monkey board provides a small platform
to raise the derrickhand to the proper height
for handling the top of the pipe.
monocline n: rock strata that dip in one
direction only. Compare anticline, syncline

.
monomer n: a simple molecule capable of
linking together as a repeating structural unit
to form a polymer.

motion compensator
monsoon n: a seasonal wind caused
primarily by differences in temperature
between a land mass and an adjacent
oceanic region. The wind blows from land to
sea in the winter months and from sea to
land in the summer months.
monsoon fog n: fog that may occur in
summer monsoons where high humidity and
large differences in temperature between
land and surrounding oceans are present.
montmorillonite n: a clay mineral often
used as an additive to drilling mud. It is a
hydrous aluminum silicate capable of reacting with such substances as magnesium
and calcium. See bentonite.
moon pool n: a walled round hole or well in
the hull of a drill ship, ship-shape barge, or
semisubmersible drilling rig (usually in the
centre) through which the drilling assembly
and other assemblies pass while a well is
being drilled, completed, or abandoned.

MOPU abbr: mobile offshore production unit.

morning report n: see daily drilling report.
morning tour (pronounced "tower) n: see
graveyard tour.
mortgage n: an estate created by a
conveyance absolute in form but intended to
secure the performance of some act, such
as the payment of money, and to become
void if the act is performed in agreement
with terms. Compare deed of trust.
mosquito bill n: a tube mounted at the
bottom of a sucker rod pump and inside a
gas anchor to provide a conduit into the
pump for well fluids that contain little or no
gas.
mother hubbard n: (slang) also called a
mud box or mud saver. See mud box.
Mother Hubbard clause n: a clause in an
oil and gas lease that includes the lease
lands that may be owned by the lessor and
inadvertently omitted from the legal
description. These are usually oddly-shaped
bits owned by the lessor and adjoining the
described tract. Also called coverall clause.
motion compensator n: any device (such
as a bumper sub or heave compensator)
that serves to maintain constant weight on
the bit in spite of vertical motion of a floating
offshore drilling rig.

motor

motor n: a hydraulic, air, or electric device

used to do work. Compare engine.
motor-generator rig n: see electric rig.
motorhand n: the crew member on a rotary
drilling rig, usually the most experienced
rotary helper, who is responsible for the care
and operation of drilling engines. Also called
motorman. Compare fireman.
motor man n: see motorhand.
motor valve n: a valve operated by power
other than manual (i.e., hydraulic, electric, or
mechanical).
mousehole n: an opening in the rig floor,
usually lined with pipe, into which a length of
drill pipe is placed temporarily for later
connection to the drill string.
mousehole connection n: the procedure of
adding a length of drill pipe or tubing to the
active string. The length to be added is
placed in the mousehole, made up to the
kelly, then pulled out of the mousehole and
subsequently made up into the string.
Compare rathole connection.

mousetrap n: a fishing tool used to recover

a parted string of sucker rods from a well.
mousse n: the semisolid, gel-like masses of
water-in-oil emulsions that form from heavier
crude oils after a spill. Sometimes called
"chocolate mousse." The masses may
contain up to 80% water and are more
viscous than the component oil. Mousse
weathers slowly, with the oil retaining its
initial toxicity, and may become tar balls that
float at or near the sea surface and strand
on beaches. The transport of mousse and
tar balls can increase the area and duration
over which a spill is felt.
MPa abbr: megapascal.
mph abbr: miles per hour.
MPI abbr: magnetic particle inspection.
MPPRCA abbr: Marine Plastic Pollution
Research and Control Act of 1987.
ms abbr: microsecond.
Mscf/bbl abbr: thousand feet per barrel.
Mscf/D abbr: thousand standard cubic feet
per day.
MSDS abbr: material safety data sheet.

133
MSHA abbr: Mine Safety and Health
Administration.
MSRC abbr: Marine Spill Response
Corporation.
MTBE abbr: methyl tertiary butyl ether.
mud n: the liquid circulated through the wellbore during rotary drilling and workover
operations. In addition to its function of
bringing cuttings to the surface, drilling moo
cools and lubricates the bit and the drill
stem, protects against blowouts by holding
back subsurface pressures, and deposits a
mud cake on the wall of the borehole to
prevent loss of fluids to the formation.
Although it originally was a suspension of
earth solids (especially clays) in water, the
mud used in modem drilling operations is a
more complex, three-phase mixture of
liquids, reactive solids, and inert solids. The
liquid phase may be fresh water, diesel oil,
or crude oil and may contain one or more
conditioners. See drilling fluid.
mud acid n: a mixture of hydrochloric and
hydrofluoric acids and surfactants used to
remove wall cake from the wellbore.
mud additive n: any material added to
drilling fluid to change some of its
characteristics or properties.
mud analysis n: examination and testing of
drilling mud to determine its physical and
chemical properties.
mud analysis logging n: a continuous
examination of the drilling fluid circulating in
the wellbore for the purpose of discovering
evidence of oil or gas regardless of the
quantities entrained in the fluid. When this
service is utilised, a portable mud logging
laboratory is set up at the well. Also called
mud logging.
mud anchor n: a large-diameter pipe
installed outside a gas anchor to reduce or
eliminate the entrance of solids into a sucker
rod pump.
mud balance n: a beam balance consisting
of a cup and a graduated arm carrying a
sliding weight and resting on a fulcrum. It is
used to determine the density or weight of
drilling mud.

mud box n: a hinged, cylindrical metal

device placed around a joint of pipe as it is
being broken out during a trip out of the
hole. It keeps mud from splashing beyond
the immediate area. Also called mother
hubbard, mud saver, splash box, or wet box.
mud cake n: the sheath of mud solids that
forms on the wall of the hole when liquid

mud-gas separator
from mud filters into the formation. Also
called filter cake or wall cake.

mud circulation n: the process of pumping

mud downward to the bit and back up to the
surface in a drilling or workover operation.
See normal circulation, reverse circulation.
mud cleaner n: a cone-shaped device, a
hydro-cyclone, designed to remove very fine
solid particles from the drilling mud.
mud column n: the borehole when it is filled
or partially filled with drilling mud.
mud conditioning n: the treatment and
control of drilling mud to ensure that it has
the correct properties. Conditioning may
include the use of additives, the removal of
sand or other solids, the removal of gas, the
addition of water, and other measures to
prepare the mud for conditions encountered
in a specific well.
mud density n: see mud weight.
mud density recorder n: a device that
automatically records the weight or density
of drilling fluid as it is being circulated in a
well.
mud engineer n: an employee of a drilling
fluid supply company whose duty it is to test
and maintain the drilling mud proper- ties
that are specified by the operator.
mud-flow indicator n: a device that
continually measures and may record the
flow rate of mud returning from the annulus
and flowing out of the mud return line. If the
mud does not flow at a fairly constant rate, a
kick or lost circulation may have occurred.
mud-flow sensor n: see mud-flow indicator.
mud-gas separator n: a device that
removes gas from the mud coming out of a
well when a kick is being circulated out.

mud gradient

mud gradient n: pressure exerted with

depth by drilling fluid. Often expressed in
pounds per square inch per foot. Also called
pressure gradient.
mud gun n: a device that shoots a jet of
drilling mud under high pressure into the
mud pit to mix additives with the mud or to
agitate the mud.
mud hopper n: see hopper.
mud hose n: also called kelly hose or rotary
hose. See rotary hose.
mud house n: structure at the rig to store
and shelter sacked materials used in drilling
fluids.
mud inhibitor n: a substance. such as salt.
potassium chloride. or calcium sulphate.
added to drilling mud to minimise the
hydration (swelling) of formations with which
the mud is in contact.
Mud-kilTM n: trade name for a chemical
additive for portland cement that reduces the
effect of contamination of cementing slurries
by the organic chemicals commonly found in
drilling muds.
mud-level recorder n: a device that
measures and records the height (level) of
the drilling fluid in the mud pits. The level
should remain fairly constant during the
drilling of a well. If it rises. the possibility of a
kick exists. Conversely. if it falls. loss of
circulation may have occurred.
mud line n: 1. in offshore operations. the
seafloor. 2. a mud return line.
mud log n: a record of information derived
from examination of drilling fluid and drill bit
cuttings. See mud logging.
mud logger n: an employee of a mud
logging company who performs mud
logging. mud logging n: the recording of
information derived from examination and
analysis of formation cuttings made by the
bit and of mud circulated out of the hole. A
portion of the mud is diverted through a gasdetecting device. Cuttings brought up by the
mud are examined under ultraviolet light to
detect the presence of oil or gas. Mud logging is often carried out in a portable laboratory set up at the well.
mud man n: see mud engineer.
mud-mixing devices n pi: any of several
devices used to agitate. or mix. the liquids
and solids that make up drilling fluid. These
devices include jet hoppers. paddles.
stirrers. mud guns. and chemical barrels.
mud motor n: see downhole motor.
mud-off v: 1. to seal the hole against
formation fluids by allowing the build up of
wall cake. 2. to block off the flow of oil into
the wellbore.
mud pit n: originally, an open pit dug in the
ground to hold drilling fluid or waste
materials discarded after the treatment of
drilling mud. For some drilling operations,
mud pits are used for suction to the mud
pumps, settling of mud sediments, and

134
storage of reserve mud. Steel tanks are
much more commonly used for these
purposes now, but they are still usually
referred to as pits, except offshore, where
"mud tanks" is preferred.
mud program n: a plan or procedure, with
respect to depth, for the type and properties
of drilling fluid to be used in drilling a well.
Some factors that influence the mud
program are the casing program and such
formation
characteristics
as
type,
competence, solubility, temperature, and
pressure.
mud pulse n: a very small surge in pressure
in the drilling mud as it returns to the
surface.
In
measurement-while-drilling
systems, mud pulses carry downhole
information-much as radio waves carry
sound-for interpretation at the surface.
mud pump n: a large, high-pressure
reciprocating pump used to circulate the
mud on a drilling rig. A typical mud pump is
a single- or double-acting, two- or threecylinder piston pump whose pistons travel in
replaceable liners and are driven by a
crankshaft actuated by an engine or a motor.
Also called a slush pump.
mud report n: a special form that is filled out
by the mud engineer to record the properties
of the drilling mud used while a well is being
drilled.
mud return line n: a trough or pipe that is
placed between the surface connections at
the wellbore and the shale shaker and
through which drilling mud flows on its return
to the surface from the hole. Also called flow
line.
mud saver n: also called mud box or mother
hubbard. See mud box.
mud saver valve n: a lower kelly cock. See
drill stem safety valve, lower kelly cock.
mud scales n pi: see mud balance.
mud screen n: see shale shaker.
mud seal n: a synthetic rubber, ring shaped
washer that fits between parts of a device
that are exposed to drilling mud and parts
that need to be protected from drilling mud.
mud solids n pi: the solid components of
drilling mud. They may be added
intentionally (barite, for example), or they
may be introduced into the mud from the
formation as the bit drills ahead. The term is
usually used to refer to the latter.
mud still n: instrument used to distill oil,
water, and other volatile materials in a mud
to determine oil, water, and total solids
contents in volume-percent.
mudstone n: 1. a massive, blocky rock composed of approximately equal proportions of
clay and silt, but lacking the fine lamination
of shale. 2. in general, rock consisting of an
indefinite and variable mixture of clay, silt,
and sand particles.
mud suction pit n: see suction pit.

muffler
mud system n: the composition and
characteristics of the drilling mud used on a
particular well.
mud tank n: one of a series of open tanks,
usually made of steel plate, through which
the drilling mud is cycled to remove sand
and fine sediments. Additives are mixed with
the mud in the tanks, and the fluid is
temporarily stored there before being
pumped back into the well. Modem rotary
driJ1ing rigs are gen- erally provided with ~
or more tanks, fitted with txlilt-in piping,
valves, and mud agitators. Also called mud
pits.

mud-up v: to add solid materials (such as

bentonite or other clay) to a drilling fluid
composed mainly of clear water to obtain
certain desirable properties.
mud weight n: a measure of the density of a
drilling fluid expressed as pounds per gallon,
pounds per cubic foot, or kilograms per
cubic metre. Mud weight is directly related to
the amount of pressure the column of drilling
mud exerts at the bottom of the hole.
mud-weight equivalent n: see equivalent
circulating density.
mud weight recorder n: an instrument
installed in the mud pits that has a recorder
mounted on the rig floor to provide a
continuous reading of the mud weight.
muffler n: a device installed on an engine to
quiet the barking sound produced by
exhaust gases exiting through the exhaust
pipe of the engine. One type of mufflers is a
steel cylinder with baffle plates. The baffle
plates, flat steel sheets welded inside the
cylindrical body of the muffler, change the
direc- tion of exhaust gas flow. Changing the
direction of flow allows the gases to expand
gradually, rather than all at once. Gradual
expansion is quieter than rapid expansion.
Sometimes called an exhaust silencer.

mule-head hanger

mule-head hanger n: see horsehead.

mule shoe n: a sub part of which is formed
in the shape of a horseshoe and used to
orient the drill stem downhole.
multi-meter register n: a register that
indicates the combined registration of two or
more meters.
multipay zone n: two or more hydrocarbon
producing formations that are penetrated by
a single wellbore.

multiple completion n: an arrangement for

producing a well in which one wellbore
penetrates two or more petroleum- bearing
formations. In one type, multiple tubing
strings are suspended side by side in the
production casing string. each a different
length and each packed to prevent the
commingling of different reservoir fluids.
Each reservoir is then produced through its
own tubing string. Alternatively. a smalldiameter production casing string may be
provided for each reservoir, as in multiple
miniaturised or multiple tubing- less
completions. See dual completion.
multiple miniaturised completion n: see
multiple completion.
multiple-tank composite sample n: a
mixture of individual samples from several
compartments of a ship or barge, each of
which contains the same grade of petroleum
material. The mixture is blended in
proportion to the volume of material in each
compartment.
multiple tubingless completion n: see
multiple completion.
multiple well pumping system n: a method
of lifting oil out of several wells in a field. A
pump is placed at every well; however, all of
the pumps are powered by a single prime
mover (engine or motor) instead of each
pump's being powered individually.
multishot survey n: a directional survey
that provides a record of drift angle and
direction at various depths in the hole. See
directional survey.
multistage cementing tool n: a device that
pem1its cement to be displaced in stages at

135
two or more points above the bottom of the
string. Instead of all the cement being
pumped out the bottom, a stage tool allows
some of the cement to be pumped out at
several points above the bottom. Used in
cases in which a long column of cement
might cause formation breakdown if the
cement were displaced from the bottom of
the string.
multistage centrifugal pump n: a
centrifugal pump that develops pressure by
means of impellers operating in series. Also
called pump stage. See electric submersible
pumping.
multistage pump n: see multistage
centrifugal pump.
muriatic acid n: see hydrochloric acid.
must-take gas n: natural gas supplies
committed to a purchaser under tem1s such
as drainage protection or reservoir
protection clauses, or odler provisions that
place limitations on the purchaser's ability
not to take natural gas from the supplier.
m V abbr: millivolt.
MWD abbr: measurement while drilling.
MWD directional survey n: a directional
survey that uses measurement-while-drilling
techniques to detem1ine drift angle and
azimuth.

MWD directional survey

N sym: newton.
N abbr: normal.
NAAQS abbr: National Ambient Air Quality
Standards.
NACE abbr: National Association of
Corrosion Engineers.
nail pin n: a pin shaped like a carpenter's
nail and placed in a pressure relief valve.
When the pin shears, it opens the valve to
relieve pressure inside a vessel. Even
though the nail pin is shaped like a nail, a
carpenter's nail should never be substituted
for a nail pin. See also shear pin.
NAME abbr.: National Association of
Maritime Educators.
naphtha n: a volatile, flammable liquid
hydrocarbon distilled from petroleum and
used as a solvent or a fuel.
naphthene-base on n: a crude oil that is
characterised by a low API gravity and a low
yield of lubricating oils and that has a low
pour point and a low viscosity index
(compared to paraffin-base oils). It is often
called asphalt-base oil, because the residue
from its distillation contains asphaltic
materials but little or no paraffin wax.
naphthene series n: the saturated hydrocarbon compounds of the general formula
Cn"2n (e.g., ethene or ethylene, C2"4). They
are cycloparaffin derivatives of cyclopentane
(CS"IO) or cyclohexane (C6"12) found in
crude petroleum.
nappe n: a large body of rock that has been
thrust horizontally over neighbouring rocks
by compressive forces, as during the
collision of two continents.
National Ambient Air Quality Standards
(NAAQS) n pi: standards listed under the
CAA for six major, or criteria, pollutants:
ozone, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide,
lead, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate
matter. Areas that exceed the recommended
levels for these pollutants are nonattainment areas, or areas with poor air
quality; areas that meet or fall below the
NAAQS levels are attainment areas, or
areas with good air quality.
National
Association
of
Corrosion
Engineers (NACE) n: organisation whose
function is to establish standards and
recommended practices for the field of
corrosion control. Its publications are

Corrosion,
Corrosion
Abstracts,
and
Materials Performance. Address: Box
218340; Houston, TX 77218-8340; (281)
492-0535; fax (281) 492-8254.
National
Association
of
Maritime
Educators (NAME) n: Address: 408
Belmont Drive; LaPlace, LA 70068; (504)
652-3087.
National
Emissions
Standards
for
Hazardous Airborne Pollutants (NESHAP)
n pI: emissions standards set forth under
CAA for airborne pollutants that are
immediately hazardous to human health or
that cause cancer, gene mutation, or reproductive harm.
National Environmental Policy Act
(NEPA) n: a congressional act that forms the
basic national charter for protection of the
environment. Ensures that no agency of the
federal government will take action that will
significantly affect the quality of the human
environment.
National Fishing Enhancement Act of
1984 n: congressional act that provides for
the development of a National Artificial Reef
Plan to promote and facilitate responsible
and effective efforts to establish artificial
reefs.
National Historic Preservation Act of
1966 n: congressional act that provides for
the protection of historic and prehistoric
archaeological resources.
National Institute for Occupational Safety
and Health (NIOSH) n: an organisation
established by the OSH Act within the
Department of Health, Education and
Welfare
to
develop
and
establish
recommended occupational safety and
health standards and to conduct research.
The OSH Act requires NIOSH to publish an
annual listing of all known toxic substances
and the concentrations at which such toxicity
is known to occur.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad.
ministration (NOAA) n: an agency of the
U.S. Department of Commerce that
establishes national policies for and
manages and conserves our oceanic.
coastal. and atmospheric resources and
applies its managerial. research. and
technical expertise to provide practical
services and essential scientific information.
Address: Department of Commerce. 14th &

136

Constitution Avenue NW; Washington. DC

20230; (301) 713-4000.
National Park Service (NPS) n: a service
under the DOI that has the responsibility of
forming. overseeing. maintaining. and
developing national parks and monuments.
The National Part Service was also made
protector of the nation's historic and natural
heritage with the Water Conservation Act.
the Wilderness Act (1964). the Historic
Preservation Act (1966). and the Wild and
Scenic Rivers Act (1968). Address: Box
37127; Washington. DC 20013- 7127; (202)
208-6843.
National PoIlutant Discharge Elimination
System (NPDES) n: a permit system set up
under the CWA and implemented by
qualified state governments to regulate
pollutant discharges. NPDES permits specify
the types of control equipment require and
the discharges allowed for each facility. The
permits specify levels of performance. and
failure to achieve these levels must be reported. All permits can be reviewed by the
EPA. the Army Corps of Engineers. and the
Fish and Wildlife Service.
National Response Centre (NRC) n: the
USCG
headquarters
for
emergency
incidents. The NRC is operated 24 hours a
day by the USCG in cooperation with 14
other federal agencies. Whenever a
hazardous material release occurs in
American waters. it must be reported to the
NRC under federal law. Address: 2100 2nd
Street. Room 2611; Washington, DC 20593;
(202) 426-2675; (800) 424-8802.
national standard n: a standard recognised
by an official national decision as the basis
for fixing the value. in a country. of all other
standards of the given quantity. In general.
the national standard in a country is also the
primary standard.

NSFCC

National Strike Force Coordination

Centre (NSFCC) n: the USCG national response system headquartered in Elizabeth
City. North Carolina. The NSFCC is charged
with maintaining a comprehensive list of spill
removal
resources.
personnel.
and
equipment that is available worldwide and to
make that list available to federal and state
agencies and the public. The NSFCC
provides technical assistance, equipment,
and other resources required by the federal
on-scene coordinator; coordinates the use of
private and public personnel and equipment
to remove a worst-case discharge and
mitigate or prevent a substantial threat of
such discharge; administers the coast guard
strike teams; and provides technical
assistance in preparing area contingency
plans. The NSFCC maintains on file all area
contingency plans and is required to review
each of those plans that affects its
responsibility. Address: 1461 US 17 N;
Elizabeth City. NC 27909-1326; (919) 3316006.
National Stripper Well Association
(NSWA) n: association of producers of wells
that yield ten barrels or less of crude
petroleum a day. Its official publication is
National Stripper Well Survey. Address: 825
Petroleum Bldg.; Wichita Falls, TX 7630 I;
(817) 766-3870.
National Weather Service (NWS) n: an
office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that provides weather
information and warnings to every county.
parish, and major metropolitan area in the
country. Address: 1325 East-West Highway;
Silver Spring. MD 20010., (301) 713-0622.
Regional office: 819 Taylor St.; Fort Worth,
TX 76102.
native gas n: see formation gas.
natural clays n pi: clays that are
encountered
when
drilling
various
formations; they mayor may not be
incorporated purposely into the mud system.
natural drive energy n: see reservoir drive
mechanism.
natural gas n: a highly compressible. highly
expansible mixture of hydrocarbons with a
low specific gravity and occurring naturally in
a gaseous form. Besides hydrocarbon
gases, natural gas may contain appreciable
quantities of nitrogen. helium. carbon
dioxide. hydrogen sulphide. and water
vapour. Although gaseous at normal
temperatures and pressures, the gases
making up the mixture that is natural gas are
variable in form and may be found either as
gases or as liquids under suitable conditions
of temperature and pressure.
natural gas liquid (NGL) n pi: those
hydrocarbons liquefied at the surface in field
facilities or in gas processing plants. Natural

137

gas liquids include propane, octane, and

natural gasoline.
natural gasoline n: the liquid hydrocarbons
recovered from wet natural gas, i.e., casing
head gasoline.
natural gas plant n: see natural gas
processing plant.
natural gas processing plant n: an
installation in which natural gas is processed
for recovery of natural gas liquids, the
heavier hydrocarbon components of natural
gas, including liquefied petroleum gases
(such as octane and propane), and natural
gasoline.

naturally aspirated adj. term used to

describe an internal combustion engine in
which air flows into the engine by means of
atmospheric pressure only. Compare
supercharge.
naturally occurring adj. found in nature or
occurring naturally without the aid of a
chemical process.
naturally occurring radioactive materials
(NORM) n pi: radioactive materials that
occur naturally and that are brought to the
surface during drilling operations or that
contaminate drilling fluids, pipe scale, soil, or
equipment. Although the EPA regulates
NORM only in fertiliser (as of June 1992), it
is likely that the regulation of other NORM
material will follow in the near future.
Currently, only Louisiana has state NORM
regulations, but many other states are in the
process of initiating regulations or have
expressed an interest in doing so.
natural magnet n: a metallic ore, such as
magnetite, that has a natural magnetism.
navigable waters n pi: any waters that are
deep enough and wide enough to support a
ship. The term has been broadly defined in
recent years to include any waters that can
float a canoe. Under this definition, drainage ditches, gullies, and small sinks can
temporarily become navigable when it rains
and thus may be defined as navigable even
when dry.
NDT abbr. non-destructive testing methods.
neap tide n: a tide that has the smallest
range between high and low tide at a given
location. This type of tide occurs when the
sun and moon lie at right angles to each
other (during first and third quarters).
near future n: in marketing, the next three
years.

net revenue interest

neat cement n: a cement with no additives

other than water.
neck down v: to taper to a reduced
diameter. A pipe becomes necked down
when it is subjected to excessive longitudinal
stress.
necking n: the tendency of a metal bar or
pipe to taper to a reduced diameter at some
point when subjected to excessive
longitudinal stress. See bottleneck.
needle valve n: a globe valve that contains
a sharp-pointed, needle like plug that is
driven into and out of a cone-shaped seat to
control accurately a relatively small rate of
fluid flow. In a fuel injector, the fuel pressure
forces the needle valve off its seat to allow
injection.
NEPA abbr: National Environmental Policy
Act.
NESHAP
abbr:
National
Emissions
Standards
for
Hazardous
Airborne
Pollutants.
net observed volume n: the total volume of
all petroleum liquids. excluding S&W and
free water, at observed temperature and
pressure.
net-oil computer n: a system of electronic
and mechanical devices that automatically
determines the amount of oil in a water and
oil emulsion. The water and oil do not have
to be separated to measure the volume of
the oil.
net-oil volume n: the amount. or volume, of
oil in the produced fluids of a well or wells,
usually as measured by a net-oil computer.
net production n: the amount of oil
produced by a well or a lease. exclusive of
its S& W content. Net production is also
called working-interest oil (i.e., the oil
produced by all of its wells multiplied by the
work- ing interest of a company in the wells).
net profits lease n: a lease agreement in
which the lessor shares in the net proceeds
of production after the lessee has recovered
the initial investment. The various expenses
allowed as deductions from gross proceeds
are points of negotiation. Also applies to
working-interest relationships.
net revenue interest n: the portion of oil
and gas production money out of which
operating and development costs are paid
(i.e., the portion remaining after deduction of
royalty interests).

net standard volume (NSV)

net standard volume (NSV) n: the total

volume of all petroleum liquids, excluding
S&W and free water, corrected by the
appropriate temperature correction factor
(Ctl) for the observed temperature and API
gravity, relative density, or density to a
standard temperature such as 60F or IS.C,
and also corrected by the applicable
pressure correction factor (Cpl) and meter
factor.
net standard weight (NSW) n: the total
weight of all petroleum liquids, excluding
S&W and free water, determined by applying
the appropriate weight conversion factor to
the net standard volume.
net throughput n: the indicated volume
corrected for meter errors, for volume
differences due to metering pressure and
temperature
differing
from
reference
conditions, and for S&W content, where
applicable.
net tonnage n: the gross tonnage of a ship
or a mobile offshore drilling rig less all
spaces that are not or cannot be used for
carrying cargo, expressed in tons equal to
100 cubic feet.
net volume n: the total volume of liquid in a
tank after adjustments have been included
for S& W content, temperature, and density.
Compare gross volume.
net working interest n: the share of
production remaining to the working-interest
owners after all royalties, overriding royalties, production payments, and other
reservations or assignments have been
deducted..
neutral n: 1. position of the rig's weight
indicator where hook load is zero. 2. position
of an engine's transmission when the
engine's
flywheel
or
other
power
transmission device is not being turned by
the engine.
neutralisation n: a reaction in which the
hydrogen ion of an acid and the hydroxyl ion
of a base unite to form water, the other ionic
product being salt.
neutral packer n: a packer that, unlike
compression or tension packers, requires
neither set-down weight nor ups train pull to
remain set.
neutrino n: a neutral particle ejected from
the nucleus of an atom when the neutronto-proton ratio is too high. Neutrinos are
difficult to detect, because of their
penetrating power, and are not recorded in
logging.
neutron n: a part of the nucleus of all atoms
except hydrogen. Under certain conditions,
neutrons can be emitted from a substance
when its nucleus is penetrated by gamma
particles from a highly radioactive source.
This phenomenon is used in neutron
logging.

138

Neutron Lifetime Log n: a pulsed-neutron

survey.
neutron log n: a radioactivity well log used
to determine formation porosity. The logging
tool bombards the formation with neutrons.
When the neutrons strike hydrogen atoms in
water or oil, gamma rays are released. Since
water or oil exists only in pore spaces, a
measurement of the gamma rays indicates
formation porosity. See radioactivity well
Logging.
neutron radiation n: radiation produced by
nuclear disintegration, as when a nucleus is
penetrated by gamma rays from a highly
radioactive source. Neutron radiation can
penetrate several feet of lead and is so
difficult to observe that it remained
undiscovered long after alpha, beta, and
gamma rays were well known.
New Source Performance Standards
(NSPS) n: CAA standards that set forth
allowable emissions for new major pollution
sources and major modifications to existing
sources. NSPS can extend to pollutants not
included in NAAQS and NESHAP and may
include VOCs and hydrogen sulphide.
newton (N) n: an SI unit that expresses
force. One newton equals 1 metre-kilogram
per second per second (mokg/s2), which is
the force required to move 1 kilogram a
distance of 1 metre at a velocity of 1 second
squared.
Newtonian flow n: see Newtonian fluid.
Newtonian fluid n: a fluid in which the
viscosity remains constant for all rates of
shear if constant conditions of temperature
and pressure are maintained. Most drilling
fluids behave as non-Newtonian fluids, as
their viscosity is not constant but varies with
the rate of shear.
newton-metre n: see joule.
NGL abbr: natural gas liquids.
NGPA standards n pi: natural gas pricing
categories created by the Natural Gas Policy
Act. The NGPA divides all natural gas into a
large number of sections, each subject to
different maximum lawful pricing rules.
night toolpusher n: an assistant toolpusher
whose duty hours are typically during nighttime hours on a mobile offshore drilling unit.
nimbostratus n: a dark gray, thick, low-level
cloud that is composed of water droplets.
NIOSH abbr:
National
Institute
for
Occupational Safety and Health.
nipple n: a tubular pipe fitting threaded on
both ends and less than 12 inches (30
centimetres) long, used for making
connections between pipe joints and other
tools.
nipple chaser n: (slang) a crew member
who procures and delivers tools and
equipment for a drilling rig.
nipple up v: in drilling, to assemble the
blowout preventer stack on the wellhead at
the surface.

nominal volume

NIST abbr: the National Institute of

Standards and Technology.
nitridise v: to combine with nitrogen.
nitrogen n: an inert gas (NOz) used for
jetting wells.
nitrogen narcosis n: the intoxicating or
narcotic effect of gaseous nitrogen
experienced by a diver breathing air at
greater than 100 feet (30.5 metres) of depth.
The effect increases with depth, impairing a
diver's ability to think and act effectively.
nitro shooting n: a formation-stimulation
process first used about a hundred years
ago in Pennsylvania. Nitroglycerine is placed
in a well and exploded to fracture the rock.
Sand and gravel or cement is usually placed
above the explosive charge to improve the
efficiency of the shot. Nitro shooting has
been largely replaced by formation
fracturing.
NLPGA abbr: National LP-Gas Association.
NOAA abbr: National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration.
noble metal n: any of the metals with low
reactive tendencies at the upper end of the
electrochemical series.
no-go n: a device of a known and precise
dimension that is lowered into a well to
determine the dimensions of another device
or opening already in the well.
no-go nipple n: a special nipple made up in
the tubing, casing, or drill pipe string the
configuration of which is such that a tool
contacting it can pass through only if the tool
is in the proper position or configuration.
noise (electrical) n: 1. an unwanted
component of a signal that obscures the
information content. 2. any spurious voltage
or current arising from external sources and
appearing in the circuits of a device.
nominal size n: a designated size that is
very close to, but that may be different from,
the actual size.
nominal strength n: wire rope strength that
the manufacturer calculates using a
standard procedure established by the wire
rope industry. Also called catalog strength.
Compare breaking strength, minimum
acceptance strength.
nominal volume n: the quantity assigned to
a tank or vessel for the purpose of
identification only; the exact volume may be
some what different from the nominal
volume.

nominations

nominations n pl: the amount of oil or gas a

purchaser expects to take from a field as
reported to a state regulatory agency.
nomograph n: a chart that presents an
equation containing a number of variables in
the form of several straight lines. The
straight lines are scaled with values of the
variables. To use it, a straight edge is
placed across the scaled lines at the
appropriate values. A monograph can be
easier to use than solving the equation.
nonabsolute ownership n: the legal view
that states that minerals such as oil and gas
cannot be owned in place but rather must be
brought to the surface before they can be
owned.
Also called nonownership,
nonownership in place.
nonane n: a paraffin hydrocarbon, C9H20,
that is liquid at atmospheric conditions. Its
boiling point is about 303.5F (150.8C) at
14.7 pounds per square inch (332.5
kilopascals per metre).
nonassocaited gas n: gas in a reservoir
that contains no oil.
nonattainment areas n pl: areas in the
United States that fail to meet NAAQS and
that are subject to tighter emission controls
and more complicated requirements than
are attainment areas. Major new or modified
air pollution sources in nonattainment areas
must get a permit to build, offset the new
emission increase by obtaining reducions
from existing sources, and must meet the
lowest achievable emission rate.
nonconductive mud n: any drilling fluid,
usually oil-base or invert-emulsion muds, the
continuous phase of which does not conduct
electricity, e.g. oil.
nonconductive wireline n: wireline used for
operations that do not require that electric
signals be relayed from downhole to the
surface or from the surface to a downhole
device.
nonconformity n: a buried landscape in
which sediments were deposited on an
eroded surface of igneous or metamorphic
rock. Compare unconformity.

nonconsent/ consent n: a provision in a

joint operating agreement that allows parties
who consent to later operations to penalize
parties who do not consent. The penalty
can be arranged in various ways but, to be
effective, it assumes the productiveness of
the proposed operation.
nondestructive testing n: in pipeline
construction, testing designed to evaluate

139

the quality of both production and field welds

without altering their basic properties or
affecting their future usefulness. The most
common
nondestructive
testing
is
radiographic, or X-ray, testing. Compare
destructive testing.
nondestructive testing methods (NDT) n
pl: testing methods, such as dye injection
and photography, used by divers to find
flaws in the structrual members of offshore
platforms.
nonferrous alloy n: alloy containing less
than 50% iron.
nonfoliated
metamorphic
rock
n:
metamorphic rock that appears massive and
homogeneous, i.e., without the layered look
of foliated metamorphics.
nonlocator n: terminology to describe the
passage entry of seal assemblies into a
packer seal bore not locking into place.
nonmagnetic drill collar n: a drill collar
made of an alloy that does not affect the
readings of a magnetic compass placed
within it to obtain subsurface indications of
the direction of a deviated wellbore. Used in
directional drilling.
nonoperator n: a working-interest owner
other than the one designated as operator or
the property.
nonownership
n:
see
nonabsolute
ownership.
nonownership in place n: see nonabsolute
ownership.
nonparticipating royalty owner n: a
person who owns a severed portion of a
royalty interest but who does not execute
leases, participate in bonuses or rentals, or
have rights of exploration and production.
nonporous adj: containing no interstices;
having no pores and therefore unable to
hold fluids.
nonpositive-displacement compressor n:
a turbine compressor.
nonpressure tank n: a tank of conventional
shape intended primarily for the starage of
liquids at or near atmospheric pressure.
nonrecoverable usage n: well production
that is burned in support facilities such as
generators and boilers.
nonrotating meter n: any metering device
for which the meter pulse output is not
derived from mechanical rotation as driven
by the flowing stream.
nonstandard gas sales contract n: any
combination of the fixed-rate and percentage
of proceeds type of contract.
nonwetting phase n: the liquid, when two
liquids are present in a pore, that has only
slight, if any, attraction to the sides of the
pore and that is repelled by the surface of
the rock. Usually, oil is the nonwetting
phase and water is the wetting phase. See
wetting phase.
NORM abbr: naturally occurring radioactive
materials.

normal log

normal
butatne
n:
in
commercial
transactions, a product meeting GPA
specification for commercial butane and, in
addition, containing a minimum of 95 liquid
volume percent normal butane. Chemicall,
normal butane is an aliphatic compound of
the paraffin series with the chemical formula
C4H10 and all of its carbon atoms joined in a
straight chain.
normal circulation n: the smooth,
uninterrupted circulation of drilling fluid down
the drill stem, out the bit, up the annular
space between the pipe and the hole, and
back to the surface. Compare reverse
circulation.

normal curve n: a resistivity curve made by

a conventional electric logging device.
normal fault n: a dip-slip fault along which
the hanging wall has subsided relative to the
footwall.
normal formation pressure n: formation
fluid pressure equivalent to about 0.465
pounds per square inch per foot (10.5
kilopascals per metre) of depth from the
surface. If the formation pressure is 4,650
pounds per square inch (32,062 kilopascals)
at 10,000 feet (3,048 metres), it is
considered normal.
normality n: a condition whereby a solution
has a concentration of 1 gram equivalent of
solute per litre.
normalizing n: heat-treating applied to
metal tubular goods to ensure uniformity of
the grain structure of the metal.
normal log n: see conventional electric log.

normal pressure gradient

normal pressure gradient n: the pressure

developed by a column of fluid as the depth
of the column increases when the column
contains a fluid of normal density. This
gradient varies from area to area, but along
the Gulf Coast of the United States, it is
considered to be 0.465-0.468 psi/foot
(10.53-10.59 kPa/metre), which is the
pressure develped by the salt water that
naturally occurs in the formations of this
area. See also normal formation pressure.
normal solution n: a solution that contains
1
gram-equivalent
(0.0353
ounceequivalent) of a substance per litre (3.8
gallons) of solution.
norther n: a strong northerly wind that has
different effects in various parts of the world.
North Sea Brent n: crude oil produced from
the Brent field in the British sector of the
North Sea.
Its price is often quoted,
because it is benchmark for world oil prices.
nose button n: a hard-metal projection that
is placed on the end of the pilot pin of a
roller cone bit to absorb some of the wear
created by outward thrusts as the bit rotates.
notch fatigue n: metal fatigue concentrated
by surface imperfection, either mechanical
(such as a notch) or metallurgical (such as a
defect in the metal itself).
notice of apparent discrepancy n: see
letter of protest.
Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) n:
an MMS formal document that provides
clarification, description, or interpretations of
a regulation or OCS standard; guidelines on
the implementations of a special lease
stipulation or regional requirement; a better
understanding of the scope and meaning of
a
regulation
by
explaining
MMS
interpretations of a requirement; or
administrative information.
nozzle n: 1 a passageway through jet bits
that causes the drilling fluid to be ejected
from the bit at high velocity. The jets of mud
clear the bottom of the hole. Nozzles come
in different sizes that can be interchanged
on the bit to adjust the velocity with which
the mud exits the bit. 2. the part of the fuel
system of an engine that has small holes in
it to permit fuel to enter the cylinder.

Properly known as a fuel-injection nozzle,

but also called a spray valve. The needle
valve is directly above the nozzle.

140

NPDES abbr: National Pollutant Discharge

Elimination System.
NPS abbr: National Park Service.
NRC abbr: National Response Center;
Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Ns abbr: nimbostratus.
NS abbr: no show; used in drilling reports.
NSFCC abbr: National Strike Force
Coordination Centre.
NSPS abbr: New Source Performance
Standards.
NSWA abbr: National Stripper Well
Association.
NTL abbr: Notice to Lessees and Operators.
nuclear log n: see radioactivity log.
nuclear tracer n: a gas, liquid, or solid
material that emits gamma rays.
nutating meter n: a flowmeter that operates
on the principle of the positive displacement
of fluid by incorporating the wobbling motion
of a piston or a disk.
See positive
displacement meter.
NWS abbr: National Weather Service.
Nymex WTI price n: the price per barrel of
West Texas intermediate-grade crude oil as
listed on the New York Mercantile
Exchange.
This price is a benchmark
because it is an indicator of oil prices in the
United States.

Nymex WTI price

O&GCM abbr: oil- and gas-cut mud; used in

drilling reports.
O&SW abbr: oil and salt water; used in
drilling reports.
objective depth n: the depth at which a
borehole is drilled to encounter the formation
of interest.
oblique slip n: slip at an angle between the
dip and the strike in a fault plane.
OBQ abbr: on-board quantity.
observed reference height n: the distance
actually measured from the tank bottom or
datum plate to the established reference
point.
observed values n pi: 1. values observed at
temperatures other than the specified
reference temperature. 2. hydrometer
readings observed at temperatures other
than the specified reference temperature.
observed volumes n pi: those volumes of
liquid or gas that are indicated by the
register on the meter. Compare true volume.
obsidian n: an extrusive igneous rock that
cooled so rapidly that no crystals formed at
all, i.e., volcanic glass.
OC abbr: oil-cut; used in drilling reports.
occluded front n: formed as a cold front
overtakes a warm front or a stationary front
and forces the warm air upward.
Occupational Safety and Health Act of
1970 (OSH Act) n: a congressional act
passed "to assure so far as possible every
working man and woman in the nation safe
and healthful working conditions and to
preserve our human resources." The OSH
Act establishes the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration as a federal agency
and authorises it to promulgate, modify, or
revoke occupational safety and health
standards.
Occupational
Safety
and
Health
n:
a
US
Administration
(OSHA)
government agency that conducts research
into the causes of occupational diseases
and accidents. It is responsible for
administration of the certification of
respiratory safety equipment. Address:
Department of Labour; 200 Constitution
Avenue, NW; Washington, DC 20210; (202)
219-8148.
Ocean Dumping Act n: see Marine
Protection, Researrh, and Sanctuaries Act of
1973.

OCM abbr: oil-cut mud; used in drilling

reports.
OCS abbr: Outer Continental Shelf.
OCSIP abbr: OCS Oil and Gas Information
Program.
OCSLA abbr: Outer Continental Shelf Lands
Act.
OCS Oil and Gas Information Program
(OCSIP) n: an MMS program that generates
reports and documents to assist state and
local officials in planning for potential
impacts resulting from offshore oil and gas
exploration, development, and production
activities.
OCS orders n pI: rules and regulations, set
by the Minerals Management Service (MMS)
of the US Department of the Interior, that
govern oil operations in US waters on the
Outer Continental Shelf. Now supplanted by
rules published in the Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), Part 250.
octane n: a paraffinic hydrocarbon, CSHIS'
that is a liquid at atmospheric conditions and
that has a boiling point of 25S'F (125.5'C) at
14.7 pounds per square inch (101
kilopascals).
octane level n: see octane rating.
octane rating n: a classification of gasoline
according to its antiknock qualities. The
higher the octane number, or rating, the
greater the antiknock qualities of the
gasoline.
OD abbr: outside diameter.
odorant n: a chemical, usually a mercaptan, that is added to natural gas so that the
presence of the gas can be detected by the
smell.
odouriser n: a device used to impart an
odour to natural gas, which is naturally
odourless. See odorant.
OF abbr: open flow; used in drilling reports.
off-driller's side n: the side of the drawworks opposite the driller. Compare driller's
side.
off-gas n: a by-product of refining used as
boiler fuel, but with value as petrochemical
feedstock. Composed mainly of ethane,
ethylene, propane, propylene, butane, and
hydrogen.
Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) n: part of
the Research and Special Programs
Administration under Dar that is charged
with determining procedures to ensure
pipeline safety. Address: 400 7th Street SW,

141

Room 2335; Washington, DC 20590; (202)

366- 4595.
Office of International Activities and
Marine Minerals (INTERMAR) n: an MMS
office located in Herndon, Virginia, that
functions as a liaison for agency involvement
in international activities and provides policy
direction for management of mineral
resources on the OCS. Address: 381 Elden
Street, Suite 1109; Herndon, VA 201704817;(703)787-1300.
off-lease gas n: gas used on a lease other
than the lease from which the gas was
produced.
off-production adj. shut in or temporarily
unable to produce (said of a well).
offset n: see cone offset.
offset drilling rule n: rule applied by the
courts (especially in states that have
adopted non absolute ownership views of oil
and gas) that states that landowners whose
property is being drained by wells on
neighbouring tracts can protect themselves
only by drilling wells on their own and
producing oil or gas as quickly as they can.
Compare rule of capture .
offset link n: in transmission chain, a
combination of roller link and pin link used
when a chain has an odd number of pitches.
offset misalignment n: a type of chain
alignment in which the ends of the shafts,
and therefore the sprockets, are not in line
with each other. Some sprockets can slide
on the shaft, so it is possible for them to be
misalign even if the shafts are not. Offset
misalignment alternately stresses the link
plates on one side of the chain and then
those on the other side. Compare angular
misalignment.

offset roller cone bit

offset roller cone bit n: a roller cone bit

each cone of which displays offset from a
centre point when a line is extended through
the middle of each cone. Offset roller cone
bits are usually employed to drill soft
formations. because the offset causes the
teeth on the cone to gouge and scrape the
formation. Gouging and scraping action is
required to penetrate soft formations.

offset well n: a well drilled in the vicinity of

other wells to assess the extent and
characteristics of the reservoir and, in some
cases, to drain hydrocarbons from an adjoining lease or tract.
offset-well data n pi: information obtained
from wells that are drilled in an area close to
where another well is being drilled or worked
over. Such information can be very helpful in
determining how a particular well will behave
or react to certain treatments or techniques.
offshore n: that geographic area that lies
sea- ward of the coastline. In general, the
term "coastline" means the line of ordinary
low water along that portion of the coast that
is in direct contact with the open sea or the
line markjng the seaward limit of inland
waters.
offshore drilling n: drilling for oil or gas in
an ocean, gulf, or sea, usually on the Outer
Continental Shelf. A drilling unit for offshore
operations may be a mobile floating vessel
with a ship or barge hull, a semi-submersible
or submersible base, a self-propelled or
towed structure with jacking legs (jack up
drilling rig), or a permanent structure used
as a production platform when drilling is
completed. In general, wildcat wells are
drilled from mobile floating vessels or from
jackups. while development wells are drilled
from platforms or jackups.
offshore installation manager (OIM) n: a
qualified and certified person with marine
and drilling knowledge who is in charge of all
operations on a MODU.
offshore pipeline construction n: pipeline
construction in water depths of 100 feet
(30.5 metres) or more.
offshore production platform n: an
immobile offshore structure from which wells
are produced.

142

offshore rig n: any of various types of

drilling structures designed for use in drilling
wells in oceans, seas, bays, gulfs, and so
forth. Offshore rigs include platforms, jack up
drilling rigs, semi-submersible drilling rigs,
submersible drilling rigs, and drill ships.
Compare land rig.
O&G abbr. oil and gas; used in drilling
reports.
OH abbr: open hole; used in drilling reports.
ohm () n: a unit for measuring electrical
resistance. One ohm is equal to the
resistance through which a current of 1
ampere will flow when a potential difference
of 1 volt exists across a circuit.
ohmmeter n: a unit for measuring electrical
resistance. If a container with sides of 1
metre each is filled with a solution and a
resistance of 1 ohm is measured when a
current is passed through the container from
one face to the opposite face, the resistivity
of the unit volume is 1 ohmmeter.
Ohm's law n: a law that concerns the
behaviour of electrical flow through a
conductor. It is stated as
R = E/l
whereR = resistance
E = volts
I = current.
It is used to measure the resistivity of a
substance to the flow of electric current.
oil n: a simple or complex liquid mixture of
hydrocarbons that can be refined to yield
gasoline, kerosene, diesel fuel, and various
other products.
oil and gas separator n: an item of
production equipment used to separate
liquid components of the well fluid from
gaseous elements. Separators are either
vertical or horizontal and either cylindrical or
spherical. Separation is accomplished
principally by gravity, the heavier liquids
falling to the bottom and the gas rising to the
top. A float valve or other liquid-level control
regulates the level of oil in the bottom of the
separator.

oil-emulsion mud

oil-base mud n: a drilling or workover fluid

in which oil is the continuous phase and
which contains from less than 2 percent and
up to 5 percent water. This water is spread
out, or dispersed, in the oil as small droplets.
See invert emulsion mud. oil mud.
oil bath n: a type of lubrication in highspeed chain-and-sprocket drives in which a
portion of the chain passes through an oil
bath (sump), which coats all of the chain on
each revolution to lubricate it.
oil-bath air cleaner n: on an engine, a
canister that has a relatively small amount of
lubricating oil in the bottom and which filters
air entering an engine. The running engine
draws air through the cleaner, where the air
passes through an element and over the oil
bath. Dust and dirt particles in the intake air
are removed by the element and by the oil
bath.
oil-bath cleaner n: see oil-bath air cleaner.
oil-bath reservoir n: in rotary table
assemblies, a compartment in the base of
the rotary table assembly that contains oil of
a specified weight and viscosity and through
which parts of the assembly move to be
lubricated.
oil breakout n: oil that was formerly
emulsified in a drilling mud that comes out of
the mud and rises to the surface in a mud
tank.
oil content n: the amount of oil in volumepercent in a drilling fluid.
oil cooler n: on an engine, a device through
which engine lubricating oil is circulated to
reduce its temperature to acceptable levels.
Some oil coolers depend on the surrounding
air to reduce the temperature, but on most
large engines, the oil is circulated through
tubes that are surrounded by engine coolant.
oil-country tubular goods n pi: oil well
casing, tubing, drill pipe, and drill collars.
oil depletion allowance n: see depletion
allowance.
oil-emulsion mud n: a water-base mud in
which water is the continuous phase and oil
is the dispersed phase. The oil is spread out,
or dispersed, in the water in small droplets,
which are tightly emulsified so that they do
not settle out. Because of its lubricating
abilities, an oil-emulsion mud increases the
drilling rate and ensures better hole
conditions than other muds. Compare oil
mud.

oil-emulsion water

oil-emulsion water n: the water contained

in an emulsion of oil and water.
oilfield n: the surface area overlying an oil
reservoir or reservoirs. The term usually
includes not only the surface area, but also
the reservoir, the wells, and the production
equipment.
oilfield emulsion n: a combination of oil and
water in which droplets of water are
dispersed and suspended in the oil or dr0plets of oil are dispersed and suspended in
the water. Most oilfield emulsions are waterin- oil emulsions; that is, the water is
dispersed in the oil. To remove the water
from the oil, the emulsion must be treated
with heat, chemicals. and/or electricity.
oil filter n: on an engine, a device used to
remove foreign particles from the engine's
lubricating oil. The engine's oil pump forces
the oil through one or more oil filters. Special
elements in the filter trap the particles and
prevent them from circulating through the
engine and possibly damaging it. Many
types of filter are available.
oil in place n: crude oil that is estimated to
exist in a reservoir but that has not been
produced.
oil-in-water emulsion n: see emulsion,
reverse emulsion.
oil-in-water emulsion mud n: any
conventional or special water-base mud to
which oil has been added. The oil becomes
the dispersed phase and may be emulsified
into the mud either mechanically or
chemically. Also called oil-emulsion mud.
oil mud n: a drilling mud, e.g., oil-base mud
and invert-emulsion mud, in which oil is the
continuous phase. It is useful in drilling
certain formations that may be difficult or
costly to drill with water-base mud. Compare
oil-emulsion mud.
oil operator n: see operator.
oil outlet n: see oil sales outlet.
oil pan n: on an engine, a steel trough-like
attachment fitted to the bottom of the
engine's crankcase. The engine's oil pump
picks up oil from the pan and circulates it
through the engine.
oil patch n: (slang) the oilfield.
oil payment n: a non operating interest in oil
and gas from one or more leases that
provides its owner a fractional share of the
oil and gas produced, free of the costs of
production, and that terminates when a
specified dollar amount or volume of
production has been realised. Oil payments
may be created and reserved when a lease
or royalty interest is assigned. or they may
be carved out of a leasehold or royalty
interest and assigned to another party.
Oil Pollution Act (OPA) of 1990 n: a
congressional act passed to reduce the risk
and damages caused by large oil spills on
navigable waters. OPA provides for

143

increased federal response authority,

increased civil penalties, emphasis on worstcase contingency planning, and a billiondollar trust fund to help clean up severe
spills. The objective of OPA is to prevent
discharges of oil into federal waters from
vessels and facilities and to ensure that, if
such spills occur, owners and operators
have the resources to clean them up.
oil pool n: a loose term for an underground
reservoir where oil occurs. Oil is actually
found in the pores of rocks, not in a pool.
oil pump n: a special pump, usually of the
gear type, that moves oil through an engine.
The pump's intermeshing gears rotate to
build pressure and circulate the oil.
oil ring n: the ring or rings that are located
on the lower portion of a piston. They
prevent excessive oil from being drawn into
the combustion space during the suction
stroke.
oil sales outlet n: a drain located about a
foot from the bottom of a stock tank. It is
used to take oil out of the tank for sale to a
pipeline company or other shipper. The
space below the outlet allows room for any
remaining sediment and water to settle out
of the oil. Also called oil outlet, sales out- let.
oil sand n: 1. a sandstone that yields oil. 2.
(by extension) any reservoir that yields oil,
whether or not it is sandstone.
oil saturation n: the degree to which a
formation is saturated by oil, expressed as a
percentage of pore volume.
oil saver n: a gland arrangement that
mechanically or hydraulically seals by
pressure. It is used to prevent leakage and
waste of gas, oil, or water around a wireline
(as when swabbing a well).
oil scout n: a person who gathers data on
new oil and gas wells and other industry
developments.
oil seep n: a surface location where oil
appears, the oil having permeated its
subsurface boundaries and accumulated in
small pools or rivulets. Also called oil spring.
oil shale n: a shale containing hydrocarbons
that cannot be recovered by an ordinary
oilwell but that can be extracted by mining
and processing. The cost of mining and
treatment of oil shale is generally too great
to compete with the cost of oilwell drilling.
oil slick n: a film of oil floating on water;
considered a pollutant.
oil spill n: a quantity of oil that has leaked or
fallen onto the ground or onto the surface of
a body of water.
oil spill cleanup fund n: a pool of money
set up under OPA to provide for increased
federal response to oil spills. A $1 billion oil
spill cleanup fund (created with an existing
$.05/barrel fee on oil) was established under
OPA. Half of the fund can be used for a
single spill, and spill victims can use the fund
when a spiller's liability limit has been

oil window

reached, when the spiller is unknown, or

when settlement is delayed.
oil spotting n: pumping oil, or a mixture of
oil and chemicals, to a specific depth in the
well to lubricate stuck drill collars.
oil spring n: see oil seep.
oil strainer n: a wire-mesh screen, usually
located at the point where the oil pump picks
up oil from an engine's oil pan. The screen
traps large foreign particles that may not
have settled to the bottom of the pan.
Compare oil filter.
oil string n: the final string of casing set in a
well after the productive capacity of the
formation has been determined to be
sufficient. Also called the long string or
production casing.
oil-water contact n: the plane (typically a
zone several feet thick) at which the bot- tom
of an oil sand contacts the top of a water
sand in a reservoir, i.e., the oil-water
interface.
oil-water emulsion n: see emulsion,
reverse emulsion.
oil-water interface n: the boundary between
the oil on top and the water below when both
are contained in the same vessel.
oilwell n: a well from which oil is obtained.
oilwell cement n: cement or a mixture of
cement and other materials for use in oil,
gas, or water wells.
oiIwell pump n: any pump-surface or subsurface-that is used to lift fluids from the
reservoir to the surface. See hydraulic
pumping, submersible pump. sucker rod
pumping.
oil-wet reservoir n: a hydrocarbon reservoir
in which the grains of rock are coated not
with water but with oil (occurs only rarely).
oil-wet rock n: see wettability.
oil window n: see petroleum window

oil zone

oil zone n: a formation or horizon of a well

from GAS which oil may be produced. The
oil zone is usually immediately under the gas
zone and on top of the water zone if all three
fluids are present and segregated.

oIefins units n pi: the units in a refinery that

produce ethylene and propylene, both for
the polymer units (to make polyethylene and
polypropylene) and for sale to other
chemical and plastics producers.
on-board
quantity
(OBQ)
n:
the
measurable or estimatable materialsincluding water, oil, slops, oily residue, oil/
water emulsion, sludge, and sedimentremaining on board in vessel cargo tanks
and pipe lines prior to loading.
on-deck adj. present on a ship or rig deck
and exposed to weather.
one-eyed jet bit n: see jet deflection bit.
one hundred-year storm n: a storm with a
1/100 probability of occurrence in any year.
one-step grooving system n: a pattern of
drum spooling in which the wire rope is
controlled by grooves to move parallel to
drum flanges for 70 to 80 percent of the
circumference and then to cross over to start
the next wrap.
one-trip adj. said of a tool or device that is
placed in a well and is not retrievable.
one-way valve n: see check valve.
on-lease gas n: gas used in the operation of
the lease from which the gas was produced.
on-line plant n: see mainline plant.
on-off tool n: a tool used to open or close a
downhole valve; a tool used to set or release
a downhole tool, such as a retrievable bridge
plug.
on-scene incident commander level n: a
training level achieved by any employee who
has been HAZWOPER trained to assume
command of an emergency response
situation. On-scene incident commanders
must know and be able to implement the
employer's emergency plan; know how to
implement the employer's incident command
system; know and understand the hazards
and associated risks for employees working
in chemical protective clothing; know how to
implement the local emergency response
plan; know of the state emergency response
plan and of the federal regional response
team; and know and understand the
importance of decontamination procedures.

144

on-stream adj. 1. of a pump or pump

station, moving oil by pumping. 2. of a gas
processing plant or refinery, in operation or
running.
on-suction adj. of a tank, open to pump
suction.
on-the-beam adj. of a well, being pumped
by a beam pumping unit
on-the-hom adj. said of a person speaking
on a two-way radio or a telephone.
on-theeline adj. of a tank, being emptied
into a pipeline.
on-the-pump adj. of a well, being pumped.
on-vacuum adj. said of any pressure-tight
vessel or container when the internal
pressure is lower than atmospheric
pressure.
ool abbr: oolitic; used in drilling reports.
oolite n: an ovoid, sandlike particle that is
formed when calcite accretes on a smaller
particle.
ooIith n: rounded sandlike grains of calcite.
OPA abbr: Oil Pollution Act of 1990.
OPEC abbr: Organization of Petroleum
Exporting Countries.
open adj. 1. of a well bore, having no
casing. 2. of a hole, having no drill pipe or
tubing suspended in it.
open-circuit diving system n: a diving lifesupport system in which the diver's
exhalation is vented completely to the water.
open-circuit regulator n: see demand
regulator.
open-cut crossing n: a road crossing in
which the pipeline ditch cuts through the
road instead of being bored under it An
open-cut crossing is generally used in
sparsely populated areas where the right- ofway crosses little-used dirt or gravel roads.
Open-cut crossings are more convenient
than bored crossings and also hold down
costs.
open drip-proof enclosure n: motor
enclosure that allows ample outside air to
move through the motor to cool it while
affording protection against mild weather
conditions. The angle of protection is 15"
from the vertical.
open flow potential n: the theoretical
maximum capacity of a gas well as
determined by a test conducted under
limiting
conditions.
The
method
of
determining this potential varies from state
to state.
open flow test n: a test made to determine
the volume of gas that will flow from a well
during a given time span when all surface
control valves are wide open.
open formation n: a petroleum-bearing rock
with good porosity and permeability.
open hole n: 1. any wellbore in which
casing has not been set. 2. open or cased
hole in which no drill pipe or tubing is
suspended. 3. the portion of the wellbore
that has no casing.

operating company

open-hole completion n: a method of

preparing a well for production in which no
production casing or liner is set opposite the
producing formation. Reservoir fluids flow
unrestricted into the open wellbore. An
open-hole completion has limited use in
rather special situations. Also called a barefoot completion.
open-hole fishing n: the procedure of recovering lost or stuck equipment in an
uncased wellbore.
open-hole log n: any log made in uncased,
or open. hole.
opening-closing plug n: see bottom plug,
wiper plug.
opening gauge n: the measurement in a
tank before a delivery or receipt. Compare
closing gauge.
opening page n: the measurement in a tank
before a delivery or receipt.
opening ratio n: the ratio between the
hydraulic pressure required to open the
preventer and the well pressure under the
preventer's packing device or ram.
open tank prover n: a relatively small
calibrated tank, open to the atmosphere.
Often used to prove meters at loading racks.
In use, the meter to be proved is set at zero
and the prover tank is filled to a calibrated
height while the meter registers the amount
of liquid flowing d1rough it. When the tank is
filled, the calibrated volume in it is compared
to the volume the meter registered. If the
meter is inaccurate, it is adjusted or a factor
is used to compensate for the inaccuracy.

operating agreement n: see joint operating

agreement.
operating company n: see operator.

operating interest

operating interest n: see leasehold interest.

operator n: the person or company. either
proprietor or lessee. actually operating an
oilwell or lease. generally the oil company
that engages the drilling. service. and
unit
workover
contractors.
Compare
operator.
OPS abbr: Office of Pipeline Safety.
optical device n: an optical plummet or a
theodolite equipped with a precision level.
See theodolite.
optical scanner n: a device in which a
moving spot of light controlled mechanically
or electronically scans a meter chart. The
reflected light generates signals that are
used to process information from the chart.
optimisation n: the manner of planning and
drilling a well so that the most usable hole
will be drilled for the least money.
optimum rate of flow n: that rate of flow of
fluid from a well that will provide maximum
ultimate recovery of fluid from the reservoir.
optimum water n: the amount of water used
to give a cement slurry the best properties
for a particular application.
orange peel n: see banana peel.
Order 500 n: federal regulation adopted in
August 1987 to provide mechanisms for
resolving take-or-pay liability of gas
producers.
ordinate n: the coordinate obtained by
measuring parallel to the y-axis. Compare
abscissa.
Ordovician adj. of or relating to the geologic period from approximately 500 million
to 430 million years ago. during d1e early
part of the Paleozoic era. or relating to the
rocks formed during this period.
ore n: a mineral from which a valuable
substance such as a metal can be extracted.
organic compounds n pi: chemical
compounds that contain carbon atoms.
either in straight chains or in rings. and
hydrogen atoms. They may also contain
oxygen. nitrogen. or other atoms.
organic rock n: rock materials produced by
plant or animal life (coal. petroleum.limestone. and so on).
organic theory n: an explanation of the
origin of petroleum that holds that the
hydrogen and the carbon that make up
petroleum come from land and sea plants
and animals. The theory further holds that
more of this organic material comes from
very tiny swamp and sea creatures than
comes from larger land creatures.
Organisation or Petroleum Exporting
Countries (OPEC) n: an organisation of the
countries of the Middle East, Southeast
Asia. Africa, and South America that
produce oil and export it. Members as of
1997 are Algeria. Ecuador, Gabon.
Indonesia, Iran. Iraq. Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria.
Qatar. Saudi Arabia, die United Arab

145

Emirates.
and
Venezuela.
The
organisation's purpose is to negotiate and
regulate oil prices.
orientation n: the process of positioning a
deflection tool so that it faces in the direction
necessary to achieve the desired direction
and drift angle for a directional hole.
oriented core n: a core obtained from a
precise angle or direction in a formation to
obtain information about formation dip and
strike. the direction of deposition, the
direction of permeability, the direction of fluid
migration. and hole deviation. The location
of the core has been pinpointed. or oriented,
in the reservoir.
oriented drill pipe n: drill pipe run in a well
in a definite position, often a requisite in
directional drilling.
oriented perforating n: a perforating
technique that uses sensing instruments in a
perforating gun to make perforations in a
specific direction. It is often used in
completions involving multiple production
casing strings to perforate one string without
damaging another. Also called directional
perforating.
orifice n: an opening of a measured
diameter that is used for measuring the flow
of fluid through a pipe or for delivering a
given amount of fluid through a fuel nozzle.
In measuring the flow of fluid through a pipe.
the orifice must be of smaller diameter than
the pipe diameter. It is drilled into an orifice
plate held by an orifice fining.
orifice fitting n: a device specifically
designed to hold an orifice plate in a meter
installation. Several types are available.
including the flange, junior, simplex, and
senior.
orifice-flange tap n: on a flanged fining, the
threaded holes on either side of the orifice
plate. Small pipes are screwed into the taps
to connect die fining to a flow recorder. Taps
are used so pressure differential on either
side of the plate can be measured and
recorded. See orifice meter.
orifice flow constant (C) n: a factor used in
the calculation of gas volume flow through
an orifice meter. Mathematical accounting
for variations in pressure. temperature.
density. and so on. of a gas as it flows
through an orifice of a particular size.

orifice meter n: an instrument used to

measure the flow of fluid through a pipe. The
orifice meter is an inferential device that

oscilloscope

measures and records the pressure

differential created by the passage of a fluid
through an orifice of critical diameter placed
in the line. The rate of flow is calculated from
the differential pressure and the static, or
line, pressure and other factors such as the
temperature and density of the fluid. the size
of the pipe, and the size of the orifice.
orifice meter chart n: a circular chart with a
printed scale on which are recorded time,
static and differential pressure, and
sometimes temperature.
orifice meter installation n: see meter
installation.
orifice pipe tap n: see pressure tap.
orifice plate n: a sheet of metal, usually
circular, in which a hole of specific size is
made for use in an orifice fitting.
orifice pressure drop n: the pressure
differential that occurs across an orifice
plate.
orifice well tester n: a device, including
orifice well tester n: a device, including
orifice plates, a hose, and a manometer,
used to measure the gas flow from a well.
Static pressure differences measured on
either side of a sharp-edged orifice are
converted to flow values. It is used primarily
for estimating the amount of gas flowing
during a drill stem test, when a high degree
of accuracy is not required.
O-ring n: a circular seal common in the
oilfield. O-rings may re made of elastomer,
rubber, plastic, or stainless steel. To seal
properly, they all require enough pressure to
make d1em deform against a sealing
surface.
ORP abbr: oxidation-reduction potential.
orthoclase n: a light-coloured feldspar
mineral (KA1Si3O8), common in granite.
Oscillator n: 1. a device that produces
alternating electrical current. 2. a mechanical
or electrical device that produces a periodic
back-and-forth motion.
oscilloscope n: a test instrument that
visually records an electrical wave on a
fluorescent screen.

OSHA

OSHA abbr. Occupational Safety and Health

Administration.
OSH Act abbr. Occupational Safety and
Health Act of 1970.
Ouija board n: a device used by directional
drillers to determine which way to turn
deflection tools to get the desired drift angle
in a hole. This device comprises a protractor
and various straight-edged scales that pivot
around the protractor to figure the drift angle.

outage n: see ullage.

outage bob n: a graduated plumb bob that
is attached to a metal gauge tape and that is
of sufficient weight to keep the tape taut.
outage gauge n: a measure of the volume
of liquid in a storage tank determined by
measuring from a reference point at the top
of the tank to the surface of the liquid in the
tank and subtracting that measurement from
the gauge height of the tank. Used when
direct measurement of the liquid level is not
possible. Also called ullage gauge.
outage measurement n: a measure of the
space between the top of the liquid in a tank
and the reference point on the hatch. The
liquid level in the tank is determined by
subtracting the outage measurement from
the gauging height of the tank.
outage tape-and-bob procedure n: a
method of measuring the liquid level in a
tank by measuring the space between the
top of the liquid in a tank and the reference
point on the hatch. The liquid level in the
tank is determined by subtracting the outage
measurement from the gauging height of the
innage
tape-and-bob
tank.
Compare
procedure.
outboard adv: away from the centre of the
hull or toward the side of an offshore drilling
rig.
outcrop n: part of a formation exposed at
the earth's surface. v: to appear on the
earth's surface (as a rock).
outcrop map n: horizontal representation of
the rock types at the surface or just beneath
the layer of soil.
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) n: the land
seaward from areas subject to state mineral
ownership to a depth of roughly 8,000 feet
(2,500 metres), beyond which mineral
exploration and development are not, at
present, feasible. Boundaries of the OCS
are set by law. For example, Louisiana owns

146

3 miles (4.8 kilometres) seaward from the

shoreline. In general, the term is used to
describe federally controlled areas.
Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
(OCSLA) n: congressional act that
authorises the secretary of the interior to
grant mineral leases and to regulate oil and
gas activities on OCS lands.
Outer Continental Shelf orders n pi: see
OCS orders.
outflow n: the flow system of a well between
the bottom of the hole and the storage tanks.
outlet sample n: taken at the level of the
bottom of the tank outlet (either fixed or
swing pipe) but not higher than 1 metre
(0.9144 yard) above the bottom of the tank.
outlier n: a result that differs considerably
from the main body of results in a set.
out-of-gauge bit n: a bit that is no longer of
the proper diameter.
out-or-gauge hole n: a hole that is not in
gauge: that is, it is smaller or larger than the
diameter of the bit used to drill it.
outpost well n: a well located outside the
established limits of a reservoir, i.e., a stepout well.
output n: a signal transmitted from a device.
output shaft n: the transmission shaft
nearest the machinery to be driven. It is
driven by the input shaft driven near the
power source.
outrigger n: a projecting member run out at
an angle from the sides of a portable mast or
a land crane to the ground to provide
stability and to minimise the possibility of
having the mast or the crane overturn.
outrun v: 1. for fluid, to fall down a well
faster than it can be pumped. 2. to try to pull
out of the well faster than the wire line tools
are being blown upwards by unexpected
pressure. 3. to attempt to pump out a gas
influx before the expansion of gas reduces
pressure enough to allow the well to kick.
outside cutter n: see external cutter.
outside diameter (OD) n: the distance
across the exterior circle, especially in the
measurement of pipe. See diameter.
outside siphon n: see water outlet.
outward axial thrust n: an outward force
created along a centreline drawn through a
cone (the axis) as a roller cone bit rotates.
outwash n: sediment deposited by melt
water streams beyond an active glacier.
over and short station n: a pump station
where one or more tanks are floating on the
line. See floating tank.
overbalance n: the extent to which the
hydrostatic pressure of the mud column
exceeds formation pressure.
overburden n: the strata of rock that over-lie
the stratum of interest in drilling.
overburden pressure n: the pressure
exerted by the rock strata on a formation of
interest. It is usually considered to be about I

overpull

pound per square inch per foot (22.621

kilopascals per metre).
overcapacity n: capacity beyond what is
normal, allowed, or desirable.
overconvey v: in regard to land, to convey
(intentionally or from ignorance) a larger
fraction of interest in property than the owner
actually has a right to convey.
overdelivery n: the amount by which the
actual volume that has passed through the
meter exceeds the indicated volume
registered by a meter. See absolute error:
overflow n: the effluent of a cone-shaped
centrifuge that passes up the inside of the
cone and leaves through the vortex finder.
overflow pipe n: a pipe installed at the top
of a tank to enable the liquid within it to be
discharged to another vessel when the tank
is filled to capacity.
overflush n: an excess quantity of fluid used
to push acid out of the tubing or casing when
an acid mixture is put into a well, thus
directing the acid to the desired place in the
well.
overgauge hole n: a hole whose diameter is
larger than the diameter of the bit used to
drill it. An overgauge hole can occur when a
bit is not properly stabilised or does not have
enough weight put on it.
overhead n: the vapour stream leaving the
top of a tower, column, or vessel.
overhead product n: in distillation, the
product that condenses above the
fractionation column.
overhead stream n: in distillation, the
stream of products that condense above the
fractionating column.
overproduced adj: said of a well that has
produced more than its allowable.
overpull v: to pull on pipe with enough force
to exceed the pipe's weight.

overranging

overranging adj. when applied to metering,

indicates that the maximum permitted flow of
the meter is being exceeded.
overregistration n: the amount by which the
indicated volume registered by a meter
exceeds the actual volume that has passed
through the meter. Determined by means of
a suitable standard device. Compare
underregistration.
overriding royalty n: an interest carved out
of the lessee's working interest. It entitles its
owner to a fraction of production free of any
production or operating expense, but not
free of production or severance tax levied on
production. An overriding royalty may be
created by grant or by reservation.
Commonly, an override is reserved by the
assignor in a farmout agreement or other
assignment.
An
override's
duration
corresponds to that of the lease from which
it was created.
overrunning clutch n: 1. a special clutch
that permits a rotating member to turn freely
under certain conditions but not under
others. 2. a clutch that is used in a starter
and transmits cranking effort but overruns
freely when the engine tries to drive the
starter.

overshot n: a fishing tool that is attached to

tubing or drill pipe and lowered over the
outside wall of pipe or sucker rods lost or
stuck in the wellbore. A friction de- vice in
the overshot, usually either a basket or a
spiral grapple, firmly grips the pipe, allowing
the fish to be pulled from the hole.
overspeed governor n: a special type of
engine governor that prevents an engine
from running too fast (over speeding) by
shutting down the engine if it overspeeds.
See governor.
overspeeding n: an engine's running
beyond than the maximum speed for which it
was designed. Overspeeding an engine can
severely damage it.
overspeed trip n: see overspeed governor.
overthrust fault n: a low-dip angle (nearly
horizontal) reverse fault along which a large
displacement has occurred. Some overthrusts, such as many of those in the Rocky

147

Mountain Overthrust Belt, represent slippages of many miles.

overtreatment n: adding too much chemical

in batch treating, resulting in an emulsion
that is very difficult to break.
overturned fold n: a rock fold that has become slanted to one side so that the layers
on one side appear to occur in reverse order
(younger layers beneath older).

ownership in place n: see absolute

ownership.
oxidation n: 1. the process of burning. 2. a
chemical reaction with oxygen in which a
compound loses electrons and gains a more
positive charge.
oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) n: the
difference in voltage shown when an insert
electrode is immersed in a reversible
oxidation-reduction system. It is the
measurement of the system's state of
oxidation. Also called Eh, redox potential.
oxide n: a chemical compound in which
oxygen is joined with a metal or a nonmetal.
oxidise v: 1. to combine with oxygen. 2. to
remove one or more electrons from an atom,
ion, or molecule.
oxyacetylene welding n: see acetylene
welding.
oxygenated adj. having or containing
oxygen.
oxygenation n: combining or supplying with
oxygen.
oxygen-concentration cell n: a corrosion
cell formed by differing concentrations of
oxygen in an electrolyte.
oxygen toxicity n: a harmful reaction
experienced by divers breathing extremely
high partial pressures of oxygen. Divers may
suffer from two forms: one affects the central
nervous system; the other affects the
pulmonary muscles. Because of these
dangers, pure oxygen is not used as a

ozone

breathing medium below 50 feet (15.2

metres) in commercial operations.
oz abbr: ounce.
ozone n: at ground level, one of the primary
ingredients in smog and a poisonous form of
pure oxygen. Smog ozone is created by
sunlight acting on nitrogen oxides and
volatile organic compounds in the air. Ozone
high in the atmosphere forms the Earth's
main shield against the sun's ultraviolet
radiation.

Pa sym: pascal.
PAC abbr: polyanionic cellulose.
P&A abbr: plug and abandon.
packed column n: a fractionation or
absorption column filled with small objects
that are designed to have a relatively large
surface per unit volume (the packing), instead of bubble trays or other devices, to
give the required contact between the rising
vapours and the descending liquid.
packed-bole assembly n: a bottomhole
assembly consisting of stabilisers and largediameter drill collars arranged in a particular
configuration to maintain drift angle and
direction of a hole. This assembly is often
necessary in crooked hole country. See
crooked hole country.
packed pendulum assembly n: a bottomhole assembly in which pendulum-length
collars are swung below a regular packedhole assembly. The pendulum portion of the
assembly is used to reduce hole angle. It is
then removed, and the packed-hole assembly is run above the bit. See packed-hole
assembly. pendulum assembly.
packer n: a piece of
downhole equipment that
consists of a sealing device,
a holding or setting device.
and an inside passage for
fluids. It is used to block the
flow of fluids through the
annular space between pipe
and the wall of the wellbore
by sealing off the space
between
them.
In
production, it is usually
made up in the tubing string
some distance above the
producing zone. A packing
element expands to prevent
fluid flow except through the
packer and tubing. Packers
are classified according to
configuration,
use,
and
method of setting and
whether or not they are
retrievable (that is, whether
they can be removed when
necessary, or whether they
must be milled or drilled out
and thus destroyed).

packer-bore receptacle n: a retrievable

device anchored on the top of a production
packer. It receives a tubing seal assembly.
See also tubing seal assembly.
packer flowmeter n: a tool for production
logging that employs an inflatable packer. It
ensures that all the fluid from the well
passes through the measuring devices built
into the tool.
packer fluid n: a liquid. usually salt water or
oil. but sometimes mud. used in a well when
a packer is between the tubing and the
casing. Packer fluid must be heavy enough
to shut off the pressure of the formation
being produced. must not stiffen or settle out
of suspension over long periods of time. and
must be non-corrosive.
packer mill n: see mill.
packer squeeze method n: a squeeze
cementing method in which a packer is set
to form a seal between the working string
(the pipe down which cement is pumped)
and the casing. Another packer or a cement
plug is set below the point to be squeezecemented. By setting packers, the squeeze
point is isolated from the rest of the well.
See packer; squeeze cementing.
packer test n: a fluid-pressure test of the
casing. Also called a cup test.
pack ice n: a solid pack of ice that covers
more than half of the visible sea surface.
packing n: a material used in a cylinder, in
the stuffing box of a valve, or between flange
joints to maintain a leak proof seal.
packing assembly n: the arrangement of
the downhole tools used in running and
setting a packer.
packing elements n pi: the set of dense
rubber. washer-shaped pieces encircling a
packer. which are designed to expand
against casing or formation face to seal off
the annulus.
packing gland n: the metal part that
compresses and holds packing in place in a
stuffing box. See stuffing box.
packing ring n: piston ring.
pack-off n: a device with an elastomer
packing element that depends on pressure
below the packing to effect a seal in the
annulus. Used primarily to run or pull pipe
under low or mederate pressures, this
device is not dependable for high differential
pressures. Also called a stripper.
pack off v. to place a packer in the wellbore
and activate it so that it forms a seal
between the tubing and the casing.

148

pack-off (stripper) preventer n: a preventer

having a unit of packing material whose
closure depends on well pressure coming
from below. It is used primarily to strip pipe
through the hole or allow pipe to be moved
with pressure on the annulus.
pad n: I. a device on a logging tool that
contacts the wellbore when the log is being
taken. 2. fluid placed in a well to serve a
special purpose. 3. a concrete foundation on
which a drilling rig rests.
padding n: screened or sifted dirt, clean
gravel, or foam placed in a ditch to protect
pipe from damage caused by rocky or rough
soils.
pad resistivity device n: a device (e.g., a
minilog) designed to measure the resistivity
of small volumes of formation near the
borehole. It consists of three electrodes
embedded in the centre of an insulated fluidfilled rubber pad that is held against the side
of the borehole. The electrodes produce two
curves-one 1.5 inches (3.8 centimetres) in
depth and one 4 inches (10.2 centimetres) in
depth. The separation between the two
curves shows the difference in resistivity
between the mud cake and the formation
immediately behind the mud cake.
pad volume n: the amount of fluid placed in
a well to serve as a pad. See also pad.
paid-up lease n: an oil and gas lease for
which all delay rentals are paid along with
the cash bonus and on which no further
action is required during the primary term.
pair production n: I. the process in which a
ray or wave reacts with the nucleus of an
atom, converting the wave' s energy into
mass to produce an electron and a positron.
The positron immediately reacts with an
electron within the radioactive material. In
the inter action, two new gamma rays are
produced with energy levels less dW1 half
the original gamma ray. 2. the conversion of
a photon into an electron and a positron
when the photon traverses a strong electric
field, such as that surrounding a nucleus or
an electron.

paleo-

paleo- comb form: ancient; early; long ago;

primitive.
paleogeography n: geography of a
specified geologic past.
paleontology n: the science that concerns
the life of past geologic periods, especially
fossil forms and the chronology of the earth.
Paleozoic era n: a span of time from 600
million to 230 million years ago during which
a great diversity of life forms developed.
panel diagram n: a diagram of a block of
earth in which a series of cross sections are
joined and viewed obliquely from above, to
give a three-dimensional view. It is useful ill
showing how formation structure and
Strtigraphic thickness vary both horizontally
and vertically. Also called fence diagram.
Pangaea n: the supercontinent comprising
all of the principal continental masses near
the beginning of the Mesozoic era.
paraffin n: a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon
having the formula CnH2n+2 (e.g., methane,
CH4; ethane, C2H6). Heavier paraffin
hydrocarbons (i.e., C18H38) form a wax-like
substance that is called paraffin. These
heavier paraffins often accumulate on the
walls of tubing and other production
equipment, restricting or stopping the flow of
the desirable lighter paraffins.
paraffin-base oil n: a crude oil
characterised by a high API gravity, a high
yield of low-octane gasoline, and a high yield
of lubricating oil with a high pour point and a
high viscosity index. Popularly, and
according to an early classification system, a
paraffin-base oil is a crude oil containing
little or no asphalt and yielding a residue
from distillation that contains paraffin wax.
Compare naphthene-base oil.
paraffin-deposition interval (POI) n: an
interval in the production tubing string where
heavy paraffin hydrocarbons are deposited
on the inside walls of the tubing. Below or
above certain temperatures, depending on
the characteristics of the paraffins, paraffin
will not form.
paraffin hydrocarbon n: see paraffin.
paraffin inhibitor n: a chemical that, when
injected into the wellbore, prevents or
minimises paraffin deposition.
paraffin scraper n: a tube with guides
around it to keep it centered in the hole, and
a cylindrical piece with blades attached.
Spaces between the blades allow drilling
fluid to pass through and carry away the
scrapings.
paraffin wax n: a solid substance
resembling beeswax but composed entirely
of hydrocarbons. It is obtained from the
crude wax that results from the solvent
dewaxing or cold pressing of light paraffin
distillates.
The refined product is of
relatively large crystalline structure, is white
and brittle, and has little taste or odour.

149

parallel circuit n: a circuit with two or more

paths through which the current flows. The
total current equals the sum of the currents
through the various paths; the voltage is the
same throughout the circuit.
parallel flow n: see laminar flow.

parallel strings n pl:

in
a
multiple
completion,
the
arrangement of a
separate tubing string
for
each
zone
produced, with all
zones isolated by
packers.

paramagnitec adj: only slightly magnetic.

Paramagnetic significant extent to a
diamagnetic,
magnetic
field.
See
ferromagnetic.
parameters n pl: the values that
characterise and summarise the essential
features of measurements.
parol evidence n: evidence given verbally
rather than in writing.
parted rods n pl: sucker rods that have
been broken and separated in a pumping
well because of corrosion, improper loading,
damaged rods, and so forth.
partial immersion thermometer n: a
thermometer with a specific length of the
bulb and stem immersed the liquid and the
scale above the surface for ease of reading.
partial pressure n: the pressure exerted by
one specific component of a gaseous
mixture.
particle n: 1. one of the extremely small
subdivisions of matter, as an atom or
molecule. 2. a small quantity or fragment,
as a single crystal or a substance that is
made up of vast quantities of crystals.
parts of line n pl: the number of times the
drilling line is passed (reeved) between a
rig's crown block and its traveling block.
Typically, a line may have from four to 12
parts. In the case of a four-part line, the line
is passed two times between the crown and
travelling blocks; a 12-part line is passed six
times between the two blocks. The greater
the number of parts, the more weight the line
able to support. Also called falls.
pascal (Pa) n: the SI metric unit of
measurement for pressure and stress and a
component in the measurement of viscosity.
A pascal is equal to a force of 1 newton
acting on an area of 1 square metre.
passivation n: the process of rendering a
metal surface chemically inactive, either by
electrochemical polarisation or by contact
with passivating agents.

PDC bit

passive margin n: an area that develops

when a growing ocean basin causes
continents to drift apart.
patch n: a material used to cover, fill up, or
mend a hole or weak spot. A metal piece
extending half-way around a pipe and
welded to it is a half-sole patch. Two halfsole patches make a full-sole patch. patch
tool n: see casing-patch tool.
patent n: in the case of land, an instrument
by means of which a government transfers a
fee simple estate to another party.
pawl n: notches or slots machined into the
table part of a rotary table assembly into
which a bar on the rotary table assembly's
locking device fits to keep the table from
turning. See rotary locking device, rotary
table assembly.
pay n: see pay sand.
pay formation n: see pay sand.
paying quantity n: see commercial quantity.
payout n: the point at which the operator of
a well has recovered the costs of drilling,
completing, and operating the well and can
begin to show a profit.
pay sand n: the producing formation, often
one that is not even sandstone. Also called
pay, pay zone, and producing zone. pay
string n: see production casing.
pay thickness n: an expression of the
vertical height of the formation yielding
hydrocarbons in commercial amounts.
pay zone n: see pay sand.
PB abbr: plugged back; used in ports.
PBR abbr: polished bore receptacle.
PCB abbr: polychlorinated biphenyl.
pcf abbr: pounds per cubic foot.
PDC abbr: polycrystalline diamond compact.
PDC bit n: a special type of diamond drilling
bit that does not use roller cones. Instead,
polycrystalline
diamond
inserts
are
embedded into a matrix on the bit. PDC bits
are often used to drill very hard, abrasive
formations, but also find use in drilling
medium and soft formations.

PDC log

PDC log abbr: perforating depth control log.

P- -P n: the difference in pressure,
commonly referred to as between casing
annulus and tubing.
pm abbr: paraffin-deposition interval.
PO meter n: positive-displacement meter. It
measures the single-phase volume of gas or
fluid by filling and emptying chambers of a
specific volume.
POVSA abbr: Petro'leos de Venezuela S.A.
peak polished rod load n: the highest load
imposed on the polished rod throughout a
complete sucker rod pump cycle.
Pearson holiday detector n: a holiday
detector that checks for coating defects as
well as for any metal debris near a buried
pipe- line. See holiday.
peat n: an organic material that forms by the
partial decomposition and disintegration of
vegetation in tropical swamps and other wet,
humid areas. It is believed to be the
precursor of coal.
pebble puppy n: (slang) a field geologist's
(or rock hound's) assistant.
peen n: a wedge or spherical-shaped end of
a hammer head, which is usually opposite a
flat face on the head. v: to enlarge,
straighten, or smooth with a peen.
peening n: permanent distortion in the outer
wires of a wire rope, often caused by the
wire rope's pounding against a sheave or a
machine member, or by heavy operating
pressure between the wire rope and a
sheave, the wire rope and a drum, or the
wire rope and an adjacent wrap of rope.
peg model n: an analog model of three
dimensions used to study the structure and
stratigraphy of a subsurface area. It is made
by placing pegs of varying heights into a flat
platform to represent the structural contours
of strata.
PEL abbr: permissible exposure limit.
pendulum assembly n:
a bottomhole assembly
composed of a bit and
several large-diameter
drill
collars
and
stabilisers placed to
allow the bottom drill
collar to bend toward the
vertical. The assembly
works on the principle of
the pendulum effect and
is used to decrease drift
angle. See pendulum
effect.
pelican
hook
n:
(nautical) a wire rope
attached to an anchor
and sometimes to the

150

anchor chain and used to pull and lower the

anchor. The ends of the pendant not on the
anchor are attached to buoys on the surface
of the water.
pendulum effect n: the tendency of the drill
stem bit, drill collars, drill pipe, and kelly-to
hang in a vertical position due to the force of
gravity.
penetration rate n: see rate of penetration.
Pennsylvanian period n: a geologic time
period in the Paleozoic era, from 320 to 280
million years ago. Also, the latter part of the
Carboniferous period. It was named for the
outcrops of coal in Pennsylvania. pentane n:
a liquid hydrocarbon of the paraffin series,
CsHI2'
pentane-plus n: a hydrocarbon mixture
consisting mostly of normal pentane (CSHI2)
and heavier components that are extracted
from natural gas.
peptisation n: increased dispersion of solids in a liquid caused by the addition of
electrolytes or other chemical substances.
See deftocculation, dispersion.
peptized clay n: a clay to which an agent has
been added to increase its initial yield. per
abbr; permeability; used in drilling reports.
percentage chart n: a chart for reading
differential and static pressures. Its readings
reflect a percentage of full scale from 0 to
100 for both static and differential pressure.
Readings must be converted, but can be
used on any flow recorder, regardless of
range.
percentage of proceeds (POP) contract n:
a gas sales contract under which the buyer
processes the gas for recovery of liquid
products (ethane and heavier hydrocarbons)
and sells the residue under a buyer's
contract with the pipelines.
percentage timer n: a switch that turns a
motor on for a set percentage of the
revolution of a cam and off for the remainder
of the revolution.
percolation n: the tendency for gas to rise
in the drilling mud in the annulus, even when
the well is shut in and circulation is stopped.
It occurs because gas is light in density.
percussion drilling n: 1. cable-tool drilling.
2. rotary drilling in which a special tool called
a hammer drill is used in combination with a
roller cone bit.
percussion drilling tool n: see hammer
drill.
perforate v: to pierce the casing wall and
cement of a wellbore to provide holes
through which formation fluids may enter or
to provide holes in the casing so that
materials may be introduced into the
annulus between the casing and the wall of
the borehole. Perforating is accomplished by
lowering into the well a perforating gun, or
perforator, which fires electrically detonated

perforating truck

bullets or shaped charges. See bullet

perforator; jet-perforate, perforating gun.

perforated completion n: 1. a well

completion method in which the producing
zone or zones are cased through, cemented,
and perforated to allow fluid flow into the
wellbore. 2. a well completed by this
method.
perforated liner n: a liner that has had
holes shot in it by a perforating gun. See
liner.
perforated pipe n: sections of pipe (such as
casing, liner, and tail pipe) in which holes or
slots have been cut before it is set.
perforated spacer tube n: a ported, extended production tube used as an
alternative path for wireline measuring
devices.
perforate under balanced v: to perforate
the well with a column of fluid in the well
bore, which exerts less pressure on bottom
than the formation does, to cause formation
fluids to flow into the wellbore immediately
after the casing is perforated. The method is
also called reverse-pressure perforating. Its
purpose is to force debris in the perforation
to flow into the wellbore and not restrict flow
within the perforation.
perforating gun n: a device fitted with
shaped charges or bullets that is lowered to
the de- sired depth in a well and fired to
create penetrating holes in casing, cement,
and formation.

perforating truck n: a special vehicle

designed to allow control of a perforating
operation within it.

perforation

perforation n: a hole made in the casing,

cement, and formation through which
formation fluids enter a wellbore. Usually
several perforations are made at a time.
perforation depth control log (PDC log) n:
a special type of nuclear log that measures
the depth of each casing collar. Knowing the
depth of the collars makes it easy to
determine the exact depth of the formation
to be perforated by correlating casing-collar
depth with formation depth.
perforation washer n: a device utilising
rubber cups run on the tubing string and
used to wash, with water, the perforations of
wells completed in unconsolidated sands.
perforator n: see perforating gun.
performance curve n: see accuracy curve
of a volume meter.
perfs n pi: perforations in casing for the
inflow of hydrocarbons and gas.
period of pitch n: the time required for the
bow or the stem of a floating offshore drilling
rig to start at its lowest position, rise with a
wave, and return to its lowest position.
period of roll n: the time required for a
floating offshore drilling rig to roll from one
side to the other and back.
perlite n: a volcanic rock that can be
extended to many times its original volume
by crushing and heating under pressure.
Release of the pressure causes expansion
when the water in the rock turns to steam. It
is used as an extender in cement.
permafrost n: perennially frozen subsoil.
permanent completion n: a well completion
in which production, workover, and
recompletion operations can be performed
without removing the wellhead.
pennanent guide base n: a structure
attached to and installed with the foundation
pile when a well is drilled from an offshore
floating drilling rig. It is seated in the
temporary guide base and serves as a well
head housing. Guidelines are attached to it
so that equipment (such as the blowout
preventers) may be guided into place on the
wellhead.

permanent magnet n: usually steel or oilier

alloy such as alnico magnetised by an

151

electromagnet. Permanent magnets are

highly retentive.
permanent packer n: a nometrievable type
of packer that is very reliable but must be
drilled or milled out for removal. Most
permanent packers are seal-bore packers.
permeability n: 1. a measure of the ease
with which a fluid flows through the
connecting pore spaces of rock or cement.
The unit of measurement is the rnilIidarcy. 2.
fluid conductivity of a porous medium. 3.
ability of a fluid to flow within the
interconnected pore network of a porous
absolute
permeability,
medium.
See
effective permeability, relative permeability.

permeability barrier n: a hindrance to

movement of fluids within the formation rock
of a reservoir. Permeability barriers include
obvious problems, such as shale lenses and
calcite or clay deposits, and less obvious
ones, such as porosity changes.
permeable adj. allowing the passage of
fluid. See permeability.
permeameter n: a device used to determine the permeability of a core sample by
forcing dry air through the sample at the flow
rate determined by the pressure differential
across the sample. The inlet air pressure
and the air flow rate are recorded and, with
the dimensions of the sample, are used to
calculate permeability.
Permian Basin n: a prolific oil- and gasproducing area in West Texas and eastern
New Mexico. So called because many of the
rocks from which the oil and gas are
withdrawn are of Permian age.
Permian period n: the last geologic time
period in the Paleozoic era, 280 million to
225 million years ago.
permissible exposure limit (PEL) n: the
concentration of toxic gas to which it is
believed all workers may be repeatedly exposed without adverse effects. Set by the
American Conference of Governmental and
Industrial Hygienists.
persistence n: the durability or longevity of
inhibitors used in corrosion control.
personal protective equipment (PPE) n:
equipment worn by workers to protect
themselves from chemical or substance
hazards while working.
personnel basket n: a net attached to a
floatable ring on which personnel ride when
being transferred from boat to rig on offshore locations. It is usually rigged to a
crane.

Pf

personnel net n: see personnel basket.

petcock n: a small valve or faucet for letting
out air or for draining liquids.
petrochemical n: a chemical manufactured
from petroleum and natural gas or from raw
materials derived from petroleum and
natural gas.
petrol n: (British) gasoline.
Petro'leos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) n:
the state-owned oil company of Venezuela.
petroleum n: a substance occurring
naturally in the earth in solid, liquid, or
gaseous state and composed mainly of
mixtures of chemical compounds of carbon
and hydrogen, with or without other nonmetallic elements such as sulphur, oxygen,
and nitrogen. In some cases, especially in
the measurement of oil and gas, petroleum
refers only to oil-.a liquid hydrocarbon-and
does not include natural gas or gas liquids
such as propane and butane. The API
Measurement Coordination Department
prefers that petroleum mean crude oil and
not natural gas or gas liquids.
petroleum geology n: the study of oil- and
gas-bearing rock formations. It deals with
the origin, occurrence, movement, and
accumulation of hydrocarbon fuels.
Petroleum Industry Training Service
(P.I.T.S) (Canada) n: an industry-controlled
and industry-operated training organisation
maintained specifically to assist Canadian
companies with their training. Address: Bay
13,2115 27thAvenueNE; Calgary, Alberta
T2E 7E4, Canada; (403) 250-9606.
petroleum rock n: sandstone, limestone,
dolomite, fractured shale, and other porous
rock formations where accumulations of oil
and gas may be found.
petroleum window n: the conditions of
temperature and pressure under which
petroleum will form. Also called oil window.
petrolirerous adj. containing petroleum
(said of rocks).
petrology n: a branch of geology dealing
with the origin, occurrence, structure, and
history of rocks, principally igneous and
metamorphic rocks. Compare lithology.
Pf abbr: the phenolphthalein alkalinity of the
filtrate, reported as the number of millilitres
of 0.02 Normal (N/50) acid required per
millilitre
of
filtrate
to
reach
the
phenolphthalein end point. Pc is a measure
of the alkalinity of the drilling mud. Usually,
muds should have a high alkalinity (pH) to
ensure adequate performance.

pH

pH abbr: an indicator of the acidity or

alkalinity of a substance or solution,
represented on a scale of 0-14, 0-6.9 being
acidic, 7 being neither acidic nor basic (i.e.,
neutral), and 7.1-14 being basic. These
values are based on hydrogen ion content
and activity.
phase n: 1. a portion of a physical system
that is liquid, gas, or solid, that is
homogeneous throughout, that has definite
boundaries, and that can be separated from
other phases. The three phases of H2O, for
example, are ice (solid), water (liquid), and
steam (gas). 2. in physics, the stage or point
in a cycle to which a rotation, oscillation, or
variation has advanced.
phase angle n: the number of electrical
degrees between corresponding points on
the sine wave of two or more emfs or currents of the same frequency, or between
current and voltage in a circuit.
phenol n: C6H5OH, a white, crystalline,
water-soluble, poisonous mass obtained
from coal tar, or a hydroxyl derivative of
benzene.
phenolics n pi: thermosetting plastic
materials formed by the condensation of
phenols
(containing
C6HsOH)
with
aldehydes (containing CHO) and used as
protective coat- ings for oilfield structures.
phosphate n: 1. generic term for any
compound that contains phosphorous and
oxygen in the form of a phosphate, which is
chemically abbreviated as PO4. 2. a salt or
ester of phosphoric acid.
phosphorite n: a rock of biochemical origin,
composed largely of calcium phosphate from
bird droppings and vertebrate remains.
photoelectric effect n: the absorption of
gamma rays that results in ejection of
electrons from an atom. Photoelectric effect
occurs when light of sufficient energy falls on
an atom and causes it to lose electrons. The
energy of the light actually tears electrons
away from the atoms of a substance.
photogeology n: the practice of examining
aerial and satellite photography of the earth
to identify and assess the significance of
surface features.
photographic survey instrument n: a
device used to determine the angle and
direction by which a wellbore deviates from
the vertical. After the instrument is run into
the hole, it takes a photograph that is then
brought to the surface, developed, and
analysed. Photographic survey instruments
can be single-shot or multishot and magnetic
or gyroscopic.
photon n: a quantum, or unit, of electromagnetic radiation energy.
photooxidation n: oxidation introduced by
sunlight; a very slow process that helps to
break down hydrocarbons exposed to

152

sunlight into other components and,

eventually, into carbon dioxide and water.
photosynthesis n: a process by which
chlorophyll-bearing plants produce simple
sugars from carbon dioxide and water using
the energy of sunlight.
pH value n: a unit of measure of the acid or
alkaline condition of a substance. A neutral
solution (such as pure water) has a pH of 7;
acid solutions are less than 7; basic, or
alkaline, solutions are more than 7. The pH
scale is a logarithmic scale. A substance
with a pH of 4 is more than twice as acid as
a substance with a pH of 5. Similarly, a
substance with a pH of 9 is more than twice
as alkaline as a substance with a pH of 8.
physical hazard n: (OSHA) a chemical for
which there is scientifically valid evidence
that it is a combustible liquid, a compressed
gas, explosive, flammable, an organic
peroxide, an oxidizer, pyrophoric, unstable
(reactive), or water reactive.
PI abbr: productivity index.
pickle n: a cylindrical or spherical device
that is affixed to the end of a wireline just
above the hook to keep the line straight and
to provide weight. v: to soak metal pieces in
a chemical solution to remove dirt and scale
from the metal's surface.
pickup n: see transmitter.
pickup meter n: a device for converting
meter rotor movement into an electrical
output signal.
pickup position n: the point at which the
floor crew of a drilling rig can latch the
elevators around the pipe when it is coming
out of the hole.
PI curve n: see productivity index curve.
piercement
dome
n:
see
diapir.
piezoelectric crystal n: a crystal that
generates electrical current as a result of the
application of mechanical stress.
pig n: 1. a scraping tool that is forced
through a pipeline or flow line to clean out
accumulations of wax, scale, and debris
from the walls of the pipe. It travels with the
flow of product in the line. cleaning the pipe
walls by means of blades or brushes affixed
to it. Also called a line scraper or a go-devil.
2. a batching cylinder with neoprene or
plastic cups on either end and used to
separate different products travelling in the
same pipeline. 3. a neoprene displacement
spheroid, automatically launched and
received.
used
to
displace
liquid
hydrocarbons from natural gas pipelines. 4.
in hydro- static testing of a pipeline. a
scraper used inside the line to push air out
ahead of the test water and to push water
out after the test. v: to force a device called
a pig through a pipeline or a flow line for the
purpose of cleaning the interior walls of the
pipe. separating different products. or
displacing fluids.

pilot pin

piggyback v: (nautical) to install anchors

behind each other in tandem on the same
mooring line.
pig iron n: (slang) a piece of oilfield
equipment made of iron or steel.
pig run n: the trip of a pig through a pipeline.
pill n: a gelled viscous fluid placed at a
specific depth in the well. usually to overcome or minimise a problem at that depth.
For example. a special bentonite pill may be
spotted (placed) at or near a formation to
which drilling fluid is being lost. The pill may
seal the formation and reduce or stop the
lost circulation problem.
pilot n: a rodlike or tubelike extension below
a downhole tool. such as a mill. that serves
to guide the tool into or over another
downhole tool or fish.
pilot bit n: a bit placed on a special device
called a hole opener that serves to guide the
device into an already existing hole that is to
be opened (made larger in diameter). The
pilot bit merely guides. or pilots. the cutters
on the hole opener into the existing hole so
that the hole-opening cutters can enlarge the
hole to the desired size.
piloted mill n: see pilot mill.
pilot hole n: in pipeline construction. the
hole drilled as the first step of a directionally
drilled river crossing. It establishes a pathway for the pipeline.
pilot mill n: a special mill that has a heavy
tubular extension below it called a pilot or
stinger. The pilot, smaller in diameter than
the mill, is designed to go inside drill pipe or
tubing that is lost in the hole. It guides the
mill to the top of the pipe and centres it, thus
preventing the mill from by-passing the pipe.
Also called a piloted mill.

pilot pin n: the machined extension on the

very end of the bearing pin that fits into the
nose of the cone of a roller cone bit.

pilot string

pilot string n: joints of small-diameter pipe

attached to the drill assembly and used to
bore a pilot hole when laying pipe. After the
route has been established, the pilot string is
replaced by the work string.
pilot testing n: a method of predicting
behaviour of mud or cement systems by
mixing small quantities of mud and mud
additives or cement and cement additives
and then testing the results.
pin n: 1. the male threaded section of a tool
joint. 2. on a bit, the threaded bit shank. 3.
one of the pegs that are fitted on each side
into the link plates (side bars) of a chain link
of roller chain and that serve as the stable
members onto which bushings are pressfitted and around which rollers move.
See wrist pin.

pin angle n: see journal angle.

pinch bar n: a steel lever with a pointed
projection at one end; it is used to lift a
heavy load.
pinch in v: to decrease the size of the
opening of an adjustable choke when a kick
is being circulated out of a well.
pinch-out n: an oil-bearing stratum that
forms a trap for oil and gas by narrowing and
tapering off within an impervious formation.

pin diameter n: in roller chain, about 5/16 of

the pitch. See pitch.
pin-drive master bushing n: a master
bushing that has four drive holes
corresponding to the four pins on the bottom
of the pin- drive kelly bushing.
pinger n: a sound-emitting device that is
used to detect an underwater site or object.
pinion n: 1. a gear with a small number of
teeth designed to mesh with a larger wheel
or rack. 2. the smaller of a pair or the
smallest of a train of gear wheels.
pin link n: a link of roller chain consisting of
four parts-two side bars and two pins. The
pins are press-fitted into the side bars (pin
link plates).
pin link plate n: in roller chain, the plate into
which the pin link pins ends are immovably
fixed. The pins are riveted to the link plate
on one side and either riveted or fixed with
cotters to the other pin link plate. pin packer
n: a packer in which the packing element is

153

held in position by brass or steel pins. When

weight is put on the packer, two metal
sleeves telescope, shearing the pins and
allowing the element to fold and pack off.
pin tap n: a short, threaded device made up
on the bottom of drill pipe or tubing and used
to screw into the box of a stand of drill pipe
or drill collars lost in the hole. Once the pin
tap is engaged, the lost pipe can be
retrieved.
pipe n: a long, hollow cylinder, usually steel,
through which fluids are conducted. Oilfield
tubular goods are casing (including liners),
drill pipe, tubing, or line pipe.
pipe bending n: the process of bending
joints so that a pipeline will conform to the
topography of a right-of-way. Pipe bends are
made by the cold-work: process.
pipe-bending machine n: in pipeline
construction, a track-mounted hydraulic
machine that bends a joint to the precise
angle specified by the bending engineer.
The bend is made by a set of clamps that
grip the outside surface of the pipe and
prevent slip- page while a winch cable
hooked to the free end of the pipe maintains
upward pull and guides the pipe through the
machine.
pipe coating n: a special material that coats
pipe for pipelines and prevents water from
coming into contact with the steel of the
pipe. The most widely used types of pipe
coatings are bituminous enamels, epoxy
resins, and tapes.
pipe dolly n: any device equipped with
rollers and used to move drill pipe or collars.
It is usually placed under one end of the pipe
while the pipe is being lifted from the other
end by an air hoist line.
pipe fitting n: an auxiliary part (such as a
coupling, elbow, tee, or cross) used for
connecting lengths of pipe.
pipe gang n: in pipeline construction, the
workers responsible for positioning the pipe,
aligning it, and making the initial welds. The
pipe gang sets the pace that determines the
progress of the rest of the spread.
pipe handler n: in a top drive, the power
and spinning wrenches built into the unit that
spins, makes up, breaks out, and backs up
the pipe. See top drive.
pipe hanger n: I. a circular device with a
frictional gripping arrangement used to
suspend casing and tubing in a well. 2. a device used to support a pipeline.
pipe jack n: a hand tool used to lift and
move a stand of pipe that is set back in the
derrick. It has a handle on one end and two
semicircular pieces on the other end that are
designed to fit under the shoulder of a joint
of pipe and avoid damage as the pipe is
lifted with the tool.
pipeline n: a system of connected lengths of
pipe, usually buried in the earth or laid on
the seafloor, that is used for transporting

pipe protector

petroleum, petroleum products, chemicals,

and natural gas. A pipeline serves as both a
conveyor and a temporary container.
pipeline connection n: the outlet from a
well or a tank by which oil or gas is
transferred to a pipeline for transportation
away from the field.
Pipe Line Contractors Association
(PLCA) n: a national trade organisation of
American pipeline contractors. Address:
1700 Pacific Ave., Suite 4100; Dallas, TX
75201-4675; (214) 969-2700.
pipeline gas n: gas that meets the minimum
specifications of a transmission company.
pipeline gauger n: an employee of a pipeline company who measures the quantity
and quality of crude oil in a tank before the
oil is pumped into a pipeline.
pipeline oil n: a crude oil whose S& W content is low enough to make the oil acceptable for pipeline shipment.
pipeline pack n: the volume of gas in a
pipeline.
pipeline patrol n: a watch, usually
maintained from an airplane, to check the
route of a pipeline for leaks or other
abnormal conditions.
pipeline plant n: see mainline plant.
pipeline testing n: the process of proving
the structural soundness of an installed pipeline and its capability to fulfill safely the
function for which it was designed. The most
common testing method is hydrostatic
testing.
pipe locator n: a device used in leakage
surveys to locate affected pipe. It sends out
radio signals underground and traces the
signal the length of the pipe. Works for both
steel and plastic pipe, as plastic pipe has a
metal wire running its entire length.
pipe protector n: prevents drill pipe from
rubbing against the hole or against the
casing. The pins are press-fitted into the
side bars (pin link plates).

pipe prover

pipe prover n: 1. an accurately calibrated,

usually U-shaped, pipe used to check, or
prove, the accuracy of a meter on a LACT
unit or other oil measuring installation. 2. a
type of continuous-flow volumetric prover
comprising a length of pipe from which a
known volume is displaced by a displacer to
or from a meter being proved at normal
operating conditions.
pipe rack n: a horizontal support for tubular
goods.
pipe racker n: 1. (obsolete) a worker who
places pipe to one side in the derrick. 2. a
pneumatic or hydraulic device often used on
drill ships that, on command from an
operator, either picks up pipe from a rack
and lifts it into the derrick or takes pipe from
out of the derrick and places it on the rack. It
eliminates the need to stand pipe in the
derrick or mast while it is out of the hole,
which is desirable for maintaining the
vessel's centre of gravity as low as possible
and for minimising the possibility of
capsizing.
pipe-racking fingers n pi: extensions within
a pipe rack for keeping individual pipes
separated.
pipe ram n: a sealing component for a
blowout preventer that closes the annular
space between the pipe and the blowout
preventer or wellhead.
pipe ram preventer n: a blowout preventer
that uses pipe rams as the closing elements.
See pipe ram.
pipe repair clamp n: a clamp used to make
a temporary repair of a leak in a pipeline.
pipe saddle n: a fitting made in parts to
clamp onto a pipe to stop a leak or to
provide an outlet.
pipe spinner n: see spinning wrench.
pipe tap n: in an orifice meter installation,
the threaded hole into which is screwed a
small pipe to connect the orifice fitting to the
flow recorder.
Two taps are usually
employed: the upstream tap centre is
located two and one-half times the published
inside pipe diameter upstream of the nearest
plate face; the downstream tap centre is
located eight times the published inside pipe
diameter downstream of the nearest plate
face. See orifice-flange tap, orifice meter.
pipe tensioner n: a braking device used on
a lay barge to control the descent rate of the
pipe. Tensioners also support the entire submerged weight of the pipe as it approaches
the bottom.
pipe tongs n pi: see tongs.
pipe upset n: that part of the pipe that has
an abrupt increase of dimension.
pit level n: height of drilling mud in the mud
tanks, or pits.
pit-level indicator n: one of a series of
devices that continuously monitor the level

154

of the drilling mud in the mud tanks. The

indicator usually consists of float devices in
the mud tanks that sense the mud level and
transmit data to a recording and alarm
device (a pit-volume recorder) mounted near
the driller's position on the rig floor. If the
mud level drops too low or rises too high, the
alarm sounds to warn the driller of lost
circulation or a kick.
pipe wiper n: a flexible disk-shaped device,
usually made of rubber, with a hole in the
centre through which drill pipe or tubing
passes. It is used to wipe off mud, oil, or
other liquid from the pipe as it is pulled from
the hole.
pipe wrapping n: material applied on top of
pipeline coating to protect the coating from
damage. Materials used for wrapping
include felt, fiberglass, fiberglass-reinforced
felt, and kraft paper.
piston n: a cylindrical sliding piece that is
moved by or that moves against fluid
pressure within a confining cylindrical
vessel.
piston crown n: see crown.
piston displacement n: the actual volume
displaced by a piston in a cylinder as it
moves from the beginning of the
compression stroke to the end of it.
piston engine n: see reciprocating engine.
piston pin n: a pin that forms a flexible link
between the piston and the connecting rod.
This bearing area has the highest load per
square inch (square millimetre) of any in an
engine, perhaps as high as 50,000 pounds
per square inch (345 megapascals). Also
called a wrist pin.
piston ring n: a yielding ring, usually metal,
that surrounds a piston and maintains a tight
fit inside a cylinder.
piston rod n: 1. a metal shaft that joins the
piston to the crankshaft in an engine. 2. a
metal shaft in a mud pump, one end of
which is connected to the piston and the
other to the pony rod.
piston stroke n: the length of movement, in
inches (millimetres), of the piston of an
engine from top dead centre (TDC) to
bottom dead centre (BOC).
pit n: 1. a temporary containment, usually
excavated earth, for wellbore fluids. 2. a
mud tank. 3. a reserve pit.
pitch n: 1. in wireline spooling, the degree of
slope that the wireline travels in going from
one wrap to the next. 2. in roller chain, the
distance (in inches or millimetres) between
the centres of two members next to one
another, i.e., the distance between the
centres of the bushings or rollers. 3. on offshore floating rigs, the up-and-down
movement of the hull from the bow to the
stem.
pit gain n: an increase in the average level
of mud maintained in each of the mud pits,
or tanks. If no mud or other substances have

plain bearing

been added to the mud circulating in the

well, then a pit gain is an indication that
formation fluids have entered the well and
that a kick has occurred.

pit-level recorder n: see pit-level indicator.

pitman n: the ann that connects the crank to
the walking beam on a pumping unit by
means of which rotary motion is converted to
reciprocating motion.
Pitot tube n: an open-ended tube arranged
to face the current of a stream of fluid. It is
used in measuring the velocity of a flowing
medium.
Pitot-tube meter n: a meter that uses a
Pitot tube and a manometer or other
differential- pressure mechanism to measure
flowing fluids. The difference between the
pressure on the Pitot tube and the static
pressure is the velocity of the flow, which is
directly related to the rate of flow.
P.I. T.S. abbr: Petroleum Industry Training
Service (Canada).
pit-volume recorder n: the gauge at the
driller's position that records data from the
pit-level indicator.
Pit Volume TotalizerTM (PVT) n: trade
name for a type of pit-level indicator. See pitlevel indicator.
pk abbr: pink; used in drilling reports.
pkr abbr: packer; used in drilling reports. pi
abbr: pipeline; used in drilling reports.
plagioclase n: a common rock-forming
mineral varying in composition from sodium
aluminum silicate (NaAISi30s) to calcium
aluminum silicate (CaAl2Si2Os).
plain bearing n: see insert bearing.

plain bearing

planimeter n: an instrument for measuring

the area of a plane figure. As the point on a
tracing arm is passed along the outline of a
figure, a graduated wheel and disk indicate
the area encompassed.
plant losses n pi: light hydrocarbons lost to
the atmosphere in a gas plant.
plant residue sales meter n: see tail gate.
plastic deformation n: a phenomenon in
which a decrease in the diameter of the
borehole occurs because a plastic
substance, such as salt, is being drilled.
Since the temperature of the salt is higher
than normal for a given depth (high
temperature causes the salt to expand) and
since mud weight is usually decreased when
drilling such formations to maintain high
penetration rates (thus decreasing the
hydrostatic pressure exerted on the salt), the
section of borehole in the salt zone can
expand and possibly stick the drill stem. Also
called salt squeeze.
plastic flow n: see plastic fluid.
plastic fluid n: a complex, non-Newtonian
fluid in which the shear force is not
proportional to the shear rate. Most drilling
muds are plastic fluids.
plasticity n: the ability of a substance to be
deformed without rupturing.
plastic squeezing n: the procedure by
which a quantity of resinous material is
squeezed into a sandy formation to
consolidate the sand and to prevent its
flowing into the well. The resinous material is
hardened by the addition of special
chemicals, which creates a porous mass
that permits oil to flow into the well but holds
back the sand at the same time. See sand
consolidation.
plastic viscosity n: an absolute flow
property indicating the flow resistance of
certain types of fluids. It is a measure of
shearing stress.
plat n: a map of a particular tract, group of
tracts, or area of land.
plate clutch n: a type of friction clutch that
has metal plates that mayor may not have a
friction material on them and an air-operated
diaphragm that presses the plates together.
Springs push the plates apart when the
clutch is disengaged. Compare drum clutch.
plate seal n: a device that creates a
nonleaking union between orifice plate and
fitting; keeps gas from leaking around the
plate.
plate tectonics n pi: movement of great
crustal plates of the earth on slow currents in
the plastic mantle, similar to the movement
of boxes on a conveyor belt. Today
geologists believe that the earth's crust is
divided into six major plates and several
smaller ones atop some of which the
continents are carried away from a system
of mklocean ridges and toward another

155

system of deep-sea trenches. The theory of

plate tectonics explains most of the
mysteries that confounded earlier geologists.
Compare continental drift.

platform n: see platfonn rig.

Platform jacket n: a support that is firmly
secured to the ocean floor and to which the
legs of a platform are anchored.
platform rig n: an immobile offshore
structure from which development wells are
drilled and produced. Platform rigs may be
built of steel or concrete and may be rigid or
compliant. Rigid platform rigs, which rest on
the seafloor, are the caisson- type platform,
the concrete gravity platform, and the steeljacket platform. Compliant platform rigs,
which are used in deeper waters and yield to
water and wind movements, are the guyedtower plat- form, the tension-leg platform,
and the compliant piled tower platform.

play n: 1. the extent of a petroleum-bearing

fonnation. 2. the activities associated with
petroleum development in an area.
playa n: the flat bottom of an undrained
desert basin that at times becomes a shallow lake. Also called sebkha or sabkha.
PLCA abbr: Pipe Line Contractors Association.
Pleistocene adj: 1. of or relating to the geologic epoch from about 2.5 million to 10
thou- sand years ago, the first part of the
Quaternary period of the Cenozoic era,
sometimes called the Ice Age, which
extended from the end of the Tertiary period
until the last re- treat of the northern
continental ice sheets. 2. of or relating to the
rocks or sediments formed during this
epoch.
plenum n: an enclosure in which air or other
gas is at a pressure higher than that outside
the enclosure.
Plimsoll mark n: a mark placed on the side
of a floating offshore drilling rig or ship to
denote the maximum depth to which it may
be loaded or ballasted. The line is set in
accordance with local and international rules
for safety of life at sea (SOLAS).

plain bearing

p-low n: a notation of the amount of

pressure generated on the drill stem when
the mud pumps are run at a speed slower
than the speed used when drilling ahead. A
p-low or several p-lows are established for
use when a kick is being circulated out of the
wellbore. Also called kill rate pressure.
plow steel n: high-quality, high-strength
steel used to make the wire for wire rope.
plug n: any object or device that blocks a
hole or passageway (such as a cement plug
in a borehole).
plug and abandon (P&A) v: to place
cement plugs into a dry hole and abandon it.
plug back v: to place cement in or near the
bottom of a well to exclude bottom water, to
sidetrack, or to produce from a fonna- tion
higher in the well. Plugging back can also be
accomplished with a mechanical plug set by
wireline, tubing, or drill pipe.
plug-back cementing n: a secondarycementing operation in which a plug of
cement is positioned at a specific point in the
well and allowed to set. Compare squeeze
cementing.
plug choke n: a device used to plug the tubing at some point along the string. A plug
choke may be set to test for packer leakage,
to stop production when wellhead equipment must be removed, to test for tubing
corrosion or other damage, or to separate
zones for production or stimulation
treatments.
plug container n: see cementing head.
plug flow n: a fluid moving as a unit in
which all shear stress occurs at the pipe wall
and hole wall. The stream thus assumes the
shape of several telescopic layers of fluid
with lowest velocities near the pipe and hole
walls and the fastest in the middle.
plugging material n: a substance used to
block off zones temporarily or pennanently
while treating or working on other portions of
the well.
plug plucker n: a tool used with a mill to
retrieve the milled debris.

plug trap

plug trap n: a geologic configuration in

which an intrusive body of rock has
penetrated and deformed one or more
surrounding rock layers in such a way that
conditions exist for hydrocarbons to
accumulate.

plug valve n: see valve.

plunger n: 1. a basic component of the
sucker rod pump that serves to draw well
fluids into the pump. 2. the rod that serves
as a piston in a reciprocating pump. 3. the
device in a fuel-injection unit that regulates
the amount of fuel pumped on each stroke.
plunger lift n: a method of artificial lift that
utilizes a plunger that travels up and down
inside the tubing. Internally, the plunger
contains a bypass valve that is opened when
it hits the top of the tubing and closed when
it hits the bottom. The plunger's fit with the
tubing reduces liquid slippage back through
the well fluid and the gas that is propelling it.
Plunger lift is used in less than 1 percent of
all artificially produced wells. It is particularly
applicable, however, in high gas-liquid ratio
oilwells or in gas wells with low bonom- hole
pressure and low productivity.
plunger overtravel n: an increase in the
effective stroke length of the plunger of a
sucker rod pump caused by the elongation
of the rod string due to the dynamic loads
imposed by the pumping cycle.
plunging fold n: a fold of rock whose long
axis is not horizontal.
pluton n: a large subterranean body of
igneous rock.
Pm abbr: the phenolphthalein alkalinity of
the mud reported as the number of millilitres
of 0.02 Normal (N/50) acid required per
millilitre of mud. Pm, like Pr, is a measure of
the alkalinity of drilling muds. Usually, muds
require high pH values (alkalinity) to perform
well.
pneumatic adj: operated by air pressure.
pneumatic control n: a control valve that is
actuated by air. SeverallX1ewnatic controls
are used on drilling rigs to actuate and
control rig components (such as clutches,
hoists, engines, and pumps).
pneumatic line n: any hose or line, usually
reinforced with steel, that conducts air from
an air source (such as a compressor) to a
component that is actuated by air (such as a
clutch).

156

pneumatic sucker rod pumping unit n: a

reciprocal pumping unit in which one" or
more power cylinders are placed over the
wellhead and a counterbalance system using compressed air or gas is provided. On
the upstroke, high-pressure gas is applied to
the underside of the pistons of the inside
power cylinders, and low-pressure gas
above the pistons is exhausted to the sales
line. On the downstroke, high-pressure gas
is applied to the top of the pistons, and the
low-pressure gas below the pistons is
exhausted to the sales line.
pneumofathometer n: a depth-indicating
instrument used by a diver.
pod n: see hydraulic control pod.
pod (Podbielniak) analysis n: an analytical
procedure for hydrocarbon gases and liquids
whereby the various components are
quantitatively separated by Iow-tempenture
distillation
for
identification
and
measurement.
point bar n: 1. an accumulation of sediment
on the inside of a river bend, usually
consisting of sand, silt, and clay. 2. a
stratigraphic trap for petroleum formed by
the burial and lithification of such a
sedimentary deposit.
point-reaction force n: a force that counteracts another force at a single point.
points n pi: 1. value that indicates hook load
or force, read from a weight indicator;
1 point = 1,000 pounds, or 500
decanewtons.
2.
in
mud
density
measurement, the portion of the mud's
weight expressed in decimal points. For
example, a mud that weighs 12.2 pounds
per gallon (1,461.8 kilograms per cubic
metre) weighs two points more than 12
pounds ( 1,438 kilograms). Also, if a 12.2
potmd-per-gallon mud's density is increased
to 12.5 pounds per gallon (1,497.8 kilograms per cubic metre), the density has
been raised by 3 points.
poise n: the viscosity of a liquid in which a
force of 1 dyne (a unit of measurement of
small amounts of force) exerted tangentially
on a surface of 1 square centimeb'e of either
of two parallel planes 1 centimetre apart will
move one plane at the rate of 1 centimetre
per second in reference to the other plane,
with the space between the two planes filled
with the liquid.
polar circumference n: circumference
measured through the north and south poles
of a sphere.
polar compound n: a compound (such as
water) with a molecule that behaves as a
small magnet with a positive charge on one
end and a negative charge on the other.
polarity n: the quality of being either
negative or positive; in magnetism. the north
or south pole of a magnet.
polar molecule n: a molecule whose atoms
are arranged so that all positive and

polished rod dynamometer

negative share a common orientation within

the molecule.
polar reaction n: see electrovalent reaction.
pole mast n: a portable mast constructed of
tubular members. A pole mast may be a
single pole, usually of two different sizes of
pipe telescoped together to be moved or
extended and locked to obtain maximum
height above a well. Double-pole masts give
added strength and stability. See mast.
Polished bore receptacle n: a device made
up in the casing string into which the bottom
of the tubing string is placed. or landed.
polished rod n: the topmost portion of a
string of sucker rods. It is used for lifting fluid
by the rod-pumping method. It has a uniform
diameter and is smoothly polished to seal
pressure effectively in the stuffing box
attached to the top of the well.

polished rod clamp n: fastening device for

connecting the polished rod to the bridle of a
beam pumping unit.
polished rod dynamometer n: a device
that indicates the variation in load on the
polished rod as the rod string reciprocates. A
continuous record of the result of forces
acting along the axis of the polished rod is
provided 00 a dynamometer card, from
which the perfor- mance of the well-pumping
equipment is analyzed.

polished rod dynamometer

pollution credits n pi: a state practice of

trad- ing the air ernissions frorn new facilities
for the reduction or elirnination of air
emissions frorn old facilities. Offset
ernissions are bought frorn other sources to
balance the emissions frorn the new facility.
The object is to improve air quality while
allowing for new business. This encourages
the use of the best technology at new sites
and the retro- fitting of old sites to improve
air quality.
polyacrylamide n: a polymer whose basic
repeating unit, or rnonorner, is a cornbination of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and
nitrogen. Polyacrylarnides are used to adjust
the viscosity of water slugs during chernical
flooding operations. They can also adhere to
the walls of rock pores, decreasing the
effective
permeability
of
established
channels, forcing the injection fluid into new
channels, and thus irnproving sweep
efficiency.
poIyanionic cellulose (PAC) n: a chernical
cornpound used to reduce water loss in
rnuds
that
are
affected
by
salt
contamination.
polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) n: a family
of highly toxic chemical cornpounds
consisting of two benzene rings in which
chlorine takes the place of two or rnore
hydrogen at- orns; known to cause skin
diseases and sus- pected of causing birth
defects and cancer.
polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC)
n: a synthetic diamond used in the
manufacture of the cutters on PDC bits.
polyester
n:
a
thermosetting
or
thermoplastic
rnaterial
formed
by
esterification of polybasic organic acids with
polyhydric acids.
polymer n: a substance that consists of
large rnolecules formed frorn srnaller
rnolecules in repeating structural units
(rnonomers). In oilfield operations, various
types of polymers are used to thicken drilling
rnud, frac- turing fluid, acid, water, and other
liquids. See micellar-polymer flooding,
polymer mud. In petroleum refining, heat
and pressure are used to polyrnerize light
hydrocarbons into larger rnolecules, such as
those that rnake up high-octane gasoline. In
petrochernical
production,
polymer
hydrocarbons are used as a feedstock for
plastics.
polymer flooding n: a type of miscible drive
in which a polyrner is injected into an
injection well to allow oil and water to rnix
and flow to a producing well. See miscible
drive. Corn pare alkaline (caustic) flooding,
chemical flooding, waterflooding.
polymerization n: the bonding of two or
rnore sirnple rnolecules to form larger
molecular units.

157

polymer mud n: a drilling rnud to which a

polyrner has been added to increase the
viscosity of the mud.
polymer units n pi: units in a refinery that
polymerize propylene and ethylene in the
presence of a catalyst and in a liquid
solvent. Polypropylene and polyethylene are
produced. Following polymerization, the
product is removed from the reactor and
processed through a purification facility for
removal of catalyst residue and separation
of the sol vent. The powdered product is
then conveyed in a pneumatic conveyor to
the finishing area, where additives are
blended with powder and the mixture is
processed through an extruder to form
pellets.
polyphase n: several alternating emfs of the
same frequency and sine wave form. A
polyphase generator has two or more
circuits in the field windings.
polysaccharide
n:
a
carbohydrate
composed of many monosaccharides.
Polysac- charides are used to adjust the
viscosity of water slugs in chemical flooding
operations.
pony rod n: 1. a sucker rod, shorter than
usual, used to make up a sucker rod string
of desired length. Pony rods are usually
placed just below the polished rod. 2. the rod
joined to the connecting rod and piston rod
in a mud pump.
POOH abbr: pull-out-of-hole.
pool n: a reservoir or group of reservoirs.
The term is a misnomer in that hydrocarbons seldom exist in pools, but, rather, in the
pores of rock. v: to combine small or
irregular tracts into a unit large enough to
meet state spacing regulations for drilling.
pooling n: the combining of small or irregular
tracts into a unit large enough to meet state
spacing regulations for drilling. Compare
unitization.
pooling and unitization clause n: in an oil
and gas lease, the clause that penI}its the
lessee to pool or unitize the leased tract.
poor boy v: to make do; to do something on
a shoe-string. adj: homemade.
poor boy degasser n: usually, a mud-gas
separator that is fabricated by the personnel
on a drilling rig's location, or by welders
employed by the drilling contractor in the
contractor's storage yard. It is a steel, airtight cylinder into which drilling mud is piped
to provide a space for gas in the mud to
escape.
poor boy gravel pack n: a bradenhead
pack; a method of gravel packing in which
no packer is used.
poor boy junk basket n: see finger-type
junk basket.
POP abbr: putting on the pump; used in
drilling reports.
POP contract n: see percentage of
proceeds contract.

polished rod dynamometer

popcorn adj: (slang) having the quality of

being substandard, unsafe, or cheap.
poppet valve n: a device that controls the
rate of flow of fluid in a line or opens or shuts
off the flow of fluid completely. When open,
the sealing surface of the valve is moved
away from a seat; when closed, the sealing
surface contacts the seat to shut off flow.
The direction of movement of the valve is
usually perpendicular to the seat. Poppet
valves are used extensively as pneumatic
(air) controls on drilling rigs and as intake
and exhaust valves in most intemalcombustion engines.
pop valve n: a spring-loaded safety valve
that opens automatically when pressure
exceeds the limits for which the valve is set.
It is used as a safety device on pressurized
vessels and other equipment to prevent
damage from excessive pressure. Also
called a relief valve, safety valve, or safety
relief valve.
por abbr: porosity or pores; used in drilling
reports.
pore n: an opening or space within a rock or
mass of rocks, usually small and often filled
with some fluid (water, oil, gas, or all three).
Compare vug.

pore pressure n: see formation pressure.

pore throats n pi: connections between
pores.
pore volume (PV) n: the total volume of
pore space in a reservoir formation.
porosimeter n: a device used to determine
porosity of a formation by measuring a
known volume of gas at a known pressure
compressed into a core sample. The gas is
measured at atmospheric pressure and at
an elevated pressure. These measurements
are used to calculate gain volume and pore
vol- ume.
porosity n: 1. the condition of being porous (such as a rock formation). 2. the ratio
of the volume of empty space to the volume of solid rock in a formation, indicating
how much fluid a rock can hold. See
absolute porosity, effective porosity, pore.
porous adj: having pores, or tiny openings,
as in rock.

port

port n: 1. (nautical) left side of vessel

(determined by look.ing towaro the bow). 2.
the opening in the side of a liner in a twostroke cycle engine.
portable mast n: a mast mounted on a truck
and capable of being erected as a single
unit. See telescoping mast.
ported sub n: a device made up in a tubing
or workover string that has openings (ports)
through which fluid can be circulated.
portland cement n: the cement most widely
used in oilwells. It is made from raw
materials such as limestone, clay or shale,
and iron ore.
Ports and Waterways Safety Act n:
congressional act that protects navigational
safety and the resources of navigable waters. Under the act, vessel operators must
notify port authorities of any "hazardous
condition," which includes fire, leaking
cargoes, or anything that could adversely
affect the environmental quality of any US
port, harbor, or navigable water.
positioning wire n: solid or stranded wire or
cable that connects a float to a tape or that
drives a dial indicator or transmitter.
position-reference system n: any system
or method by which surveillance is
maintained on the position of a floating
offshore drilling rig in relation to the subsea
well-head when the rig is dynamically
positioned. The rig should always be directly
over the wellhead to minimize wear on subsea equipment and to facilitate operations
involved with the equipment. See acoustic
position
reference.
tau/line
positionreference system.
positive choke n: a choke in which the
orifice size must be changed to change the
rate of flow through the choke.
positive clutch n: a clutch in which jaws or
claws interlock when pushed together, e.g.,
the jaw clutch and the spline clutch.
positive-displacement compressor n: see
reciprocating compressor.
positive-displacement downhole mud
motor n: a device used to rotate the bit
without rotating the drill stem. Basically, the
motor comprises a spiral rod that is housed
inside a helical-shaped chamber-the rod and
chamber are a pump. Circulating mud down
the drill stem and to the motor causes the
rod to rotate. Since the bit is mechanically
connected to the motor, as the motor
rotates, so does the bit. This method of bit
rotation eliminates the need to rotate the
entire drill stem and thus is especially useful
in directional drilling.
positive-displacement meter n: a mechanical fluid-measuring device that IDeasmes by
filling and emptying chambers of a specific
volume. The displacement of a fixed volume
of fluid may be accomplished by the action
of reciprocating or oscillating pis- tons,

158

rotating vanes or buckets, nutating disks, or

tanks or other vessels that automatically fill
and empty. Also called a volume meter or
volumeter.
positive-displacement motor n: see DynaDrill.
positive-displacement
pump
n:
a
reciprocating or a rotary pump that moves a
measured quantity of liquid with each stroke
of a piston or each revolution of vanes or
gears.
positive-pressure
self-contained
breathing apparatus (SCBA) n: a face mask
and portable air tank used for the purpose of
breathing in contaminated atmospheres.
positive-volume prover n: a relatively small
tank with an accurately calibrated volume
used to prove a meter. Liquid is flowed from
the meter and into the tank until the
calibrated level is achieved. The volume of
liquid in the tank is then compared with the
volume the meter recorded. If required. the
meter is adjusted or a special factor is used
to correct the meter. Also called a closed
stationary tank prover.
positron n: a particle similar to an electron
but carrying a positive charge of the same
mass and magnitude as the charge of an
electron. Positrons are emitted when there is
an excess of protons in the nucleus of an
atom.
possum belly n: 1. a receiving tank situated at the end of the mud return line. The
flow of mud comes into the bottom of the
device and travels over baffles to control
mud flow over the shale shaker. 2. a metal
box under a truck bed that holds pipeline
repair tools.
posted barge submersible rig n: a mobile
submersible drilling structure consisting of a
barge hull that rests on bottom. steel posts
that rise from the top of the barge hull. and a
deck that is built on top of the posts. well
above the waterline. It is used to drill wells in
water no deeper than about 30 to 35 feet (9
to 10.7 metres). Most posted barge
submersibles work in inland gulfs and bays.
See submersible drilling rig.
posted field price n: announced price the
purchaser will pay for crude oil with a
specified gravity in a particular field or area.
posted gauge height n: the vertical
distance from the bottom of the tank or
datum plate to the reference point on the
hatch; nonnally engraved on or near the
reference point.
postemergency response operation n: the
cleanup, removal of contaminated materials,
and removal of hazardous substances that
remain after an emergency response
operation is terminated; that portion of the
emergency response perfonned after the
immediate threat of a release has been
stabilized or eliminated and cleanup of the
site has begun.

pounds per square inch gauge

posthole digger n: (slang) a small or makeshift drilling rig.

posthole well n: (slang) a relatively shallow well. Sometimes, a dry hole.
potash n: potassium carbonate (K2CO3)'
potassium n: one of the alkali metal elements with a valence of 1 and an atomic
weight of about 39. Potassium compounds,
most commonly potassium hydroxide (KOH),
are sometimes added to drilling fluids to
impart special properties, usually inhibition.
potential n: the maximum volume of oil or
gas that a well is capable of producing, calculated from well test data.
potential energy n: energy possessed by a
body because of its position or configuration. A wound spring or a raised weight
has potential energy.
potential test n: a test of the rate at which a
well can produce oil or gas by measuring
fonnation pressures. See potential.
potentiometer n: 1. an instrument to
measure
electromotive
forces
by
comparison with a known potential
difference. 2. a re- sistor used chiefly as a
voltage divider.
potentiometric surface n: 1. a surface
representing the hydrodynamic pressure
gradient of groundwater flowing through an
aquifer. 2. the level to which unconfined
flowing water would rise.
pound equivalent n: a laboratory unit used
in pilot testing. One gram or pound
equivalent, when added to 350 millilitres of
fluid, is equivalent to I pound/barrel.
pounds per cubic foot n: a measure of the
density of a substance (such as drilling
fluid).
pounds per gallon (ppg) n: a measure of
the density of a fluid (such as drilling mud).
pounds per square inch gauge (psig) n:
the pressure in a vessel or container as
registered on a gauge attached to the
container. This reading does not include the
pressure of the atmosphere outside the
container.

pounds per square inch per foot

pounds per square inch per foot n: a

measure of the amount of pressure in
pounds per square inch that a column of
fluid (such as drilling mud) exerts on the
bottom of the column for every foot of its
length. For ex- ample, 10 pounds per gallon
mud exerts 0.52 pounds per square inch per
foot (11.8 kilopascals per metre), so a
column of 10 pounds per gallon (1,198.2
kilograms per cubic metre) mud that is 1,000
feet (304.8 metres) long exerts 520 pounds
per square inch (3.6 megapascals) at the
bottom of the column. See pressure
gradient.
pour point n: the lowest temperature at
which a fuel will flow. For oil, the pour point
is a temperature 5F (-15C) above the temperature at which the oil is solid.
power n: 1. the source or the means of providing energy. 2. the time rate at which work
is done.
power cable n: see cable.
power-driven mud pump n: a reciprocating pump for circulating drilling fluids. It
operates through cranks and connecting
rods by power supplied to its crankshaft from
an electric motor or internal-combus- tion
engine. It may be a duplex (with two
cylinders) or a triplex (with three cylinders).
Some mud pumps have double-acting pistons, and some have single-acting pistons
that function as plungers.
powered mixer n: device that depends on
an external source of power for the energy
required to mix a fluid.
power end n: the portion or end of a mud
pump that contains the parts involved in
producing the mechanical force that moves
the pistons in liners to move liquid. The
power end is opposite the fluid end, which
has the parts that move the liquid mud.
power factor (pf) n: the ratio of true power
to apparent power in an AC circuit. True
power is always less than apparent power.
power fluid n: in subsurface hydraulic
pumping, the crude oil that is produced by a
well, cleaned, and pumped back into the well
to power the subsurface pump.
power mixers n pI: in a sample container, a
device that is moved by an electric motor to
thoroughly mix the liquid in the container.
power of attorney n: a legal instrument that
authorizes one person to act for another,
usually specifically. It ends on the death of
either of the parties unless specific language
allows it to survive.
power oil n: in subsurface hydraulic pumping, the crude oil that is produced by a well,
cleaned, and pumped back into the well to
energize the subsurface pump.
power rating n: rating given by a
manufacturer of an engine operating at its
most efficient output.
power rig n: see mechanical rig.

159

power rod tongs n pI: tongs that are

actuated by air or hydraulic fluid and are
used for making up or breaking out sucker
rods.
power-shift transmission n: clutches and
gears used with an engine for automatically
and smoothly changing power ratios. The
device is usually used in conjunction with a
hydraulic torque converter.
power side n: the back of the drawworks,
that is, the side nearest the engines that
supply power to the drawworks.
power slips n pI: see slips.
power sub n: a hydraulically powered
device used in lieu of a rotary to turn the drill
pipe, tubing, or casing in a well.
power takeoff (PTO) n: a gearbox or other
device that serves to relay the power of a
prime mover to auxiliary equipment.
power-tight coupling n: a coupling screwed
on casing tightly enough to be leak- proof at
the time of makeup.
power tongs n pi: see power wrench.
power tools n pi: equipment operated
hydraulically or by compressed air for making up and breaking out drill pipe, casing,
tubing, rods, nuts, and so on.
power transformer n: a transformer that
takes power from a generating station and
steps up the voltage for transmission, or that
takes power from the transmission line and
steps down the voltage to the primary
distribution level of? ,200 or 12,400 volts.
See distribution transfonner.
power wrench n: a wrench that is used to
make up or break out drill pipe, tubing, or
casing on which the torque is provided by air
or fluid pressure. Conventional tongs are
operated by mechanical pull provided by a
jerk line connected to a cathead.
pozzolan n: a natural or artificial siliceous
material commonly added to portland
cement mixtures to impart certain desirable
properties. Added to oilwell cements,
pozzolans reduce slurry weight and
viscosity, increase resistance to sulfate
attack, and influence factors such as
pumping time, ultimate strength, and
watertightness.
pozzolan-lime reaction n: the reaction between pozzolan and lime in the presence of
water, wherein a cementitious material
primarily composed of hydrated calcium
silicates is formed.
PPE abbr: personal protective equipment.
ppg abbr: pounds per gallon.
ppm abbr: parts per million.
prairie dog plant n: a small, comparatively
simple refinery located in a remote area.
Precambrian era n: a span of 4 billion years
from the earth's beginning until 600 million
years ago, during which the earth was
devoid of all but the most primitive life forms.
precipitate n: a substance, usually a solid,
that separates from a fluid because of a

preheating

chemical or physical change in the fluid. v: to

separate in this manner.
precipitation n: the production of a separate
liquid phase from a mixture of gases (e.g.,
rain), or of a separate solid phase from a
liquid solution, as in the precipitation of
calcite cement from water in the interstices
of rock.
precision of error measurement n: the
degree of conformity to each other of
measurements repeated under specified
conditions, irrespective of whether they are
close or far from the true value.
prefab n: a windbreak used around the rig
floor, engines. substructure. and other areas
to protect the crew from cold winds during
winter
operations.
Windbreaks
are
constructed of canvas (tarp), wood, or metal.
preferential right of purchase n: a prior right
of purchase reserved to buy an oil and gas
interest by meeting the terms of a proposed
sale of the interest to any other party.
preftush n: 1. an injection of water prior to
chemical flooding that is used to induce reservoir conditions favorable to the surfactant
solution by adjusting reservoir salinity and
reducing ion concentrations. A preflush may
also be used to obtain advance information
on reservoir flow patterns. 2. fluid injected
prior to the acid solution pumped into a well
in an acid-stimulation treatment; sometimes
called a spearhead. Compare overflush.
preforming n: a process in the manufacture
of wire rope that crimps the strands, giving
the rope a permanent set and controlling its
flexibility.
pregranted abandonment n: a provision of
a certificate of public convenience and
necessity that authorizes abandonment on a
future subsequent or on a date certain.
preheater n: a heater used to warm the
sample before and during centrifuging to
determine suspended S & W content.
preheating n: in pipeline construction, the
process of heating pipe ends before welding. Preheating is usually necessary in areas
where ambient temperatures are below 40F
(4 C) or where there is overnight
condensation of moisture on the pipe.
Wagon- wheel heaters are used for
preheating.

preignition

preignition n: a condition in an internalcombustion engine characterized by a

knocking sound and caused by the fuel-air
mixture's having been ignited too soon because of an abnormal condition.
Preservation of Historical and Archaeological Data Act of 1974 n: congressional
act that protects historical or archaeologi- cal
data.
preservative n: any material, but often
paraform aldehyde, used to prevent starch
or other substances in a drilling fluid from
fermenting through bacterial action.
preset instrument n: a measuring
instrument fitted with a device that
automatically terminates the measurement
when it reaches a value fixed in advance.
press-fit tolerance n: the amount of
tolerance allowed when a device, such as a
bearing, is pressed into a machined
receptacle.
pressure n: the force that a fluid (liquid or
gas) exerts uniformly in all directions within a
vessel, pipe, hole in the ground, and so
forth, such as that exerted against the inner
wall of a tank or that exerted on the bottom
of the wellbore by a fluid. Pressure is
expressed in terms of force exerted per unit
of area, as pounds per square inch, or in
kilopascals.
pressure-actuated thermometer n: a
thermometer in which the pressure
developed by thermal changes in the
thermometric filling medium actuates an
indicating or recording device calibrated in
terms of degrees of temperature.
pressure base n: see base pressure.
pressure base factor n: a factor used in the
formula recommended prior to August 1992
for the calculation of gas volume flow. The
factor adjusted the volume to a standard
atmospheric pressure regardless of the
location.
pressure buildup plot n: a logarithmic plot
of bottornhole buildup pressure versus time.
Pressure buildup plots are useful in
analyzing formation test data for values used
in
calculating
reservoir
permeability,
formation damage, radius or investigation
during the formation test, reservoir depletion,
and permeability barriers and other flow
irregularities near the wellbore.
pressure compensator n: a device with
sealed and lubricated bearings that is
installed on the leg of a roller cone bit. Its
function is to maintain equal pressure inside
and outside the bit's bearings in spite of the
fact that the drilling mud in the hole can
exert very high pressure outside the bit.
pressure control n: 1. the act of preventing
the entry of formation fluids into a wellbore.
2. the act of controUing high pressures
encountered in a wen.

160

pressure coring n: a coring process in

which nitrogen is used to maintain a
pressure of 5,000 to 7,000 pounds per
square inch (34.5 to 48.3 megapascals) on
the core as it is retrieved from the borehole.
Pressure coring is used to minimize the
escape of fluid from the core during recovery
and to prevent mud invasion and flushing.
pressure coupling n: 1. a joining device,
such as a Squnch joint, in which the force of
weight is used to make the connection. 2. a
pipe or line coupling that is capable of
maintaining a tight, leak-free connection
under high pressures.
pressure depletion n: the method of
producing a gas reservoir that is not
associated with a water drive. Gas is
removed and reservoir pressure declines
until all the recoverable gas has been
expelled.
pressure differential n: see differential
pressure.
pressure drawdown n: the reduction in a
well's bottomhole pressure. See drawdown.
pressure drop n: a loss of pressure that
results from friction sustained by a fluid
passing through a line, valve, fitting, or other
device.
pressure-drop loss n: see friction loss.
pressure extension n: in gas measurement
with orifice meters, a mathematical
expression derived from the flow-rate
equation. The pressure extension is the
square root of the differential pressure in
inches of water (hw) times the static
pressure in pounds per square inch
absolute.
pressure gauge n: an instrument that
measures fluid pressure and usually
registers
the
difference
between
atmospheric pressure and the pressure of
the fluid by indicating the effect of such
pressures on a measuring element (e.g., a
column of liquid, pressure in a Bourdon tube,
a weighted piston, or a diaphragm).
pressure gradient n: 1. a scale of pressure
differences in which there is a uniform
variation of pressure from point to point. For
example, the pressure gradient of a col- umn
of water is about 0.433 pounds per square
inch per foot (9.794 kilopascals per metre) of
vertical elevation. The normal pressure
gradient in a formation is equiva- lent to the
pressure exerted at any given depth by a
column of 10 percent salt water extending
from that depth to the surface (0.465 pounds
per square inch per foot, or 10.518
kilopascals permeb'e). 2. the change (along
a horizontal distance) in atmospheric
pressure. Isobars drawn on weather maps
display the pressure gradient.
pressure hazard n: explosive and
compressed gas (as defined by the Code of
Fed- eral Regulations).
pressure head n: see head.

pressure management

pressure-integrity test n: a method of determining the amount of pressure that is

allowed to appear on the casing pressure
gauge as a kick is circulated out of a well. In
general, it is detennined by slowly pumping
mud into the well while it is shut in and
observing the pressure at which the
formation begins to take mud.
pressure lock n: a manually operated,
semi- automatic, self-enclosed gauging
device that is used for the prevention of
vapor losses in the gauging of atmospheric
pressure, variable vapor space, and highpressure tanks.
pressure loss n: I. a reduction in the
amount of force a fluid exerts against a
surface, such as the walls of a pipe. It
usually occurs be- cause the fluid is moving
against the sur- face and is caused by the
friction between the fluid and the surface. 2.
the amount of pressure indicated by a drill
pipe pressure gauge when drilling fluid is
being circulated by the mud pump. Pressure
losses occur as the fluid is circulated.
pressure loss drop n: the differential pressure in the flowing liquid stream (which will
vary with flow rate) between the inlet and
outlet of a meter, flow straightener, valve,
strainer, length of pipe, and so on.
pressure lubrication n: in a chain-andsprocket drive, using a pump to force oil
continuously through pipes with holes in
them, through nozzles, or through holes in
the sprockets. Oil sprays out directly onto
the chain with pressure. On some rigs, the
oil sprays onto the outside of the chain, and
on others onto the inside of the chain.
Compare disk lubrication, drip lubrication.
pressure maintenance n: the use of
waterflooding or gas injection to provide
additional formation pressure to supplement
and to conserve natural reservoir drives.
Although commonly begun during primary
production, pressure maintenance is a form
of improved recovery. See improved recovery, secondary recovery.
pressure management n: the efforts made
to maintain reservoir drive at efficient levels
for maximum recovery of oil and gas.
Pressure management involves controlled
production rates based on the daily rate of
withdrawal and monthly production al- lowed
for each well and takes into account any
pressure maintenance methods in use.

pressure parting

pressure parting n: a phenomenon in which

a rock formation is broken apart along
bedding planes or in which natural cracks
are widened by the application of hydraulic
pressure. It is sometimes called breaking or
cracking the formation, earth lifting, or
formation fracturing.

pressure probe n: a diagnostic tool used to

ascertain whether there is a gas leak in the
tubing of a gas lift well. If there is a tubing
leak, the pressure on the annulus will equal
the pressure on the tubing.
pressure-reducing valve n: a valve that
lowers the pressure of a fluid flowing through
it.
pressure regulator n: a device for maintaining pressure in a line, downstream from
the device.
pressure-relief fitting n: a device that is set
to open at a preset pressure to provide a
point for excess pressure to exit to the
atmosphere or to a suitable receptacle for
later disposal. On tbe drive shaft of a rotary
table assembly, for example, relief fittings
are provided to unload excess grease in the
shaft.
pressure relief valve n: a valve that opens
at a preset pressure to relieve excessive
pres- sures within a vessel or line. Also
called a pop valve, relief valve, safety valve,
or safety relief valve.
pressure setting assembly n: the devices
used to set permanent tools in a producing
well; the assembly is lowered into the well
on wireline. When the desired setting depth
is reached, an explosive is detonated to set
the tool.
pressure sink n: a condition in which the
pressure at the wellbore is less than the
reservoir pressure. Flow of oil from the
reservoir to the wellbore occurs because of
this pressure differential.
pressure storage tank n: a storage tank
constructed to withstand pressure generated
by the vapors inside. Such a tank is often
spherical, has a wall thickness greater than
that of the usual storage tank, and has a
concave or a convex top.
pressure surge n: a sudden and usually of
short-duration increase in pressure. When
pipe or casing is nm into a hole too rapidly,
an increase in the hydrostatic pressure

161

results, which may be great enough to

create lost circulation.
pressure tap n: in an orifice fitting, the
threaded holes on each side of the orifice
plate. Small pipes are screwed into the holes
to connect the fitting with a flow recorder.
The taps are used so that pressure
differential on either side of an orifice plate
can be recorded. See orifice meter.
pressure transient analysis n: a method of
determining reservoir characteristics such as
permeability, skin damage, and average
pressure.
pressure-type tank n: a tank specially
constructed for the storage of volatile liquids
under pressure. Tanks may be spheroidal,
spherical, hemispherically ended, or other
special shapes.
pressure vessel n: any container designed
to contain fluids at a pressure substantially
greater than atmospheric.
pressure, volume, and temperature (PVT)
analysis n: an examination of reservoir fluid
in a laboratory under various pressures,
volumes, and temperatures to determine the
characteristics and behavior of the fluid.
pressurize v: to increase the internal
pressure of a closed vessel.
pretesting n: in marketing, analysis of a
product under simulated market conditions.
prevailing wind n: a wind pattern of the
lower troposphere that persists throughout
the year with some seasonal modification.
preventer n: shortened form of blowout
preventer. See blowout preventel:
preventer-packer n: in annular and ram
blowout preventers, the rubber or rubberlike material that contacts itself or drill pipe
to form a seal against well pressure.
prevention of significant deterioration
(PSD) n: a provision under the CAA that
prevents deterioration of air quality in 'areas where the air is already better than
NAAQS. Under PSD, major new emission
sources must demonstrate that they will not
degrade air quality any more than the
NAAQS allow in that particular area. Ma- jor
air emitters in attainment areas must obtain
PSD permits and install the best- available
control technology.
preventive maintenance n: a system of
conducting regular checks and testing of
equipment to permit replacement or repair of
weakened or faulty parts before equipment
failure results.
Primacord n: a textile-covered fuse with a
core of very high explosive.
primary cell n: a unit that produces
electricity from the chemical reaction of
conductors of dissimilar metals through an
electrolyte. In a primary cell, the chemical
energy has its origin within the cell, and the
chemical reaction is not reversible. Also
called a voltaic cell. See dry cell, wet cell.

primary porosity

primary cementing n: the cementing

operation that takes place immediately after
the casing has been run into the hole. It
provides a protective sheath around the
casing, segregates the producing formation,
and prevents the undesirable migration of
fluids.

primary control panel n: see master control

panel.
primary detector n: see sensing element.
primary element n: that part of an orifice
meter installation that creates the pressure
drop in the pipeline necessary for gas
measurement; includes the meter tube,
orifice plate, fitting, and the pressure taps.
primary line n: a power line from the electric utility supplier to the lease distribution
point.
primary migration n: movement of
hydrocarbons out of source rock into
reservoir rock.
primary porosity n: natural porosity in
petroleum reservoir sand or rocks, i.e., the
porosity developed during the original
sedimentation process. Formations having
this property (such as sand) are usually
granular.

primary recovery

primary recovery n: the first stage of oil

production in which natural reservoir drives
are used to recover oil, although some form
of artificial lift may be required to exploit
declining reservoir drives.
primary sediment n: sediment that comes
with the water in an untreated emulsion
sample when it is centrifuged with a slugging
compound. Compare secondary sediment.
primary standard n: a particular measure
with the highest metrological qualities in a
given field. Never used directly for
measurement other than for comparison with
duplicate standards or reference standards.
Compare secondary standard, working
standard.
primary term n: the specified duration of an
oil and gas lease (e.g., three years), within
which time a well must be drilled to keep the
lease in effect.
primary wen control n: prevention of
formation fluid flow by maintaining a
hydrostatic pressure equal to or greater than
formation pressure. Compare secondary
well control.
primary winding n: the winding of an
induction apparatus, such as a transformer,
that is connected to the source of power and
induces emf in the secondary winding.
prime mover n: an internal-combustion
engine or a turbine that is the source of
power for driving a machine or machines.
probe n: any small device that, when
brought into contact with or inserted into a
system, can make measurements on that
system. In corrosion, probes can measure
electrical potential or the corrosivity of
various substances to determine a system's
corrosive tendencies.
Processed gas n: gas handled through a
plant for the extraction of liquefiable
hydrocarbons.
processing agreement n: agreement
between a producer and a plant owner that
provides for the processing of the producer's
gas in a plant for a fee, either in cash or
products in-kind.
processing rights n pi: provision in gas
purchase contracts in which the producer
reserves the right to separate and extract
liquefiable hydrocarbons, except methane
and nonhydrocarbon substances, from the
natural gas.
process stream n: a charge or stream of
liquids or gases moving through different
processes in a refinery or fractionating plant.
producer n: 1. a well that produces oil or
gas in commercial quantities. 2. an operating
company or individual in the business of
producing oil; commonly called the operator.
Producers 88 n: any of a wide variety of
lease fonDS used in the midcontinent and
Gulf regions.
producing horizon n: see pay sand.

162

producing interval n: see pay sand.

producing platform n: an offshore structure
accommodating a number of producing
wells.
producing zone n: the zone or formation
from which oil or gas is produced. See pay
sand.
production n: 1. the phase of the petroleum
industry that deals with bringing the well
fluids to the surface and separating them
and with storing, gauging, and otherwise
preparing the product for the pipeline. 2. the
amount of oil or gas produced in a given
period.
production casing n: the last string of casing set in a well, inside of which is usually
suspended a tubing string.
production liner lap n: the amount of lap
between surface or intennediate casing or
liner and the production liner. See lap.
production log n: see spinner survey.
production maintenance n: the efforts
made to minimize the decline in a well's
production. It includes, for example, acidwashing of casing perforations to dissolve
mineral deposits, scraping or chemical
injection to prevent paraffin ooildup, and
vari- ous measures taken to control
corrosion and erosion damage.
production packer n: any packer designed
to make a seal between the tubing and the
casing during production.
production payment n: a cost-free
percentage of the working interest that ends
when a specified amount of money or
number of barrels has been reached.
production platform n: see platform rig.
production-related costs n pi: most notably
related to FERC Order 94, productionrelated costs refer to all costs associated
with bringing natural gas or LPG to a marketable point of title transfer. The more
common production-related costs include,
but are not limited to, compression,
dehydration, gathering, processing, treating,
liquefication, conditioning, or transporting.
production rig n: a portable servicing or
workover outfit, usually mounted on wheels
and self-propelled. A well-servicing unit
consists of a hoist and engine mounted on a
wheeled chassis with a self-erecting mast. A
workover rig is basically the same, with the
addition of a substructure with rotary, pump,
pits, and auxiliaries to permit handling and
working a drill string.
production seal unit n: see seal nipple assembly.
production tank n: a tank used in the field
to receive crude oil as it comes from the
well. Also called a flow tank or lease tank.
production tax n: a state or municipal tax
on oil and gas products levied at the wellhead for the removal of the hydrocarbons.
Also called severance tax.

products line

production test n: a test of the well's

producing potential usually done during the
initial completion phase.
production tubing n: a string of tubing used
to produce the well, providing well control
and energy conservation.
production wen n: in fields in which improved recovery techniques are being
applied, the well through which oil is
produced. See injection well.
productivity index (PI) n: a well-test
measurement indicative of the amount of oil
or gas a well is capable of producing. It may
be expressed as
PI=q+(Ps-Pf)
where.-PI = productivity index (barrels/day or
thousand cubic feet/day per pounds per
square inch of pressure differential)
q = rate of production (barrels/day or
thousand cubic feet/day)
Ps = static bottomhole pressure (pounds per
square inch)
P f = flowing bottomhole pressure (pounds
per square inch).
productivity index (PI) curve n: the curve
on a graph that results when the volume of a
well's production is plotted against time.
The curve is used to evaluate a well's
perfonnance when it has single-phase flow.
productivity test n: a combination of a
potential test and a bottomhole pressure test
the purpose of which is to determine the
effects of different flow rates on the pressure within the producing zone of the well to
establish physical characteristics of the
reservoir and to detennine the maximum
potential rate of flow. See bottomhole pressure test, potential test.
products cyde n: the sequence or order in
which a number of different products are
hatched through a pipeline.
products line n: a pipeline used to ship
refined products.

profile testing

profile testing n: a technique for

simultaneously sampling gas or liquid at
several points across the diameter of a pipe
to identify the extent of stratification at a
proposed location.
prognostic wave chart n: a chart showing
predicted wave heights and directions. Wind
estimates for an area are used to develop
this type of chart.
progradation n: the seaward buildup of a
beach, delta, or fan by nearshore deposition
of sediments by a river, by waves, or by
longshore currents.

programmable logic controller n: a device

used to manage, or control, another device
or devices that govern the operation of a
system or process. An operator, using an
attached computer, can program the
controller to maintain a given set of desirable
circumstances and to respond to changes or
upsets in the system or process using ladder
logic, which is a logic system that operates
much like the rungs on a ladder-that is,
before the next rung on the ladder can be
scaled, the controller must determine that
certain conditions are met on the current
rung.
program time switch n: a switch that turns
a motor on and off for preset time intervals,
such as 12 hours on, 12 hours off.
progressive cavity pumping system n: a
form of sucker rod pumping unit in which the
rotor is a chrome-plated steel external helix
and the stator is a synthetic elastomer with a
double internal helix permanently bonded
into a steel housing. Rotation of the rods by
a vertical spindle electric motor at dte
surface causes the rods to stretch a predetermined amount to maintain the rod
string in tension. It also causes a cavity
containing well fluid to progress upward. The
system is a rotary positive-displacement
unit.
prong grab n: a fishing tool having two or
more prongs with inward-facing barbs used
to snag and retrieve broken wireline from the
wellbore.
prop n: short for proppant. See propping
agent.
propane n: a paraffinic hydrocarbon (C3Hg)
that is a gas at ordinary atmospheric
conditions but is easily liquefied under
pressure. It is a constituent of liquefied

163

petroleum gas. propane, commercial n: see

commercial propane.
propene n: see propylene.
proportionate reduction clause n: in an oil
and gas lease, the clause that allows for
proportionate reductions in rentals and
royalties should the lessor's interests be less
than the entire fee simple estate. proppant n:
see propping agent.
propping agent n: a granular substance
(sand grains, aluminum pellets, or other
material) that is carried in suspension by the
fracturing fluid and that serves to keep the
cracks open when fracturing fluid is
withdrawn after a fracture treatment.
propylene n: the chemical compound of the
olefin series having the formula . Its official
name is propene.
proration n: a system, enforced by a state
or federal agency or by agreement between
operators, that limits the amount of
petroleum that can be produced from a well
or a field within a given period.
proration unit n: see drilling and spacing
unit.
prospect n: 1. an area of land under
exploration that has good possibilities of
producing profitable minerals. 2. the set of
circumstances, both geologic and economic,
that justify drilling a wildcat well. v: to
examine the surface and subsurface of an
area of land for signs of mineral deposits.
protection casing n: a string of casing set
deeper than the surface casing to protect a
section of the hole and to permit drilling to a
greater
depth.
Sometimes
called
intermediate casing string.
protium n: an isotope of hydrogen with no
neutrons in the nucleus, designated as 1H1.
It is the lightest isotope of hydrogen, known
as light hydrogen.
proton n: the positively charged elementary
particle that occurs with the neutron in an
atomic nucleus.
prove v: to determine the accuracy of a
petroleum measurement meter.
proved reserves of crude oil n pi:
according to API standard definitions,
proved reserves of crude oil as of December
31 of any given year are the estimated
quantities of all liquids statistically defined as
crude oil that geological and engineering
data demonstrate with reasonable certainty
to be recoverable in future years from known
reservoirs under existing economic and
operating conditions.
proved reserves of natural gas n pI:
according to API standard definitions,
proved
reserves of natural gas as of December 31
of any given year are the estimated
quantities of natural gas that geological and
engineering
data
demonstrate
with
reasonable certainty to be recoverable in
future years from known natural gas

pseudoplastic

reservoirs under existing economic and

operating conditions.
prover n: a device used to determine the
accuracy of a petroleum measurement
meter.
prover connector valve n: a device used to
connect the prover to the pipeline either
upstream or downstream of the meter to be
proved.
prover counter n: an electronic device that
counts each pulse generated by a meter
transmitter.
prover displacer n: a spherical or cylindrical
object that is a component of a pipe prover.
It has an elastic seal that contacts the inner
pipe wall of a prover to prevent leakage.
Flowing fluid causes it to move through the
prover pipe, and as it moves it displaces a
known measured volume of fluid between
two fixed detecting devices.
prover loop n: see pipe prove!:
prover pass n: 1. one movement of the
displacer between the detectors in a prover.
2. the volume determined by a displacer
traveling between detector switches in a
single direction.
prover round trip n: 1. the forward and
reverse passes in a bidirectional prover. 2.
the volume determined by a bidirectional
displacer
traveling
between
detector
switches in one direction and in the return
direction.
prover tank n: a tank used to calibrate liquid
flow meters. See open tank prove!:
Proximity LogTM n: trade name for a log
similar to a Minilog.
prussic acid n: see hydrogen cyanide.
pryometer n: an instrument used to
measure high temperatures.
PSA abbr: pressure setting assembly.
PSD abbr: prevention of significant
deterioration.
pseudocriticaI properties n pi: empirical
values for the critical properties (such as
temperature, pressure, and volume) of a
chemical system made up of multiple
components.
pseudo-oil-base mud n: see synthetic
based mud.
pseudoplastic adj: having the capability of
changing apparent viscosity with a change in
shear rate. Pseudoplastic fluids gain
viscosity when subjected to a decrease in
shear rate, and lose viscosity when the
shear rate is increased. See shear

psi

psi abbr: pounds per square inch.

psia abbr: pounds per square inch absolute.
See absolute pressure.
psi/ft abbr: pounds per square inch per foot.
psig abbr: pounds per square inch gauge.
psychrometer n: a device used to measure
the amount of water vapor, or relative
humidity, of the air. See sling psychrometer.
P-tank n: see bulk tank.
PTO abbr: power takeoff.
public domain land n: all land and water
originally (and still) owned by the United
States.
puddling n: 1. in cement evaluation work,
the agitation of cement slurry with a rod to
remove trapped air bubbles. 2. in field
practice, the rotation of the casing during or
after a primary cementing operation.
Pugh clause n: a clause in an oil and gas
lease that releases nonproducing acreage
(horizontal release) or zones (vertical
release) at the end of the primary term or
some other specified period. Under the
clause, unproductive or untested zones and
acreage that are outside a producing pooled
unit must be released if drilling or exploration
does not occur by the end of the specified
time. Also called a Freestone rider.
pull a well v: to remove rods or tubing from
a well.
pull a well in v: to collapse a derrick or
mast.
pull back v: to raise the drill stem or tubing
string in the wellbore.
pull casing v: to remove casing from a well.
pull-down n: a snubbing unit.
pull dry v: to remove the drill stem from the
hole without keeping the stem full of mud.
pulley n: a wheel with a grooved rim, used
for pulling or hoisting. See sheave.
pulling tool n: a hydraulically operated tool
that is run in above the fishing tool and
anchored to the casing by slips. It exerts a
strong upward pull on the fish by hydraulic
power derived from fluid that is pumped
down the fishing string.
pulling unit n: a well-servicing outfit used in
pulling rods and tubing from the well. See
production rig.
pull it green v: to pull a bit from the hole for
replacement before it is greatly worn.
pullout v: see come out o/the hole.
pullout torque n: see breakdown torque.
pull rod n: one of several steel rods used to
connect pump jacks to a central power
source.
pull-rod line n: a wire rope used to connect
a pump jack to a pull rod.
pull wet v: to remove the drill stem from the
hole while keeping the stem full or nearly full
of drilling mud.
pulsating flow n: flow that is variable;
unstable flow.

164

pulsation dampener n: 1. any gas or liquidcharged, chambered device that minimizes

periodic increases and decreases in
pressure (as from a mud pump). 2. a device
used to reduce pressure pulsations in a
flowing stream.
pulsed neutron logging device n: a
measuring instrument run inside casing to
obtain an indication of the presence or
absence of hydrocarbons outside the pipe,
to determine water saturation in a reservoir
behind casing, to detect water movement in
the reservoir, to estimate porosity, and to
estimate water salinity.
pulsed-neutron survey n: a special casedhole logging method that uses radioactivity
reaction time to obtain measurements of
water saturation, residual oil saturation, and
fluid contacts in the formation outside the
casing of an oilwell.
pulse-echo techniques n pi: corrosiondetecting processes that, by recording the
action of ultrasonic waves artificially
introduced into production structures, can
determine metal thicknesses and detect
flaws.
pulse generator n: 1. a generator that
produces repeating pulses or pulses initiated
by signals. 2. a displacement meter
accessory coupled to the measuring element
and designed to produce a series of
electrical pulses
whose number is
proportional to the volume measured and
whose frequency is proportional to the flow
rate. Also called pulser.
pulse interpolation n: any of the various
techniques by which the whole number of
meter pulses are counted between two
events (such as detector switch closures).
Any remaining fraction of a pulse between
the two events is calculated.
pulse monitor n: a device in a pipe prover
system that senses and counts the number
of pulses put out by a pulse generator on the
meter being proved. Pulse count relates to
the amount of fluid that flows through the
meter.
pulser n: see pulse generator.
pumice n: vesicular obsidian formed from
gas-filled lava that cooled rapidly. It is often
light enough to float on water.
pump n: a device that increases the
pressure on a fluid or raises it to a higher
level. Various types of pumps include the
bottom- hole pump, centrifugal pump,
hydraulic pump, jet pump, mud pump,
reciprocating pump, rotary pump, sucker rod
pump, and submersible pump.
pumpability n: the physical characteristic of
a cement slurry that determines its ability to
be pumped.
pump barrel n: the cylinder or liner in which
the plunger of a sucker rod pump
reciprocates. See sucker rod pump. working
barrel.

pumping unit

pump-down adj: descriptive of any tool or

device that can be pumped down a wellbore.
Pump-down tools are not lowered into the
well on wireline; instead, they are pumped
down the well with the drilling fluid.
pumper n: see lease operator.
pump house n: a building that houses the
pumps, engines, and control panels at a
pipeline gathering station or trunk station.
pumping tee n: a heavy-duty steel, T shaped pipe fitting that is screwed or flanged
to the top of a pumping well. The polished
rod works through a stuffing box on top of
the tee and in the run of the tee to operate a
sucker rod pump in the well. Pumped fluid is
discharged through the side opening of the
tee.
pumping time n: the time required to mix
and pump cement slurry down the hole and
up the annulus behind the pipe.
pumping unit n: the machine that imparts
reciprocating motion to a string of sucker
rods extending to the positive-displacement
pump at the bottom of a well. It is usually a
beam arrangement driven by a crank
attached to a speed reducer.

pump jack

pump jack n: a surface unit similar to a

pumping unit but having no individual power
plant. Usually, several pump jacks are
operated by pull rods or cables from one
central power source. Commonly, but
erroneously, beam pumping units are called
pump jacks. Compare beam pumping unit.
pump liner n: a cylindrical, accurately
machined, metallic section that forms the
working barrel of some reciprocating pumps.
Liners are an inexpensive means of
replacing worn cylinder surfaces, and in
some pumps they provide a method of
conveniently changing the displacement and
capacity of the pumps.
pump manifold n: an arrangement of valves
and piping that permits a wide choice in the
routing of suction and discharge fluids
among two or more pumps.
pump off v: to pump (a well) so that the fluid
level drops below the standing valve of the
pump and the pump stops working.
pump-out plug n: a device that prevents the
entry of fluids into the tubing string while it is
being lowered into the well. At the desired
packer setting depth, a surface pump is
started to elevate the tubing pressure and
open the pump-out slug. With the plug open,
formation fluids can enter the tubing.
pump plunger n: see sucker rod pump.
pump pressure n: fluid pressure arising
from the action of a pump.
pump rate n: the speed, or velocity, at
which a pump is run. In drilling, the pump
pycnometer n: 1. a vessel of known size,
often equipped with a thermometer, used to
determine or to compare densities of solids
or liquids. 2. in core analysis, the cylindrical
steel chamber filled with mercury used to
measure the bulk volume of a core sample.
When a core sample is placed in the
pycnometer, the mercury that it displaces
spills into a dish and is weighed. By dividing
the weight of the displaced mercury by the
density of the mercury, the bulk volume of
the sample can be determined.
pyramid n: a hump caused when wire rope
is spooled onto a drum in a one-step
grooving pattern.
pyrite n: a hard, yellow, metallic mineral
(FeS2 If encountered during drilling, pyrite
can damage equipment and in some cases
must be fished from the hole. Also called
iron pyrite and fool's gold.
pyroclastic particles n pi: particles
produced directly by volcanic action when
gases within molten lava expand rapidly and
the water suddenly flashes into steam,
blasting the molten mass into tiny splinters
of solidifying glass. The hot particles
eventually come to rest in thick blankets of
cooling cinders, called ash.
pyroclastic rock n: rock formed from
pyroclastic particles.

165

pyrometer n: an instrument for measuring

temperatures, especially those above the
range of mercury thermometers.
pyrophoric n: something that ignites
spontaneously or that emits sparks when
scratched or struck.
rate is usually measured in strokes per
minute.
pump station n: one of the installations built
at intervals along an oil pipeline to contain
storage tanks, pumps, and other equipment
to route and to maintain the flow of oil.
pump valve n: any of the valves on a
reciprocating pump (such as suction and
discharge valves) or on a sucker rod pump
(such as a ball-and-seat valve).
pup joint n: a length of drill or line pipe,
tubing, or casing shorter than range 1 (18
feet or 6.26 metres for drill pipe) in length.
pure fatigue n: metal fatigue for which no
cause can be determined, such as stress,
cracking, or cyclic stress.
pusher n: shortened form of toolpusher.
push-in construction n: a pipe-laying
technique used in swamps and marshes in
which the pipe brought into the job site is
welded together and then pushed into a
water-filled ditch. Compare lay-barge
construction.
pushrod n: a device used to link the valve to
the cam in an engine.
put a well on v: to make a well start flowing
or pumping.
PV abbr: pore volume.
PVT abbr: 1. Pit Volume Totalizer. 2.
pressure, volume, and temperature. See
pressure, volume. and temperature analysis.
PVT analysis abbr: pressure, volume, and
temperature analysis.

PVT analysis

qt abbr: quart.
qtz abbr: quartz; used in drilling reports.
qtze abbr: quartzite; used in drilling reports.
quantity indicator n: an instrument that
measures the quantity of a given variable in
an electric circuit.
quantity measured n: the gross volume
metered corrected to agreed reference
conditions of pressure and temperature.
quantity recorder n: an instrument that
measures and makes a record of given
variables in an electric circuit.
quantum n: a unit of energy
quartz n: a hard mineral composed of silicon
dioxide (silica), a common component in
igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary
rocks.

to cooling it rapidly and thus terminating the

cracking reaction.
quicklime n: calcium oxide, CaO, used in
certain oil-base muds to neutralize the
organic acid.
quick-look log n: a well-site computer log.
quick-setting cement n: a lightweight slurry
designed to control lost circulation by setting
very quickly.
quiescence n: the state of being quiet or at
rest (being still). Static.
quitclaim deed n: a deed that relinquishes
to someone else any rights or interests that
a person may have in property. The grantor
of the quitclaim deed warrants nothing,
merely conveys whatever rights, if any, he or
she may have.

quartzite n: a compact granular rock

composed of quartz and derived from
sandstone by metamorphism.
quebracho n: a South American tree that is
a source of tannin extract, which was
extensively used as a thinning agent for
drilling mud, but is seldom used today.

quench v: to cool heat-treated metal rapidly

by immersion in an oil or water bath.
quench oil n: oil injected into the liquid
product from a cracking furnace with a view

166

R abbr: Rankine. See Rankine temperature

scale.
rabbit n: 1. a small plug that is run through a
flow line to clean the line or to test for
obstructions. 2. any plug left unintentionally
in a pipeline during construction (as in, a
rabbit that ran into the pipe). 3. a metal
device that is placed in the inner core barrel
before coring. When all of the core has been
removed from the core barrel, the rabbit, or
core marker, falls out to indicate that the
barrel is empty.
race n: a groove for the balls in a ball
bearing or for the rollers in a roller bearing.
rack n: 1. framework for supporting or
containing a number of loose objects, such
as pipe. See pipe rack. 2. a bar with teeth on
one face for gearing with a pinion or worm
gear. 3. a notched bar used as a ratchet. v:
1. to place on a rack. 2. to use as a rack.
rack-and-pinion n: see rack-and-pinion
geal:
rack-and-pinion gear n: a gear comprising
a bar with teeth on one face that en- gages
with a pinion (a small gear).

racking platform n: a small platform with

fingerlike steel projections attached to the
side of the mast on a well-servicing unit.
When a string of sucker rods or tubing is
pulled from a well. the top end of the rods or
tubing is placed (racked) between the steel
projections and held in a vertical position in
the mast.
rack pipe v: 1. to place pipe withdrawn from
the hole on a pipe rack. 2. to stand pipe on
the derrick floor when pulling it out of the
hole.
RAD abbr: radioactive densitometer.
radial drilling n: the drilling of several holes
in a single plane, all of which radiate from a
common point.

radial flow n: the flow pattern of fluids

flowing into a wellbore from the surrounding
drainage area.
radiation logging n: see radioactivity well
logging.
radiator n: an arrangement of pipes that
contains a circulating fluid and is used for
heating an external object or cooling an
internal substance by radiation.
radiator core n: on an engine, the tube or
tubes through which engine coolant is
circulated. These tubes bend back and forth
several times so that the coolant will have
plenty of surface to contact as it flows
through them. Very thin metal plates (fins)
are attached to the tube, which radiate heat
in the coolant to the surrounding air.
radiator fin n: on an engine, very thin metal
plates that are attached to the radiator's
tubes. Because there are hundreds of these
plates in contact with the surrounding air,
they efficiently radiate heat from the coolant
circulating through the tubes.
radiator hose n: on an engine, one of
usually two flexible, reinforced tubes that
conduct coolant in or out of the engine to or
from the radiator. One hose is at the top of
the engine and conducts hot coolant to the
radiator; the other is at the bottom of the
engine and conducts cooled coolant from
the radiator back into the engine.
radiator tube n: on an engine radiator, the
piping through which coolant travels, usually
from top to bottom, through the radiator.
Radiator tubes usually have fins attached to
them, which radiate (give up) heat to the
surrounding air.
radical n: two or more atoms behaving as a
single chemical unit, i.e., as an atom, e.g.,
sulfate (S04), phosphate (POs), nitrate
(N04)' in which an atom of sulfur (S) and
four atoms of oxygen (0), or an atom of
167

phosphorus (P) and five atoms of oxygen, or

an atom of nitrogen (N) and four atoms of
oxygen behave as though they were a single
atom when they combine with another atom
or atoms. Ammonium sulfate (NHS04), for
example, is a compound in which the sulfur
and oxygen atoms behave as a single
chemical unit when they combine with
nitrogen and hydrogen (H).
radioactive adj: of, caused by, or exhibiting
radioactivity.
radioactive decay n: the spontaneous
transformation of a radioactive atom into one
or more different atoms or particles, resulting
in a long-term transformation of the
radioactive element into lighter, nonradioactive elements.
radioactive densitometer n: a densimeter
that measures fluid density by sensing the
decay of naturally occurring redioactive
elements in the fluid.
radioactive iodine n: an isotope of the
element iodine, which is radioactive and
which is sometimes used as a radioactive
tracer.
radioactive tracer n: a radioactive material
(often carnotite) put into a well to allow
observation of fluid or gas movements by
means of a tracer survey.
radioactivity n: the property possessed by
some substances (such as radium, uranium
and thorium) of releasing alpha particles,
beta particles, or gamma particles as the
substance spontaneously disintegrates.
radioactivity curve n: usually, a gamma ray
curve, but could also refer to any logging
curve obtained by radioactivity logging.
radioactivity log n: a record of the natural
or induced radioactive characteristics of
subsurface formations. Also called nuclear
log. See radioactivity well logging.

radioactivity well logging

radioactivity well logging n: the recording

of the natural or induced radioactive
characteristics of subsurface formations. A
radioactivity log, also known as a radiation
log or a nuclear log, normally consists of two
recorded curves: a gamma ray curve and a
neutron curve. Both help to determine the
types of rocks in the formation and the types
of fluids contained in the rocks.
radiographic examination or testing n:
photographic record of corrosion damage
obtained by transmitting X-rays
or
radioactive
isotopes
into
production
structures. It may also be used to produce a
shadowgraph of a pipeline weld and reveal
any flaws. Also called X-ray testing.
radioisotope n: an element, or one of its
variants, that exhibits radioactivity.
radiometric
adj:
relating
to
the
measurement of geologic time by means of
the rate at which radioactive elements
disintegrate.
radiometric dating n: a technique for
measuring the age of an object or a sample
of material by determning the ratio of the
concentration of a radioisotope to that of a
stable isotope in it.
radiosonde n: a balloon-borne instrument
used to measure pressure, temperature, and
humidity above the earth's surface.
rail n: a high-pressure manifold for fuel
injection systems of some engines.
ram n: the closing and sealing component
on a blowout preventer. One of three typesblind, pipe, or shear-may be installed in
several preventers mounted in a stack on
top of the wellbore. Blind rams, when closed,
form a seal on a hole that has no drill pipe in
it; pipe rams, when closed, seal around the
pipe; shear rams cut through drill pipe and
then form a seal.

ram blowout preventer n: a blowout

preventer that uses rams to seal off pressure
on a hole that is with or without pipe. Also
called a ram preventer. Compare annular
blowout preventer.
ram preventer n: see ram blowout
preventer.
ramp-sweep generator n: a device that
varies a frequency at a constant rate and
incorporates an oscillator that can be pro-

168

ray

grammed to provide an output over a

specified frequency range.
random error n: an error that varies in an
unpredictable manner in absolute value and
in algebraic sign when a large number of
measurements of the same value of a quantity are made under effectively identical
conditions.
range n: 1. the name given to the east-west
lines of the rectangular survey system.
Compare township. 2. in oceanography, the
difference in height between consecutive
high and low tides. 3. the region between the
limits within which a quantity is measured,
received, or transmitted, expressed by
stating the lower and upper range values.
rangeability n: the capability of a meter or
flow-measuring device to operate between
the minimum and maximum flow range
within an acceptable tolerance. Generally
expressed as the ratio of maximum flow to
minimum flow.
range length n: a grouping of pipe lengths.
API designation of range lengths is as
follows:
Range 1
Casing 16-25 ft

Range 2
25-34 ft

4.88-7.62 m 7.62-10.36

rate of penetration (ROP) n: a measure of

the speed at which the bit drills into formations, usually expressed in feet (metres) per
hour or minutes per foot (metre).
rate of shear n: rate (commonly given in
rpm) at which an action resulting from applied forces causes or tends to cause two
adjacent parts of a body to slide relative to
each other in a direction parallel to their
plane of contact.
rathole n: 1. a hole in the rig floor, some 30
to 40 feet (9 to 12 metres) deep, which is
lined with casing that projects above the
floor, into which the kelly and the swivel are
placed when hoisting operations are in progress. 2. a hole of a diameter smaller than
the main hole and drilled in the bottom of
the main hole. v: to reduce the size of the
wellbore and drill ahead.

Range 3
34-48 ft
10.36-14.63

Drill
ipe

18-22 ft
27-30 ft
38-45 ft
5.48-6.71 m 8.23-9.14 m 11.58-13.72m

ubing

20-24 ft

ft
6.10-7.32 m 128-32 8.539.75 m

range line n: an east-west line of the rectangular survey system.

range of load n: in sucker rod pumping, the
difference between the polished rod peak
load on the upstroke and the minimum load
on the downstroke.
range of stability n: the maximum angle to
which a ship or mobile offshore drilling rig
may be inclined and still be returned to its
original upright position.
range of uncertainty n: the interval within
which the true value is expected to lie with a
stated degree of confidence.
Rankine
temperature
scale
n:
a
temperature scale with the zero point at
absolute zero. On the Rankine scale, water
freezes at 491.60 and boils at 671.69. See
absolute temperature scale, absolute zero.
rasp n: a mill used in fishing operations,
before running the fishing tool, to reduce the
size of the box or collar on the lost tool.
ratable take n: usually relating to contract
provisions stating that the pipeline company
will attempt to take the seller's fair share with
other producers in the same reservoir.
ratchet v: to rotate a tool in a series of short
movements (like that of a ratchet wrench) to
cause the tool to set. Some packers, for
example, are set by ratcheting the tubing
string in which the packer is made up.

rathole connection n: the addition of a

length of drill pipe or tubing to the active
string using the rathole instead of the
mousehole, which is the more common
connection. The length to be added is
placed in the rathole, made up to the kelly,
pulled out of the rathole, and made up into
the string. Compare mousehole connection.
ratification n: approval and confirmation of
a contract or other legal instrument, usually
by means of a second written instrument.
ratio test n: in emulsion treating, a test to
determine the best ratio of chemical to
emulsion.
raw crude n: unrefined crude oil.
raw gas n: unprocessed gas or the inlet gas
to a plant.
raw gasoline n: gasoline extracted from wet
natural gas.
raw make n: see raw mix liquids.
raw mix liquids n pl: a mixture of natural
gas liquids prior to fractionation. Also called
raw make.
ray n: energy in wave form rather than in
particle form.

RCRA

RCRA abbr: Resource Conservation and

Recovery Act.
RDX n: see cyclonite.
reactance n: in an AC circuit, the
impedance caused by capacitive or inductive
components.
reaction products n pi: the compounds
formed as a result of a chemical reaction,
such as the reaction of an acid with rock.
They may be solids (in which case they are
called precipitates), liquids, or gases.
reactive hazard n: unstable reactive, organic peroxide; also water reactive (as defined by the Code of Federal Regulations).
reactive solids content n: the amount of
water-absorbent material in the drilling fluid.
reactive torque n: the tendency of the drill
string to turn in a direction opposite that of
the bit, a factor for which a driller must compensate when using a downhole motor.
reactivity n: a measure of one substance's
ability to chemically react with other
substances.
readout n: a device that displays numbers or
symbols and incorporates electric or
electronic features.

readout device n: a device that indicates or

registers the value measured by an
instrument in practical units.
reagent n: a substance used in preparing a
product or measuring a component because
of its chemical or biological activity.
real gas specific gravity n: the ratio of the
density of a gas, under the observed conditions of temperature and pressure, to the
density of dry air at the same temperature
and pressure. The ideal gas specific gravity
is the ratio of the molecular weight of the
gaseous mixture to the molecular weight of
air.
ream v: to enlarge the wellbore by drilling it
again with a special bit. Often a rathole is

169

reamed or opened to the same size as the

main wellbore. See rathole.
reamer n: a tool used in drilling to smooth
the wall of a well, enlarge the hole to the
specified size, help stabilize the bit,
straighten the wellbore if kinks or doglegs
are encountered, and drill directionally. See
ream.
reamer pad n: on a diamond bit, a flattened
place above the bottomhole cutting surfaces
whose purpose is to ream the hole above
the bottom of the bit.
reaming n: a process in which dte driller
rotates and moves the drill stem up and
down in the wellbore while circulating drilling
fluid to clear the hole of debris or to prevent
the drill stem from getting stuck.
reaming mill n: see mill.
reassignment obligation n: a part of a
farm-out agreement or other assignment that
stipulates an obligation to reassign earned
acreage back to the farmor or assignor
before the farmee or assignee allows the
lease to expire on the acreage.
reboiler n: the auxiliary equipment to a
fractionator or other column that supplies
heat to the column.
rec abbr: recovered; used in drilling reports.
recap n: periodic record of drilling mud
performance and characteristics over the
course of the drilling project.
receipt ticket n: see measurement ticket.
receiver coil n: in an induction logging tool,
a device that puts out electrical voltage,
which is induced in the coil by eddy currents
in a formation. The eddy currents are
created by a transmi\ter coil on the logging
tool. The amount of voltage induced in the
receiver coil depends on the conductivity of
the formation.
reciprocating compressor n: a type of
compressor that has pistons moving back
and forth in cylinders, suction valves, and
discharge
valves,
i.e.,
a
positivedisplacement compressor. Reciprocating
compressors are used extensively in the
transmission of natural gas through
pipelines.
reciprocating engine n: a type of engine
that has up-and-down (reciprocating) motion
of pistons in cylinders. Also called piston
engine or displacement engine.
reciprocating motion n: back-and-forth or
up-and-down movement, such as that of a
piston in a cylinder.
reciprocating pump n: a pump consisting
of a piston that moves back and forth or up
and down in a cylinder. The cylinder is
equipped with inlet (suction) and outlet
(discharge) valves. On the intake stroke, the
suction valves are opened, and fluid is
drawn into the cylinder. On the discharge
stroke, the suction valves close, the
discharge valves open, and fluid is forced
out of the cylinder.

recording meter

reciprocation n: a back-and-forth or upand-down movement (as the movement of a

piston in an engine or pump).
recirculating average mixer (RAM) n: a
recirculating cement mixer, which provides a
more
homogeneous
slurry
than
a
recirculating cement mixer (RCM). See
recirculating cement mixet:
recirculating cement mixer (RCM) n: a
cement mixing system in which previously
mixed slurry is recirculated and mixed with a
partial slurry formed by forcing dry cement
into a ring of water. The partial slurry and the
recirculated slurry combine to form a more
consistent and more homogeneous slurry.
reclaimer n: a system in which undesirable
high-boiling contaminants of a stream are
separated from the desired lighter materials;
a purifying still.
recompletion n: after the initial comple- tion
of a well, the action and techniques of
reentering the well and redoing or repairing
the original completion to restore the well's
productivity.
recompression n: increasing the ambient
pressure on a diver for the primary purpose
of treating decompression sickness.
recompression chamber n: see deck
decompression chamber.
record chart n: a strip, disk, or sheet on
which the indications of the measuring
instrument are marked by a pen in the form
of a graph.
recorder carrier n: a device made up in a
drill stem testing assembly that holds
pressure and temperature recorders. See
also drill stem test.
recording n: 1. the act by which a legal
instrument is entered in a book of public
record, usually in the county clerk's office.
Such recording amounts to legal notice to all
persons of the rights of claims specified in
the instrument. 2. any means of pre- serving
signals, data, sounds, or other information
for future reference or reproduction.
recording gauge n: a device, driven by a
clockwork mechanism, that provides a
chronological record of gauge indications
(e.g., by tracing values of pressure, vacuum,
voltage) on a paper form.
recording instrument n: a measuring
instrument that records the value of the
measured variable by marking or printing on
a removable paper chart, tape, or other
suitable recording material.
recording meter n: a quantity recorder that
keeps a permanent record of given variables
in an electrical circuit on a paper strip or
circular chart.

record section

record section n: a cross section of the

earth generated by computer from tapes that
have recorded the sound vibrations reflected
during
seismic
exploration.
Expert
interpretation can reveal what may be a trap
for petroleum. Also called seismic section.

recoverable gas lift gas n: gas lift gas that

has returned to the surface and is not
reinjected into the gas lift system; rather, it is
transferred to a pipeline. Sometimes called
spent gas lift gas.
recoverable gas reserves n pi: the quantity
of natural gas determined to be
economically recoverable and available for
delivery from a well or wells. Amount may be
limited to a specific period of time.
recoverable usage n: the injection of oil into
a formation to stimulate production. This oil
may be recovered in later production.
recovery n:
the total volume of
hydrocarbons that has been or is anticipated
to be produced from a wen or field.
recovery emciency n: the recoverable
amount of original or residual hydrocarbons
in place in a reservoir, expressed as a
percentage of total hydrocarbons in place.
Also called recovery factor.
recovery factor n: see recovery efficiency.
rectangular survey system n: the method
of measuring land adopted by the United
States in 1785. Under this system, land is
measured in squares called congressional
townships, which are approximately 6 miles
(9.6 kilometres) wide and approximately 6
miles long. The squares are marked off by
means of parallel north-south lines called
township lines and parallel east-west lines
called range lines.
rectifier n: a device used to convert alternating current into direct current.
rectifier meter n: a permanent magnet
meter with a rectifier built in to convert AC to
DC.
rectify v: to change an alternating current to
a direct current.

170

recumbent fold n: a fold of rock in which

the axial plane of an overturned fold has
become horizontal or nearly so.
red bed n: a layer of sedimentary rock that
is predominantly red. especially one of
Permian or Triassic age.
redelivery gas n: natural gas delivered to a
pipeline company either from a gathering
system or from another pipeline company
rather than to a distribution point. Compare
delivery gas.
red-lime mud n: a water-base clay mud
containing caustic soda and tannates to
which lime has been added. Also called red
mud.
red mud n: see red-lime mud.
redox potential n: see oxidation-reduction
potential.
reduced circulating pressure (RCP) n: the
amount of pressure generated on the drill
stem when the mud pumps are run at a
speed (or speeds) slower than the speed
used when drilling ahead. An RCP or
several RCPs are established for use when
a kick is being circulated out of the hole.
reducing elbow n: a fitting that makes an
angle between two joints of pipe and that
decreases in diameter from one end to the
other.
reducing flange n: a flange fitting used to
join pipes of different diameters.

reducing nipple n: a pipe fitting that is

threaded on both ends and decreases in
diameter from one end to the other.
reducing tee n: aT-shaped pipe fitting with
openings of two different sizes.
reduction n: adding one or more electrons
to an atom or ion or molecule.
Redwood viscosity n: a unit of viscosity
measurement, expressed in secondss,
obtained
when
using
a
Redwood
viscometer. It is the standard of viscosity
measurement in Great Britain.
reef n: 1. a type of reservoir trap composed
of rock (usually limestone) formed from the
shells or skeletons of marine animals. 2. a
burled coral or other reef from which
hydrocarbons may be withdrawn.
reel n: a revolving device (such as a flanged
cylinder) for winding or unwinding something flexible (such as rope or wire).

reference conditions

reel barge n: a lay barge specially outfitted

to lay pipe from an immense reel on deck.
The pipe is connected and reeled onto the
barge on shore. This is an efficient way to
lay offshore pipelines of relatively small
diameter. although improved techniques
may make it possible to use pipe of up to 30
inches (76 centimetres) in diameter.

reeled tubing n: see coiled tubing.

reel method n: an offshore pipeline
construction technique in which the welded,
coated. and tested pipe is coiled onto a reel
and transferred to a reel barge. where it is
paid out at a steady rate onto the ocean
floor.
reel vessel n: a ship or barge specially designed to handle pipeline that is wound onto
a large reel. To lay the pipeline. the vessel
pays out the pipe off the reel at a steady rate
onto the ocean floor. The pipeline has been
constructed at an onshore facility where it
has been welded, coated. inspected, and
wound onto the reel.
reeve v: to pass (as a rope) through a hole
or opening in a block or similar device.
reeve the line v: to string a wire rope drilling
line through the sheaves of the traveling and
crown blocks to the hoisting drum.
reface v: to renew a faced surface by
recutting or regrinding.
reference
circumference
n:
the
circumference of the bottom ring of a tank
measured by the manual tank strapping
method.
reference conditions n pi: the conditions of
temperature and pressure to which
measured volumes are to be corrected.

reference depth

reference depth n: the distance from the

reference point to the datum plate or the
bottom of the tank. It should be stamped on
the fixed benchmark plate or stenciled on
the tank roof near the gauging hatch. Also
called reference height.
reference fuel n: engine fuel of known
octane or cetane number used as a
standard in the engine testing of fuels.
reference height n: see reference depth.
reference measuring instrument n: a
device calibrated to hold or deliver a known
volume of liquid.
reference point n: see gauge point.
refine v: to manufacture petroleum products
from crude oil.
refiner acquisition cost n: cost of crude oil
to the refmer, including transportation and
fees. The composite cost is the weighted
average of domestic and imported crude oil
costs.
refinery n: the physical plant and attendant
equipment used in the process of refining.
refinery gas n: the gas produced from
certain petroleum refinery operations (such
as cracking or reforming). The composition
of refinery gas varies in accordance with the
process by which it is produced, but it
consists essentially of the same paraffin
hydrocarbons as natural gas plus olefins
(propylene, ootylene, and ethylene) not
found in natural gas.
refining n: fractional distillation of petroleum
products, usually followed by other
processing such as cracking.
refining catalyst n: any chemical used in
the refming process that speeds or alters the
process without the catalyst's being affected.
reflectance n: in cases where a wave of
energy encounters a surface, the ratio of the
energy reflected from a surface to the
energy that faUs on the surface. For
example, iflight strikes a surface that has
high reflectance, most of the light reflects
from it; conversely, if the surface has low
reflectance, very little of the light reflects
from it.
reflection n: the process of shortwave
radiation's being sent back from the earth
into space in the form of long-wave
radiation. The process occurs when
shortwave radiation meets light-colored
areas that lack absorptive qualities.
reflux n: in the distillation process, that part
of the condensed overhead stream that is
returned to the fractionating column as a
source of cooling. v: in distillation extraction
of fluids from a core, to use a solvent to flow
over a core sample a second time to clean it.
reflux coil n: a length of tubing or pipe bent
to assume a coiled shape and through which
a fluid cooler than the fluid outside the coil is
circulated. The cooler fluid is used to cool

171

the warmer fluid. Cooling causes vapors to

condense to liquid.
reflux condenser n: a device on which
reflux condenses in the distillation process.
See reflux.
reflux ratio n: a relative measurement of the
volume of reflux in the distillation process.
The ratio is commonly expressed as the
quantity of reflux divided by the quantity of
net overhead product.
reform v: to rewrite a contract, guided by
principles of equity. Parties who believe, for
example, that the written form of an oil and
gas lease does not express what was in fact
intended or agreed on may sue in hope that
the court will agree with them and reform the
lease to express the intended facts or
circumstances.
reforming n: a cracking process in which
low-octane naphthas or gasolines are
converted into high-octane products.
Thermal reforming is carried out at high
temperatures and pressures (932.-1,040.F,
500.- 560C, 250 to i,OOO pounds per
square inch-i.7 megapascals). Catalytic
reforming is carried out at lower
temperatures (850.-950.F, 454 .-510.C) and
much lower pressures. Reforming is usually
a once- through process.
refraction n: deflection from a straight path
undergone by a light ray or energy wave in
passing from one medium to another in
which the wave velocity is different, such as
the bending of light rays when passing from
air into water.
refractory n: any of several heat-resisting
materials, usually a ceramic.
refracturing n: fracturing a formation again.
acidfracture,formationfracturing,
See
hydraulic fracturing.
Refuse Act n: see Rivers and Harbors
Appropriations Act of 1899.
regeneration gas n: wet gas that has been
heated in a regeneration gas heater to
temperatures of 400- 460.F (204.- 238.C) in
a solid desiccant dehydration system. The
gas is passed through a saturated adsorber
tower to dry the solid desiccant in the tower
and remove the previously adsorbed water.
regional metamorphism n: a type of
metamorphism that occurs in bodies of rock
that have been deeply buried or greatly defonned by tectonic changes.
regjster n: a mechanical device that
displays numbers.
regjstered breadth n: the width of the hull
of a mobile off.shore drilling rig or a ship,
measured at its points of greatest width and
used to determine its registered tonnage.
registered volume n: the amount of a
substance as indicated by the register on the
meter.
regular cement n: see common cement.
regular lay n: a type of wire rope
construction in which the wires in the wire

relative permeability

rope strands are twisted in a direction

opposite the strands themselves.
regulator n: a device that reduces the
pressure or volume of a fluid flowing in a line
and maintains the pressure or volume at a
specified level.
regulator station n: reduces the highpressure pipeline gas to a lower usable
pressure for the compressor and records the
amount of gas consumed as fuel.
Reid vapor pressure n: the vapor pressure
of a liquid at 100F (37.78C, 3l10K) as
detennined by ASTM D 323-58, Standard
Method of Test for Vapor Pressure of
Petroleum Products (Reid Method).
relative density n: 1. the ratio of the weight
of a given volume of a substance at a given
temperature to the weight of an equal
volume of a standard substance at the same
temperature. For example, if 1 cubic inch of
water at 39F (3.9C) weighs 1 unit and 1
cubic inch of another solid or liquid at 39F
weighs 0.95 unit. then the relative density of
the substance is 0.95. In determin- ing the
relative density of gases, the comparison is
made with the standard of air or hydrogen.
2. the ratio of the mass of a given volume of
a substance to the mass of a like volume of
a standard substance, such as water or air.
relative error n: the quotient of the absolute
error divided by the true value of the
measured quantity. This multiplied by 100
gives the relative error as a percentage.
relative humidity n: the ratio of the amount
of water vapor in the air to the amount it
would contain if completely saturated at a
given temperature and pressure. See
absolute humidity.
relative permeability n: the ratio of effective
permeability to absolute permeability. The
relative permeability of rock to a single fluid
is 1.0 when only that fluid is present. and 0.0
when the presence of another fluid prevents
all flow of the given fluid. Compare absolute
penneability. effective permeability.

relay

relay n: a device used to open or close

electrical circuits or to perfonn other control
operations automatically.
release n: 1. a statement filed by the lessee
of an oil and gas lease indicating that the
lease has been relinquished. 2. any spilling,
leaking,
pumping,
pouring,
emitting,
emptying, discharging, injecting, escaping,
leaching, dumping, discarding, or disposing
into the environment.
reliability n: the ability of an item to operate
as specified for an indicated time period.
Often expressed as mean time between
failures (MTBF) or mean time to failure
(MTfF).
rellef n: the elevations or inequalities of a
land surface.
relief valve n: see pressure relief valve.
relief well n: a well drilled near and
deflected into a well that is out of control,
making it possible to bring the wild well
under control. See wild well.
reluctance n: the resistance of metals to the
passage of magnetic flux.
remainderman n: someone who holds a
future interest in property and who will come
into
possession
when
the
present
possessory interest ends (as on the death of
a life tenant). Compare life tenant.
remaining on board (ROB) adj or n: usually
referred to by its abbreviation. Sometimes
used as an adjective (cargo remaining on
board), but more often used as a noun
(estimating the ROB). ROB includes wa- ter,
oil, slops, oil residue, oil-water emulsions,
sludge, and sediment.
remedial cementing n: cement placed in a
wellbore after the primary cementing has
occurred. Remedial cementing is used to
repair holes in the casing, fill voids left
behind in casing after primary cementing,
stop lost circulation, and so on. Compare
primary cementing.
remediate v: to remedy or correct a problem
with a situation or area.
remediation n: the process of remedying or
restoring an area or situation to its natu- ral
(or as close to natural as possible) state.
remote BOP control panel n: a device placed
on the rig floor that can be operated by the
driller to direct air pressure to actuating
cylinders that turn the control valves on the
main BOP control unit, located a safe
distance from the rig.
remote choke panel n: a set of controls,
usually placed on the rig floor, that is
manipulated to control the amount of drilling
fluid being circulated through the choke
manifold. This procedure is necessary when
a kick is being circulated out of a well. See
choke manifold.
remote connection n: an offshore pipeline
joining technique in which the connection
process is directed from somewhere other

172

than the immediate site, such as from a

control panel on the platform deck. Two
types of remote connection are the deflectto- connect and direct pull-in techniques.
remote (secondary) control panel n: a
system of blowout preventer controls,
convenient to the driller, which can be used
selectively to actuate valves at the master
control panel. Also called secondary control
panel. See also driller's BOP control panel.
remote control station n: a centrally
located station containing equipment to
control and regulate operations in one or
more fields.
remotely operated vehicle (ROY) n: in
offshore operations, an underwater device
controlled from a vessel on the water's
surface that is used to inspect subsea
equipment, such as a pipeline, and that can
be used in place of or in conjunction with
diving personnel.
remote reading gauge n: an instrument that
provides indications of pressure, vacuum,
voltage, and so forth at a point distant from
where the indications are actually taken.
remote station n: an auxiliary set of controls
for operating the blowout preventers. remote
terminal unit (RTU) n: that part of an
automated lease that relays signals from the
central computer to the end de- vices and
relays status and alarm conditions from the
end devices to the computer.
remote transmission and telemetering n:
a separate or integral instrument system,
used in conjunction with some other basic
measuring means (such as an automatic
tank gauge), that transmits the basic reading
to some place other than the point of
measurement.
renewable energy n: energy obtained from
sources that are essentially inexhaustible
(unlike, for example, the fossil fuels). Renewable sources of energy include wood,
waste, geothermal, wind, photovoltaic, and
solar thermal.
repeatability n: 1. the closeness of the results of successive measurement of the
same quantity carried out by the same
method, by the same person with the same
measuring instrument at the same location
over a short period of time. 2. the ability of a
meter and prover system to repeat its
registered volume during a series of
consecutive proving runs under constant
operating conditions.
replacement n: the act of putting enough
drilling fluid in the wellbore to replace the
volume of any pipe or other tools that were
removed.
reportable quantity (RQ) n: 1. the quantity
of released hazardous materials that, when
exceeded, must be reported under
CERCLA. The EPA is charged with setting
the allowable limits for releases of each hazardous material. If a release exceeds the

resaturation effect

EPA reportable quantity, CERCLA requires

that the owners or operators of the facility
notify the National Response Center immediately. 2. SARA (section 304) also requires
facilities that release a reportable quantity of
an EHS or CERCLA hazardous substance to
notify the SERC and the LEPC immediately. This requirement is similar to the
CERCLA requirement to notify the NRC in
case of reportable releases. Like CERCLA,
SARA exempts federally permitted releases,
continuous releases, any release contained
00 site, as well as other CERCLA
exemptions from RQ reporting requirements.
In addition, SARA requires a written followup report to be submitted to the SERC and
the LEPC as soon as practicable after the
release.
representative sample n: a small portion
extracted from the total volume of material
that contains the same proportions of the
various flowing constituents as the total
volume of liquid being transferred. The
precision of extraction must be equal to or
better than the method used to analyze the
sample.
repressure v: to increase or maintain reservoir pressure by injecting a pressurized
fluid (such as air, gas, or water) to effect
greater ultimate recovery.
reproducibility n: 1. the closeness of the
results of measurements of the same
quantity where the individual measurements
are made by different observers using
different methods with different measuring
instruments at different locations after a long
period of time, or where only some of the
factors listed are different. 2. the ability of a
meter and prover system to reproduce
results over a long period of time in service
where the range of variation of pressure,
temperature, flow rate, and physical
properties of the metered liquid is negligibly
small.
resaturation effect n: in waterflooding, the
entrapment of oil in rocks of lower
permeability, where gas space has
developed during primary production. The
resaturated oil is bypassed by the waterflood
as the water seeks the path of highest
permeability.

RSPA

Research
and
Special
Projects
Administration (RSPA) n: a DOT agency
that oversees the Office of Pipeline Safety,
intermodal containers, highway portable
tanks, railroad cars, and anything used in
interstate or international commerce not
regulated by the coast guard. Under OPA,
RSPA has authority over onshore oil and
hazardous materials pipelines that are used
in interstate commerce. Address: 400 7th
Street SW; Washington, DC 20590; (202)
366-4433.
reserve buoyancy n: the buoyancy above
the waterline that keeps a floating vessel
upright or seaworthy when the vessel is
subjected to wind, waves, currents, and
other forces of nature or when the vessel is
subjected to accidental flooding.
reserve capacity n: capacity in excess of
that required to carry peak load.
reserve pit n: 1. (obsolete) a mud pit in
which a supply of drilling fluid is stored. 2. a
waste
pit,
usually
an
excavated
earthenwalled pit. It may be lined with plastic
or other material to prevent soil
contamination.
reserves n pl: the unproduced but
recoverable oil or gas in a formation that has
been proved by production.
reserve tank n: a special mud tank that
holds mud that is not being actively
circulated. A reserve tank usually contains a
different type of mud from that which the
pump is currently circulating. For example, it
may store heavy mud for emergency well
control operations.
reservoir n: a subsurface, porous,
permeable rock body in which oil and/or gas
has accumulated. Most reservoir rocks are
limestones, dolomites, sandstones, or a
combination. The three basic types of
hydrocarbon reservoirs are oil, gas, and
condensate. An oil reservoir generally
contains three fluids-gas, oil, and water-with
oil the dominant product. In the typical oil
reservoir, these fluids become vertically
segregated because of their different
densities. Gas, the lightest, occupies the
upper part of the reservoir rocks; water, the
lower part; and oil, the intermediate section.
In addition to its occurrence as a cap or in
solution, gas may accumulate independently
of the oil; if so, the reservoir is called a gas
reservoir. Associated with the gas, in most
instances, are salt water and some oil. In a
condensate reservoir, the hydrocarbons may
exist as a gas, but, when brought to the
surface, some of the heavier ones condense
to a liquid.
reservoir drive n: see reservoir drive
mechanism.
reservoir drive mechanism n: the process
in which reservoir fluids are caused to flow
out of the reservoir rock and into a wellbore

173

by natural energy. Gas drive depends on the

fact that, as the reservoir is produced,
pressure is reduced, allowing the gas to
expand and provide the principal driving
energy. Water drive reservoirs depend on
water and rock expansion to force the
hydrocarbons out of the reservoir and into
the wellbore. Also called natural drive
energy.
reservoir
heterogeneities
n
pl:
nonuniformities in the structure of properties
of petroleum reservoirs, such as lenticular
formation, pinch-outs, faults that cut across
the reservoir, shale barriers, and variations
in permeability.
reservoir oil n: oil in place in the reservoir;
unproduced oil. Compare stock tank oil.
reservoir pressure n: the average pressure
within the reservoir at any given time.
Determination of this value is best made by
bottomhole pressure measurements with
adequate shut-in time. If a shut-in period
long enough for the reservoir pressure to
stabilize is impractical, then various
techniques of analysis by pressure buildup
or drawdown tests are available to
determine static reservoir pressure.
reservoir rock n: a permeable rock that
may contain oil or gas in appreciable
quantity and through which petroleum may
migrate.
reservoir simulation n: computer model of
a reservoir to predict reservoir behavior and
to show production over time, allowing
decisions about managing the reservoir to
be made. The technique consists of
digitizing data from appropriate geologic
maps and engineering studies and entering
them into a computer program, called the
model. The model uses past and present
values for each parameter of reservoir
behavior.
reservoir temperature n: the average
temperature within the reservoir, measured
during logging, drill stem testing, or
bottomhole pressure testing using a
bottomhole temperature recorder.
reservoir volume factor n: see formation
volume factor.
resid n: shortened form of residual.
residual fuel n: see residuals.
residual fuel oil n: the heavier oils that
remain after the distillate fuel oils and lighter
hydrocarbons are distilled away in refinery
operations
that
conform
to
ASTM
Specifications D396 and 975.
residual gas saturation n: the portion of
hydrocarbons that cannot be removed by
ordinary producing mechanisms when a
porous reservoir has been saturated with
hydrocarbons. This value is usually a
specific percentage of the pore volume. In
the case of gas, the volume, measured at
standard conditions, that is retained in a
reservoir as residual gas saturation is an

resistivity log

inverse function of the pressure, due to the

effect of the gas laws.
residual oil n: 1. in improved recovery, oil
remaining in a reservoir after an improved
recovery method has been applied and
displacement has occurred. 2. in petroleum
refining, the combustible, viscous, or
semiliquid bottoms product from crude oil
distillation, used as adhesives, roofing
compounds, asphalt, low-grade fuels, and
sealants.
residuals n pl: the heavy refined
hydrocarbons that are used as fuels. Bunker
C oil, which is sometimes used to fuel ships,
is an example of a residual.
residue gas n: 1. a natural gas mixture
essentially of methane and ethane. 2.
natural gas after it has been processed and
almost all hydrocarbons other than methane
and some ethane removed.
residue gas returned n: plant residue gas
delivered back to the producer for use in
lease operations.
residue pooling n: provision in many
casinghead gas purchase contracts that
provides that all of the seller's properties
covered by the contract will be treated as a
single property in determining whether the
producer has taken more residue gas for
use in operations than the quantity to which
he or she is entitled.
resin n: a semisolid or solid complex,
amorphous mixture of organic compounds
having no definite melting point or tendency
to crystallize. Resins may be a component of
compounded materials that can be added to
drilling fluids to impart special properties to
the fluid.
resin cement n: an oilwell cement that is
composed of resins, water, and portland
cement and that provides an improved
cement bond. It is mainly used in remedial
operations, because its high cost prohibits
its use for routine cementing of casing.
resistance n: opposition to the flow of direct
current caused by a particular material or
device. Resistance is equal to the voltage
drop across the circuit divided by the current
through the circuit.
resistance thermometer n: a thermometer
that uses an electrical resistor to detect
temperature and electrical means to
measure and indicate temperature.
resistivity n: the electrical resistance
offered to the passage of current; the
opposite of conductivity.
resistivity log n: a record of the resistivity
of a formation. Usually obtained when an
electric log is run. See resistivity well
logging.

resistivity meter

resistivity meter n: an instrument for

measuring the resistivity of drilling fluids and
their cakes.
resistivity well logging n: the recording of
the resistance of formation water to natural
or induced electrical current. The mineral
content of subsurface water allows it to
conduct electricity. Rock, oil, and gas are
poor conductors. Resistivity measurements
can be correlated to formation lithology,
poros- ity, permeability, and saturation and
are very useful in formation evaluation. See
electric well log.
resistor n: a component that tends to
impede the flow of electric current, usually
without any inductive or capacitive effects.
Often used in conjunction with a voltmeter.
resolution n: the smallest change in the
quantity measured to which the instrument
will react with an observable change in an
analog or digital indication.
resonant frequency n: of sucker rods, the
frequency at which the periods of resonance
are at a maximum.
Resource Coservation and Recovery Act
or 1976 (RCRA) n: a federal regulatory
program designed to ensure responsible
man- agement of hazardous waste at all
levels
of
contact.
i.e.,
generation,
transportation, treatment, storage, and
disposal; regulates the management of onland disposal of all solid wastes. This
comprehensive program is designed to
protect human health and the envirorunent
from the unintentional exposure to solid
waste that is identified as "hazardous
waste." Also institutes a "cradle-to-grave"
monitoring program that closely tracks and
regulates the handling of hazardous waste
from the time the waste is first generated
until it is disposed.
resources n pi: concentrations of naturally
occurring liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons in
the earth's crust. some part of which are
currently
or
potentially
economically
extractable. Some categories of resources
are (1) from the economic standpoint.
economic
(recoverable,
commercial),
marginally economic, and subeconomic; and
(2) from the geological standpoint, identified
(subdi- vided into measured, indicated, and
inferred), and undiscovered.
response time n: in a thermometer, the time
required to indicate 63.2% of the magnitude
of a change in the measured temperature.
result n: the observed value of a variable
determined by a single measurement.
retainer n: a cast-iron or magnesium
drillable tool consisting of a packing
assembly and a back-pressure valve. It is
used to close off the annular space between
tubing or drill pipe and casing to allow the
placement of cement or fluid through the
tubing or drill pipe at any predetermined

174

point behind the casing or liner, around the

shoe, or into the open hole around the shoe.
retainer head n: see cementing head.
retarded cement n: a cement in which the
thickening time is extended by adding a
chemical retarder.
retarder n: a substance added to cement to
prolong the setting time so that the cement
can be pumped into place. Retarders are
used for cementing in high-temperature formations.
retort oven n: a device that measures the
saturation, or the amount, of each fluid in a
core sample by distilling the fluid from the
core with heat. Also called a retort still.
retort still n: see retort oven.
retractable bit n: a bit that can be changed
by wireline operations without withdraw- ing
the drill string. Field tests have indicated its
economic feasibility, but its practicabil- ity is
undetermined.
retrievable packer n: a packer that can be
pulled out of the well when it fails, to be
repaired or replaced.
retrievable wireline choke n: a bottornhole
choke run on wireline and landed in the tubing string.
retrograde condensation n: in reservoir
mechanics, the formation of liquid droplets in
a gas as the well is produced and the
pressure drops. Some hydrocarbons exist
naturally above their critical temperature in
the reservoir; as a result, when pressure is
decreased, instead of expanding to form a
gas, they condense to form a liquid.
retrograde phenomenon n: see retrograde
reservoir.
retrograde reservoir n: a reservoir in which
the pressure is high and the hydrocarbon
content is completely in a gaseous or
supercritical phase at initial conditions. As
the pressure drops because of production,
the heavier hydrocarbon components
condense, forming liquids within the
reservoir. Such action is the retrograde
phenomenon. If the reservoir pressure is
completely depleted, only a small portion of
these liquids will revaporize and be
recovered.
return bend n: a U-shaped section of piping that connects two other pipes parallel to
each other.
returns n pi: the mud, cuttings, and so forth,
that circulate up the hole to the surface.
reverse-acting electric actuator n: a
device that increases an engine's speed by
decreasing the positive voltage going to the
electric actuator and governor. As the
engine needs more fuel to go faster, the
reverse-acting actuator decreases the
positive voltage to make the governor
increase the fuel. Compare direct-acting
electric actuator. See governor.
reverse-balloon n: in reference to tubing
under the effects of temperature changes,

reverse emulsion

sucker rod pumping, or high external

pressure, to decrease in diameter while
increasing in length. Compare balloon.
reverse circulation n: the course of drilling
fluid downward through the annulus and
upward dlrough the drill stem, in contrast to
normal circulation in which the course is
downward through the drill stem and upward
through the annulus. Seldom used in open
hole, but frequently used in workover
operations. Also refers to as "circulating the
short way," since returns from bottom can be
obtained more quickly than in normal
circulation. Compare normal circulation.

reverse-circulation junk basket n: a

fishing tool that is lowered into the hole
during nonnal circulation and then produces
reverse circulation to create a vacuum so
that junk is sucked inside the tool. Also
called a jet-powered junk basket.
reverse combustion n: a type of in situ
combustion in which the combustion front
moves counter to the direction of the
injected air. Air is injected into a production
well and burning is started near the well.
When the combustion zone has advanced a
short distance from the well. air injection is
stopped from the production well and started
from an adjacent injection well. The fire
advances toward the injection well, but the
oil moves toward the production well. This
method may be used with very viscous oils.
Compare forward combustion.
reverse drilling break n: a sudden
decrease in the rate of penetration. When
drilling with an oil mud and diamond bit, and
an abnonnally high-pressure formation is
penetrated, the penetration rate may
decrease rather than increase. An increase
is a drilling brealc..
reverse emulsion n: a relatively rare oilfield emulsion composed of globules of oil
dispersed in water. Most oilfield emulsions
consist of water dispersed in oil.

reverse fault

reverse fault n: a dip-slip fault along which

the hanging wall has moved upward relative
to the footwall. Also called a thrust fault.
reverse J-tube method n: a method of
joining a pipeline to a subsea riser on an
offshore platform. In this method the pipe is
welded together on the platform itself and
then fed down through a guide tube to the
seafloor. Compare J-tube method.
reverse out v: to displace the wellbore fluid
back to the surface; to displace tubing
volume back to the pit.
reverse-pressure perforating n: see
perforate underbalanced.
reversible thermometer n: a device
containing a mercury-in-glass thermometer,
which may be inverted after the thermometer
has reached thermal equilibrium with the oil
in which it is immersed. The inversion
breaks the mercury thread, disconnecting it
from the sensing element and allowing it to
run down to the other end of the
thermometer stem. The instrument is then
drawn to the surface and the recorded
temperature, which remains unchanged until
the instrument is reset, can then be read.
reversing hand n: a well servicing hand
who cleans out wellbores.
reversionary interest n: a future interest
created by law when an estate is, for
example, leased. The reversion is not
conveyed but is retained to take effect later
in favor of the grantor or his or her heirs.
See term minerals.
rework v: to restore production from an
existing formation when it has fallen off
substantially or ceased altogether. See work
over.
Reynolds number n: a dimensionless
number defined as
Re =DuP=m
Where
D = inside diameter of the pipe
= mean flow velocity
P = density of the fluid
m= dynamic viscosity,
all in consistent units.
rheology n: the study of the flow of gases
and liquids of special importance to mud
engineers and reservoir engineers.
rheostat n: a resistor that is used to vary
the electrical current flow in a system.
rhyolite n: a light-colored, fine-grained
volcanic rock; the extrusive equivalent of
granite.
rich amine n: the amine leaving the bottom
of the contactor. It is the lean amine plus the
acid gases removed from the gas by the
lean amine.
rich gas n: a gas that is suitable as feed to
a gas processing plant and from which
products can be extracted.
rich glycol n: water-laden glycol.

175

rich oil n: a lean oil that has absorbed

heavier hydrocarbons from natural gas.
rich-oil demethanizer n: a vessel used in
gas processing plants to remove methane
from rich oil.
rider n: a separately listed provision in a
lease. Also called an exhibit or allonge.
rifle boring n: a hole bored through a
machined metal piece (as in a steel pin in a
traveling block sheave) through which a
lubricant travels.
rift zone n: the zone along which crustal
plates separate because of slowly diverging
convection currents in the semisolid,
deformable mantle. As the rift widens and
the land masses on both sides move apart,
new oceanic crust is formed. Since the
MidAtlantic rift zone opened about 200
million years ago, North and South America
have been moving away from Europe and
Africa at a rate of 11/2 inches a year.
rig n: the derrick or mast, draw works, and
attendant surface equipment of a drilling or
workover unit.

rig crew member n: see rotary helper.

rig down v: to dismantle a drilling rig and
auxiliary equipment following the completion
of drilling operations. Also called tear down.
rig floor n: the area immediately around the
rotary table and extending to each corner of
the derrick or mast-that is, the area
immediately above the substructure on
which the drawworks, the rotary table, and
so forth rest. Also called derrick floor, drill
floor.
right-of-way n: the legal right of passage
over public land and privately owned
property; also the way or area over which
the right exists. The width of a right-of-way
varies according to contract specifications
and individual easements, but it is generally
between 50 and 100 feet (15 and 30
metres).
right-of-way restoration n: in pipeline
construction, the process of returning a rightof-way to its original condition or better after
the pipeline has been completed. Rightof-way restoration depends on legal
stipulation in the contract with the pipeline

riprap

owner and agreements made with individual

landowners.
rig irons n pl: the metal parts (with the
exception of nails, bolts, guy wires, and sand
lines) used in the construction of a standard
cable-tool rig.
rig manager n: an employee of a drilling
contractor who is in charge of the entire
drilling crew and the drilling rig. Also called
toolpusher, drilling foreman, rig supervisor,
or rig superintendent.
rig operator n: see unit operator.
Rigs-to-Reef Program n: a program developed
under
the
National
Fishing
Enhancement Act that led to the state
sponsorship of the conversion of rigs to
artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico.
rig superintendent n: see toolpusher.
rig supervisor n: see toolpusher.
rig up v: to prepare the drilling rig for making
hole, i.e., to install tools and machinery
before drilling is started.
RIH abbr: run-in-hole.
ring n: see piston ring.
ring gear n: in a rotary table assembly, a
circular, ring-shaped device with projections
(teeth) that engage a beveled gear (a pinion)
on the end of a drive shaft. The drive shaft is
usually driven by a chain-and sprocket
arrangement from the drawworks. When
engaged, the drive shaft turns the pinion,
which meshes with the ring gear, to turn the
rotary table.
ring grooves n pl: the grooves that hold the
piston rings in pistons.
ring-joint flange n: a special type of
flanged connection in which a metal ring
(resting in a groove in the flange) serves as
a pressure seal between the two flanges.
ringworm corrosion n: a form of corrosion
sometimes found in the tubing of
condensate wells. It occurs in a ring a few
inches from the upset. Cause of ringworm
corrosion has been traced to the upsetting
process, in which heat required in upsetting
causes the heated end to have a different
grain structure from the rest of the pipe.
Normalizing prevents this condition.
ripper
n:
a
claw-shaped,
plowlike
attachment used on a bulldozer to loosen
rock and locate solid formations that may
require explosives in clearing a right-of-way
for pipeline construction.
riprap v: to space logs and timbers evenly
along the length of a pipeline right-of-way to
stabilize soil in swamps or wet areas.

riser

riser n: a pipe through which liquid travels

upward. See riser pipe.
riser angle indicator n: an acoustic
electronic device used to monitor the angle
of the flex joint on a floating offshore drilling
rig. A small angle should usually be maintained on the flex joint to minimize drill pipe
fatigue and wear and damage to the blowout preventers and to maximize the ease
with which tools may be run. Also called
azimuth angle indicator.
riser assembly n: see lubricator.
riser disconnect n: the act of removing the
riser pipe (marine riser) from its attachment
to the subsea blowout preventer stack.
riser margin n: the slight increase in mud
weight used to offset friction losses that
occur as the mud is circulated through the
riser in a subsea blowout preventer system.
riser pipe n: the pipe and special fittings
used on floating offshore drilling rigs to
establish a seal between the top of the
wellbore, which is on the ocean floor, and
the drilling equipment, located above the
surface of the water. A riser pipe serves as a
guide for the drill stem from the drilling
vessel to the wellhead and as a conductor of
drilling fluid from the well to the vessel. The
riser consists of several sections of pipe and
includes special devices to compensate for
any movement of the drilling rig caused by
waves. Also called marine riser pipe.
riser tensioner line n: a cable that supports
the marine riser while compensating for
vessel movement.
risk analysis n: the activity of assigning
probabilities to the expected outcomes of a
drilling venture.
river crossing n: a type of special pipeline
construction used when a pipeline must
cross a river or stream. Tyes of river
crossings
include
aerial
crossings,
conventional crossings, and directionally
drilled crossings.
Rivers and Harbors Appropriations Act or
1899 (sometimes called the Refuse Act) n:
congressional act that authorizes the secretary of the army through the US Army
Corps of Engineers to issue permits for the
placement of structures or the discharge of
refuse in navigable waters of the United
States.
rmg abbr: reaming; used in drilling reports.
rms value abbr: root-mean-square value.
See effective value.
road crossing n: laying of a pipeline under
a roadbed or through a road.
ROB abbr: remaining on board.
rock n: a hardened aggregate of different
minerals. Rocks are divided into three
groups on the basis of their mode of origin:
igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary.
rock a well v: to initiate flow by alternately
bleeding pressure from, and closing off the

176

casing and tubing of, a well that contains

liquid.
rock bit n: see roller cone bit.
rock cycle n: the possible sequences of
events, all interrelated, by which rocks may
be formed, changed, destroyed. or
transformed into other types of rock. The
events include formation from magma,
erosion, sedimentation, and metamorphism.
rock ditching n: excavating a trench in rock
or rocky soil.
rock drill n: a drill generally powered by
compressed air and used to drill holes for
explosives. Rock drills may be required in
pipeline right-of-way grading and in ditching.
rocker ann n: a bellrank device that
transmits the movement of the pushrod to
the valves in an engine.
rock hound n: (slang) a geologist.
rock pressure n: see geostatic pressure.
rock stratigraphic unit n: a distinctive body
of rock that can be identified by its lithologic
or structural features regardless of its fossils
or time boundaries; commonly, a formation.
Compare time stratigraphic unit.
rock texture n: all of the properties relating
to the grain-to-grain relationships of a rock.
Textural
properties
include
chemical
composition, grain shape and roundness,
grain size and sorting, grain orientation,
porosity, and permeability. See clastic
texture, crystalline texture.
Rockwell hardness test n: an arbitrarily
defined measure of resistance of a material
to indentation under static or dynamic load.
ROD abbr: rich-oil demethanizer.
rod n: see piston rod. sucker rod.
rod back-off wheel n: a device used to unscrew rods when the pump is stuck or
sanded up and the rods and tubing must be
pulled together.
rod bearing n: see connecting rod bearing.
rod blowout preventer n: a ram device
used to close the annular space around the
pol- ished rod or sucker rod in a pumping
well.
rod cap n: on an engine's piston rod, a part
on the bottom of the rod that is bolted onto
the top part of the rod. To install a piston rod
onto the crankshaft, one half of the rod
bearing is inserted into the top part of the
rod and the other half into the rod cap. The
top part of the rod and the rod cap are then
placed on the crankshaft and the cap bolted
to the top part.
rod elevators n pi: a device used to pull or
to run sucker rods. They have a bail
attached to the rod hook.

rod-transfer elevator

rod gap n: lightning arrester assembly using

two rods end-to-end with the gap separating
rods determining arcing voltage.
rod hanger n: a device used to hang sucker
rods on the mast or in the derrick.
rod hook n: a small swivel hook having a
fast-operating automatic latch to close the
hook opening when weigth is suspended
from the hook.
rod pump n: see sucker rod pump.
rod reversal n: the action of the sucker rod
string as it comes to rest momentarily at d1e
bottom or top of the pump stroke and then
begins to move downward (if at the top of
the stroke) or upward (if at the bottom of the
stroke).
rod rotor n: a ratchet mechanism that is
actuated by a fixed rod or chain connected
to the walking beam of a pumping unit and
that provides a slow rate of rotation to the
rod string, distriooting the wear on both rods
and tubing.
rod score n: a scratch on the surface of a
sucker rod or a piston rod.
rod string n: a sucker rod string, that is, the
entire length of sucker rods, which usu- ally
consists of several single rods screwed
together. The rod string serves as a
mechanical link from the beam pumping unit
on the surface to the sucker rod pump near
the bottom of the well.
rod stripper n: a device closed around the
rods when the well may flow through the
tubing while the rods are being pulled. It is a
form of blowout preventer.
rod sub n: a short length of sucker rod that
is attached to the top of the sucker rod
pump.
rod-transfer elevator n: a special type of
elevator designed to accommodate the end
of a sucker rod. It allows the derrickman to
transfer the rod to the racking platform from
the regular elevator being used to lift the rod
out of the well.

rod.transfer equipment

rod.transfer equipment n: all the devices

used to accomplish the moving of sucker
rods from the elevators to the racking
platform.
rod wax n: a paraffin wax that forms on the
sucker rod string.
rod whip n: the rapid, whiplike motion of the
rods in a sucker rod pumping system,
caused by vibration of the rod string.
rod wrench n: a special wrench designed
for spinning up and hammering tight the
joints between sucker rods. Also called a
key.

roll n: the angular motion of a ship or

floating offshore drilling rig as its sides move
up and down. v: to move from side to side.
roll-dampening
tanks
n
pi:
the
compartments on a floating offshore drilling
rig that are filled with water to offset the rigs
tendency to roll.
roller n: 1. on a kelly bushing, a cylindrical
device that fits inside the bushing, whose
exterior shape is matched to the kelly's
shape so that they mate with the kelly when
it is inside the kelly bushing. See kelly
bushing, roller assembly. 2. part of a roller
bearing. See roller bearing.
roller assembly n: on a kelly bushing, an
arrangement of rollers, roller pins, and roller
bearings that mate with the kelly as it moves
up or down inside the kelly bushing. The
roller assembly transfers the turning motion
of the kelly bushing to the kelly, and, at the
same time, allows the kelly to move up and
down freely. See rolle!; roller bearing, roller
pin.
roller bearing n: a bearing in which a finely
machined shaft (the journal) rotates in
contact with a number of cylinders (rollers).
Compare ball bearing.
roller bit n: see roller cone bit.
roller chain n: a type of chain that is used to
transmit power by fitting over sprockets
attached to shafts, causing rotation of one
shaft by the rotation of another. Transmission roller chain consists of offset links, pin
links, and roller links.
rollercone bit n: a drilling bit made of two,
three, or four cones, or cutters, that are
mounted on extremely rugged bearings. The
surface of each cone is made of rows of
steel teeth or rows of tungsten carbide
inserts. Also called rock bit.

177

roller diameter n: in roller chain, the outside

diameter of the roller, about 5/8 of the pitch.
roger link n: one of the links in a roller
chain. It consists of two txlshings press-fitted
into the link plates (side bars) and two rollers
that fit over the bushings. The bushings are
locked into the link plates to prevent rotation.
roller pin n: on a kelly bushing, a shaft that
fits inside each roller on the txlshing to affix
the rollers to it. See kelly bushing, roller
assembly.
roller race n: a track, channel, or groove in
which roller bearings roll.
rollover anticline n: an anticline formed
when the dip of a growth fault approaches
the horizontal at depth and deposition is
faster on the downthrown side, which tends
to "roll over" or curl downward.
rollover fault n: see growth fault.
root bead n: the initial welding pass made in
uniting two joints of pipeline. Also called
stringer bead.
root pass n: the welding pass made after
the root bead is made when uniting two
joints of pipeline.
Roots blower n: a special compressor used
on two-stroke engines to supercharge the
engine's intake air and scavenge (remove)
exhaust gases from the engine cylinders.
The blower has tWo corkscrew-shaped
(helical) rotors with blades (lobes) that rotate
inside a housing. The engine drives the
rotors with gears at about twice the engine's
speed. The rotors rotate in opposite
directions at the same speed. As they rotate,
the lobes compress air drawn through an air
cleaner on top of the housing. The compressed air exits the blower from the bottom
or the side of the housing and goes into the
engine's air intake manifold.
ROP abbr: rate of penetration.
rope socket n: a device to connect the
wireline to the tool string.
rosin n: a translucent amber-colored to
almost black brittle friable resin obtained by
chemical means from oleoresin, the dead
wood of pine trees, or from tall oil and used
in making varnish, paper, and soap. It is also
used as a soldering flux.
rotameter n: an instrument used to indicate flow rate. It consists of a float in a tapered tube, or a tapered float that moves in
a fixed orifice. Row passing around an
annular space between the float and its
container causes the float to rise until its
weight counterbalances the pressure drop

rotary hose

across it. rotary n: the machine used to

impart rota- tional power to the drill stem
while permitting vertical movement of the
pipe for rotary drilling. Modern rotary
machines have a special component, the
rotary or master bushing, to turn the kelly
bushing, which permits vertical movement of
the kelly while the stem is turning.
rotary bushing n: see master bushing.
rotary chain n: a chain drive powered by
the draw works that drives the rotary table
assembly; it runs from the drawworks
sprocket to a drive-shaft sprocket. The driveshaft sprocket turns the drive-shaft assembly
that drives the rotary table.
rotary drilling n: a drilling method in which
a hole is drilled by a rotating bit to which a
downward force is applied. The bit is
fastened to and rotated by the drill stem,
which also provides a passageway through
which the drilling fluid is circulated.
Additional joints of drill pipe are added as
drill- ing progresses.
rotary drive countershaft n: a rotating shaft
on the opposite side of the drawworks from
the driller's console that gets power from
one of the transmissions and sends it to the
rotary table. It sits inside its own housing,
which may be a part of the main drawworks
frame or may be detachable for
transportation.
rotary helper n: a worker on a drilling or
workover rig, subordinate to the driller,
whose primary work station is on the rig
floor. On rotary drilling rigs, there are at least
two and usually three or more rotary helpers
on each crew. Sometimes called floorhand,
floorrnan, rig crewman, or roughneck.
rotary hose n: a steel-reinforced, flexible
hose that is installed between the standpipe
and the swivel or top drive. It conducts
drilling mud from the standpipe to the swivel
or top drive. Also called the kelly hose or the
mud hose.

rotary jar

rotary jar n: a type of mechanical jar whose

jarring force is actuated and determined by
rotating the work string; the more torque, the
harder the jar. See mechanical jar.
rotary line n: see drilling line.
rotary locking device n: on a rotary table, a
steel pin, often spring-loaded, that, when
engaged, fits into one of several notches
machined onto the perimeter of the rotary
assembly's turntable. When engaged, the
lock prevents the turntable from turning.
rotary pump n: a pump that moves fluid by
positive displacement, using a system of
rotating vanes, gears, or lobes. The vaned
pump has vanes extending radially from a
rotating element mounted in the casing. The
geared rotary pump uses oppositely rotating
meshing gears or lobes.
rotary shoe n: a length of pipe whose
bottom edge is serrated or dressed with a
hard cutting material and that is run into the
wellbore around the outside of stuck casing,
pipe, or tubing to mill away the obstruction.
Also called a bum shoe. See washover pipe.

rotary-shouldered connection n: the

threaded and shouldered joint used in rotary
drilling to join the various components of the
drill stem.
rotary side n: see off-driller's side.
rotary slips n pl: see slips.
rotary solenoid n: a solenoid that imparts
rotary motion to a shaft.
rotary speed n: the speed, measured in
revolutions per minute, at which the rotary
table is operated.
rotary table n: the principal piece of equipment in the rotary table assembly; a turning
device used to impart rotational power to the
drill stem while permitting vertical movement
of the pipe for rotary drilling. The master
bushing fits inside the opening of the rotary
table; it turns the kelly bushing, which
permits vertical movement of the kelly while
the stem is turning. See kelly bushing,
master bushing.

178

RT

rotation gas lift n: a gas lift system in which

the gas that is injected and subsequently

rotary table assembly n: a rotating machine housed primarily inside a rectangular

steel box with an opening in the middle for
the kelly and the drill pipe that creates and
transfers the turning motion for rotary
drilling; parts of the assembly include the
base, rotary table, master bushing, driveshaft assembly, drawworks sprockets, driveshaft sprockets, and locking devices.
rotary table base n: a cast steel or reinforced fabricated steel shell that encloses
the pinion end of the drive shaft and the
rotary table.
rotary table locking device n: a small mechanical brake for the rotary table made of
an iron rod and a notched wheel; its function
is to stop the turning movement of the rotary
table and hold it securely while the crew
makes or breaks a connection or performs
other jobs.
rotary tongs n pl: see tongs.
rotary torque n: the rotational force applied
to turn the drill stem.
rotate on bottom v: see make hole.
rotating blowout preventer n: see rotating
head.
rotating components n pl: those parts of
the drilling or workover rig that are designed
to turn or rotate the drill stem and bitswivel,
kelly, kelly bushing, master bushing, and
rotary table.
rotating head n: a sealing device used to
close off the annular space around the kelly
in drilling with pressure at the surface, usually installed above the main blowout
preventers. A rotating head makes it
possible to drill ahead even when there is
pressure in the annulus that the weight of
the drilling fluid is not overcoming; the head
prevents the well from blowing out. It is used
mainly in the drilling of formations that have
low permeability. The rate of penetration
through such formations is usually rapid.
rotating meter n: any metering device for
which the meter pulse output is derived from
mechanical rotation as driven by the flowing
stream.
rotational flow n: see swirl.
rotational inertia n: see moment of inertia.
rotational viscometer n: instrument used
for assessing mud properties that records
values for both plastic viscosity and yield
point.

produced is recompressed and reinjected t,

into the well, effecting a continuous, closed
',. system that does not require the
introduction of additional gas from an
extraneous source for operation, except that
needed to make up losses in the system.
rotation lock n: on a drilling rig's hook, a
device that, when unlocked, allows crew
members to rotate the hook to make the
elevators face in any desired direction.
When in the desired position, crew members
can lock it there.
rotor n: 1. a device with vanelike blades
attached to a shaft. The device turns or rotates when the vanes are struck by a fluid
directed there by a stator. 2. the rotating part
of an induction-type alternating current
electric motor.
roughneck n: see rotary helper.
round trip n: the procedure of pulling out
and subsequently running back into the hole
a string of drill pipe or tubing. Also called
tripping.
roustabout n: 1. a worker on an offshore rig
who handles the equipment and supplies
that are sent to the rig from the shore base.
The head roustabout is very often the crane
operator. 2. a worker who assists the
foreman in the general work around a
producing oilwell, usually on the property of
the oil company. 3. a helper on a well
servicing unit.
ROV abbr: remotely operated vehicle.
ROW abbr: right-of-way.
royalty n: the portion of oil, gas, and minerals retained by the lessor on execution of
a lease or their cash value paid by the lessee to the lessor or to one who has acquired
possession of the royalty rights, based on a
percentage of the gross production from the
property free and clear of all costs except
taxes.
royalty clause n: the clause in an oil and
gas lease that establishes the percentage of
production paid to the lessor.
royalty deed n: the legal instrument that
conveys a share of oil or gas production.
Unlike a mineral deed, a royalty deed does
not create a severance of the estate.
royalty owner n: a person who owns a royalty interest in production.
RP abbr: rock pressure; used in drilling
reports.
rpm abbr: revolutions per minute. RQ abbr:
reportable quantity. RSPA abbr: Research
and Special Projects Administration (DOT).
RT abbr: rotary table; used in drilling reports.

RTTSTM

RTTS TM n: a trademark. for a retrievable

squeeze tool.
RTU abbr: remote terminal unit.
RUCT abbr: rigging up cable tools; used in
drilling reports.
rugosity n: roughness or irregularity of a
solid surface.
rule of capture n: rule applied by the courts
(especially in states that have adopted nonabsolute ownership views of oil and gas)
that gives title to oil and gas produced from
a tract of land to the party reducing it to
possession. The rule has been modified a
great deal by state regulatory agencies.
Compare offset drilling rule.
run n: the amount of crude oil sold and
transferred to the pipeline by the producer.
runaround n: a platform encircling the top of
the derrick.
run a tank v: to transfer oil from a stock tank
into a pipeline.
run casing v: to lower a string of casing into
the hole. Also called to run pipe.
run in v: to go into the hole with tubing, drill
pipe, and so forth.
runner n: the driven element in a hydraulic
coupling that is connected to the driven
equipment.
running sample n: in tank sampling, a
sample
obtained
by
lowering
an
unstoppered beaker or bottle from the top of
the oil to the level of the bottom of the outlet
connection or swing line and returning it to
the top of the oil at a uniform rate of speed
so that the beaker or bottle is about threequarters full when with- drawn from the oil.
running start-and-stop method n: in meter
proving, the method wherein the opening
and closing meter readings of the test run
are determined at flowing conditions.
standing
start-and-stop
Compare
method.running tools n pi: specialized tools
used to run equipment in a well, such as a
wireline running tool for installing retrievable
gas lift valves. Various tubing-type running
tools are also used.
run pipe v: to lower a string of casing into
the hole. Also called to run casing.
run sheet n: a landman's list and brief
description of all the documents in the
history of ownership of a given tract of land.
Compare takeoff. See chain of title.
run statement n: a monthly summary of run
tickets given by the purchaser or operator of
crude oil, detailing volume gravity, price, and
value of each run ticket.
run ticket n: a record of the oil transferred
from the producer's storage tank to the
pipeline. It is the basic legal instrument by
which the lease operator is paid for oil
produced and sold. Also called delivery
ticket, measurement ticket, receipt ticket.
RUR abbr: rigging up rotary rig; used in
drilling reports.

179

RUR

s sym: second.
S sym: sulfur.
sabkha n: see playa.
sack n: a container for cement, bentonite,
ilmenite. barite. caustic. and so forth. Sacks
(bags) contain the fol1owing amounts:
Cement 94 pounds
(42.6 kilograms)
(1 cubic foot)
Bentonite 100 pounds
(45.5 kilograms)
Ilmenite 100 pounds
Barite
100 pounds
sacrificial anode n: in cathodic protection.
anodes made from metals whose galvanic
potentials render them anodic to steel in an
electrolyte. They are used up. or sacrificed.
saddle n: see pipe saddle.
saddle bearing n: the center bearing on a
conventional walking beam pumping unit. It
is mounted on top of the samson post.
saddle clamp n: see clamp.
SAFE abbr: Safety Award for Excellence
program.
Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) n: a
congressional act that provides for the
protection of underground sources of
drinking water by regulating drinking water
systems and injection wel1s.
Safety Award for Excellence (SAFE)
program n: an MMS safety award program
that recognizes private companies that
protect the human and natural environment
by avoiding accidents and pollution through
adherence to safety and environmental
regulations and guidelines.
safety clamp n: a clamp placed very tightly
around a drill collar that is suspended in the
rotary table by drill collar slips. Should the
slips fail. the clamp is too large to go through
the opening in the rotary table and therefore
prevents the drill collar string from falling into
the hole. Also called drill collar clamp.
safety factor of wire rope n: a
measurement of load safety for wire rope
obtained by using the following formula:
Factor of safety = B/W
whereB = nominal catalog breaking strength of the
wire rope, and
W = calculated total static load.
Also called design factor of wire rope.
safety joint n: an accessory to a fishing tool,
placed above it. If the tool cannot be
disengaged from the fish, the safety joint

permits easy disengagement of the string of

pipe above the safety joint Thus, part of the
safety joint and the tool attached to the fish
remain in the hole and become part of the
fish.

safety latch n: a latch provided on a hook to

prevent an object suspended from the hook
from accidentally slipping or falling out of it.
safety of life at sea (SOLAS) rules n pl:
international maritime rules established to
set minimum safety standards for ships and
mobile offshore drilling units under way or
under tow.
safety margin n: see trip margin.
safety platform n: the monkey-board, or
platform on a derrick or mast on which the
derrick-hand works while wearing a safety
harness (attached to the mast or derrick) to
prevent falling.
safety release n: a device made up in a
tubing string above a packer or other downhole tool that allows a crew on the surface to
remove the tubing string should the packer
or other tool get stuck.
safety relief valve n: see pop valve.
safety shoes n pi: metal-toed shoes or
boots with nonskid, corrosion-resistant soles
worn by oilfield workers to minimize falls and
injury to their feet.
safety slide n: a wire-line device normally
mounted near the monkey-board to afford
the derrick-hand a means of quick exit to the
surface in case of emergency. It is usually
affixed to a wire-line, one end of which is
attached to the derrick or mast and the other
end to the surface. To exit by the safety
slide, the derrick-hand grasps a handle on it
and rides it down to the ground. Also called
a geronimo.
safety valve n: 1. an automatic valve that
opens or closes when an abnormal condition
occurs (e.g., a pressure relief valve on a
180

separator that opens if the pressure exceeds

the set point, or the shutdown valve at the
wellhead that closes if the line pressure
becomes too high or too low). 2. a valve
installed at the top of the drill stem to
prevent flow out of the drill pipe if a kick
occurs during tripping operations.
safety wire n: steel cable attached to the
monkey board and anchored to the ground
at some distance from the rig. It is used by
the derrick-hand to slide clear of danger in
an emergency.
safe working load n: in crane operations,
that portion of a wire rope's nominal strength
that can be applied either to move or sustain
a load without damaging or breaking the
rope. The safe working load of a rope is
accurate only when the rope is new and the
equipment is in good condition. Because
most ropes on an installation quickly
become used. the safe working load of a
rope is also quickly reduced. For this reason,
safe working load is seldom used to denote
wire-rope strength. See nominal strength.
sag bend n: a temporarily unsupported span
of pipe between the stinger and the seabed
in marine pipe laying.
sagging n: the distortion of the hull of a
vessel when the middle is lower than either
end because of excessively heavy or
unbalanced loads. Compare hogging.
sales line n: any line through which oil, gas,
or products flow to a sales point.
sales outlet n: see oil sales outlet.
saline drilling fluid n: see salt mud.
salinity log n: a special nuclear well log that
produces an estimate of the relative
amounts of oil, gas, or salt water in a
formation. This log is electronically adjusted
to reflect gamma ray emissions resulting
from the collision of neutrons with chlorine
atoms in the formations.

SALM

SALM abbr: single anchor leg mooring.

salt n: a compound that is formed (along
with water) by the reaction of an acid with
abase. A common salt (table salt) is sodium
chloride, Naa, derived by combining
hydrochloric acid, Ha, with sodium
hydroxide, NaOH. The result is sodium
chloride and water, H2O. This process is
written chemically as Ha + NaOH ~ NaCI +
H2O. Another salt is calcium sulfate, CaS4,
obtained when sulfuric acid, H2SO4' is
combined with calcium hydroxide, Ca (OH)2'
salt banel n: a 55-gallon (208-litre) drum
modified to salt-saturate the water going into
circulation to prevent the dissolution of
formation salt when building mud volume.
salt-brine cement n: a cementing slurry
whose liquid phase contains sodium
chloride.
salt dome n: a dome that is caused by an
intrusion of rock salt into overlying
sediments. A piercement salt dome is one
that has been pushed up so that it
penetrates the overlying sediments, leaving
them truncated. The formations above the
salt plug are usually arched so that they dip
in all directions away from the center of the
dome, thus frequently forming traps for
petroleum accumulations.

salt mud n: 1. a drilling mud in which the

water has an appreciable amount of salt
(usually sodium or calcium chloride)
dissolved in it. Also called saltwater mud or
saline drilling fluid. 2. a mud with a resistivity
less than or equal to the formation water
resistivity.
salt squeeze n: see plastic deformation.
salt water n: a water that contains a large
quantity of salt, i.e., brine.
saltwater clay n: see anapulgite.
saltwater disposal n: the method and system for the disposal of salt water produced
with crude oil. A typical system is composed
of collection centers (in which salt water
from several wells is gathered), a central
treating plant (in which salt water is
conditioned to remove scale- or corrosionforming sub- stances), and disposal wells (in
which treated salt waste is injected into a
suitable formation).
saltwater flow n: an influx of formation salt
water into the wellbore.
saltwater mud n: see salt mud.

181

sample bailer n: a tool with a sharp pointed

end designed to slice into sand and a hollow
cylinder to trap sand samples. The sample
bailer is slammed into the bottom of the
wellbore with enough impact to force sand
into it.
sample conditioning n: the mixing required
to prepare liquid samples taken from a pipeline or sample loop prior to sample transfer
for analysis.
sample controller n: on a pipeline or loop, a
device for governing the operation of the
sample extracting mechanism in proportion
to either time or flow.
sample extractor n: device for extracting
the sample grabs from the pipeline or from
the sample loop.
sample grab n: the volume of liquid
extracted from the pipe by a single actuation
of the sample extractor. The sum of all grabs
results in a sample.
sample handling n: the extraction,
conditions, transferring, and transporting of a
representative sample from a container to
analytical glassware or centrifuge tubes.
sample log n: a graphic representative
model of the rock formations penetrated by
drilling, prepared by the geologist from
samples and cores.
sample loop n: a relatively small pipe that is
a by-pass from the main pipeline. Liquid in
the pipeline also flows through the loop, from
which the liquid can be sampled.
sample mud n: drilling fluid formulated so
that it will not alter the properties of the
cuttings the fluid carries up the well.
sample proving n: the technique used to
validate an automatic sampling system.
sampler n: a device attached to pipeline to
permit continuous sampling of the oil, gas, or
product flowing in the line.
sample receiver n: receptacle normally
connected to a sampling draw-off connection
or pipeline probe and used to receive the
sample. When disconnected it may be used
as a sample container.
sample rotameter float n: a float moving
vertically within a linearly tapered tube and
exposing a variable area to the flow. Also
called variable area flow meter.
samples n pi: 1. the well cuttings obtained
at designated footage intervals during
drilling. From an examination of these
cuttings, the geologist determines the type of
rock and formations being drilled and
estimates oil and gas content. 2. small
quantities of well fluids obtained for analysis.

sand drum

sampling n: 1. the taking of a representative

sample of fluid from a tank or pipeline to
measure its temperature, specific gravity,
and S&W content. 2. the process of cutting a
core or pieces of core for analysis.
samson post n: 1. the part of the surface
equipment of a standard cable-tool drilling
rig that supports the walking beam. 2. the
member of a rod pumping unit that supports
the walking beam.
sand n: 1. an abrasive material composed of
small quartz grains formed from the
disintegration of preexisting rocks. Sand
consists of particles less than 2 millimetres
(0.078 inches) and greater than 1/16
millimetre (0.062 inches) in diameter. 2.
sandstone.
sand baller n: a device used to remove
sand from the wellbore. It sucks up sand by
creating a partial vacuum and traps the sand
by closing at the bottom.
sand consolidation n: anyone of several
methods by which the loose, unconsolidated
grains of a producing formation are made to
adhere to prevent a well from producing
sand but pemlit it to produce oil and gas.
sand control n: any method by which large
amounts of sand in a sandy formation are
prevented from entering the wellbore. Sand
in the wellbore can cause plugging and premature wear of well equipment. See gravel
pack, sand consolidation, screen liner:
sand cutter n: a device that ejects sand at a
very high velocity to cut casing being
salvaged from a plugged and abandoned
well.
sand content n: the insoluble abrasive
solids contents of a drilling fluid rejected by a
200-mesh screen. Usually expressed as the
percentage bulk volume of sand in a drilling
fluid. This test is an elementary type in that
the retained solids are not necessarily silica
and may not be altogether abrasive. For
additional information concerning the kinds
of solids retained on the 200-mesh screen,
more specific tests would be required. See
mesh.
sand drum n: on the drawworks, a spool for
the sandline.

sanded-up

sanded-up adj: 1. of a well, under restricted

production because of sand accumulation in
the wellbore. 2. impeded or hindered,
especially because of sand accumulation.
sand fill n: a column of sand that has
entered and accumulated in the wellbore.
sandfrac n: method of fracturing subsurface
rock formations by injecting fluid and sand
under
high
pressure
to
increase
permeability. Fractures are kept open by the
grains of sand.
sand lens n: see lens.
sandline n: a wireline used on drilling rigs
and well-servicing rigs to operate a swab or
bailer, to retrieve cores or to run logging
devices. It is usually 0/16 of an inch (14 millimetres) in diameter and several thousand
feet or metres long.
sandline drilI n: a special bit or mill run on a
cable-tool drilling line, a well servicing rig, or
the sandline of a rotary drilling rig to mill out
tools or drill out downhole debris.
sand out v: to plug a well inadvertently with
proppants during formation fracturing.
Sanding out is usually the result of a slowed
fracture-fluid velocity, or screening effect,
which allows the proppants to become
separated from the fluid instead of being
carried away from the wellbore. Also called
screening out.
sand reel n: a metal drum on a drilling rig or
a workover unit around which the sand line
is wound. On a drilling rig, it may be
attached to the drawworks catshaft and may
be used for coring or other wire line
operations. When used on a drilling rig, it is
some- times called a coring reel.
sand screen n: see wire-wrapped screen.
sandstone n: a sedimentary rock composed
of individual mineral grains of rock fragments
between Yl6 and 2 millimeters (0.062 and
0.078 inches) in diameter and cemented
together by silica, calcite, iron oxide, and so
forth. Sandstone is commonly porous and
permeable and therefore a likely type of rock
in which to find a petroleum reservoir. sandthickness map n: a map that shows the
thickness of subsurface sands. See isopach
map.
sand trap n: a steel tank placed under the
shale shaker into which mud falls after
passing through the shale shaker. The
shaker re- moves mainly cuttings from the
mud so solids such as sand and other fine
particles fall with the mud into the sand trap.
Many of the solids fall out of the mud in the
sand trap: those that do not settle out are
removed with other specialized solids control
mud treatment equipment such as
desanders and desilters.
S&W abbr: sediment and water. API
Committee on Petroleum Measurement
prefers this abbreviation to the older
"BS&W:'

182

S&W probe n: a small device inserted in a

pipeline to measure the amount of S& W in
the liquid flowing through the line.
SAPP abbr: sodium acid pyrophosphate.
SARA Title Ill n: Superfund Amendments
and Reauthorization Act of 1986. A series of
regulations promulgated by the EPA for
general industry after the Bhopal disaster in
India, where thousands died as a result of
the release of a toxic cloud from an
insecticide factory. SARA requires oil and
gas operators to (1) appoint an emergency
coordinator, (2) to submit a list or individual
Material Safety Data Sheets for all
hazardous chemicals present at a facility at
or above 10,000 pounds or extremely
hazardous substances at or above 500
pounds or the threshold planning quantity,
(3) to submit an annual inventory of
hazardous
chemicals
or
extremely
hazardous substances reported on die
Material Safety Data Sheets, (4) to notify the
State Emergency Response Commission
(SERC) of the presence of an extremely
hazardous substance at or above the
threshold planning quantity, (5) to report
releases of any hazardous or extremely
hazardous chemical that leaves the
boundaries of the facility at or above the
reporting quantity to the SERC and the Local
Planning Committee.
sat abbr: saturated or saturation; used in
drilling reports.
satellite system n: a system that is located
some distance from a gas plant for which it
performs a function. Examples are
absorbers or compressors, in which gas is
treated or compressed prior to reaching the
plant.
satelite well n: usually a single well drilled
offshore by a mobile offshore drilling unit to
produce hydrocarbons from the outer fringes
of a reservoir that cannot be produced by
primary development wells drilled from a
permanent drilling structure (such as a
platform rig). Sometimes, several satellite
wells will be drilled to exploit marginal
reservoirs and avoid the enormous expense
of erecting a platform.
saturated Btu n: a measure of heating
value for natural gas that is fully saturated
with
water
vapor
under
standard
temperature,
pressure,
and
gravity
conditions. This is typically a laboratory
condition to standardize the amount of water
vapor in the gas at a convenient, albeit
arbitrary, level. This standard of measure
usually has little or nothing to do with the
state in which the gas is actually delivered
for first sales.
saturated Btu at delivery conditions n pI:
the number of Btus contained in a cubic foot
of natural gas fully saturated with water
under actual delivery pressure, temperature,
and gravity conditions.

Saybolt Second Universal

saturated Btu at test conditions n pI: the

number of Btus contained in a cubic foot of
natural gas fully saturated with water at a
specified pressure base and 60F (15.5C).
saturated hydrocarbom n pI: hydrocarbon
compounds, e.g., in natural gas and natural
gas liquids, in which all carbon valence
bonds are filled with hydrogen atoms.
saturated liquid n: liquid that is at its boiling
point or is in equilibrium with a vapor phase
in its containing vessel.
saturated salt mud n: mud that contains the
maximum amount of salt that can be
dissolved.
saturated solution n: a solution that
contains at a given temperature as much of
a solute as it can retain. At 68F (20C) it
takes 126.5 pounds (57.38 kilograms) of salt
to saturate 1 barrel (0.1592 cubic metres) of
fresh water. See supersaturation.
saturated steam n: steam that exists at a
temperature corresponding to its absolute
pressure. It may contain, or be free of, water
particles.
saturated vapor n: vapor at its dew point
saturation n: 1. a state of being filled or
permeated to capacity. Sometimes used to
mean the degree or percentage of saturation
(e.g., the saturation of the pore space in a
formation or the saturation of gas in a liquid,
both in reality meaning the extent of
saturation). 2. the condition of air when it
contains the largest amount of water vapor it
can possibly hold at a given temperature
and pressure.
saturation diving n: diving in which a
diver's tissues are saturated with an inert
gas to a point where no more of the gas can
be absorbed by the body. Once a diver is
saturated, decompression time remains the
same whether he or she stays at the
saturated depth for 24 hours or for several
days. saturation point n: the point at which,
at a certain temperature and pressure, no
more solid material will dissolve in a liquid.
saver sub n: an expendable substitute
device made up in the drill stem to absorb
much of the wear between the frequently
broken joints (such as between the kelly or
top drive and the drill pipe). See kelly saver
sub.
Saybolt Second Universal (SSU) n: a unit
for measuring the viscosity of lighter
petroleum products and lubricating oils. See
Saybolt viscometel:

Saybolt viscometer

Saybolt viscometer n: an instrument used

to measure the viscosity of fluids, consisting
basically of a container with a hole or jet of a
standard size in the bottom. The time
required for the flow of a specific volume of
fluid is recorded in seconds at three
temperatures (IOO.F-37.S.C, 130.F-54.4.C,
and 210.F-9S.9.C). The time measurement
unit is referred to as the Saybolt Second
Universal (SSU).
SBHT abbr: static bottomhole temperature.
SBM abbr: synthetic based mud.
Sc abbr: stratocumulus.
scale n: 1. a mineral deposit (e.g., calcium
carbonate) that precipitates out of water and
adheres to the inside of pipes, heaters, and
other equipment. 2. an ordered set of gauge
marks together with their defining figures,
words, or symbols with relation to which
position of the index is observed when
reading an instrument.

scale base n: the line, actual or implied, that

passes through the midpoints of the shortest
marks on the scale.
scale division n: the interval between any
two successive scale marks of the scale.
scale length n: the linear or curvilinear
length measured along the scale base
between the centers of the terminal scale
marks.
scale mark n: a line or other mark on the
scale of an indicating device corresponding
to one or more defined values of the quantity
measured.
scale numbering n: the set of numbers
marked on a scale that correspond either to
the values of the quantity measured, defined
by the scale marks, or that indicate only the
numerical order of the scale marks.
scale range n: 1. the zone included
between the scale marks that corresponds
to the maximum and minimum values of the
scale. 2. the difference between the
maximum and minimum values of the scale.
scaling tool n: a circular-shaped wire brush
that is attached to a pneumatically,
hydraulically, or electrically openl.ted tool
(such as a grinder) and that is used to
remove rust or scale from pipe or other
oilfield equipment.
scanner chart n: an orifice meter chart with
faint lines, intended to be read, or integrated,
by a scanner machine.
scantlings n pi: (nautical) the dimensions of
the structural members in the hull.
scarp n: an extended cliff or steep slope,
produced by erosion or faulting, that

183

separates two level or gently sloping areas,

i.e., an escarpment.
scavenge v: to remove exhaust gases from
a cylinder by forcing compressed air in and
exhaust gases out. Such removal takes
place in all two-cycle diesel engines.
SCBA abbr: positive-pressure self-contained
breathing apparatus.
scf abbr: standard cubic feet.
scf/d abbr: standard cubic feet per day.
scheduler n: the employee responsible for
establishing pipeline oil movements based
on the coordination of all shipper
requirements.
schist n: a coarse-grained, foliated
metamorphic rock that splits easily into
layers. It is formed when shale under deep
burial becomes slate and then, with more
intense metamorphism, becomes schist.
Schlumberger (pronounced "slumberjay")
n: one of the pioneer companies in electric
well logging, named for the French scientist
who first developed the method. Today,
many companies provide logging services of
all kinds.
scintillation counter n: detects the light
emitted when a gamma ray strikes a
scintillator. Measures gamma rays emitted
by a formation.
scintillation detector n: one of four types of
detectors used since the inception of
radiation logging. It converts tiny flashes of
light produced by gamma rays as they
expend themselves in certain crystals into
electrical pulses. Pulse size depends on the
amount of energy absorbed.
scintillator n: special material, either plastic
or crystalline, that fluoresces when struck by
a gamma ray.
scope n: the ratio of the total length of a
mooring line (as on a mobile offshore drilling
rig) to the depth of the water.
scoping n: the NEPA process of identifying
the scope and significance of important
issues associated with a proposed federal
action and identifying alternatives to that
action through coordination and consultation
with government (federal, state, and local),
the public, and any interested individuals or
organizations.
SCR abbr: silicon-controlled rectifier.
scraper n: any device that is used to
remove deposits (such as scale or paraffin)
from tubing, casing, rods, flow lines, or
pipelines.
scraper trap n: a specially designed piece
of equipment that is installed in a pipeline to
launch or receive a pipeline scraper.
scratcher n: a device that is fastened to the
outside of casing to remove mud cake from
the wall of a hole to condition the hole for
cementing. By rotating or moving the casing
string up and down as it is being run into the
hole, the scratcher, formed of stiff wire,

scrubber oil

removes the cake so that the cement can

bond solidly to the formation.

SCR bridge n: an arrangement of siliconcontrolled rectifiers into a common electrical

bridge circuit.
screen analysis n: determination of the
relative percentages of substances, e.g., the
suspended solids in a drilling fluid that pass
through or are retained on a sequence of
screens of decreasing mesh size. Also
called sieve analysis.
screening effect n: the tendency of proppants to separate from fracture fluid when
the speed, or velocity, of the fluid is low.
screening out n: see sand out.
screen liner n: see wire-wrapped screen.
screen out v: see sand out.
screen pipe n: see wire-wrapped screen.
screw packer n: a packer in which the
packing element is expanded by rotating the
pipe. It is used when it is not desirable to put
tubing weight on the packer.
scrub v: to remove certain constituents of a
gas by passing it through a scrubber in
which the gas is intimately mixed with a
suitable liquid that absorbs or washes out
the constituent to be removed.
scrubber n: 1. a vessel through which fluids
are passed to remove dirt, other foreign
matter, or an undesired component of the
fluid. 2. a vessel with or without internal
devices used to separate en- trained liquids
or solids from gas. It may be used to protect
downstream rotating equipment or to
recover valuable liquids from a gas or vapor
originating upstream. 3. a unit that removes
carbon dioxide from the diver's breathing
medium by chemical absorption.
scrubber oil n: oil that is recovered from a
knockout (scrubber) vessel. Usually
associated with a plant that requires
compression. Gas is scrubbed prior to
compression.

scrubbing

scrubbing n: 1. the purification of gas by

treatment in a water or chemical wash.
Scrubbing also removes the entrained water
in the gas. 2. friction wear.
SCSSV abbr: surface-controlled subsurface
safety valve.
scuba
n:
self-contained
underwater
breathing apparatus.
scud n: seefractus.
S curve n: the configuration of pipe when it
enters the water from a stinger of a lay
barge in pipeline construction. The overbend
is closest to the barge, and the sag bend is
on the seafloor. Compare J cunle. See sag
bend.

sd abbr: sand or sandstone; used in drilling

reports.
SDO abbr: shut down for orders; used in
drilling reports.
SDWA abbr: Safe Drinking Water Act.
sdy abbr: sandy; used in drilling reports.
sea n: a wave that is still in its fetch. i.e.,
under the influence of the fetch's wind.
seabed gas diverter (SBGD) n: special
diverter designed to handle shallow gas
kicks that occur offshore. Unlike a normal
diveIter that the gas from the kick releases
at d1e surface, an SBGD allows the gas to
be released from the wellhead on the
seafloor. Thus, the gas bypasses the rig.
See diverter.
seafloor n: the bottom of the ocean; the
sea- bed.
sea fog n: see advection fog.
seal bore n: a smooth, polished bore in pipe
or in a packer that is designed to provide a
surface against which to make an effective
seal.
seal-bore extension n: a short tube
attached to the packer seal bore that
extends the length of the bore; used where
excessive tubing expansion or contraction is
anticipated.
seal-bore packer n: a packer containing a
seal bore to receive a tubing seal assembly.
Seale strand n: a wire-rope strand design
commonly used as drilling line. It consists of
a single, central wire around which are laid
two additional layers of wire. The inner layer
of wires are all the same diameter but are
smaller in diameter than the central wire.
The outer layer of wires are also all the
same diameter but they are thicker in
diameter than the inner wiles. A typical
Seale strand consists of 19 wires: 1 central
wire, 9 inner wires, and 9 outer wires.

184

Several strands are laid together to make

the wire rope.
sealing agent n: any of various materials,
such as mica flakes or walnut hulls, that cure
lost circulation. See lost circulation. lost
circulation materials.
sealing fault n: a fault that contains material
of low permeability, such as gouge.
seal nipple assembly n: a sealing member
placed in the production tubing that is landed
(placed) inside the packer's seal bore.
seaI-off n: the penetration of a drilling fluid
into a potentially productive formation, thus
restricting or preventing the formation from
producing.
seal pot n: a small chamber in a gas meter
installation that traps water and prevents it
from causing inaccurate measurement.
seal sub n: a smoothly finished steel tube
with rubber or synthetic seal rings run on the
bottom of the tubing string and seated in a
permanent packer in order to make a
pressure seal.
seal unit n: an extension with seals that is
placed in the tubing string and that moves
within a packer bore or a packer-bore
extension.
seamless drill pipe n: drill pipe that is
manufactured in one continuous piece. Most
drill pipe is of seamless construction.
sea smoke n: see steam/ago
sea suctions n pi: valve-controlled pipelines, fitted with pumps, which permit a
vessel to take on seawater for ballasting into
any of the vessel's tanks.
seat n: the point in the wellbore at which the
bottom of the casing is set.
seating nipple n: a special tube installed in
a string of tubing, having matching wireline
tool with locking pawls. It is used to hold a
regulator, choke, or safety valve; to anchor a
pump; or to permit installation of gas lift
valves. Also called a landing nipple.

sea trials n pi: the final testing of a ship or

offshore drilling vessel before it is put to
work.
seawater mud n: a special class of
saltwater muds in which sea water is used
as the fluid phase.
sebkha n: see playa.
sec abbr: section; used in drilling reports.

secondary term

second n: 1. d1e fundamental unit of time in

the metric system. 2. in some countries, the
crew member who relieves the toolpusber,
or rig manager, and is second in command.
secondary cementing n: any cementing
operation after the primary cementing
operation. Secondary cementing includes a
plug-back job, in which a plug of cement is
positioned at a specific point in the well and
allowed to set. Wells are plugged to shut off
bottom water or to reduce the depth of the
well for other reasons.
secondary control panel n: see remote
control panel.
secondary element n: that part of an orifice
meter installation that contains the recording
elements, including the gauge lines, orifice
meter chart, flow recorder, clock, static
spring, etc.
secondary line n: a power line from the
lease distribution point to electrical awaratus
on the lease.
secondary migration n: movement of
hydrocarbons, subsequent to primary
migration, through porous, permeable
reservoir rock, by which oil and gas become
concentrated in one locality.
secondary porosity n: porosity created in a
formation after it has formed, because of
dissolution or stress distortion taking place
naturally, or because of treatment by acid or
injection of coarse sand.
secondary recovery n: 1. the use of
waterflooding or gas injection to maintain
formation
pressure
during
primary
production and to reduce the rate of decline
of the original reservoir drive. 2.
waterflooding of a depleted reservoir. 3. the
first improved recovery method of any type
applied to a reservoir to produce oil not
recoverable by primary recovery methods.
pressure
maintenance,
primary
See
recovery.
secondary sediment n: sediment that does
not show up in an untreated sample of
emulsion but that does appear as additional
water in a sample treated with a slugging
compound. Compare primary sediment.
secondary standard n: a standard die
value of which is fixed by direct or indirect
comparison with a primary standard or by
means of a reference-value standard.
primary
standard.
working
Compare
standard
secondary term n: the term, usually in a
phrase like "so long thereafter as oil or gas
is produced in paying quantities," that
extends a lease beyond its primary term.
Compare primary term.

secondary well control

secondary well control n: the use of

blowout prevention equipment to control a
kick. Compare primary well control.
secondary winding n: the winding of an
induction apparatus, such as a transformer,
in which an emf is induced by the current in
the primary winding.
seconds API n: the time in seconds that it
takes 1 quart of drilling mud to flow out of a
Marsh funnel. It is a measure of the mud's
viscosity. See also Marshfunnel.
section n: 1. a unit of land measurement in
the rectangular survey system. Each 6-mile
(9.7-kilometre) square, or township, is
divided into 36 sections. A section usually is
1 square mile (2,590 square kilometres), or
640 acres (256 hectares). It may be larger or
smaller, depending on its position in the
township. 2. vertically arrayed data.
section milling n: the process by which a
portion of pipe, usually casing, is actually
removed by cutting with a mill.
sed abbr: sediment; used in drilling reports.
sediment n: 1. the matter that settles to the
bottom of a liquid; also called tank bottoms.
2. in geology, buried layers of sedimentary
rocks.
sediment and water (S&W) n: a material
coexisting with, yet foreign to, petroleum
liquid and requiring a separate measurement
for reasons that include sales accounting.
This foreign material includes free water and
sediment (dynamic measurement) and/ or
emulsified or suspended water and sediment
(static measurement). The quantity of
suspended material present is determined
by a centrifuge or laboratory testing of a
sample of petroleum liquid.
sediment and water sample n: a sample
obtained from the bottom of the tank to
determine the amount of non-merchantable
material present.
sedimentary rock n: a rock composed of
materials that were transported to their
present position by wind or water. Sandstone, shale, and limestone are sedimentary
rocks.
sedimentation n: the process of deposition
of layers of clastic particles or minerals that
settle out of water, ice, or other transporting
media.
sediment clientage n: the sediment in oil or
other liquid that tends to adhere, or cling, to
the side of a tank or vessel.
sedimentology n: the science dealing with
the
description,
classification,
and
interpretation of sediments and sedimentary
rock.
seep n: the surface appearance of oil or gas
that results naturally when a reservoir rock
becomes exposed to the surface, thus
allowing oil or gas to flow out of fissures in
the rock.

185

SEG
abbr:
Society
of
Exploration
Geophysicists.
segregation drive n: see gravity drainage.
seis abbr: seismograph; used in drilling
reports.
seismic adj: of or relating to an earthquake
seismograph indicate the general characteror earth vibration, including those artificially
induced.
seismic check-shot survey n: see well
velocity survey.
seismic data n pi: detailed information
obtained from earth vibration produced
naturally or artificially (as in geophysical
prospecting).
seismic method n: a method of geophysical
prospecting using the generation, reflection,
refraction detection, and analysis of sound
waves in the earth.
seismic
option
agreement
n:
an
agreement that permits seismic exploration
of land for a specified price per acre. The
company gathering seismic information can,
by the terms of the agreement, eventually
lease selected acreage, again for an agreedupon price.
seismic profile n: digital recording of the
return to geophones of a shock wave
emitted from the surface.
seismic sea wave n: see tsunami.
seismic section n: see record section.
seismic survey n: an exploration method in
which strong low-frequency sound waves
are generated on the surface or in the water
to find subsurface rock structures that may
contain hydrocarbons. The sound waves
travel through the layers of the earth's crust;
however, at formation boundaries some of
the waves are reflected back to the surface
where sensitive detectors pick them up.
Reflections from shallow formations arrive at
the surface sooner than reflections from
deep formations, and since the reflections
are recorded, a record of the depth and
configuration of the various formations can
be generated. interpretation of the record
can reveal possible hydrocarbon-bearing
formations.

seismic wave n: shock wave generated by

an earthquake or.explosion.
seismograph n: a device that detects
vibrations in the earth. It is used in studying
the earth's interior and in prospecting for
probable oil-bearing structures. Vibrations
are created by discharging explosives in
shallow boreholes, by striking the surface

self-potential curve

with a heavy blow, or by vibrating a heavy

plate in contact with the ground. The type
and velocity of the vibrations as recorded by
the seismograph indicate the general
characteristics of the section of earth
through which the vibrations pass.
seismology n: the study of earth vibrations.
seize v: to bind the end of a wire rope with
fine wire or a metal band to prevent it from
unraveling.
seizing n: a wrapping of wire around the
end of a wire rope, the purpose of which is
to prevent the strands of the wire rope from
unwrapping.
seizing wire n: a wire used to seize the end
of wire rope. See seizing.
seizing strand n: a small-diameter wirerope strand, usually made up of seven wires.
It is used to seize large-diameter wire rope.
See seizing.
selective-set shear n: a feature on some
downhole production tools that allows the
operator to select the setting depth of the
tools.
selective shear v: to set a downhole
production tool by shearing shear screws or
pins that the operator installed before the
tool was run.
selective-tank remote gauge n: a single
receiver used with a remote transmission
system to permit the use of one or more tank
transmitters so that selective liquid level
readings can be obtained by switching from
one tank to another. Compare single-tank
remote gauge.
selective transmission n: once the drawworks receives power from either the
compound or electric motors, the type of
transmission that allows the driller to select
how the power is distributed (torque! speed
combinations) to various components of the
drawworks. The drawworks on both
mechanical-drive and electric-drive rigs have
a selective transmission.
self-actuated sampler n: a sampling device
that is operated by streamflow or stream
pressure.
self-elevating drilling unit n: see jackup
drilling rig.
self-potential (SP) n: see spontaneous
potential.
self-potential curve n: see spontaneous
potential curve.

self-propelled unit

self-propelled unit n: see carrier rig.

seisyn n: a type of electric AC motor used to
transmit motion and position.
semiautomatic welding n: a welding
technique in which the arc is maintained in a
continuous stream of gas between an
electrode and the pipe being welded. The
semi- automatic welding apparatus consists
of a spool of coiled wire that provides filler
metal for the weld, a pair of driving rollers
that guide the wire to the weld, a welding
gun, and a supply of shielding gas. Each
type of semiautomatic welding is usually
identified by the type of shielding gas used;
in CO2 wire welding, for example, carbon
dioxide is the shielding gas.
semiclosed circuit n: a diving life-support
system in which the gas is partially vented
and the remainder is recycled, purified, and
reoxygenated.
semiconductor n: a solid (such as
gennanium or silicon) whose electrical
conductivity lies between that of a conductor
and that of an insulator. Semiconductor
materials are used in the manufacture of
diode rectifiers, transistors, and integrated
circuits.
semidiumal tide n: a tide having twohigh
water levels and two low water levels per
day.
semiexpendable gun n: a perforating gun
that consists of a metallic strip OIl which
encapsulated shaped charges are mounted.
After the gun is fired, the strip is retrieved.
See gun-perforate.
semiliquid n: a substance that is neither
liquid nor solid but that flows slowly as a
liquid.
semisubmersible n: see semisubmersible
drilling rig.
semisubmersible drilling rig n: a floating
offshore drilling unit that has pontoons and
columns that, when flooded. cause the unit
to submerge to a predetermined depth.
Living quarters, storage space, and so forth
are
assembled
on
the
deck.
Semisutxnersible rigs are self-propelled or
towed to a drilling site and anchored or
dynamically positioned over the site, or both.
In shallow water, some semi-submersibles
can be ballasted to rest on the seabed.

186

Semi-submersibles ale more stable than drill

ships and ship-shaped barges and are used
extensively to drill wildcat wells in rough
waters such as the North Sea. Two types of
semi-submersible rigs ale the bottle- type
and the column-stabilized. See floating
offshore drilling rig.
semi-submersible lay vessel n: a type of
pipe-laying vessel with a submerged
pontoon hull and an elevated work area.
Semi-submersible lay vessels remain
relatively steady in high seas and are used
in areas where conditions are expected to
be continually rough.
senior emergency response official n: the
person under HAZWOPER who responds to
an emergency and is the individual in charge
of the ICS. As such. he or she is responsible
for coordinating and controlling all
emergency
responders
and
their
communications.
senior orifice fitting n: a one-piece orifice
fitting that allows the orifice plate in it to be
changed without depressuring the meter run
or shutting off the flow of gas.
sensing element n: the part of a measuring
device that is responsive to the absolute
value or change in a physical quantity, such
as temperature, pressure flow rate, pH, light,
or sound. It converts that change into an
input signal for an information-gathering
system.
separation n: the process of removing gas
from liquid and liquid from gas.
separation sleeve n: a metal sleeve that
shuts off tubing-to-annulus flow if a packer's
sliding sleeve fails. See also sliding sleeve.
separator n: a cylindrical or spherical vessel
used to isolate the components in mixed
streams of fluids. See oil and gas separator.
separator dump n: the discharge from a
separator. such as oil or water.
separator gas n: gas remaining after being
separated from condensate.
sequence control n: automatic process by
which a series of operations are initiated
sequentially when certain requirements have
been met.
sequence restart timer n: a time switch
d1at starts motors in sequence after a power
out- age or shutdown. It prevents excessive
voltage drop, which would occur if several
motors were started simultaneously.
sequestering agent n: a chemical used with
an acid in well treatment to inhibit the
precipitation of insoluble iron hydroxides,
which form when the acid contacts scales or
iron salts and oxides, such as are found in
corrosion products on casing.
sequestration n: the formation of stable
calcium, magnesium, iron compounds by
treating water or mud with phosphates.
SERC abbr: State Emergency Response
Commission.

set point

series circuit n: a circuit that has several

electrical devices connected to form a single
path for the electric current. The current is
the same throughout the circuit; the total
voltage is the sum of the voltages across
each of the elements of the circuit.
series winding n: a winding that is
connected in series with another winding or
device in the same circuit, as in a series
motor. See series circuit.
serpentine n: an igneous rock composed in
part of hydrated magnesium silicate.
Hydrocarbons may be associated with
serpentine, but not usually.
service company n: a company that
provides a specialized service, such as a
well- logging service or a directional drilling
service.
servke factor n: a percentage multiplier of
rated horsepower at which a motor may be
operated without exceeding the temperature
rise limit.
service rig n: see production rig.
service well n: 1. a non producing well used
for injecting liquid or gas into the reservoir
for enhanced recovery. 2. a saltwater
disposal well or a water supply well.
servo-mechanism n: a device consisting of
a sensing element. a power device, and an
amplifier that is used to automatically control
a mechanical device. The power device is
usually called a servomotor.
servomotor n: an electric motor or hydraulic
piston that powers a servo-mechanism.
set n: an ocean current's direction of motion.
v: to harden; for example, when cement
sets, it hardens.
set back v: to place stands of drill pipe and
drill collars in a vertical position to one side
of the rotary table in the derrick or mast of a
drilling or workover rig. Compare lay down
pipe.
set casing v: to run and cement casing at a
certain depth in the wellbore. Sometimes
called set pipe.
set-down tool n: a packer that is set by
applying weight from the tubing string.
set pipe v: see set casing.
set point n: the depth of the bottom of the
casing when it is set in the well.

set point

setting depth n: the depth at which the

bottom of the casing extends in the wellbore
when it is ready to be cemented.
setting tool n: a tool used to set drillable or
permanent tools, such as packers, retainers,
or plugs; it can be mechanical, electric, or
hydraulic.
settled production n: oil and gas
production from longtime fields that produce
at approximately the same rate every day.
settling n: the separation of substances
because of different sizes and specific
gravities of components in the substances.
settling depth n: the depth that sediment
achieves when it settles out of a fluid.
settling pit n: a pit that is dug in the earth
for the purpose of receiving mud returned
from the well and allowing the solids in the
mud to settle out. Steel mud tanks are more
often used today, along with various
auxiliary equipment for controlling solids
quickly and efficiently.
settling tank n: 1. the steel mud tank in
which solid material in mud is allowed to
settle out by gravity. It is used only in special
situations today, for solids control equipment
has superseded such a tank in most cases.
Sometimes called a settling pit. 2. a
cylindrical vessel on a lease into which
produced emulsion is piped and in which
water in the emulsion is allowed to settle out
of the oil.
set up v: to harden (as cement).
Seven Sisters n pi: the six largest
international oil companies: Exxon, Texaco,
Chevron (formerly Standard Oil
of
California), Mobil, British Petroleum, and
Royal Dutch Shell. So called because Gulf
(now a part of Chevron) was included in the
group at one time.
severance n: the separation of a mineral or
royalty interest from other interests in that
land given by grant or reservation.
severance tax n: see production tax.
severed royalty interest n: nonexpense
bearing interest in minerals produced and
saved from a tract owned by someone other
than the surface owner. Owner of severed
royalty interest gets a share of production
from wells, but does not have to share the
costs of production. The interest may be set
up prior or subsequent to the leasing of the
land, granted or reserved for years, for life,
in fee simple defeasible, or in perpetuity.
sewage treatment plant n: a system on
offshore locations used to render human and
other wastes biologically inert before the
wastes are discharged overboard.
SG abbr: show of gas; used in drilling
reports.
SGA abbr: Southern Gas Association.
sh abbr: shale; used in drilling reports.
shackle n: a U- or anchor-shaped fitting with
pin. It is attached to one end of a wire rope

187

and is used to attach the wire rope to other

ropes or devices.
shake out v: to spin a sample of oil at high
speed. usually in a centrifuge. to determine
its S& W content.
shake-out machine n: see centrifuge.
shaker n: shortened form of shale shaker.
See shale shake!:
shaker pit n: see shaker tank.
shaker tank n: the mud tank adjacent to the
shale shaker. usually the first tank into which
mud flows after returning from the hole. Also
called a shaker pit.
shale n: a fine-grained sedimentary rock:
composed mostly of consolidated clay or
mud. Shale is the most frequently occur- ring
sedimentary rock:.
shale oil n: see oil shale.
shale-out n: the termination of a shale bed.
shale shaker n: a vibrating screen used to
remove cuttings from the circulating fluid in
rotary drilling operations. The size of the
openings in the screen should be selected
carefully to be the smallest size possible to
allow 100 percent flow of the fluid. Also
called a shaker.

shale shaker screen n: a special wire mesh

installed in a shale shaker that allows liquid
mud to pass through hit traps die cuttings
and larger solid particles the mud carries
from the hole. Often, more than one screen
is installed in the shale shaker; also, the
screens are usually vibrated to help remove
die cuttings and solids on top of die screen.
shallow gas n: natural gas deposit located
near enough to die surface that a conductor
or surface hole will penetrate the gasbearing formations. Shallow gas is
potentially
dangerous
because,
if
encountered while drilling, the well usually
cannot be shut in to control it Instead, the
flow of gas must be diverted. See diverter.
shaped charge n: a relatively small
container of high explosive that is loaded
into a perforating gun. On detonation, the
charge releases a small, high-velocity
stream of particles (a jet) that penetrates the
casing, cement, and formation. See
perforating gun.
shear n: action or stress that results from
applied forces and that causes or tends to
cause two adjoining portions of a substance
or body to slide relative to each other in a
direction parallel to their plane of contact.
shear bond n: mechanical support of casing
by cement in the borehole. Shear bond is
determined by measuring the force required
to initiate pipe movement and dividing that

set point

figure by the cement-casing contact surface

area.
shear degradation n: the breakdown of
molecules of a substance such as a polymer
when subjected to shear stress. See shear.
shear modulus n: a coefficient of elasticity
that expresses the ratio of the force per unit
area that deforms the substance laterally
and the shear produced by this force.
shearometer n: an instrument used to
measure the shear strength, or gel strength,
of a drilling fluid. See gel strength.
shear pin n: a pin that is inserted at a critical
point in a mechanism and designed to shear
when subjected to excess stress. The shear
pin is usually easy to replace.
shear ram n: the component in a blowout
preventer that cuts. or shears, through drill
pipe and forms a seal against well pressure.
Shear rams are used in floating offshore
drilling operations to provide a quick method
of moving the rig away from the hole when
there is no time to trip the drill stern out of
the hole.

shear ram preventer n: a blowout preventer

that uses shear rams as closing elements.
shear relief valve n: a type of pressure
relief valve in which excess pressure causes
a shearing action on a pin to relieve
pressure. See pressure relief valve.
shear strength n: see gel strength.

shear stress

shear stress n: force applied to a liquid to

cause it to flow.
shear thinning n: viscosity reduction of nonNewtonian fluids (e.g., polymers, most
slurries and suspensions, and lube oils with
viscosity-index improvers) under conditions
of shear stress.
shear wave n: distortional, equivolumnar,
secondary, or transverse wave.
sheave (pronounced "shiv") n: I. a grooved
pulley. 2. support wheel over which tape,
wire, or cable rides.
sheave gauge n: a measuring instrument
used to determine the size of sheaves on a
block. It has sized metal fingers which are
placed inside sheave grooves to calibrate
the grooves.
sheave groove n: an individual groove in a
sheave.
sheer n: the longitudinal curve of a vessel's
deck in a vertical plane. As a result of sheer,
a vessel's deck height above the baseline is
higher (or lower) at the ends than amidships.
sheet ice n: a smooth, thin layer of ice on
the water's surface.
shell n: 1. the body of a tank. 2. the
horizontal tank on a tank car that contains
the liquid being transported. 3. the steel
backing of a precision insert bearing on a bit.
shell full adj: used to describe a tank that is
filled to its shell capacity.
shell height n: the distance between the
bottom of the bottom angle of the tank and
the top of the top angle.
Shepard's cane n: an earth-resistivity meter
used to measure the resistance of soil to the
passage of electrical current.
shepherd's hook n: see chicken hook.
shepherd's stick n: see chicken hook.
shielded-arc welding n: a welding technique
in which the rod coating involves an inert
gas shield that protects the weld from the
rapid oxidation caused by contact with
oxygen in the atmosphere. Shielded-arc
welds are fine grained, free of oxides and
nitrides, and have great ductility and
toughness.
shielded conductor n: single or multiple
conductors surrounded by a flexible metal
shield for the purpose of preventing spurious
signals from being carried.
shielding gas n: an inert gas that is used as
a shielding medium in pipe welding. Its
primary purpose is to prevent oxidation of
the weld at the point of contact with the pipe
metal by excluding oxygen in the air from the
area around the molten metal.
shim n: a thin, often tapered piece of
material used to fill in space between things
(such as for support, leveling, or adjustment
of fit).
ship drift n: a method that uses a ship itself
as an instrument to measure cruuents.

188

Navigation equipment on board measures

the current's effect on the vessel.
ship-shaped barge n: a floating offshore
drilling structure that is towed to and from
the drilling site. The unit has a streamlined
bow and squared-off stern, a drilling derrick
usually located near the middle of the
barge, and a moon pool below the derrick
through which drilling tools pass to the
seafloor. It is identical in appearance to a
drill ship, but is not self-propelled. It must
therefore be towed to the drill site. Shipshaped barges are most often used for
drilling wells in deep, remote waters. See
floating offshore drilling rig.
ship-shaped drilling rig n: drill ship.
shirttail n: the part of a drilling bit on which
the cone is anchored. Shirt-tails extend
below the threaded pin of the bit and are
usually rounded on bottom, thus acquiring
the name.

shock loading n: the sudden application of

force by a moving body on a resisting body
so that a great deal of stress is produced in
the resisting body.
Shock Sub n: a vibration dampener.
shoe n: a device placed at the end of or
beneath an object for various purposes
(e.g., casing shoe, guide shoe).
shoestring sand n: a narrow, often sinuous,
sand deposit, usually a buried sandbar or
filled channel.
shoofly n: a special access road
constructed to link a right-of-way with
existing roads. Shooflies are necessary only
in remote areas.
shoot v: 1. to explode nitroglycerine or other
high explosives in a hole to shatter the rock
and increase the flow of oil; now largely
replaced by formation fracturing. 2. in
seismographic work, to discharge explosives
to create vibrations in the earth's crust. See
seismograph.
shooting rock n: the process of using
explosives to clear rock from a pipeline rightof-way or from the ditch line. Also called
blasting.
shoreface n: that part of the seashore seaward of the low-tide mark that is affected by
wave action.
Shore Protection Act n: a congressional
act that requires ships transporting garbage
and refuse to assure that the garbage and
refuse are properly contained on board so

shoulder

that it will not be lost in the water as a result

of inclement wind or water conditions.
short-coupled installation n: a full-sized ell
or tee upstream and downstream of a meter.
short full-pitch crossover n: angled grooves
on a drum.
short normal curve n: in conventional
electric logging, measures resistivity in the
formation only a short distance from the
borehole. Used for shallow investigation of
the formation.
short-range forecast n: a weather forecast
covering 48 hours or less.
short string n: in a dual well, the tubing
string for the shallower zone.
shortwave radiation n: radiation that is
visible as light.
short way n: the displacing of wellbore
fluids from the annulus up the tubing.
Compare long way.
shot n: 1. a charge of high explosive,
usually nitroglycerine, detonated in a well to
shatter the formation and expedite the
recovery of oil. Shooting has been almost
completely replaced by formation fracturing
and acid treatments. 2. a point at which a
photograph is made in a single-shot survey.
See directional survey.
shot blasting n: the use of steel shot (ball
bearings) in the drilling mud to hit the bottom
of the hole as the shot leaves the bit jet with
the mud, Experiments have shown that the
rate of penetration is improved in some
circumstances, but difficulties with handling
the shot in the mud system have precluded
wide use.
shot-bole drilling n: the drilling of relatively
small holes into the earth, the purpose of
which is to provide a means for lowering an
explosive shot in order to create shock
waves for seismic analysis.
shoulder n: 1. the flat portion machined on
the base of the bit shank that meets the
shoulder of the drill collar and serves to form
a pressure-tight seal between the bit and the
drill collar. 2. the flat portion of the box end
of the pin end of a tool joint; the two
shoulders meet when the tool joint is
connected and form a pressure-tight seal.

show

show n: the appearance of oil or gas in

cuttings. samples, or cores from a drilling
well.
shrinkage n: 1. a decrease in oil volume
caused by evaporation of solution gas or by
lowered temperature. 2. the suction in
volume or heating value of a gas stream due
to removal of some of its constituents. 3. the
unaccounted loss of products from storage
tanks.
shrink-on tool joint n: a tool joint made to
fit the pipe by the process of shrinking on.
that is. by heating the outer member to
expand the bore for easy assembly and then
cooling it so that it contracts around the
inner member.
shrouded jet nozzle n: a special type of jet
nozzle that is manufactured with a projection
(the shroud), which serves to minimize the
erosion of the nozzle by the high-velocity jet
of drilling fluid being forced through it.
shunt n: a conductor joining two points in an
electrical circuit to form a parallel or
alternative path through which a portion of
the current may pass.
shunt winding n: a winding that is
connected in parallel with another winding or
device in the same circuit. as in a shuntwound DC motor. See parallel circuit.
shut down v: to stop work temporarily or to
stop a machine or operation.
shutdown rate n: a rate provision that is
usually contained in a drilling contract and
that specifies the compensation to the
independent drilling contractor when drilling
is suspended at the request of d1e operator.
shutdown system n: on an engine, a series
of devices that sense an abnormality in the
engine's operation and automatically shut off
the fuel and air supply to the engine to make
it stop running.
shut in v: I. to close the valves on a well so
that it stops producing. 2. to close in a well in
which a kick has occurred.
shut-in adj: shut off to prevent flow. Said of
a well, plant. pump. and so forth, when
valves are closed at both inlet and outlet.
shut-in bottomhole pressure (SIBHP) n:
the pressure at the bottom of a well when
the surface valves on the well are
completely closed. It is caused by formation
fluids at the bottom of the well.
shut-in bottomhole pressure test n: a
bottomhole pressure test that measures
pressure after the well has been shut in for a
specified period of time. See bottomhole
pressure test.
shut-in casing pressure (SICP) n: pressure
of the annular fluid on the casing at the
surface when a well is shut in.
shut-in drill pipe pressure (SIDPP) n:
pressure of the drilling fluid on the inside of
the drill stem. It is used to measure the
difference between hydrostatic pressure and

189

formation pressure when a well is shut in

after a kick and the mud pump is off and to
calculate the required mud-weight increase
to kill the well.
shut-in gas n: potential natural gas
production curtailed because of state
conservation
orders
(prorationing),
unfavorable economics, lack of buyers at
existing prices, failure of committed buyers
to take gas, or other reasons.
shut-in period n: an interval during which a
well is shut in to allow pressure buildup while
pressure behavior is being measured during
a formation test.
shut-in pressure (SIP) n: the pressure
when the well is completely shut in, as noted
on a gauge installed on the surface control
valves. When drilling is in progress, shut- in
pressure should be zero, because the
pressure exerted by the drilling fluid should
be equal to or greater than the pressure
exerted by the formations through which the
wellbore passes. On a flowing, producing
well, however, shut-in pressure should be
above zero.
shut-in royalty n: payment to royalty
owners in lieu of production, rentals, or other
consideration on a shut-in gas well that is
capable of producing but does not have a
market.
shut-in royalty clause n: clause in a lease
specifying the payments that must be made
on a gas well capable of producing but shut
in for lack of a market or pending connection
with a pipeline.
shut-in well n: usually, a gas well shut in for
lack of a market or pending connection with
a pipeline.
shut off v: to stop or decrease the
production of water in an oil well by
cementing or mudding off the waterproducing interval.
shutoff valve n: a device installed in a line,
which, when closed, stops flow in the line
and, when open, allows flow.
shuttle vessel n: a tank ship capable of
navigating shallow ports, usually 30,00070,000 dead weight tons (27,216-63,504
dead weight tonnes). It shuttles between
anchored large vessels and port.
SI abbr: 1. shut in; used in drilling reports. 2.
Systeme International. See international
system of units.
SIBHP abbr: shut-in bottomhole pressure;
used in drilling reports.
SIC abbr: standard industrial classification.
SICP abbr: shut-in casing pressure.
side-door elevators n: elevators arranged
so that they are latched and unlatched from
the side instead of in the middle. Compare
center-latch elevators.
side-door mandrel n: see gas lift mandrel.
side pocket n: an offset heavy-wall sub in
the production string for placing gas lift
valves, and so on.

sieve analysis

side-pocket mandrel n: see gas lift

mandrel. side tap n: the joining of another
pipe to the main body of a pipeline.
sidetrack v: to use a whipstock, turbodrill, or
other mud motor to drill around broken drill
pipe or casing that has become lodged
permanently in the hole.
side tracking bit n: a bit especially
designed for use in drilling a hole around an
obstruction in the main borehole. Usually, a
cement plug is set on top of the obstruction,
the side tracking bit is run into the hole on a
whipstock or other directional drilling device,
and the new borehole begun. Because the
new borehole goes off to the side of the
plugged borehole, the operation is called
side tracking.
sidewall coring n: a coring technique in
which core samples are obtained from the
hole wall in a zone that has already been
drilled. A hollow bullet is fired into the
formation wall to capture the core and then
retrieved on a flexible steel cable. Core
samples of this type usually range from 1 to
13/16 inches (20 to 30 millimetres) in
diameter and from 1 to 4 inches (20 to 100
millimetres) in length. This method is
especially useful in soft-rock areas.
sidewall epithermal neutron log n: a
device in which a neutron source and a
detector are in a pad using the same
hardware as the density log. The pad is
pushed against the side of the borehole wall.
The log measures porosity.
sidewall neutron porosity logging tool n:
a logging device that is held firmly against
the wall of the hole and that measures the
porosity of a formation.
sidewinder unit n: a type of wireline unit in
which power is transferred by means of a
pulley and a belt from the left rear wheel of
the wireline truck to the spool of wire that is
pulled from the left side of the truck. The
spool is used to run the wireline down- hole
and bring it back up again.
SIDPP abbr: shut-in drill pipe pressure; used
in drilling reports.
sieve analysis n: the determination of the
percentage of particles that pass through
several screens of graduated fineness.

sieve tray

sieve tray n: a tray, installed in an absorber

tower or fractionating column, that is similar
to a bubble-cap tray, except that it has only
holes but no bubble caps through it. This
type of tray is more efficient than the bubblecap tray or the valve tray and less expensive
than either; however, it does not operate
properly over a wide range of flow rates.
sight draft n: a draft or order for payment
that must be picked up on the day that it
arrives at the drawer's bank. For example, if
a lessee pays a lessor a cash bonus by
means of a sight draft, the lessee must pick
up that draft on the same day that it arrives
at his or her bank from the lessor's bank.
signal n: information about a variable that
can be transmitted.
signal-to-noise ratio n: the ratio of the
magnitude of the electrical signal to that of
the electrical noise.
significant harm n: a classification of larger
spills released into navigable waters that can
cause substantial environmental damage.
significant wave n: a statistical wave that
has a height equal to the average of the
highest one-third of the waves in a particular
area.
silica n: a mineral that has the chemical
formula SiO2 (silicon dioxide). It is relatively
hard and insoluble. Quartz is a form of silica,
but usually contains impurities that give it
color.
silica flour n: a silica (SiO2) ground to a
fineness equal to that of portland cement.
silica gel n: highly adsorbent, gelatinous
form of silica used chiefly as a dehumidifying
and dehydrating agent.
silicate n: crystalline compound composed
largely of silicon in chemical combination
with aluminum, magnesium, oxygen, and
other common elements.
siliceous adj: containing abundant silica, or
silicon dioxide (SiO2).
silicon-controlled rectifier n: a device that
changes alternating current to direct current by means of a silicon control gate.
Commonly called SCR or Thyristor.
silicon tetrafluoride n: a gas that can be
readily absorbed by water and that is used
to seal off water-bearing formations in air
drilling.
silt n: a material that exhibits little or no
swelling and whose particle size ranges from
2 to 74 microns. Dispersed clays and barite
fall into this particle-size range.
siltstone n: a fine-grained, shale like
sedimentary rock composed mostly of
particles 1/16 to 1/256 millimeter (1.6 inch to
.10 inch) in diameter.
simplex fitting n: modified version of
flanged fitting. Flange bolts are replaced with
a single chamber that holds the plate.
simultaneous filing n: a noncompetitive
procedure-basically a drawing-used to grant

190

oil and gas leases on federal lands that have

not been leased before.
sine wave n: a graphic mathematical
representation of the wave form of
alternating current or voltage.
single n: a joint of drill pipe. Compare
double. fourble. thribble.
single-acting adj: the action of a mud pump
piston cylinder moving mud only on its
forward stroke. Compare double-acting.
single anchor leg mooring (SALM) n: a
type of offshore mooring in which the facility
is anchored by a single gravity anchor or by
piled anchors; usually does not include a
storage facility.
single-chamber fitting n: in an orifice meter
installation, a mechanism for holding the
orifice plate in the pipeline. In a singlechamber fitting, the gas flow must be
stopped and the meter tube depressured
before the orifice plate can be removed.
Compare dual-chamber fitting.
singie-chamber fitting with gearing n: in
an orifice meter installation, a type of singlechamber fitting that has a lever and gears
that can be used to roll the orifice plate up
and out of the fitting.
single-grip adj: said of packers with only
one set of slips for supporting weight and
pressure from above.
single-layer strand n: a wire rope strand
that is made up of one layer of wires laid
around one center wire.
single-part sling n: a sling that consists of
one wire rope in the sling body.
single-phase flow n: the flow of only one
material-a gas or a liquid-in a pipeline.
single-phase injection well n: an injection
well in which only one fluid is being injected.
single-plane roger assembly n: in a kelly
bushing, a single set of roller assemblies
that are installed in the bushing at the same
level, or plane. Compare double-plane roller
assembly. See also kelly bushing, roller
assembly.
single-point buoy mooring system n: an
offshore system to which the production
from several wells located on the seafloor is
routed and to which a tanker ship ties up to
load the produced oil. The tanker is moored
to a single point on the buoy and is thus free
to rotate around it, depending on wind and
current directions.

SIP

single-pole rig n: a well-servicing unit

whose mast consists of but one steel tube,
usually about 65 feet (19.8 metres) long.
single-shot survey n: a directional survey
that provides a single record of the drift
direction and off-vertical orientation of the
hole. See directional survey.
single-string dual completion n: 1. a
method of well completion in which two pay
zones are produced by directing fluids from
one zone through a tubing string and from
the other zone through the annulus. 2. the
tool assembly used to complete a well by
this method.
single-tank composite sample n: a blend
of liquid samples taken from the upper,
middle, and lower sections of a tank. For a
tank of uniform cross section, such as an
upright cylindrical tank, the blend consists of
equal parts of the three samples. For a
horizontal cylindrical tank, the blend consists
of the three samples in the proportions
shown in table 2, MPMS, ch. 8.1.
single-tank remote gauge n: a remote
transmission system for determining liquid
level in tanks that require a separate
receiver for each tank transmitter. Compare
selective-tank remote gauge.
sinker bar n: a heavy weight or bar placed
on or near a lightweight wireline tool. The
bar provides weight so that the tool will lower
properly into the well.
sinking fund n: a fund to retire a debt,
usually a bond issue.
sinter v: to bond metallic powder into a
mass by heating it. Tungsten carbide inserts
are often bonded to the cones of button bits
by sintering when the bits are being
manufactured.
SIP abbr: shut-in pressure; used in drilling
reports.

siphon

siphon n: an inverted U-shaped tube or pipe

through which a liquid flows from a high level
to a lower level at atmospheric pressure. For
a siphon to work, it must be filled with liquid,
thus reducing pressure inside the tube and
allowing atmospheric pressure to force liquid
to the lower level.
SIT camera n: silicon-intensified light
camera used by divers for underwater
photography.
skid n: a low platform mounted on the
bottom of equipment for ease of moving,
hauling, or storing.
skid shoe n: a hard metal pad mounted on
a borehole contact logging tool that contacts
the well bore and prevents wear to the rest
of the tool.
skid the rig v: to move a rig with a standard
derrick from the location of a lost or
completed hole preparatory to starting a new
hole. Skidding the rig allows the move to be
accomplished with little or no dismantling of
equipment.
skimmer n: a special tank into which water
with small quantities of oil is piped. When
the oil rises to the top, blades on a skimmer
direct the oil into a discharge line.
skimmer tank n: a piece of equipment in a
glycol dehydration unit that performs the
same function as a separator; however, it
cannot handle as much gas and condensate
as a separate unit. See separator.
skim pit n: an earthen pit. often lined with
concrete or other material, into which water
with small amounts of oil is pumped. The
minute quantities of oil are skimmed off the
top of the water in the pit. and the water is
disposed of.
skin n: 1. the area of the formation that is
damaged because of the invasion of foreign
substances into the exposed section of the
formation adjacent to the wellbore during
drilling and completion. 2. the pressure drop
from the outer limits of drainage to the
wellbore caused by the relatively thin veneer
(or skin) of the affected formation. Skin is
expressed in dimensionless units: a positive
value denotes formation damage; a negative
value indicates improvement. Also called
skin effect.
skin damage n: see formation damage. skin
effect n: see skin.
sky-top mast n: a mast on a well servicing
unit that utilizes a split traveling block and
crown block, which makes it possible to pull
6O-foot (18.3-metre) stands with a 50-foot
(15.2-metre) mast.
slack looping n: in pipeline construction,
the process of putting slack in a pipeline to
counter the effects of contraction and
expansion caused by extreme variations in
daily temperature. Instead of laying the pipe
in a straight line down the center of a ditch, it
is laid so that it alternately touches one side

191

of the ditch or the other, thereby pro- viding

a curve or slack in the line.
slack off v: to lower a load or ease up on a
line. A driller will slack off on the brake to put
additional weight on the bit.
slag n: cinder.
slaked lime n: see hydrated lime.
slant-hole rig n: a drilling rig used to drill
directional wells. See directional drilling.
slate n: a metamorphic rock formed when
shale becomes buried deeply. The heat and
pressure fuse individual mineral grains into
slate.
sleeve n: a tubular part designed to fit over
another part.
sleeve valve n: a valve in the bottom of a
retainer.
slick n: oil that floats on the water's surface.
slick boring n: in pipeline construction, a
boring technique sometimes used for road
crossings in which a large amount of liquid is
pumped into the hole outside of the pipe to
reduce friction.
slick drill collar n: a drill collar whose outer
wall is smooth-that is, it does not have a
spiral groove machined into it.
slick line n: see wireline.
slide-and-guide n: a special saddle, or
cradle, that holds pipe on a vertical support
member in the lowering-up type of pipe
laying.
The
slide-and-guide
allows
longitudinal movement of the pipe caused by
d1ermal expansion and contraction. See
lowering-up.
sliding scale royalty n: a royalty paid when
the percentage varies with the volume of
production.
sliding sleeve n: a 1. special device placed
in a string of tubing that can be operated by
a wireline tool to open or close orifices to
permit circulation between the tubing and
the annulus. It may also be used to open or
shut off production from various intervals in
a well. Also called circulation sleeve, slidingsleeve nipple. 2. a device in a packer that
prevents fluid from flowing from the tubing
into the annulus.
sliding-sleeve nipple n: see sliding sleeve.
slim-hole drilling n: drilling in which the
size of the hole is smaller than the
conventional hole diameter for a given
depth. This decrease in hole size enables
the operator to run smaller casing, thereby
lessening the cost of completion. See
miniaturized completion.
sling n: I. in pipeline operations, a wide
rubber and fabric apron-like device on the
end of the boom cat's hoisting lines that is
used for lowering in or handling coated and
wrapped pipe. 2. in crane operations, a
braided wire-rope device used to attach a
load to the crane's hook. Often, several
slings are used.
slinger disk lubrication n: in a chain-andsprocket drive, a type of oil bath lubrication

slip joint

in which the chain itself does not pass

through the sump, but one or two disks
rotating with the sprocket pick up oil from the
sump and sling it against a plate, which then
feeds it to the top of the lower span.
drip
lubrication,
pressure
Compare
lubrication.
sling psychrometer n: a hygrometer, or
psychrometer, attached to a handle and
chain cord, which is whirled rapidly through
the air. It also has two thermometers. The
bulb of one is kept wet so that the cooling
that results from evaporation as the
thermometers are whirled makes it register a
lower temperature than the dry one. The
difference between the dry and wet readings
is a measure of the relative humidity of the
atmosphere. See psychrometer.
slip n: in an electric motor, the difference
between the optimal and the actual output of
the motor. v: to change the position of the
drilling line periodically so that it wears
evenly as it is used.
slip-and-cutoff program n: a procedure to
ensure that the drilling line wears evenly
throughout its life. After a specified number
of ton-miles (mega joules) of use, the line is
slipped-i.e., the traveling block is suspended
in the derrick or propped on the rig floor so
that it cannot move, the dead- line anchor
bolts are loosened, and the drilling line is
spooled onto the drawworks drum. Enough
line is slipped to change the major points of
wear on the line, such as where it passes
through the sheaves. To pre- vent excess
line from accumulating on the drawworks
drum, the worn line is cut off and discarded.
slip bowl n: a device in a rotary table or
other tool into which tubing or drill pipe slips
can be inserted. See also slips.
slip elevator n: a casing elevator containing
segmented slips with gripping teeth inside.
Slip elevators are recommended for long
strings of casing, because the teeth grip the
casing and help prevent casing damage
from the weight of long, heavy strings
hanging from the elevators. Slip elevators
may also be used as slips.
slip joint n: see telescoping joint.

slippage

slippage n: liquid that slips between the

blade or lobed impeller of a displacement
meter and the meter housing instead of
being captured between the two blades or
impellers and being measured.
slipping and cutoff' program n: procedure
for a given rig in which drilling line is slipped
through the system at such a rate that it is
evenly worn, then cut off at the drum end
just as it reaches the end of its useful life.
slip plane n: closely spaced surfaces along
which differential movement takes place in
rock. Analogous to surfaces between playing
cards.
slip ring n: a conducting ring that gives
current to or receives current from the
brushes in a generator or motor.
slips n pi: wedge-shaped pieces of metal
with serrated inserts (dies) or other gripping
elements, such as serrated buttons, that
suspend the drill pipe or drill collars in the
master bushing of the rotary table when it is
necessary to disconnect die drill stem from
the kelly or from the top.drive unit's drive
shaft. Rotary slips fit around the drill pipe
and wedge against the master OOshing to
support the pipe. Drill collar slips fit around a
drill collar and wedge against the master
bushing to support the drill collar. Power
slips are pneumatically or hydraulically
actuated devices that allow the crew to
dispense with the manual handling of slips
when making a connection.

slip segment n: a single part of all the parts,

or segments, that make up the slips. See
also slips.
slip speed n: see slip.
slip test n: a procedure to determine
whether the slips' inserts (dies) are
unifOrn1ly contacting the wall of the drill
pipe. Paper is wrapped around the pipe and
the slips are set. The paper is then
unwrapped from die pipe and the pattern the
slips made on the paper is examined. If
uniform contact is not shown, the slips'
inserts are replaced or the insert bowl is
repaired or replaced.
slip velocity n: 1. the rate at which drilled
solids tend to settle in the borehole as a well
is being drilled. 2. difference between the
annular velocity of the fluid and the rate at
which a cutting is removed from the hole.
slop n: a term rather loosely used to denote
mixtures of oil produced at various places in

192

a plant and requiring rerun or other

processing to make it suitable for use. Also
called slop oil.
slop oil n: see slop.
slops n pi: oil that has been washed from
the tanks of a vessel and is pumped to a
special tank where most of the water will be
permitted to separate for decanting.
slotted liner n: a relatively short length of
pipe with holes or slots that is placed
opposite a producing formation. Usually, it is
wrapped with specially shaped wire that is
designed to prevent the entry of loose sand
into the well as it is produced. It is also often used with a gravel pack.
sloughing (pronounced "sluffing") n: see
caving.
sloughing hole n: a condition wherein shale
that has absorbed water from the drilling
fluid expands, sloughs off, and falls downhole. A sloughing hole can jam the drill string
and block circulation.
slow-release
inhibitor
n:
corrosionpreventive substance that is released into
production fluids at a slow rate.
slow-set cement n: a manufactured cement
in which the thickening time is extended by
the use of a coarser grind, the elimination of
the rapid hydrating components in its
composition, and the addition of a chemil
retarder. API classes N, D, E, and F are
slow-set cements.
sludge n: 1. a tarlike substance that is
formed when oil oxidizes. 2. a highly viscous
mixture of oil, water, sediment, and residue.
slug n: a quantity of fluid injected into a
reservoir to accomplish a specific purpose,
such as chemical displacement of oil.
slugging n: the accumulation of a liquid
(water, oil, or condensate) in a gas line.
slugging compound n: a special chemical
demulsifier that is often added to emulsion
samples to determine the total amount of
sediment and water in the samples. Also
called knockout drops.
slug tank n: a relatively small separate tank
or a small part of a larger tank that holds a
small amount of mud for a special purpose.
For example, it may hold a small quantity of
heavy mud that will be used to slug the drill
string. That is, the slug will be pumped into
the string to keep mud from falling onto the
rig floor when a drill pipe joint is broken out
during a trip.
slug the pipe v: to pump a quantity of heavy
mud into the drill pipe. Before hoisting drill
pipe, it is desirable (if possible) to pump into
its top section a quantity of heavy mud (a
slug) that causes the level of the fluid to
remain below the rig floor so that the crew
members and the rig floor are not
contaminated with the fluid when stands are
broken out.
slurry n: 1. in drilling, a plastic mixture of
cement and water that is pumped into a well

snub

to harden. There it supports the casing and

provides a seal in the wellbore to prevent
migration of underground fluids. 2. a mixture
in which solids are suspended in a liquid.
slurry viscosity n: the consistency of a
slurry, measured in poise.
slurry volume n: the sum of the absolute
volumes of solids and liquids that constitute
a slurry.
slurry weight n: the density of a cement
slurry, expressed in pounds per gallon,
pounds per cubic foot, kilograms per litre,
and so on.
slurry yield n: the volume of slurry obtained
when one sack of cement is mixed with the
desired amount of water and additives (such
as with accelerators and fluid- loss control
agents).
slush pit n: the old term for a mud pit. See
mud pit.
slush pump n: see mud pump.
small tank n: a crude oil storage tank with a
1,000-barrel (159,000-liue) or less capacity.
small-volume prover n: a prover with a
volume between detectors that does not
permit a minimum accumulation of 1,000
direct (unaltered) pulses from the meter.
Small-volume provers require meter pulse
discrimination by pulse interpolation counter
or other techniques to increase the
resolution.
smart pig n: see instrumented pig.
snake n: see swivel-connector grip.
snake grip n: see swivel-stringing grip.
snatch block n: I. a block that can be
opened to receive wire rope or wireline. 2. a
block that is suited for a single sheave and is
used for pulling horizontally on an A-frame
mast.
SNG abbr: synthetic or substitute natural
gas.
sniffer n: see explosimeter.
snipe n: see cheater.
snub v: 1. to force pipe or tools into a highpressure well that has not been killed (i.e., to
run pipe or tools into the well against
pressure when the weight of pipe is not
great enough to force the pipe through the
BOPs).

snubber

Snubbing usually requires an array of

wireline blocks and wire rope that forces the
pipe or tools into the well through a stripper
head or blowout preventer until the weight of
the string is sufficient to overcome the lifting
effect of the well pressure on the pipe in the
preventer. In workover opera- tions,
snubbing is usually accomplished by using
hydraulic power to force the pipe through the
stripping head or blowout preventer. 2. to tie
up short with a line.
snubber n: 1. a device that mechanically or
hydraulically forces pipe or tools into the well
against pressure. 2. a device within some
hooks that acts as a shock absorber in
eliminating the bouncing action of pipe as it
is picked up.
snubbing n: the process of lowering pipe
into the wellbore when the well is shut in on
a kick and when the pipe's weight is not
sufficient to overcome the force of well
pressure.
snubbing unit n: either a stand-alone
device or a rig-assist device that is used to
force pipe into the well when the well is shut
in on a kick. When the pipe's weight is not
sufficient to overcome the upward force of
well pressure, a snubbing unit must be used.
Compare stripping in.
snub line n: a strong wire rope attached to
the end of the tongs and to one leg of the

derrick to keep the tongs from turning too far

when they are being used to make up, break
out, or back up drill pipe or drill collars.
snuffer n: a tank safety device that seals the
vapor vent manually and prevents vapor
from escaping into a fire, thus snuffing out
the flame.
SO abbr: show of oil; used in drilling reports.
SO2 form: sulfur dioxide.
soak phase n: in cyclic steam injection, the
period between the steam injection phase
and the production phase.
soap n: the sodium or potassium salt of a
high-molecular-weight fatty acid. Commonly
used in drilling fluids to improve lubrication,
emulsification, sample size, and defoaming.

193

Society of Exploration Geophysicists

(SEG) n: official publications are Geophysics and The Leading Edge of Exploration.
Address: Box 702740; 1\11sa, OK 74170;
(918) 493-3516.
sodium vapor lamp n: a high-intensity
discharge lamp in which the gas is a mixture
of sodium and mercury. It starts with the
arcing of xenon gas between the main
electrodes and gives off a yellow-orange
color.
Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) n:
organization
of
registered
petroleum
engineers. Its official publications are
Journal of Petroleum Technology, SPE
Drilling Engineering, SPE Production
Engineering, SPE Formation Evaluation, and
SPE Reservoir Engineering. Address: Box
833836; Richardson, TX 75083-3836; (972)
952- 9393; fax (972) 952-9435.
socket n: 1. a hollow object or open device
that fits or holds an object. 2. any of several
fishing tools used to grip the outside of a lost
tool or a joint of pipe. 3. in crane operations,
a device on one end of a wire rope into
which the wire rope is inserted and firmly
attached.
socket basket n: the conical portion of a
socket into which a wire rope end is inserted
and secured. See socket.
sock filter n: a cylindrical-shaped filter
made of cloth that fits inside a special holder
in the line conducting the liquid to be filtered.
Often used in glycol dehydration systems to
filter glycol.
soda ash n: see sodium carbonate.
sodium (Na) n: one of the alkali metal
elements with a valence of 1, an atomic
number of about 23. Numerous sodium
compounds are used as additives to drilling
fluids.
sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP) n: a
thinner used in combination with barite,
caustic soda, and fresh water to form a plug
and seal off a zone of lost circulation.
sodium bicarbonate n: the half-neutralized
sodium salt of carbonic acid, NaHCO2, used
extensively
for
treating
cement
contamination and occasionally other
calcium contamination in drilling fluids.
sodium bichromate n: Na2Cr2O7. Also
called sodium dichromate. See chroma/e.
sodium carbonate n: Na2CO3, used
extensively for treating various types of
calcium contamination. Also called soda
ash.
sodium carboxymethyl cellulose n: see
carboxymethyl cellulose.
sodium chloride n: common table salt,
NaCl. It is sometimes used in cement
slurries as an accelerator or a retarder,
depending on the concentration.
sodium chromate n: Na2CrO4. See
chromate.

solid desiccant dehydration system

sodium hydroxide n: see caustic soda.

sodium polyacrylate n: a synthetic highmolecular-weight polymer of acrylonitrile
used primarily as a fluid loss-control agent.
sodium silicate muds n pi: special class of
inhibited chemical muds using as their bases
sodium silicate, salt. water. and clay.
soft crossover system n: a pattern of drum
spooling in which the wore rope travels in a
two-step grooving pattern but has flat or
level areas for crossing over to act as shock
absorbers for the rope and to reduce the rise
or hump produced in all multiwrapping of
wire rope.
soft line n: a fibre rope.

soft shut-in n: in well-control operations,

closing the BOPs with the choke and HCR,
or fail-safe, valves open. Compare hard
shut-in.
soft water n: water that is free of calcium or
magnesium salts. Compare hard water.
SO&G abbr: show of oil and gas; used in
drilling reports.
soil stress n: the uneven penetration of
pipe-line coatings due to changes in soil
volume and moisture along the pipeline bed.
sol n: a colloidal solution. See also colloid.
solar cell n: a device made up of silicon and
silicon crystals to convert sunlight directly
and efficiently into useful amounts of
electricity. Also called a sun battery.
solar radiation n: the electromagnetic
radiation emitted by the sun.
solar tide n: that portion of a tide that is due
to the gravitational attraction of the sun on
the earth.
SOLAS rules n pi: see safety of life at sea
rules.
solenoid n: a cylindrical coil of wire that
resembles a bar magnet when it carries a
current so that it draws a movable core into
the coil when the current flows.
solid n: one of the three physical states of
matter. A solid is somewhat rigid and
bounds itself internally in all dimensions;
therefore, it does not require a container to
retain its shape.
solid-body kelly bushing n: a kelly bushing
that i.. cast in a single piece. Compare splitbody kelly bushing. See also kelly bushing.
solid desiccant dehydration system n:
see dry-bed dehydratol:

solid master bushing

solid master bushing n: a master bushing

made in one piece. Usually, solid master
bushings have split insert bowls. Compare
hinged master bushing, split master bushing.
See also insert bowl, master bushing.
solids concentration n: total amount of
solids in a drilling fluid as determined by
distillation. Includes both the dissolved and
the suspended or undissolved solids.
solid solution n: a homogeneous crystalline structure in which one or more types of
atoms or molecules may be partly
substituted for the original atoms or
molecules without changing the structure.
solids removal equipment n: the devices
installed in the mud circulating system that
remove such solids as sand, silt, and other
particles that may be in the drilling mud.
solid waste n: a US government term for
waste that is in solid, liquid, semisolid, or
contained gaseous form. A solid waste can
be anything that is discarded or may be
discarded.
solid wireIine n: a special wireline made of
brittle but very strong steel, usually 0.066 to
0.092 inches (0.17 to 0.23 centimetres) in
diameter (as opposed to stranded wirelines,
which may be <Ii inch--O.47 centimetre- or
larger). Solid, or slick, wirelines are used in
depth measurements and in ruing special
devices into a well under pressure.
solubility n: the degree to which a
substance will dissolve in a particular
solvent.
solute n: a substance that is dissolved in
another (the solvent).
solution n: a single, homogeneous liquid,
solid, or gas phase that is a mixture in which
the components (liquid, gas, solid, or
combinations
thereof)
are
uniformly
distributed throughout the mixture. In a
solution, the dissolved substance is called
the solute; the substance in which the solute
is dissolved is called the solvent.
solution gas n: lighter hydrocarbons that
exist as a liquid under reservoir conditions
but that effervesce as gas when pressure is
released during production.
solution-gas drive n: a source of natural
reservoir energy in which the solution gas
coming out of the oil expands to force the oil
into the well bore.
solution gas-oil ratio n: see gas-oil ratio.
solvent n: a substance, usually liquid, in
which another substance (the solute)
dissolves.
sonar n: an apparatus that detects the
presence of an underwater object by
sending out sonic or supersonic waves that
are reflected back. to it by the object.
sonde n: a logging tool assembly, especially
the device in the logging assembly that
senses and transmits formation data.

194

sonic flow nozzle n: a specially designed

nozzle that is installed in a line through
which fluids are flowing. It is used to
measure the volume of fluids. It works on the
same principle as an orifice plate in that the
nozzle causes a pressure drop from which
volume of flow can be inferred. It is used
where the velocity of flow is particularly high
because the pressure loss through the
nozzle is lower than through an orifice. See
orifice plate.
sonic log n: a type of acoustic log that
records the travel time of sounds through
objects, cement, or formation rocks. Often
used to determine whether voids exist in the
cement behind the casing in a well bore.
sonic logging n: see acoustic well logging.
sonic meter n: see ultrasonic mete,;
sorb v: to take up and hold by adsorption or
absorption.
sorbent n: a material that absorbs oil or to
which oil adheres.
sorber n: a vessel for absorption,
adsorption, or desorption.
sorting n: a dynamic process by which
different-sized sediments are separated from
one another and deposited in different
locations or layers as relatively uniform
deposits. For instance, a high-energy
mountain stream may leave only large
cobbles and gravel in one location and carry
finer sediments downstream to accumulate
in a lower-energy environment, such as a
lake.
sour adj: containing or caused by hydrogen
sulfide or another acid gas (e.g., sour crude,
sour gas, sour corrosion).
source-detector spacing n: the spacing on
a neutron logging device between the
neutron source and the detector. Total count
rate, porosity resolution, and borehole
effects influence source-detector spacing.
The spacing is selected specifically for the
source-detector characteristics exhibited by
each device; optimum spacings must be
determined for each tool.
source rock n: rock within which oil or gas
is generated from organic materials.
source-specific
natural
gas
sales
contract n: a natural gas sales contract that

SP

commits the seller to deliver natural gas,

usually within a stated maximum and
minimum, from specific described and
committed natural gas reserves or sources.
Such contracts are usually drafted to commit
the seller to deliver natural gas only to the
extent it can be produced or produced
economically from the committed reserves
or sources.
source station n: a pump station at a pipeline junction from which oil is pumped from a
main line into a branch or lateral line.
sour corrosion n: embrittlement and
subsequent wearing away of metal caused
by contact of the metal with hydrogen
sulfide.
sour crude n: see sour crude oil.
sour crude oil n: oil containing hydrogen
sulfide or another acid gas.
sour gas n: gas containing an appreciable
quantity of hydrogen sulfide and/or
mercaptans.
sour hole n: a wellbore or formation known
to contain hydrogen sulfide gas.
Southern Gas Association (SGA) n: an
organization founded to promote the
development of the gas distribution and
transmission
industry,
to
encourage
scientific research affecting the industry, to
exchange ideas and information among
member companies, and to cooperate with
other
organizations
having
mutual
objectives. SGA is the largest of four
regional gas organizations started in 1908.
Address: 3030 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1300.
LB60; Dallas, TX 75234; (972) 620-8505; fax
(972) 620-8518.
southwest monsoon n: the rainy season in
southern Asia.
sovereign n: in the case of land, the
government that holds and is capable of
transferring title.
Soxhlet extractor n: a device used to
extract oil and water from a core sample. A
solvent vaporizes from a half-filled flask at
the bottom of the extractor. Vapor rises to
the top chamber and condenses there. The
condensed vapor moves to the middle
chamber until it is filled. Then the solvent is
siphoned back through the sample to clean
it.
SP abbr: spontaneous potential or selfpotential.

space-out

space-out n: the act of ensuring that a pipe

ram preventer will not close on a drill pipe
tool joint when the drill stem is stationary. A
pup joint is made up in the drill string to
Iengthen it sufficiently. v: to position the
correct number of feet (or metres) or joints of
pipe from the packer to the surface tree, or
from the rig floor to the blowout preventer
stack.
space-out joint n: the joint of drill pipe that
is used in hang-off operations so that no tool
joint is opposite a set of preventer rams.
spacer n: 1. a thickened fluid that displaces
drilling mud because of the difference in
viscosity and weight between the spacer and
the mud. Besides carrying lost circulation
materials, spacers may be weighted with
various inert materials such as fly ash and
barite. 2. member of a pipeline construction
gang who is responsible for assuring that the
exact distance between the beveled pipe
ends for a welding process to be used on
the joint is maintained. Spacers strike a
wedge into the interface between the pipe
bevels and then maneuver them to an exact,
uniform distance around the entire
circumference.
spacing n: 1. in electric well logging, refers
to the distance between electrodes on a
logging tool. Electrode spacing affects the
depth of investigation of the tool into the
formation. 2. see well spacing.
spacing clamp n: a clamp used to hold the
rod string in pumping position when the well
is in the final stages of being put back on the
pump.
spacing-out n: positioning the correct
number of feet or joints of pipe from the
packer to the surface tree, or from the rig
floor to the stack
spaghetti n: tubing or pipe with a very small
diameter.
spall v: to break off in chips or scales, as on
a plain, or journal, bearing.
spark arrestor n: a water-spray device installed in the tail pipe of an engine's exhaust
system to suppress or prevent small, very
hot objects, such as carbon particles, from
causing a fire near the engine.
spark ignition (SI) n: ignition of a fuel-air
mixture by means of a spark discharged by
a spark plug.
spark plug n: a device that fits into the
cylinder of an internal-combustion engine
and that provides the spark for ignition of the
fuel-air mixture during the combustion stroke
of the piston. It carries two electrodes
separated by an air gap; current from the
ignition system discharges across the gap to
form the spark.
SPBM abbr: single point buoy mooring.
SPCC
abbr:
Spill
Prevention,
Countemteasores and Control plan.
spd abbr: spudded; used in drilling reports.

195

SPE abbr: Society of Petroleum Engineers.

spear n : a fishing tool used to retrieve pipe
lost in a well. The spear is lowered down the
hole and into the lost pipe. When weight,
torque, or both are applied to the string to
which the spear is attached, the slips in the
spear expand and tighdy grip the inside of
the wall of the lost pipe. Then the
string,spear, and lost pipe are pulled to the
SPEARS surface.

spearhead n: see prejlush.

spearhead overshot n: the small wirelineoperated overshot designed to latch onto a
spear point rope socket so that the wireline
below the socket can be retrieved.
spear point rope socket n: a rope socket
with a point on it that mates with a spearhead overshot.
specific gravity n: see relative density.
specific beat n: the amount of heat required
to cause a unit increase in temperature in a
unit mass of a substance, expressed as
numerically equal to the number of calories
needed to raise the temperature of I gram of
a substance by 1C.
specific permeability n: see absolute
permeability.
specific weight n: density times the
attraction of gravity.
speed droop n: the number of revolutions
per minute that an engine slows down from
running at maximum no-load speed to
running at maximum full-load speed. Speed
droop should not exceed 7%.
speed droop governor n: a governor that
provides a decrease in prime mover speed
for any increase in load or an increase in
prime mover speed for any decrease in load.
speeder spring n: a small spring inside an
engine governor that counteracts the force
of flyweights in the governor. The speeder
spring moves down on a sleeve in the
governor to increase the fuel supply to the
engine, at the same time, the flyweights
move the sleeve up to decrease the fuel

SPCC

supply. Since the flyweights spin at a speed

determined by the engine's speed. if engine
speed drops, the speeder spring moves
down to speed the engine up. Seeftyweight,
governor.
speed kit n: a dual-speed traveling block,
which permits one elevator to pick up stands
as they are broken out while the traveling
block continues to move.
speed reducer n: a set of gears installed
between a prime mover and the equipment it
drives to reduce the running speed. For
example, on a beam pumping unit, the
engine may run at a speed of 600
revolutions per minute, rot the pumping unit
it drives may need to operate at 20 strokes
per minute. The speed reducer makes it
possible to obtain the correct pump speed.
spent adj: descriptive of a substance whose
strength or merit has been exhausted in a
process. For example, after a well has been
acidized, any acid that remains in the well is
said to be a spent acid because its strength
has been used up in the acidizing process.
spent gas lift n: see recoverable gas lift
gas.
sp gr abbr: specific gravity.
sphere n: 1. a neoprene ball that is run in a
pipeline to clean it, to displace liquid
hydrocarbons from natural gas pipelines, or
to separate batches in liquid shipment. 2. a
ball made of neoprene or other material that
is put into a pipe prover to activate switches
on the prover so that a known volume of
petroleum or product is measured.
spherical separator n: a separator that is a
round, ball-shaped vessel.
spider n: a circular steel device that holds
slips supporting a suspended string of drill
pipe, casing, or tubing. A spider may be split
or solid.
spill point n: the level at which trapped oil
or gas can begin "spilling" upward and out of
the trap.
Spill Prevention, Counter measures and
Control Plan (SPCC) n: requirement based
on the Water Pollution Control Act
Amendments of 1972 and subsequent EPA
regulations that applies to owners or
operators of non transportation-related
onshore and off- shore facilities engaged in
drilling, producing, gathering, or consuming
oil and that, because of their location, could
reasonably be expected to discharge oil in
harmful quantities into or on navigable
waters. The objective of these regulations is
to prevent the discharge of oil in harmful
quantities into the navigable waters of the
United States or adjoining shorelines. Where
such

Spindletop

discharge potential exists, an SPCC should

be drawn up and should address practices
that will prevent oil spills, contain oil spills,
strain
employees
in
spill
prevention/containment, prevent pollutant
runoff from a site, and provide secondary
containment where applicable. The plan
must use "good engineering practices" and
must be reviewed and certified by a
professional registered engineer.
Spindletop n: a small knoll near Beaumont,
Texas, on which, in 1901, a well blew in
(began producing) at the then phenomenal
rate of 80,000 barrels (12.7 million litres) per
day. The Spindletop well proved that rotary
drilling could be effectively used to drill wells
and that subterranean formations could
contain large amounts of hydrocarbons. The
Spindletop well is often said to have ushered
in the modern petroleum era. spinner survey
n: a production-logging method that uses a
small propeller turned by fluid movement. By
use of a recording arrangement, the number
of turns of the propeller can be related to the
fluid quantity flowing past the instrument to
obtain a log of the amount of fluid flowing
from a formation.
spinning cathead n: see makeup carhead,
spinning chain.
spinning chain n: a Y -shaped chain used
to spin up (tighten) one joint of drill pipe into
another. In use, one end of the chain is
attached to the tongs, another end to the
makeup cathead, and the third end is free.
The free end is wrapped around the tool
joint, and the cathead pulls the chain off the
joint, causing the joint to spin (turn) rapidly
and tighten up. After the chain is pulled off
the joint, the tongs are secured in the same
spot, and continued pull on the chain (and
thus on the tongs) by the cathead makes up
the joint to final tightness.
spinning wrench n: air-powered or
hydraulically powered wrench used to spin
drill pipe in making or breaking connections.
spin time test n: a turbine meter field check
to determine the relative level of mechanical
friction in a meter.
spin-up n: the rapid turning of the drill stem
when one length of pipe is being joined to
another.
spiral grapple n: a helically shaped gripping
mechanism that is fined into an overshot to
retrieve fish from the borehole. See grapple.
spiral heavy-walled drill pipe n: heavy pipe
that is spiraled-much like a spiral drill collarwith extra-length tool joints but without a
center wear pad. Compare heavy-walled drill
pipe. See spirally-grooved drill collar.
spirally-grooved drill collar n: a drill collar
with a round cross section that has a long
continuous groove or flute machined
helically into its outer surface. The spiraled
groove provides space between the wall of

196

the hole and the body of the collar,

minimizing the area of contact between the
hole wall and the collar; thus the possibility
of differential pressure sticking is reduced.
spirit level n: a device consisting of a
scribed tube partially filled with a viscous
liquid (spirit) that is designed to determine a
horizontal line or plane. Since the tube is
only partially filled, a bubble forms. By
checking where the bubble rests between
the scribed lines on the tube, one can
determine whether an object is level.
splash box n: see mother hubbard.
splash-proof enclosure n: a motor
enclosure that allows some outside air to
circulate through the motor for cooling. The
angle of protection extends to 100. from the
vertical.
splash zone n: the area on an offshore
structure that is regularly wetted by seawater
but is not continuously submerged. Metal in
the splash zone must be well protected from
the corrosive action of seawater and air.
splice v: to join two parts of a rope or
wireline by interweaving individual strands of
the line together. Unlike a knot, a splice
does not significantly increase the diameter
of the line at the point where the parts are
joined.
spline clutch n: a positive-type clutch that
works by means of metal strips that fit into
keyways.
split-body kelly bushing n: a two-piece
kelly bushing that is secured by holddown
nuts and bolts passing from the top of the
bushing to the bottom of the bushing. Compare solid-body kelly bushing. See also kelly
bushing.
split master bushing n: a master bushing
that is made in two pieces. Each half has a
tapered surface to accept the slips.
Compare hinged master bushing, solid
master bushing. See also master bushing,
slips.
splitter n: another term for a fractionator,
particularly one that separates isomers. For
example, a deisobutanizer may be called a
butane splitter.
spoil n: excavated dirt.
sponge absorbent n: an absorbent for
recovering vapors of a lighter absorbent that
is used in the main absorption process of a
gas processing plant.
sponge absorption unit n: a unit wherein
the vapors of lighter absorption oils are
recovered.
sponge barrel coring n: coring performed
with the inner core barrel lined with
polyurethane sponge. The sponge absorbs
oil that bleeds from the core and holds it
opposite the formation from which it bled.
Both the core and the sponge are analyzed
to obtain information on saturation. Each
foot of sponge is matched to the core it
surrounded.

spot market

spontaneous combustion n: the ignition of

combustible materials without open flame.
spontaneous potential (SP) n: one of the
natural electrical characteristics exhibited by
a formation as measured by a logging tool
lowered into the wellbore. Also called selfpotential or Sf.
spontaneous potential (SP) curve n: a
measurement of the electrical currents that
occur in the wellbore when fluids of different
salinities are in contact. The SP curve is
usually recorded in holes drilled with freshwater-base drilling fluids. It is one of d1e
curves on an electric well log. Also called
self-potential curve.
spontaneous potential (SP) deflection n:
the spikes or peaks in the curve on an SP
log, measured with respect to a shale
baseline.
spontaneous potential (SP) log n: a record
of a spontaneous potential curve.
spool n: the drawworks drum. Also a
casinghead or drilling spool. v: to wind
around a drum.
spool valve n: a slide-type hydraulic valve
that has a movable part called a spool.
spot v: to pump a designated quantity of a
substance (such as acid or cement) into a
specific interval in the well. For example, 10
barrels (1,590 litres) of diesel oil may be
spotted around an area in the hole in which
drill collars are stuck against the wall of the
hole in an effort to free the collars.
spot a pill v: to place a special mixture of
clay and oil, or other materials, at a specific
point in the wellbore. The size of the pill is
usually several barrels. For example, a rig
crew may spot a 20-barrel (3,180-litre) pill of
bentonite clay and diesel oil at or near a
formation into which drilling mud is escaping.
By lowering the driI1 stem to the desired
depth, the pill is slowly pumped down the
stem and into the annulus. If all goes well,
the pill will migrate into the formation taking
the driI1ing mud and plug it closed.
spot market n: the buying and selling of
crude oil in a commodities exchange market
on a daily basis, just as other commodities,
such as gold, wheat, and heating oil, are
bought and sold.

spot sale

spot sale n: generally a short-term sale on

an interruptible or best efforts basis, usually
for one month.
spot sample n: in tank sampling, a sample
obtained at some specific location in the
tank by means of a thief, a bottle, or a
beaker.
spotting n: the pumping of a substance
such as oil into an interval in the well. See
spot.
spray valve n: see nozzle.
spread n: the equipment and crew needed
to build a pipeline. Modem spreads, which
are like moving assembly lines, can con- sist
of one hundred pieces of equipment and
over five hundred workers.
spreader n: see spreader bar.
spreader bar n: a rod positioned between
two lifting lines so that the weight of a joint
being lifted off the trailer is evenly distributed
and the pipe does not buckle in the center.
spread mooring system n: a system of
rope, chain, or a combination attached to
anchors on the ocean floor and to winches
on the structure to keep a floating vessel
near a fixed location on the sea surface.
spread superintendent n: in pipeline
construction, the person with responsibility
for running the spread. The spread
superintendent represents the contractor's
interests in the field.
spring collet n: a spring-actuated metal
band or ring (ferrule) used to expand a liner
patch when making casing repairs. See liner
patch.
spring tide n: a tide that has the highest
range at a given location. This type of tide
occurs when the sun and the moon are
aligned (during new and full moons).
sprocket n: 1. a wheel with projections on
the periphery to engage with the links of a
chain. 2. a projection on the periphery of a
wheel that engages the links of a chain.
sprocket ratio n: in a chain-and-sprocket
drive, the amount of difference in size
between the two sprockets.
spud v: 1. to move the drill stem up and
down in the hole over a short distance
without rotation. Careless execution of this
operation creates pressure surges that can
cause a formation to break down, resulting
in lost circulation. 2. to force a wireline tool
or tubing down the hole by using a
reciprocating motion. 3. to begin drilling a
well; i.e., to spud in.
spud bit n: a special kind of drilling bit with
sharp blades rather than teeth. It is
sometimes used for drilling soft, sticky
formations.

197

spud can n: a cylindrical device, usually

with a pointed end, that is attached to the
bottom of each leg of a jackup drilling unit.
The pointed end of the spud penetrates the
seafloor and helps stabilize the unit while it
is drilling.
spud date n: the first boring of a bole in the
drilling of a well.
spudder n: a portable cable-tool drilling rig,
sometimes mounted on a buck or trailer.
spud in v: to begin drilling; to start the bole.
spud mud n: the fluid used when drilling
starts at the surface, often a thick bentonitelime slurry.
spur line n: an oil pipeline that picks up oil
from the gathering lines of several oilfields
and delivers it to a main line or bunk line.
spurt loss n: the initial loss of drilling mud
solids by filtration, making formations easier
to drill. See filtration loss, surge loss.
sq abbr: square.
sq ft (ft2) abbr: square feet.
2
sq in. (in ) abbr: square inches.
squ abbr: squeeze; used in drilling reports.
squall n: in the United States, a wind of 16
knots or higher sustained for at least 2
minutes.
square drill collar n: a special drill collar,
square but with rounded edges, used to
control the straightness or direction of the
bole; often part of a packed-bole assembly.
square-drive kelly bushing n: a kelly
bushing that has a square-shaped base that
fits into a corresponding square-shaped
recess in the master bushing. When the
base is engaged in the recess, and the
master bushing is rotated, the kelly bushing,
the kelly, and the attached drill stem also
rotate. See also kelly bushing, master
bushing.

squeeze tool

square-drive master bushing n: a master

bushing that has a square recess to accept
and drive the square that is on the bottom of
the square-drive kell y bushing. See kelly
bushing, master bushing, square-drive kelly
bushing.
square kelly n: a kelly with a four-sided
(square) cross section. Compare hexagonal
kelly.
square metre n: a unit of metric measure of
an area equal to a square that measures 1
metre on each side.
square root chart n: see L-1O chart.
squeeze n: 1. a cementing operation in
which cement is pumped behind the casing
under high pressure to recement channeled
areas or to block off an uncemented zone. 2.
the increasing of external pressure on a
diver's body caused by improper diving
technique.
squeeze cementing n: the forcing of
cement slurry by pressure to specified points
in a well to cause seals at the points of
squeeze. It is a secondary cementing
method that is used to isolate a producing
formation, seal off water, repair casing leaks,
and so forth. Compare plug-back cementing.
squeeze job n: a remedial well-servicing
activity whereby a cement slurry is pumped
into open perforations, split casing, or a
fractured formation, to effect a blockage.
squeeze manifold n: a type of manifold
used in squeeze jobs.
squeeze packer n: a downhole permanent,
or drillable, packer that is set by lowering
some of the weight of the tubing string onto
the packer. The weight expands the packer's
sealing element to prevent flow between the
tubing string and the casing below the
packer. squeeze point n: the depth in a
wellbore at which cement is to be squeezed.
squeeze tool n: a special retrievable packer
set at a particular depth in the wellbore
during a squeeze cementing job. See also
squeeze cementing.

Squnch JointTM

Squnch JointTM n: a special threadless tool

joint for large-diameter pipe, especially
conductor pipe, sometimes used on offshore
drilling rigs. When the box is brought down
over the pin and weight is applied, a locking
device is actuated to seat the joints.
Because no rotation is required to make up
these joints, their use can save time when
the conductor pipe is being run. Squnch
Joint is a registered trademark of the
manufacturer.
ss abbr: sand or sandstone; used in drilling
reports.
SSO abbr: slight show of oil; used in drilling
reports.
SSTT abbr: subsea test tree.
SSU abbr: Saybolt Second Universal.
SSV abbr: surface safety valve.
St abbr: stratus.
S/T abbr: sample tops; used in drilling
reports .
stab v: to guide the end of a pipe into a tool
joint when making up a connection. See tool
joint.

stabbing board n: a temporary platform

erected in the derrick or mast some 20 to 40
feet (6-12 metres) above the derrick floor.
The derrickhand or another crew member
works on the board while casing is being run
in a well. The board may be wooden or
fabricated of steel girders floored with
antiskid material and powered electrically to
be raised or lowered to the desired level. A
stabbing board serves the same purpose as
a monkeyboard but is temporary instead of
permanent.
stabbing jack n: see jack board.
stabbing protector n: a protective device,
usually made of rubber, that fits on the
outside diameter of the box of the pipe that
is in the hole. It has a funnel-shaped top and
serves as a cushion and guide for stabbing
pipe.
stabbing valve n: a special drill stem valve
that, when in open position, allows fluid to
flow through it, thus allowing the valve to be
stabbed into the drill stem.
stability n: I. the ability of a ship or mobile
offshore drilling rig to return to an upright
position when it has rolled to either side
because of an external force (such as
waves). 2. the ability of a measuring

198

instrument to maintain its accuracy over a

long period.
stability meter n: an instrument to measure
the amount of voltage needed to break down
invert emulsions.
stabilized adj: said of a flowing well when its
rate of production through a given size of
choke remains constant, or, in the case of a
pumping well, when the fluid column within
the well remains constant in height.
stabilized bottomhole flowing pressure n:
the bottomhole flowing pressure that has
been allowed time to reach a steady state.
stabilized bottomhole shut-in pressure n:
the bottomhole shut-in pressure that has
been allowed time to reach a steady state.
stabilized condensate n: condensate that
has been stabilized to a definite vapor
pressure in a fractionation system.
stabilizer n: 1. a tool placed on a drill collar
near the bit that is used, depending on
where it is placed, either to maintain a
particular hole angle or to change the angle
by control- ling the location of the contact
point between the hole and the collars. See
packR:d-hole as- sembly. 2. a vessel in
which hydrocarbon vapors are separated
from liquids. 3. a fractionation system that
reduces the vapor pressure so that the
resulting liquid is less volatile.

stable emulsion n: see emulsion.

stack n: 1. a vertical arrangement of
blowout prevention equipment. Also called
preventer See blowout preventer. 2. the
vertical chimney like installation that is the
waste disposal system for unwanted vapor
such as flue gases or tail-gas streams. See

standard air

exhaust stack.
stack a rig v: to store a drilling rig on
completion of a job when the rig is to be
withdrawn from operation for a time.
stack gas n: see flue gas.
stage cementing n: a primary cementing
operation in which cement is pumped into
the well in a series of operations or stages.
stage separation n: an operation in which
well fluids under pressure are separated into
liquid and gaseous components by being
passed consecutively through two or more
separators. The operating pressure of each
succeeding separator is lower than the one
preceding it. Stage separation is an efficient
process in that a high percentage of the light
ends of the fluid are conserved.
stage tool n: a special tool used in stage
cementing.
staging n: the placement of compressors,
pumps, cooling systems, treating systems,
and so forth, in a series with another unit or
units of like design to improve operating
efficiency and results.
stagnation pressure n: see total pressure.
stake a well v: to locate precisely on the
surface of the ground the point at which a
well is to be drilled. After exploration
techniques have revealed the possibility of a
subsurface hydrocarbon-bearing formation,
a certified and registered land surveyor
drives a stake into the ground to mark the
spot where the well is to be drilled.
stand n: the connected joints of pipe racked
in the derrick or mast when making a trip.
On a rig, the usual stand is about 90 feet
(about 27 metres) long (three lengths of drill
pipe screwed together). or a thribble.
standard n: 1. a measuring instrument
intended to define, to represent physically.
or to reproduce the unit of measurement of a
quantity (or a multiple or submultiple of that
unit) to transmit it to other measuring
instruments by comparison. See also
primary standard, secondary standard,
working standard. 2. a prescribed set of
voluntary rules. conditions. or requirements
concerned with the definition of terms;
classification of component; delineation of
procedures; specification of dimension;
construction criteria; materials; performance;
design; or operations; measurement of
quality and quantity in describing materials,
products, systems, services, or practices; or
description of fit and measurement of size.
standard air n: the accepted density of
standard air varies between the US. British.
and metric systems of measurement. The
correct densities have been incorporated in
the ASTM-IP Measurement Tables and IP
250/69.

standard brass

standard brass n: brass of a specified

density used in fabricating precision balance
weights.
standard conditions n pi: the standard
pressure and temperature to which
measurements should be referred. These
are (I bar [IOI.325kPa]/cm2), 15C for the SI
metric system, and 14.73 Ibfm.2, 6()F for
the US and British systems.
standard cubic foot n: a gas volume unit of
measurement at a specified temperature
and pressure. The temperature and
pressure may be defined in the gas sales
contract or by reference to other standards.
standard derrick n: a derrick that is built
piece by piece at the drilling location, as
opposed to a jackknife mast, which is preassembled. Standard derricks have been
replaced almost totally by jackknife masts.
Compare mast.
standard deviation n: the root mean
Square (rms) deviation of the observed
values from the average.
standard dress n: diving equipment
consisting
of
brass
diving
helmet,
breastplate, heavy dry suit, weighted boots,
weighted belt, hose, compressor, and
communications.
standard gas measurement law n: a law,
specific to each of several states, that
defines the pressure and temperature bases
under which a standard cubic foot of gas
should be measured in the state.
standard industrial classification (SIC)
codes n pi: numerical codes assigned by
the government to groups of industries with
similar activities or operations.
standard lateral curve n: in conventional
electric logging, measures resistivity in the
formation a long distance from the borehole. Used for deep investigation of the
borehole.
standard pressure n: the pressure exerted
by a column of mercury 760 millimetres
(29.9 inches) high; equivalent to 14.7
pounds per square inch absolute. Compare
base pressure.
Standards of Training, Certification, and
Watchkeeping (STCW) n: a standard that
resulted from an International Maritime
Organization (IMO) Conference in 1978 to
establish minimum professional standards
for those who work at sea.
standard tape n: the measuring tape used
to measure the circumference of the ring at
the bottom of a tank. It is calibrated by the
National Institute of Standards and
Technology and is usually 100 feet (30.5
metres) long.
standard temperature n: a pre-determined
temperature used as a basic measurement.
The petroleum industry uses 60F (15.5C)
as its standard temperature during
measurement of oil. The volume of a

199

quantity of oil at its actual temperature

(assuming it is not 60F) is converted to the
volume the oil would occupy at 60F.
Conversion can be aided by the use of API
conversion tables. standing start-and-stop
method n: in meter proving, when the
opening and closing meter readings of the
test run are determined at no-flow
conditions. Compare running start-and-stop
method.
standing valve n: a fixed ball-and-seat
valve at the lower end of the working barrel
of a sucker rod pump. The standing valve
and its cage do not move, as does the
traveling valve. Compare traveling valve.
standoff n: in perforating, the distance a jet
or bullet must travel in the wellbore before
encountering the wall of the hole.
standoff problem n: difficulty in obtaining
proper penetration with a tubing perforating
gun in casing due to the casing gun's lying
against one side of the casing because of
hole deviation.
standpipe n: a vertical pipe rising along the
side of the derrick or mast, which joins the
discharge line leading from the mud pump to
the rotary hose and through which mud is
pumped into the hole.

stand tubing v: to support tubing in the

derrick or mast when it is out of the well
rather than to lay it on a rack. Portable
workover rigs are usually fitted with a mast
that holds stands about 60 feet long (about
18 metres) (doubles).
stand-up title opinion n: prepared in the
absence of an abstract of title, stand-up
opinions are written by title examiners who
work from run sheets that they check at the
county courthouse before deciding whether
they need additional facts. Compare
abstract- based title opinion.
starboard n: (nautical) the right side of a
vessel (determined by looking toward the
bow).
starch n: a complex carbohydrate
sometimes added to drilling fluids to reduce
filtration loss.
starter n: on an engine, an electrical,
hydraulic, air, or other device used to rotate
the engine's flywheel or pistons so that the
fuel, air, and (in some cases) spark can
enter the engine and make it begin running
on its own.
starting torque n: torque affected by rotor
winding resistance. The greater the rotor
winding resistance, the greater the starting

static pen

torque up to the point at which breakdown

torque occurs.
start-up differential check n: a test used to
identify increased friction levels in a rotary
meter; it can be used as a guide for
subsequent maintenance. With the meter in
a bypass and a differential gauge connected
to the upstream meter tap, a valve may be
opened slowly enough to observe the rise
and subsequent fall in the differential as the
meter just begins to rotate (the downstream
differential tap being vented to atmosphere).
State Emergency Response Commission
(SERC) n: entity set up by each state health
department typically and at the request of
the governor under the Emergency Planning
and Community Right-to-Know Act of 1986
to designate emergency planning districts at
the local level.
state standard pressure base n: the
pressure base that state regulations require
for the reporting of gas volumes. The
pressure base for reporting to the states of
Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas is 14.65
pounds. Louisiana and California pressure
bases are 15.025 pounds and 14.73 pounds,
respectively.
state standard volume n: a volume of gas
determined
in
accordance
with
measurement standards prescribed by state
regulations.
static adj: at rest; not moving. See also
quiescence. Compare dynamic.
static bottomhole pressure n: pressure at
the bottom of the wellbore when there is no
flow of oil.
static electricity n: electricity produced by
friction.
static fluid level n: the level to which fluid
rises in a well when the well is shut in.
static lockup pressure n: highest pressure
to which a meter and its attending system
will be subjected. It determines the ANSI
design rating of all components in the
system.
static mixer n: a mixer with no moving
parts. Kinetic energy of the moving fluid
provides the power for mixing. An example
is a jet hopper.
static pen n: in gas measurement with
orifice meters, the pen on a flow recorder
that records the static pressure, usually in
blue or black ink, on the chart.

static pressure

static pressure n: the pressure exerted by a

fluid upon a surface that is at rest in relation
to the fluid.
static range n: the extent of variation
between the lowest and highest static
pressures that a particular orifice meter can
record.
static spring n: in gas measurement by
orifice meters, the spring in a flow recorder
whose size and strength determines the
range over which static pressure will be
recorded.
stationary front n: a discontinuity or zone
between two adjacent air masses that is not
moving or is moving only a little.
station bill n: on offshore drilling rigs and
production platforms, a poster that gives
duties and places for each individual on the
rig or platform for various types of
emergeocies. Every person on the rig or
platform should be familiar with the station
bill.
stator n: 1. a with vane-like blades d1at
serves to direct a flow of fluid (such as
drilling mud) onto another set of blades
(called the rotor). The stator does not move;
rather, it serves merely to guide the flow of
fluid at a suitable angle to the rotor blades.
2. the stationary part of an induction-type
alternating- current electric motor. Compare
rotor.
statute law n: 1. the descendant of Roman
law, which, through the French Napoleonic
Code, came to be the basis of law in
Louisiana. 2. law enacted by a legislative
body. Also called civil law.
statutory unitization n: unitization that
proceeds without the willing cooperation of
all the affected parties. It is authorised by
order of a state regulatory agency in
accordance with state statute. Also called
forced unitization.
STB abbr: stock tank barrel.
STB/d abbr: stock tank barrels per day.
STCW abbr: Standards of Training,
Certification, and Watchkeeping.
std abbr: standard.
stds abbr: stands; used in drilling reports.
steam n: water in its gaseous state.
steam boiler n: a closed steel vessel or
container in which water is heated to
produce steam.
steam coil n: a pipe, or set of pipes, within
an emulsion settling tank through which
steam is passed to warm the emulsion and
make the oil less viscous. See fire tube.
steam drive n: a method of improved
recovery in which steam is injected into a
reservoir through injection wells and driven
toward production wells. The steam reduces
the viscosity of crude oil, causing it to flow
more freely. The heat vaporises lighter
hydrocarbons; as they move ahead of the
steam, they cool and condense into liquids

200

that dissolve and displace crude oil. The

steam provides additional gas drive. This
method is used to recover viscous oils. Also
called continuous steam injection or steam
flooding. Compare cyclic steam injection,
thermal recovery.
steam flooding n: see steam drive.
steam rog n: a fog created when cold. dry
air moves over a much warmer body of
water. Also called sea smoke.
steam rig n: a rotary drilling rig on which
steam engines operate as prime movers.
High-pressure steam is furnished by a boiler
plant located near the rig. Steam rigs have
been replaced almost totally by mechanical
or electric rigs.
steam soak n: see cyclic steam injection.
stearate n: salt of stearic acid that is a
saturated, 18-carbon fatty acid. Certain
compounds, such as aluminum stearate,
calcium stearate, and zinc stearate, are
used in drilling fluids as defoamers or
lubricants. Stearates can also be used as
surfactants in air drilling to prevent small
quantities of water from creating mud that
could clog the hole.
steel n: see swivel stem.
steel-jacket platform rig n: a rigid offshore
drilling platform used to drill development
wells. The foundation of the platform is the
jacket, a tall vertical section made of tubular
steel members. The jacket. which is usually
supported by piles driven into the seabed,
extends upward so that the top rises above
the waterline. Additional sections that
provide space for crew quarters, the drilling
rig, and all equipment need to drill are
placed on top of the jocket. See platform rig.
steel-tooth bit n: a roller cone bit in which
the surface of each cone is made up of rows
of steel teeth. Also called a milled-tooth bit
or milled bit.
steering tool n: a directional survey
instrument used in combination with a
deflected downhole motor. It shows, on a rig
floor monitor, the inclination and direction of
a downhole sensing unit.
stem n: see sinker bat; swivel stem.
stemming n: material used to hold back the
force of an explosion, such as sand. gravel,
or a cement plug placed in a well above a
nitroglycerine charge.
step-out well n: a well drilled adjacent to or
near a proven well to ascertain the limits of
the reservoir, an outpost well.
step-over n: a device used in tank strapping
for measuring the distance apart along the
an; of two points on a tank shell where it is
not possible to use a strapping tape directly
because of an intervening
obstruction. e.g., a protruding fitting.
stepper drive n: a means for driving
remotely located meter accessories.
stick n: a solid corrosion inhibitor that can
be dropped down a well where it dissolves

stock tank oil

and mixes with the well fluids. See corrosion

inhibitor.
stick welding n: see manual welding.
stiff drilling assembly n: see packed-hole
assembly.
still n: any vessel in which hydrocarbon
distillation is effected.
still column n: shortened form of distillation
column.
stilling well n: see still pipe.
still pipe n: a vertical cylindrical slotted pipe
built into a tank to contain the liquid level
detecting element and arranged to reduce
errors arising from turbulence or agitation of
the liquid. Also called stilling well.
stimulation n: any process undertaken to
enlarge old channels or to create new ones
in the producing formation of a well (e.g.,
acidizing or formation fracturing).
stimulation valve n: see surge valve.
stinger n: 1. a cylindrical or tubuIar
projection, relatively small in diameter, that
extends below a downhole tool and helps to
guide the tool to a designated spot (such as
into the centre of a portion of stuck pipe). 2.
a device for guiding pipe and lowering it to
the water bottom as it is being laid down by
a lay barge. It is hinged to permit
adjustments in the angle of pipe launch.
stinging in v: to lower pipe or tubing into the
bore of a downhole tool.
stipulation n: a condition, demand, or
promise in an agreement or contract.
sin abbr: stain; used in drilling reports. stock
build n: oil produced but not consumed and
therefore in storage.
stock tank n: a storage tank for treated
crude oil. Compare production tank.
stock tank barrel (STB) n: a measure of the
volume of crude oil in a stock tank on a
lease or tank farm.
stock tank oil n: oil as it exists at
atmospheric conditions in a stock tank.
Stock tank oil lacks much of the dissolved
gas present at reservoir pressure and
temperatures .

stopcock

stopcock n: a valve that shuts off or

regulates fluid flow. v: to shut in
intermittently to allow a build-up of gas
pressure in a producing oilwell, which thus
effects more efficient recovery.
stop gauge n: see maximum loading gauge.
storage battery n: a series of storage cells
that produce electricity by chemical action of
acid or alkaline solution on metallic plates.
Charging the battery with DC electricity in
the opposite direction restores the chemical
condition necessary for further output of
electricity.
storage gas n: gas that is stored in an
underground reservoir.
storage tank n: a tank in which oil is stored
pending transfer by pipeline, truck, or other
vehicle for selling.
Storm Choke n: a tubing safety valve.
Stormer viscometer n: a rotational shear
viscometer used for measuring the viscosity
and gel strength of drilling fluids. This
instrument has been largely superseded by
the direct-indicating viscometer.
storm packer n: a heavy-duty squeeze tool
that can be closed to allow operations to
cease during a severe storm offshore. Later,
the tool can be opened to allow operations
to continue.
storm plug n: a retrievable tool used to
suspend drilling temporarily during a storm
offshore.
storm surge n: a high tide near the shore
that is significantly higher than normal
because of high winds or storms. Also called
storm tide.
storm tide n: see storm surge.
storm track n: a route traversed by lowpressure systems.
storm water discharge n: pollutants that
are washed into water resources in storm
situations. Such discharges are regulated
under CWA.
stovepipe assembly n: in laying pipe, an
assembly on lay barges in which pipe joints
are assembled in a continuous string. Each
joint passes through individual work stations
spaced along a gently sloping production
ramp.
straddle packer n: two packers separated
by a spacer of variable length. A straddle
packer may be used to isolate sections of
open hole to be treated or tested or to
isolate certain areas of perforated casing
from the rest of the perforated section.
straddle plant n: see mainline plant.
straddle test n: selective testing of an
interval or formation by the use of two
packers, one above and one below the zone
being tested
straight-chain compound n: a compound
in which the atoms are aligned in a straight
chain.

201

straightening vanes n pi: bundles of smalldiameter tubing tack-welded together in a

concentric pattern and placed in the upstream section of an orifice-meter run for the
purpose of reducing considerably the
amount of straight pipe required upstream of
the orifice. They eliminate swirls and
crosscurrents set up by the pipe fittings and
valves preceding the meter tube.
straight hole n: a hole that is drilled
vertically. The total hole angle is restricted.
and the hole does not change direction
rapidly no more than 3' per 100 feet (30.48
metres) of hole.
straight-run adj: refers to a petroleum
product produced by the primary distillation
of crude oil.
strain v: to effect a change of form or size
as a result of the application of a stress.
strainer n: 1. a part of a LACT unit that
removes foreign particles from the crude.
which might disrupt the operation of closetolerance moving parts. 2. a device placed
upstream of a meter to remove foreign
material from the stream that might damage
the meter or interfere with its operation. The
strainer element is generally coarser than a
filter designed to remove solid contaminants.
strain gauge n: an instrument used to
measure minute distortions caused by stress
forces in mechanical components.
strand n: a group of several wires laid
together to form part of a wire rope. Several
strands are laid together to make a wire
rope.
strand core n: the centre of a wire-rope
strand; it may be made of wires or fibres.
stranding machine n: see closing machine.
strand pattern n: the manner in which a wirerope manufacturer braids the individual
wires that make up a wire-rope strand. Many
patterns exist, including Seale, Warrington,
and filler wire. See filler wire, Seale strand,
Warrington strand.
strap v: to measure and record the
dimensions of oil tanks to prepare tank
tables (gauging tables) for determining
accurately the volume of oil in a tank at any
measured depth.
strap in v: to measure a length of pipe as it
is run into the hole.
strapping n: the measurement of the
external diameter of a vertical or horizontal
cylindrical tank by stretching a steel tape
around each course of the tank's plates and
recording the measurement.
strapping pole n: an aluminum pole of
adjustable length used on several rings of a
tank while marking the working tape's path
around the tank.
strapping tables n pi: see gauging tables.
strapping tape n: a measuring tape
graduated in units of length and used for
taking the measurement for producing a tank
calibration table. Also called tank strapping.

stratospheric ozone layer

strata n pi: distinct, usually parallel, and

originally horizontal beds of rock. An
individual bed is a stratum.
Strategic Petroleum Reserve n: 550
million-barrel (87,450 million-litre) stock- pile
of petroleum in 6 storage sites and 4 marine
terminals connected by 240 miles (386
kilometres) of pipeline. Maintained by the
federal government for use during periods of
major supply interruption.
stratification n: the natural layering or
lamination characteristic of sediments and
sedimentary rocks.
stratigraphic test n: a borehole drilled
primarily to gather information on rock types
and sequence.
stratigraphic trap n: a petroleum trap that
occurs when the top of the reservoir bed is
terminated by other beds or by a change of
porosity or permeability within the reservoir
itself. Compare structural trap.

stratigraphic unit n: unit consisting of

stratified, mainly sedimentary, rocks grouped
for description, mapping, correlation, or the
like.
stratigraphy n: a branch of geology
concerned with the study of the origin,
composition, distribution, and succession of
rock strata.
stratocumulus n: gray or white clouds that
appear in rolls or as a continuous sheet
broken into irregular parallel bands. This
type of cloud is composed of water droplets.
stratospheric ozone layer n: a layer of
ozone in the atmosphere that forms the
Earth's main shield against the sun's
ultraviolet radiation, which in large doses
increases the risk of cancer (especially skin
cancer and melanoma), health problems,
and crop damage.

strat test

strat test n: common name for stratigrapilic

test.
stratum n: singular of strata. A distinct,
generally parallel bed of rock.
stratus n: a low-level cloud composed of
water droplets, which covers the sky in a
gray sheet.
stray current n: a portion of an electric
current that flows over a path other than the
intended path, causing corrosion of
structures immersed in the same electrolyte.
stream n: the liquid or gas contained in any
pipeline or flowing line.
stream conditioning n: the mixing of pipeline contents, upstream of the sampling
location, that is necessary for delivery of a
representative sample.
stream day n: a day of full plant operation.
A basis for calculating plant production that
differs from a calendar day, which would be
used to give average production for a full
year.
streamer n: marine recording cable.
streaming potential n: the electro-kinetic
portion of the spontaneous potential electriclog curve that can be influenced significantly
by the characteristics of the filtrate and mud
cake or the drilling fluid that was used to drill
the well.
streamline flow n: flow of a fluid in which no
turbulence occurs. The fluid follows a welldefined, continuous path.
stress n: a force that, when applied to an
object. distorts or deforms it.
stress a tank v: to fill a tank completely with
a liquid that has the same or greater density
as the liquid that will normally be in the tank.
Stressing the tank prior to strapping it
ensures that the measurements will more
accurately reflect the tank's true capacity.
stress concentrator n: a notch or pit on a
pipe or joint that raises the stress level and
concentrates the breakdown of the metal
structure. Also called a stress riser.
stress riser n: see stress concentrator:
stretch n: in crane operations, the
permanent deformation of a wire rope or
sling caused by the pull of a load too heavy
for the rated load capacity of the rope or
sling. A stretched rope or sling should be
immediately removed from service. Also
called elongation.
stretched pin n: a tool joint pin which has
been subjected to loading which has caused
permanent lengthening of the threaded
length of the pin. This condition generally
results from excessive torque rather than
tensile loads.
strike n: the horizontal direction of a
formation bed or fault plane as measured at
a right angle to the dip.
strike plate n: an extra piece of metal
placed on the bottom of an oil storage tank

202

stripping in

to protect it from the repeated striking of the

plumb bob at the end of the gauger's tape.
strike slip n: horizontal displacement along
a fault plane. The San Andreas fault in
California is a strike-slip fault.

striking point n: a spot on the bottom of a

storage tank or on the datum plate that is
directly below the reference point on the
hatch. This location is where the innage bob
comes to rest when the tank is gauged and
serves as the zero point for all innage
measurements.
string n: the entire length of casing. tubing.
sucker rods. or drill pipe run into a hole.
stringer n: 1. an extra support placed under
the middle of racked pipe to keep the pipe
from sagging. 2. a relatively narrow splinter
of a rock formation that is stratigraphically
disjointed. interrupts the consistency of
another formation. and makes drilling that
formation less predictable. A shale
formation. for example. may be broken by a
stringer of sandstone.
stringer bead n: see root bead.
stringing n: in pipeline construction. The
process of delivering and distributing line
pipe where and when it is needed on the
right-of- way. Stringjng also includes the
delivery of joints of special wall thickness
and pipe grade to specific locations. such as
road crossings. where heavy wall thickness
may be specified by the contract or by
regulations. Pipe is strung so that the
movement of livestock and vehicles is not
impeded.
string shot n: an explosive method utilizing
Primacord. which is an instantaneous textilecovered fuse with a core of very high
explosive. It is used to create an explosive
jar inside stuck drill pipe or tubing so that the
pipe may be backed off at the joint
immediately above where it is stuck.
string-shot back-off n: see string shot.
string up v: to thread the drilling line
through the sheaves of the crown block and
traveling block. One end of the line is
secured to the hoisting drum and the other
to the derrick substructure.

strip a well v: 1. to pull rods and tubing from

a well at the same time-for example, when
the pump is stuck. Tubing must be shipped
over the rods a joint at a time, and the
exposed sucker rod is then backed off and
removed. 2. to move the drill stem, tubing,
and other tools into or out of the hole with
the well closed in. If the weight of the pipe is
sufficient to overcome the upward force of
well pressure, then the pipe can be shipped
in. Compare snub.
strip chart n: ship charts are sometimes
used in lieu of the circular chart for recording
gas flow through an orifice meter.
stripped gas n: a processed gas from which
liquefied hydrocarbons have been removed.
stripper n: 1. a well nearing depletion that
produces a very small amount of oil or gas,
usually ten barrels per day or less. 2. a
shipper head. 3. a column wherein absorbed
constituents are shipped from absorption oil.
The term is applicable to columns using a
shipping medium, such as steam or gas.
stripper bead n: a blowout prevention device consisting of a gland and packing
arrangement bolted to the wellhead. It is
often used to seal the annular space
between tubing and casing.
stripper oil n: see upper tier.
stripper rubber n: 1. a rubber disk
surrounding drill pipe or tubing that removes
mud as the pipe is brought out of the hole. 2.
the pressure-sealing element of a shipper
blowout preventer. See stripper head.
stripping gas n: in a glycol dehydration unit,
hot gas that is bubbled through rich glycol to
ship water from the glycol and carry it away
as vapour.
stripping in n: 1. the process of lowering
the drill stem into the wellbore when the well
is shut in on a kick and when the weight of
the drill stem is sufficient to overcome the
force of well pressure. 2. the process of
putting tubing into a well under pressure.

stripping job

stripping job n: the simultaneous pulling of

rods and tubing when the sucker rod pump
or rods are frozen in the tubing string.
stripping out n: 1. the process of raising the
drill stem out of the wellbore when the well is
shut in on a kick. 2. the process of removing
tubing from the well under pressure.
strip pipe v: 1. to remove the drill stem from
the hole while the blowout preventers are
closed. 2. to pull the drill stem and the
washover pipe out of the hole at the same
time.
strks abbr: streaks; used in drilling reports.
stroke jar n: a mechanical percussion tool
that can deliver either upward or downward
impact. See jar.
structural mast n: a portable mast
constructed of angular as opposed to tubular
steel members. See jackknife mast.
structural trap n: a petroleum trap that is
formed because of deformation (such as
folding or faulting) of the reservoir formation.
Compare stratigraphic trap.

structure n: a geological formation of

interest to drillers. For example, if a
particular well is on the edge of a structure,
the wellbore has penetrated the reservoir
(structure) near its periphery.
structure contour map n: horizontal
representation of elevations of a subsurface
rock layer or structure.
structure map n: a map of critical horizons subsurface oil-producing zones-in a given
area.
S-tube n: in a top drive, the S-shaped pipe
that incorporates a gooseneck to which the
rotary hose is attached. It conducts drilling
mud into the top drive from the rotary hose.
See top drive.
stuck pipe n: drill pipe, drill collars, casing,
or tubing that has inadvertently become
immovable in the hole. Sticking may occur
when drilling is in progress, when casing is
being run in the hole. or when the drill pipe is
being hoisted.
stuck point n: the depth in the hole at which
the drill stem, tubing, or casing is stuck. Also
called freeze point.
stud-link chain n: (nautical) an anchor
chain on which each link has a bar, or stud,
across the shorter dimension of the link to
prevent kinking and deformation under load.
stuffing box n: a device that prevents along
a piston, rod, propeller shaft, or other
moving part that passes through a hole in a
cylinder or vessel. It consists of a box or

203

chamber made by enlarging the hole and a

gland containing compressed packing. On a
well being artificially lifted by means of a
sucker rod pump, the polished rod operates
through a stuffing box, preventing escape of
oil and diverting it into a side outlet to which
is connected the flow line leading to the oil
and gas separator or to the field storage
tank. For a bottomhole pressure test, the
wireIine goes through a stuffing box and
lubricator, allowing the gauge to be raised
and lowered against well pressure. The
lubricator provides a pressure-tight grease
seal in the stuffing box.

stump pressure test n: a pressure test of a

subsea blowout preventer stack performed
on the rig floor on a test stump-a device that
allows pressure to be exerted on the stackto ensure that all the pressure-sealing
elements of the stack are working properly.
styolite n: an irregular surface, generally
parallel to a depositional layer, in which
small, toothlike projections on one side of
the surface fit into cavities of complementary
shape on the other surface.
sub n: a short, threaded piece of pipe used
to adapt parts of the drilling string that
cannot otherwise be screwed together
because of differences in thread size or
design. A sub (i.e., a substitute) may also
perform a special function. Lifting subs are
used with drill collars to provide a shoulder
to fit the drill pipe elevators; a kelly saver
sub is
placed between the drill pipe and the kelly to
prevent excessive thread wear of the kelly
and drill pipe threads; a bent sub is used
when drilling a directional hole.
subduction zone n: a deep trench formed
in the ocean floor along the line of
convergence of oceanic crust with other
oceanic or continental crust when one plate
(always oceanic) dives beneath the other.
The plate that descends into the hot mantle
is partially melted. Magma rises through
fissures in the heavier, unmelted crust

submersible drilling rig

above, creating a line of plutons and

volcanoes that eventually form an island arc
parallel to the trench.
sub elevator n: a small attachment on the
rod-transfer equipment that picks up the
rods after they are unscrewed from the
string and then transfers them to the rod
hanger, or reverses the procedure when
going into the hole. See rod-transfer
equipment.
subgeologic map n: a map of the
formations directly above an unconformity.
Also called a worm's-eye map.
submerged-arc welding n: an automatic
welding process utilizing a continuous wire
feed and a shielding medium of fusible
granular flux. Submerged-arc welding offers
high deposition rates and weld passes of
substantial thickness.
Submerged Lands Act n: congressional act
that grants coastal states jurisdiction over a
belt of submerged lands that extend
seaward off the coastlines to a distance of 3
geographical miles (9 miles for Texas and
Florida). Various state agencies are given
authority under this act to enforce state
environmental provisions for these lands.
submersible n: 1. a two-person submarine
used for inspection and testing of offshore
pipeline. 2. a submersible drilling rig.
submersible drilling rig n: a mobile bottom
supported offshore drilling structure with
several compartments that are flooded to
cause the structure to submerge and rest on
the seafloor. Submersible rigs are designed
for use in shallow waters to a maximum of
175 feet (53.4 metres). Submersible drilling
rigs include the posted barge submersible,
the bottle-type submersible, and the arctic
submersible. See bottom-supported offshore
drilling rig.

submersible pump

submersible pump n: a pump that is placed

below the level of fluid in a well. It is usually
driven by an electric motor and consists of a
series of rotating blades that impart
centrifugal motion to lift the fluid to the
surface.
subordination n: in the case of an oil and
gas lease, a supplementary agreement that
resolves the priority of rights to the leased
property and subordinates an earlier
instrument (for example, a mortgage) to the
oil and gas lease.
subsea blowout preventer n: a blowout
preventer placed on the seafloor for use by a
floating offshore drilling rig.

subsea choke-line valve n: a valve

mounted in the choke line of a subsea
blowout preventer stack. It serves to
regulate the flow of well fluids being
circulated through the choke line when the
well is closed in.
subsea
completion
system
n:
a
submersible apparatus similar to a
bathysphere in which people are lowered to
the ocean bottom to work on the wellheads
of completed wells. The wellhead contains a
cellar to which the system is attached,
creating a dry atmosphere in which to work.

subsea riser n: a vertical

section
of
pipe
that
connects pipeline on the
sea bottom to a production
platform on the surface. The
riser is an integral part of
the pipeline and is clamped
directly to a leg or brace on
the platform.
subsea stack n: see
subsea blowout preventer

subsea template n: a device placed on the

seafloor to facilitate the production of wells.
When a template is used, the wells are
drilled through the template and are
completed and produced on it. Since the

204

erection of a platform to produce the wells is

not necessary, marginal offshore fields can
sometimes be produced because the
expense of erecting the platform is avoided.

subsea test tree n: a device designed to be

landed in a subsea wellhead or blowout
preventer stack to provide a means of
closing in the well on the ocean floor so that
a drill stem test of an offshore well can be
obtained.
substitute natural gas (SNG) n: see
synthetic natural gas.
substructure n: the foundation on which the
derrick or mast and usually the draw- works
sit. It contains space for storage and wellcontrol equipment.
subsurface adj: below the surface of the
earth (e.g., subsurface rocks).
subsurface
environment
n:
the
environment below the surface of the earth;
groundwater, deep water, underground
formations, etc. subsurface geology n: the
study of rocks that lie beneath the surface of
the earth. subsurface safety valve n: see
tubing safety valve.
subsurface sampling n: a procedure in
which a bottomhole sampler is lowered into
the well and filled with a sample that is
representative of the reservoir conditions
and that contains all the constituents of the
fluid in their true proportions. Tests run on
this sample help to obtain an accurate
knowledge of the physical properties of the
reservoir fluid under actual conditions.

sucker rod n: a special steel pumping rod.

Several rods screwed together make up the
mechanical link from the beam pumping unit
on the surface to the sucker rod pump at the
bottom of a well. Sucker rods are threaded
on each end and manufactured to dimension
standards and metal specifications set by
the petroleum industry. Lengths are 25 or 30

suction-side

feet (7.6 or 9.1 metres); diameter varies from

0.5 to 1.5 inches (12 to 30 millimetres).
There is also a continuous sucker rod (trade
name: CorodTM).
sucker rod coupling n: an internally
threaded fitting used to join sucker rods.
sucker rod pump n: the downhole
assembly used to lift fluid to the surface by
the reciprocating action of the sucker rod
string. Basic components are barrel,
plunger, valves, and hold-down. Two types
of sucker rod pumps are the tubing pump, in
which the barrel is attached to the tubing,
and the rod, or insert, pump, which is run
into the well as a complete unit.
sucker rod pumping n: a method of
artificial lift in which a subsurface pump
located at or near the bottom of the well and
connected to a string of sucker rods is used
to lift the well fluid to the surface. The weight
of the rod string and fluid is counterbalanced
by weights attached to a reciprocating beam
or to the crank member of a beam pumping
unit or by air pressure in a cylinder attached
to the beam.
sucker rod whip n: an undesirable whipping motion in the sucker rod string that
occurs when the string is not properly
attached to the sucker rod pump or when the
pump is operated at a resonant speed.
suction dampener n: a steel chamber with
an
air-charged
rubber
bladder
(or
diaphragm) inside that is mounted on a mud
pump's intake (suction) line. It absorbs the
impact that occurs when the smooth flow of
fluid in the suction line coming out of the
suction tank meets the intermittent flow
caused by fast moving pump pistons.
suction dredge n: in pipe laying, a type of
trenching machine used on river crossings
when the channel cannot be diverted or
when the volume of material to be removed
is large. A suction pump rapidly forces large
amounts of soil into a discharge pipe for
deposit on the adjacent bank. A cutterhead
can also be used on a suction dredge.
suction screen n: see oil strainer.
suction line n: the line that carries a product
out of a tank to the suction side of the
pumps. Also called the loading line. suction
pit n: also called a suction tank, sump pit, or
mud suction pit. See suction tank. suction
pressure n: the pressure of a gas or fluid
entering the suction valve of a compressor.
suction-side adj: inlet side of a compressor
or the side on which the gas enters the
compressor.

suction tank

suction tank n: the mud tank from which

mud is picked up by the suction of the mud
pumps. Also called a suction pit.
suction temperature n: the temperature of
a gas or fluid entering the suction valve of a
compressor.
suction valve n: on a mud pump, the intake
valve through which mud is drawn into the
pump.
suicide squeeze n: a squeeze cement job
with open perfs above the packer.
suitcase sand n: a formation found to be
nonproductive. When such a formation is
encountered, operations are suspended,
and the crews pack their suitcases and
move to another job.
sulfamic acid n: a crystalline acid
(NH2S03H) derived from sulfuric acid that is
sometimes used in acidizing.
sulfate n: a compound containing the SO4
group, as in calcium sulfate (CaSO4).
sulfate-reducing bacteria n pi: bacteria that
digest sulfates present in water, causing the
release of hydrogen sulfide, which combines
with iron to form iron sulfide, a troublesome
scale.
sulfate resistance n: the ability of a cement
to resist deterioration by sulfate ions.
sulfide stress cracking n: the brittle failure
of metals by cracking under the combined
action of tensile stress and corrosion in the
presence of water and hydrogen sulfide.
sulfur (S) n: a pale yellow, nonmetallic
chemical element. In its elemental state- free
sulfur-it has a crystalline or amorphous form.
In many gas streams, sulfur may be found
as volatile sulfur compounds- hydrogen
sulfide, sulfur oxides, mercaptans, carbonyl
sulfide. Reduction of their concentration
levels is necessary for corrosion control and,
in many cases, necessary for health and
safety reasons.
sulfur dioxide n: a colorless gaseous compound of sulfur and oxygen (SO2) with the
odor of rotten eggs. A product of the
combustion of hydrogen sulfide, it is
poisonous and irritating.
sulfureted hydrogen n: see hydrogen
sulfide.
sulfuric acid n: a colorless, oily liquid
compound of hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen
(H2SO4) strongly poisonous and corrosive. It
is formed when hydrogen sulfide (H2S) or
sulfur dioxide (SO2) is mixed with water
(H2O). Also called vitriolic acid.
sulfur light crude n: light crude oil that
contains sulfur compounds, often in the form
of hydrogen sulfide.
a capacity larger than 100,000 deadweight
tons but less than 500,000 deadweight tons
(45,360 deadweight tonnes) are called very
large crude carriers. Those with a capacity
over 500,000 deadweight tons are called
ultralarge crude carriers.

205

sulfurous acid n: a colorless liquid

compound of hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen
(H2S03) weakly corrosive, with the odor of
sulfur. It is formed when hydrogen sulfide
(H2S) or sulfur dioxide SO2 is mixed with
water (H2O).
sulfur plant n: a plant that makes sulfur
from the hydrogen sulfide extracted from
natural gas. One-third of the hydrogen
sulfide is burned to sulfur dioxide, which
reacts with the remaining hydrogen sulfide in
the presence of a catalyst to make sulfur
and water.
sul wtr abbr: sulfur water; used in drilling
reports.
summer valley n: the depression that
occurs in the summer months in the daily
load of a gas-distribution system or pipeline.
sump n: a low place in a steel guard or
casing that surrounds a moving chain or
gear that requires constant lubrication. The
sump holds a quantity of oil through which
the moving parts travel and thus become
lubricated.
sump pit n: see suction pit.
sun battery n: see solar cell.
supercharge v: to supply a charge of air to
the intake of an internal-combustion engine
at a pressure higher than that of the
surrounding atmosphere.
supercompressibility n: a deviation of
natural gas from Boyle's and Charles's laws
for ideal gas. Natural gas is not an ideal gas
in that it is a mixture of several gases. As the
pressure increases, the volume of space
that a given weight of natural gas would
occupy becomes increasingly smaller than
the volume calculated by application of
Boyle's and Charles's laws.
supercompressibiIity factor n: a term
some- times used to mean compressibility
factor, but more often to mean the
compressibility factor that is appropriate for
high-pressure
calculations.
See
compressibility facto7:
Superfund
Amendments
and
Reauthorization Act of 1986 n: see SARA
Title III.
Superfund sites n pi: sites where
hazardous waste has been disposed of
improperly and that are targeted for
government cleanup under CERCLA.
superposition n: 1. the order in which
sedimentary layers are deposited, with the
oldest layer on the bottom, the youngest
layer on top. 2. the process of sedimentary
layering.
supersaturation n: the condition of
containing more solute in solution than
would normally be present at the existing
temperature.
supertanker n: a tanker with a capacity over
100,000 deadweight tons (90,720 dead
weight tonnes). Supertankers with a capacity
larger than 100,000 deadweight tons but

surface pressure

less than 500,000 deadweight tons (45,360

deadweight tonnes) are called very large
crude carriers. Those with a capacity over
500,000 deadweight tons are called
ultralarge crude carriers.
supervisory control n: in pipelining, the
coordination of all facets of operations to
ensure proper handling of oil movements. It
begins before the physical movement of a
product and continues through recordkeeping of quality and quantity of movement.
supplemental gaseous fuel n: primarily
synthetic natural gas, propane-air, and
refinery (still) gas. May also include coke
oven gas, biomass gas, manufactured gas,
and air injected for Btu stabilization.
support agreement n: an agreement
between petroleum companies in which one
contributes money or acreage to another's
drilling operation in return for information
gained from the drilling.
sur abbr: survey; used in drilling reports.
surface-active agent n: see surfactant.
surface casing n: see surface pipe.
surface chart n: see weather map.
surface decompression n: a process used
by divers to eliminate inert gases from the
tissues, whereby they breathe high partial
pressures of oxygen while resting after a
dive to reduce the risk of getting
decompression sickness.
surface drilling unit n: an offshore drilling
rig that is either a drill ship or a drilling
barge; so called because the rig floats on
the surface of the water.
surface estate n: rights and interests in the
surface of land, created when the owner
severs or separates his or her interests in
the property.
surface-motion compensator n: see heave
compensator:
surface owner n: owner of the rights and
interests in a surface estate (where interests
in a landed estate have been severed).
Compare mineral owner.
surface pipe n: the first string of casing
(after the conductor pipe) that is set in a
well. It varies in length from a few hundred to
several thousand feet (metres). Some states
require a minimum length to protect freshwater sands. Compare conductor pipe.
surface plug n: a concrete plug placed in
the surface casing usually when the well is
abandoned.
surface pressure n: pressure measured at
the wellhead.

surface-readout device

surface-readout device n: an electronic

device in which a probe is inserted into the
drill stem near a directional drilling deflection
tool. The probe sends continuous signals to
the surface that show the direction and
angle at which the bit is drilling. Readout
devices greatly simplify accurate orientation
of the drilling assembly so that a number of
directional surveys can be eliminated. See
directional drilling.
surface-readout instrument n: a telemetry
instrument used in the surveying of a
directional well. A downhole sensing unit
records directional data, which are
converted into signal pulses and then
transmitted uphole, via conducting wireline
or through the drilling fluid, to a monitor. See
downhole telemetry.
surface safety valve n: a valve, mounted in
the Christmas tree assembly, that stops the
flow of fluids from the well if damage occurs
to the assembly.
surface sample n: a sample taken at the
surface of a liquid in a tank.
surface-sensing element n: the detecting
element of a surface sensing automatic tank
gauge.
surface stack n: a blowout preventer stack
mounted on top of the casing string at or
near the surface of the ground or the water.
Surface stacks are employed on land rigs
and on bottom-supported MODUs.

surface tension n: the tendency of liquids to

maintain as small a surface as possible. It is
caused by the cohesive attraction between
the molecules of liquid.
surface test tree n: in surface well testing, a
temporary set of valves installed for flow
control on a wellhead with no Christmas
tree.
surface-type drilling unit n: see barge, drill
ship, ship-shaped barge.
surface waste n: waste incurred by line
leaks, seepage, inexpedient storage, and so
forth. Such waste is usually regulated by
federal or state agencies.

206

surface waters of the United States n pI:

the oceans, rivers, streams, lakes, ponds,
water holes, mud flats, prairie potholes,
bogs, and swamps of the United States.
surface wave n: wave that propagates
along the earth's surface, e.g., the Love,
Rayleigh, hydrodynamic, or coupled waves.
surface wind n: a wind that can be
measured at a surface observing station.
surfactant n: a soluble compound that
concentrates on the surface boundary
between two substances such as oil and
water and reduces the surface tension
between the substances. The use of
surfactants permits the thorough surface
contact or mixing of substances that
ordinarily remain separate. Surfactants are
used in the petroleum industry as additives
to drilling mud and to water during chemical
flooding. See micellar- polymer flooding,
surfactant mud.
surfactant mud n: a drilling mud prepared
by adding a surfactant to a water-base mud
to change the colloidal state of the clay from
that of complete dispersion to one of
controlled flocculation. Such muds were
originally designed for use in deep, hightemperature
wells,
but
their
many
advantages (high chemical and thermal
stability, minimum swelling effect on claybearing zones, lower plastic viscosity, and
so on) extend their applicability.
surge n: 1. an accumulation of liquid above
a normal or average level, or a sudden increase in its flow rate above a normal flow
rate. 2. the motion of a mobile offshore drilling rig in a direction in line with the centerline of the rig, especially the front-to-back
motion of the rig when it is moored in a
seaway.
surge column n: see boot.
surge dampener n: see dampener.
surge disk n: see surge valve.
surge effect n: a rapid increase in pressure
downhole that occurs when the drill stem is
lowered rapidly or when the mud pump is
quickly brought up to speed after starting.
surge loss n: the flux of fluids and solids
that occurs in the initial stages of any
filtration before pore openings are bridged
and a filter cake is formed. Also called spurt
loss.
surge tank n: a tank or vessel through
which liquids or gases are passed to ensure
steady flow and to eliminate pressure
surges.
surge valve n: a device employed with a
packer or to clean open perforations by
allowing surges of pressure to enter the
perforations. Also called a surge disk.
surging n: a rapid increase in pressure
downhole that occurs when the drill stem is
lowered too fast or when the mud pump is
brought up to speed after starting.

swabbed show

surrender clause n: the clause in an oil and

gas lease that specifies the procedure to be
followed should the lessee wish to surrender
all or part of his or her leased interests.
surveying service company n: a business
organization that is hired by an operator to
measure a well's trajectory. The company
takes complete surveys of the hole, usually
either before or after setting a string of
casing or upon completion of the hole. This
type of surveying program is separate from,
and independent of, the directional
supervisor's surveys.
suspended load n: 1. in a flowing stream of
water, the finer sand, silt, and clay that are
carried well off the bottom by the turbulence
of the water. Compare bed load, dissolved
load. 2. the weight of the drill stem when
suspended from the hook.
suspended S& W n: sediment and water
that are suspended in oil and that can be
separated only by (1) centrifuge with
appropriate solvents or (2) extraction by
distillation.
suspending agent n: an additive used to
hold the fine clay and silt particles that
sometimes remain after an acidizing
treatment in suspension; i.e., it keeps them
from settling out of the spent acid until it is
circulated out.
suspension n: a mixture of small nonsettling particles of solid material gaseous
or liquid medium.
suspensoid n: a mixture consisting of finely
divided colloidal particles floating in a liquid.
The particles are so small that they do not
settle but are kept in motion by the moving
molecules
of
the
liquid
(Brownian
movement).
SW abbr: salt water; used in drilling reports.
swab n: a hollow, rubber-faced cylinder
mounted on a hollow mandrel with a pin joint
on the upper end to connect to the swab
line. A check valve that opens up- ward on
the lower end provides a way to remove the
fluid from the well when pressure is
insufficient to support flow. v: 1. to operate a
swab on a wireline to bring well fluids to the
surface when the well does not flow
naturally. Swabbing is a temporary operation
to determine whether the well can be made
to flow. If the well does not flow after being
swabbed, a pump is installed as a
permanent lifting device to bring the oil to
the surface. 2. to pull formation fluids into a
wellbore by raising the drill stem at a rate
that reduces the hydrostatic pressure of the
drilling mud below the bit.
swabbed show n: formation fluid that is
pulled into the well bore because of an
underbalance of formation pressure caused
by pulling the drill string too fast.

swabbing effect

swabbing effect n: a phenomenon

characterized by formation fluids being
pulled or swabbed into the wellbore when
the drill stem and bit are pulled up the well
bore fast enough to reduce the hydrostatic
pressure of the mud below the bit. If enough
formation fluid is swabbed into the hole, a
kick can result.
swabbing line n: see sandline.
swab cup n: a rubber or rubberlike device
on a special rod (a swab), which forms a
seal between the swab and the wall of the
tubing or casing.
swab off v: to pull off during a trip into or out
of the hole because of pressure differential.
For example, if a packer is run in too quickly,
the pressure differential across the packer
swabs off the packing elements, making it
necessary to trip back out to replace them.
swag n: downward bend in a pipeline to
conform to a dip in the surface of the rightof- way or to the contours of a ravine or
creek. swage n: a solid cylindrical tool
pointed at the bottom and equipped with a
tool joint at the top for connection with a jar.
It is used to straighten damaged or
collapsed casing or tubing and drive it back
to its original shape. v: to reduce the
diameter of a rod, a tube, or a fitting by
forging, hammering, or other method.

swage nipple n: a pipe fitting with external

threads of different sizes on each end.
swaging n: the tendency of a body, such as
a length of drill pipe, to be bent by the action
of a tool, such as the slips, applied to it with
a great deal of force. In the case of drill pipe,
if the slips are allowed to stop the drill stem
as the driller lowers it into the hole, the slips
can swage, or deform, the body of the pipe
by the force they apply against the pipe
when they settle into the master bushing.
swallow float n: an instrument used to
measure an ocean current's velocity. It can
be adjusted to be neutrally buoyant and to
travel at a specific density level. It is dropped

207

into the water to travel with a current, and its

journey is tracked by a pinger.
swamp barge n: see inland barge rig.
swamper n: (slang) a helper on a truck,
tractor, or other machine.
sway n: the motion of a mobile offshore
drilling rig in a linear direction from side to
side or perpendicular to a line through the
centerline of the rig; especially, the side- toside motion when the rig is moored in a
seaway.
swbd abbr: swabbed; used in drilling
reports.
swbg abbr: swabbing; used in drilling
reports.
swedge n: see swage.
sweep efficiency n: the efficiency with
which water displaces oil or gas in a water
drive oil or gas field. Water flowing in from
the aquifer does not displace the oil or gas
uniformly but channels past certain areas
due to variations in porosity and
permeability.
sweep-out pattern n: the areal pattern of
the injection fluid advancing from injection
wells to production wells during an improved
recovery operation.
sweet adj: having an absence or nearabsence of sulfur compounds, as defined by
a given specification standard.
sweet corrosion n: the deterioration of
metal caused by contact with carbon dioxide
in water.
sweet crude n: see sweet crude oil.
sweet crude oil n: oil containing little or no
sulfur, especially little or no hydrogen
sulfide.
sweeten v: to remove sulfur or sulfur compounds from gas or oil.
sweet gas n: gas that has no more than the
maximum sulfur content defined by (1) the
specifications for the sales gas from a plant
or (2) the definition by a legal body such as
the Railroad Commission of Texas.
swell n: a wave that has moved out of its
fetch and into weaker winds, where it
decreases in height and has regular
movement.
swelled box n: a box connection on a tool
joint that has been belled by too much
torque.
swelling n: see hydration.
swing check n: a type of check valve. swing
lease n: a lease from which gas production
can be used to eliminate over/under delivery
balances
under
a
gas
exchange
arrangement.
swingline n: an extension of the suction line
that pivots vertically inside an oil tank. It
allows an operator to withdraw product from
varying heights in the tank.
swing production n: the production of a
country, zone, or area that acts as a
balancing region. The swing producer needs
adequate reserves to meet demand surges

swivel stem

and can tolerate low production when

demand slows. Since the late 1960s, Saudi
Arabia has been considered the world's
swing producer.
swing suction n: a discharge pipe in a tank
whose intake end can be raised or lowered
to prevent the discharge of the sediment in
the bottom of the tank. Compare weir:
swirl n: a qualitative term describing
tangential motions of liquid flow in a pipe or
tube.
swirl pipe n: a baffle installed at or near the
outlet connection of a liquid storage
container to prevent the formation of a
vortex and air/vapor entrainment in the
liquid. Also called vortex eliminator.
switch and control gear n: on a dieselelectric drilling rig, the equipment utilized to
distribute and transmit electric power to the
electric motors from the generators. switcher
n: (obsolete) lease operator or pumper. See
pumper.
swivel n: a rotary tool that is hung from the
hook and the traveling block to suspend and
permit free rotation of the drill stem. It also
provides a connection for the rotary hose
and a passage- way for the flow of drilling
fluid into the drill stem.

swivel-connector grip n: a braided-wire

device used to join the end of one wire rope
to the end of another wire rope temporarily.
When tension is put on this device, it
stretches and grips the wire ropes firmly,
allowing the wire rope to be threaded
through the blocks. When tension is released, this device relaxes, allowing the rope
to be released. Also called a snake or a
swivel-type stringing grip.
swivel packing n: special rubberized compounds placed in a swivel to prevent drilling
fluid under high pressure from leaking out.
swivel stem n: a length of pipe inside the
swivel that is installed to the swivel's
washpipe and to which the kelly (or a kelly
accessory, such as the upper kelly cock) is
attached. It conducts drilling mud from the
washpipe and to the drill stem. See washpipe.

swivel sub

208

swivel sub n: a sub containing a swivel

joint. It is capable of permitting rotation
between its two ends.
swivel-type stringing grip n: see swivelconnector grip.
sx abbr: sacks; used in drilling and mud
reports.
synchronous adj: occurring at the same
moment. For two or more generators, it
means being phased together.
synchronous motor n: an AC motor
designed to "keep time" with the AC power
supply; it rotates at the same speed as the
alternator that supplies the current or at a
fixed multiple of that speed.
synchronous speed n: in an electric motor,
the speed of the rotating field:
synchronous
speed (rpm)

120 xfrequency( hertz )

=
number of poles

syncline n: a trough-shaped configuration of

folded rock layers. Compare anticline.

synergistic effect n: the added effect

produced by two processes working in
combination. It is greater than the sum of the
individual effects of each process.
synoptic wave chart n: a chart comprising
oceanic wave data collected simultaneously
from vessels and computed wave heights for
areas lacking reports.
synthetic-based mud n: a drilling fluid
containing man-made chemicals that
emulate natural oil. Natural oil-base muds
require that the cuttings made by the bit be
specially handled to prevent damage to the
environment; synthetic muds were therefore
developed to replace oil-base muds in
environmentally sensitive areas. For this
reason, synthetic- based muds are
sometimes termed pseudo-oil-base mud.
See oil-base mud.
synthetic natural gas (SNG) n: a gas that
is obtained either by heating coal or by
refining heavier hydrocarbons. Hydrogen
must be added to the product to make up for
deficiencies in the original hydrocarbon
source.
systematic error n: an error that, in the
course of a number of measurements made
under the same conditions and of the same
value of a given quantity, either remains
constant in absolute value and sign, or

varies according to a definite law when the

conditions change. Thus, it causes a bias.
system of units of measurement n: a set
of base and derived units corresponding to a
particular group of quantities.

system of units of measurement

T sym: tesla. abbr: top of; used in drilling

reports.
t sym: tonne.
TA abbr: temporarily abandoned.
tachometer (tach) n: an instrument that
measures the speed of rotation.
tag v: to touch an object downhole with the
drill stem (as to tag the bottom of the hole or
to tag the top of the fish).
tagging n: running pipe or tubing and
landing it on a downhole tool.
tag line n: in crane operations, a small wire
rope attached to the bottom of a load
suspended by the crane, which, when
grasped by a crew member, allows the crew
member to prevent rotation of the load.
tail n: the ungraduated lower portion of a
mercury-in-glass thermometer.
tail chain n: a short length of chain that is
attached to the end of a winch line. It is
usually provided with a special hook that
fastens to objects.
tail gas n: the exit gas from a plant.
tail gate n: the point in a processing plant at
which the residue gas is last metered,
usually the allocation meter or the plant
residue sales meter.
tailing in n: guiding a downhole tool into the
wellbore or onto the rig floor.
tail line n: see guideline.
tail out rods v: to pull the bottom end of a
sucker rod away from a well when laying
rods down.
tail pipe n: 1. a pipe run in a well below a
packer. 2. a pipe used to exhaust gases
from the muffler of an engine to the outside
atmosphere.
tail roller n: a large roller located across the
stem of an anchor-handling boat. Pendant
lines travel over it when an anchor is being
brought in or dropped.
taino n: a tropical cyclone in Haiti.
take a strain on v: to begin to pull on a load.
take-in-kind n: see in-kind.
takeoff n: usually prepared by an abstract
company, a takeoff lists and briefly
describes the documents relevant to the title
of a given piece of property. It costs much
less to prepare than an abstract of title and
is similar to a landman's run sheet.
take-or-pay n: the quantity of gas that a gas
purchaser agrees to take, or to pay for if not
taken.
take-or-pay clause n: a contract clause that
guarantees payment to a seller for gas, even
though the particular gas volume is not
taken during a specified time period. Some

contracts stipulate a time period for the

buyer to take later delivery without penalty.
take-or-pay credits n pi: under Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission Order No.
500, credits provided to a transporting
pipeline by the producer of the natural gas
that the pipe- line can apply against any
take-or pay or take- and-pay obligations the
pipeline might have to that producer under
certain qualifying gas purchase contracts
existing on June 23, 1987. Take-or-pay
credits may only be received by a pipeline
from a producer whose gas it transports and
from whom the pipeline has received an
"offer of credits" pursuant to Order No. 500.
The many and complicated rules about takeor-pay credits are set out in detail in Order
No. 500.
take-or-pay quantity n: under a take-orpay clause, the threshold quantity of product
that the buyer is obligated to pay for,
whether actually taken during the stated
period of time. A take-or-pay quantity is
usually stated in terms of an absolute
quantity or a certain percentage of a total
con- tract quantity over a specific period of
time, usually a year.
take out v: to remove a joint or stand of pipe
from the drill stem.
taking n: under ESA, killing, capturing,
hunting, harassing, or modifying or
destroying the habitat so that breeding,
feeding, or sheltering of a species is
significantly
impaired.
Consequently,
clearing an area that is the actual or
potential habitat of an endangered or
threatened species could constitute a
violation of the act.
tally v: to measure and record the total
length of pipe, casing, or tubing that is to be
run in a well.
talus n: angular pieces of rock produced by
weathering that come to rest in a sleep slope
at the bottom of a mountainside. The rock is
broken loose from the larger mass by
repeated freezing and thawing.
tang n: a piece that provides an extension of
an instrument (such as a file) and serves to
form the handle or make a connection for
the attachment of a handle.
tank n: a metal, plastic, or wooden container
used to store a liquid. Three types include
mud tanks for drilling, production tanks, and
storage tanks.
tankage n: the total capacity of the number
of tanks in a field.

209

tank barge n: a large, flat-bottomed vessel

divided into compartments and used to carry
crude or fuel oil.
tank battery n: a group of production tanks
located in a field to store crude oil.

tank bottoms n pl: the settlings in the

bottom of a storage tank.
See basic
sediment and water, bottoms.
tank calibration n: see strap.
tank capacity table n: see calibration table.
tank car n: a railroad car used to transport
petroleum or petroleum products.
tank course n: one circumferential ring of
plates in a tank. See also storage tank.
tank dike n: a structure erected to contain
petroleum or a petroleum-fed fire in case a
storage vessel ruptures or collapses. Usually
a dike is built around the petroleum storage
tank and a steel or stone wall is put up
between the prime movers and the oil
pumps in a pipeline pumping station. Also
called fire wall.

tanker

tanker n: a ship designed to transport oil,

LPG, LNG, or SNG. Tankers whose capacity
is 100,000 deadweight tons (90,720 deadweight tonnes) or more are supertankers,
either very large crude carriers or ultralarge
crude carriers. Also called a tank ship.
tank farm n: a group of large tanks
maintained by a pipeline and used to store
oil after it has been transferred from the
production tanks and before it is transported
to the refinery.
tank prover n: an open or closed vessel of
known capacity designed for the accurate
determination of the volume of liquid
delivered into or out of it during a meterproving operation.
tank ship n: see tanker.
tankside sample n: a spot sample taken
from a suitable sample connection to the
side of a tank.
tank sludge n: settlings that collect at the
bottom of storage tanks containing crude
oils, residues, and other petroleum products.
Such sludge usually contains water.
tank strapper n: the person who measures
a tank at various levels to see how much it
will hold.
tank strapping n: the obtaining of several
measurements, such as ring circumference,
gauge height, and tank height, to determine
how much a tank will hold.
tank table n: a table giving the number of
barrels of fluid contained in a storage tank
that correspond to the linear measurement
on a gauge line. Tank tables are prepared
from tank strapping measurements. See
strap. Also called calibration table, tank
capacity table.
tank truck n: a truck designed to transport
petroleum or petroleum products.
tannic acid n: the active ingredient of
quebracho and quebracho substitutes, such
as mangrove bark, chestnut extract, and
hem- lock.
tap n: 1. a tool for forming an internal screw
thread. It consists of a hardened tool-steel
male screw grooved longitudinally so as to
have cutting edges. 2. a hole or opening in a
line or vessel into which a gauge or valve
may be inserted and screwed tight. v: 1. to
form a female thread by means of a tap. 2.
to extract or cause to flow by means of a
bore- hole, e.g., to tap a reservoir.
tape clamp n: a quick-release clamp that
may be fitted around a strapping tape at any
convenient position throughout its length.
tape coating n: in pipeline construction, a
protective coating of polyethylene, polyvinyl,
coal-tar-base, or butyl-mastic tape that is
wrapped around pipe to prevent corrosion.
Tape coatings are applied on the line, and
any defects can be repaired relatively
quickly and simply.

210

tape positioner n: a guide that slides freely

along strapping tape and that is used to pull
and hold the tape in the correct position for
taking measurements.
tapered hole n: 1. a condition wherein the
hole diameter narrows with depth owing to
wear on the bit gauge caused by drilling
abrasive formations. 2. a wellbore whose
diameter is larger near the surface than near
the bottom.
tapered string n: drill pipe, tubing, sucker
rods, and so forth with the diameter near the
top of the well larger than the diameter
below.
taper tap n: a tap with a gradually
decreasing diameter from the top. It is used
to retrieve a hollow fish such as a drill collar
and is the male counterpart of a die collar.
The taper tap is run into a hollow fish and
rotated to cut enough threads to provide a
firm grip and permit the fish to be pulled and
recovered. See tap. Compare die collar.

tape wrapping n: rolls of plastic sheeting

with a preapplied adhesive that are used to
coat pipelines to prevent corrosion after they
are buried.
tap hole n: a hole radially drilled in the wall
of the meter tube or fitting, the inside edge of
which is flush and without any burrs.
taping machine n: in pipeline construction,
a machine that moves along the pipe,
wrapping joints with tape in overlapping
segments.
TAPS abbr: Trans-Alaska Pipeline System.
tap sampling n: in tank sampling,
withdrawing liquid samples through sample
taps, at least three of which should be
placed equidistant throughout the tank
height and extending at least 3 feet (1
metre) inside the tank shell. A standard V4inch (O.64-centimetre) pipe with suitable
valve is satisfactory.
tare n: the weight of an empty container
subtracted from the gross weight of the
container and that which is in the container
to ascertain net weight.
target n: a bull plug or a blind flange at the
end of a tee to prevent erosion at a point
where a change in flow direction occurs.

Tcf/d

targeted adj: said of a fluid piping system in

which flow impinges on a lead-filled end
(target) or a piping tee when fluid flow
changes direction.
targeted substances n pi: certain
substances under TSCA that present "an
unreasonable risk of injury to health or to the
environment," for example, asbestos and
PCB.
target meter n: a meter that balances target
force with a feedback force applied above a
fulcrum.
tariff n: the rate set by pipeline companies
for moving oil.
tar sand n: a sandstone that contains chiefly
heavy, tarlike hydrocarbons. Tar sands are
difficult to produce by ordinary methods;
thus it is costly to obtain usable
hydrocarbons from them.
tattletale n: a device on an instrument
control panel that indicates the cause of a
system shutdown or alarm signal.
tautline position-reference system n: a
system for monitoring the position of a
floating offshore drilling rig in relation to the
subsea wellhead. A taut steel line is
stretched from the rig to the ocean floor. An
inclinometer measures the slope of the line
at the rig, and, because the line is assumed
to have been straight when stretched from
the rig to the ocean floor, any angle in the
line indicates that the rig has moved. The
system's weakness is that the tautline can
be distorted by currents and thus give
inaccurate readings. Compare acoustic
position
reference,
position-reference
system.

tax-free interest n: an interest in production

that does not bear its portion of production
taxes levied on production from the property.
The tax applicable to this interest is borne by
other interest owners in the property.
Compare exempt interest.
Tcf abbr: trillion cubic feet.
Tcf/d abbr: trillion cubic feet per day.

T connection

T connection n: connection for transforming

three-phase power using two transformers; a
variation of the open-delta connection.
TCP abbr: tubing conveyed perforator.
TD abbr: total depth.
TDC abbr: top dead center.
tear down v: see rig down.
tectonic adj: of or relating to the
deformation of the earth's crust, the forces
involved in or producing such deformation,
and the resulting rock forms.
tee n: a pipe fitting that is shaped like the
letter T. A pipe or other fitting can be
attached to each end of the tee, since the
tee ends are threaded.
TEFC abbr: totally enclosed fan-cooled
motor.
TEG abbr: triethylene glycol.
telemetry n: the process of gathering data
by electronic or other kinds of sensing
devices and transmitting those data to
remote points. See downhole telemetry.
telescoping derrick n: see telescoping
mast. telescoping joint n: a device used in
the marine riser system of a mobile offshore
drilling rig to compensate for the vertical
motion of the rig caused by wind, waves, or
weather. It consists of an inner barrel
attached beneath the rig floor and an outer
barrel attached to the riser pipe and is an
integrated part of the riser system.
telescoping mast n: a portable mast that
can be erected as a unit, usually by a tackle
that hoists the wireline or by a hydraulic ram.
The upper section of a telescoping mast is
generally nested (telescoped) inside the
lower section of the structure and raised to
full height either by the wireline or by a
hydraulic system. Erroneously but commonly
called a telescoping derrick.
telescoping swivel sub n: a sub with a
telescoping joint used in dual or triple
completions for running additional tail pipe.
telltale hole n: a hole drilled into the space
between rings of packing material used with
a liner in a mud pump. When the liner
packing fails, fluid spurts out of the telltale
hole with each stroke of the piston,
indicating that the packing should be
renewed.
temperature n: a measure of heat or the
absence of heat, expressed in degrees
Fahrenheit or Celsius. The latter is the
standard used in countries on the metric
system.
temperature bomb n: an instrument
lowered into a well to record downhole
temperature.
temperature compensator n: a device on a
meter that automatically converts the
flowing temperature of the fluid through the
meter to a standard temperature.
temperature correction factor n: a factor
for correcting volumes of oil or gas to the

211

volume occupied at a specific reference

temperature. The reference temperature
most commonly used in the petroleum
industry is 60F (15.56C).
temperature
device
n:
a
sensor,
transmission
medium,
and
readout
equipment in an operating configuration
used to determine the temperature of a
liquid for measurement purposes.
temperature error n: the measuring error
caused by the temperature of a
measurement differing from the pertinent
reference value.
temperature gradient n: 1. the rate of
change of temperature with displacement in
a given direction. 2. the increase in
temperature of a well as its depth increases.
temperature log n: a survey run in cased
holes to locate the top of the cement in the
annulus. Since cement generates a
considerable amount of heat when setting, a
temperature increase will be found at the
level where cement is found behind the
casing.
temperature range n: the range of ambient
temperatures, given by their extremes,
within which a transducer is intended to
operate.
temperature regulator n: see thermostat.
temperature rise n: the maximum
temperature increase that any part of the
motor winding or magnetic structure
accessible for measurement with a
thermometer will have when the motor is
developing its full load.
temperature sensor n: a sensing element
and its housing, if any, and defined as the
part of a temperature device that is
positioned in a liquid the temperature of
which is being measured.
temperature survey n: an operation used to
determine temperatures at various depths in
the wellbore. It is also used to determine the
height of cement behind the casing and to
locate the source of water influx into the
wellbore.
temper screw n: used to regulate the force
of the blow delivered to the drill bit on a
cable-tool rig. Attached to the walking beam,
it controls the feed rate of the drilling tools.
Also called temple screw.
template n: see temporary guide base.
temple screw n: see temper screw.
temporarily abandoned adj: temporarily
shut in but not plugged.
temporary guide base n: the initial piece of
equipment lowered to the ocean floor once a
floating offshore drilling rig has been
positioned on location. It serves as an
anchor for the guidelines and as a
foundation for the permanent guide base
and has an opening in the center through
which the bit passes. It is also called a
drilling template.

tension gauge

temporary magnet n: a magnet usually

made of soft iron, or a material that is easily
magnetized but has little retentivity.
tenants in common n pi: see cotenants.
tender n: 1. the barge anchored alongside a
relatively small offshore drilling platform. It
usually contains living quarters, storage
space, and the mud system. 2. a shipment
of oil presented by a shipper to a pipeline for
movement. 3. a form required by certain
regulatory bodies in some states for their
approval of products shipped from plants or
other sources. 4. the person responsible for
tending to a diver's needs.
tender number n: a number assigned to a
particular shipment, or tender, of petroleum
or petroleum product.
ten-minute gel strength n: the measured
10-minute gel strength of a fluid is the
maximum reading (deflection) taken from a
direct-reading viscometer after the fluid has
been quiescent for 10 minutes. The reading
is reported in pounds/100 square feet. See
gel strength.
ten round n: same as an eight round,
except ten threads per inch. See eight
round. tensile ad}: of or relating to tension.
tensile load n: the amount of longitudinal
stress borne by a substance.
tensile strength n: the greatest longitudinal
stress that a metal can bear without tearing
apart. A metal's tensile strength is greater
than its yield strength.
tensile stress n: stress developed by a
material bearing a tensile load. See stress.
tension n: the condition of a string, wire,
pipe, or rod that is stretched between two
points.
tensioner system n: a system of devices
installed on a floating offshore drilling rig to
maintain a constant tension on the riser
pipe, despite any vertical motion made by
the rig. The guidelines must also be
tensioned, so a separate tensioner system is
provided for them.
tension gauge n: a device that measures
and indicates the amount of pulling force
(tension) being put on pipe, a tape measure,
etc. In tank strapping, the strapping crew
attaches a tension gauge to the measuring
tape they use to determine a tank's
circumference. Knowing how much tension
to apply to the tape is essential to accurate
measurement because the same amount of
tension must be applied to the tape each
time they make a measurement.

tension-leg platform rig

tension-leg platform rig n: a compliant offshore drilling platform used to drill

development wells. The platform, which
resembles a semisubmersible drilling rig, is
attached to the seafloor with tensioned steel
tubes. The buoyancy of the platform applies
tension to the tubes. See platform rig.

tension packer n: a packer that is held in its

set position by upstrain, or upward pull.
tension tool n: a device on a retrievable or
drillable packer that allows the packer to be
set with an upward pull (tension); it is often
used when not enough pipe weight is
available to set the packer by applying
downward force (compression).
TENV motor abbr: totally enclosed nonventilated motor.
TEOR abbr: thennal enhanced oil recovery.
term clause n: see habendum clause.
terminal n: a point to which oil is transported
through pipelines. It usually includes a tank
farm and may include tanker-loading
facilities.
term minerals n pi: severed minerals
acquired for a certain time and, generally, as
long thereafter as production continues.
tertiary recovery n: 1. the use of improved
recovery methods that not only restore
formation pressure but also improve oil
displacement or fluid flow in the reservoir. 2.
the use of any improved recovery method to
remove additional oil after secondary
recovery. Compare primary recovery,
secondary recovery.
tesla n: the unit of magnetic-flux density in
the metric system.
tester n: a person who tests pipe and casing
for leaks.
test gallons n pi: see theoretical gallons.
test marketing n: product analysis
conducted under real conditions of the
market.
test measures n pi: vessels used as
secondary
standards
for
volume
measurements.
test pressure n: the working pressure of a
container or vessel times a safety factor.
See also working pressure.

212

test separator n: an oil and gas separator

that is used to separate relatively small
quantities of oil and gas, which are diverted
through the testing devices on a lease.
test well n: a wildcat well.
tethered diving n: diving in which an
umbilical hose is used to connect a diver to
the gas supply.
Tethys Sea n: an ancient great ocean of the
Cretaceous period, 135 million to 65 million
years ago, between Eurasia and Africa.
More than half the world's known petroleum
accumulated along the margins of this ocean
during a brief (30 million-year) interval.

tetraethyl lead n: an antiknock compound

for motor gasoline. It is being phased out
because lead is a pollutant.
Texas deck n: the main load-bearing deck
of an offshore drilling structure and the
highest above the water, excluding auxiliary
decks such as the helicopter landing pad.
So called because it is the largest deck on
the structure.
TFL abbr:
through-the-flow-line.
See
through-the-flow-line equipment.
thalweg n: 1. in geology, the line connecting
the lowest points along a stream bed or
valley. Also known as a valley line. 2. a line
crossing all contour lines on a land surface
perpendicularly.
thaw subsidence n: the tendency of
permafrost to sink when a heavy weight or
structure is placed on it. When the structure
is placed on frozen ground, any heat that
thaws the soil causes it to become soft, so
that the structure sinks or subsides into it.
theodolite n: an optical instrument used to
track rising pilot balloons and thus obtain
indications of wind directions and speeds
above the earth's surface.
theoretical gallons n pi: the content of
liquefiable hydrocarbons in a volume of gas,
determined from analyses or tests of the
gas.
theoretical residue gas remaining n: the
volume of residue that theoretically remains
after volume reductions attributable to the
processing of a volume of gas in a plant. It is
determined by applying a factor from a table
or calculation to the volume of gas delivered
to the plant.
therm n: a unit of gross heating value equal
to 100,000 6tu (1.055056108 joules).
thermal ammeter n: a quantity indicator that
measures current by the heating effect of the
current on a thermocouple.

thermal recovery

thermal cracking n: the process of making

oils of low boiling range (100O-550F, 37.8287.8C), to be used for motor fuels and
burning oils, from oils of high boiling range
(550- 800F, 287.8-426. 7C), such as gas
oil and fuel oil. All modem commercial
methods get this breaking-down action by
subjecting the high boiling oils to high
temperatures. Pressure up to 1,000 pounds
per square inch (6,895 kilopascals) is used
for producing a dense system and for
making sure of good contact within the
desired temperature and in an apparatus of
reason- able size.
Thermal Decay Time Log n: proprietary
name for a type of pulsed-neutron survey.
thermal decomposition n: the breakdown of
a compound or substance by temperature
into simple substances or into constituent
elements.
thermal enhanced oil recovery (TEOR) n:
a method of increasing well productivity and
recoverable oil by using heat, e.g., steam
injection (the huff 'n' puff method), steam
flood, or in situ combustion.
thermal equilibrium n: the achievement of
equal temperatures in two or more
substances.
thermalization n: the process of reducing
the energy of neutrons to thermal energy
levels.
thermally stable polycrystalline diamond
bit n: a special type of fixed-head bit that
has synthetic diamond cutters that do not
disintegrate at high temperatures. Compare
polycrystalline diamond compact.
thermal neutron n: neutron having an
average energy level at room temperature of
0.025 electron volts.
thermal neutron population n: the number
of thermal neutrons around the neutron
logging tool. The number of capture gamma
rays present at any time is directly
proportional to the thermal neutron
population.
thermal recovery n: a type of improved
recovery in which heat is introduced into a
reservoir to lower the viscosity of heavy oils
and to facilitate their flow into producing
wells. The pay zone may be heated by
injecting steam (steam drive) or by injecting
air and burning a portion of the oil in place
(in situ combustion). See cyclic steam
injection, in situ combustion, steam drive.

thermal time constant

thermal time constant n: the time required

for a thermometer to indicate 63.2 percent of
the magnitude of a change in the measured
temperature.
thermistor n: a temperature-sensitive
element with variable resistivity for overload
protection in motors.
thermocouple n: a device consisting of two
dissimilar metals bonded together, with
electrical connections to each. When the
device is exposed to heat, an electrical
current is generated, the magnitude of which
varies with the temperature. It is used to
measure temperatures higher than those
that can be measured by an ordinary
thermometer, such as those in engine
exhaust.
thermodynamic equilibrium n: property of
a system that is in mechanical, chemical,
and thermal equilibrium.
thermohydrometer n: a combination
hydrometer-thermometer
designed
to
measure gravity and temperature of a liquid.
thermometer n: an instrument that
measures
temperature.
Thermometers
provide a way to estimate temperature from
its effect on a substance with known
characteristics (such as a gas that expands
when
heated).
Various
types
of
thermometers measure temperature by
measuring the change in pressure of a gas
kept at a constant volume, the change in
electrical resistance of metals, or the
galvanic effect of dissimilar metals in
contact. The most common thermometer is
the mercury-filled glass tube, which indicates
temperature by the expansion of the liquid
mercury.
thermometer thread n: the length of
mercury in the capillary of a mercury-inglass thermometer, which indicates the
temperature.
thermoplastics n pI: any of a variety of
materials often used in pipe coatings, the
molecular structure of which allows them to
soften repeatedly when heated and harden
when cooled.
thermosetting plastics n pI: plastics that
solidify when first heated under pressure,
but whose original characteristics are
destroyed when remelted or remolded.
thermosiphon baffle n: a device for
assisting in controlling the direction of
thermal currents in an indirect heater.
thermostat n: a control device used to
regulate temperature.
thermowell n: a well in a process vessel or
line used as a thermometer or thermocouple
holder.
thickened water n: see polymer.
thickening time n: the amount of time
required for cement to reach an APIestablished degree of consistency, or
thickness. Thickening time begins when the

213

slurry is mixed. thief n: a device that is

lowered into a tank to take an oil sample at
any depth. The sample will subsequently be
used to deter- mine the quality and S&W
content of the oil in the tank. v: to obtain a
sample of oil from a tank using a thief.
thief formation n: a formation that absorbs
drilling fluid as it is circulated in the well. Lost
circulation is caused by a thief formation.
Also called a thief sand or a thief zone. thief
hatch n: a lidded opening on top of a stock
tank. It allows access for measuring the oil
level and for taking samples with a device
that is lowered into a tank to take an oil
sample at any depth. The sample will
subsequently be used to determine the
quality and sediment and water content of
the oil in the tank.
thief sample n: see tube sample. thief sand
n: see thief formation. thief zone n: see thief
formation.
thimble n: grooved metal fitting to protect
the eye or the fastening loop of a wire rope.
The thimble conforms to the inside shape of
the rope's eye and covers the wire rope's
strands.
thin v: to add a substance such as water or
a chemical to drilling mud to reduce its
viscosity.
thinning agent n: a special chemical or
combination of chemicals that, when added
to a drilling mud, reduces its viscosity.
30 CFR 250 abbr: 30 Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 250.
30 Code of Federal Regulations Part 250
n: the US Department of the Interior,
Minerals Management Service rules and
regulations that must be followed by those
who drill and produce oil and gas wells
located in the Outer Continental Shelf.
thixotropy n: the property exhibited by a
fluid that is in a liquid state when flowing and
in a semisolid, gelled state when at rest.
Most drilling fluids must be thixotropic so
that cuttings will remain in suspension when
circulation is stopped.
thorium n: a radioactive metallic element
found combined in minerals.
thread n: a continuous helical rib, as on a
screw or pIpe.
thread compound n: see dope.
thread dope n: see dope.
threaded coupling n: a type of connector
that has threads on each end, making it
possible to screw two pieces of pipe
together. Compare pressure coupling. See
also coupling.
thread profile gauge n: a device to
measure the amount of wear or stretch on
pipe threads.
thread protector n: a metal or plastic device
that is screwed onto or into pipe threads to
protect them from damage when the pipe is
not in use.

through-the-flow-line (TFL) equipment

threatened species n: a species that is

likely to become endangered.
three-phase separator n: a separator that
separates well fluids into oil or emulsion,
gas, and water, or, in a glycol dehydration
unit, into gas, condensate, and glycol.
threshold limit value (TLV) n: the aver- age
concentration of toxic gas in a breathing
atmosphere in which a normal person can
be exposed safely for 8 hours per day, S
days per week; usually established by a
regulatory agency such as OSHA.
threshold planning quantities (TPQ) n pi:
EPA minimum quantities of extremely
hazardous substances under SARA that
may not be exceeded without meeting
reporting requirements. Under SARA
(section 302), companies must notify and
coordinate emergency plans with the SERC
and the LEPC when a facility reaches or
exceeds the EPA-stipulated TPQ for any
EHS. For example, hydrofluoric acid is an
EHS with a TPQ of 100 pounds. If a facility
has 100 pounds or more of hydrofluoric acid,
it must notify the SERC and the LEPC.
thribble n: a stand of pipe made up of three
joints and handled as a unit. Compare
double, fourble, single.
thribble board n: the name used for the
derrickhand's
working
platform,
the
monkeyboard, when it is located at a height
in the derrick equal to three lengths of pipe
joined together. Compare double board,
fourble board.
throttling n: the choking or failing that
occurs when a mud pump fails to deliver a
full amount of fluid through one or more of its
valves. Throttling is usually caused by
improper valve lift.
throttling valve n: a valve, usually only partiallyopen or closed, used to regulate the
rate of flow.
throughput volume n: the volume of fluid
that has flowed through a meter during a
specific amount of time.
through-the-flow-line (TFL) equipment n:
any equipment designed to be pumped
down a completed well to effect a repair,
modify the well's flow, or for other reasons.

throw

throw n: the distance from the centerline of

the main bearing of a crankshaft to the
centerline of the connecting-rod journal. Two
times the throw equals the stroke.
throw the chain v: to flip the spinning chain
up from a tool joint box so that the chain
wraps around the tool joint pin after it is
stabbed into the box. The stand or joint of
drill pipe is turned or spun by a pull on the
spinning chain from the cathead on the
drawworks.

thrust n: the force that acts on a shaft

longitudinally.
thruster n: see dynamic positioning. thrust
fault n: see reverse/ault.
thrust load n: a load or pressure parallel to
or in the direction of the shaft.
thumper n: a hydraulically operated
hammer used in obtaining a seismograph in
oil exploration. It is mounted on a vehicle
and, when dropped, creates shock waves in
the subsurface formations, which are
recorded and interpreted to reveal geological
information.
thunderhead n: see cumulonimbus.
Thyristor n: see silicon-controlled rectifier.
tidal current n: the horizontal movement of
the tide as it rises and falls and moves
toward and away from the shore.
tidal wave n: any unusually high and
generally destructive sea wave along a
shore. Compare tsunami.
tide n: the periodic rising and falling of the
surface of the oceans and water bodies
connected with the oceans (gulfs and bays).
tide gauge n: an instrument that measures
the height of tides.
tie-back string n: casing that is run from the
top of a liner to the surface.
tie-down n: a device to which a guy wire or
brace may be attached, such as the
anchoring device for the deadline of a
hoisting-block arrangement.
tie-in n: a collective term for the construction
tasks bypassed by regular crews on pipeline construction. Tie-in includes welding
road and river crossings, valves, portions of
the pipeline left disconnected for hydrostatic

214

testing, and other fabrication assemblies, as

well as taping and coating the welds.
tie-in gang n: workers responsible for tie- in
tasks in the construction of a pipeline.
tier two form n: a federal form used by
companies or individuals for submitting
annual inventory data on hazardous
chemicals
or
extremely
hazardous
substances. See SARA Title III.
tight emulsion n: an emulsion that is
relatively difficult to break. Compare loose
emulsion.
tighten up v: to add oil to a system, which
causes the oil to break out and rise to the
surface.
tight formation n: a petroleum- or waterbearing formation of relatively low porosity
and permeability.
tight hole n: 1. a well about which
information is restricted for security or
competitive reasons. 2. a section of the hole
that, for some reason, is undergauge. For
example, a bit that is worn undergauge will
drill a tight hole.
tight sand n: sand or sandstone formation
with low permeability.
tight spot n: a section of a borehole in
which excessive wall cake has built up,
reducing the hole diameter and making it
difficult to run the tools in and out. Compare
keyseat.
tight well n: a well that produces from a
reservoir of low permeability and thus
stabilizes slowly. Such wells show slow
buildup of bottomhole pressure on a buildup
test, and the flowing pressure does not
stabilize quickly at a constant value on a
flow test.
time proportional sample n: an automatic
sample usually obtained from a pipeline and
taken at regular timed intervals.
time release n: feature built into oilfield
inhibitors that allows them to be introduced
into production systems and their active
ingredients to be released at timed intervals.
time stratigraphic unit n: a layer of rock,
with or without facies variations, deposited
during a distinct geologic time interval.
Compare rock stratigraphic unit.
timing n: the relationship of all moving parts
in an engine. Each part depends on another,
so all parts must operate in the right relation
with each other as the engine turns.
timing gear n: see timing gear train.
timing gear train n: a set of gears in an
engine, driven by the crankshaft, set to drive
the equipment necessary for the engine's
operation. Engine equipment driven by the
timing gears includes the oil pump, intake
and exhaust valve mechanisms, fuel
injectors, and magnetos.
titanium drill pipe n: drill pipe made from a
metal alloy containing a large amount of
titanium. Even though it is more expensive,
titanium drill pipe is much stronger (has a

tong arm

higher tensile strength) than conventional

steel pipe. Further, in horizontal drilling
applications, titanium is almost twice as
flexible as steel, which means that titanium
pipe can be bent more than conventional
pipe without being permanently deformed.
title n: a term standing for those facts that, if
proved, will enable a person to regain or
retain possession of property.
title opinion n: the written opinion of a title
examiner on the status of the title to a given
piece of property. Compare division order
opinion, drill site opinion.
Title III of the Superfund Amendments
and Reauthorization Act n: see SARA 1itle
III.
titration n: a process of chemical analysis by
which drops of a standard solution are
added to another solution or substance to
obtain a desired response--color change,
precipitation, or conductivity change-for
measurement and evaluation.
TIW valve n: inside blowout preventer (so
named by the company that invented it- TX
Iron Works).
TLV abbr: threshold limit value.
tolerance n: the range of variation permitted
in maintaining a specific dimension in
machining a part. For example, a shaft
measurement could be 2.000 inches +0.001
(50 millimetres +0.025). This means that any
measurement from 1.999 inches to 2.001
inches (49.975 millimetres to 50.025
millimetres) would be acceptable.
ton n: 1. (nautical) a volume measure equal
to 100 square feet applied to mobile offshore drilling rigs. 2. a measure of weight
equal to 2,000 pounds. 3. (metric) a
measure of weight equal to 1,000 kilograms.
Usually spelled "tonne."
tong arm n: the part of the tongs that extends behind the tong jaws, and to which the
jaws are attached. A snub line is attached to
the end of the tong arm to prevent the tong
from turning too far when it is being used to
make up, break out, or back up pipe.

tong counterbalance

tong counterbalance n: a weight placed in

the derrick or under the rig floor that is
attached by means of wire rope to the tong
hanger. Each set of tongs has a
counterbalance to ensure that they hang at a
convenient height above the rig floor.
tong dies n pi: very hard and brittle pieces
of serrated steel that are installed in the
tongs and that grip or bite into the tool joint
of drill pipe when the tongs are latched onto
the pipe.
tong hand n: the member of the drilling
crew who handles the tongs.
tong hanger n: a relatively long narrow steel
projection bolted to the tong arm to which
wire rope is attached; suspends the tongs in
the derrick.
tong jaw n: on a set of tongs, one of two
hinged devices that crew members latch
around elements of the drill stem to make up
or break out such elements. Tong jaws
normally have replaceable serrated inserts
(dies) to grip the pipe.
tongman n: the member of the drilling crew
who handles the tongs.
tongs n pi: the large wrenches used for
turning when making up or breaking out drill
pipe, casing, tubing, or other pipe; variously
called casing tongs, pipe tongs, and so forth,
according to the specific use. Power tongs
or power wrenches are pneumatically or
hydraulically operated tools that serve to
spin the pipe up tight and, in some
instances, to apply the final makeup torque.

ton-mile (megajouIe) n: the unit of service

given by a hoisting line in moving 1 ton of
load over a distance of 1 mile.
tonnage n: (nautical) the size of a ship or
spaces within a ship as measured in tons.
tonne (t) n: a mass unit in the metric system equal to 1,000 kilograms.
tool dresser n: a driller's helper on a cabletool rig, once responsible for sharpening or
dressing the drill bit. Sometimes called a
toolie.
tool face n: the part of a deflection toolusually marked with a scribe line-that is
oriented in a particular direction to make a
predetermined deflection of the wellbore.
tool hand n: a worker on a well service or
workover rig who helps run packers and
other tools into the well.
toolhouse n: a building for storing tools.

215

toolie n: (slang) tool dresser.

tool joint n: a heavy coupling element for
drill pipe made of special alloy steel. Tool
joints have coarse, tapered threads and
seating shoulders designed to sustain the
weight of the drill stem, withstand the strain
of frequent coupling and uncoupling, and
provide a leakproof seal. The male section
of the joint, or the pin, is attached to one end
of a length of drill pipe, and the female
section, or the box, is attached to the other
end. The tool joint is usually friction welded
to the end of the pipe.

toolpusher n: an employee of a drilling

contractor who is in charge of the entire
drilling crew and the drilling rig. Also called a
drilling
foreman,
rig
manager,
rig
superintendent, or rig supervisor.
top angle n: the angle on a storage tank
where the side wall is joined to the roof of
the tank; it is usually 90.
top dead center (TDC) n: the position of a
piston when it is at the highest point possible
in the cylinder of an engine; often marked on
the flywheel.
the drill stem and
bit, the top-drive system retains it to provide
a place to set the slips to suspend the drill
stem when drilling stops.
top hold-down n: a mechanism, located at
the top of the working barrel, for anchoring a
sucker rod pump to the tubing. Compare
bottom hold-down.
top lease n: a lease acquired while a min
to the same property is still in effect. The
top lease (held by a different company)
replaces the existing lease when it expires
or is terminated.
top drive n: a device similar to a power
swivel that is used in place of the rotary
table to turn the drill stem. It also includes
power tongs. Modem top drives combine the

elevator, the tongs, the swivel, and the hook.

Even though the rotary table assembly is not
used to rotate the drill stem and bit, the top-

torque recorder

drive system retains it to provide a place to

set the slips to suspend the drill stem when
drilling stops.
top off v: to fill a wellbore with fluid up to the
surface.
topographic
map
n:
horizontal
representation of land elevations as a series
of contour lines, each line connecting points
of equal elevation.
topography n: the configuration of a land
surface, including its natural and artificial
features with their relative positions and
elevations.
top out v: to finish filling a tank.
top plug n: a cement wiper plug that follows
cement slurry down the casing. It goes
before the drilling mud used to displace the
cement from the casing and separates the
mud from the sluny. See cementing, wiper
plug.
top sample n: in tank sampling, a spot
sample obtained 6 inches (150 millimetres)
below the top surface of the oil.
topset bed n: a part of a marine delta that is
nearest the shore and that is composed of
the heavier, coarser particles carried by the
river.
topsoiling n: the technique of placing topsoil in a spoil bank separate from the rest of
the materials excavated during pipeline
construction so that it can be replaced in its
origi- nal stratum during back-filling
operations.
top sub n: a component of a packer to
which the tubing is connected.
top wiper plug n: a device placed in the
cementing head and run down the casing
behind cement to clean the cement off the
walls of the casing and to prevent
contamination between the cement and the
displacement fluid.
torque n: the turning force that is applied to
a shaft or other rotary mechanism to cause it
to rotate or tend to do so. Torque is
measured in foot-pounds, joules, newtonmetres, and so forth.
torque converter n: a hydraulic device
connected between an engine and a
mechanical load such as a compound.
Torque converters are characterized by an
ability to increase output torque as the load
causes a reduction in speed. Torque
converters are used on mechanical rigs that
have compounds.
torque indicator n: an instrument that
measures the amount of torque (turning or
twisting action) applied to the drill or casing
string. The amount of torque applied to the
string is important when joints are being
made up.
torque recorder n: an instrument that
measures and makes a record of the
amount of torque (turning or twisting action)
applied to the drill or casing string.

torque track

torque track n: on a portable top-drive unit,

the steel rail that is mounted in the derrick
and to which the top drive is attached. The
top drive moves up or down on the track
and, because it is firmly joined to the track,
cannot turn as its drive shaft rotates the drill
stem. Compare guide rails, torque tube. See
also top drive.
torque tube n: a large cylindrical tube
mounted in the derrick to which a top drive is
attached and on which it can move up and
down. Like guide rails, a torque tube
prevents the top drive from turning when it is
connected to the drill stem and is rotating it.
Compare guide rails. See also top drive.
torsion n: twisting deformation of a solid
body about an axis in which lines that were
initially parallel to the axis become helices.
Torsion is produced when part of the pipe
turns or twists in one direction while the
other part remains stationary or twists in the
other direction.
torsional yield strength n: the amount of
twisting force that a pipe can withstand
before twisting off.
total calculated volume (TCV) n: the total
volume of all petroleum liquids and sediment
and water, corrected by the appropriate
temperature correction (Ctl) for the observed
temperature and API gravity, relative
density, or density to a standard temperature
such as 60F or 15C, and also corrected by
the applicable pressure factor (Cpl) and
meter factor and all free water measured at
observed temperature and pressure. Total
calculated volume is equal to the gross
standard volume plus free water volume.
total depth (TD) n: the maximum depth
reached in a well.
total disposition n: sum of crude oil input to
refineries, crude oil exports, crude oil burned
as fuel, and crude oil losses.
total immersion thermometer n: a
thermometer that is designed for the whole
length of mercury column to be immersed in
liquid. An emergent stem correction has to
be applied to the reading to correct for that
part of the column that is above the liquid
surface during reading.
totalizer n: a meter register that receives
signals from several other meters and
displays or records the sum of the readings
from the other meters.
totally enclosed motor n: a motor with no
provision for the entrance of outside air; heat
must be conducted away through the frame.
It may be fan-cooled.
total observed volume (TOY) n: the total
measured volume of all petroleum liquids,
sediment and water, and free water at
observed temperature and pressure.
total porosity n: see absolute porosity.
total pressure n: the pressure on the
surface at which a flowing fluid is brought to

216

rest in excess of the pressure on it when the

fluid is not flowing. Also called stagnation
pressure.
total S&W n: all sediment and water in a
vessel's cargo tanks, whether settled or
suspended.
total water n: the sum of the dissolved,
entrained, and free water in the cargo or the
parcel.
toughness n: measure of steel's ability to
withstand a crock or flaw without fracturing.
It can be altered by changing chemical composition, microstructure, and heat treatment.
Also called ductility. Compare brittleness.
tour (pronounced "tower") n: a working shift
for drilling crew or other oilfield workers.
Some tours are 8 hours; the three daily tours
are called daylight, evening (or afternoon),
and graveyard (or morning). Often, 12-hour
tours are used, especially on offshore rigs;
they are called simply day tour and night
tour. tow cat n: a tractor used to tow
equipment up steep grades.
tower n: 1. a vertical vessel such as an
absorber, fractionator, or still. 2. a cooling
tower.
town border station n: see city gate station.
township n: 1. the north-south lines of the
rectangular survey system. 2. the square, 6
miles on each side, that is the major unit of
land in the rectangular survey scheme of
measurement. Compare range.
township line n: a north-south line of the
rectangular survey system.
Toxic Chemical Release Form n: a report
required under SARA (section 313) that
quantifies all releases of toxic chemicals that
a facility has had throughout the year.
Currently, E&P facilities are not subject to
the toxic chemical release reporting
requirement, since it is applied only to
manufacturers with standard industrial
classification codes of 20 through 39.
toxicity n: the ability of a substance to be
poisonous if inhaled, swallowed, absorbed,
or introduced into the body through cuts or
breaks in the skin.
Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) n: a
congressional act that regulates the
manufacture, processing, distribution in
commerce, use, and disposal of chemical
substances.
TP abbr: tubing pressure; used in drilling
reports.
TPQ abbr: threshold planning quantity.
traceability n: the relation of a prover or a
transducer calibration, through a step-bystep process, to an instrument or group of
instruments calibrated and certified by a
national or international primary standard.
tracer n: a substance added to reservoir
fluids to permit the movements of the fluid to
be followed or traced. Dyes and radioactive
substances are used as tracers in
underground water flows and sometimes

transboundary pollution

helium is used in gas. When samples of the

water or gas taken some distance from the
point of injection reveal signs of the tracer,
the route of the fluids can be mapped.
tracer log n: a survey that uses a
radioactive tracer such as a gas, liquid, or
solid having a high gamma ray emission.
When the material is injected into any
portion of the wellbore, the point of
placement or movement can be recorded by
a gamma ray instrument. The tracer log is
used to determine channeling or the travel of
squeezed cement behind a section of
perforated casing. Also called tracer survey.
tracer survey n: see tracer log.
tracking n: a rare type of bit-tooth
wearoccurring when the pattern made on the
bot- tom of the hole by all three cones of a
rock bit matches the bit-tooth pattern to such
an extent that the bit follows the groove or
channel of the pattern and drills ahead very
little.
traction motor n: a direct current electric
motor normally found in railway use, but
frequently adapted to power certain drilling
rigs.
trailer rig n: a rig mounted on a wheeled
and towed trailer. It has a mast, a rotary, and
one or two engines. The rig systems are
powered by a prime mover.
trajectory n: the path of the wellbore.
trammel (tram) n: a metal rod of precise
length used to measure distance between
two points where accessibility is limited. It is
often used to mark crankshaft positions on
engines.
Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) n:
the largest long-distance, big-inch pipe- line
in the non-Communist world. Stretch- ing
approximately 800 miles (1,288 kiIometres)
from Deadhorse (near Prudhoe Bay) to
Valdez, Alaska, the 48-inch pipeline was
completed in 1977 at a cost of $8 billion.
Today, it transports from 1 million to 2 million
barrels (159 million to 318 million litres) of oil
a day from fields on the North Slope of
Alaska to tank farms in Valdez.
transboundary pollution n: pollution that
crosses political or governmental or geographical boundaries.

transducer

transducer n: a device actuated by power

from one system and supplying power to
another system, usually in a different form.
For example, a telephone receiver receives
electric power and supplies acoustic power.
transducer gas voucher n: term used by
Mobil Oil Corporation to identify gas volumes
calculated by computers.
transfer v: to lower pipe or tubing onto a
downhole tool so that all or part of the pipe's
or tubing's weight is transferred from the
traveling block's hook to the tool.
transfer order n: an agreement regarding
change of production ownership that
indemnifies the pipeline company or the
purchaser.
transfer proving n: the use of a master
meter to calibrate positive-displacement and
turbine meters measuring gas flow.
transfer pump n: a pump that pressures the
crude oil from the stock tank through a LACT
unit.
transformer n: a device that uses the
principle of induction to convert variations of
current in a primary circuit into variations of
current and voltage in a secondary circuit. It
typically consists of two coils with different
numbers of turns about a single iron core.
transform fault n: a strike-slip fault caused
by relative movement between crustal
plates.
transition zone n: 1. the area in which
underground pressures begin to change
from normal to abnormally high as a well is
being deepened. 2. the areas in the drill
stem near the point where drill pipe is made
up on drill collars.
translation n: the movement of molecules.
transmission n: the gear or chain
arrangement by which power is transmitted
from the prime mover to the drawworks, the
mud pump, or the rotary table of a drilling
rig.
transmission company n: the seller of
natural gas.
transmission line n: 1. a high-voltage line
used to transmit electric power from one
place to another. 2. a pipeline used to
transmit natural gas or other fluids.
transmitter n: that portion of a remote
transmission system that constitutes the
sending element.
transportation contract n: an agreement
setting forth the terms and conditions
applicable to transportation service. For
inter- state pipelines, this contract is usually
a Form of Service Agreement stated in the
pipeline's FERC gas tariff.
transportation costs n pI: the sum of the
fixed costs and variable costs of moving gas
or oil.
transporter n: the pipeline company that
transports natural gas for a shipper.

217

trap n: a body of permeable oil-bearing rock

surrounded or overlain by an impermeable
barrier that prevents oil from escaping. The
types of traps are structural, stratigraphic, or
a combination of these.

traveling barrel pump n: a sucker rod insert

pump in which the working barrel travels and
the plunger remains stationary. The working
barrel is connected to the sucker rod string
through a connector and the traveling valve;
the standing valve is connected to the top of
the plunger, which in turn is connected to the
bottom hold-down.
traveling block n: an arrangement of
pulleys, or sheaves, through which drilling
line is reeved and which moves up and
down in the derrick or mast. See block.
traveling slips n pi: see snubber defn. 1.
traveling valve n: one of the two valves in a
sucker rod pumping system. It moves with
the movement of the sucker rod string. On
the upstroke, the ball member of the valve is
seated, supporting the fluid load. On the
downstroke, the ball is unseated, allowing
fluid to enter into the production column.
Compare standing valve.
travel time n: the time it takes for sound to
travel from one receiver on an acoustic
sonde to another receiver on the sonde.
tray n: a horizontal device in a tower that
holds liquid and provides a vapor-liquid
contact step. Several common types are
bubble-cup, perforated, or valve trays.

tray column n: a vessel wherein gas and

liquid, or two miscible liquids, contact on
trays, usually countercurrently.
tread diameter n: the diameter of the
sheave of a drilling block, measured from
groove bottom to groove bottom. It is the
diameter of the circle around which the wire
rope is bent.

trim

treat v: to subject a substance to a process

or to a chemical to improve its quality or to
remove a contaminant.
treater n: a vessel in which oil is treated for
the removal of S& W or other objection- able
substances by the addition of chemicals,
heat, electricity, or all three.
treating plant n: a plant that removes
contaminants from natural gas.
treatment fluids n pI: acids and other fluids
used to stimulate reservoirs. See acidize,
fracturing.
treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD)
facility n: a facility that treats, stores, or
disposes of hazardous waste above certain
volume limits and beyond certain time
periods. If hazardous waste is stored or
collected for shipment, generators need to
be aware that exceeding volume and time
limits can cause a generator site to be
classed as a TSD facility. RCRA places
rigorous controls on TSD facilities and they
must have permits.
tree n: short for Christmas tree, which is the
valves and fittings placed on top of a flowing
well to control production.
tree saver tool n: a tubular device
employed as an isolation tool inside the
Christmas tree that protects the tree from
the very high pressures that occur during
well stimulation. trend n: the directional line
of a rock bed or petroleum deposit.
triangular coring n: a rarely used form of
sidewall coring that uses a wall corer with
saw-type blades set at 450 angles to cut
triangular-shaped cores.
tribal land n: land within an Indian
reservation or owned by an Indian tribe,
group, or band.
tricone bit n: a type of bit in which three
cone-shaped cutting devices are mounted in
such a way that they intermesh and rotate
together as the bit drills. The bit body may
be fitted with nozzles, or jets, through which
the drilling fluid is discharged.
triethylene glycol n: a liquid chemical used
in gas processing to remove water from the
gas. See glycol, glycol dehydrator.
trilobite n: one of a class of extinct
Paleozoic arthropods.
trim n: 1. the difference between fore and aft
draft readings on a marine vessel or an
offshore drilling rig. 2. the use of special
corrosion-resistant metals in blowout
preventers, valves, and other oilfield devices
to minimize the effects of hydrogen sulfide.
v: 1. to minimize the difference between fore
and aft readings. 2. to install H2S corrosionresistant materials in oilfield equipment used
in H2S environments.

trim correction

trim correction n: a correction applied to

cargo ullages when the vessel is not on an
even keel. Valid only when liquid completely
covers the tank bottom and is not in 'contact
with the underside of the deck.
trip n: the operation of hoisting the drill stem
from and returning it to the wellbore. v:
shortened form of "make a trip." See make a
trip, overspeed governor.
trip gas n: gas that enters the wellbore when
the mud pump is shut down and pipe is
being pulled from the wellbore. The gas may
enter because of the reduction in bottomhole
pressure when the pump is shut down,
because of swabbing, or because of both.
trip in v: to go in the hole.
triplex pump n: a reciprocating pump with
three pistons or plungers.

trip margin n: the small amount of

additional mud weight carried over that
needed to balance formation pressure to
overcome the pressure-reduction effects
caused by swabbing when a trip out of the
hole is made.
tripod n: a device with three extensions
(legs) that is suspended over a manway or
other vertical access into a space. It supports hoisting gear and cables used to pull a
person from a confined space.
trip out v: to come out of the hole.
tripping n: the operation of hoisting the drill
stem out of and returning it to the wellbore.
See make a trip.
trio rod n: the stem on the end of a core
thief that can be bumped or tapped to close
and thus catch a sample in the thief.
trip tank n: a small mud tank with a capacity
of 10 to 15 barrels (1,590 to 2,385 litres),
usually with 1-barrel or barrel (159-litre or
79.5-litre) divisions, used to ascertain the
amount of mud necessary to keep the
wellbore full with the exact amount of mud
that is displaced by drill pipe. When the bit
comes out of the hole, a volume of mud
equal to that which the drill pipe occupied
while in the hole must be pumped into the
hole to replace the pipe. When the bit goes
back in the hole, the drill pipe displaces a
certain amount of mud, and a trip tank can
be used again to keep track of this volume.
tritium n: an isotope of hydrogen with three
atoms of three times the mass of ordinary
hydrogen atoms, designated 1H3.
tropical cyclone n: a tropical cyclonic storm
with wind speeds of 65 knots or greater. See

218

baguio, cordonazo, cyclone, hurricane,

raina, typhoon, willy-willy.
tropical depression n: a tropical cyclonic
system with wind speeds from 28 to 34
knots.
tropical disturbance n: a tropical cyclonic
system with wind speeds of up to 27 knots.
tropical storm n: a tropical cyclonic system
with wind speeds from 35 to 64 knots.
tropical waves n pi: disturbances on the
intertropical convergence zone that travel
from east to west. Low-pressure areas travel
in tropical waves.
trough n: 1. in meteorology, a zone or belt
of
relatively
low
pressure.
2.
in
oceanography, the lowest point of the water
surface level between crests.
truck-mounted rig n: a well-servicing and
workover rig that is mounted on a truck
chassis.
true north n: the direction of the north geographic pole-as opposed to the north
magnetic pole, which is several hundred
miles away, toward Hudson Bay.
true power n: effective power. See
apparentpower.
true-to-gauge hole n: a hole that is the
same size as the bit that was used to drill it.
It is frequently referred to as a full-gauge
hole.
true value n: the theoretically correct
amount. In practice, it is represented by the
standard being used for comparison, such
as a prover.
true vapor pressure n: pressure measured
relative to zero pressure.
true vertical (TVD) n: the depth of a well
measured from the surface straight down to
the bottom of the well. The true vertical
depth of a well may be quite different from
its actual measured depth, because wells
are very seldom drilled exactly vertical.

true volume n: the volume of fluid flowing

through a meter, including adjustments for
meter factor, temperature, density, pressure,
etc. Compare observed volumes.
truncate v: 1. to cut the top or end from. 2.
to terminate abruptly.
trunk line n: a main line.

tube sample

trunnion n: metal pins protruding from the

sides of a device that serve to mount the
device onto another part.
trunnion cup n: in a centrifuge, the
container into which a sample is placed for
centrifuging.
trust n: a right in property held by one party
for the benefit of another. The trustee holds
the legal interest or title, and the beneficiary
holds the equitable interest or title and
receives the benefits.
trustee n: person who holds the legal title to
property in trust for the benefit of another.
With the title go specified powers and duties relating to the property.
TSCA abbr: Toxic Substance Control Act.
TSCA inventory n: a chemical inventory set
up under the EPA that is a listing of
chemicals that are, or once were, used in
commerce. New chemicals that are not on
the inventory are reviewed as produced.
Operators and employers may not use any
chemical that has not been listed on the
inventory; however, it is important to note
that some substances are excluded from the
inventory because they are regulated by
other laws or agencies.
TSD abbr: treatment, storage, and disposal.
TSP abbr: thennally stable polycrystalline.
See thermally stable polycrystalline diamond
bit.
T -square n: a ruler with a crosspiece or
head at one end used in making parallel
lines.
tstg abbr: testing; used in drilling reports.
tsunami n: a long-period wave produced by
a submarine earthquake or explosion. If it
strikes land, it can be very destructive. Also
called seismic sea wave. tube v: to run
tubing in a well.
tube-and-fin spacing n: in an engine
radiator, the distance between the tubes
through which coolant flows and the fins on
the tubes that radiate heat into the air. The
manufacturer must put enough tubes and
fins on the radiator to adequately cool the
engine on which the radiator will be
mounted, yet not so many that some tubes
block the flow of air across other tubes.
tube bundle n: the inner piping of a condenser, heat exchanger, or indirect heater
typically consisting of a pipe that is bent
several times and placed inside the shell of
a tank.
tube sample n: a liquid sample obtained
with a sampling tube or special thief, as
either a core sample or a spot sample from a
specified point in the tank or container.

tube sheet

tube sheet n: a metal plate through which

the tubes in the tube bundles are placed for
support,
effecting
a
pressure-tight
connection between the tubes and the
heads of a condenser or heat exchanger.
tubing n: relatively small-diameter pipe that
is run into a well to serve as a conduit for the
passage of oil and gas to the surface.
tubing anchor n: a device that holds the
lower end of a tubing string in place by
means of slips, used to prevent tubing
movement when no packer is present.
tubing broach n: a tool with three
consistently larger spools that are used to
enlarge tubing diameter gradually. The
tubing broach may be used either to enlarge
the diameter of obstructed tubing or to cut
paraffin or other substances that may be
inside the tubing.
tubing-conveyed
perforator
n:
a
perforating gun that is lowered into the well
on the tubing string. See also perforate.
tubing coupling n: a special connector
used to connect lengths of tubing.
tubing elevators n pi: a clamping apparatus
used to pull tubing. The elevators latch onto
the pipe just below the top collar. The
elevators are attached to the hook by steel
links or bails.
tubing end locator n: a tool containing a
spring-loaded finger, or dog, that pops out
when the tool reaches the bottom end of the
tubing string. The extended dog prevents the
tool from being raised back into the tubing,
thus indicating to an operator on the surface
that the bottom of the tubing has been
reached. The tool is removed from the
tubing by jarring upward with enough force
to shear a brass pin and allow the dog to
rotate downward and into a slot in the body
of the tubing end locator.
tubing gauge n: a tool designed to cut away
scale, calcium, small deposits of paraffin,
and other debris in an obstructed length of
tubing. The tool is also used to measure, or
gauge, the internal diameter of tubing.
tubing hanger n: an arrangement of slips
and packing rings used to suspend tubing
from a tubing head.
tubing head n: a flanged fitting that supports the tubing string, seals off pressure
between the casing and the outside of the
tubing, and provides a connection that supports the Christmas tree.
tubing head swivel n: a special pipe sub
made up at the upper end of the tubing test
string to allow tubing to rotate during a well
test.
tubing job n: the act of pulling tubing out of
and running it back into a well.
tubingless completion n: a method of
producing a well in which only production
casing is set through the pay zone, with no
tubing or inner production string used to

219

bring formation fluids to the surface. This

type of completion has its best application in
low-pressure, dry-gas reservoirs.
tubing movement n: changes in tubing
length due to changes in pressure,
temperature, or drag from sucker rod
strokes. Also called breathing.
tubing pressure (TP) n: pressure on the
tubing in a well at the wellhead.
tubing pump n: a sucker rod pump in which
the barrel is attached to the tubing. See
sucker rod pump.
tubing safety valve n: a device installed in
the tubing string of a producing well to shut
in the flow of production if the flow exceeds
a preset rate. Tubing safety valves are
widely used in offshore wells to prevent
pollution if the wellhead fails for any reason.
Also called subsurface safety valve.
tubing seal assembly n: a device encircled
with rubber rings and made up on tubing to
fit into a seal-bore packer.
tubing slips n pI: slips designed specifically
to be used with tubing.
tubing spider n: a device used with slips to
prevent tubing from falling into the hole
when a joint of pipe is being unscrewed and
racked. tubing sub n: any type of sub used in
the tubing string. See sub.
tubing tester n: a valve operated by tubing
rotation that is used to shut off formation
pressure above a packer, thus testing all
connections from the packer to the tree.
tubing test string n: a string of tubing run in a
well for a production test in which a well test
surface package is used. A tubing test string
is similar to a normal tubing string except
that it may contain special valves and other
tools needed for the well test.
tubing tongs n pI: large wrenches used to
break out and make up tubing. They may be
operated
manually,
hydraulically,
or
pneumatically.
tubing work string n: see work string.
tubular goods n pI: any kind of pipe. Oilfield tubular goods include tubing, casing,
drill pipe, and line pipe. Also called tubulars.

tubular heater n: a pipeline heating device

consisting of a resistance wire surrounded
by an insulating material such as
magnesium oxide and contained in a metal
tube.
tubulars n pi: shortened form of tubular
goods.
tugger n: see hoisting engine.

turbine meter

tundra n: the treeless plain characteristic of

much of the Arctic. Although the tundra
remains frozen for much of the year, it is
highly
sensitive
to
environmental
disturbance,
and
special
pipeline
construction techniques are required there.
tungsten carbide n: a fine, very hard, gray
crystalline powder, a compound of tungsten
and carbon. This compound is bonded with
cobalt or nickel in cemented carbide
compositions and used for cutting tools,
abrasives, and dies.
tungsten carbide bit n: a type of roller cone
bit with inserts made of tungsten carbide.
Also called tungsten carbide insert bit.
tungsten carbide insert n: a very hard, and
relatively small, cylinder made of tungsten
carbide bonded with nickel or cobalt. One
end of the insert is rounded or tapered; the
other end is truncated (cut oft) and inserted
into a bit cone. The round or tapered end
contacts the formation and drills it. Several
inserts make up the cutters on a tungsten
carbide insert bit.
tungsten carbide insert bit n: see tungsten
carbide bit.
tunnel v: in pipeline construction, to
penetrate or pierce manually. Compare
bore.
turbidite n: a characteristic sedimentary
deposit of the continental rise, formed by a
turbidity current and composed of clay, silt,
and gravel with the clay on top. See turbidity
current.
turbidity current n: a dense mass of
sediment-laden water that flows down the
continental slope, typically through a submarine canyon. It carries clay, silt, and
gravel quickly and turbulently downslope in a
narrow tongue. When it reaches the more
gradual slope of the continental rise, its
energy is dissipated rapidly by friction, and
the sediments settle out, largest particles
first, to form a thick graded bed called a
turbidite.
turbine n: a bladed rotor flowmeter
component that turns at a speed that is
proportional to the mean velocity of the
stream and therefore to the volume rate of
flow.
turbine fuel n: a fuel oil similar to diesel fuel
that a turbine compressor bums. Some
turbines do not require fuel as high in quality
as a reciprocating engine, such as a diesel
engine.

turbine meter

turbine meter n: a velocity-measuring

device for fluids in which the flow is parallel
to the rotor axis and the speed of rotation is
proportional to the rate of flow. The volume
of gas in gas measurement is determined by
counting the revolutions of the rotor. In liquid
turbine meter measurement, the meter and
electronic instrumentation are combined to
measure total flow and/or flow rate within the
piping system.
turbine motor n: see turbodrill.
turbocharge v: to supercharge an engine by
use of a turbocharger.
turbocharger n: a centrifugal blower driven
by exhaust gas turbines and used to supercharge an engine.
turbodrill n: a downhole motor that rotates a
bit by the action of the drilling mud on
turbine blades built into the tool. When a
turbodrill is used, rotary motion is imparted
only at the bit; therefore, it is unnecessary to
rotate the drill stem. Although straight holes
can be drilled with the tool, it is used most
often in directional drilling.
turboexpander n: a device that converts the
energy of a gas or vapor stream into
mechanical work by expanding the gas or
vapor through a turbine.
turbulent flow n: the erratic, nonlinear flow
of a fluid, caused by high velocity.
Characterized by random eddying flow
patterns superimposed on the general flow
progressing in a given direction.
turnaround n: 1. space that permits the
turning around of vehicles, specifically on
the drill site. 2. a period during which a plant
is shut down completely for repairs,
inspections, or modifications that cannot be
made while the plant is operating.
turnaround season n: see turnaround (def.
2).
turnback n: see crossove1:
turndown n: field terminology for rejecting a
tank's contents on the basis of the gauger's
evaluation and analysis.
turnkey contract n: a drilling contract that
calls for the payment of a stipulated amount
to the drilling contractor on completion of the
well. In a turnkey contract, the contractor
furnishes all material and labor and controls
the entire drilling operation, independent of
operator supervision. A turnkey contract
does not, as a rule, include the completion of
a well as a producer.
turn ratio n: in a transformer, the ratio of the
number of turns in the secondary coil to the
number of turns in the primary, expressed
with the number of turns in the secondary
given first.
turntable n: see rotary table.
turn to the right v: on a rotary rig, to rotate
the drill stem clockwise. When drilling
ahead, the expression "on bottom and
turning to the right" indicates that drilling is
proceeding normally.

220

turret mooring n: a system of mooring a

drill ship on the drilling site, in which mooring
lines are spooled onto winches mounted on
a turret in the center of the vessel. Because
all mooring lines are connected to the turret,
the vessel is free to rotate around the turret
axis and head into oncoming seas,
regardless of direction.
TVD abbr: true vertical depth.
twin n: a well drilled on the same location as
another well and closely offsetting it, but
producing from a different zone.
twist off n: a complete break in pipe caused
by metal fatigue. v: to break something in
two or to break apart, such as the head of a
bolt or the drill stem.
two-phase flow n: a vapor phase and a
liquid phase flow in the same pipeline.
two-phase separator n: a separator that
separates the well fluids into liquid and gas.
The liquid (oil, emulsion, or water) goes out
the bottom; the gas goes out the top. See
separator.

two-phase system n: a pipeline, plant,

refinery, or other installation in which the
fluid in the installation exists as a gas
(vapor) and a liquid. two-piece insert howl n:
see insert bowl.
two-step grooving system n: a pattern of
drum spooling in which the wire rope is
controlled by grooves to move parallel to
drum flanges for half the circumference
(180") and then crosses over to start the
next wrap. Also called counterbalance
system.
two-stroke/cycle engine n: an engine in
which the piston moves from top dead
center to bottom dead center and then back
to top dead center to complete a cycle.
Thus, the crankshaft must turn one
revolution, or 360.
twp abbr: township; used in drilling reports.
typhoon n: a tropical cyclone in the western
North Pacific and most of the South Pacific.

typhoon

UIC abbr: Underground Injection Control.

UIPC abbr: Underground Injection Practices
Council.
ULCC abbr: ultralarge crude carrier.
ullage n: the amount by which a tank or a
vessel is short of being full, especially on
ships. Ullage in a tank is necessary to allow
space for the expansion of the oil in the tank
when the temperature increases. Also called
outage.
ullage hatch n: the opening in the top of a
tanker or barge tank compartment through
which ullage measurements and sampling
operations are carried out.
ullage paste n: a paste that is applied to an
ullage rule or dip tape and weight to indicate
precisely the level at which the liquid
meniscus cuts the graduated portion.
ullage reference point n: a point marked on
the ullage hatch or on an attachment
suitably located above or below the ullage
hatch and situated at a distance above the
bottom of a container greater than the
maximum liquid depth in the container.
Ullage measurements are taken from this
reference point.
ullage rule n: a graduated rule attached to a
dip tape to facilitate the measurement of
ullage.
ullage tape-and-bob procedure n: see outage tape-and-bob procedure.
ultimate recovery n: total anticipated
recovery of oil or gas from a well, lease, or
pool.
ultimate strength n: the maximum stress
that a metal can withstand without fracturing
or breaking.
ultra deep water n: water deeper than
3,000 feet (914 metres).
ultradeepwater adj: of or pertaining to
operations in ultra deep water.
ultralarge crude carrier (ULCC) n: a
supertanker whose capacity is 500,000
dead- weight tons or more. Compare very
large crude carrier.
ultrasonic devices n pi: corrosionmonitoring devices that transmit ultrasonic
waves through production structures to
locate discontinuities in metal structure,
which indicate corrosion damage.
ultrasouic meter n: flowmeter used (1) to
measure transit times of an acoustic
pressure wave with and against the flow
(time- of-flight-type meter) to infer pipeline
velocity or (2) to reflect sonic energy from
scatterers in fluid back to a receiver

(Doppler-type meter) to measure volumetric

flow rate.
ultraviolet light n: light waves shorter than
the visible blue violet waves of the spectrum.
Crude oil, colored distillates, residuum, a few
drilling fluid additives, and certain minerals
and chemicals fluoresce in the presence of
ultraviolet light. These sub- stances, when
present in mud, may cause the mud to
fluoresce.
umbilical n: a line that supplies a diver or a
diving bell with a lifeline, a breathing gas,
communications, a pneumofathometer, and,
if needed, a heat supply.
unaccounted-for crude oil n: the arithmetic
difference between the indicated demand for
crude oil and the total disposition of crude
oil.
unaccounted-for gas n: the difference
between gas taken into the distribution system and the known quantities of gas taken
out of the system.
uncased
crossing
n:
in
pipeline
construction, a road crossing bored without
casing. The carrier pipe itself is pushed
under the roadbed by the boring machine.
To reduce potential damage to the coating,
slick boring is frequently used. See slick
boring.
uncased hole n: see open hole.
unclaimed property statute n: see
escheat.
unconf abbr: unconformity; used in drilling
reports.
unconformity n: 1. lack of continuity in
deposition between rock strata in contact
with one another, corresponding to a gap in
the stratigraphic record. 2. the surface of
contact between rock beds in which there is
a discontinuity in the ages of the rocks. See
angular unconformity, disconformity.

unconsolidated formation n: a loosely

arranged, apparently unstratified section of
rock.
unconsolidated sandstone n: a sand
formation in which individual grains do not
adhere to one another. If an unconsolidated
sand- stone produces oil or gas, it will
produce sand as well if not controlled or
corrected.
221

underbalanced adj: of or relating to a

condition in which pressure in the wellbore is
less than the pressure in the fonnation.
underdelivery n: the amount by which the
actual volume that has passed through the
meter is less than the indicated volume
registered by a meter. See absolute error.
underflow n: the lower discharge stream in
a cone-shaped centrifuge. It moves downward and leaves by way of the apex.
undergauge bit n: a bit whose outside
diameter is worn to the point at which it is
smaller than it was when new. A hole drilled
with an undergauge bit is said to be
undergauge.
underground blowout n: an uncontrolled
flow of gas, salt water, or other fluid out of
the wellbore and into another formation that
the wellbore has penetrated.
Under ground Injection Control (UIC) n: a
program developed under SDWA to prevent
injection well contamination of underground
sources of drinking water. The UIC program
divides injection wells into five classes (that
range from common septic tanks to
hazardous waste injection wells) and
establishes
specific
requirements
for
construction,
casing
and
cementing,
plugging and abandonment, types of
substances that can be injected, volume and
pressures that can be injected, and
mechanical integrity of the well.

UlPC

Underground Injection Practices Council

(UlPC) n: a committee of state regulators,
Environmental Protection Agency personnel,
and industry representatives that works with
the EPA in the formulation of new
regulations.
underground sources of drinking water
(USDW) n pI: fresh water sources located
under the surface that are suitable for use as
drinking water supplies.
underground storage area n: salt domes,
depleted gas fields, or other suitable underground formations located in a company's
major market areas into which gas is
injected during low-demand summer months
and from which it is withdrawn during highdemand winter months. May be 20 to 30 feet
(6 to 9 metres) thick and can cover many
square miles.
underground
waste
n:
recoverable
reserves lost as a result of damage to the
reservoir.
underream v: to enlarge the wellbore below
the casing.
underreamer n: a device used to underream. See underream.
underregistration n: the amount by which
the indicated volume registered by a meter
is less than the actual volume that has
passed through the meter. Determined by
means of a suitable standard device.
Compare overregistration.
undertravel n: a phenomenon that occurs
when the polished rod of a sucker rod pump
is too short to allow the pump's plunger to
travel the full length of its stroke.
undivided agreement n: type of operating
agreement that fixes the sharing of costs
and benefits for the life of the unit.
undivided interest n: a fractional interest in
minerals that, when conveyed, gives the
new owner that fractional interest in the
described tract. For example, a one-quarter
undivided interest in an 80-acre (32-hectare)
tract amounts to a one-quarter interest in the
entire 80 acres, or 20 net undivided mineral
acres (8 hectares). Compare divided
interest.
unfocused log n: see conventional electric
log.
uniformitarianism n: the geologic principle
that the processes that are at work today on
the earth are the same as, or very similar to,
the processes that affected the earth in the
past. The principle was formulated in 1785
by James Hutton, a Scottish geologist. It
became an accepted doctrine with the
publication in 1830 of English geologist
Charles Lyell's book Principles of Geology.
Also
called
gradualism.
Compare
catastrophism.
spills, coordinates individual and state efforts
to rescue and rehabilitate oiled birds, and
administers federal aid programs. Address:

222

MS 634 Arlington Square, 1849 C Street

NW; Washington, DC 20240; (703) 3581714.
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
uniform petroleum product n: product in
which spot samples from top, upper, middle,
lower, and outlet agree within the precision
of the laboratory tests. Similarly, in pipe- line
transfers, spot samples taken at 1, 20, 50,
80, and 99 percent of the total volume agree
within the precision of the laboratory tests.
union n: a coupling device that allows pipes
to be connected without being rotated. The
mating surfaces are pulled together by a
flanged, threaded collar on the union.
unit n: 1. a piece or several pieces of
equipment performing a complete function
(such as a beam pumping unit). 2. the
joining of all or substantially all interests in a
reservoir or field, rather than a single tract,
to provide for development and operation
without regard to separate property
interests. 3. the area covered by a
Unitization Agreement.
United States Army Corps of Engineers n:
a federal agency involved in platform design.
It also works to solve navigation problems.
Address: 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW;
Washington, DC 20314; (202) 761-0660.
United States Coast Guard (USCG) n: an
agency of the United States Department of
Transportation that establishes regulations
for offshore vessels and approves standards
for plan approval, construction, operation,
and inspection of the hull, machinery,
electric systems, industrial systems, and
safety and lifesaving equipment of mobile
offshore drilling units. The agency conducts
rig stability tests, awards the original
certification of the rig, and conducts annual
inspections. It also establishes manning and
personnel licensing requirements and
investigates casualties. Address: 2100
Second Street SW; Washington, DC 20593;
(202) 267-2229 or (202) 366-4000.
United States Code n: a series of volumes
that is a published compilation of all the laws
passed by Congress.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
(USFWS) n: a federal service that oversees
commercial fishing investigations, fishing
research, fishing statistics, sport fishing, and
other areas related to the fishing industry. It
also conducts wildlife research, enforces
federal statutes and regulations applying to
migratory birds, maintains the official list of
threatened or endangered species, acquires
habitats for threatened or endangered
species, operates the national refuge
system, manages predator and rodent
control work, evaluates the impact of
offshore development on fish and wildlife,
develops programs to protect fish and
wildlife from oil spill, coordinates individual
and state efforts to rescue and rehabilitate

unproven area

oiled birds, and administers federal aid

programs.
Address: MS 634 Arlington
Square, 1849 C Street NW; Washington, DC
20240; (703) 358-1714.
United States Geological Survey (USGS)
n: a federal agency within the Department of
the Interior established in 1879 to conduct
investigations of the geological structure,
mineral resources, and products of the
United States. Its activities include
assessing onshore and offshore mineral
resources; providing information that allows
society to mitigate the impact of floods,
earthquakes, landslides, volcanoes, and
droughts;
monitoring
the
nation's
groundwater and surface water supplies and
people's impact thereon; and providing
mapped information on the nation's
landscape and land use. Address: 12201
Sunrise Valley Drive; Reston, VA 20192;
(703) 648-4000.
unitization n: the combining of leased tracts
on a fieldwide or reservoirwide scale so that
many tracts may be treated as one to
facilitate operations like secondary recovery.
Compare pooling.
unit of measurement n: the value of a
quantity conventionally accepted as having a
numerical value of 1. The unit of
measurement of a quantity is fixed in order
to make quantitative comparison possible
between different values of this same
quantity.
unit operator n: the oil company in charge
of development and production in an oilfield
in which several companies have joined to
produce the field. Also called crew chief, rig
operator.
units of volume n pi: the usual units of
volume for petroleum measurement are the
cubic metre, litre, imperial gallon, US gallon,
or the barrel (42 US gallons, or 159Iitres).
univalent n: monovalent. See valence.
universal constant n: in an ideal gas, a
number equal to the pressure of the gas
times its molar volume divided by its
temperature. See molar volume, mole.
"unless" clause n: see drilling and delay
rental clause.
unloader n: see circulation valve. unloading
a well n: removing fluid from the tubing in a
well, often by means of a swab, to lower the
bottomhole pressure in the wellbore at the
perforations and induce the well to flow.
unloading sub n: a special circulation valve
that provides a way of equalizing tubing and
annulus pressure. See also circulation valve.
unproven area n: a wildcat area.

unsaturated hydrocarbon

unsaturated hydrocarbon n: a straightchain compound of hydrogen and carbon

whose total combining power has not yet
been reached and to which other atoms or
radicals can be added.
unslaked lime n: quicklime.
updip adj: higher on the formation dip angle
than a particular point.
updip well n: a well located high on the
structure.
upper kelly cock n: a valve installed above
the kelly that can be closed manually to
protect the rotary hose from high pressure
that may exist in the drill stem.

upper sample n: in tank sampling, a spot

sample taken at the mid-point of the upper
third of the tank contents, that is, at onesixth of the depth of liquid below the top
surface.
upper string n: any part of the drill stem,
tubing string, or casing string that lies in the
upper part of the borehole.
upper tier n: a category of oil production for
purposes of price control. Upper tier refers to
oil that comes from reservoirs that began
producing subsequent to 1972. It also refers
to oil produced from wells having a
production rate of 10 barrels (1,590 litres)
per day or less for a continuous period of 12
months. Also called stripper oil.
upset n: thickness forged to the end of a
tubular (such as drill pipe) to give the end
extra strength. v: to forge the ends of tubular
products, such as drill pipe, so that the pipe
wall acquires extra thickness and strength
near the end. Upsetting is usually performed
to strengthen the pipe so that threads, or
threaded pieces, such as tool joints, can be
added to the pipe.

upset tubing n: tubing that is made with a

thicker wall and larger outside diameter on
both ends of a joint to compensate for cutting the threads.

223

upstream n: the point in a line or system

situated opposite the direction of flow. adv:
in the direction opposite the flow in a line.
upstream market n: a market for selling gas
or petroleum before it is processed or
refined. Compare downstream market.
upstructure adj: toward the upper portion of
an updip formation.
urea n: a soluble, weakly basic, nitrogenous
compound, CO (NH2)2, that is used in the
manufacture of resins and plastics.
USCG abbr: United States Coast Guard.
USDW abbr: underground sources of
drinking water.
use tests n pi: periodic equipment
inspections to determine corrosion damage
in fields that have been producing for
several years.
USFWS abbr: United States Fish and
Wildlife Service.
USGS abbr: United States Geological
Survey.
utilization factor n: a ratio of the maximum
demand of a system or part of a system to
the rated capacity of the system or part of
the system under consideration.
U-tube n: a U-shaped tube. v: to cause
fluids to flow in a U-tube without adding an
outside force. For example, heavy mud in
the drill stem will force light mud in the
annulus to flow.
U-tubing n: the action of fluids flowing in a
U-tube (as heavy mud forcing lighter mud
down the drill stem and up the annulus).

U-tubing

vacuator valve n: on a dry air cleaner on an

engine, a special valve that automatically
opens to dump dust accumulated in the
chambers of the air cleaner.
vacuum n: 1. a space that is theoretically
devoid of all matter and that exerts zero
pressure. 2. a condition that exists in a system when pressure is reduced below
atmospheric pressure.
vacuum breaker n: a device used to prevent a vacuum from occurring in a tank,
vessel, piping, and so on.
vacuum degasser n: a device in which gascut mud is degassed by the action of a
vacuum inside a tank. The gas-cut mud is
pulled into the tank, the gas removed, and
the gas-free mud discharged back into the
mud tank.
vacuum gauge n: an instrument used on
gas or gasoline engines to indicate the performance characteristics and load.
vacuum retort n: a device that measures
the saturation, or the amount, of each fluid in
a core sample by distilling the fluid from the
core with heat at pressure below
atmospheric. The vacuum retort is used to
measure saturation on whole core samples.
valence n: the tendency of elements to form
compounds through a shift of electronic
structure.
valence effect n: an effect that causes
emulsions and colloids to separate; it is
particularly prevalent in emulsions and
colloids that contain a large number of highvalence ions. See also valence.
valence number n: the number of electrons
of an element involved in forming a
compound.
valley line n: see thalweg.
valve n: a device used to control the rate of
flow in a line to open or shut off a line
completely, or to serve as an automatic or
semi-automatic safety device. Those used
extensively include the check valve, gate
valve, globe valve, needle valve, plug valve,
and pressure relief valve.
valve arm n: in a two-diaphragm, fourchamber diaphragm displacement meter, the
linkage that uses the motion from the crank
to slide D-shaped valves over the three
ported seats to fill and empty the four
measurement chambers alternately.
valve tray n: a tray installed in an absorber
tower or fractionating column, similar to a
bubble-cap
tray
except
that
the
passageways permitting gas flow upward

through the tray possess valves that reduce

the size of the passages when the flow rate
is reduced. Valve trays are more common
than bubble-cap trays, because they are
more efficient and less
expensive.
vapor n: a substance in the gaseous state
that can be liquefied by compression or
cooling.
vaporization n: 1. the act or process of
converting a substance into the vapor
phase. 2. the state of substances in the
vapor phase.
vapor-liquid equilibrium ratio n: the
partition coefficient, usually designated as K,
which is equivalent to y/xm, where y is the
mole fraction of a given component in the
vapor phase that is in equilibrium with x, the
mole fraction of the same component in the
liquid phase. K is a function of temperature,
pressure, and composition of the particular
system.
vapor loss n: losses that occur to
hydrocarbon
liquids
as
the
lighter
components vaporize and leave the liquid.
vapor phase n: the existence of a
substance in the gaseous state.
vapor point n: see bubble point.
vapor pressure n: the pressure exerted by
the vapor of a substance when the
substance and its vapor are in equilibrium.
Equilibrium is established when the rate of
evaporation of a substance is equal to the
rate of condensation of its vapor.
vaporproof adj: not susceptible to or
affected by vapors. For example, an
electrical switch is made vaporproof so that
a spark issuing from it will not cause an
explosion in the presence of combustible
gases (vapors).
vapor recovery n: a system or method by
which vapors are retained and conserved.
vapor recovery unit (VRU) n: 1. in
petroleum refining, a process unit consisting
of a scrubber and a compressor. It is
designed to recover petroleum from
hydrocarbon vapors and safely to handle
toxic gases produced from some wells. 2. in
production operations, equipment designed
to recover light ends that are released from
oil in a stock or other tank.
vapor-tight tank n: a tank of conventional
shape intended primarily for the storage of
volatile liquids such as gasoline and so
constructed that it can withstand pressures
differing only slightly from atmospheric. Such
tanks are equipped with special devices that
224

permit gauging without opening the tank to

the atmosphere.
vara n: a Spanish unit of measurement,
equal between 31 and 34 inches (78.74 and
86.36 centimetres). In Texas, it is equal to
33.33 inches (84.65 centimetres). Though
an ancient unit of measurement, varas often show up on old survey reports in Texas
and the southwestern US.
variable n: see measurand.
variable area flow meter n: see sample
rotameter float.
variable-area meter n: see rotameter.
variable clearance pocket n: a clearance
pocket that can be adjusted to provide
varying amounts of clearance space in a
compressor cylinder.
variable costs n pI: the annual cost of
operating and maintaining the system as
well as fuel, gas loss, and unaccounted-for
gas costs.
variation n: the angle by which a compass
needle deviates from true north.
V-belt n: a belt with a trapezoidal cross
section, made to run in sheaves, or pulleys,
with grooves of corresponding shape.
V-door n: an opening at floor level in a side
of a derrick or mast. The V -door is opposite
the drawworks and is used as an entry to
bring in drill pipe, casing, and other tools
from the pipe rack. The name comes from
the fact that on the old standard derrick, the
shape of the opening was an inverted V.

vee ring

vee ring n: an elastomer seal energized by

pressure. While it is circular in shape, the
seal has a V -shaped cross section. See
also a-ring.
vegetation survey n: a method of detecting
gas leaks in a line by noting the presence or
absence of dead grass or other plants near
the line. Natural gas kills plant roots over
time.
velocity n: 1. speed. 2. the timed rate of
linear motion.
velocity head n: see head.
velocity meter n: a type of meter that
measures the rate of fluid flow through it to
determine the quantity of fluid flowing
through it.
velocity of approach factor (Ev) n: a
mathematical expression that relates the
velocity of the fluid flowing in the meter tube
upstream from the orifice to the velocity of
the fluid flowing through the orifice.
velocity potential n: see fluid potential.
velocity pressure n: the component of the
pressure of a moving fluid that is due to the
fluid's velocity and that is commonly equal to
the difference between the impact pressure
and the static pressure.
velocity profile n: the result of a velocity
traverse. When fluid flows in a pipe, the
fluid's velocity is not uniform owing to friction
as the fluid moves past the pipe's walls. With
some measuring devices, it is important that
the device be placed properly within the flow
to obtain accurate measurement. Running a
velocity traverse to obtain the profile is
necessary to properly place the measuring
device. See also velocity traverse. velocity
safety valve n: see subsurface safety valve.
velocity traverse n: the speed at which a
fluid moves or passes through an object,
related to a Pitot tube.
vena contracta n: squeezing of the gas
flow.
vent n: 1. an opening in a vessel, line, or
pump to permit the escape of air or gas. 2. a
device installed on one end of that portion of
a pipe- line that crosses under a road. The
vent marks the boundary of the highway
right-of-way and provides an exit for any
fluids should the pipeline develop a leak. It
also aids in locating line breaks. v: to open a
vessel or line so that air or gas can escape.
venturi effect n: the drop in pressure
resulting from the increased velocity of a
fluid as it flows through a constricted section
of a pipe.
venturi nozzle n: a nozzle that, because of
the venturi effect, increases the velocity of a
fluid flowing through it.
venturi tube n: a short tube with a
calibrated constriction that is used in
instruments or devices such as jet hoppers.
It was developed to take advantage of the
principle that a fluid flowing through a

225

constriction has increased velocity and

reduced pressure.
venturi-tube meter n: a flow meter used to
determine the rate of flow and employing a
venturi tube as the primary element for
creating differential pressures in flowing
gases or liquids. Compare orifice meter.
verification indicator n: an electrical
measuring instrument that verifies the
presence or absence of current or emf in a
circuit. A compass needle and a dashboard
ammeter are verification indicators.
vertical n: an imaginary line at right angles
to the plane of the horizon. adj: of a
wellbore, straight, not deviated.
vertical heater-treater n: a heater-treater
whose cylinder stands upright, perpendicular
to the ground. See heater-treater.
vertical hitch n: in crane operations, a
method of attaching a sling to a load in
which only one sling leg suspends the load.
vertical loop n: a change in the
configuration of a pipeline whereby the pipe
is curved from the horizontal to a 9()!1
vertical run, then curved 902 to a horizontal
run, curved again to a 902 vertical, and then
curved 90Q back to horizontal. The effect is
to create turbulence in the fluid flow and
distribute the S&W evenly in the flowing
stream.
vertically integrated oil company n: a
large oil company that is involved in all
aspects of the oil industry, from exploration
and production to transportation and
refining.
vertical permeability n: the permeability of
a pay zone from the bottom to the top of the
zone. Compare horizontal permeability.
vertical release n: a clause in an oil or gas
lease
that
excludes,
or
releases,
unproductive formations from the lease at
the end of a specified period.
vertical separator n: a cylindrical separator
standing up- right, perpendicular to the
ground.
vertical station n: a pre-established location
in the vertical plane along the tank shell
couesponding to a given horizontal station.
Compare horizontal station.

vibration dampener

vertical support member (VSM) n: an Hshaped device that supports a pipeline

above the ground. Vertical support members
are used in parts of the world where frozen
earth prevents normal burial of the line. See
lowering-up.

very large crude carrier (VLCC) n: a

supertanker whose capacity is larger than
100,000 deadweight tons (90,720 deadweight tonnes) but less than 500,000 deadweight tons (453,600 deadweight tonnes).
Compare ultralarge crude carrier.
vesicular adj: containing small cavities that
are visible to the naked eye. A vesicular rock
is a rock that contains small cavities.
vessel n: a container used as a structural
envelope to provide for functions that include
storage, settling, separation, and filtration for
liquid and/or vapor.. Conditions of vessel
use include atmospheric and elevated
pressures and temperatures.
vessel experience factor (VEF) n: a
calculated factor, based on the experience
of recent voyages, that reflects the average
difference between vessel and shore
measurements in terms of percent.
V-G meter n: see direct-indicating
viscometer.
vibrating screen n: see shale shaker.
vibration dampener n: 1. a device,
positioned in the drill stem between the bit
and the drill collars, that absorbs impact
loads and vibration from the up-and-down
motion of the drill stem. Vibration dampeners
are designed to transmit torque while
absorbing reciprocative loads that decrease
the efficiency of the drill bit. Also called a
Shock Sub. 2. a device affixed to an engine
crankshaft to minimize stresses that result
from torsional vibration of the crankshaft.

volcanology

vibration error n: the maximum change in

operating output, at any measured value
within a specific range, when vibration levels
of specified amplitude and range or
frequencies are applied to the transducer
along specified axes.
vintage n: used to indicate the period during
which a gas sales contract was made or the
well spud date.
visbreaking n: viscosity breaking, i.e.,
economically reducing the viscosity of the
light end of a heavy fraction.
viscometer n: a device used to determine
the viscosity of a substance. Also called a
viscosimeter.
viscosimeter n: see viscometer.
viscosity n: a measure of the resistance of
a fluid to flow. Resistance is brought about
by the internal friction resulting from the
combined effects of cohesion and adhesion.
The viscosity of petroleum products is
commonly expressed in terms of the time
required for a specific volume of the liquid to
flow through a capillary tube of a specific
size at a given temperature.
viscosity index n: an index used to
establish the tendency of an oil to become
less viscous at increasing temperatures.
Reference oils are a highly paraffinic
Pennsylvania oil, rated 100, and a Gulf
Coast naphthenic oil, rated O.
viscous adj: having a high resistance to
flow.
viscous flow n: see laminar flow.
viton n: a fluoroelastomer used in the seals
installed in equipment exposed to HzS. See
also fluoroelastomer.
vitriolic acid n: see sulfitric acid.
VLCC abbr: very large crude carrier.
VOC abbr: volatile organic compound.
voids n pi: cavities in a rock that do not
contain solid material but may contain fluids.
volatile adj: readily vaporized.
volatile light ends n pi: those hydrocarbons
that are readily vaporized.
volatile organic compound n: a readily
vaporized compound composed of carboncontaining molecules derived from living
organisms.
volatility n: the tendency of a liquid to
assume the gaseous state.
volcanology n: the scientific study of
volcanoes and volcanic phenomena. Also
called vulcanology.
volt n: the unit of electric potential, voltage,
or electromotive force in the metric system.
voltage n: potential difference or electromotive force, measured in volts.
voltaic cell n: see primary cell.
voltmeter n: an instrument used to measure, in volts, the difference of potential in an
electrical circuit.
volume flow rate n: the amount, or quantity,
of a fluid that passes a point for a given time.

226

volume meter n: see positive-displacement

meter.
volumeter n: see positive-displacement
meter.
volumetric correction n: an equation that
can be used to make calculating the
maximum amount of casing pressure to
expect when a gas kick is circulated out of a
shut- in well more accurately reflect reality.
volumetric efficiency n: 1. actual volume of
fluid put out by a pump, divided by the
volume displaced by a piston or pistons (or
other device) in the pump. Volumetric
efficiency is usually expressed as a
percentage. For example, if the pump
pistons displace 300 cubic inches (4,916
cubic centimetres), but the pump puts out
only 291 cubic inches (4,769 cubic
centimteres) per stroke, then the volumetric
efficiency of the pump is 97%. 2. for
compressors, the ratio of the volume of gas
actually delivered, corrected to suction
temperature and pressure, to the piston
displacement.
volumetric method n: a method of well
control in which bottomhole pressure is kept
constant when circulation is not possible and
gas is migrating up the hole. Bottom- hole
pressure is maintained slightly higher than
formation pressure while the gas is allowed
to expand in a controlled manner as it
moves to the surface.
voluntary pooling n: pooling of leased
tracts willingly undertaken by all the parties
involved, both working interest owners and
royalty owners.
voluntary
standard
n:
standards
established generally by private sector
bodies for use by any person or
organization. Includes what are commonly
referred to as industry standards and
consensus standards, but does not include
professional standards of personal conduct,
institutional codes of ethics, private
standards of individual firms, or standards
mandated by law.
voluntary unitization n: unitization that is
accomplished with the willing cooperation of
the affected parties, both working interest
owners and royalty owners.
vortex n: 1. a whirling mass, e.g., a whirlpool. 2. in gas and liquid measurement, a
rotational-flow zone that forms on alternate
sides of a non-streamlined body placed in a
high-velocity flowing stream.
vortex eliminator n: see swirl pipe.
vortex finder n: the short pipe in a coneshaped separator that extends down into the
cone body from the top and that forces the
whirling stream of material to start downward toward the small end of the cone body.
vortex shedding meter n: an instrument for
detecting vortices induced in a fluid stream
by a baffle in the fluid stream to measure
instantaneous flow rate.

volcanology

vortices n pi: rotational-flow zones that form

on alternate sides of a nonstrearnlined body
placed in a high-velocity flowing stream.
VRU abbr: vapor recovery unit.
VSM abbr: vertical support member.
vug n: 1. a cavity in a rock. 2. a small
cavern, larger than a pore but too small to
contain a person. Typically found in
limestone subject to groundwater leaching.
vuggy formation n: a rock formation that
contains openings (vugs). See vug.
vuggy porosity n: secondary rock porosity
formed by the dissolving of the more soluble
portions of a rock in waters containing
carbonic or other acids.
vugular formation n: see vuggy formation.
volcanology n: see volcanology.

W sym: watt.
WACOG abbr: weighted average cost of
gas.
wagon-wheel heater n: in pipeline
construction, a multiheaded circular propane
torch that is manually rotated inside the end
of a pipe for preheating.
wait-and-weight method n: a well-killing
method in which the well is shut in and the
mud weight is raised the amount required to
kill the well. The heavy mud is then
circulated into the well while the kick fluids
are circulated out. So called because one
shuts the well in and waits for the mud to be
weighted before circulation begins.
waiting on cement (WOC) adj: pertaining to
the time when drilling or completion
operations are suspended so that the
cement in a well can harden sufficiently.
waiting on weather (WOW) adj: pertaining
to the time when drilling or other operations
are suspended because of bad weather.
walking beam n: the horizontal steel
member of a beam pumping unit that has
rocking or reciprocating motion.

wall cake n: also called filter cake or mud

cake. See filter cake.
wall hook n: a device used in fishing for drill
pipe. If the upper end of the lost pipe is
leaning against the side of the wellbore, the
wall hook centers it in the hole so that it may
be recovered with an overshot, which is run
on the fishing string and attached to the wall
hook.
wall-hook guide n: see wall hook.
wall-hook packer n: see hook-wall packer.
wall sticking n: see differential sticking.
wall-stuck pipe n: see differential sticking.
wandering n: the tendency of the drill bit to
deviate horizontally parallel to titled strata.

War Embergency Pipelines (WEP) n: a

government financed, nonprofit corporation
of eleven oil and pipeline companies
established during World War II to build
desperately needed pipelines such as Big
Inch and Little Big Inch.
warm a connection v: see heat a
connection.
warm front n: a front that is formed when
warm air replaces cold air as the cold air
retreats.
warranty clause n: the clause in an oil and
gas lease that assures title to the leased
property by an express covenant to the
effect.
warranty deed n: a deed in which the
grantor stipulates by express covenant that
the title to property is as it is represented to
be and that the grantee's possession shall
be undisturbed. Defects in title may include
those that may have existed before the
grantor obtained the title as well as any that
have arisen during his or her ownership.
Warrington strand n: a wire-rope strand
design that consists of a single, central wire
surrounded by two outer layers of several
wires. The wires in the inner layer are the
same diameter as the inner wire. The wires
in the outer layer are of two diameters, one
smaller wire laying adjacent to one larger
wire. A typical Warrington strand ahs 19
wires: 1 central wire, 6 inner wires, and 12
outer wires, 6 of which are smaller in
diameter than the other 6.
wash n: a thin fluid that separates drilling
mud from cement when cement is pumped
downhole. A wash also removes mud from
the walls of the hole by both turbulent and
surfactant action.
washing n: 1. the high-pressure spraying of
the crude oil cargo to dislodge or dissolve
clingage and sediment from the walls, cross
227

members, and lines in the compartments of

a vessel during the unloading operation. 2.
the use of a high-pressure water stream to
dislodge clingage and sediment from the
bulkheads, bottoms, and internal structures
of a vessel's cargo tanks.
wash oil n: see absorption oil.
washout
n: 1. excessive wellbore
enlargement caused by solvent and
erosional action of the drilling fluid. 2. a fluidcut opening caused by fluid leakage.
wash over v: to release pipe that is stuck in
the hole by running washover pipe. The
washover pipe must have an outside
diameter small enough to fit into the
borehole but an inside diameter large
enough to fit over the outside diameter of the
stuck pipe.
A rotary shoe, which cuts away the
formation, mud, or whatever is sticking the
pipe, is made up on the bottom joint of the
washover pipe, and the assembly is lowered
into the hole. Rotation of the assembly frees
the stuck pipe. Several washovers may have
to be made if the stuck portion is very long.
washover n: the operation during which
stuck drill stem or tubing is freed using
washover pipe.
washover assembly n: see washover pipe.
washover back-off connector n: a fishing tool
that is made up in a length of washover pipe
connected to the top of the fish once the
washover is completed, and then backed off
the fish, thus enabling the washed-over part
of the fish to be retrieved. The tool permits
washover, back-off, and pulling to be carried
out in one round trip.
washover pipe n: an accessory used in
fishing operations to go over the outside of
tubing or drill pipe stuck in the hole because
of cuttings, mud, and so forth, that have
collected in the annulus. The washover pipe
cleans the annular space and permits
recovery of the pipe. It is sometimes called
washpipe.
washover shoe n: see burn shoe.

washover string

washover string n: the assembly of tools

run into the hole during fishing to perform a
wash- over. A typical wash- over string
consists of a washover back-off connector,
several joints of washover pipe, and a rotary
shoe.

washpipe packing n: layers of dense

flexible material that is stacked around the
swivel's washpipe and the swivel's interior
body seal. It helps seal between the static
washpipe and the turning swivel body to
ensure that high-pressure drilling mud flows
through the swivel's stem and into the kelly.
washpipe n: a short length of surfacehardened pipe that fits inside the swivel and
serves as a conduit for drilling fluid through
the swivel.
wash tank n: a tank containing heated water
through which crude-oil emulsion is forced to
flow to remove water from the crude. Also
called a gun barrel.
waste minimization n: the practice of
reducing the amount of waste generated
from a site through recycling programs and
the use of non-hazardous chemical
substitutes for hazardous chemicals.
water and sediment sample n: in tank
sampling, a sample obtained with a thief to
determine the amount of material at the
bottom of the tank that cannot be sold.
water-back v: 1. to reduce the weight or
density of a drilling mud by adding water. 2.
to reduce the solids content of a mud by
adding water.
water-base mud n: a drilling mud in which
the continuous phase is water. In water-base
muds, any additives are dispersed in the
water. Compare oil-base mud.
water block n: a reduction in the
permeability of a formation caused by the
invasion of water into the pores.

228

water bottom n: water accumulated at (or

sometimes added to) the bottom of the oil in
a storage tank.
water-cement ratio n: the ratio of water to
cement in a slurry. It is expressed as a percentage, indicating the number of pounds of
water needed to mix 100 pounds (45.32
kilograms) of cement.
water coning n: the upward encroachment
of water into a well caused by pressure
drawdown from production.
watercourse n: a hole inside a bit through
which drilling fluid from the drill stem is
directed.
water cushion (W/C) n: water put into an
empty string of pipe in a wellbore to prevent
the pipe from being crushed by pressure in
the annulus.
water cut n: the percentage of water in fluid
produced from a well. v: to locate the oilwater interface and use the location to
measure the volumes of oil and water in a
shore tank or ship compartment.
watercut index n: a measure of the amount
of water in oil being produced by a well.
water-cut measurement n: I. using the
location of the oil-water interface to
determine the volume of free water in a
shore tank or vessel compartment. 2. the
line of demarcation of the oil-water interface.
water-cut paste n: a material that changes
color (usually to red) in water. The use of
water-cut paste is one method by which the
level of water in the bottom of an oil storage
tank can be determined. The paste is
applied to a plumb bob, which is lowered to
the bottom of the tank and then retrieved.
The water level is then measured off the bob
by noting the depth of the red portion.
water dip n: the depth of free water in a
container over and above the dip plate.
water distillation unit n: equipment used
mostly on offshore or desert locations to
convert salt water to potable fresh water.
water drive n: the reservoir drive
mechanism in which oil is produced by the
expansion of the underlying water and rock,
which forces the oil into the well bore. In
general, there are two types of water drive:
bottom-water drive, in which the oil is totally underlain by water; and edgewater
drive, in which only a portion of the oil is in
contact with the water.
water drive field n: an oilfield in which the
primary reservoir drive mechanism is water.
watered-out adj: of a well, producing mostly
water ("gone to water").
water encroachment n: the movement of
water into a producing formation as
production depletes the formation of oil and
gas.
water finder n: a graduated rod, usually of
metal, to which water-finding paper or paste
can be applied. This paste or paper
discolors on contact with water and thus

water-producing interval

affords a ready means of measuring the

depth of water in a tank. Also called a waterfinding rule.
water-finding paper n: a strip of paper
coated with a chemical substance that
changes color on immersion in water. When
fastened to a water finder, it indicates the
depth of free water in a container.
water-finding paste n: a paste containing a
chemical that changes color in contact with
water. When applied to a water finder, it
indicates the level of free water in a
container. water-finding rule n: see water
finder.
waterflooding n: a method of improved
recovery in which water is injected into a
reservoir to remove additional quantities of
oil that have been left behind after primary
recovery. Waterflooding usually involves the
injection of water through wells specially set
up for water injection and the removal of
water and oil from production wells drilled
adjacent to the injection wells.
waterflood kick n: the first indication of
increased oil production as the result of a
waterflood project.
water hammer n: a pressure concussion
caused by suddenly stopping the flow of
liquids in a closed container.
water injection pump n: pump used in
waterflooding or in water disposal. In
waterflooding, the pump injects water into a
well drilled in one part of a reservoir to force
oil to a production well. In water disposal,
the pump injects water produced from a well
into a reservoir for disposal.
water injection well n: a well into which
water is pumped to dispose of the water or
to recover oil in a waterflood.
water-in-oil emulsion n: see invertemulsion mud.
water jacket n: in the cooling system, a
passageway inside the rim for circulating
water.
water leg n: see water outlet.
water loss n: see fluid loss.
water maker n: see water distillation unit.
water outlet n: the part of a gun barrel that
provides an outlet for the water that has
separated from an emulsion and that
regulates the amount of water held in the
gun barrel.
water pollutant n: dredged spoil, solid
waste, incinerator residue, filter backwash,
sewage,
garbage,
sewage
sludge,
munitions, chemical wastes, biological
materials, radioactive materials, heat,
wrecked or discarded equipment, rock,
sand, cellar dirt, and industrial, municipal,
and agricultural waste discharged into water.
water-producing interval n: the portion of
an oil or gas reservoir from which water or
mainly water is produced.

water pump

water pump n: on an engine, a device,

powered by the engine, that moves coolant
(water) through openings in the engine
crankcase, through the radiator or heat
exchanger, and back into the crankcase.
water saturation n: the percentage of total
pore space in a reservoir occupied by water.
It is normally estimated by electric log
calculations, although cores specially
obtained may be analyzed for this value.
water slug n: a relatively small volume of
water that is put into the drill string or tubing
string on top of the drilling or workover fluid.
waterspout n: in general, the offshore
equivalent of a tornado.
water string n: a string of casing used to
shut off water above an oil sand.
water table n: 1. the structure at the top of
the drilling derrick or mast that supports the
crown block. 2. the underground level at
which water is found.

water test n: final test on a pipeline in which

the line is filled with water and pressured up
to a higher-than-normal operating pressure.
If no leaks occur, the line is put into service.
watertight door n: a door on ships or
mobile offshore rigs that, when closed,
blocks the passage of water and withstands
its pressure.
water well n: a well drilled to obtain a fresh
water supply to support drilling and
production operations or to obtain a water
supply to be used in connection with an
enhanced recovery program.
water-wet reservoir n: a hydrocarbon
reservoir whose rock grains are coated with
a film of water.
water-wet rock n: see wettability.
water zone n: the portion of an oil or gas
reservoir occupied by water, usually the
lowest zone in the reservoir.
watt n: the unit of power in the metric
system, equal to 1 joule per second, or
0.746 horsepower.
watt hour n: the application of 1 watt of
power for 1 hour.
watthour meter n: a quantity recorder that
measures power and integrates, or adds up,
the amount of power used over a period of
time. Also called an integrating wattmeter.

229

wave cyclone n: a cyclone that develops

and travels along a front. The circulation
about the cyclone's center may give the front
a wavelike shape. Also called wave
depression.
wave depression n: see wave cyclone.
wavelength n: the horizontal distance
between two successive wave troughs or
crests.
wave period n: the time interval between
the passage of two successive wave troughs
or crests.
wave rose n: a diagram that depicts
reported sea characteristics for a given area.
wax n: see paraffin.
Wb sym: weber.
WC abbr: wildcat; used in drilling reports.
WIC abbr: water cushion; used in drilling
reports.
wear elongation n: in a roller chain drive,
an amount of stretching that causes the
chain to engage improperly with the
sprockets. wear pad n: a flat metal
protrusion of a downhole tool that is usually
hardfaced and that protects the rotating tool
from wear.
wear sleeve n: a hollow cylindrical device
installed around the swivel's rotating stem
that absorbs the stem's rotation and helps
form an oil seal between the stem and the
oil-bath reservoirs inside the swivel.

weather n: the state of the atmosphere at a

specific time with respect to heat or cold,
wetness or dryness, calm or storm, and
clearness or cloudiness. The term is also
used to identify rain, storm, or other
unfavorable atmospheric conditions. v: to
allow an object or substance to age, usually
under controlled conditions.
weathered crude n: crude oil that has lost
an appreciable quantity of its entrained gas
because of evaporation during storage.
weathering n: 1. the breakdown of large
rock masses into smaller pieces by physical
and chemical climatological processes. 2.
the evaporation of liquid by exposing it to the
conditions of atmospheric temperatures and
pressure.
weathering test n: a Gas Processors
Association test for LP gas for the

weigh tank

determination of heavy components in a

sample by evaporation of the sample as
specified.
weather map n: a chart that indicates
atmospheric conditions and circulation over
an area at a given time. Also called surface
chart.
weathervane v: of a storage tanker or
shuttle vessel that is permanently moored, to
make a 3600 circle around the mooring as
the weather changes.
Webb-Wilson n: a brand name for one type
of pipe tongs used on drilling rigs;
sometimes used generically for all brands of
tongs, even though other types of tongs
exist.
weber n: the metric unit of magnetic flux.
wedge n: 1. a metal or wooden piece that
tapers to a thin edge and is used for raising
heavy objects or for tightening by being
driven into or between something. 2.
something wedge-shaped, as a portion of
liquid in the hold of a tanker ship.
wedge factor n: a formula for a trigonometric calculation to determine the oil
remaining on board (ROB) when the vessel
is out of trim and the ROB does not contact
both forward and aft bulkheads. The formula
assumes ROB to be a flowable liquid.
wedge formula n: a mathematical means of
approximating the small quantities of liquid
and solid cargo and free water on board
before a vessel is loaded and after its cargo
is discharged, based on cargo compartment
dimensions and vessel trim. It is used only
when a wedge exists and when the liquid
does not touch all bulkheads.
wedge socket n: wire rope fittings wherein
the rope end is secured by a wedge.
wedge tables n pi: pre-calculated ship's
tables based on the wedge formula and
displayed in much the same way as the
ship's innage/ullage tables. Used for small
quantities when the liquid does not touch all
bulkheads.
weevil n: shortened form of boll weevil. See
boll weevil.
weigh scale n: a device for determining
either the mass or the weight of a body,
depending on the apparatus and procedure
employed.
weight n: 1. in mud terminology, refers to
the density of a drilling fluid. 2. of a
measurement,
expresses
degree
of
confidence in result of measurement of a
certain quantity compared with result of
another measurement of the same quantity.
weigh tank n: a tank used with a weigh
scale for measurement of the liquid contents
of the tank.

weight bar

weight bar n: see sinker bar. Also called

stem.
weight cut n: the amount by which drilling
fluid density is reduced by entrained
formation fluids or air.
weighted average cost of gas (WACOG)
n: cost calculated as the total cost of all gas
purchased during a base period divided by
either the total quantity purchased (unit of
production) or the system throughput (unit of
sales) during the same period. This rate,
plus any application of any pending
surcharge adjustments, serves as the basis
on which system tariff rates are computed
and made effective.
weight indicator n: an instrument near the
driller's position on a drilling rig that shows
both the weight of the drill stem that is
hanging from the hook (hook load) and the
weight that is placed on the bit by the drill
collars (weight on bit).

weighting material n: a material that has a

high specific gravity and is used to increase
the density of drilling fluids or cement
slurries.
weight on bit (WOB) n: the amount of
downward force placed on the bit by the
weight of the drill collars.
weight-set packer n: a packer whose
packing elements are activated when weight
from the tubing string is applied. To set
some packers, rotation as well as weight is
required. See packer.
weight up v: to increase the weight or
density of drilling fluid by adding weighting
material.
weir n: a metal plate installed in a separator,
treater, or mud tank and used to regulate
liquid level or, in the case of a metering
separator, to measure flow.
welded tuff n: a pyroclastic deposit
hardened by the action of heat, pressure
from overlying material, and hot gases.
well n: the hole made by the drilling bit,
which can be open, cased, or both. Also
called borehole, hole, or wellbore.
wellbore n: a borehole; the hole drilled by
the bit. A wellbore may have casing in it or it
may be open (uncased); or part of it may be
cased, and part of it may be open. Also
called a borehole or hole.
wellbore cleanup n: see wellbore soak.

230

wellbore pressure n: 1. bottomhole

pressure. 2. casing pressure.
wellbore soak n: an acidizing treatment in
which the acid is placed in the wellbore and
allowed to react by merely soaking. It is a
relatively slow process, because very little of
the acid actually comes in contact with the
formation. Also called wellbore cleanup. See
matrix acidizing. Compare acidfracture.
well completion n: 1. the activities and
methods of preparing a well for the
production of oil and gas or for other
purposes, such as injection; the method by
which one or more flow paths for
hydrocarbons are established between the
reservoir and the surface. 2. the system of
tubulars, packers, and other tools installed
beneath the well- head in the production
casing; that is, the tool assembly that
provides the hydrocarbon flow path or paths.
well control n: the methods used to control
a kick and prevent a well from blowing out.
Such techniques include, but are not limited
to, keeping the borehole completely filled
with drilling mud of the proper weight or
density during all operations, exercising
reasonable care when tripping pipe out of
the hole to prevent swabbing, and keeping
careful track of the amount of mud put into
the hole to replace the volume of pipe
removed from the hole during a trip.
well density n: the ratio between the
number of wells drilled in a field and the
acre- age. Under a 40-acre spacing pattern,
the well density is one well per 40 acres.
well fluid n: the fluid, usually a combination
of gas, oil, water, and suspended sediment,
that comes out of a reservoir. Also called
well stream.
wellhead n: the equipment installed at the
surface of the wellbore. A wellhead includes
such equipment as the casinghead and
tubing head. adj: pertaining to the wellhead
(e.g., wellhead pressure).

wellhead price n: the price received by the

producer for sales at the well. See also
crude oil average domestic first purchase
price.

well-site computer

well logging n: the recording of information

about subsurface geologic formations,
including records kept by the driller and
records of mud and cutting analyses, core
analysis, drill stem tests, and electric,
acoustic, and radioactivity procedures. See
acoustic log, core analysis, driller's log, drill
stem test, electric well log, mud analysis,
and radioactivity log.
well log library n: a private, or sometimes
public,
organization
that
maintains
collections of oilfield data, particularly well
logs. Users gain access to the information
by paying membership dues or a user's fee.
well permit n: authorization, usually granted
by a governmental conservation agency, to
drill a well. A permit is some- times also
required for deepening or remedial work.
well platform n: an offshore structure with a
platform above the surface of the water that
supports the producing well's surface
controls and flow piping.
well point n: in pipeline construction, a
device installed in waterlogged soil to dry out
areas along the ditch line. Functioning as a
submersible pump, a well point is a hollow
steel rod approximately 18 feet (5.5 metres)
long driven into the ground. Its free end is
connected by hose or tubing to a well- point
pump that moves groundwater away from
the ditch. Hundreds of well points may be
required to stabilize an area.
well puller n: a member of a well-servicing
crew.
well pusher n: see toolpusher.
well servicing n: the maintenance work
performed on an oil or gas well to improve or
maintain the production from a formation
already producing. It usually involves repairs
to the pump, rods, gas-lift valves, tubing,
packers, and so forth.
well-servicing rig n: a portable rig, truckmounted, trailer-mounted, or a carrier rig,
consisting of a hoist and engine with a selferecting mast. See carrier rig. Compare
workover rig.
well site n: see location.
well-site computer n: interprets information
transmitted from the downhole sonde to
make corrections for downhole conditions,
make complex calculations, and print out
various log formats. Also keeps track of the
depth at which the logs are being obtained
and warns of malfunctions.

well spacing

well spacing n: the regulation of the number

and location of wells over an oil or gas
reservoir as a conservation measure.
Compare well density.
well stimulation n: any of several
operations used to increase the production
of a well, such as acidizing or fracturing. See
acidize, formation fracturing.
well stream n: see well fluid.
well surveying n: see well logging.
well test n: a test performed on a well to
determine its production characteristics.
well test report n: the detailed results of a
well test that present all test data, the
calculations drawn from the data, and
conclusions pertaining to the well's
production potential.
well test surface package n: in well testing,
an assembly of equipment that is attached to
the wellhead of the well to be tested. The
main component of a well test surface
package is an oil and gas separator.
well velocity survey n: measures the time
needed for a sound pulse generated at the
surface to reach successive selected depths
in the borehole. Used to correct problems in
downhole acoustic logs caused by filtrate
invasion of the formation and borehole
irregularities. Also used to calibrate depths
on seismic sections.
WEP abbr: War Emergency Pipelines.
West Texas intermediate n: crude oil
produced from the Pennian Basin of West
Texas and eastern New Mexico. Its gravity
falls between light and heavy crude oil. It is a
"benchmark" crude in that its price is often
quoted as a measure of general crude oil
prices.
wet air cleaner n: see oil-bath air cleanel:
wet boring n: in pipeline construction, a
boring technique similar to slick boring that
is used for small-diameter pipe such as
natural gas distribution lines. Water is the
lubricant. Compare slick boring.
wet-bottom prover n: an open tank prover
with a gauge glass on the bottom of the
prover. Compare dry-bottom prover.
wet box n: see mud box.
wet cell n: a primary cell in which the
electrolyte is a dilute acid.
wet combustion n: the simultaneous or
alternate injection of water and air into a
formation during an in situ combustion
operation. The water reduces heat loss by
transmitting heat that would otherwise be left
behind in the formation, reduces the amount
of required air, and increases the rate of
advance of the fire flood. Also called
COFCAW
(combination
of
forward
combustion and waterflooding). Compare
dry combustion.
wet gas n: 1. a gas containing water, or a
gas that has not been dehydrated. 2. a rich
gas.

231

wet job n: said of a job in which tubing is

pulled full of oil or water.
wetlands n pi: land or areas containing
much soil moisture. Wetland areas include
areas that support vegetation typically found
in saturated soils; that are saturated,
flooded, or ponded enough during the
growing season to result in an absence of
oxygen in their upper parts; or that are
subject to wetland hydrology, which results
in saturated soil conditions on at least a
seasonal basis.
wet monsoon n: a summer monsoon that
exhibits heavy rainfall.
wet natural gas n: a well stream containing
mostly natural gas but with enough heavier
hydrocarbons in it that it liquefies at surface
temperature and pressure.
wet oil n: an oil that contains water, either
as an emulsion or as free water.
wet suit n: a diving suit, usually made of
neoprene material, designed to provide
thermal insulation for a diver's body. A small
amount of water enters the suit, is warmed
by body heat, and protects divers for a short
time.
wettability n: the relative affinity between
individual grains of rock and each fluid that
is present in the spaces between the grains.
If oil and water are both present, the water is
usually in contact with the surface of each
grain, and the rock is called water-wet. If,
however, the oil contacts the surface, the
rock is called oil-wet.
wetting n: the adhesion of a liquid to the
surface of a solid.
wetting agent n: see surfactant.
wetting phase n: the liquid in a two-liquid
system that is attracted to the sides of the
pore. See nonwetting phase.
wet welding n: underwater welding performed without the use of a protective
habitat.
wh abbr: white; used in drilling reports.
wheel ditcher n: a ditching machine for
pipeline construction that has a large, rapidly
rotating set of toothed scoops that lift dirt out
of the ditch and feed it onto a conveyor
mounted on the side of the machine. The
wheel ditcher is used almost exclusively for
ditching operations in stable soil.
wheel-type back-off wrench n: a wheelshaped wrench that is attached to the sucker
rod string at the surface and is manually
turned to unscrew the string to allow it to be
pulled from the well. Also called a back- off
wheel or a circle wrench.
whelp n: (nautical) a sprocket tooth in a
wildcat.
whip a connection v: see heat a
connection.
whipping
n:
oscillation
along
the
longitudinal axis of the drill stem.
whipstock n: a long steel casing that uses
an inclined plane to cause the bit to deflect

wildcatter

from the original borehole at a slight angle.

Whipstocks are sometimes used in
controlled directional drilling, in straightening
crooked boreholes, and in sidetracking to
avoid unretrieved fish.

whipstock anchor packer n: a special

purpose packer placed in the casing to
permit a sidetrack operation.
whirling n: see bit whirl.
whitecap n: a wave with a white, foamy top.
whole mud n: all the components of the
drilling mud, including reactive and
nonreactive solids and the liquid phase
(filtrate).
wickered adj: of or having wickers. Also
called birdcaged.
wickers n pl: broken or frayed strands of the
steel wire that makes up the outer wrapping
of wire rope.

wide-line chart n: an orifice chart where the

differential and static pressure record- ings
indicate a wide range of pressure readings.
wildcat n: 1. a well drilled in an area where
no oil or gas production exists. 2. (nautical)
the geared sheave of a windlass used to pull
anchor chain. v: to drill wildcat wells.
wildcatter n: one who drills wildcat wells.

wild well

wild well n: a well that has blown out of

control and from which oil, water, or gas is
escaping with great force to the surface.
Also called a gusher.
willy-willy n: a tropical cyclone in Australia.
winch n: a machine that pulls or hoists by
winding a cable around a Spool.
windbreak n: something that breaks the
force of the wind. For example, canvas
windbreaks installed around the outside of
the rig floor on a drilling or workover rig
afford the crew protection from strong, cold
winds. Sometimes called a prefab.
windfall profit tax n: a federal excise tax on
crude oil. It has a different rate for oil in a
number of categories, for example, newly
discovered oil, stripper oil, and stripper oil
produced by independents. The tax rate is
determined as a percentage-for instance, at
25%---of the difference between a base
price and a market price. There are a variety
of exceptions and exemptions; interested
parties should query the IRS or a tax
accountant.
wind girder n: see wind ring.
wind guy line n: the wireline attached to
ground anchors to provide lateral support for
a mast or derrick. Compare load guy line.
winding n: a set of conductors installed to
form the current-carrying element of a
dynamo or a stationary transformer.
windlass n: a device on an anchor-handling
boat that propels the anchor chain to and
from a chain locker, where it is stored.
wind-load rating n: a specification used to
indicate the resistance of a derrick to the
force of wind. The wind-load rating is
calculated according to API specifications.
Typical wind resistance in derricks is 75
miles per hour with pipe standing in the
derrick and 115 miles per hour or higher
without.
window n: 1. a slotted opening or a full
section removed in the pipe lining (casing) of
a well, usually made to permit sidetracking.
2. a period during which an operation or
action can be carried out, such as the drilling
window that occurs in offshore Arctic areas
in summer or winter.
wind ring n: a horizontal stiffening and
structural member installed near the top of a
floating-roof tank to reinforce the tank wall
against wind pressure. Also called a wind
girder.
wind rose n: a diagram that plots wind
direction and speed at a particular location.
windward n: (nautical) upwind, i.e., the
direction from which the wind is blowing.
wind waves n pi: short-period waves formed
by the contact of wind on the ocean surface.
wing n: a horizontal pipe that exits from one
or two sides of a Christmas tree.
wing valve n: a valve on the wing of a
Christmas tree. See also wing.

232

wiper n: a circular rubber device with a split

in its side that is put around drill pipe to wipe
or clean drilling mud off the outside of the
pipe as the pipe is pulled from the hole.
wiper plug n: a rubber-bodied, plastic- or
aluminum-cored device used to separate
cement and drilling fluid as they are being
pumped down the inside of the casing during
cementing operations. A wiper plug also
removes drilling mud that adheres to the
inside of the casing.

wireline n: a slender, rodlike or threadlike

piece of metal usually small in diameter, that
is used for lowering special tools (such as
logging sondes, perforating guns, and so
forth) into the well. Compare wire rope.
wireline blowout preventer n: a device
containing a valve that closes around the
wireline to shut in the well if high pressure
threatens a blowout. Also called a wireline
valve.
wireline core barrel n: see core barrel.
wireline coring n: a coring method in which
a core barrel assembly is lowered through
the drill pipe on wireline without tripping out
the drill pipe. After the core is drilled, the
core and the core barrel are retrieved by an
overshot assembly.
wireline cutting tool n: a device usually run
on a solid wireline to cut another wireline
stuck in a well.
wireline electric log n: see electric logging.
wireline entry guide n: a flared-end sub run
on the end of the tubing string to permit easy
access of wireline tools into the tubing ID.
wireline feeler n: a tool used to gouge and
clean junk and debris from the casing in
conjunction with a junk catcher.
wireline formation tester n: a formation
fluid sampling device, actually run on
conductor line rather than wireline, that also
logs flow and shut-in pressure in rock near
the borehole. A spring mechanism holds a
pad finnly against the sidewall while a piston
creates a vacuum in a test chamber.
Formation fluids enter the test chamber
through a valve in the pad. A recorder logs
the rate at which the test chamber is filled.
Fluids may also be drawn to fill a sampling
chamber. Wireline formation tests may be
done any number of times during one trip in

wireline spear

the hole, so they are very useful in formation

testing.
wireline grab n: a tool used to fish broken
wireline out of tubing. Two or three barbed
prongs extend along the inside of the Ushaped housing. Wireline becomes caught
on these prongs and can be retrieved.
wireline log n: any log that is run on
wireline.
wireline logging n: see well logging.
wireline operations n pi: the lowering of
mechanical tools, such as valves and fishing
tools, into the well for various purposes.
Electric wireline operations, such as electric
well logging and perforating, involve the use
of conductor line, which in the oil patch is
commonly but erroneously called wireline.
wireline preventer n: a manually operated
ram preventer especially adapted for closure
around a wireline.
wireline probe n: a diagnostic tool used to
ascertain the position of a gas leak in the
tubing of a gas-lift well.
wireline service n: a general term used to
refer to any servicing operation using a
wireline.
wireline socket n: the connection used to
attach wireline to the tool string. The wireline
socket contains a rotating disk to allow the
tool string to swivel horizontally and a small
spring to cushion the line and to prevent the
line from breaking during heavy operations.
See wire line tool string.
wireline spear n: a special fishing tool fitted
with prongs to catch and recover wireline
that has broken off and been left in a well.

wireline stuffing box and lubricator

wireline stuffing box and lubricator n: a

stuffing box and lubricator used with wireline
during a bottomhole pressure test. See
stuffing box.
wireline survey n: a general tenn often
used to refer to any type of log being run in a
well.
wireline tools n pi: special tools or
equipment made to be lowered into and
retrieved from the well on a wireline, e.g.,
packers, swabs, gas-lift valves, measuring
devices.
wireline tool string n: the string of tools and
equipment that is attached to conductive or
nonconductive
wireline
and
lowered
downhole to perfonn wireline operations.
wireline truck n: a service vehicle or unit on
which the spool of wireline is mounted for
use in downhole wireline work.
wireline valve n: see wireline blowout
preventer.
wireline well logging n: the recording of
subsurface characteristics by wire line
(actually conductor line) tools. Wireline well
logs include acoustic logs, caliper logs,
radioactivity logs, and resistivity logs.
wireline wiper n: a flexible rubber wiper
used to scrape mud or oil from a wireline as
it is pulled from a hole.
wireline workover n: a workover performed
with wireline lowered into the well through
the tubing string. A lubricator is rigged up
over the wellhead and wireline tools are
inserted through the lubricator under
pressure. A variety of wireline tools is
available.
wire rope n: a cable composed of steel
wires twisted around a central core of fiber
or steel wire to create a rope of great
strength and considerable flexibility. Wire
rope is used as drilling line (in rotary and
cable tool rigs), coring line, servicing line,
winch line, and so on. It is often called cable
or wireline; however, wireline is a single,
slender metal rod, usually very flexible.
Compare wireline.

wire-rope clip n: a device that secures the

end of a bend in the wire rope to the body of
the wire rope. A typical safety clamp

233

consists of a U-shaped bolt that is fastened

to the wire rope with a saddle-shaped base.
Two nuts on the base thread onto the U-bolt
to secure the clamp to the rope.

Depending on the diameter of the wire

rope, which determines the amount of rope
that is looped back on itself to secure the
rope to the tongs or other device, clamps
can vary in number from one to three.
wire rope drilling line n: see drilling line.
wire rope grip n: a special clamp that
temporarily joins the end of two lengths of
wire rope. See also swivel-type stringing
grip.
wire-wrapped screen n: a relatively short
length of pipe that has openings in its sides
and a specially shaped wire wrapped around
the pipe. It is used in wire-wrapped screen
completions, usually in conjunction with a
gravel pack. The screen and gravel pack
block out sand and allow fluids to flow into
the well through the openings in the screen.
Also called a screen liner.
W-L; W/L abbr: wire line.
WMO
abbr:
World
Meteorological
Organization.
WOB abbr: weight on bit.
wobble n: movement between the mating
surfaces of box and pin in a tool joint. v: to
move in a rocking motion.
WOC abbr: waiting on cement; used in
drilling reports.
WOE abbr: waiting on engineering.
WOG abbr: water-oil-gas.
WOlD abbr: waiting on orders; used in
drilling reports.
wood alcohol n: see methanol.
WOR abbr: water-oil ratio.
work n: the acting of a force through
distance, or the overcoming of a resistance
to motion. No work is done unless motion is
produced. Mathematically, work is force
times distance.
work basket n: see personnel basket.
work boat n: a boat or self-propelled barge
used to carry supplies, tools, and equipment
to job site offshore.
work hardening n: hardness developed in
metals as a result of cold-working.
working barrel n: the outer shell of a downhole plunger pump. The pumping cycle
starts with an upward stroke of the rods,
which pulls the plunger up through the
working barrel. On the upstroke, the
traveling valve closes, the standing valve in

workover rig

the working barrel opens, fluid above the

traveling valve is lifted out of the well, and a
new charge is drawn into the pump. On the
downstroke, the traveling valve opens, the
standing valve closes, and the fluid is forced
from the working barrel through the traveling valve in the plunger and into the tubing.
Repeated strokes bring the fluid to the
surface.
working gas n: the volume of gas in an
underground storage reservoir above the
designed level of the base. It mayor may not
be completely withdrawn during any
particular withdrawal season.
working interest n: the interest in oil or gas
that includes responsibility for all drilling,
developing, and operating costs. Also called
leasehold interest, operating interest.
working-interest oil n: see net production,
working interest.
working pressure n: the maximum
pressure at which an item is to be used at a
specified temperature.
working standard n: a standard that is
calibrated against a reference standard and
is intended to verify working measuring
instruments of lower accuracy. Compare primary standard, secondary standard.
working string n: see work string.
working tape n: the measuring tape used to
measure all of a tank's rings after it is
calibrated to the standard tape. See also
standard tape, strapping.
work over v: to perform one or more of a
variety of remedial operations on a
producing oilwell to try to increase
production.
Examples
of
workover
operations are deepening, plugging back,
pulling and resetting liners, and squeeze
cementing.
workover n: the performance of one or
more of a variety of remedial operations on a
producing oilwell to try to increase
production. Examples of workover jobs are
deepening, plugging back, pulling and resetting liners, and squeeze cementing.
workover fluid n: a special drilling mud
used to keep a well under control while it is
being worked over. A workover fluid is
compounded carefully so that it will not
cause formation damage.
workover rig n: a portable rig used for
working over a well. See production rig.

work string

work string n: 1. in drilling, the string of drill

pipe or tubing suspended in a well to which
is attached a special tool or device that is
used to carry out a certain task, such as
squeeze cementing or fishing. 2. in pipe- line
construction, the string of washpipe that
replaces the pilot string in a directionally
drilled river crossing. The work string
remains in place under the river until the
actual pipeline is made up and is ready to be
pulled back across the river.
work unit n: a larger type of self-contained
breathing gear that provides from 30 to 60
minutes of air. This apparatus differs from
the emergency escape unit mainly in the
size of the air bottle and, hence, in its
capacity to store air. Compare emergency
escape unit.
World
Meteorological
Organization
(WMO) n: a United Nations agency that was
formed to promote international cooperation
in all aspects of meteorological activities.
Address: Case Postale 2300, CH-1211,
Geneva 2, Switzerland.
Worm n: 1. a new and inexperienced worker
on a drilling rig. 2. a short revolving screw
with spiral-shaped threads.
worm gear n: the gear of a worm and a
worm wheel working together.
worm's-eye map n: see subgeologic map.
worm wheel n: a toothed wheel gearing the
thread of a worm.
worst-case spill n: the worst possible spill
from a vessel or facility. Such a spill is determined by the maximum amount of discharge
possible from the facility, or the total release
of a full cargo from the firm's largest vessel,
in the worst weather conditions.
WOW abbr: waiting on weather.
wrench flat n: a flat area on an otherwise
round fitting to which a wrench can be
applied (as on sucker rod coupling). Also
called a wrench square.
wrench square n: see wrenchflat.
wrist pin n: in an engine, the hard steel,
hollow cylinder that attaches the piston to
the piston rod. A circular opening in the
piston is lined up with a corresponding
circular opening in the rod and the wrist pin
is pushed through the openings. Usually,
special keys on each end of the pin lock the
pin in the piston. Also called piston pin.
WTI abbr: West Texas intermediate.
wye connection n: a three- or four-wire
connection, resembling the letter Y, used in
three-phase circuits alone or in various
combinations with delta connections.

234

wye connection

X-C polymer n: a biopolymer produced from

a particular strain of bacteria on
carbohydrates that produces large increases
in apparent viscosity while maintaining fairly
good control of filtration.
xln abbr: crystalline; used in drilling reports.
X-ray
testing
n:
see
radiographic
examination or testing.
xylene n: any of three flammable
hydrocarbons, C6H4(CH3h, similar to
benzene. A commercial mixture is used as a
solvent when oilfield emulsions are being
tested.

yaw n: on a mobile offshore drilling rig or

ship, the angular motion as the bow or stern
moves from side to side. v: to move from
side to side (as a ship).
Y-block n: see Y-sub.
yd abbr: yard.
yd2 abbr: square yard.
3
yd abbr: cubic yard.
yellow pod n: see hydraulic control pod.
yield n: the number of barrels of a liquid
slurry of a given viscosity that can be made
from a ton of clay. Clays are often classified
as either high- or low-yield. A ton of highyield clay yields more slurry of a given
viscosity than a low-yield clay.
yield point n: the maximum stress that a
solid can withstand without undergoing
permanent deformation either by plastic flow
or by rupture. See tensile strength.
yield strength n: a measure of the force
needed to deform tubular goods to the
extent that they are permanently distorted.
yield value n: the resistance to initial flow,
or the stress required to start fluid
movement. This resistance is caused by
electrical charges located on or near the
surfaces of the particles. The values of the
yield point and thixotropy, respectively, are
measurements of the same fluid properties
under dynamic and static states. The
Bingham yield value, reported in pounds/100
square foot, is determined from a directindicating viscometer by subtracting the
plastic viscosity from the 300-rpm reading.
Also called yield point.
Young's modulus n: in mechanics, the ratio
of a simple tension stress applied to a
material to the resulting strain parallel to the
tension.
Y-sub n: in multiple packer completion, a
device, made up just below the uppermost
packer, that switches tubular fluids to the
annulus and annular fluids to the tubing
above that packer. Also Y-SUB called a Y block.

235

zeolite n: hydrated silicates of aluminum

with alkali metals.
zero v: to bring a differential pen to the zero
point on an orifice chart.
zero measurand output n: the output of a
transducer with zero measurand applied.
zero point n: on an orifice chart, the point at
which no differential pressure is exerted on
the differential pen.
zero-zero gel n: a condition wherein the
drilling fluid fails to form measurable gels
during a quiescent interval (usually 10
minutes).
zeta potential n: electrokinetic potential of a
particle as determined by its electrophoretic
mobility. This electric potential causes
colloidal particles to repel each other and
stay in suspension.
zinc chloride (ZnCI2) n: a very soluble salt
used to increase the density of water to
points more than double that of plain water.
Normally added to a system first saturated
with calcium chloride.
zone n: a rock stratum that is different from
or distinguished from another stratum (e.g.,
a pay zone).
zone isolation n: the practice of separating
producing formations from one another by
means of casing, cement, and packers for
the purposes of pressure control and
maintenance, as well as the prevention of
mixing of fluids from separate formations.
zone of lost circulation n: a formation that
contains holes or cracks large enough to
allow cement to flow into the formation instead of up along the annulus outside of the
casing.
zeolite n: hydrated silicates of aluminum
with alkali metals.
zerk n: a special fitting on equipment that
accommodates a similar fitting on a grease
gun. The zerk allows grease to be injected,
but forms a seal to prevent the entry of dirt
into the equipment when the gun is
removed.

Abbreviations
A: ampere
AC: alternating current
acre: not abbreviated
A-h: ampere-hour
atm: atmosphere
avg: average
bbl: barrel
Bcf: billion cubic feet
Bcf/d, Bcf/D: billion cubic feet per day
bbVd, BID, bId, BPD, bpd: barrels per day
bhp: brake horsepower
BHP: bottomhole pressure
BHT: bottomhole temperature
B II: business interruption insurance
BLPD: barrels of liquid per day
BOPD: barrels of oil per day
Bscf/d, Bscf/D: billion standard cubic feet
per day
Btu: British thennal unit
BWPD: barrels of water per day
C: degrees Celsius
cal: calorie
cm: centimetre
cm2, sq cm: square centimetre
cm3, cc: cubic centimetre
cp: centipoise
CZM: coastal zone management agency
d, D: day
D, darcy: darcy
DC: direct current
API: degrees API (American Petroleum
Institute)
F: degrees Fahrenheit
dm: decimetre
dm3: cubic decimetre
dm3/s: cubic decimetres per second
DWF: deliberate well fIring
EED: energy, exploration, and development
EIS: environmental impact statement
emf: electromotive force
fathom: not abbreviated
ft: foot, feet
ft-lb: foot-pound
ftimiD, fpm: feet per minute
ftls, fps: feet per second
ft2, sq ft: square foot
ft3, co ft: cubic foot
ft3/bbl, co ft/bbl: cubic feet per barrel
ft3/d, co ftld, cfd, cm: cubic feet per day
ft3/Ib, co ft/lb, cfp: cubic feet per pound
ft3/min, cu ft/ min, cfm: cubic feet per
minute
ft3/S, cu ft/s, cfs: cubic feet per second

GAEOT: geometric average evaluation of

tract
g: gram
gal: gallon
gpm, gal/min: gallons per minute
GOR: gas-oil ratio

mph: miles per hour

MROV: mean range of values
Mscf/d, Mscf/D: thousand standard cubic
feet per day
m V, my: millivolt MWS: making well safe
N: newton

h: hour
hp: horsepower
hp-h, hp-hr: horsepower-hour

OD: outside diameter

OEE: operator's extra expense
oz: ounce

Hz: hertz
ID: inside diameter
IMR: inspection, maintenance, and repair
(used in diving)
in: inch
in.2, sq in.: square inch
in.3, cu in.: cubic inch
in./s, ips: inches per second
J: joule
JVCL: joint venture convention liability
K: kelvin
kg: kilogram
km: kilometre
kPa: kilopascal
kV, kv: kilovolt
kW, kw: kilowatt
kW-h, kwh: kilowatt-hour
Ib: pound
Ib/ft3, pcf: pounds per cubic foot
L: litre
LOPI: loss of production insurance
LPG: liquefied petroleum gas
m: metre
m2, sq m: square metre
m3, CD m: cubic metre
m3/d: cubic metres per day
mA, milliamp: milliampere
Mcf: thousand cubic feet
md: millidarcy
mev: million electron volts
MER: maximum efficiency rate
mg: milligram
ms, microsec: microsecond
mile: not abbreviated
min: minute
ml: millilitre
mm: millimetre
MMcf: million cubic feet
MMcf/d, MMcf/D: million cubic feet per day
MMscf/d, MMscf/D: million standard cubic
feet per day
mol: mole
MPa: megapascal
236

Pa: pascal
PI: productivity index
ppg, Ib/gal: pounds per gallon
ppm: parts per million
PR: production reduction insurance
psi: pounds per square inch
psia: pounds per square inch absolute
psig: pounds per square inch gauge
PVT: pressure-volume-temperature
R: degrees Rankine
s, sec: second
S&W: sediment and water
scf: standard cubic feet
scf/d, scf/D: standard cubic feet per day
s/m: siemens per metre
SP: spontaneous potential
sp gr: specific gravity
spm: strokes per minute
SSU: Saybolt seconds universal
STB: stock-tank barrel
STB/d, STB/D: stock-tank barrels per day
std: standard
t: tonne
T: ton
Tcf: trillion cubic feet
Tcf/d, Tcf/D: trillion cubic feet per day
UKCS: United Kingdom Continental Shelf
V, v: volt
W, w: watt
WOR: water-oil ratio
yd: yard
yd2: square yard
yd3: cubic yard

SI Units
Quantity

Unit Name

Symbol

Formula

Base units
Length

metre

Mass

kilogram

kg

Time

secand

Electric current

ampere

Temperature

kelvin

Amount of substance

mole

mol

Luminous intensity

candela

cd
Supplementary units

Plane angle

radian

rad

Solid angle

steradian

sr
Derived units
2

Area

square metre

Volume

cubic metre

Speed, velocity

metre per second

m/s

Acceleration

metre per second squared

m/s

Density

kilogram per cubic metre

kg/ m

Concentration

mole per cubic metre

mole/ m

Specific volume

cubic metre per kilogram

m / kg

Luminance

candela per square metre

cd/ m

Moment of force

newton metre

N.m

2
3
3

Derived units with special names

Frequency

hertz

Hz

1/s

Force

newton

kg.m/s

Pressure, stress

pascal

Pa

N/m

Energy, work, quantity, of heat

joule

N.m

Power

watt

J/s

Electric charge

coulomb

A.s

Electric potential

volt

W/A

Electric resistance

ohm

V/A

Electric conductance

siemens

A/V

Electric capacitance

farad

C/V

Magnetic flux

weber

Wb

V.s

Inductance

henry

Wb/A

Magnetic flux density

tesla

Wb/m

237

SI Units, cont.
Quantity

Unit Name

Symbol

Formula

Luminous flux

lumen

lm

cd.sr

Illuminance

lux

lx

lm/ m

Activity of radionuclides
Absorbed dose of ionizing
radiation

becquerel

Bq

gray

Gy

J/ kg

-1

Non-SI units allowable with SI

Time

minute

min

1 min = 60s

hour

1 h = 3600s

day

1 d = 86 400s

year

degree

minute

'

second

"

/ 180 rad
1' = / 10 800 rad
1" = / 648 000 rad

Capacity or volume

litre

1L = 1 dm

Temperature

degree Celsius

interval of 1C = 1K

Mass

tonne

1 t = 1 000 kg

Revolution

revolution

1 r = 2 rad

Marine and aerial distance

nautical mile

Marine and aerial velocity

knot

kn

Land area

hectare

ha

1 nautical mile = 1 852 m

1 nautical mile per hour =
(1 852 600) m/s
2
1 ha = 10 000 m

Pressure

standard atmosphere

atm

1 atm = 101.325 kPa

Plane angle

238

1 =

SI Units for Drilling

Quantity or Property

Conventional Units

SI Unit

Symbol

Multiply by

Depth

feet

metres

0.3048

Hole and pipe diametres

inches

millimetres

mm

25.4

pounds

decanewtons

daN

0.445

millimetres

mm

0.794

metres/ hour

m/h

0.3048

m / stroke

Mm

(F-32)/ 1.8

Bit size
Weight on bit
Nozzle size
Drill rate
Volume

32ds inch
feet/ hour
barrels

Bentonite yield

bbl/ ton

Particle size

microns

cubic metres
cubic
metres
per stroke
cubic
metres
per minute
cubic
metres
per stroke
metres
per
minute
metres
per
minute
millimetres
kilopascals
megapascals
cubic
metres
per tonne
micrometres

Temperature

Fahrenheit

Celsius

US gals/ stroke
Pump output and flow rate

US gpm
bbl/ stroke
bbl/ min

Annular velocity Slip velocity

feet/ min

Liner length and diameter

inches

Pressure

psi

239

0.1590

m / min

0.00378

m / stroke

0.00378

m / min
m/ min
mm
kPa
MPa

0.159
0.3048
25.4
6.895
0.006895

m /t

0.175

SI Units for Drilling, cont.

Quantity or Property

Conventional Units

SI Unit

Mud density

ppg (US)

Mud gradient

psi/ foot

Funnel viscosity

s/ quart (US)

kilograms per cubic

metre
kilopascals
per
metre
seconds per litre

Apparent and plastic

centipoise viscosity

millipascal

Symbol
kg/ m

Multiply by
119.82

kPa/ m

22.621

s/ L
mPa.s
seconds

1.057
1
0.4788
(0.5
forfield
use)

Yield point Gel strength and

stress

lbf / 100 ft

pascals

Pa

Cake thickness

32ds inch

Filter loss

millimetres or

mm
3
cm
centimetres

MBT (bentonite equivalent)

lb / bbl

Material concentration

lb / bbl

millimetres
cubic
cubic centimetres
kilograms per cubic
metre
kilograms per cubic
metre
reciprocal

s seconds

newton metres
revolutions
per
minute

N.m
r/ min
cubic metre
3
mol/ m
cubic metre

1.3558

Shear rate

reciprocal seconds

Torque

foot-pounds

Table speed

revolutions per minute

Ionic concentration

equivalents per in water

Corrosion rates

lb/ ft / year

moles per million

grams per square
metre per day
millimetres per year

mils per year

240

0.794
1

kg/ m

2.85

kg/ m

2.85

1
1

g/ m .d

13.377

mm/ a

0.0254

Metric Equivalents
Length

Volume

1 millimetre = 0.04 inch

1 cubic centimetre = 0.06 inch

1 centimetre = 0.39 inch

1 cubic metre (stere) = 1.31 cubic yards

1 metre = 39.37 inches = 1.09 yards

1 cubic inch = 16.39 cubic centimetres

1 inch = 2.54 centimetres

1 cubic foot = 0.28 cubic decimetre

1 foot = 3.05 decimetres

1 cubic yard = 0.75 cubic metre

1 yard = 0.91 metre

1 mile = 1.61 kilometres

Capacity

1 foot = 0.305 metre

1 millimetre = 0.06 cubic inch

1 litre = 61.02 cubic inches = 1.507 liquid quarts

Area

1 decalitre = 0.35 cubic foot = 2.64 liquid gallons

1 square centimetre = 0.15 square inch

1 fluid ounce = 29.57 millilitres

1 square decimetre = 0.11 square foot

1 US gallon = 3.785 litres

1 square metre = 1.20 square yards

1 barrel (oil) = 159 litres

1 hectare = 2.47 acres

1 square kilometre = 0.39 square mile

Weight

1 square inch = 6.45 square centimetres

1 gram = 0.04 ounce

1 square foot = 9.29 square decimeters

1 kilogram = 2.20 pounds

1 square yared = 0.83 square metre

1 metric ton (tonne) = 0.98 English ton

1 acre = 0.40 hectare

1 ounce = 28.35 grams

1 square mile = 2.59 square kilometres

1 pound = 0.45 kilogram

1 English ton = 1.02 metric tons

Pressure
1 kilopascal = 0.145 pound per square inch
1 kilopascal per metre = 0.044 pound per square
inch per foot
1 pound per square inch = 6.894 kilopascals
1 pound per square inch per foot = 22.62
kilopascals per metre

Density
1 kilogram per litre = 8.34 pounds per gallon
1 kilogram per litre = 62.5 pounds per cubic foot
1 pound per gallon = 0.119 kilogram per litre
1 pound per cubic foot = 0.016 kilogram per litre

METRIC PREFIXES
Value
18

10

15

10

12

10

10

10

10

10

10

Prefix
exa
peta
tera
giga
mega
kilo
hecto
deca

Symbol

Value

E
P
T
G
M
k
h
da
241

Prefix

Symbol

10

-1

deci

10

-2

centi

10

-3

milli

10

-6

micro

10

-9

nano

10

-12

pico

10

-15

femto

10

-18

atto