Drilling Innovations That Will Forever Change the Oil Industry

Oil drilling has now been practiced for over a century. The sector has developed by leaps and bounds as a result of several technological breakthroughs. This expansion has resulted in new advances in oil production that are altering the face of our civilization.

As early as 1880, the globe witnessed one of the earliest developments known as the rotary drill, which dramatically enhanced the oil drilling process. This rotary drill, however, was just the beginning of a lengthy line of subsequent developments that would eventually replace it in the twentieth century. In this post, we'll look at some of the most significant breakthroughs in oil production efficiency.

1. Offshore Drilling and ROVs

Oil drillers quickly discovered that wells located near seashores generated the most oil. This is why the industry needed to develop technologies for extracting oil from the seafloor. Drilling companies built oil rigs on several wharves in the 1980s, but the first oil well on land was discovered somewhere about 1947.

Remotely operated vehicles were among the early technologies that aided the establishment of these offshore drilling enterprises (ROVs). The US military was already using this technique to recover equipment that had been lost at sea. The oil sector was exploiting ROVs for their own purposes by the 1970s.

2. Hydraulic Fracturing

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is another new technology that Shale Gas relies on. This approach, which was created in 1940, has grown in popularity. Fracking is based on tight reservoirs, which often contain oil-bearing rocks with small holes, implying that the flow of oil from these is limited.

Drillers utilize fracturing to stimulate these wells by putting chemicals mixed with water into the well to produce pressure. This pressure, in turn, causes fractures in the rocks that can be hundreds of feet long. After these fissures are created, oil is allowed to flow freely out of the rock. According to numerous studies, fracking has contributed to an additional seven billion dollars oil barrels from wells in the United States.

3. Seismic Imaging

Initially, looking for oil wells was based solely on where oil had bubbled to the surface. Because most oil wells are buried far beneath the earth's surface, they cannot be discovered. Digging deep wells to set up rigs only to find barren patches was also highly costly.

Geologists were brought in to devise methods for locating oil wells that were hidden. They devised numerous approaches, the most important of which was 3-D seismic imaging. This system transmits sound waves into the ground and detects signals as the waves bounce off of obstacles.

This technology not only assisted in locating the most productive locations for establishing oil production units, but it also reduced the number of holes that were drilled without success.

4.   Measurement-While-Drilling Systems

One major disadvantage of seismic technologies was that they did not provide drilling operators with precise information about the amount of oil they were working with. These concerns were resolved in the 1980s thanks to a technology known as measurement-while-drilling (MWD).

With this system and its reliance on'mud pulse telemetry,' operators were able to collect and analyse real-time data, allowing them to establish the state of the oil well. This technology, in turn, enabled operators to drive oil wells in different ways based on the data they had gathered.

5.   Horizontal Drilling

We emphasized the potential of operators to steer their oil drilling operation in multiple directions while discussing MWD technologies. This capacity to drill in directions other than straight has become one of the most significant technological achievements in the history of the oil drilling process.

Oil reservoirs tend to be spread out horizontally from time to time, making vertical wells an ineffective method of extraction. This is why these technologies enable operators to dig vertically initially and then pivot to a horizontal well at the 'kick-off point.'

This technology has not only enabled the extraction of oil from horizontal wells, but it has also assisted operators in conducting their operations in a more environmentally friendly manner. The first horizontal wells were dug in 1929, but the process was prohibitively expensive at the time. However, with the introduction of hydraulic fracturing, horizontal drilling became a more inexpensive and realistic choice. By the late 1980s, nearly all oil drilling companies across the world were adopting horizontal drilling.

Read More → Drilling Innovations That Will Forever Change the Oil Industry

The challenge to Drill the depth of the New Offshore Wells

About 80 kilometers from the coast, 1,500 meters below the water surface. The "numbers" of Macondo make an impression: just ten years ago the idea of ​​extracting oil on the high seas, at such high depths, was simply science fiction. And yet, faced with the greatest ecological disaster in the history of the oil industry, there is a comment that recurs with particular frequency among the experts: "BP was not dealing with a difficult well".

Over the course of a few years, the progress of offshore technologies has been so great that it has allowed companies to achieve the limits of the impossible, in front of which Macondo seems almost an amateur exercise. The Deepwater Horizon itself, the platform exploded on April 20, had just broken the submarine drilling record, identifying - again on behalf of BP and always in the Gulf of Mexico - the Tiber field, 10.6 km above sea level, of which over 9 under the backdrop.

There were 33 other offshore installations engaged in exploring the seabed at depths equal to or greater than those of Macondo in the United States. After the Macondo incident, the White House ordered that everyone stay for six months, waiting. of a crackdown on security conditions. The overall number of drills in the Gulf of Mexico, however, is much higher: according to the statistics of Rigzone, in April there were 243, of which about half were in use (in the world they were 578). As for the number of wells, the bottoms in front of Texas and Louisiana are literally studded with holes: it is estimated that there are about 3,500, dug with increasing frenzy as the search for crude oil on the mainland became more difficult, due to the decline of the most "at hand" fields and the spread of so-called resource nationalism. Technology has made it possible to make a virtue of necessity, with progress that in recent years has undergone a truly dizzying acceleration.

Oil was searched for the first time in water in 1938, at a depth of just 4 meters, with a few swimming strokes from Louisiana. The first really "offshore" well, 17 km off the same state, dates back to 1947: the platform was no bigger than a tennis court (the Deepwater Horizon had the size of a couple of football fields) and the crude was transported to land with barges taken by the Navy at the end of the Second World War.

It had to wait until the 1980s before Royal Dutch Shell managed to break the 1,000 foot deep (304.8 meter) threshold and up to 2000 to get to Macondo's 1.5 kilometer, with the Hoover Diana made by Saipem for ExxonMobil. Perdido - inaugurated last March 31 by Shell and capable of producing up to 100 thousand barrels of crude oil and 50 thousand cubic meters of gas per day - sinks its drills into the water for 3 km, more or less like five stacked Empire State Buildings.

But the real breakthrough in the offense is not only linked to the creation of increasingly powerful and sophisticated platforms, but to the new technologies for detecting the deposits, which allow to probe the depths, reconstructing images with three or even four dimensions of the potential deposits of hydrocarbons. This is how great discoveries have been made like that of Tupi, off the coast of Brazil, or Jubilee in the waters of Ghana. Discoveries that represent the future of oil. 

Read More → The challenge to Drill the depth of the New Offshore Wells

Fire and Explosion Risk in Oil Gas Drilling

There is always a risk of blowout when perforating a well, with a gas or vapour cloud release, followed by explosion and fire. Additional potential for fire and explosion exists in gas process operations.

Offshore platform and drilling rig workers should be carefully evaluated after having a thorough physical examination. The selection of offshore crew members with a history or evidence of pulmonary, cardiovascular or neurological diseases, epilepsy, diabetes, psychological disturbances and drug or alcohol addiction requires careful consideration. Because workers will be expected to use respiratory protection equipment and, in particular, those trained and equipped to fight fires, they must be physically and mentally evaluated for capability of carrying out these tasks. The medical examination should include psychological evaluation reflective of the particular job requirements.

Emergency medical services on offshore drilling rigs and production platforms should include provisions for a small dispensary or clinic, staffed by a qualified medical practitioner on board at all times. The type of medical service provided will be determined by the availability, distance and quality of the available onshore services. Evacuation may be by ship or helicopter, or a physician may travel to the platform or provide medical advice by radio to the onboard practitioner, when needed. A medical ship may be stationed where a number of large platforms operate in a small area, such as the North Sea, to be more readily available and quickly provide service to a sick or injured worker.

Persons not actually working on drilling rigs or platforms should also be given pre-employment and periodic medical examinations, particularly if they are employed to work in abnormal climates or under harsh conditions. These examinations should take into consideration the particular physical and psychological demands of the job.

Read More → Fire and Explosion Risk in Oil Gas Drilling

Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Hydrocarbon Gases

LNG

The composition of naturally occurring hydrocarbon gases is similar to crude oils in that they contain a mixture of different hydrocarbon molecules depending on their source. They can be extracted as natural gas (almost free of liquids) from gas fields; petroleum-associated gas which is extracted with oil from gas and oil fields; and gas from gas condensate fields, where some of the liquid components of oil convert into the gaseous state when pressure is high (10 to 70 mPa). When the pressure is decreased (to 4 to 8 mPa) condensate containing heavier hydrocarbons separates from the gas by condensation. Gas is extracted from wells reaching up to 4 miles (6.4 km) or more in depth, with seam pressures varying from 3 mPa up to as high as 70 mPa.

Natural gas contains 90 to 99% hydrocarbons, which consist predominately of methane (the simplest hydrocarbon) together with smaller amounts of ethane, propane and butane. Natural gas also contains traces of nitrogen, water vapour, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and occasional inert gases such as argon or helium. Natural gases containing more than 50 g/m3 of hydrocarbons with molecules of three or more carbon atoms (C3 or higher) are classified as “lean” gases.

Depending how it is used as a fuel, natural gas is either compressed or liquefied. Natural gas from gas and gas condensate fields is processed in the field to meet specific transportation criteria before being compressed and fed into gas pipelines. This preparation includes removal of water with driers (dehydrators, separators and heaters), oil removal using coalescing filters, and the removal of solids by filtration. Hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide are also removed from natural gas, so that they do not corrode pipelines and transportation and compression equipment. Propane, butane and pentane, present in natural gas, are also removed before transmission so they will not condense and form liquids in the system. (See the section “Natural gas production and processing operations.”)

Natural gas is transported by pipeline from gas fields to liquefication plants, where it is compressed and cooled to approximately –162 °C to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG). The composition of LNG is different from natural gas due to the removal of some impurities and components during the liquefaction process. LNG is primarily used to augment natural gas supplies during peak demand periods and to supply gas in remote areas away from major pipelines. It is regasified by adding nitrogen and air to make it comparable to natural gas before being fed into gas supply lines. LNG is also used as a motor-vehicle fuel as an alternative to gasoline.

Petroleum-associated gases and condensate gases are classified as “rich” gases, because they contain significant amounts of ethane, propane, butane and other saturated hydrocarbons. Petroleum-associated and condensate gases are separated and liquefied to produce liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by compression, adsorption, absorption and cooling at oil and gas process plants. These gas plants also produce natural gasoline and other hydrocarbon fractions.

Unlike natural gas, petroleum-associated gas and condensate gas, oil processing gases (produced as by-products of refinery processing) contain considerable amounts of hydrogen and unsaturated hydrocarbons (ethylene, propylene and so on). The composition of oil processing gases depends upon each specific process and the crude oils used. For example, gases obtained as a result of thermal cracking usually contain significant amounts of olefins, while those obtained from catalytic cracking contain more isobutanes. Pyrolysis gases contain ethylene and hydrogen.

Combustible natural gas, with a calorific value of 35.7 to 41.9 MJ/m3 (8,500 to 10,000 kcal/m3), is primarily used as a fuel to produce heat in domestic, agricultural, commercial and industrial applications. The natural gas hydrocarbon also is used as feedstock for petrochemical and chemical processes. Synthesis gas (CO + H2) is processed from methane by oxygenation or water vapour conversion, and used to produce ammonia, alcohol and other organic chemicals. Compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) are both used as fuel for internal combustion engines. Oil processing liquefied petroleum gases (LPG) have higher calorific values of 93.7 MJ/m3 (propane) (22,400 kcal/m3) and 122.9 MJ/m3 (butane) (29,900 kcal/m3) and are used as fuel in homes, businesses and industry as well as in motor vehicles (NFPA 1991). The unsaturated hydrocarbons (ethylene, propylene and so on) derived from oil processing gases may be converted into high-octane gasoline or used as raw materials in the petrochemical and chemical-processing industries.

Read More → Compressed Natural Gas and Liquefied Hydrocarbon Gases

TRAVELLING BLOCK Drilling Rig

The set of sheaves that move up and down in the derrick. The wire rope threaded through them is threaded (or "reeved") back to the stationary crown blocks located on the top of the derrick. This pulley system gives great mechanical advantage to the action of the wire rope drilling line, enabling heavy loads (drillstring, casing and liners) to be lifted out of or lowered into the wellbore. A traveling block is a multisheave pulley used to raise or lower the drill string and casings into a well bore. 

The blocks typically consist of four to six individual sheaves over which the steel cables used to suspend the traveling black are passed. The cables are then attached to the

fixed crown block at the top of the derrick, leaving the lower block free to move up and down the cable fall. A shock absorber and crane hook are attached to the bottom of the traveling block and are used to suspend the drill string. These block assemblies are most frequently encountered in the oil drilling applications and are often capable of handling loads in excess of 1,000,000 pounds (454,000 kg).

Pulley of Travelling Block

Lowering, lifting, and controlling the drill string in deep well bores generally requires an extraordinarily robust hoist arrangement. These hoists usually consist of a crown block mounted in a fixed position at the top of the well derrick and a traveling block at the bottom of the fall of rope. The travelling block sheaves are flat disks with a deep groove machined around their circumference. When grouped together, as they are in the traveling block, they are collectively referred to as a pulley.

Read More → TRAVELLING BLOCK Drilling Rig

Drilling Riser for Offshore Rig

A drilling riser is a large pipe or duct used to encapsulate drilling equipment during underwater operations. These risers allow workers over the surface of the water to drill deep into the bottom of the sea. A drilling riser is commonly used to drill for oil under the sea, or just to explore the bottom of the sea and the ground below. After the tube has been placed in water, the drill itself drops down through the center of the duct to access the seabed.

Companies can choose between two basic types of drilling risers depending on the needs of each application. Marine punching risers are used with floating platforms or boats, and include an explosive preventer placed under the surface of the water. When working from a fixed oil platform, companies rely on tie-back drilling rigs. These systems include blowout preventer located at sea level, which protect workers and equipment from pressure variations or potential explosions.

A drilling riser can end at the bottom of the sea, or it may extend a little in the ground to prevent water infiltration. The tip itself and all the associated equipment pass through the upright and continue below the surface of the earth. Without these risers in place, the drill would be vulnerable to corrosion and damage caused by salty water. All cuts of rock and other debris would simply be released into the water, resulting in pollution that could have an impact on the quality of water and sea life. Drilling risers helps to contain drilling operations within the duct boundaries.

During sub-sea drilling, workers pump down drilling fluid down through the drill line into the cutting bit at the end. This spray fluid spray out of the bit to help reduce the heat generated by cutting through stone and hard ground. This fluid then carries rock and other debris back through the duct to the surface of the sea, where it can be harvested and treated by oil workers. The drilling riser should be slightly larger than the drill itself to make room for this fluid.

The use of puncture posts enables water drilling companies for long periods, with little risk of damage to the equipment. The tip can be left in place over time without being exposed to sea water, allowing workers to dig deeper than in previous years. Bringing waste and rocks to surface for disposal, the risers help to reduce water pollution and its effects.

Read More → Drilling Riser for Offshore Rig

What is Offshore Drilling ?

Offshore oil extraction is an oil extraction technique that allows petroleum companies to access oil deposits buried beneath the ocean floor. Mostly, offshore drilling sites are located on the continental shelf, though drilling technology advancements have made even more economically and physically feasible sea platforms. Many people oppose offshore oil extraction, due to concerns about its impact on the environment, and effectively the imperfections of oil platforms off the coast.

Many sections of the Earth's oceans have massive oil deposits buried deep beneath the surface, and these petroleum deposits are extremely attractive to many oil companies. The first offshore oil drilling operation was founded in 1938 in the Gulf of Mexico, and other manufacturers have quickly started to follow the example of other regions of the world. Since 1970, many communities have issued specific prohibitions against offshore drilling, and the problem has become the source of discord in some areas.

There are several ways in which you can run an oil offshore drilling operation, and the type of rig oil used is usually dependent on the depth in position, type of oil, and prevailing conditions. Classicly, fixed installations are integrated into the ocean floor, with heads and more parts and adjustable to allow oil extraction technicians from the surrounding area. Floating plants are also used in some regions, and in some areas offshore oil extraction is also carried on ships for greater mobility.

Working on an offshore drilling rig can be extremely dangerous. Several accidents have caused plants to explode, overturn, or become severely damaged, accompanied by loss of life, and many crews are now housed out of the home so that if something happens to the rig, the loss of life will be less serious. Workers on oil platforms still have to deal with adverse weather conditions, problems with the drilling rig, and geological conditions that could become dangerous and are generally well paid in recognition of the risks of the industry.

The environmental effects of offshore drilling are mainly caused by pollution related to poor maintenance and management facilities. Oil spills around drilling rigs are common, especially at the bottom of the sea, where drilling can stimulate infiltration, and heavy metal pollution may also occur. Some people think it disrupts offshore oil rigs and confuses marine life, although ironically plants can also provide shelter for sea birds and fish.

Read More → What is Offshore Drilling ?

Fixed Platform for Oil-Gas drilling and Production

A fixed platform is a permanent structure attached to the bottom of the ocean, often for the purpose of offshore oil extraction. Most of the work space of this platform is lifted over the surface of the sea from rigid steel or concrete supports. This rules a fixed platform with mobile platforms floating on the surface of the sea and anchored to the bottom of the ocean by more or less flexible moorings. Fixed platforms are typically deployed in water less than 1,700 feet (520 meters) in depth, with deeper drilling activities requiring more complex mobile platforms.

The first productive offshore oil wells were drilled in Ohio Grand Lake St. Marys State Park in 1891, using fixed platforms set on wooden piles at the bottom of the lake. In 1947, the first fixed platform drilling rig located beyond the view of the earth was built in the Gulf of Mexico. Fixed platforms were the most common method of offshore drilling for most of the 20th century, although the first mobile drilling rigs were operating since the early 1930s. Due to their high stability, depth limitation, and high, modern cost Fixed platform drilling rigs are limited to long-run drilling operations in shallow waters.

Fixed platforms are connected directly to the bottom of the ocean by a structural support known as a jacket. The first jackets consisted of concrete foundation poles, while modern deep water jackets are the tough towers of steel tubular supports. The base of a coating can be several times larger than the top, and are often driven deep into the ocean floor mud for support. The jackets are either partially or entirely built to the ground and shipped to the deck's position on bargain tugboats. Once there, they dropped to the bottom of the ocean with the help of ROV, and pushed them into position using bats mounted on barges.

The bridges that form the work space of a platform are generally built on sheltered yards or bays. While the first barges were towed on barges, many modern bridges are built to float during transit. They got to the top of the waiting jacket using hydraulic jacks or barges, and are usually quite high above the floating line to avoid all but the biggest waves. Bridges can be up to 200 feet (60 meters) in diameter, and consist of several levels of work and living space.

If a fixed platform is near the shore, you can pump oil directly from the onshore drilling site of storage facilities through gas pipelines provided along the ocean floor. In the case of drilling operations far from the ground, the platform must include large reservoirs containing the oil as long as it can be transferred to a tanker. Storage tanks are often located below the floating line, where they serve as a ballast to help the platform withstand the power of waves and currents.

Read More → Fixed Platform for Oil-Gas drilling and Production

Investment for Offshore Rig

Offshore drilling is a technology-heavy industry, and if you want to invest in companies that work in this space of goods, you want to be familiar with the associated terminology.

Since offshore drilling can take place in unforgiving places, companies need to implement specific boats for specific drilling projects. These ships are among the most technologically advanced man-made structures. Some ships are designed to withstand strong winds and high waves. Others are more suitable for exploratory projects in shallow waters and need to move from one place to another quickly.

Here are the names of some of these pots you can expect to come across as you start investing in offshore drilling companies:

• Barge drilling: The drilling barge is one of the most agile vessels on the market. It is a floating device usually towed by a tug to hit puncture positions. The drilling barge is mainly used in the inland, still shallow waters, such as rivers, lakes and swamps.
• Jack-up rig: The rig jack-up is a hybrid vessel that is part floating barge, part drilling platform. The jack-up drilling rig is towed to the desired position, usually open, shallow waters where its three "legs" are lowered and "jacked" towards the seabed. When the legs are fixed, the drilling platform is raised to the desired levels to allow for safe drilling.
• Submarine Rig: The submersible rig is similar to the rig jack-up, as it is mainly used for shallow water drilling and is fixed to the bottom of the sea.
• Semi-submersible plant: sometimes referred to as a seed, this structure is a stunt of modern technological development. It's like a submersible, except that it has the ability to pierce deep in adverse weather conditions and not forgive. 
• The drilling platform is high and sits on top of a floating structure that is semi-submerged in water (hence the name) and secured by large dowels that can weigh up to 10 tons each.
• Drill Ship: The drilling vessel is essentially a ship with a drilling deck. It is perhaps the most versatile drilling tool as it can easily be sent to remote offshore locations, including deepwater drilling.
• Offshore Oil Platform: When one of the previous vessels discovers a commercially viable offshore oilfield, a company may decide to build a permanent platform to exploit this discovery. Insert the offshore oil platform. These facilities are a spectacle to see and are really from the floating city man. They are staffed, they include homes, and are often equipped with shelter. They are ideal for difficult conditions in deep waters.

Read More → Investment for Offshore Rig

Deepwater Drilling

Deepwater Drilling is the exploration and extraction of oil and natural gas at a depth of several thousand meters (about a thousand meters) starting in 2011. The offshore oil extraction started commercially in 1890 and in the early 1970s , the first wells above 1,000 feet (305 meters) of depth have been perforated. In the early 21st centurycentury, perforation began to reach thousands of feet, and a new term for drilling depth known as ultra-deepwater, or 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) or more, has become a concrete reality. Starting in April 2011, the world record for the successful deep drilling of a functional offshore oil well was 10,194 feet (3,107 meters) fixed by perforation along the coast of India. This is, however, overcome by a well, a completed good that has not yet been fully exploited by oil or natural gas, currently off the coast of the Russian island of Sakhalin in January 2011, reaching a depth of 40,502 feet ( 12,345 meters).

Both exploration of oil and gas in deep drilling water became feasible in 21 °century, only for some fundamental reasons. The first of these is the rise in the price of fossil fuels raw materials on the world market from 2007 to 2008, as well as the technological advances that have made the most proven practice. The rise in oil and gas prices is considered to be the direct cause of an increase in deep-sea oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, which went from three plants in 1992 to a total of 36 operational plants by 2009. It is estimated that a full third of all oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico, representing 20% ​​of all deep-sea oil platforms around the world, are drilled to a depth of over 5,000 feet (1,524 meters).

Deepwater drilling technology is not entirely proven, however, as one of the largest oil spills in the history of the world. The April 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident released an estimate of 205,800,000 gallons (779,037,745 liters) of oil in the Gulf of Mexico, or about half of the amount of oil that the United States purchases from foreign suppliers every day. The Deepwater Horizon drilling rig was licensed by the US government to drill at a depth of 18,000 feet (5,486 meters) but there is evidence that the company was actually drilling at a depth of 25,000 feet (7,620 feet) when the incident took place.

Oil production continues to tend to deep-water drilling, however, most ultra-deep water pumping systems at full power, while up to 50% of shallow water plants in major hydrocarbon research companies have been idled. The incredible increase in depth is put into perspective if we consider that drilling has taken place in the North Sea region between the UK and the European continent for decades. The low water, fixed platform North Sea petroleum deposits, which are considered to be fully exploited.

Read More → Deepwater Drilling

Classification of BOP - Blowout Preventer

There are several types of BOPs, as they can be classified according to their scope, and their conformation.

Classification for use:

The first subdivision distinguishes the onshore (offshore) BOPs . The first ones are generally smaller and simpler, and are used exclusively in drilling rigs on the mainland. Submarines BOPs, on the other hand, are designed to operate in offshore fields, and therefore are used in oil platforms or drillships . They have a more advanced technology, especially for what concerns the control mode of the BOP itself having to be activated from remote locations, and are also more impressive, because of the presence of a frame (chassis) of support, and the different conformation of the wells submarines.

The split of a Blowout preventer stack: the upper one is an annular BOP, the lower one represents a BOP on a jaw.

Classification by constructive technology :

The classification as a function of their architecture, distinguishes between the so-called BOP - blowout preventer

The first ones consist of a rubber ring, perforated in the center and whose hole diameter is equal to that of the well. The ring is contained in a steel crankcase . Inside the crankcase , and under the rubber ring, a hydraulic piston is mounted , which when actuated compresses or decompresses the ring from bottom to top or from top to bottom. In this way the ring (also called anular ) is closed or opened.

The jaws BOPs are also made of a metal casing, in which there are two opposing jaws, and may differ in "Combi", that is, with jaws coupled to two to two in two arms, or "Quad", with four distinct arms.

In the case of BOP for Coiled Tubing of Quad type, we find the following rams: Top Blind Rams, which have the function of hermetically closing the shaft; Shear Rams or Cutter Rams, which have the task of cutting the coiled tubing that is well with blades, followed by the Rams Slip, which have the shape of wedges, which have the task of supporting the coiled tube section cut and left in well. Finally there are the Rams Pipe that must ensure hydraulic seal on the tube and prevent the shaft pressure from creating a Blowout.

Between the Cutters and the Slip there is a kill line, a point where fluid can be pumped to "kill" the well, that is to provide a hydrostatic to the latter, which avoids the blowout. The jaws are controlled by hydraulic pistons through which they can be closed or opened. The first jawbone BOP was invented in 1922.

Read More → Classification of BOP - Blowout Preventer

CONVENTIONAL OIL

Definition Oil is a hydrocarbon formed over thousands of years from the decomposition of dead plants and organisms. Intense heat and pressure on this material triggers a reaction, which leads to the creation of oil

Conventional oil is a term used to describe oil that can be produced (extracted from the ground) using traditional drilling methods.  It is liquid at atmospheric temperature and pressure conditions, and therefore flows without additional stimulation.  This is opposed to unconventional oil, which requires advanced production methods due to its geologic formations and/or is heavy and does not flow on its own. 

You may have heard of these terms used to distinguish different types of oil:

​Light vs. Heavy - this refers to the density of oil and its ability to flow.  Lighter oil can be refined with minimal processing due to higher fractions of light hydrocarbons.

Sweet vs. Sour - this refers to the sulphur content of the oil, sulphur must be removed prior to refining.  When oil has sulphur greater than 0.5% it is referred to as "sour."

Because of these variations, oil quality is a spectrum and the distinction between conventional and unconventional is not always black and white. Generally, however, if traditional drilling techniques are used in the oil production it is considered conventional regardless of its physical properties.

Conventional oil is produced using drilling technologies that utilize the natural pressure of an underground reservoir.  Production of a conventional oil well has four main phases[2]:

Exploration: Geological exploration is a series of technologies that are used by geologists and geophysicists to predict the location and extent of underground oil reservoirs.

Drilling: Once a reservoir has been located with sufficient certainty, a drilling rig is used to bore a hole from the surface to the oil reservoir.  Piping is then inserted, allowing the oil to be brought to the surface.  Some of the oil in the reservoir will be produced using the natural pressure of the reservoir.  

Pumping: Gradually the pressure of the well will decrease as oil is produced. At this point a pump will be connected to allow the remaining oil to be extracted.

Abandoning: After all the economically viable oil has been extracted from the well, the well is filled with cement to prevent any hydrocarbons from escaping and a special cap is placed over it to protect the area[3].

Context

Conventional oil tends to be less expensive and complex to extract than unconventional oil due to the routine nature of the production techniques.  This oil is also the most valuable in global markets because it requires the smallest amount of processing prior to refining to create value-added products. Consequently, many of our global conventional oil supplies have already been extracted, limiting the availability of these source for future extraction[2].

Generally, drilling and well abandonment are well-understood and regulated processes but there are always risks with such industrial operations. In drilling, pressure must be regulated carefully to avoid accidents and immediate environmental impacts like land disturbance must be carefully monitored.  After abandonment, well leaks can occur if improper procedures were taken.  

As with all fossil fuel production, there are also concerns with greenhouse gas emissions from their combustion 

Read More → CONVENTIONAL OIL

Steerable Downhole Mud Motor - Directional Drilling

Steerable Downhole Mud Motor (SDMM) commonly referred to as Mud Motor or Drilling Motor acts much as a positive displacement motor which provides additional rpm to the drill bit from the flow of drilling fluid (mud).

This drilling motor is far different from an electrical motor in it's working principle and operation.

(A lot of people get confused initially)

Since its introduction, the positive displacement motor has undergone revolutionary changes and improvements. Downhole drilling motors have proven to be successful in the most rigorous of drilling environments. From the time of its inceptions, the mud motors have gone extensive improvements that has enhanced its performance, operational and economical reliability. 

Today there are numerous players in the industry providing mud motors for different operational requirements. Few to name are National Oil Varco (NOV), Schlumberger, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Weatherford, Cavo, Bico, Jaguar, APS, etc. Different mud motors provided by different companies vary a little from each other but, there basic operating principle remains the same. 

Mud Motors have extensively wide range of applications and few of them are listed below:

Conventional Directional Drilling

Side-Tracking

Performance Drilling

Short/Medium/Ultra-short Radius Wells

Air/Foam or Under-balanced Drilling 

ERD Wells

HP/HT Wells

Coiled Tubing Drilling

Vertical Drilling

Casing Drilling

Milling

Coring

Slim Hole Drilling

Working Principle

Mud motors converts the flow energy of drilling fluid (mud) in rotational motion that's utilized in rotating drill bits at a much higher rpm. 

It's imperative that flow rate can be used to control the rpm of the drill bit as per operational requirements. Flow rates for muds are provided by the mud pumps.

Bit RPM = {Flow rate (in GPM) x RPG (Revolutions Per Gallon)} + Rotary RPM 

Note: 

RPG is defined as the revolutions made by bit box and in turn bit, when one gallon of mud flows through it & is mentioned by the manufacturer for each type of SDMM.

While sliding rotary rpm will be zero.

Parts of SDMM:

Simple classification of SDMM parts can be categorized as: 

Top Sub Options

Power Section

Drive Shaft Assembly

Adjustable Bent Housing Assembly

Bearing Assembly

Bit Box

Top Sub options

Top Sub: 

Top sub is simply a cross over housing at the top end of the motor. The lower connection uses a thread that connects to the upper box of the stator housing.

Dump Sub:

It contains a Dump Valve Assembly. This allows the mud to fill or drain from the drill string while tripping.

To avoid the ingress of solids from the annulus when the pumps are off, it’s normal to run a float sub as close to the motor as possible.

The motor will function perfectly without a dump valve - It can be laid down and replaced by a sub having the same connections or run with the ports blanked-off. 

Failure of the dump valve assembly can cause sometimes serious troubles.

Motor Catch & Rotor Catch Top Subs:

The rotor catch system is designed to retrieve the motor in case of a housing fracture. It will retrieve the motor from the upper stator box connection down to the drill bit. The motor catch system has the additional feature of an integral catch flange within the top sub. It will retrieve the motor from the top sub down to the drill bit.

Power Section

Positive Displacement Motors (commonly called a PDM) are reverse applications of a Moineau pump or screw pump. 

It mainly consists of Rotor & Stator.  

Rotor is chrome-plated alloy steel of spiral-helix shape. 

Stator is a hollow steel housing, lined with a molded-in-place elastomer rubber compound. 

A spiral-shaped cavity is produced in the stator during manufacturing. The rotor is produced with matching lobe profile and similar helical pitch to the stator, but with one lobe less. The rotor can therefore be matched to and inserted inside the stator. When assembled, the rotor and stator form a continuous seal along their matching contact points. Fluid is pumped into the motor’s progressive cavities. The force of the fluid movement causes the shaft to rotate within the stator. Thus, it is a positive displacement motor. The rotational force is then transmitted through the connecting rod and drive shaft to the bit.

  

Stage is the distance measured parallel to the axis between two corresponding points of the same spiral lobe. This distance is commonly referred to as the lead of the stator. A slight interference fit between rotor OD and stator ID controls motor power. 

Mud motors are divided into slow-speed, medium-speed and high-speed types. This is done by changing the pitch of the motor stages, by the number of "lobes" and resultant cavities of the stator. 

The greater the number of lobes, the higher the motor torque and the lower the output RPM. 

Increasing the flow rate through a given power section directly increases the output speed. To increase the output speed of a power section without changing the flow rate, the cavity size is changed. A high speed power section will require a larger fluid inlet area (cavity) to allow more fluid throughput into the cavity.

The torque generated by the power section is proportional to the differential pressure applied across the power section and is independent of fluid flow. Generally, the more weight applied to the bit, the higher the torque needed to keep the bit turning, so the higher the differential pressure across the Power Section.

The maximum recommended differential pressure is limited by the stator elastomer. If pressure increases beyond the limits of the elastomer, the stator elastomer will deform, breaking the cavity seal so the mud flow leaks past the rotor and rotation stops – this is commonly known as a stalled motor.

Drive Shaft Assembly

The drive shaft assembly converts the eccentric motion of the rotor into concentric rotation for the bearing assembly via a connecting rod attached to the lower end of the rotor. It transmits the torque and rotational speed from the rotor to the drive shaft and bit. Universal joints convert the eccentric motion of the rotor into concentric motion at the drive shaft. 

It also accommodates any angle set on the adjustable bent housing (or fixed bend housing) and carries the thrust load from the rotor caused by the pressure drop across the power section.

Adjustable Bent Housing

ABH connects stator to the bearing assembly and also houses drive shaft assembly. It has a field adjustable angle-setting to produce a wide range of build rates.

Angle setting may be set to zero for vertical drilling or may be set to any other angle setting as desired. Once the angle is set for the mud motor, it can't be changed when it's down hole and has to be pulled out of the hole to change the angle-setting.

Higher rotary rpm could be used at low angle-setting as compared to a high angle-setting.

Drilling at a higher rotary rpm provides a drill bit with more torsional force provided by the entire rotating drill string as compared to the torsional force provided alone by the mud motor.

(That's the reason why ROP in rotary mode > ROP in sliding mode)

Bearing Assembly

The drive shaft assembly is supported within the bearing housing by radial and axial thrust bearings. It transmits the rotation of the drive shaft assembly to the drill bit and the compressive thrust load created by the weight of the collars and drill string to the rotating bit box & supports the radial and bending loads developed while directional drilling.  

It also carries the tensile off-bottom thrust load produced by the pressure drops across the rotor and the drill bit, as well as any load caused during back reaming. The high capacity radial bearings readily withstand side loads caused by drilling with a deflection device or uneven cutting action along the drill bit periphery. The tungsten carbide radial bearings and angular contact bearing section supports the radial loads along the full length of the bearing assembly, creating a very stiff, strong assembly

Types of Bearing Assembly-

Mud Lubricated Bearing Assembly

Oil Sealed Bearing Assembly

Mud Lubricated Bearing Assembly regulate the flow of mud through the bearing assembly. This diverted mud (usually 4 - 10%) is used to cool and lubricate the shaft, radial and thrust bearings. It exits to the annulus directly above the bit sub. The exact percentage of mud diverted is determined by the condition of the bearings and the pressure drop across the bit. Mud lubricated bearing assemblies can be used in the hottest holes with the lowest aniline point drilling fluids, as there are no elastomeric seals.

Oil Sealed Bearing Assembly is an alternative to the mud-lubricated bearing. A sealed bearing would be recommended where corrosive muds are used, where a lot of LCM of various sizes is pumped or where there is a requirement for a very low pressure drop across the bit (Pbit).

Bit Sub

At Bit sub the drill bit is make up with the motor and it's the only moving external part of the motor.

  

Note: 

In addition to above, different manufacturers can have more or less parts.

The operating conditions and parameters for the mud motors may vary for different manufacturers.

Read More → Steerable Downhole Mud Motor - Directional Drilling

Work on oil rig

Working on an oil rig? Work on oil rig is possible without a degree. Offshore companies offer excellent career opportunities. Any employee who works on an oil rig must be in good condition and can yield a high concentration for a long time. Working on an oil rig (offshore work) is different from working on land (onshore).

A working on an oil rig

A working on an oil rig is not a traditional working day of eight hours but usually 12 hours a day 7 days a week. To keep these twelve full hours are (usually) four breaks which can be eaten four times. After 12 hours of hard work is quite 12 hours. It is important to find a good rhythm of work and rest 12 hours to 12 hours in order to stay mentally and physically fit. The advice is to catch sleep at least 8 hours. About how workers on an oil rig rest can be read in the following paragraphs. There is no traditional workweek because we work seven days a week with no days off. The big advantage of working on an oil rig is also working a month are released after a month. Often, this is done on 4 weeks and off in a time period of 4 weeks. In the six months of active work there is "enough" money earned for the whole year. Incidentally, all expenses incurred covered by traveling through the employer. On the working conditions of offshore employers you do not have to worry. These are above average. The workday is long and quite heavy by the conditions of cold winds and very hot days. This cuts there if you have to work in these conditions for a long time. This is a good mental and physical condition required.

Work and rest

After working on the rig you have 12 hours of rest. It is important to sleep well in these 12 hours. Of course relaxation is also an important point. There are therefore affected in almost all oil rigs amenities. You can think of a common space with TV, computer, pool table and the like. The facilities on the rig are generally better hotels. So rigs also have sports facilities. Larger rigs even have a soccer field, basketball court, and the like. This makes working for a long time on an oil rig more pleasant. Important to know is that there is also very little privacy making work and life makes on an oil rig also mental strain. Can someone good with these conditions than working on an oil rig is a lucrative and interesting job with many career opportunities.

Read More → Work on oil rig

Maritime transport on oil tankers

The shipping of oil on board tankers (tankers and super tankers carrying up to 400,000 tons of crude oil), represents more than half of world maritime trade. One can imagine the consequences of oil shortage on commercial! (On others for that matter ...).

Initially the oil was transported aboard wooden casks (barrels). The barrel has remained the unit of exchange used. It is 159 L. Now tankers are designed as huge reservoirs, sometimes divided into several compartments to store oil of different characteristics (including density). So we can better manage the weight distribution on the ship.

Over the past 30 years, many maritime disasters involving super-tankers have been held. They have caused ecological and economic disasters along the coast affected by oil spills. Most of the cleanup costs and compensation were supported by local e local governments. The Coastal Cleanup is in turn often provided by volunteers.

Since then, new oil transport ships are equipped with double hulls, which are supposed to reduce disaster risks. But they do not prevent the practice of degassing, responsible for oil spill at sea ... The single-hulled tankers still represent the vast majority of the park. 

The gigantic size of the super-tankers creates monstrous consumption of fuel, but which are reasonable compared to their carrying capacity. Currently, more than 600 tankers with a tonnage greater than 200,000 tonnes in circulation.

Read More → Maritime transport on oil tankers

Distillation

Crude oil is first heated to 370 ° C. It then partially vaporizes and is carried out in a fractionating column (a kind of distillation tower). 

At the top of the column is recovered refinery gas used as fuel on site. It also recovers other petroleum gas such as butane and propane, gasoline and naphtha. The latter is the base compound of the petrochemical industry. Then recovered kerosene (used iFn aviation, the jet engines), diesel and heating oil. Further down the column is recovered residues, which are re-distilled under vacuum to provide heavy fuel oil, lubricants and bitumen. 

In order to obtain specific grades of gasoline (high octane) and reduce the content sulfur diesel fuels, we must also deal with products of distillation.

Read More → Distillation