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Unit 2: The Basics of Drilling

Interview at a drilling site
Reporter: This is Jamie Owens from DRILL News and Im
bringing you a special edition background report on what
actually happens when you drill for oil. Lets talk to the man in
charge of this whole operation. This is Tony Toolpush. Tony,
can you tell us about your role here on the platform?
Toolpush: First, Jamie, Id like to thank you for taking the
time to do this interview to show what happens on the rigs.
This is where it all starts, before the cars, the plastic, the paint, and the lipstick.
Reporter: Lipstick?
Toolpush: Yes, lipstick is one of the many, many products that come from oil. Anyway,
back to your question. As a toolpush, Im in charge of the drilling rig. Sometimes Im
called the
rig manager. My job is to make decisions about how far to drill, when to pack up, and
when to
move on. I hire the workers you see behind me here on the platform, and sometimes have
to
fire them. The well is operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Reporter: Dont the men have any days off?
Toolpush: Sure: like most rigs, our men work for two weeks, 12 hours a day, then they
have a week off. Let me introduce you to them. Hey, Doug. This is Doug Driller.
Reporter: Hello Doug, what is your job here on the rig?
Driller: Im in charge of this shift. I have four men working for me. The guy you see way
up there on the derrick is my derrickman. He is wearing a safety harness, in case he
should fall.
Next, over there, is my motorman. He is in charge of running the motors that power this
rig. Do you see the two guys over there? Theyre the floorhands - we call them
roughnecks.
They do the heavy work. Excuse me, I have to go now, because were working on a
round trip.
Thats one of the busiest times on a drilling rig.
Reporter: See you later, Doug. Tony, I can see the men are very busy. Whats a round
trip?
Toolpush: Id better explain about drilling first, because a round trip is just part of it.
The drilling is done by a steel bit. This bit is attached to one end of a ten meter long,
hollow,
steel drill pipe. The drill pipe turns, and the bit at the end grinds into the rock. When the
bit
has cut through 10 meters of rock, one length of pipe almost disappears into the ground.
Then
we have to add another length.
Reporter: Is that what the men are doing right now?
Toolpush: No, right now theyre changing a bit. This is what we call a round trip,

because all the pipes come out and go back in. Usually, when were drilling, we dont
pull the
pipes out - we just keep adding lengths of pipe as they are needed.
Reporter: How can you change a drill thats a kilometer below the ground?
Toolpush: Right now the men are pulling up the pipe, and unscrewing it at every third
joint. If you look over there, you can see the groups of 30-meter long pipes standing in
the
derrick. When they pull out the last one, theyll take off the dulled bit, and replace it with
a
bright new sharp one.
Reporter: Let me guess ... then theyll have to put all the pipe back, right?
Toolpush: Right. Excuse me, theyre about to pull out the drill bit. I have to go and make
sure they cover the hole while they change the bit. If I leave it off, someone might drop a
tool
down the hole. Then the men would have to fish it out, using a magnet. If we cant get it
out,
wed have to somehow drill around it.
Reporter: (to the camera) Its taken this crew nearly seven hours to change all this pipe.
I heard of a rig near here where they changed the bit 30 times before they actually struck
oil.
(Mudman enters) Oh, here comes someone now ... Hi there. Im Jamie Owens from
DRILL News. Could you tell us what your job is here on the rig?
Mudman: Hi. Sure. Im the
mudman. Im in charge of the
mud for three different rigs
around here. Ive just come by to
complete my regular check that
the mud is the right combination
of clay, chemicals, and water.
Reporter: What do you use
mud for?
Mudman: Its really called
circulating fluid, but we always
call it mud. The crew sends it
down the inside of the pipe, and it
comes up the outside. It also
lubricates and cools the drill bit,
and it maintains well control. We
shake out the rock chips, and send
the mud back down again.
Reporter: Well, thats for
today. Weve had a look at the
drilling process. The crew is much
too busy to talk to me right now,
because, as you know, theyre in
the middle of a round trip. This is

Jamie Owens from DRILL News

signing off.
Vocabulary: Drilling and pumping terms
blowout casing (drill) collar cuttings derrick drill bit drill pipe
drill string drilling mud inject kelly licence oil field/gas field
pump recover rig trap turntable/rotary table well
A drilling rig has five parts:
The hoisting system
The hoisting system has to lift, hold, and lower heavy pipe. The tall part of a drilling rig is called
the
derrick - this is part of the hoisting system.
The rotary system
The rotary system must twist the drill bit. Some of it works above the rig floor, but the drill bit
may be kilometers below the ground.
The circulating system
The circulating system pushes a special mud down the pipe, and pushes it back up again. This
mud
does three things: (1) It lubricates the drill bit, (2) When the mud comes back up, it brings with it
all
the little pieces of rock (rock cuttings) that the drill has ground up, and (3) it stops the oil and gas
from escaping up the outside of the pipe.
The blowout prevention system
A blowout happens when the drill strikes oil or gas or water that is under a lot of pressure. It
could
blow the mud out of the pipe and shoot oil (or gas, or water) high into the air. No one wants this
to
happen. The blowout prevention system (BOP) stops this by sealing off the hole.
The power system
The power system provides the energy that the oilmen need to run the rig. Usually diesel oil is
burned to make electricity.

Match these terms:

1. Hoisting system A.
Lifts and holds heavy pipe
2. Rotary system B.
Twists the drill bit round and round
3. Circulating system C.
Moves mud down the hole and back up again
4. Blowout prevention system D.
Seals the hole to stop a blowout
5. Power system E.
Provides the power

Take a look at the photo shown in the beginning of this unit. Write down all the
components of this drilling rig and translate them into Romanian. Below you have some
of them, accompanied by pictures.
Crown Block = geamblac Swivel = crlig rotativ Draw works = troliu de foraj
Drill Bit = sap de foraj Drill pipes = prjini de foraj Blowout preventer = prevenitor de
erupii

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The following text describes the eight basic steps to drill a surface hole a hole
above where the exploration company thinks oil is located. The steps are mixed up and
some of the letters of the missing words are also mixed up. Number the steps in the
correct order and then rearrange the jumbled words.
Add new sections (joints) of drill PIPES (ISPEP) as the hole gets
deeper.
Allow the CEMENT (TENECM) to harden.
As drilling progresses, circulate drilling MUD (UMD) through the
pipe and out of the BIT (IBT) to float the rock CUTTINGS
(GUTNTSCI)
out of the hole.
Attach the KELLY (YLELK) and TURNTABLE (LUNBRETAT)
and begin drilling.
Place CASTINS (NAGSIC) pipe sections into the hole to prevent it from
collapsing in on itself.
Place the drill bit, COLLAR (RCLAOL) and drill pipe in the hole.
PUMP (PPMU) cement down the casing PIPE (IEPP).
REMOVE (EMEVOR) the drill pipe, collar and bit when the pre-set
depth is reached.
Match the following words to their definitions:
clay contract crown crown block crude oil
derrick diamond bit Drake well drill drill bit
a. a tool 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. DRILL BIT
b. a large load structure, usually of bolted construction. In drilling, the standard structure
has four legs standing at the corners of the substructure and reaching to the crown block.
DERRICK
c. a term used for particles smaller than 1/256 millimeter, regardless of mineral
composition. CLAY
d. 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, the distribution of expenses between operator and contractor, and the
type of equipment to be used. CONTRACT
e. an assembly mounted on beams at the top of the derrick.
f. the crown block or top of a derrick. CROWN BLOCK
g. the cutting or boring element used for drilling. DIAMOND
h. the first well drilled in the United States in search of oil. It was in Titusville,
Pennsylvania. DRAKE WELL
i. to bore a hole in the earth, usually to find and remove subsurface formation fluids such
as oil and gas. DRILL

j. unrefined liquid petroleum. It ranges in density from very light to very heavy and in
color from yellow to black, and it may have a paraffin, asphalt, or mixed base. CRUDE
OIL
VOCABULARY
Complete the following description of an oil rig with the correct preposition. Choose
from those in the box. You will need to use some more than once. The image below might
help you!
above on in from to in between around close to of beside at along below
The Magnus oil rig stands (a)ON..huge steel legs resting (b) ABOVE..the
seabed. To prevent movement a large anchor is firmly embedded (c) IN..the seabed. A
production platform is build (d) AT..sea level. (e)IN..the centre (f) OF.the
platform, (g) ALONG.the well, is the drilling derrick. Oil and gas are separated (h)
ATthe bottom (i) OF.the derrick and a pipeline takes oil (j) TO.the platform (k)
TOshore. Helicopters carrying operators land (l) BETWEENthe helipad located on
one side of the platform. (m) AND.this pad there is an accommodation block. The
recreation area is found (n) ATthe first level and (o) ATthe top floor the
workers sleeping quarters are to be found. The dining area is on the floor (p) BETWEEN
Walkways run (q)BELOW..one side of the accommodation block and (r) TO.the
outside of the platform.
Lifeboats can be found (s) IN..the accommodation block. Supply boats, carrying
suppliers for the rig, can tie up (t) AROUNDone side (u)OF.the rig and goods are
lifted (v)FROM.the boats using a crane. Drinking water is stored (w) INlarge tanks
located (x)BELOWthe electricity generators.