Oil and Gas Terminology Flashcards
Shale
A fine-grained sedimentary rock formation that contains trapped oil and gas.
Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)
A method of extracting oil and gas from shale formations by injecting a high-pressure mixture of water, sand, and chemicals to create fractures in the rock.
Unconventional Resources
Oil and gas resources that cannot be produced using conventional methods, such as shale gas, tight oil, and coalbed methane.
Reservoir
A porous and permeable underground rock formation that contains and stores hydrocarbons.
Wellbore
The hole drilled into the earth for the purpose of exploring for or producing oil and gas.
Casing
Steel pipe that is inserted into the wellbore to provide structural integrity, prevent the collapse of the borehole, and isolate different formations.
Perforating
The process of creating holes in the casing and cement to allow oil and gas to flow into the wellbore.
Completion
The process of preparing a well for production after it has been drilled.
Workover
Any operation performed on a well after it has been completed and put into production.
Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)
Techniques used to increase the amount of oil that can be recovered from a reservoir, such as water flooding, gas injection, or chemical injection.
Drilling Rig
The equipment and machinery used for drilling oil and gas wells.
Drill Bit
The cutting tool at the end of the drill string that breaks up and cuts through the rock formations.
Drilling Mud
A mixture of fluids and additives used to lubricate and cool the drill bit, control formation pressures, and remove cuttings from the wellbore.
Formation Evaluation
The process of analyzing the characteristics of rock formations encountered during drilling to determine their potential for hydrocarbon production.
Well Logging
The process of recording and analyzing information about the subsurface formations and fluids encountered during drilling.
Directional Drilling
The practice of deviating the wellbore from a vertical orientation to reach specific targets or access reservoirs that are not directly below the surface location.
Horizontal Drilling
A type of directional drilling where the wellbore is drilled horizontally or at a high angle to maximize exposure to the target formation.
Offshore Drilling
The process of drilling for oil and gas in bodies of water, such as oceans, lakes, or gulfs, using specialized equipment and techniques.
Production Tubing
The tubing or pipe that is installed inside the casing to allow for the flow of oil and gas from the reservoir to the surface.
Artificial Lift
Various techniques and equipment used to increase or maintain the flow of fluids from a well when the natural reservoir pressure is insufficient.
Separators
Equipment used to separate the different phases (oil, gas, water) of the fluids produced from a well.
Storage Tanks
Containers used for temporarily storing oil, gas, or other fluids produced from a well.
Gathering Systems
The network of pipelines and facilities used to collect and transport oil, gas, and produced water from multiple wells to processing facilities or transmission pipelines.
Pipelines
The interconnected system of pipes used for transporting oil, gas, or other fluids over long distances.
Natural Gas Processing
The process of removing impurities and separating the various components (methane, ethane, propane, etc.) from raw natural gas to produce pipeline-quality gas and other valuable products.
Refineries
Industrial facilities where crude oil is processed and refined into various petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel, and aviation fuel.
Flaring
The controlled burning of natural gas or other hydrocarbons during oil and gas production operations.
Venting
The release of natural gas or other gaseous hydrocarbons into the atmosphere during oil and gas production operations.
Environmental Regulations
Laws and regulations governing the environmental impact and management of oil and gas operations, including air emissions, water use, and waste disposal.
Safety Standards
Guidelines and requirements established to ensure the safe and responsible conduct of oil and gas operations, protecting workers, the public, and the environment.
Cementing
The process of pumping cement slurry into the space between the casing and the wellbore to secure the casing in place and seal off permeable formations.
Well Testing
The process of evaluating the production potential of a well by measuring the flow rates, pressures, and other characteristics of the fluids produced.
Artificial Lift Systems
Mechanical devices or systems used to increase or maintain the flow of fluids from a well when the natural reservoir pressure is insufficient, such as rod pumps, gas lift, or electrical submersible pumps.
Gas Compression
The process of increasing the pressure of natural gas to facilitate its transportation through pipelines or for other processing operations.
Pipeline Transmission
The transportation of oil, natural gas, or other fluids through a network of interconnected pipelines over long distances.
Health, Safety, and Environmental (HSE)
The policies, practices, and regulations related to protecting the health and safety of workers, the public, and the environment in oil and gas operations.
Wellhead
The assembly of equipment at the surface of an oil or gas well, including valves, fittings, and control instruments used to monitor and regulate the flow of fluids from the well.
Permian Basin
A prolific oil and gas-producing region located in west Texas and southeastern New Mexico, known for its significant shale and tight oil formations.
Eagle Ford Shale
A major shale formation in south Texas that has been a significant source of oil and gas production through hydraulic fracturing.
Barnett Shale
A natural gas-producing shale formation located in the Fort Worth Basin of north Texas, which was one of the first major shale plays to be developed through horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing.
Haynesville Shale
A natural gas-rich shale formation located in east Texas and northwest Louisiana, known for its high-pressure and high-temperature reservoir characteristics.
Spindletop
The salt dome near Beaumont, Texas, where the first major oil gusher in the United States was discovered in 1901, marking the beginning of the modern oil industry in Texas.
Austin Chalk
A geological formation in east-central Texas that has been a significant source of oil and gas production.
Wolfcamp Shale
A highly prolific shale formation within the Permian Basin of west Texas and southeast New Mexico.
Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Tax Incentives
Tax credits and exemptions offered by the state of Texas to encourage the use of enhanced oil recovery techniques.
