4. Read the text “Hoisting system components” and do the exercises.

Hoisting system components

The drawworks is one of the largest and heaviest piece of equipment on a rig. It has a spool-shaped revolving drum around which crew members wrap the wire rope they call drilling line. It also has several shafts, clutches, brakes, and chain-and-gear drives. The shafts, clutches, and drives allow the driller to engage and disengage equipment on the drawworks. The driller can also change the speed with which the drum revolves, thereby varying the speed with which the drawworks raises the traveling block and hook. The driller controls the drawworks from a panel, or console, near the drawworks.

The drawworks also has a heavy-duty main brake. Large bands on both rims of the drum stop the drum from turning when the driller engages the brake. When the brake is disengaged, the drawworks drum lets out drilling line to lower the traveling block. An auxiliary hydraulic or electric brake assists the main brake when the draw-works is raising or lowering heavy loads. The auxiliary brake absorbs some of the momentum created by a heavy load. The main brake

thereby works more efficiently.

A cathead is a winch, or windlass, on which a line, such as rope, cable, or chain, is coiled. When activated, the cathead reels in the line with great force. Pulling on a rope, cable, or chain is vital to screwing and unscrewing (making up and breaking out) drill pipe.

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A friction cathead is a steel spool a foot (30 centimetres) or so in diameter. It revolves as the catshaft revolves. Crew members used to employ friction catheads and a length of catline—a large-diameter rope made out of plant fiber, or hemp—to move heavy equipment around the rig floor. One floorhand rigged up one end of the catline to the object they wished to move. Another wrapped the other end of the catline a couple of times around the cathead. (Rig hands called this operation "taking wraps around the cathead.") This second crew member gripped the line near the turning cathead and, by pulling hard or not so hard on the line, adjusted the amount of friction the cathead applied to the line. When the crew member tightened the line— applied more friction—on the cathead, the cathead pulled on the catline and lifted the object. When the crew member loosened the catline wraps on the cathead— released the friction—the cathead stopped pulling on the catline.

An automatic cathead also pulls on a wire rope or, in some cases, on a chain, but in a way very different from a friction cathead. Instead of having to manually adjust tension on a line, the driller simply moves a control lever on the console to engage or disengage an automatic cathead. The automatic cathead on the driller's side of the drawworks is the makeup cathead. The automatic cathead on the opposite side of the drawworks is the breakout cathead, which looks exactly like the makeup cathead.

Drilling line is wireline, or wire rope. Drilling line is, however, considerably larger than the wire rope on the tongs. Wire rope is what most of the world calls cable. Wire rope manufacturers make drilling line by braiding several steel wires together. It looks like cloth, or fiber, rope except that it is made from steel wire rather than plant or plastic fibers. Drilling line ranges in diameter from ¾ to 2 inches, or about 22 to 51 millimetres.

First, assume that the derrick is lying horizontally in its cradle in the substructure. The drawworks is on the rig floor and the rig's engines are running. To begin, workers take one end of the rope off the supply reel, which is resting on the ground near the substructure. They pull the line from the reel to the top of the derrick. There the rig builders installed a large set of pulleys, or sheaves, termed the crown block. Crown blocks have several sheaves over which workers string the drilling line. They thread, or reeve, the drilling line over a groove in a crown block sheave. Then they pull the end of the line to another set of sheaves placed near the middle of the derrick. This sheave set is the traveling block.

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The driller raises and lowers the traveling block in the derrick as drilling progresses. During string-up, however, the traveling block is also stationary until workers complete the string-up job. To continue stringing up, they reeve the end of the drilling line through one of the traveling block sheaves. Then they pull the line back to the crown block. They reeve the line over another sheave in the crown block and pull it back to the traveling block. There, they reeve the line through another traveling block sheave and pull it back to the crown.

The number of times the workers reeve the line through the blocks depends on the weight the line has to support and on the size of the crown and traveling blocks. Crown blocks and traveling blocks vary in the size and the number of sheaves they contain.

After the workers reeve the line for the last time over the crown block sheaves, they pull the end of the line to the drawworks. They secure the end of the drilling line to the drum in the drawworks. A worker then powers up the drawworks and takes several wraps of line around the drum, much as an angler reels in fishing line after a cast. Since the traveling block is resting on a support that holds it stationary, the line runs through it without moving it. The part of the drilling line running from the drawworks to the crown block is the fast line. It moves when the rig is operating. That is, after the drilling crew readies the rig, the fast line moves on or off the drawworks drum when the driller raises or lowers the traveling block.

Fig. 5. Several sheaves make up the crown block.

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Fig. 6. Travelling block

During the drilling of a well, the drilling line carries many tons of drill pipe and other tools in and out of the hole over a distance of several miles; or it uses many newtons of force moving drill pipe over a distance of thousands of metres. The crew therefore rates drilling line use in ton-miles or megajoules. (When a line has moved 1,000 newtons of load over a distance of 1,000 metres, the line has given i megajoule of service.) The driller keeps careful track of how many ton-miles (megajoules) of wear occur over time. By consulting specially prepared tables, the driller knows when it is time to slip the line. Slipping the line places unworn line on the wear points where the line goes through and over sheaves in the traveling and crown blocks. The drilling line also wears where it spools off the drawworks drum.

(Baker R. “A Primer of Oil Well Drilling”, 2001, Austin, Texas)

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5. Make collocations from the following words.

6. Fill in the gaps with the most suitable words or terms from the text.

1. Once the last line has been strung over the

sheaves, the end of the line goes down to the drawworks drum, where it is

4. A typical hoisting system is made up of the drawworks, a mast or derrick,

drum.

7. Match the words in the left column with the definitions in the right one.

8. Fill in the chart with the functions of the hoisting system components.

Component Composition Function

Drawworks

Crown block

Drilling line

Cathead

9. Lab. Assignment:”Hoisting Equipment”.

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10. Read the text “Rotary system components”. Define what is IT in bold in each paragraph using the words from the right column.

Rotary system components

Rotating equipment includes the devices that make the bit turn. On a conventional rig, the equipment consists of a swivel, an upper kelly cock, a special length of pipe called the kelly, a lower kelly cock, a kelly saver sub, the rotary table, the drill pipe, the drill collars, and the bit. Some contractors install a special system on their rigs called a top drive. It replaces many parts of the conventional rotating system; top drives are discussed in more detail later.

According to the American Petroleum Institute (API), all the pipe between the swivel and the bit, including the kelly, the drill pipe, and drill collars, is the drill stem. (The API is a trade association that sets oilfield standards and specifications.) The drill string includes only the drill pipe—not the kelly and the drill collars. Be aware, however, that practically everybody in the oil patch uses "drill string" to mean the drill pipe and the drill collars.

Fig. 7. Schematic of rotary system

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3.

The crew fits the master bushing into IT. During normal drilling operations, the master bushing drives the kelly

bushing. When drilling stops and the kelly bushing is Tool joints out of the master bushing, the master bushing can hold

the slips.. Slips have strong, toothlike gripping elements called dies. Slips fit around the drill string and suspend it in the hole. With the drill string suspended by the slips, the crew can remove the kelly and the swivel from the drill string. The traveling block and hook no longer suspend the drill string.

4.

IT hangs from the traveling block's hook in place of a conventional swivel. A powerful heavy-duty motor in IT turns a threaded drive shaft. The crew stabs, or inserts, the unit's drive shaft directly into the top of the drill stem. When the driller starts ITs motor, it rotates the drill stem and the bit. The rig therefore does not use a conventional swivel, a kelly, a rotating rotary table and master bushing, or a kelly bushing. Rigs with IT still need, however, a rotary table and master bushing to provide a place for the slips to suspend the pipe.

5.

IT consists of the drill pipe and special, heavy-walled pipe called drill collars. Manufacturers make IT from steel, but they also use aluminum.

IT is heavier than drill pipe, however. The drilling crew uses them to put weight on the bit to make it drill. They install them in the drill string below the drill pipe. Number of drill collars depends on how much weight the bit needs and on how much the drill collars weigh.

6.

IT is a threaded piece on each end of the pipe . The pipe maker welds IT to the pipe. The crew connects the pipe with IT. IT adds a significant amount of weight to drill pipe, but not enough to make it weigh anywhere near as much as drill collars.

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7.

Manufacturers make two types of IT for rotary drilling: roller cone and diamond. Roller cone have steel coneshaped devices that roll, or turn, as the bit rotates. Most of them have three cones; some have two and some have four, however. Its makers mill or forge teeth out of the body of the cones, or they insert very hard tungsten carbide buttons into the cones. The teeth or inserted buttons cut, scrape, or gouge the rock as IT rotates.

11. Label each picture with correct rotary system component and describe its composition.

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12.Match the words in the left column with the definitions in the right one. There is one extra definition.

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13.  Listen to a top drive system description. Read the questions 1–5 and choose the answer – A,B,C or D – that best suits the information in the text.

1. What rotates the drill string when using a top drive system?

A.Rotary table

B.Drive shaft

C.Guide rails

D.Crew members

2. Which of the following is the advantage of the top drive?

A.It is cheaper to maintain than a rotary table system.

B.It requires less qualification of the driller.

C.It reduces drilling time.

D.It weights lighter that a kelly assembly.

3. According to the text, what helps a top drive system to prevent hole problems?

A.It allows drill string rotation at any hole point due to a wide range of rotating power.

B.It allows moving drilling rigs a short distance.

C.It allows reducing the number of connections of pipes.

D.It allows handling stands of pipes more efficiently.

4.Which of the following was mentioned as a disadvantage of a top drive system?

A. It requires an additional weight on a bit.

B. The drill string should be constantly maintained. C. A drilling line wears faster.

D. It’s difficult to use it in highly deviated holes.

5.Which of the components is NOT included in a top drive system?

A.A rotary hose

B.An integrated swivel

C.A traveling block

D.A kelly

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14. Lab. assignment: “Rotating Equipment, Mast and Structure”.

15. Read the text “Circulating system” and do the exercises.

Circulating System

Mud circulates through many pieces of equipment, including the mud pump, the discharge line, the standpipe, the rotary hose, the swivel, the kelly (or the top drive), the drill pipe, the drill collars, the drill bit, the annulus, the return line, the shale shaker, the desilter, the desander, the mud pits, and the suction line.

The mud pump draws in mud through a suction line from the mud pits, or tanks, and sends it out a discharge line. From the discharge line, the mud goes into the standpipe. The standpipe runs vertically up one leg of the derrick. Mud exits the standpipe into a strong, flexible, and reinforced rubber hose called the rotary hose, or kelly hose. The rotary hose joins the swivel at the gooseneck. The mud then flows down the kelly (or through the top drive), drill pipe, and drill collars. It jets out of the bit nozzles and moves cuttings away from the bit. The mud and cuttings then head up the hole in the annulus. The annulus, or annular space, is the area between the drill string and the wall of the hole.

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Fig. 8. Schematic of example rig circulating system

The mud leaves the annulus through a steel pipe called the mud return line. It falls over a vibrating screen, the shale shaker. The shaker screens out the larger cuttings and, in some cases, dump them into the reserve pit. Offshore and in environmentally sensitive areas, however, the shaker dumps the cuttings into a receptacle. Later, the contractor removes the receptacle, washes the cuttings if required, and properly disposes of them. In either case, the clean mud drains back into the mud tanks. The pump then recycles it back down the hole. The mud pump recirculates the mud over and over throughout

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the drilling of the well. From time to time, the derrickhand adds water, clay, and other materials to make up for downhole losses. This crew member also adjusts the mud's properties as the borehole encounters new and different formations.

16. Define whether the following sentences are true (T) or false (F).

17. Put the following circulating system components in the right order to make the system work.

18.  Listen to the text and mark the statement with T if it is true and with

F if it is false.

1.Crew members prepare the mud in mud tanks.

2.Usually a drill rig uses two pumps operating simulatneously.

3.The mud going through the rotary hose carries cuttings with it.

4.Nozzles are special holes in the bit through which the mud jets out and removes cuttings away.

5.The last piece of equipment the mud goes through before returning back into the mud tank and closing the circulation cycle is a shale shaker.

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UNIT 5

CASING. CEMENTING

It is generally not possible to drill a well through all of the formations from surface to the target depth in one hole section. The well is therefore drilled in sections, with each section of the well being sealed of by lining the inside of the borehole with steel pipes, known as casing and filling the annular space between this casing string and the borehole with cement, before drilling the subsequent hole section.

Lead-in

Make comments about reasons for casing off formations.

1. Pay special attention to the pronunciation and stress of the following

2. Read the following texts and match them with casing types.

Casing types: 1. Conductor casing; 2. Surface casing; 3. Intermediate casing; 4. Production casing; 5. Liner

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4.Underline the components or functions that are correct.

1.Casing is a strong

3. Intermediate casing is needed for

a) pressure stabilization b) production interval isolation c) wellhead support

5.  Listen to the description of the well completion process. Then read the statements and choose the alternative – A, B, C or D – that best suits the information in the text.

1.To complete the oil or gas well A. a production casing is used. B. a surface casing is used.

C. a conductor casing is used.

D. an intermediate casing is used.

2.Primary recovery means that hydrocarbons are forced up to the surface due

to

A. primary pressure B. secondary pressure C. air pressure

D. natural pressure

3.Even the field is developed professionally,

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A.nine per cent of gas and forty five per cent of oil remain behind.

B.ninety per cent of gas and forty five per cent of oil remain behind.

C.fifteen per cent of gas and fifty four per cent of oil remain behind.

D.fifty per cent of gas and fourteen per cent of oil remain behind.

4. The Christmas tree is

A.a wellbottom area fitted with attractive drill bits.

B.a wellhead area fitted with surface casing.

C.a wellbottom area fitted with downhole pumps and valves.

D.a wellhead area fitted with many valves and pipes.

5.It is possible for a well to make a stand up to A. five kilometers from the production platform.

B. five kilometers from the nearest pipe connection. C. as many kilometers as necessary.

D. five kilometers from the wellhead.

6.Read the text “Eight Steps Ensure Successful Cement Jobs”. Define eight factors the operators must consider for successful cementing jobs.

Drilling mud condition cement composition selection

proper cementing system selection spacer and flush use

the casing centralization pressure optimization the pipe move

displacement rate maximization proper temperature slurry design

1. Drilling mud condition

This factor is the most important in achieving good displacement during a cement job. The following measures are necessary to follow:

•determine the hole volume that can be circulated; evaluate the % of wellbore that is actually being circulated ( for best results, use a caliper or material balance to determine downhole fluid mobility and check for annular fluid that is not moving);

•circulate the drilling mud to help break the gel structure of the fluid; condition the drilling mud until equilibrium is achieved (after casing is on bottom and before the displacement begins,

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circulating the mud decreases its viscosity and increases mobility);

•never allow the drilling mud to set static for extended periods, especially at elevated temperatures. (mud properties coming out of the well are the same as the mud pumped in); continue circulating until displacement program begins;

•modify the flow properties of the drilling fluid to optimize mobility and drilling cuttings removal;

•examine the mud gel strength profile during the job planning stage and just before the cement job (an optimum drilling fluid will have flat, non progressive gel strengths);

•measure the gel strength development during the job planning stage, at downhole temperature and pressure.

2.

They separate the dissimilar drilling mud from the cement. Also they enhance gelled-mud removal and allow better cement bond with the borehole. They are designed to serve various needs: (1) help well control; (2) provide increased mud-removal benefits. The following guidelines should be considered to achieve maximum mud displacement:

•pump the spacer fluid at an optimized rate or as fast as possible without breaking down the formation;

•provide spacer contact time and volume to remove the greatest possible amount of mud;

•make sure the viscosity, yield point and density of both the spacer and the cement slurry, are at least the same as the drilling fluid;

•design the spacer package to water-wet the surface of the pipe and formation thoroughly when using oil-based or synthetic – based drilling fluids.

Flushes are used for thinning and dispersing drilling – fluid particles. These fluids go into turbulence at low rates, helping to clean drilling fluid from the annulus.

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3.

•rotating and reciprocating casing before and during cementing breaks up stationary, gelled pockets of drilling mud;

•loosens cuttings trapped the gelled mud;

•allows high displacement efficiency at lower pump rates by keeping the drilling mud flowing.

4.

It helps to optimize drilling –fluid displacement. Good pipe standoff helps ensure uniform flow patterns around the casing. Equalizing the friction loss or force that flowing cement exerts around the annular clearance increases drilling-fluid removal. The best mud displacement at optimum rate is achieved when annular clearance is 1–1.5 in. Pipe movement and displacement are severely restricted. Centralizers and other mechanical cementing aids commonly used in the industry, also serve as inline laminar flow mixers. They change flow patterns and promote better mud displacement and removal.

5.

•high-energy flow in the annulus is most effective to ensure good mud displacement;

•turbulent flow around the full casing circumference is desirable, but not absolutely essential;

•when turbulent flow is not a viable option for the formation or wellbore configuration, the highest pump rate is feasible;

•the best cementing results are obtained when the spacer and cement are pumped at maximum energy, the spacer is appropriately designed to remove mud and good competent cement is used.

6.

One can optimize cost and displacement efficiency by following guidelines:

•design the job on basis of actual wellbore circulating temperatures;

•estimate the bottomhole circulating temperature (BHCT) using the API;

•use the actual downhole temperatures measured;

•include surface mixing time when estimating job time.

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7.

Operators are encouraged to design cement slurry for its specific application, with good properties to allow placement in a normal time period. The ideal cement slurry has no measurable, free water, provides adequate retarder to ensure proper placement and maintains stable density to ensure hydrostatic control. Several criteria affect slurry design:

•well depth

•BHCT

•Bottomhole static temperature (BHST)

•Drilling fluid hydrostatic pressure

•Drilling fluid type

•Slurry density

•Lost circulation

•Gas migration potential

•Pumping time

•Flow regime

•Quality of cement

•Dry or liquid additives

•Strength development

•Quality of the cement testing laboratory and equipment.

8.

These systems vary in their capability to provide good zone isolation in changing environments. The traditional approach to cement selection has been on the basis that higher compressive strengths result in higher cement sheath quality. One of the most versatile systems to apply is foam cement, which produces a more ductile and resilient cement and withstands the stress associated with casing expansion and contraction.

(Oil &Gas Journal, 1999)

7. Match the two parts of the sentences.

8. Look through the text once again and fill in the chart.

drilling mud condition

cement composition selection

proper cementing system selection

spacer and flush use

the casing centralization

the pipe move

displacement rate maximization

proper temperature slurry design

9. You have some money for drilling procedure improvement in the certain oilfield. Unfortunately, the sum is not great and you are to choose four steps for successful cementing jobs. Moderate the whole implementation procedure and be ready to prove your choice.

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APPENDIX

SELF-ASSIGNMENT TOPICS

1.Sophisticated bits-characteristics and classification

2.Drilling fluid

3.Underbalance drilling

4.Centralizers

5.Horizontal –direction drilling

6.Vertical drilling

7.Side tracking

8.AutoTrack

9.Modernization of downhole turbine motors

10.Completion (types)

11.Completion components

12.Perforation 13. Stimulation 14.Sand control 15. Workovers

16.Environment protection

17.Support –and-alignment mechanisms

18.Piston pumps

19.Turbodrilling

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REFERENCES

1.Dictionary for the Petroleum Industry. Austin, Texas: Schlumberger

1997.

2.JP Journal: 2004–2007.

3.Oil and Gas Journal: 1999–2005.

4.Petroleum Engineering Handbook. Society of Petroleum Engineers.

(1992). Richardson, TX, USA.

5.Baker, R. (1994). Primer of Oilwell Drilling. Basic Text of Oil and

Gas Drilling. Houston, Texas.

6.Wood’s Illustrated English – Russian \ Russian-English Petroleum

Technology Dictionary. ALBION WOODS.

7.Белоусов В. Нефтегазовая промышленность: Основные

процессы и англо-русская терминология. – М.: ООО Техинпут,

2006.

8.Булатов В.В., Пальчиков В.В. Англо-русский словарь по нефти и

газу. – М.: Руссо, 2001.

INTERNET RESOURCES

9.www.en.wikipedia.org

10.www.bakerhughes.com

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Chapter 4

PIPELINE ENGINEERING

R.N. Abramova

Т.V. Vasilchenko

UNIT 1

PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION

Pipeline transport is a transportation of goods through a pipe. Most commonly, liquid and gases are sent, but pneumatic tubes that transport solid capsules using compressed air have also been used.

As for gases and liquids, any chemically stable substance can be sent through a pipeline. Therefore, sewage, slurry, water, or even beer pipelines exist; but the most important are those transporting oil and natural gas.

Lead-in

Fill in the spider gram with the words associated with Pipeline Engineering.

Pipeline

Engineering

Explain your associations.

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1. Pronounce the following words. Pay special attention to the letters in bold.

lease individual terminal supply variety tankage crude

2. Read the following word formations and learn their pronunciation. Pay special attention to the stress.

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3. Read the mini-text “Pipeline System”. Look at the diagram and pay attention to the underlined terms in the text.

Pipeline System

Fig. 1. Pipeline system

In the petroleum industry, pipelines are used for a variety of purposes:

1.gathering crude oil from individual leases and delivering it to a central location for processing;

2.transporting crude oil from fields to port terminals for tanker transportation;

3.moving crude oil from processing centers and supply points to the refineries and other markets;

4.moving gas from fields to gas processing plants and from these plants to markets;

5.distributing petroleum products from the refineries to the distribution centers.

(http://www.Wikipedia)

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4. Match English terms with Russian ones. Example: 13. destination – A. пункт назначения

5. Give the explanation to the following purposes of the pipeline system.

Example: Moving is gas progresses from the gas field to gas processing plants and from there to the market.

•Gathering is …

•Transporting is …

•Moving is …

•Distributing is …

•Gathering system is …

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6. Here is the diagram of Russian pipeline gathering system. Use the abovementioned terms and give a short explanation to each element of the pipeline system. (Note the differences).

7. Pronounce the following words. Pay special attention to the letters in bold.

8. Read the following word formations and learn their pronunciation. Pay special attention to the stress.

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9. You are going to learn some vocabulary to help you understand the text. Study the following dictionary entries, paying attention to specific term definitions. Match the term with the appropriate meaning.

1.disrupt (v) A. afford opportunity or possibility for

2.install (v) B. go beyond the limits of

3.prevent (v) C. interrupt the progress, movement or procedure of

4.ensure (v) D. notify or make aware in advance of something

5.exceed (v) E. connect or set in position and prepare for use

6.permit (v) F. make sure / certain

7.warn (v) G. keep from doing something

10. Read the text “Pipeline Components”. Look at the diagram and pay attention to the underlined terms in the text.

Fig. 3. Components of a pipeline

A pipeline system is comprised of the following components:

1. line pipe – the main component of every pipeline and is usually metallic (carbon steel / corrosion resistant alloy);

2.pig traps – allow safe loading, launching, receiving and retrieval of pigs without disrupting the fluid in the pipelines;

3.block valve stations – isolate section of the pipeline and limit the release of line contents in case of a leak or pipeline rupture;

4.emergency shut-down valves (ESD) – located at both ends of the

pipeline and enable automatic shut down of the line in case of an emergency; 5. slug catcher – installed at the end of a multi-phase pipeline to prevent slugs and to ensure a constant gas flow into the receiving station;

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6.cathodic protection system – installed as a backup to the external coating to prevent corrosion of the external surface of the pipelines;

7.pressure protection system – protects a pipeline when the line pressure exceeds) the max. allowable pressure;

8.telemetry system – permits pipeline monitoring and remote operation from

a central location;

9.leak detection system – installed to warn that a leak occurred.

11.Match the terms with their functions.

Example: pressure protection system – protects a pipeline when the line pressure exceeds the max. allowable pressure;

12. Give Russian equivalents to the following terms.

Example: rupture – порыв, образование трещин

13. Pipeline networks are composed of several pieces of equipment that operate together to move products from location to location. The main elements that conform a pipeline system can be summarized as follows:

Initial Injection Station (Supply or Inlet station), Compressor / Pump Stations, Partial Delivery Station (Intermediate Stations), Block Valve Station, Regulator Station and Final Delivery Station (Outlet stations).

Describe the pipeline schematically.

Example: Initial Injection Station – known also as Supply or Inlet station, is basically the beginning of the system, this is where the product is injected into the line. Storage facilities, such as tank terminals, as well as other devices to push the product through the line, like pumps or compressor are usually located at these locations.

Fig. 4. Pipeline components

14. Solve the following situations.

Example: Questions: What are slugs? What do slugs in a multi-phase pipeline prevent?

Answer: the accumulation of a liquid (water, oil or condensate) in a pipeline. Slugs prevent or slow down the flow of fluids in a pipeline.

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