A summary of the drilling process

An oil well is created by drilling a hole 5 to 36 inches (127.0 mm to 914.4 mm) in diameter into the earth with a drilling rig, which rotates a drill string with a bit attached.

These are the key steps involved in drilling a well:

• The drill bit, assisted by the weight of drill string and drill collars above it, breaks up the earth.

• Drilling fluid (‘mud’) is pumped down the inside of the drill pipe and exits at the drill bit, helping to break up the rock, keeping pressure on top of the bit, as well as cleaning, cooling and lubricating the bit.

• The generated rock ‘cuttings’ are swept up by the drilling fluid as it circulates back to the surface outside the drillpipe.

• The cuttings and returning fluids are monitored for abnormalities to detect any possible ‘kicks’ in pressure.

• The pipe or drillstring to which the bit is attached is gradually lengthened as the well gets deeper by screwing in several 30-foot (10 m) joints of pipe at the surface.

This process is all facilitated by a drilling rig which contains all necessary equipment to circulate the drilling fluid, hoist and turn the pipe, control down hole pressures, remove cuttings from the drilling fluid and generate onsite power for these operations.

The first oil wells were drilled in China in the 4^th century or earlier. They reached depths of up to 243 metres and were drilled using bits attached to bamboo poles.

The Middle East’s petroleum industry was established by the 8^th century, when the street of the newly constructed Baghdad were paved with tar, derived from petroleum that became accessible from natural fields in the region.

The first modern oil well was drilled in 1848 by Russian engineer F.N. Semyonov on the Asheron Peninsula north-east of Baku. By 1861, Baku produced about 90% of the world’s oil.

The word ‘petroleum’ derives from two Greek words meaning ‘rock oil’. When Edwin Drake struck oil in the first US discovery in 1859, he was actually boring for salt.

Until the 1970s, most oil wells were vertical. Using deviated and horizontal drilling it has become possible to reach reservoirs several kilometers away from the drilling place.

Задание 2. Заполните таблицу и задайте вопросы с этими словами как в примере:

Task 2. Complete the table and ask questions, using these words as in example:

Example: How long is the pipeline? What is the length of the pipeline?

Adjective	Noun
Long
	Length
Wide
	Depth
High
Thick
Heavy	Weight
old
	price

Задание 3. Заполните эти вопросы словами из рамки. Начните вопрос со слов 'What is the ...?' или 'How ...?:

Task 3. Complete these questions using words from the box. Start each question with 'What is the ...?' or 'How ...?:

diameter, long, deep, height, thick, cost, pressure, wind, load

1. Q: _____ is the well?

A: There are several wells on this rig. The deepest is around 4,500 metres.

2. Q: _____ at that depth?

A: It can be as much as 15,000 psi, which is why we have a BOP to prevent blowouts.

3. Q: _____ of the derrick?

A: It is approximately 40 metres from the crown block to the working floor.

4. Q: _____ of the derrick?

A: It can withstand wind speeds of anything up to 125 miles per hour.

5. Q: _____ of the hole?

A: The hole gets narrower as you go down, but at the surface it is more or less 50 cm.

6. Q: _____ are the drillpipes?

A: These pipes are made of steel with a thickness of just under 1 cm.

7. Q: _____ are the drillpipes?

A: Each joint is roughly 10 metres in length. If they are all the same, it makes storage much easier.

8. Q: _____of a diamond bit?

A: They are extremely expensive, ranging from $12,000 to $15,000 each.

Задание 4. Изучите диаграмму буровой вышки и соедините описание со словами в диаграмме:

Task 4. Study the diagram of a drilling rig and match the descriptions to the words in the diagram:

Example: This raises and lowers drilling equipment in and out of the well, hoisting line.

1. The swivel and the drilling equipment are all suspended from this.….

2. The hoisting line goes around this piece of equipment. When it turns, the line goes up or down…..

3. This is the steel tower that goes over the well. All the lifting and drilling equipment is inside it. .....

4. This connects two objects. It allows the one below to rotate, and the one above to stay still. …..

5. This is the small platform near the top of the derrick where the one of the drilling team stands…..

6. This is the frame and wheels that move up and down the derrick on the hoisting line…..

7. This is the steel frame and wheels that are fixed on top of the derrick…..

Задание 5. Прочитайте и переведите текст:

Task 5. Read and translate the text: