UNIT-1

DRILLING RIG COMPONENTS

Abandon a well:
To stop producing hydrocarbons when the
well becomes unprofitable.
A wildcat may be abandoned after poor
results from a well test.
Mechanical and cement plugs are placed
in the wellbore to prevent fluid migration
to surface and between different zones.

Abnormal pressure:
A formation pressure which is greater or
less than the "normal formation fluid
hydrostatic pressure.
Such pressures may be classified as
"subnormal (lower than normal) or "over
pressured" (higher than normal).
Air drilling:
A method of drilling that uses compressed
air as the circulating medium.

Annular preventer:
A large BOP valve that forms a seal in the
annular space between the wellbore and the drill
pipe.
It is usually installed above the ram type
preventers in the BOP stack.
Azimuth:
It is used in directional drilling as the direction of
the trajectory of the wellbore measured in
degrees (0-359) clockwise from True North or
Magnetic North.

Back off:
To disconnect a section of stuck drill pipe by
unscrewing one of the connections above the
stuck point.
Back up:
To hold one section of pipe while another is being
screwed into or out of it.
Badger bit:
A specially designed bit with one large nozzle,
which can be used as a deflecting tool in soft
formations.

Bail:
A rounded steel bar which supports the swivel and
connects it to the hook.

Ball up:
Buildup of a mass of sticky material (drill
cuttings) on components of drill string
(especially bits and stabilizers).
Barite :
Barium Sulphate (BaSO4), a mineral used as
a weighting material to increase mud weight.

Barrel:
A measure of volume for fluids.
One barrel (bbl) = 42 U.S. gallons = 0.15899 cubic
meters=159 litres.
The term bbl is derived from the blue barrels in which
oil was originally transported.
Bentonite:
A finely powdered clay material (mainly
montmorillonite) which swells when mixed with water.
Commonly used as a mud additive, and sometimes
referred to as "gel" .

Bent sub:
A short piece of pipe whose axis is deviated 1-3 off
vertical.
It is used in directional drilling as a deflecting tool.
Bit breaker:
A heavy metal plate which fits into the rotary table
and holds the bit while it is being connected to or
disconnected from the drill string.
Bit record:
A report containing information relating to the
operating parameters and performance of the bits run
in a well.

Bit sub:
A short length of pipe installed immediately
above the bit.
The threads on the bit sub accept the pin thread
on the bit and the pin thread for the drill collars.
Bit walk:
The tendency for the bit and drill string to
wander off course by following the direction of
rotation (usually to the right) in a directionally
drilled well.

Blooey line:
The discharge pipe from a well being
drilled with compressed air.
Bottom hole assembly (BHA):
The part of the drill string which is just
above the bit and below the drill pipe.
It usually consists of drill collars, stabilizers
and various other components.

Bottom hole pressure (bhp):

The pressure at the bottom of the borehole,
or at a point opposite the producing
formation.
Breakout:
To unscrew one section of pipe from another.
Bridge:
An obstruction in the borehole usually
caused by the borehole wall caving in.

Below Rotary Table:

Reference point for measuring depth.
Building assembly:
A BHA specially designed to increase the
inclination (drift angle) of the wellbore.
Build up rate:
The rate at which drift angle is increasing as
the wellbore is being deviated from vertical.
Usually measured in degrees per 100 ft
drilled.

Build up section:
The part of the wellbore's trajectory where the drift
angle is increasing.
Bumper sub:
A drilling tool, placed in the BHA, consisting of a short
stroke slip joint which allows a more constant WOB to
be applied when drilling from a floating rig.
Cable tool drilling:
An earlier method of drilling used before the
introduction of modern rotary methods.
The bit was not rotated but reciprocated by means of
a strong wire rope.

Casing head Housing:

A large recepticle which is installed on top
of the surface casing string.
It has an upper flanged connection.
Once it is installed it provides: a landing
shoulder for the next casing string; and a
flanged connection for the BOP stack to be
connected to the well.

Casing head Spool:

A large recepticle which is installed on top of
the casing head housing or a previous spool.
It has both an upper and lower flanged
connection.
Once, it is installed it provides: a landing
shoulder for the next casing string; access to
the annulus between the casing strings and
a flanged connection for the BOP stack to be
connected to the well.

Casing hanger:
A special component which is made up on top of
the casing string to suspend the casing from the
previous casing housing or spool.
Casing shoe:
A short section of steel pipe filled with concrete
and rounded at the bottom.
This is installed on the bottom of the casing
string to guide the casing past any ledges or
irregularities in the borehole.
It is also called as a guide shoe.

Cathead:
A spool shaped attachment on a winch,
around which rope is wound.
This can be used for hoisting operations on
the rig floor.
Centraliser:
A device secured around the casing which
is designed to support and centralise the
casing in deviated wellbores.

Cementing:
The placement of a liquid slurry of cement
and water inside or outside of the casing.
Primary cementing is carried out
immediately after the casing is run.
Secondary cementing is carried out when
remedial work is required.

Cement channeling:
The irregular displacement of mud by cement,
leaving voids in the cement sheath between the
casing and the borehole, thereby reducing the
effectiveness of the cement sheath.
Cement head:
A manifold system installed on the top of the casing
which allows the cement slurry to be pumped from
the cement unit down the casing string.
The cement head is also used for releasing the top
and bottom cement plugs.

Cement plug:
A specific volume of cement placed at
some point in the wellbore to seal off the
well.
A device used during a primary cement job
to separate the cement slurry from
contaminating fluids in the casing.
A wiper plug is pumped ahead of the slurry
and a shut off plug behind the slurry.

Chain tongs:
A tool used by roughnecks on the rig floor to
tighten or loosen a connection.
The tool consists of a long handle and an
adjustable chain which will fit a variety of pipe
sizes.
Choke line:
A pipe connected to the BOP stack which allows
fluids to be circulated out of the annulus and
through the choke manifold when a well killing
operation is being performed.

Choke manifold:
An arrangement of pipes, valves and chokes
which allows fluids to be circulated through
a number of routes.
Christmas tree:
An assembly of control valves and fittings
installed on top of the wellhead.
The Christmas tree is installed after the well
has been completed and is used to control
the flow of oil and gas.

Combination string:
A casing string which is made up of various
different grades or weights of casing.
Completion:
The activities and methods used to prepare a
well for the production of oil or gas.
The tubing and accessories installed in the
production casing and through which the
produced fluid flows to surface.

Core:
A cylindrical rock sample taken from the
formation for geological analysis.
Core barrel:
A special tool which is installed at the
bottom of the drill string to capture and
retain a core sample which is then
recovered when the string is pulled out of
the hole.

Core Bit (Core Head):

A donut shaped drilling bit used just below the

core barrel to cut a cylindrical sample of rock.
Correction run:
A section of hole which must be directionally
drilled to bring the well path back onto the
planned course.
Crater:
A large hole which develops at the surface of a
wellbore caused by the force of escaping gas, oil
or water during a blowout.

Deadline:
The part of the drilling line between the
crown block and the deadline anchor.
This line remains stationary as the
travelling block is hoisted.
Deadline anchor:
A device to which the deadline is attached
and securely fastened to the derrick
substructure.

Defecting tool:
A piece of drilling equipment which will change the
inclination and/ or direction of the hole.
Degasser:
A piece of equipment used to remove unwanted gas from
the drilling mud.
Derrick man:
A member of the drilling crew whose work station is on the
monkey board high up in the derrick.
From there he handles the upper end of the stands of drill
pipe being raised or lowered.
He is also responsible for maintaining circulation
equipment and carrying out routine checks on the mud.

Desander:
A hydro cyclone used to remove sand from
the drilling mud.
Desilter:
A hydro cyclone used to remove fine
material (silt size) from the drilling mud.
Discovery well:
The first well drilled in a new field which
successfully indicates the presence of oil or
gas reserves.

Dog house:
A small enclosure on the rig floor used as an
office by the driller and as a storage place for
small items.
Dog leg:
A sharp bend in the wellbore which may cause
problems tripping in and out of the hole.
Dope:
A lubricant for the threads of oilfield tubular
goods.

Double:
A section of drill pipe, casing or tubing consisting of two
single length screwed together.
Down hole motor:
A special tool mounted in the BHA to drive the bit without
rotating the drill string from surface.
Down hole telemetry:
The process whereby signals are transmitted from a down
hole sensor to a surface readout instrument.
This can be done by a conductor line (as on steering tools)
or by mud pulses (as in MWD tools).

Drag bit:
A drilling bit which has no cones or bearings but consists
of a single unit with a cutting structure and circulation
passageways.
Diamond bits are also drag bits.
Drift angle:
The angle which the wellbore makes with the vertical
plane .
Driller:
The employee of the drilling contractor who is in charge of
the drilling rig and crew.
His main duties are to operate the drilling equipment and
direct rig floor activities.

Drilling line:
The wire rope used to support the travelling
block, swivel, kelly and drill string.
Drillstring:
The string of drill pipe with tool joints which
transmits rotation and circulation to the drill bit.
Sometimes used to include both drill collars and
drill pipe.
Drop off section:
That part of the well's trajectory where the drift
angle is decreasing (i.e. returning to vertical).

Easting :
one of the co-ordinates used to plot a deviated well's
position on the horizontal plane (along the x axis).
Exploration well :
A well drilled in an unproven area where no oil and
gas production exists (sometimes called a "wildcat").
Filter cake:
The layer of concentrated solids from the drilling mud
that forms during natural filtration on the sides of the
borehole. Sometimes called "wall cake" or "mud
cake".

Filtrate :
A fluid which has passed through a filter. In
drilling it usually refers to the liquid part of
the mud which enters the formation.
Fish:
Any object accidentally left in the wellbore
during drilling or work over operations,
which must be removed before work can
proceed.

Fishing:
The process by which a fish is removed from the
wellbore.
It may also be used for describing the recovery
of certain pieces of down hole completion
equipment when the well is being reconditioned
during a work over.
Fishing tool:
A specially designed tool which is attached to
the drill string in order to recover equipment lost
in the hole.

Float collar :
A special device inserted one or two joints above the bottom of
a casing string.
The float collar contains a check valve which permits fluid flow
in a downward direction only.
The collar thus prevents the back flow of cement once it has
been displaced.
Float shoe :
A short cylindrical steel component which is attached to the
bottom of a casing string.
The float shoe has a check valve and functions in the same
manner as the float collar.
In addition the float shoe has a rounded bottom which acts as
a guide shoe for the casing.

Formation:
A bed or deposit composed throughout of substantially the same
kind of rock to form a lithologic unit.
Formation fluid:
The gas, oil or water which exists in the pores of the formation.
Formation pressure :
The pressure exerted by the formation fluids at a particular point in
the formation. Sometimes called "reservoir pressure" or "pore
pressure.
Fulcrum assembly:
A bottom hole assembly which is designed to build hole inclination.
Gas cap :
The free gas phase which is sometimes found overlying an oil zone
and occurs within the same formation as the oil.

Gas cut mud:

Mud which has been contaminated by formation
gas.
Gas show:
The gas that is contained in mud returns,
indicating the presence of a gas zone.
Gel strength:
The shear strength of the mud when at rest.
Its ability to hold solids in suspension.
Bentonite and other colloidal clays are added to
the mud to increase gel strength.

Hole opener:
A special drilling tool which can enlarge an
existing hole to a larger diameter.
H.W.D.P:
Thick walled drill pipe with thick walled sections
used in directional drilling and placed between
the drill collars and drill pipe.
Hydrostatic pressure:
The load exerted by a column of fluid at rest.
Hydrostatic pressure increases uniformly with the
density and depth of the fluid.

Inclination :
A measure of the angular deviation of the
wellbore from vertical.
It also referred as "drift angle".
Insert bit :
A type of roller cone bit where the cutting
structure consists of specially designed tungsten
carbide cutters set into the cones.
Iron roughneck:
An automated piece of rig floor equipment which
can be used to make connections.

Jet deflection
A technique used in directional drilling to
deviate the wellbore by washing away the
formation in one particular direction.
A special bit (badger bit) is used which has
one enlarged nozzle which must be
orientated towards the intended direction.
Joint:
A single length of pipe which has threaded
connections at either end.

Junk:
Debris lost in the hole which must be removed to allow normal
operations to continue.
Junk sub:
A tool run with the BHA, which is designed to recover pieces of
debris left in the hole.
Kelly:
The heavy square or hexagonal steel pipe which runs through
the rotary table and is used to rotate the drill string.
Kelly bushing:
A device which fits into the rotary table and through which the
Kelly passes.
The rotation of the table is transmitted via the Kelly bushing to
the Kelly itself. Sometimes called the drive bushing.

Kelly cock :
A valve installed between the kelly and the swivel.
It is used to control a backflow of fluid up the drill
string and isolate the swivel and hose from high
pressure.
Kelly spinner:
A pneumatically operated device mounted on top
of the Kelly which, when actuated, causes the Kelly
to rotate.
It may be used to make connections by spinning
up the Kelly.

KOP:
The depth at which the wellbore is
deliberately deviated from the vertical.
Liner:
A string of casing which is suspended by a
liner hanger from the inside of the
previous casing string and does not
therefore extend back to surface as other
casing strings do.

Liner hanger:
A slip type device which suspends the liner inside the
previous casing shoe.
Log:
A systematic recording of data (e.g. drillers log, electric
log, etc.).
Mast:
A portable derrick capable of being erected as a unit
unlike a standard derrick which has to be built up.
Master bushing:
A sleeve which fits into and protects the rotary table and
accommodates the slips and drives the kelly bushing.

Mill:
A down hole tool with rough, sharp cutting surfaces for
removing metal by grinding or cutting.
Milled tooth bit:
A roller cone bit whose cutting surface consists of a
number of steel teeth projecting from the surface of
the cones.
Monkey board:
The platform on which the derrick man works when
handling stands of pipe.
Moon pool:
The central slot under the drilling floor on a floating rig.

Mousehole:
A small diameter pipe under the derrick floor in which
a joint of drill pipe is temporarily stored for later
connection to the drill string.
Mud balance:
A device used for measuring the density of mud or
cement slurry.
Mud conditioning:
The treatment and control of drilling fluid to ensure
that it has the correct properties.
This may include the use of additives, removing sand
or other solids, adding water and other measures.

Mud engineer:
He is an employee of a mud service company whose
main responsibility on the rig is to test and maintain
the mud properties specified by the operator.
Mudlogging:
The recording of information derived from the
examination an analysis of drill cuttings.
This also includes the detection of oil and gas.
Mud motor:
A down hole component of the BHA which rotates
the bit without having to turn the rotary table.

Mud pits:
A series of open tanks in which the mud is mixed and
conditioned.
Mud pump:
A large reciprocating pump used to circulate the
drilling fluid down the well.
Mud pumps are also called slush pumps.
Mud return line:
A pipe through which the mud being circulated up the
annulus is transferred from the top of the wellbore to
the shale shakers.
Sometimes called a flowline.

Mud screen:
It is a shale shaker.
M.W.D:
A method of measuring petro physical properties of
formations, drilling parameters (WOB, torque etc.) and
environmental parameters down hole and sending the
results to surface without interrupting routine drilling
operations.
A special tool containing sensors, power supply and
transmitter is installed as part of the BHA.
The information is transmitted to surface by a telemetry
system using mud pulses or signals through the pipe.

Oil based mud:

A drilling fluid which contains oil as its continuous
phase with only a small amount of water
dispersed as droplets.
Open hole:
Any wellbore or part of the wellbore which is not
supported by casing.
Packed hole assembly:
A BHA which is designed to maintain hole
inclination and direction of the wellbore.

 Packer: A down hole tool, run on drill pipe, tubing

or casing, which can be set hydraulically or

mechanically against the wellbore.
Packers are used extensively in DSTs, cement
squeezes and completions.
Pilot hole:
A small diameter hole which is later opened up to
the required diameter.
Sometimes used in directional drilling to control
wellbore deviation during kick off.

Polycrystalline diamond compact bit (PDC bit):

A PDC bit is a type of drag bit which uses small discs of
man-made diamond as the cutting surface.
Positive displacement motor (PDM):
A drilling tool which is located near the bit and is used to
rotate the bit without having to turn the entire drill string.
Prime mover:
An electric motor or internal combination engine which is
the source of power on the drilling rig.
Propping agent:
A granular material carried in suspension by the fracturing
fluid which helps to keep the cracks open in the formation
after fracture treatment.

Protective casing:
An intermediate string of casing which is run to
case off any troublesome zones.
Rat hole:
A hole in the rig floor 30'-60' deep and lined with
pipe. It is used for storing the kelly while tripping.
Ream: To enlarge the wellbore by drilling it again
with a special bit.
Reamer:
A tool used in a BHA to stabilise the bit, remove
dog legs or enlarge the hole size.

Reeve:
To pass the drilling line through the sheaves of
the travelling block and crown block and onto the
hoisting drum.
Relief well:
A directionally drilled well whose purpose is to
intersect a well which is blowing out, thus
enabling the blow out to be controlled.
R.K.B:
Rotary Kelly Bushing is used to indicate the
reference point for measuring depths.

R.O.P: Rate of penetration, normally measured in feet

drilled per hour.
Rotary hose:
A reinforced flexible tube which conducts drilling fluid
from the standpipe to the swivel. It is also called as
"kelly hose" or mud hose.
Roustabout:
An employee of the drilling contractor who carries out
general labouring work on the rig.
R.P.M( revolutions per minute):
Term used to measure the speed at which the
drillstring is rotating.

Safety joint:
A tool which is often run just above a fishing tool.
If the fishing tool has gripped the fish but cannot
pull it free the safety joint will allow the string to
disengage by turning it from surface.
Scratcher:
A device fastened to the outside of the casing
which removes mud cake and thus promote a
good cement job.
Shale: A fine-grained sedimentary rock composed
of silt and clay sized particles.

Shale shaker:
A series of trays with vibrating screens which allow
the mud to pass through but retain the cuttings.
The mesh must be chosen carefully to match the size
of the solids in the mud.
Sidetrack:
To drill around some permanent obstruction in the
hole with some kind of deflecting tool.
Slips:
They are wedge-shaped pieces of metal with a
gripping element used to suspend the drill string in
the rotary table.

Slug:
A heavy viscous quantity of mud which is pumped
into the drill string prior to pulling out.
The slug will cause the level of fluid in the pipe to
fall, thus eliminating the loss of mud on the rig
floor when connections are broken.
Slurry (cement):
A pumpable mixture of cement and water.
Once in position the slurry hardens and provides
an impermeable seal in the annulus and supports
the casing.

Spud:
To commence drilling operations.
Squeeze cementing:
The process by which cement slurry is forced into
place in order to carry out remedial work (e.g. shut
off water producing zones, repair casing leaks).
Stabiliser:
A component placed in the BHA to control the
deviation of the wellbore.
One or more stabilisers may be used to achieve
the intended well path.

Suction pit:
The mud pit from which mud is drawn into the mud pumps
for circulating down the hole.
Surge pressures:
Excess pressure exerted against the formation due to rapid
downward movement of the drill string when tripping.
Swabbing
A temporary lowering of the hydrostatic head due to pulling
pipe out of the hole.
Toolpusher:
An employee of the drilling contractor who is responsible
for the drilling rig and the crew, also called rig
superintendent.

Trip gas:
A volume of gas (usually a small amount) which enters the wellbore
while making a trip.
T.V.D(True Vertical Depth):
One of the co-ordinates used to plot the well path on the vertical
plane.
Twist off:
To serve the drill string due to excessive force being applied at
the rotary table.
Underground blow out:
This situation arises when lost circulation and a kick occur
simultaneously.
Formation fluids are therefore able to enter the wellbore at the
active zone and escape through an upper zone which has been
broken down.

Under ream:
To enlarge the size of the wellbore below casing.
V door:
An opening in one side of the derrick opposite the
drawworks.
This opening is used to bring in pipe and other
equipment onto the drill floor.
Washout:
Wellbore enlargement due to solvent or erosion action
of the drilling fluid.
A leak in the drill string due to abrasive mud or
mechanical failure.

W.O.B:
The load put on the bit by the drill collars to
improve penetration rate.
W.O.C:
The time during which drilling operations are
suspended to allow the cement to harden before
drilling out the casing shoe.
W.O.W:
The time during which drilling operations must
stop due to rough weather conditions.
Usually applied to offshore drilling.

Workover:
The carrying out of maintenance and remedial
work on the wellbore to increase production.