B
Babbit
An alloy of metal for lining bearings, largely composed of tin with copper and antimony.
Back- In Farm- Out
A farm-out agreement in which a retained nonoperating interest may later be converted into a specified individual working interest.
Back Off
To unscrew the drill pipe, casing, tubing, or rods at a point above which it is stuck in the hole or to unscrew a joint of pipe at the surface.
Back Pressure
The pressure resulting from restriction of full natural flow.
Back Pressure Coefficient No. 1
The calculation factor resulting from the shut in wellhead pressure squared, divided by the differential of the shut in wellhead pressure squared and the static column wellhead pressure squared.
Back Pressure Coefficient No. 2
The calculation factor resulting from taking the Back Pressure Coefficient No. 1 and raising it to the power of the Slope value. The calculated absolute open flow will be this result times the calculated rate of flow (or Test Gas Volume).
Back Pressure Valve
A valve that permits flow in only one direction.
Back Reflection
In ultrasonic testing, the signal received from the back surface of the pipe wall.
Back Scatter
The scattering of radiant energy into the hemisphere bounded by the plane normal to the direction of the incident radiation and lying on the same side as the incident ray.
Back Trapping
An undesirable bubble tray operating condition in which gas pulsation causes liquid to flow down through the chimneys to the tray below, bypassing the normal flow over the downcomer weir.
Back-in
An agreement in which a retained nonoperating interest may later be converted into a specified working interest.
Back-in Farm-out
A farm-out agreement in which a retained nonoperating interest may later be converted into a specified individual working interest.
Back-in Option
A provision in a farm-out agreement whereby the owner retains an option to exchange a retained override for a share of the working interest.
Back-in Provision Flag
An indicator of whether or not a back-in provision exists in the lease agreement.
Backflow
Fluid flow in a process component opposite to the normal flow direction.
Backhoe
An excavating machine whose bucket is attached to a boom and drawn toward the machine in operation.
Backup
The act of holding one section of pipe while another is screwed out of it or into it. For example, a backup wrench refers to any wrench being used to hold the pipe; backup tongs are applied to the drill pipe tongs suspended in the derrick and used to hold a section of drill pipe while another section is screwed into it by use of other tongs.
Backward Station Method
Also referred to as: Balanced Tangential Method.
Backwashing
The process of flushing the rock around the borehole by injecting fluids into the rock, then releasing pressure within the borehole to allow the fluids to flow back into the borehole.
Bacteria
Single celled microorganisms that lack chlorophyll. Some bacteria are capable of causing human, animal, or plant diseases; others are essential in pollution control processes because they break down organic matter in water and air.
Baffle
A device (e.g., a series of plates, wall, or screen) to deflect, check, or regulate flow.
Bail
(1) To recover wellbore fluids, samples, or drill cuttings by lowering a cylindrical vessel, called a bailer, to the wellbore bottomhole, filling it, and retrieving it. (2) A link of steel attached to pipe elevators for lifting.
Bailer
A long tubular vessel fitted with a bail at the upper end and with a valve at the bottom, used to remove water, cuttings, sand, mud and oil from a borehole.
Balanced Tangential Method
Uses the inclination and direction angles at the top and bottom of the course length in a manner so as to tangentially balance the two sets of measured angles over the course length. Results obtained are the same as the Acceleration, Trapezoidal, and Vector Averaging Methods.
Balancing
SEE: Gas Balance.
Balancing Agreement
A contractual agreement between two or more legal entities to account for differences between chart measured quantities and the total confirmed nominations at a point. They have been used to keep track of over/under production relative to entitlements between producers; over/under deliveries relative to confirmed nominations between operators of wells, pipelines, and Local Distribution Companies (LDC's).
Ball And Seat Valve
A type of valve used in a plunger pump.
Ball Valve
A type of quick opening valve with a spherical core, a ball with a full-bore port, that fits and turns in a mating cavity in the valve body.
Ballast
For mobile offshore drilling rigs, weight added to make the rig more seaworthy, increase its draft, or sink it to the seafloor. Sea water is usually used for ballast, but sometimes concrete or iron is used also to lower the rigs center of gravity permanently.
Bandpass
A range of frequencies; e.g., those passed (band-pass) or rejected (band-reject) by a filter. Measurements are usually made between points where the amplitude is down by 3 dB (i.e. 70% of amplitude or half power) from the peak value.
Bank Service Charge Override Amount
The amount to be used in lieu of the standard bank charge when the standard charge cannot be used.
Barite
Barium Sulfate, a mineral used to increase the weight of drilling fluid. Commonly abbreviated as BaSO4.
Barium Sulfate
BaSO4. SEE: Barite.
Barometer
An instrument for determining the pressure of the atmosphere.
Barometric Pressure Measurement
The pressure of the atmosphere as measured by a barometer.
Barrel
A unit of volumetric measurement at 60 degrees Fahrenheit (42 U.S. gallons or 5.61458 cubic feet). Commonly abbreviated as BBL.
Barrels Of Oil Equivalent
The quantity of Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) or natural gas necessary to equate on a British Thermal Unit (BTU) basis with a barrel of crude oil. For natural gas, 5.8 x 10(6th power) BTU equals one barrel of oil equivalent. For NGL, 1.455 barrels of NGL is equal to one barrel of oil equivalent. Commonly abbreviated as: BOE.
Base
(1) A compound of a metal, or a metal like group, with hydrogen and oxygen in the proportion to form an OH- radical, which ionizes in aqueous solution to yield hydroxyl ions in higher concentrations than hydrogen ions. Bases are formed when metallic oxides react with water. Bases increase the pH. Examples are caustic soda and lime.
Base Depth
The measured depth along a wellbore path of a well to the wellbore point that is the base (greater value of measured depth) point of reference for the interval.
Base Exchange
The replacement of cations associated with the clay surface by those of another species; e.g., the conversion of sodium clay to calcium clay.
Base Exchange Capacity
SEE: Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC).
Base Line
The distance trace (horizontal) across the A scan CRT display.
Base Map
A map on which information may be placed for purposes of comparison or geographical comparison.
Base Map Source Name
The originator of the base map; e.g., Muldrow; Tobin.
Base Mounting
SEE: Pedestal.
Baseline
(1) A very accurately surveyed line on the earth's surface, the exact length and position of which have been precisely determined. This survey line is used as a reference for accurately computing the distances and positions of remote points and objects.(2) The distance trace (horizontal) across the A-scan CRT display.
Basement
(1) Igneous and metamorphic rock ordinarily underlying sedimentary rock.(2) The undifferentiated rocks lying below the rocks of interest.
Basic Lease Description
The legal description of the land involved in the oil and gas lease.
Basic Sediment And Water
SEE: Sediment and Water (S AND W).
Basic Size
The theoretical or nominal standard size from which all variations are measured.
Basicity
The relative base strength of liquids as measured by pH. A pH value above 7.
Basin
(1) A low area in the earth's crust, of tectonic origin, in which sediments have accumulated.(2) Any area with thick sediments.
Basis Swap
Swap which typically involves one party paying the counterparty the NYMEX last three days +/- a location basis differential and receiving a specified monthly pipeline index price.
Basket Sub
A fishing accessory run above a bit to permit recovery of small fragments of metal or junk in a wellbore.
Batch
(1) A measured amount of oil, mud, acid, or other liquid in a tank or pipeline; a shipment of oil or product by pipeline.(2) One specific cement mixture, with additives.
Batch Number Within Stage Of Squeeze Process
The number of the individual cement batch within a stage of the squeeze job. A batch is defined as one specific cement mixture and the additives that go with that specific mixture.
Batch Treatment
Describes the batch injection of fluids to perform remedial and preventive treatment operations; e.g., scale removal; sand control; corrosion inhibition; asphaltene removal; paraffin removal.
Bathymetry Zone
Environmental zones which indicate approximately the same water depth; e.g., brackish; inner neritic or inner shelf; upper continental slope; abyssal.
Battery
SEE: Tank Battery.
Bay Closing Line
The dividing line at the mouth of a bay, or river, drawn from headland to headland which separates inland state waters and the shoreward boundary of the Submerged Lands Act grant to a coastal state.
Beach
(1) Area between the liquid pool and the solids discharge ports in a decanting centrifuge.(2) The unconsolidated material that covers a gently sloping zone, typically with a concave profile, extending landward from the low water line to the place where there is a definite change in material or physiographic form (such as a cliff) or to the line of permanent vegetation (usually the effective limit of the highest storm waves).
Beam
The walking beam of a pumping unit.
Beam Angle
The beam angle or angle of incidence is the angle between the normal to a plane surface of the specimen and the axis of the beam in the specimen. It is a function of the specimen material.
Beam Hanger
A steel hanger attached to the end of the walking beam, used to suspend the sucker rods in a wellbore.
Beam Spread
The divergence of the sound beam as it travels through a medium.
Beam Well
A well having fluid lifted by rods and a pump actuated by a beam pumping unit.
Bean
A type of choke used to regulate the flow of fluid from a wellbore. Different sizes of beans are used for different producing rates.
Bean Back
To use a smaller size bean or choke to reduce flow rate.
Bearing
(1) The angular direction of any place or object at one fixed point in relation to another fixed point, especially the horizontal direction of a line on the earth's surface with reference to the cardinal points of the compass.(2) A machine part in which another part, such as a journal or pin, turns or slides.
Bearing Definition Date
The date that the bearing was derived from positioning operations, derived by calculations, or revised according to some other method.
Bed Azimuth Angle
The angle that the bed surface deviates from the true vertical.
Bed Interval Type
Descriptive information about the type(s) and thickness of depositional bedding of the rock of a zone.
Bed Load
Coarse material; e.g., coarse sand, granules, pebbles; moved by rolling or bouncing along the bottom of a river undergoing erosion.
Bed Name
The name of a lithostratigraphic bed.
Bedding Plane
A planar or nearly planar bedding surface that visibly separates each successive layer of stratified rock from the preceding or following layer. It often marks a change in circumstance of deposition.
Bedding Type
The general physical and structural character or pattern of beds and their contacts within a rock mass; e.g., cross bedding; graded bedding; homogenous; wave ripples; planar cross beds.
Beginning Interest Period Date
The first date of a period when a check stub detail line represents more than one month's money. Used primarily for money that has been released from suspense.
Beginning Inventory Volume
The measured or calculated quantity of oil or condensate in storage tanks at the beginning of a specified period.
Beginning Test Date
The date that the identified test was started. Tests include drillstem test, formation test, reservoir limits, etc.
Bell Hole
A bell shaped hole dug beneath a pipeline to provide room for use of tools.
Bell Nipple
A casing nipple installed in the top of the blowout preventer. The top end of the nipple is expanded (belled) to guide drilling tools into the wellbore and usually has side connections for the fill line and the mud return line. Also referred to as: Mud Riser, Flow Nipple.
Bellows
An expansible accordion shaped device used to: (1) Impart motion to a recording or controlling element in an instrument.(2) Provide a flexible seal for pump shafts.
Belt
A flexible band or cord connecting and wrapping around each of two or more pulleys to transmit power or impart motion.
Benchmark
A relatively permanent material object, natural or artificial, bearing a marked point whose elevation above or below an adopted datum; e.g., sea level, is known.
Bending Moment
The moment tending to bend the drill string or bottomhole assembly.
Bending Stress
A bending moment generating a tensile stress on one side and a compressive stress on the other. As the drillstem rotates these stresses reverse and, consequently, can cause fatigue of the metal.
Benefit Cost Ratio
Present worth of a project divided by the present worth of the investment.
Bentonite
A colloidal clay composed of the mineral montmorillinite and having the property of swelling when wet.
Beta Ratio
The relationship between the diameter of an orifice and the inside diameter of the line; this ratio must be kept within a specific range for measurements to be accurate.
Bevel Angle
The angle between the weld preparation (and subsequently the fusion line) and the member surface.
Bha
SEE: Bottomhole Assembly.
Bha Material Type
Material that each element or component in the bottomhole assembly (BHA) is made of; e.g., steel, monel, aluminum.
Bhp
SEE: Bottomhole Pressure.
Bht
SEE: Bottomhole Temperature.
Bia
The Bureau of Indian Affairs of the Department of the Interior.
Bia Lease
A legal document authorized by and approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), on Indian Tribal properties, conveying certain rights to a lessee to explore for and to recover specified minerals or materials.
Bia Lease Number
An unique identifier assigned to leases and rights of way on tribal property by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).
Bia Release Date
The date the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) determines that an operator has taken care of the Incidence of Noncompliance thereby allowing the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to release the operator; i.e., release a shut in order.
Bid Week
The week of active trading, driven by the pipeline nomination process, typically around the 21st-27th of the month.
Bimetallic Cell
A corrosion cell in which dissimilar metals are connected together electrically both with a metallic path and with a liquid which is corrosive to at least one of the metals.
Bin
Historical: An area associated with a node as part of the binning process.
Bin Center
Historical: The geometric center of the bin.
Bin Centroid
The average (possibly weighted) value of source receiver midpoint locations (X and Y coordinates) of all traces that contributed to the stack for this bin node.
Bin Grid
A set of bin nodes arranged in inline and crossline directions, usually for a 3D survey.
Bin Node
An indexed reference point representing a horizontal position on the surface of the earth or a downhole position in a well. In 3D seismic the bin nodes normally define a regular, orthogonal grid. In 2D seismic, the bin nodes represent a corvilinear (not necessarily straight) sequencet of ground locations with which a final stacked or migrated trace will be associated. Also referred to as: a CDP or CMP location. In VSP surveys, the bin node is the position within a borehole with which a VSP trace is ass
Bin Set
Identifies a collection of nodes in a local grid. The grid is defined for the purpose of collecting data using an algorithm based on the location of the midpoint between the source and the reciever. Each node will be referenced by an Inline Index (2D line or VSP) and optional Crossline Index (3D survey). This entity and the Bin Nodes that point to it only define the grid. No assumption is made as to the algorithm which assigns data to nodes.
Binary Interaction Coefficient
The characteristic that defines the interaction of two fluid components in an equation of state.
Binning
The process of defining bin nodes within a seismic survey and later assigning seismic traces to those bin nodes by some criteria, usually spatial. Binning is an algorithmic process.
Bioassay
An assessment or test made using living organisms as the sensors; e.g., a fish toxicity test.
Biochemical Oxygen Demand
A standardized measure of the amount of oxygen consumed in the biological processes that break down organic matter in water. It is measured as the quantity of dissolved oxygen (mg/l) required during stabilization of the decomposable organic matter by aerobic biochemical action. Commonly abbreviated as BOD.
Biocide
A chemical agent used to destroy bacteria in water systems.
Biodegradable
Decomposable as a result of the action of microorganisms.
Biological Oxidation
The process by which bacterial and other microorganisms feed on complex organic materials and decompose them. The process is also called biochemical oxidation.
Biology
The science dealing with the origin, structure and life history of living organisms.
Biomonitoring
The use of living organisms, to test the suitability of effluent for discharge into receiving waters and to test the quality of such waters downstream from a discharge.
Biostratigraphic Unit
A classification of geologic time based on biostratigraphy.
Biostratigraphy
The branch of Stratigraphy dealing with the paleontologic aspects of rocks, or stratigraphy based on paleontologic methods, specifically the differentiation of rock units on the basis of the description and study of the fossils they contain.
Bioturbation
The mixing of sediments by burrowing organisms.
Bird Cage
(1) To flatten and spread the strands of a cable or wire rope.(2) The slatted or mesh enclosed cage used to hoist workmen from crew boats to offshore platforms.
Bit
SEE: Drill Bit.
Bit Hydraulic Horsepower
SEE: Drill Bit Hydraulic Horsepower.
Bitumen
A generic name for various solid or semisolid hydrocarbons; e.g., resins, asphaltines.
Black Crested Thread
Thread crests exhibiting the original pipe surface after machining.
Black Water
A term generally used to describe water that contains products of corrosion caused by bacterial action.
Blade
SEE: Flute.
Blank Flange
A solid disk used to dead end, or close off, a companion flange.
Blank Liner
A liner without perforations or slots.
Blank Off
To close off by sealing or plugging.
Blanket Gas
Gas from an outside source maintained in the space above the liquid used to keep air out of a liquid storage tank.
Bleed
To drain off liquid or gas, generally slowly, through a valve called a bleeder. To bleed down, or bleed off, is to slowly release the pressure of a well or of pressurized equipment.
Bleed Into
To cause a gas or liquid to mingle slowly with another gas or liquid, usually by pressure.
Bleeder
A connection on a line or piece of equipment used for releasing pressure or draining off undesirable liquids.
Bleeder Valve
(1) A small valve on a pipeline, pump, or tank from which samples are drawn or to vent air or oil.(2) Sample valve.
Bleeding
Separation of the liquid phase in a cement slurry due to settling of solids.
Blind
To close a line to prevent flow.
Blind Flange
A flange with no center bore, used to close off completely a flanged end or outlet connection.
Blind Ram
A ram whose end is not intended to fit drill pipe, but to seal against another and shut off completely the space below.
Blind Shear Ram
Blind ram with a built in cutting edge that will shear tubulars that may be in the wellbore, thus allowing the blind rams to seal the wellbore. Used primarily in subsea systems.
Blind Sidetrack
SEE: Sidetrack; Uncontrolled Sidetrack.
Blinding
A reduction of open area in a screening surface caused by coating or plugging.
Blister
A raised spot on the surface of pipe caused by expansion of gas in a cavity within the pipe wall.
Blm
The Bureau of Land Management of the Department of the Interior.
Blm Case File
A legal document authorized by and approved by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), usually for onshore properties, conveying certain rights to a lessee to explore for and to recover specified minerals or materials. Includes leases, unit agreements, communitization agreements, royalty agreements, gas storage agreements, and development contracts.
Block
In mechanics, one or more pulleys or sheaves mounted to rotate on a common axis; any assembly of pulleys on a common framework. The crown block is an assembly of sheaves mounted on beams at the top of the derrick.. The drilling cable is reeved over the sheaves of the crown block alternately with the sheaves of the traveling block, which is hoisted and lowered in the derrick by means of the drilling cable.
Block (federal Non- 8g Area)
Surface area under the jurisdiction of the United States government located more than three nautical miles of the seaward boundary of any coastal state.
Blooie Line
Flow line for air or gas drilling.
Blow Case
(1) A coded horizontal or vertical vessel employed in moving low pressure liquids to a higher pressure destination by pressure sequencing accomplished with instrumentation.(2) A small vessel into which gas pressure is applied to blow liquid to another destination, such as a stock tank.
Blowdown
The venting of pressure from a wellbore, vessel, or pipeline.
Blowdown Period
Period following completion of a cycling or pressure maintenance operation in a reservoir, in which remaining gas is produced from the reservoir without being replaced by gas injected.
Blowdown Valve
An automatically operated normally open valve used to vent the pressure from a process station on shutdown.
Blowdown Valve Setting
The pressure setting for an automatically operated, normally closed valve (fail open) used to vent the pressure from a process station on shutdown.
Blowout
A sudden, violent escape of subsurface fluids from a wellbore. A blowout occurs when a high pressure zone is penetrated and the zone's fluid pressures are not counterbalanced by the weight of the column of drilling fluid within the wellbore. Fluids from the zone enter the borehole without restriction.
Blowout Material
The material that is involved in the blowout; e.g., oil, mud, gas, water.
Blowout Preventer
Equipment installed at the wellbore origin, below the drilling floor on land and platform rigs and on the seafloor of floating offshore rigs to close in the wellbore. Abbreviated as BOP. SEE ALSO; Blowout; Close In; Wellbore Origin; Wellbore.
Blowout Preventer Actuation Test
The closing and opening of a blowout preventer unit to assure mechanical functionability.
Blowout Preventer Annular Type
A device that can form a seal in the annular space around any object in the wellbore or upon itself. Compression of a reinforced elastomer packing element by hydraulic pressure effects the seal.
Blowout Preventer Drill
A training procedure to determine that rig crews are familiar with correct operating practices to be followed in the use of blowout prevention equipment. A dry run of blowout preventive action.
Blowout Preventer Guide Base
The structure located on the sea floor used to guide the drilling assembly and to stabilize the blowout preventer stack. The structure may be permanent or temporary.
Blowout Preventer Operating And Control System
The assembly of pumps, valves, lines, accumulators, and other items necessary to open and close the blowout preventer equipment.
Blowout Preventer Pressure Test
The process of pressure testing internally a blowout preventer or blowout preventer assembly.
Blowout Preventer Ram Type
A device designed to form a seal on the wellbore with no pipe or in the annular space with pipe. The equipment can use pipe rams, blind rams, or blind/shear/cutter rams to affect the required seal, according to equipment availability, arrangement of the equipment, and/or existing well conditions. Pipe rams have ends contoured to seal around pipe to close and seal the annular space. Blind rams have ends not intended to seal against any tubulars, rather they seal against each other to effectively close an
Blowout Preventer Remote Control
A control that actuates the blowout preventer from a position apart from the blowout preventer.
Blowout Preventer Size
The nominal inside diameter of an item of blowout prevention equipment used during drilling operation.
Blowout Preventer Stack
The assembly of well control equipment including preventers, spools, valves, and nipples connected to the top of the casinghead.
Blowout Preventer Test Pressure Measurement
The minimum acceptable pressure at which the blowout preventer is tested for integrity.
Blowout Preventer Test Tool
A tool to allow pressure testing of the blowout preventer stack and accessory equipment by sealing the wellbore immediately below the stack.
Blowout Preventer Type Code
An indicator of the type of blowout preventer ( annular, diverter, pipe ram, etc.).
Blowout Well
A well in which a blowout occurred during drilling operations.
Bluff Body
An opaque object located in a fluid flow stream and developing a high drag force because it lacks streamlining.
Blunt Start
The removal of the partial thread at the entering end of thread.
Bob Tail Plant
A plant which extracts liquefiable hydrocarbons from gas, but does not break down the liquid stream into its separate components.
Boiler
A closed pressure vessel that has a furnace equipped to burn coal, oil, or gas and is used to generate steam from water.
Boilerhouse
(1) To make up a report on a condition as fact without knowledge of its accuracy.(2) Sometimes referred to as doghouse.
Boiling Point
The temperature at which a liquid boils at a standard pressure of 760 mm Hg (1 atmosphere).
Boll Weevil
An inexperienced rig or oil field employee. Sometimes the word is shortened simply to weevil.
Bolting
Threaded fasteners (studs, nuts, bolts and capscrews) used to assemble pressure containing parts or join end or outlet connections.
Bomb
SEE: Bottomhole Pressure Bomb; Vapor Pressure Bomb.
Bond
(1) Adhering, binding, or joining of two materials; e.g., cement to casing.(2) A monetary guarantee.
Bond Collateral Amount
The value of the guarantee by a security pledged against the performance of an obligation.
Bond Collateral Effective Date
The date that a guarantee by a security pledged against the performance of an obligation became effective.
Bond Collateral Number
The identifier associated with the guarantee by security pledged against the performance of an obligation associated with a mineral lease or pipeline right of way.
Bond Collateral Type Code
Indicates the type of security pledged against the performance of an obligation; e.g., surety bond; treasury note; insurance policy; letter of credit.
Bonding
The state of bond between cement and casing and/or formation.
Bonnet
The part of a valve that packs off and encloses the valve stem.
Bonus
The monetary consideration submitted by a prospective lessee in exchange for obtaining the rights to explore, develop and produce minerals. The monetary consideration may be called an oil and gas royalty bonus. This may be in the form of an overriding royalty reserved for the mineral rights owner in addition to the usual 1/8 royalty.
Bonus Amount
The amount of money paid by the lessee for the execution of an oil and gas lease to the mineral rights owner.
Bonus Date
The date a bonus agreement occurred.
Bonus Rate
The amount of money per acre or hectare needed to secure a leasehold.
Bonus Type
The type of the bonus paid; e.g., amount per acre, amount per lease.
Book Value
Net amount at which an asset is valued on financial books. May vary from its market or intrinsic value. Book value is unrecovered cost; i.e., original cost less accumulated depreciation, depletion, amortization, abandonments.
Boom
(1) A member hinged to the revolving upperstructure and used for supporting the hoist tackle.(2) A long beam supported by a derrick to hoist loads. (3) A tubular shaped absorbent material utilized in spill containment.
Boom Angle
The angle above or below horizontal of the longitudinal axis of the base boom section.
Boom Angle Flag
An indicator that an accessory which measures the angle of the boom above horizontal is present.
Boom Chord
A main corner member of a lattice type boom.
Boom Extension
Intermediate section of a telescoping boom.
Boom Foot Pin
The boom pivot point on the upperstructure.
Boom Hoist Mechanism
Means for supporting the boom and controlling the boom angle.
Boom Hoist Wire Rope
Wire rope that operates on a drum controlling the angle positioning of the boom.
Boom Lacing
Structural truss members at angles to and supporting the boom chords of a lattice type boom.
Boom Length
The straight line distance from the centerline of boom foot pin to centerline of boom point load hoist sheave pin, measured along the longitudinal axis of the boom.
Boom Lift Cylinder
Means for supporting the boom and controlling the boom angle.
Boom Point Sheave Assembly
An assembly of sheaves and pin built as an integral part of the boom point.
Boom Splice
Splicing connections for sections of basic crane boom and additional sections usually of the splice plate type, pin type or butt type.
Boom Stop
A device used to limit the angle of the boom at the highest recommended position.
Boom Tip Extension
SEE: Jib.
Boomer
A device used to tighten chains on a load of pipe or other material on a truck to make it secure.
Boot
(1) A large section of large size pipe used as a surge column on a vessel. (2) In regard to a flow or tank boot, a tubular device placed in a vertical position, either inside or outside a larger vessel, through which fluids are conducted before they enter the larger vessel. A boot aids in the separation of gas from wet oil. Also known as: Flume.
Bop
SEE: Blowout Preventer.
Borehole
A physical hole created by boring or drilling. The term borehole is used in a descriptive sense, as in borehole axis, borehole diameter, borehole effect (on wireline log response), borehole caving and borehole televiewer.
Borehole Axis
A line through the axis of the borehole, generally considered to be the centralized position that would be taken by a stiff tubular member inserted through that section of the borehole.
Borehole Azimuth Angle
The angle between north and the projection of the borehole axis onto a horizontal plane. Angle is referred to either true north, magnetic north, or grid north.
Borehole Compensated Sonic Log
A well log of the interval transit time; i.e., the time required for a compression wave to travel a unit distance in the rocks surrounding the borehole; the reciprocal of the compressional velocity. The borehole compensated sonic tool has tranducers arranged to reduce effects of sonde tilt, changes in borehole size and other factors.
Borehole Course
The path of the axis of the borehole over an interval length.
Borehole Course Bearing
The azimuth of the borehole course.
Borehole Course Deviation
The length of a line made by projecting a borehole course length onto a horizontal plane. In practice, the horizontal displacement between two stations regardless of direction.
Borehole Course Length
The difference in measured depth or actual borehole length from one station to another.
Borehole Diameter
Measurement of the diameter of the borehole.
Borehole Direction
Refers to the azimuth in which the borehole is heading.
Borehole Directional Survey
SEE: Directional Survey.
Borehole Gravimeter
A gravimeter designed for use within a wellbore and equipped for remote leveling and reading at precisely determined depths. It can be used to measure bulk density of rocks surrounding the borehole.
Borehole High Side
The side of the borehole in the upward direction with respect to gravity.
Borehole Hole Change
A supplemental operation in a borehole; e.g., redrill; deepen; recomplete; rework.
Borehole Hole Clearance
The space between the outside of the pipe and the side of the drilled hole.
Borehole Hole Curvature
Refers to the changes in inclination and direction of the borehole.
Borehole Low Side
The side of the borehole in the downward direction with respect to gravity.
Borehole Problem Flag
An indicator that problems were encountered within the borehole.
Borehole Problem Type
The type of borehole problem that was encountered; e.g., keyseat; dogleg; junk; sloughing; lost hole; unintentional sidetrack.
Borehole Segment Problem Measured Top Depth
The measured depth to the top of a borehole segment where an operational problem is occurring.
Borehole Segment Problem Measured Top Depth
The measured depth to the top of a borehole segment where an operational problem is occurring.
Borehole Survey Calculation Method
Refers to the mathematical methods and assumptions used in reconstructing the path of the borehole and in generating the space curve path of the borehole from inclination and direction angle measurements taken along the borehole. These measurements are obtained from gyroscopic or magnetic instruments of either the single shot or multi shot type. (1) Acceleration Method Utilizes the angles at the top and bottom of the course length and from these generates a curve on the assumption that the measured an
Borehole Televiewer
A well logging system wherein a pulsed, narrow acoustic (sonar) beam scans the borehole wall in a tight helix as the tool moves up the wellbore. A display of the amplitude of the reflected wave on a cathode ray tube (television screen) is photographed yielding a picture of the borehole wall.
Borescope
A long optical instrument with an illuminating lamp for inspecting the inside surface of a pipe.
Bottom
Used in conjunction with top to represent a vertical interval. Also can refer to ocean bottom or sea bottom.
Bottom Casing Packer
A mechanism that seals off annular pressure between the outside diameter of a suspended tubular member or hanger and the inside diameter of the spool or tubing head adapter being placed over the suspended tubular or hanger.
Bottom Flooding
The behavior of a hydrocyclone when the underflow discharges in a liquid stream.
Bottom Latitude Of Area
The latitude bounding the bottom of the area. The southern most latitude.
Bottom Settlings
Sediment, earthy matter or inert organic matter which accumulates when crude petroleum is stored in tanks.
Bottom Water
Water occurring in a producing reservoir below the oil or gas in the reservoir.
Bottomhole
Bottomhole is used to describe a position along a wellbore path that is usually at or near a terminus of an open borehole. Bottomhole is also used to describe equipment used at these positions, or physical conditions or agreements related to these positions.
Bottomhole Assembly
(1) An assembly composed of the bit, stabilizers, reamers, drill collars, subs, etc., used at the bottom of the drillstring. Commonly abbreviated BHA.
Bottomhole Assembly Start Up Date
The date the bottomhole assembly (BHA) is entered into the borehole to commence drilling.
Bottomhole Assembly Start Up Depth
The depth at which the bottomhole assembly (BHA) will commence drilling; i.e., the present total depth of the wellbore prior to inserting the bottomhole assembly into the wellbore.
Bottomhole Back Torque
Torque on the drillstem causing a twisting of the string.
Bottomhole Choke
A device with a restricted opening placed in the lower end of the tubing to control the rate of liquid or gas flow to the surface.
Bottomhole Circulating Pressure Measurement
The pressure at the bottom of a wellbore during circulation of any fluid. It is equal to the hydrostatic head plus the annulus friction loss required to move the fluid to the surface plus any back pressure held at the surface.
Bottomhole Cost
SEE: Bottomhole Money Contribution.
Bottomhole Depth
The maximum measured depth to a wellbore bottomhole.
Bottomhole Formation Name
Name of the formation at the wellbore bottomhole.
Bottomhole Location
The location of a wellbore bottomhole.
Bottomhole Location Civil Survey
The bottomhole location referenced to a civil survey.
Bottomhole Location East West Closure From Surface Locationthe East-west Measurement For A Bottomhole Location Referenced To A Wellbore Origin Of The Well Or Reference Point Of The Well.
Bottomhole Location Method Code
A code assigned by Minerals Management Service (MMS) to identify the method (Latitude, Longitude, metes and bounds, etc.) that is used to report the bottomhole location of the wellbore/zone.
Bottomhole Location North South Closure From Surf Location The North-south Measurement For A Bottomhole Location Referenced To A Wellbore Origin Of The Well Or Reference Point Of The Well.
Bottomhole Location X-coordinate
The measurement for a bottomhole location from either a Lambert or Mercator map using a common reference point moving +/- (n/s) from that point.
Bottomhole Location Y-coordinate
The measurement for a bottomhole location from either a Lambert or Mercator map using a common reference point moving +/- (e/w) from that point.
Bottomhole Money Contribution Amount
The amount of money contribution to the drilling party for reaching a specified wellbore depth or stratigraphic equivalent, irrespective of productivity.
Bottomhole Offset Distance
The horizontal distance between the surface location of a wellbore and its bottomhole.
Bottomhole Orientation Sub
A sub in which a free floating ball rolls to the low side and opens a port indicating an orientation position. Sometimes abbreviated as BHO SUB.
Bottomhole Pressure Bomb
A device consisting of a pressure element and a recording device which may be run into a wellbore on wire line or a DST tool and used to record the pressure at any depth.
Bottomhole Pressure Depth
The depth at which a bottomhole pressure measurement is recorded.
Bottomhole Pressure Elapsed Time
The time between beginning and ending of the bottomhole pressure test.
Bottomhole Pressure Measurement
The pressure measurement recorded at a point within a wellbore, usually the wellbore bottomhole, and generally associated with the pore pressure of the rocks surrounding the borehole. Commonly abbreviated as BHP.
Bottomhole Pressure Required Flag
An indicator of whether a bottomhole pressure needs to be filed.
Bottomhole Separator
A downhole device to separate gas from oil while the pump is fully submerged.
Bottomhole Static Pressure
SEE: Shut in Bottomhole Pressure.
Bottomhole Temperature
The temperature measurement recorded at a point within a wellbore, usually at the wellbore bottomhole, and generally associated with the temperature of the rocks surrounding the borehole. Commonly abbreviated as: BHT.
Bottomhole Temperature For Log Run
Bottomhole temperature as measured during the log run using a maximum-reading thermometer.
Bottomhole Temperature Measured Depth
The measured depth at which a bottomhole temperature measurement is recorded.
Bottomhole Test Run Number
A number used to identify a specific bottomhole pressure test when multiple tests are conducted concurrently.
Bottomhole Test True Vertical Depth
The true vertical depth from the surface to the depth where the bottomhole pressure test is performed.
Bottoms
The bottom liquid stream leaving a separation process in which a lighter or more volatile stream goes overhead.
Bottoms Up
To wash rock cuttings from the wellbore bottomhole to the surface by maintaining circulation after halting the drilling operation. This allows time for the closer inspection of the cuttings and for a decision based on the results of that inspection.
Bouguer Correction
A correction to gravity data because of the attraction of the rock between the station and the elevation of the datum, often sea level.
Bouguer Density
The gravity survey measurement.
Boulder
A clastic, sedimentary particle with a diameter greater than 256 millimeters, based on the Wentworth Scale of Measurement.
Boundary Echo
A reflection of an ultrasonic wave from an interface.
Bowl
A device that fits in the rotary table or wellhead to hold the wedges or slips that support a string of drill pipe, casing or tubing while tripping in or out of the wellbore.
Bowl Pump
The metal housing for an impeller on a vertical pump.
Boyle's Law
The volume of any weight of gas is inversely proportional to the absolute pressure provided the temperature remains constant.
Brace
Structural members that serve to stiffen the hull structure and provide deck support.
Brackish Water
Water containing low concentrations of any soluble salts.
Bradenhead
A casinghead.
Bradenhead Gas
SEE: Casinghead Gas.
Bradenhead Squeeze
The process by which hydraulic pressure is applied to fluids in the wellbore to force local fluid movement. Annular returns may be prevented by closing the casinghead valves instead of installing a packer.
Braided Line
Fibers or filaments twisted together to form a cable. Also called Stranded Line.
Brake
A device used for retarding or stopping motion or holding.
Brake Shoe
That part of a shoe type brake or clutch which makes contact with brake drum.
Braking Capacity
The load which the drawworks brake and auxiliary brake can retard to a constant reasonable speed, or hold.
Brass
An alloy of copper (60 percent or over) and zinc.
Breach Block Connector
Driveable quick connections normally used for conductor casing.
Break Circulation
To start movement of the drilling fluid after it has been quiescent in the wellbore.
Breaker
An electrical device that terminates the flow of electricity.
Breaking Down
SEE: Laying Down.
Breaking Out Pipe
SEE: Breakout.
Breakout
To unscrew one section of pipe from another section.
Breakout Oil
Oil that has risen to the surface of the drilling fluid which previously had been combined in the fluid as emulsion.
Breakout Torque
The torque required to break out the pipe connection, associated with casing or tubing in a borehole.
Breather
A vertical piece of pipe, equipped with an open end return bend, located on top of an atmospheric pressure vessel to permit air to flow into or out of the vessel and thus prevent a vacuum or excessive pressure.
Breathing
(1) Surging in the flow of gas from a well.(2) The vertical motion of tubing during pumping operations.(3) The escape of gas from stock tanks due to changes in temperature.
Breeching
An extension of the firetube outside of the vessel which is being heated. The arrestor breeching serves as the attachment for the flame arrestor and surrounds the mechanical devices; i.e., mixer; igniter.
Bridge
An obstruction of the wellbore caused by collapse of the borehole walls.
Bridge Plug
A borehole tool, composed primarily of slips, plug mandrel, and a rubber sealing element, which is run in and set in casing or liner to isolate a wellbore interval.
Bridging Material
Fibrous, flaky, or granular material added to a cement slurry or drilling fluid to aid in sealing formations in which lost circulation has occurred.
Bridle
SEE: Floating Harness.
Brief
A document used to supply all necessary information and outline essential steps, in chronological order, for performing work activities.
Bright Spot Code
Indicates the probability that a bright spot exists in a borehole.
Brine
Water saturated with or containing a high concentration of common salt (sodium chloride); hence, any strong saline solution containing such other salts as calcium chloride, zinc chloride, calcium nitrate, etc.
Bring In A Well
To complete a well and put it on production.
British Thermal Unit
The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. Commonly abbreviated as BTU.
Broken Thread
A thread tooth that exhibits a fracture through it, or that has a portion missing with its remaining surfaces having a broken appearance.
Bromine Value
The number of centigrams of bromine which are absorbed by 1 g of oil under certain conditions. This is a test for the degree of unsaturatedness of a given oil.
Bronze
An alloy of tin (usually under 12 percent) and copper. Frequently used as a name for brass.
Brownian Movement
Continuous, irregular motion exhibited by particles suspended in a liquid or gaseous medium, usually as a colloidal dispersion.
Bs & W
SEE: Basic Sediment and Water.
Bs&w Percentage
The percent of basic sediments and water (BS&W) contained in the total liquids produced.
Btu
SEE: British Thermal Unit.
Btu ( Dry)
SEE: Dry BTU.
Btu Sample Point Code
An indicator of whether a British Thermal Unit (BTU) adjustment is to be made using the well BTU or plant outlet BTU.
Btu ( Saturated)
SEE: Saturated BTU.
Btu Test Interval
This is the interval between British Thermal Unit (BTU) tests required by the contract. Normally reported in months.
Btu Value
The quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree fahrenheit.
Btu Value Limit
British Thermal Unit (BTU) value limit set by a lease contract.
Bubble Cap
A metal cap designed with openings to cause the upward flowing gas bubbles in a gas processing tower to intimately contact downward flowing liquids, causing some of the gas to condense to liquid. Bubble caps are mounted on a perforated steel bubble cap tray.
Bubble Cap Tray
Shelves or horizontal baffles inside a fractionation tower or column that are perforated to allow the fluid charge to run down to the bottom of the column and the vapors to rise through the trays to the top where they are drawn off. The perforations in the trays are made with small, umbrella-like caps called bubble caps whose purpose is to force the rising vapors to bubble through the several inches of liquid standing on each tray before the vapors move upward to the next tray. The hot vapors bubbling th
Bubble Point
The state of a liquid phase system when it is in equilibrium with an infinitesimal amount of vapor phase.
Bubble Point Pressure Measurement
The pressure at reservoir temperature at which gas in solution in crude oil comes out of solution as free gas. Synonymous with saturation pressure of the crude oil.
Bubble Tower
A process vessel equipped with bubble trays and arranged to permit multi-stage, countercurrent contacting of two phases, usually a liquid and a vapor.
Bubble Tray
A circular metal plate equipped with slotted metal caps inverted over short chimneys in the plate. Its purpose is to break up an ascending gas stream into small bubbles in order to present a large surface area to a contacting liquid flowing over the tray.
Buckle
A distortion, bend, or kink.
Buffer
Any substance or combination of substances which, when dissolved in water, produces a solution which resists a change in its pH upon the addition of acid or base.
Buffer Capacity
The ability of a solution to maintain a definite pH when subjected to the action of certain chemicals.
Build And Hold Wellbore
A wellbore configuration where the inclination is increased to some terminal angle of inclination and maintained at that angle to the specified target.
Building Cost
Costs associated with buildings such as residences, laboratory, storage, garages, bunkhouses, bathhouses, toolhouses, and firehouses. Buildings serving as office, storehouse, repair garage, machine shop, electric shop, etc., are charged to the applicable plant facility.
Buildup
That portion of the wellbore in which the inclination angle is increased: rate of buildup is usually expressed as the angular increase per unit length measured depth.
Buildup Test
A test in which a well completion is shut in for a period of time, after which the bottomhole pressure measured.
Bulk Data
Data of relatively simple structure and large volume usually managed as a coherent set rather than piecemeal.
Bulk Density
The mass per unit volume of an object or material divided by its volume, including the volume of its pore spaces.
Bulk Volume
(1) The total volume of a rock including the pore volume.(2) The portion of the total volume of a substance occupied by one component.
Bulkhead
Stiffened vertical or horizontal load bearing diaphragm.
Bull Gear
SEE: Swing Gear.
Bull Plug
A threaded nipple with a rounded, closed end used to close a wellhead or flowline opening or close off the end of a line.
Bullhead Squeeze
The process by which hydraulic pressure is applied to fluids in a wellbore to force local fluid movement. Annular flow (returns) is prevented by a packer set in the casing above the perforations and/or in open borehole.
Bump A Well
To lower a sucker rod string on a pumping unit into a wellbore so that the pump hits bottom on the downstroke.
Bump Down
SEE: Bump a Well.
Bumper Jar
SEE: Jar.
Buoyancy
The capacity to remain afloat.
Buoyancy Equipment
Devices added to tendon or riser joints to reduce their weight in water, thereby reducing top tension requirements. The devices normally used for risers take the form of syntactic foam modules or open bottom air chambers.
Burn Pit
An earthen pit for accumulating and burning unsalvable oil.
Burner
A fuel-burning device producing a flame.
Burr
A localized point of roughness, or a thin ridge or protrusion, produced by mechanical damage or in machining the thread or chamfer.
Burst Pressure Measurement
The internal pressure required to rupture the given tubular product.
Bushing
In the case of pipes and rods, a removable cylindrical adapter (usually threaded) to change or limit the size of an opening. A pipe or rod protector from friction.
Business Associate
A party with which some form of products and/or services is exchanged; e.g., seismic/logging company, applicant, working interest owner, drilling contractor, designated operator, original operator, previous operator.
Business Associate Code
An indicator assigned to representt a business associate.
Business Associate Identification Number
The unique number assigned to identify a business associate.
Business Associate Mailing Address
The complete office mailing address for the Business Associate.
Business Associate Name
The name of the company or individual which distinguishes it from others.
Business Associate Number
SEE: Business Associate Identification Number
Business Associate Type Code
An indicator of the type of business associate; e.g., company; applicant; working interest owner; contractor; operator; original operator; previous operator, surface owner.
Business Contact
A record of interaction between business associates.
Butt Welded Pipe
Pipe having one longitudinal seam formed by mechanical pressure to make the welded junction, the edges being furnace heated to the welding temperature prior to welding.
Butterfly Valve
A type of quick opening valve whose orifice is opened and closed by a disk that pivots on a shaft in the throat of the valve.
Bypass
A pipe connection around a valve or other control mechanism. A bypass is installed in such cases to permit passage of fluid through the bypass line while adjustments or repairs are made on the control which is bypassed.
Bypass Valve
SEE: Remedial Sidetrack.
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