E

Keep Whole
Provision in gas processing agreements that essentially allows the producer to receive at least an amount equal to proceeds the producer would have been entitled to had he sold the gas at the wellhead without processing.

Kelly
The heavy square or hexagonal steel member which is suspended from the swivel through the rotary table and connected to the drill pipe to turn the drillstring.

Kelly Bushing
Device fitted to the rotary table through which the kelly passes and by means of which the torque of the rotary table is transmitted to the kelly and to the drillstem. Sometimes called drive bushing.

Kelly Bushing Elevation
The distance from the rotary kelly bushing of the drilling rig to the mean sea level.

Kelly Cock
A valve installed between the swivel and kelly. When a high pressure backflow begins, the operator can close this valve and keep the pressure off the swivel and rotary hose.

Kelly Internal Diameter
The inside diameter of the kelly.

Kelly Length
The length of the kelly.

Kelly Valve
An essentially full opening valve installed immediately below the kelly, with outside diameter equal to the tool joint outside diameter. Valve can be closed to remove the kelly under pressure and can be stripped in the borehole for snubbing operations.

Kerogen
Fossilized insoluble organic material found in sedimentary rocks, usually shales, which can be converted to petroleum products by distillation.

Keyes Field Annual Pressure Constant
The value of 40% of the average shut in psia pressure of wells in the Keyes field, determined annually. Used in the calculation of permitted production rates of wells in this field.

Keyes Field Flow Coefficient
Partial flow calculation (labeled "Extention" on older Form 1018 versions). Defined as the 24 hour coefficient, times the square root (Differential pressure(inches water) x psia Meter Pressure).

Keyes Field Well Pressure Control Factor
The shut-in pressure of a particular well, minus the Keyes Field Annual Pressure Constant. Used in the determination of permitted production rates of wells in this field.

Keyseat
A condition wherein the wall of the borehole is abraded and enlarged sideways and with a diameter smaller than the drill collars and the bit. Usually caused by the tool joints on the drill pipe.

Keyseat Wiper
A special reamer device designed to run in the drillstem assembly to enlarge the diameters of keyseats to the size of the drill collars.

Kick
An unintended entry of water, gas, oil, or other rock fluid into the borehole. A kick occurs because the pressure exerted by the column of fluid in the wellbore is not great enough to overcome the pressure exerted by the fluids in the rocks drilled. If prompt and proper action is not taken, a blowout may occur.

Kick Over Tool
The wireline tool which guides the wireline gas lift valve into the mandrel pocket when installing the valve or guides the pulling tools onto the valve when recovering the valve.

Kickoff Date
The initiation date of sidetrack drilling operations.

Kickoff Point
The depth of wellbore intersection where drilling begins to deviate the wellbore path from vertical, or from a lateral to a spoke in a horizontal well.

Kill A Well
(1) The act of bringing under control a well which is blowing out.(2) To stop a well from producing so that surface connections may be removed for well servicing or workover. This is usually accomplished by circulating water or mud to load the hole and render it incapable of flowing.

Kill Line
A high pressure line (pipe or hose) below the blowout preventer, connecting the mud pump and the wellbore through which heavy drilling fluid can be pumped to control a threatened blowout. .

Kill Weight Fluid
A drilling fluid with a density yielding a hydrostatic pressure equal to or greater than the pressure of the reservoirs exposed in the borehole wall.

Kinematic Viscosity
The kinematic viscosity of a fluid is the ratio of the viscosity (e.g., cp in g/cm-sec) to the density (e.g., g/cc) using consistent units. In several common commercial viscometers the kinematic viscosity is measured in terms of the time of efflux (in seconds) of a fixed volume of liquid through a standard capillary tube or orifice.

Kinetic Mixer
A section of pipe containing baffles with the purpose of inducing turbulent flow forcing multiple streams into solution.

Kitchen
That portion of a geologic basin having the temperature and pressure conditions to generate hydrocarbons from source rocks.

Klinkenberg Correction
Absolute permeability corrected for Klinkenberg effect.

Klinkenberg Effect
The difference between the flow of a gas and a liquid through a reservoir, affecting the permeability. Gas flow is less impeded by grain surfaces than liquid flow.

Knife Edge
A sharp edge at the end of the pipe producing no face. Caused by an excessively small chamfer diameter and/or excessive inside diameter bevel. Also referred to as razor edge.

Knock Off Block
The post and hook that are used to hang off a well operated through a rod line.

Knockout
SEE: Water Knockout.

Knuckle Joint
A deflection tool, placed above the tools in the work string, that has a ball and socket arrangement which allows the tool to be deflected at an angle. A knuckle joint is sometimes useful in fishing operations because it allows the fishing tool to be deflected to the side of the borehole where a fish may have come to rest.