Onshore Drilling (Part 1)

Drilling into the Earth in the hopes of uncovering valuable resources is nothing new. In fact, the digging of water and irrigation wells dates back to the beginning of recorded history. At first, these wells were primarily dug by hand, then by crude stone or wood tools. Metallurgy brought about the use of iron and bronze tools to delve beneath the Earth’s surface, and innovations led to more efficient ways of removing debris from the newly dug hole. The first recorded instance of the practice of ‘drilling’ holes in the ground came about around 600 B.C., when the Chinese developed a technique of repeatedly pounding bamboo shoots capped with metal bits into the ground. This crude technology was the first appearance of what is known today as ‘percussion drilling,’ a method of drilling that is still in use. Much advancement has been made since these first bamboo drilling implements. This section will cover the basics of modern onshore natural gas drilling practices. Laversab oilfield systems equips its clients with the technology and tools to expedite the drilling process.

There are two main types of onshore drilling. Percussion, or ‘cable tool’ drilling, consists of raising and dropping a heavy metal bit into the ground, effectively punching a hole down through the earth. Cable tool drilling is usually used for shallow, low pressure formations. The second drilling method is known as rotary drilling, and consists of a sharp, rotating metal bit used to drill through the Earth’s crust. This type of drilling is used primarily for deeper wells, which may be under high pressure.

Cable Tool Drilling

Cable tool, or percussion drilling, is recognized by many as the first drilling method employed to dig wells into the earth for the purpose of reaching petroleum deposits and water. This method is still in use in some of the shallow wells in the Appalachian Basin, although rotary drilling has taken over the bulk of modern drilling activities.

The basic concept for cable tool drilling consists of repeatedly dropping a heavy metal bit into the ground, eventually breaking through rock and punching a hole through to the desired depth. The bit, usually a blunt, chisel shaped instrument, can vary with the type of rock that is being drilled. Water is used in the well hole to combine with all of the drill cuttings, and is periodically bailed out of the well when this ‘mud’ interferes with the effectiveness of the drill bit.

Offshore Drilling

Offshore oil drilling is an oil extraction technique which allows oil companies to access deposits of oil buried under the ocean floor. Most typically, offshore drilling sites are situated over the continental shelf, although advancements in drilling technology have made platforms even further out to sea economically and physically feasible. Many people are opposed to offshore oil drilling, due to concerns about its impact on the environment, and the unaesthetic appearance of oil rigs off the coastline.

Many sections of the Earth's oceans have massive deposits of oil buried deep beneath their surface, and these oil deposits are extremely appealing to many oil companies. The first offshore oil drilling operation was established in 1938 in the Gulf of Mexico, and other producers quickly started to follow suit in other regions of the world. By the 1970s, many communities had enacted specific bans against offshore drilling, and the issue became a bone of contention in some areas.

There are several ways in which an offshore oil drilling operation can be run, and the type of oil rig used is usually dependent on the depth at the location, the type of oil, and prevailing conditions. Classically, fixed rigs are built into place on the ocean floor, with multiple well heads and adjustable parts to allow engineers to extract oil from the surrounding area. Floating rigs are also used, in some regions, and in some areas offshore oil drilling is conducted on ships for even more mobility.

Working on an offshore drilling rig can be extremely dangerous. Although hazardous area computers help obviate some danger, the risks of something going wrong still are much higher in the drilling industry than in most others. Several accidents have caused rigs to explode, capsize, or become badly damaged, with accompanying loss of life, and many crews today are housed offsite, so that if something happens to the rig, the loss of life will be less severe. Workers on oil rigs still have to contend with severe weather conditions, problems with the rig, and geological conditions which could become dangerous, and they are typically highly paid in recognition of the risks of the industry.

The environmental effects of offshore drilling are primarily caused by pollution related to poorly maintained and operated rigs. Oil spills around rigs are common, especially at the seafloor, where drilling may stimulate seepage, and heavy metal pollution can also occur. Some people also feel that offshore oil drilling disrupts and confuses marine life, although ironically rigs can also provide shelter to seabirds and fish.

How Have We Improved Oil Rig Technology?

When the technology in consumer goods like cell phones improves, we all know about it instantly, because we all use these gadgets. But truthfully, technological improvements in specialized equipment like oil rigs, is probably just as important, if not as reported.

For instance, in the wake of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, GE Oil & Gas created more advanced blowout preventers that use the water pressure surrounding the well to seal it in case of an emergency. The company also developed a black-box system similar to those used in airplanes. This black box will record data if something goes wrong on the rig or with the well so the problem can be quickly analyzed and corrected. Its function serves a purpose similar to that of an ATEX computer or Zone 1 Computer

Intel, the same company that likely made the memory for your computer, has invented sensors that are housed inside heavy-duty cases meant to be strapped directly to the oil rig. Several of these sensors could be fitted to any oil rig and would feed information to a central computer set up to collect the data. This warning system could tell well workers when it was time to start emergency procedures, which could save lives, oil and the environment, too.

Fossil fuel drilling is even using green energy. GlassPoint Solar has created a system of mirrors inside a glasshouse that generates the steam required to force oil to the surface of the Earth. Normally, this steam is heated by natural gas, but using the sun’s power is cheaper and cleaner. Plus, this glasshouse system produces five times more steam than other solar facilities used for the same purpose.

It will be years before fossil fuels are phased out of our daily lives, but in the meantime, technology is improving to keep workers and the environment safer as oil drilling and exploration expands.

Oilfield Systems - Fracking

The natural gas boom in the US due to hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has provided the country with a cleaner burning, inexpensive fuel source that has lowered energy bills for industrial facilities and homeowners alike. The fracking process is still a hot topic of controversy wherever it is used to extract fuel. Environmentalists claim it will ruin watersheds and leave scars on the earth, and other concerns range from flammable tap water to carcinogenic soil.

Fracking won’t set your faucet on fire.

The 2010 documentary GasLand famously illustrates the potential hazards of methane polluted water. In the film, a homeowner holds a lit match up to his running tap water and a burst of flame results. This homeowner’s water is contaminated with flammable methane. The film asserts the pollution is the result of a nearby fracking operation, but actually methane pollution can occur in wells which are drilled into natural methane pockets. This was the situation with the homeowner in the film, but by the time this was established the connection between flammable tap water and hydrofracking had already been made. The fact is, the phenomenon of flammable water depicted in the film is not restricted to areas where hydraulic fracturing is taking place, but occurs wherever water wells encounter methane pockets underground. This could happen literally anywhere, and it is a result of poorly explored and drilled wells, not fracking.

This is not to say that fracking has never caused such an episode. Isolated incidents of pollution to freshwater wells have been caused when drilling is done too close to the surface, and natural gas companies have settled several cases where damage is attributed to the gas wells. This is the case, even with the use of measurement while drilling techniques.

The point is, however, that the horror story of the flammable faucet is extremely uncommon. For one thing, the drilling components used to trap the natural gas are encased in steel and cement to prevent it from escaping. If the casing is done properly, it is nearly impossible for methane gas to escape. Also, fracking is done so far underground, that escaped methane would have to travel through solid rock in order to contaminate aquifers. There are reports that this has happened due to problems like improperly cemented boreholes. 16 families in Beaver County PA were affected by such an incident. As a result, the drilling company was fined over $1 million. Problems like this are rare, and can be completely avoided by constructing and sealing equipment properly.

Fracking won’t cause earthquakes.

There are several claims around the country, and even around the world, that fracking activity has spurred a number of low-registering seismic disturbances. A recent study released April 16, 2013 by Durham University found fracking to be “not significant” in causing earthquake activity. The study explains that seismic disturbances caused by hydraulic fracturing are minimal. So small, in fact, that they would only be detectable by the sensitive instruments used by geoscientists.

It would be nearly impossible for hydraulic fracturing to cause any major earthquakes unless drilling equipment were to come into contact with a major fault line and somehow cause the fault to release any built up energy it has stored. A recent British study concluded exactly this. “The fact is that court case after court case and study after study have shown plainly that fears over earth tremors . . . have no basis in fracking facts,” summarizes Peter Glover of The Commentator.

Fracking fluid isn’t going to give you cancer.

What is that mysterious concoction being shot underground into the shale rock, and how can it not be dangerous? Fears over pollution and contamination of drinking water and the environment from fracking fluid seem to stem from a lack of information about what this rock-shattering mixture actually is. The secret to fracking fluid is water and sand. Those two components make up about 98% of the fluid mix. The remaining 2% is composed of ingredients that are familiar to many of us, such as citric acid, guar gum (a common food additive, used to suspend the sand in the fluid), and even common table salt. Currently, fracking is regulated at the state level, and as such is exempt from the federal Clean Water act, which would require all companies to disclose the chemicals they use. Even so, some states have implemented regulations requiring disclosure, and some companies list their chemicals voluntarily. The information can be found here.

Certainly not all of these chemicals are harmless to the environment or to drinking water. But, the fracking industry has a habit of recovering most of its fluid and recycling it. This does not prevent every drop of fluid from being spilled, but it certainly means that most of the material is recovered. This saves the company doing the drilling money as well as improving its environmental impact.

Like any method of recovering fossil fuels, hydraulic fracturing does do damage to the environment. But, even accounting for methane leakage during extraction, the total carbon cost of natural gas is less than that of coal or oil. The transition to natural gas for power generation in many places has led to a drop in carbon emissions for the United States. Since the world is not yet ready for 100% renewable energy, natural gas could be a suitable energy source to “bridge the gap” in the transition to truly renewable fuel.

Why Do We Need Pipelines?

Everyone knows the location of their local gas station; your home may be warmed by heating oil or natural gas; and many homes use natural gas for cooking. But did you know that these products – gasoline, home heating oil, and natural gas – travel long distances from refineries and natural gas plants to communities all over the nation through underground pipelines? Although everyone knows the local location of their local gas station, they most likely do not know about the functioning of the ATEX Computer; without it, the gas stations would be nowhere near as efficient. A hazardous area computer is something that the general public never gets to learn about, but that doesn't mean that it isn't a useful and important device.

These pipelines are the unsung heroes of many utilities – water, sewer, telephone lines, liquid petroleum pipelines and natural gas pipelines – tucked under our streets. They safely go through neighborhoods and communities, stretch across farms, forests, deserts, and everywhere in between. These same pipelines provide fuel to generate electricity and the building blocks for fertilizers to increase crop production. Pipelines also collect crude oil from many rural areas to deliver to refineries and chemical plants to create all the products that come from petroleum and petrochemicals manufacturing.

Pipelines are the energy lifelines of almost every activity of everyday life. Do you enjoy taking a vacation? Have you had to fly to another state for any reason? You drive to the airport in your car. The gasoline was delivered by pipeline. You fly in an airplane that is powered by jet fuel. Jet fuel travels by pipeline to every major airport. You buy family necessities at the local grocery store, which is stocked by trucks powered by diesel fuel. Diesel fuel is also moved to local supply points by pipelines. You turn on the heater on a cold night, and may be using natural gas, heating oil, or propane, all of which are delivered by pipeline.

A pipeline near you might supply a refinery or gasoline distribution terminal nearby. Even destinations far away can support your community and way of life because of the vast distribution network that gets you the energy you need.

Energy pipelines – oil, natural gas, gasoline, and many chemicals as well – are part of the subterranean world, along with water lines, sewer lines, storm sewers, telephone lines, television cables, and electric lines.

Natural resources, like crude oil and natural gases, are the raw material for energy that the world consumes. These are found in completely different locations than where they are eventually processed or refined into fuels for our lives. They are also in very different locations from where they are consumed. While many forms of transportation are used to move these products to marketplaces; pipelines remain the safest, most efficient and economical way to move these natural resources.

America depends on a network of more than 185,000 miles of liquid petroleum pipelines, nearly 320,000 miles of gas transmission pipelines, and more than 2 million miles of gas distribution pipelines to safely and efficiently move energy and raw materials to fuel our nation's economic engine. This system of pipelines serves as a national network to move the energy resources we need from production areas or ports of entry throughout North America to consumers, airports, military bases, population centers and industry every day.

Where Are Pipelines Located

The map above shows major crude oil, refined products and highly volatile liquids pipelines in the U.S.

Pipelines exist almost everywhere. Natural gas is delivered directly to homes in relatively small diameter distribution lines buried under the street and even your own yard. Larger cross-country transmission pipelines delivering gasoline, home heating oil, or moving crude oil or natural gas are actually easier to find.

Nearly the entire mainline pipe is buried, but other pipeline components such as pump stations are above ground. Some lines are as short as a mile, while others may extend 1,000 miles or more.

Although a large number of pipeline systems cover distances similar to these, not all petroleum markets are as distant from the point of supply as others. Some pipelines start from ports, such as San Diego or San Francisco and serve inland areas in California and the southwestern U.S. region. Each region of the country has some unique aspects. Very few pipelines actually cross the highest parts of the Rocky Mountains since the distances are long and the population centers small. But smaller refineries and regional pipelines serve these areas as well.

The United States has the largest network of energy pipelines in the world, with more than 2.5 million miles of pipe.

The network of crude oil pipelines in the U.S. is extensive. There are approximately 55,000 miles of crude oil trunk lines (usually 8 - 24 inches in diameter) in the U.S. that connect regional markets.

Pipeline companies keep in touch with local emergency responders along pipeline rights-of-way and work with, and sometimes even train with fire departments or hazardous materials units.

A Computer for Oil Rigs

Computers are commonly used in the oilfield today for numerous applications. But for computers to work effectively in the rigorous oilfield environment, they must satisfy certain criteria. They must be certified for hazardous locations, must operate in extreme temperature and weather conditions, withstand severe shock and vibration, have a display that is viewable in bright sunlight and be easy to install and use.

The Model 2850 Class 1, Division-2 / Zone-2 computer meets all of these criteria and more. It features a dual-core Intel Atom processor and uses a solid-state drive for storage, enabling it to withstand severe vibration. The 15-inch sunlight-readable display with auto-dimming, coupled with a low reflection touch-screen, provides a clear and crisp human interface. Interfaces include Ethernet, 900MHz wireless with 1 watt transmission power for reliable use over longer distances, dual USB ports, and serial ports. An Intrinsically Safe (IS) keyboard is also available for applications where required. The Model 2850 runs on 90-260 VAC or 9-36 VDC power. Environmentally, it operates from -40oC to +50oC, is impervious to salt-fog, is sealed to IP-65 standards and can withstand vibration of 3G RMS. Its small footprint and light weight make it ideal for use on the rig floor or in vehicle mounted applications.