38 Questions
What is the origin of the word 'petroleum'?
From the Greek words 'petra' and 'oleum', meaning 'rock' and 'oil' respectively
What is the primary component of natural gas (NG)?
Oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur
What is the process by which petroleum and natural gas are formed?
Not mentioned in the content
What is the purpose of the refining process in petroleum refining?
To separate crude oil into its various components
What is the term for the chemical products derived from petroleum?
Petrochemicals
In what year did the distillation process start to be used widely?
1846
What is the main driver of the technical work in the extraction of petroleum?
The business aspect of making money
What is the process by which oil and gas are expelled from the source rock?
Migration
What is the third important element for oil and gas trap?
An impermeable seal rock
What is the result of the decomposition of organisms with mud and silt?
A soup of hydrocarbons and natural gas
Why do oil and gas accumulate in the reservoir rock?
Because the water pushes the lighter oil and gas upward
What is the main reason why oil exploration is a risky business?
Because it is prone to commercial failures
What is the purpose of property leasing in oil exploration?
To secure a location for drilling
What is the role of heat in the process of forming oil and gas?
It 'cooks' the organic remains into a soup of hydrocarbons and natural gas
What is the purpose of an overlying seal rock or impermeable rock in an oil reservoir?
To prevent the oil and gas from escaping
What is the description of a porosity value of 18% in an oil reservoir?
Good
What is the name of the device used to measure permeability?
Permeameter
What is the relationship between porosity and permeability?
Higher porosity, greater permeability
What type of traps are formed due to the folding of rock?
Anticline traps
What is the primary difference between structural and stratigraphic traps?
Study of subsurface deformation processes
What is the reason for the formation of salt domes?
The salt is less dense than the surrounding rock
What is the description of a permeability value of 50 millidarcy in an oil reservoir?
Good
What percentage of the original oil in place can be recovered through primary recovery methods?
15-20%
What is the purpose of injecting water into the underground reservoir during secondary recovery?
To displace the oil and lift it to the surface by pumps
What is the main goal of tertiary recovery methods?
To improve the mobility of the oil
What is the term for the process of injecting low-pressure gas into the reservoir to maintain pressure?
Immiscible Gas Injection
What is the primary function of a blowout preventer (BOP) in a drilling well?
To prevent the uncontrolled release of oil or gas
What is the term for the process of using the natural conditions in the reservoir to drive out the oil after a well is drilled?
Primary Recovery
What is the purpose of a cogeneration plant in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)?
To generate electricity and produce steam
What is the result of steam injection or thermal processes on the oil in the reservoir?
It raises the temperature of the oil and reduces its viscosity
What is the advantage of a spar platform compared to a TLP?
Large counterweight at the bottom
What is the typical water depth for drilling barges?
Shallow water
What is the primary function of a drillship?
Exploratory drilling of new oil or gas wells
What is the purpose of desalting/dehydration in field processing?
Removal of water bound in an oil-water emulsion
What is sweetening in field processing?
Removal of H2S
What is the purpose of stabilization in field processing?
Removal of light gas components
What is the typical water depth for drillships?
12,000 ft (3,700 m)
What is the objective of field processing?
Purifying oil and gas
Study Notes
Introduction to Petroleum Refining
- Petroleum, also known as crude oil, is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and natural gas (NG).
- Hydrocarbons contain hydrogen and carbon, while NG contains oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur.
- Petrochemicals are produced during refining of crude oil and processing of natural gas, and are also known as petroleum distillates.
How Petroleum and NG are Formed
- Petroleum and NG are formed from the decomposition of organisms with mud and silt, along with sand, clay, and minerals, which are solidified into rocks.
- Heat from within the earth 'cooks' the mud's organic remains into a soup of hydrocarbons (petroleum + NG).
- Liquids and vapors emitted from the source rocks move upward through sediment pores and accumulate between the grains of sediment.
How Oil and Gas Trap
- Three important elements for oil and gas trap:
- A source for the oil and gas (black waxy shales).
- A porous reservoir/ sedimentary rock to accumulate the oil and gas (storing hence porous).
- An overlying seal rock/impermeable rock to prevent the oil and gas from escaping.
- Porosity values for an oil reservoir:
- 0-5%: Insignificant
- 5-10%: Poor
- 10-15%: Fair
- 15-20%: Good
- 20-25%: Excellent
- Permeability values for an oil reservoir:
- 1-10 md: Poor
- 10-100 md: Good
- 100-1000 md: Excellent
- Higher porosity, greater permeability.
Oil and Gas Trap
- Types of sedimentary rocks:
- Sandstones (intergranular porosity)
- Limestones (moldic porosity)
- Dolostones (intercrystalline porosity)
- Structural traps:
- Anticline traps: Formed by a folding of rock
- Fault traps: Formed when reservoir rock is split along a fault line
- Salt domes: Formed because the below ground salt is less dense than the above rock and is moving upwards slowly
Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)
- Primary Recovery:
- Makes use of the natural conditions in the reservoir to drive out the oil
- Oil recovered: 15-20% of the original oil in place
- Secondary Recovery:
- Enhance or replace the primary recovery techniques
- Recovery factor after primary and secondary: 35-45%
- Rely on the supply of external energy into the reservoir
- Tertiary Recovery:
- Generic term: Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)
- Take over when secondary recovery is no longer effective
- Increase the mobility of oil by heating the oil, reducing its viscosity hence easier to be extracted
- Oil Recovery: 30-60% of the original oil in place
Drilling Wells
- Types of drilling rigs:
- Drilling barge
- Drilling ship
- Jack-up rig
- Semi-submersible rig
- Nodding donkey/pump jack (onshore)
Field Processing
- Objectives:
- Purify the oil and gas
- Dispose of any harmful contaminants
- Desalting/Dehydration: Removal of water bound in an oil-water emulsion
- Sweetening: Removal of H2S, typically by means of stripping with natural gas available from the reservoir
- Stabilization: Removal of light gas components dissolved in the oil in order to increase its vapor pressure
Understand the basics of petroleum, crude oil, and their characteristics. Learn about the history of petroleum and its composition.
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