1.

A substance whose particles are so fine that they will not settle out of suspension or solution and cannot be seen under an ordinary microscope.

2.

The mixture of a colloid and the liquid, gaseous, or solid medium in which it is dispersed.

Oil and gas production of sufficient quantity to justify keeping a well in production.

1.

The ability to transmit or convey (as heat or electricity).

2.

An electrical logging measurement obtained from an induction survey, in which eddy currents produced by an alternating magnetic field induce in a receiver coil a voltage proportionate to the ability of the formation to conduct electricity.

An employee of an operating company whose job is to represent the company’s interests at the drilling location.

A workover performed with a continuous steel tube, normally 3/4 inch to 1 inch outside diameter, which is run into the well in one piece inside the normal tubing.

Lengths of the tubing up to 16,000 feet are stored on the surface on a reel in a manner similar to that used for wireline.

The unit is rigged up over the wellhead.

The tubing is injected through a control head that seals off the tubing and makes a pressure-tight connection.

A unique feature of the unit is that it allows continuous circulation while it is being lowered into the hole.

A rigid offshore drilling platform built of steel-reinforced concrete and used to drill development wells.

The platform is floated to the drilling site in a vertical position, and at the site tall caissons that serve as the foundation of the platform are flooded so that the platform submerges and comes to rest on bottom.

Because of the enormous weight of the platform, the force of gravity alone keeps it in place.

See platform rig.

To pull the drill stem out of the wellbore to change the bit, to change from a core barrel to the bit, to run electric logs, to prepare for a drill stem test, to run casing, and so on.

Also called trip out.

Volume flow rate of circulating drilling fluid expressed in gallons or barrels per minute

Abbreviation: see sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, coagulation, flocculation.

1.

To shut in a well temporarily that is capable of producing oil or gas.

2.

To close the blowout preventers on a well to control a kick.

The blowout preventers close off the annulus so that pressure from below cannot flow to the surface.

3.

To close a valve to stop or isolate fluid flow.

The term is most commonly applied to “closing-in the well,” meaning isolation of the wellbore by closing the master valve.

A variation of squeeze cementing for wells with two producing zones in which (1) the upper fluid sand is perforated; (2) tubing is run with a packer, and the packer is set between the two perforated intervals; (3) water is circulated between the two zones to remove as much mud as possible from the channel; (4) cement is pumped through the channel and circulated; (5) the packer is released and picked up above the upper perforation, a low squeeze pressure is applied, and the excess cement is circulated out.

The process is applicable where there is communication behind the pipe between the two producing zones because of channeling of the primary cement or where there is essentially no cement in the annulus.

To remove sand, scale, and other deposits from the producing section of the well to restore or increase production.

The attractive force between the same kinds of molecules (i.e., the force that holds the molecules of a substance together)

1.

A term used for particles smaller than 1/256 millimeter (4 microns) in size, regardless of mineral composition.

2.

A group of hydrous aluminum silicate minerals (clay minerals)
3.

A sediment of fine clastics.

A very short piece of pipe having threads over its entire length.