Page 42 - Drilling Technology in Nontechnical Language

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DRILLING A LAND

EXPLORATION WELL

Overview

This chapter will tell in story form how an exploration well on a land
rig in the desert might be planned and executed. An exploration well is
one that is drilled in order to prove whether or not a structure in the rock
contains hydrocarbons in commercially worthwhile quantities.
Some technical terms will be introduced and explained in this chapter.
Also, many of the concepts that were covered in chapters 1 and 2 will
be referred to. Imperial units will be followed by the metric equivalents,
in brackets.

Identifying a Prospect

An operator buys the right to explore for oil or gas in an area from the

government. These areas are often called blocks (fig. 3–1). The operator will
buy a permit to explore on a block because they believe the following:
1. All of the conditions discussed in chapter 2 are likely to exist for
hydrocarbons to accumulate in commercial quantities.

2. The likely cost of exploration is worth the chance of finding an

exploitable field.
3. They can afford to absorb the exploration cost if nothing
worthwhile is found, or can afford to develop any discovery in
order to bring hydrocarbons to market.

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