Oil And Gas Career

Offshore oil drilling requires the construction of a rigging platform and special equipment to support the oil drilling work. Oil reserves are found several hundred feet below the seabed and may present a challenging task for oil rig workers to extract the oil. Job aspirants who wish to land drilling jobs need to be aware of the complexities involved in pursuing a career in this field. This article throws light on the various steps involved in offshore oil drilling.  

Construction Of Platform

Offshore and onshore oil rigs look similar to each other. The difference between the two rigs is that offshore oil rigs have to be constructed on top of a platform. The stable platform for the oil rig is a necessary part to extracting the precious oil deposits present several hundred feet below the seafloor. Constructing an oil rig in a particular location requires the setting up of several essential parts. An oil rig needs to have a mechanical system with a hoisting system, power system with engines and generators, casings that protects the drill hole and rotating equipment that includes a swivel, drill string, turntable, kelly, and drill bit. A multifaceted circulation system needs to be established that can pull mud through the hole.  A support structure has to be set up that can hold the drill. High-pressure valves  to control the flow of gas or oil to the surface should be utilized.

Setting Up The Rig

The next step is to set up the oil rig by drilling on the surface of the area where oil reserves are detected.  First, the drill bit, pipe and color are set up in the hole.  Once completed, the kelly and turntable are attached. The drilling process then starts. Pieces of rock and mud will emerge from the bit at this stage. Joints are added to the drill pipe as the hole deepens. On reaching a comfortable depth, the drill pipe, bit and collar are taken out. A casing is used to prevent the collapse of the hole. Cement is used to fill the hole through the casing pipe along with a bottom and a top plug, drill mud and cement slurry. The drill mud is used to fill the area in between the hole and the casing.

Testing To Check Presence Of Oil Reserves

After the oil rigging crew has drilled down to a certain depth, tests are performed to check the presence of oil deposits. Those looking for directional driller Jobs in rigs need to be aware of the various steps involved in the process of oil drilling.

The crew lowers electrical and gas sensors down into the hole to take measurements of the rock. The technique of drill-stem testing is used to check the pressure and to confirm if the rigging crew has reached the reservoir rock. After this testing, rock samples are taken. Holes are then made in the casing with the help of a perforating gun. A small pipe called tubing is then made to fit into the hole. The last step is to place, a Christmas tree at the top of the tubing to control the flow of oil. If limestone is present in the area leading up to the oil reserves, acid is applied to dissolve the channels and obtain an easy access to the oil deposits. On the other hand, if sandstone is found in the area leading up to the oil deposits, a fluid with proppants is used to increase the flow of oil.

Extracting The Oil

At this stage, when the oil flow begins, the rig is replaced by a pump placed at the head of the well. This pump system has an electric motor and a gearbox which makes use of suction to pull the oil up through the well. Another effective technique in improving the oil flow is to drill another hole to inject steam into the oil deposits to make the oil thin and extract it at a much faster rate.

Offshore oil drilling presents many challenges for oil rig workers as oil deposits can be found several hundred feet below the seabed. This article throws light on the various steps involved in offshore oil drilling.