GLOSSARY OF OIL AND GAS TERMS.

Chemical
Alkylation Refining process for converting light, gaseous olefins into high-octane gasoline components (reverse of cracking). Aromatics Class of hydrocarbons that have at least one benzene ring as part of their structure. Generally describes benzene and benzene derivatives. Associated Gas Natural gas associated with oil accumulations, either dissolved in oil or found as a cap of free gas above oil in reservoir.

Benzene An aromatic hydrocarbon present to a minor degree in most crude oils. (Products manufactured from benzene include styrene, phenol, nylon and synthetic detergents.) Butane (C4H10) Either of two saturated hydrocarbons, or alkanes, with chemical formula. In both compounds carbon atoms are joined in an open chain. Carbon Atomic number is 6; element is in group 14 (or IVa) of periodic table. Carbon content of a hydrocarbon determines, to a degree, hydrocarbon's burning characteristics and qualities. Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Colourless, odourless, and slightly acid-tasting gas, sometimes-called carbonic acid gas, molecule of which consists of one atom of carbon joined to two atoms of oxygen. Carbon dioxide in atmosphere tends to prevent escape of outgoing long-wave radiation from Earth to outer space; as more heat is produced and less escapes, temperature of Earth increases. Most important man-made greenhouse gas in UK accounting for 81% of direct global warming potential from national greenhouse emissions in 1990. Carbon Monoxide (CO) Chemical compound of carbon and oxygen. Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) Synthetic chemical that is odourless, non-toxic, nonflammable, and chemically inert. Released into atmosphere, chlorine-containing chemicals rise and are broken down by

sunlight, whereupon chlorine reacts with and destroys ozone molecules. Coal During Carboniferous period much of world was covered with vegetation growing in swamps. This vegetation died and became submerged under water. As decomposition took place, vegetable matter lost oxygen and hydrogen atoms, leaving a peat deposit with a high percentage of carbon. As time passed, layers of sand and mud settled from water over some of peat deposits. Pressure of these overlying layers, as well as movements of earth's crust and sometimes volcanic heat, acted to compress and harden deposits, thus producing coal. Condensate Liquid mixture of pentane and higher hydrocarbons.

Drilling Mud / Fluid Mixture of base substance and additives used to lubricate drill bit and to counter act natural pressure in formation. Drilling mud provides circulation, flushing rock cuttings from bottom of well bore to surface. Drilling Mud Nomenclature Oil Based Mud (OBM), Pseudo Oil Based Mud (POBM), Water Based Mud (WBM). Dry gas Or Lean gas is natural gas composed mainly of methane. Esters Compounds formed by combination of acids and alcohols. Ethanol Chemical formed by fermentation or synthesis.

Ethene Or Ethylene simplest member of class of aliphatic organic compounds called alkenes, which contain at least one carbon-carbon double bond. Ethylene is a colourless, slightly sweet-smelling gas of formula H2C=CH2. It is slightly soluble in water and is produced in commercial amounts by cracking and fractional distillation of petroleum and from natural gas. Gasoline Mixture of lighter liquid hydrocarbons used chiefly as a fuel for internal-combustion engines. Produced by fractional distillation of petroleum; by condensation or adsorption from natural gas; by thermal or catalytic decomposition of petroleum or its fractions; by hydrogenation of producer gas or coal; or by polymerisation of hydrocarbons of lower molecular weight.

Greenhouse Gases Gases that alter thermal properties of atmosphere (for example, water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, CFCs, halons and ozone). Halons Halogenated carbon compounds used in fire extinguishing equipment and contributing to stratospheric ozone depletion. Being phased out under Montreal Protocol. Heavy oil Long chains of hydrogen and carbon atoms. Hexane Petroleum liquid found in small amounts in condensates. Hydrocarbons

Family of organic compounds, composed entirely of carbon and hydrogen (for example, coal, crude oil and natural gas). Hydrogen (H) Reactive, colourless, odourless, and tasteless gaseous element with atomic number of 1. Element is usually classed in group 1 (or Ia) of periodic table. Lightest of all gases, hydrogen combines with carbon to form a variety of gaseous, liquid and solid hydrocarbons. Hydrogenation Reacting coal with hydrogen at high pressures, usually in presence of a catalyst. Light oil Shorter chains of hydrogen and carbon atoms. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)

Gas, mainly methane, liquefied under pressure and low temperature. Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Pressure or refrigeration liquefies lighter hydrocarbons, such as propane, butane, pentane, and mixtures of these gases. Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) Issued by manufacturer of chemical substances that sets out hazards likely to be encountered by those who come into contact with substance. Mercaptans Strong-smelling compounds of carbon, hydrogen and sulphur found in oil and gas. Added to natural gas for safety reasons.

Methane (CH4) Also marsh gas, gas composed of carbon and hydrogen, first member of paraffin or alkane series of hydrocarbons. Methane contributed 12% (counting both direct and indirect global warming effects) of UK national greenhouse gas emissions in 1990. Oil and gas production accounted for 2% of national emissions in 1990. Natural Gas Gas, occurring naturally, often found in association with oil. Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Liquid hydrocarbons found in association with natural gas. Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

Nitrous Oxide contributed 5% of direct global warming potential from UK national greenhouse gas emissions in 1990. Oil Mixture of liquid hydrocarbons of different molecular weights. Olefins Basic chemicals made from oil or natural gas liquids feed stocks; commonly used to manufacture plastics and gasoline. Examples are ethylene and propylene. Ozone Allotropic form of oxygen having three atoms in each molecule, formula O3. Ozone formed in atmosphere from nitrogen oxides and organic gases emitted by automobiles and industrial sources.

Pentane One of lighter hydrocarbons, such as propane and butane, and mixtures of these gases are liquefied and employed as fuels. Petrolatum Odourless, tasteless, greasy substance, obtained as residue from petroleum after lighter and more volatile components have been boiled off. Purified residue is obtained in form of a yellowish or decolourised semisolid, known as petroleum jelly in form of a clear to faintly yellow liquid, known as mineral oil. Petroleum Generic name for hydrocarbons, including crude oil, NGLs, natural gas and their products.

Petroleum products Gasoline, kerosene, heavy fuel oil, lubricating oils, petroleum jelly, and paraffin consist principally of mixtures of paraffin hydrocarbons, which range from lighter liquid members to solid members. Propane (C3H8) Colourless, odourless gas of alkane series of hydrocarbons. It occurs in crude oil, in natural gas, and as a by-product of petroleum refining. Sour gas Natural gas containing significant quantities of hydrogen sulphide. Sulphur Dioxide (SO2)

Acts as a precursor in formation of sulphate aerosols which, unlike greenhouse gases, have a net negative radiative forcing effect and tend to cool Earth's surface. Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG) Gases made from coals and other hydrocarbon-containing substances. Wet Gas Natural gas having significant amounts of heavier hydrocarbons in gasoline range.

Environmental
Air Emissions

Waste gases, vapours and small particles released into air. Environment External surroundings and conditions in which a company or an individual operates or which may effect, including living systems therein. Environmental controls Put in place to meet or exceed legal requirements and to minimise impact on environment. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Part of project management concerned with identifying through a formal written technical evaluation likely impact (positive and negative) of a proposed development or activity on natural and man-made environment. Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

A process that examines environmental factors and activities or processes that industry uses. Generic Hazard Hazard which may be generally present throughout an operation or industry, but which may have widely different levels of risk, depending on specific site characteristics. Hazard Object, physical effect, or a condition with potential to harm persons, property or environment. Reasonably Practicable Risk reduced to levels such that further risk reduction measures would be so disproportionate to probability and consequence that it would be objectively unreasonable to implement them.

Risk Measure of likelihood of occurrence of an undesirable event and of potentially adverse consequences. Risk Assessment Careful consideration by competent persons of hazards associated with a task. Potential effect of each hazard, how serve it might be and likelihood of it occurring, should be considered to determine effort required to make site as safe as reasonably practicable. Risk Management System that eliminates or mitigates threat from hazards.

Exploration
Aero-magnetic surveys

Magnetometers, towed by aircraft, help to detect magnetic anomalies or to distinguish geologic features that might appear similar from seismic data alone. Air gun Air gun array is most common technique used for seismic surveying offshore. Compressed air is released from a chamber to produce shock waves in earth. Annulus Appraisal drilling Drilling to determine physical extent, reserves and likely production rate of a reservoir, together with properties of oil or gas. Appraisal well A well drilled as part of an appraisal drilling programme.

Bottom-hole assembly Components, together as a group, that make up lower end of drill-string (drill bit, drill collars, drill pipe and ancillary equipment). Capping Tightly closing a well so that hydrocarbons cannot escape. Casing Steel lining used to exclude unwanted fluids; control well pressures; support sides of well bore. Casing Seat - lowest point at which casing is set. Casing head - top of casing set in well; part of casing that protrudes above surface and to which control valves and flow pipes are attached. Cement

Pumped into space between casing and well bore wall in order to hold casing in place. Choke Device to restrict rate of flow during testing of an exploratory discovery. Circulation Techniques for bringing cuttings from bottom of well bore to surface by continuously pumping drilling mud down through drill-string and up annulus during rotary drilling. Coiled tubing Used to carry production tubing to bottom of well. Compensator Keeps drill-sting stationary while semi-submersible and derrick move.

Conductor Wide-diameter pipe from drilling platform to sea-bed to guide drilling and contain drilling fluid. Deep-Water Discovery An offshore discovery located in at least 200 metres of water. Derrick Elongated pyramid of latticed steel mounted over bore hole for suspending and rotating drill pipes. Discovery well An exploratory well that finds hydrocarbons. Down hole

A term to describe tools, equipment and instruments used in well bore. Drill bit Located at end of drill-string cutting head is generally designed with three cone-shaped wheels tipped with hardened teeth. Drill bits used for extra-hard rock are studded with thousands of tiny industrial diamonds. Drill collars Heavy pipe-sections that put weight on drill bit. Drill cuttings Lifted continually to surface during drilling by a circulating-fluid system driven by a pump. To facilitate removal of cuttings, mud is constantly circulated down through drill pipe, out through nozzles in drill bit, and then up to surface through space between drill pipe and well

bore through earth (diameter of bit is somewhat greater than that of pipe). Drilling Muds / Fluid Drill-string Series of connected 9 metre length drill pipes (joints). Dry Hole Unsuccessful well, drilled without finding commercial quantities of hydrocarbons. Exploration Search for hydrocarbons by Geological and Geophysical (G&G) surveys that may be followed by exploration drilling. Exploration well

Drilling to determine whether hydrocarbons are present. Farm-in Transfer of part of an oil or gas interest in consideration for an agreement by transferee(s) to meet certain expenditure that would otherwise have to be undertaken by licensee(s). Geophysics Branch of science that applies physical principles to study of planet earth. Gravity surveys Measure density variations in local rock masses. Surveys are based on use of a gravimeter down bore holes. Horizontal Drilling

Technique for cutting a bore hole in geological strata in a horizontal, rather than normal vertical, direction. (see also Horizontal well) Kick Back pressure in well from invading oil / gas / water. Killing a well Filling bore with drilling mud of suitable density to stop flow of oil / gas. Liner Small diameter casing extending into producing layer from just inside bottom of final string of casing cemented in a well. Modular formation dynamics tester

Measures fluid pressures and collects small samples in a well. Plugging Process whereby a well that is no longer needed is filled with concrete and abandoned. (see PA). Rotary Drilling Being coupled to rotating table on derrick floor rotates drill-string. Rotary Table / Drilling Table Turning device on derrick floor in which drill-string is held and rotated. Round trip Complete process of pulling out and running in drill-string.

Seismic surveys Measurements of seismic-wave travel. Seismic exploration is divided into refraction and reflection surveys, depending on whether the predominant portion of the seismic waves' travel is horizontal or vertical. Refraction seismic surveys are used in exploration. Seismic reflection surveys detect boundaries between different kinds of rocks; this detection assists in mapping of geologic structures. (See also 3DSeismic.) Shale shaker Drilling mud passed over to sieve out cuttings. Sidetrack Drilling A remedial operation that results in creation of a new section of well bore for purpose of detouring around "junk", redrilling a lost hole or straightening crooked holes.

Spud Commencement of drilling operations. Suspended discovery An oil or gas field identified by a discovery well but not being produced or developed. Three-dimensional Seismic / 3-D Seismic Three-dimensional images created by bouncing sound waves off underground rock formations; used to determine best places to drill for hydrocarbons. Top drive Powerful electric motor that rotates whole drill-string from top down. Tripping in / out

Re-insertion of drill-string / Withdrawing drill-string. Upstream Well completion Well Nomenclature (E&A) Appraisal (APP) Deviated (DEVW) Discovery (DISC) Exploration (EXP) Junked & Abandoned (JA) Plugged & Abandoned (PA) Re-entry (RE) Suspended (SP) Testing (TE) Tight Hole (TIGHT)

Wildcat Exploration well drilled in an unproven area. (Term wildcatter comes from West Texas, where in early 1920s drilling crews encountered many wildcats as they cleared locations for exploratory wells. Shot wildcats were hung on oil derricks, and wells became known as wildcat wells.)

Fiscal
Abandonment Allowance (AA) A 100% allowance for expenditure incurred in respect of abandoning a field. Appraisal expenditure Costs incurred in survey, exploitation and appraisal of licence areas not yet under development or in production.

Commercial field Field judged to be capable of producing sufficient net income to be worth developing. Conveying & Treating (C&T) Services provided by a field to other fields in vicinity. Cross Field Allowance (CFA) An element (up to 10%) of immediate relief for qualifying field development costs where a participator on a new taxable development has, or expects to have, PRT profits in another taxable field. Development expenditure All costs including financing costs, E&A expenditures incurred in bringing a field to commercial production and is defined as tangible assets.

Discount rate Used to convert future income / expenditure to its present day value. Exploration expenditure All costs, including premium payments, associated with acquisition of new acreage, drilling of exploratory wells and other costs incurred in evaluating commercial viability of geological entities. Marginal Field A field that may not produce enough net income to make it worth developing at a given time; should technical or economic conditions change, such a field may become commercial. Mineral Extraction Allowance (MEA)

Expenditure on mineral exploration and access and certain costs in acquiring mineral assets may be relieved by way of MEA. Net present value (NPV) Discounted value of future cash flow. Oil Allowance A gross production relief that reduces effective PRT rate, but cannot be used to create a tax loss. Oil Taxation Act Came into force in 1975, introducing PRT Petroleum Revenue Tax (PRT) Applies to UK oil production and associated profits of licensees. Only to fields where Annex B consent was first given before 18 March 1993.

Research expenditure allowance (R&D) Relief makes allowable against a participator's liability for any field, R&D costs that do not became allowable in a particular field within three years of being incurred. Revenue expenses General and administrative (G&A) costs of a revenue nature and intangible development drilling costs are usually deducted in full as incurred. Royalty payments As part of some early UKCS licence round conditions there was an obligation to pay a royalty on "value of the petroleum" which is deductible in computing PRT and CT . Scientific research allowances (SRA)

Whether of a capital nature or otherwise (costs of exploration work) qualifies for full write-off as incurred. Spot market International market in which oil or oil products are traded for immediate delivery at current (spot) price. Tariff Payments made by fields to other fields that provide transportation and / or processing of production. Tariff Receipt Allowance (TRA) Participators in owner field share an allowance equivalent to 250,000 tonnes of throughput per chargeable period for each taxable user field. Value Added Tax (VAT)

Introduced at 8% on UK domestic fuel and power in April 1994.

Geological
Anticline Fold in layered rocks originating below surface in form of an elongated dome. Aquifer Underground zone of permeable rock saturated with water under pressure. Capillaries Minute spaces, cracks or pores in rock through which hydrocarbon fluids move in response to natural forces. Cap Rock

Impervious layer which overlies a reservoir rock preventing hydrocarbons escaping. Carboniferous Period of geological time about 400 - 300 million years ago. Cretaceous Period of geological time about 144 - 65 million years ago. Devonian Period of geological time about 400 - 300 million years ago. Fault A line of fracture along which one body of rock or section of Earth's crust has been displaced relative to another.

Formation Pressure Water underlying gas and oil in formation. Geology Field of science concerned with origin of planet Earth, its history, its shape, materials forming it, and processes that are acting and have acted on it. Igneous rocks Formed from solidification of molten magma. Impermeable Fluids cannot flow through rocks (clays, cemented sandstone or salt) where cracks and pore spaces are very small or are blocked by mineral growth. Jurassic

Period of geological time about 213 - 144 million years ago. Magma Molten material that makes up Earth's crust. Mature When source rock starts to generate hydrocarbons. Miocene Fourth division of Tertiary period spanning a time interval from 26 to 12 million years ago. Oligocene Third division of Tertiary period spanning an interval from about 40 to 25 million years ago. Pay Zone

Stratum of rock in which hydrocarbons are found. Permeable Cracks and pore spaces between the rock particles (such as porous sandstone or fractured limestone) are interconnected and are large enough to permit fluid movement. Permian Period of geological time about 285 - 248 million years ago. Plate Tectonics Earth's solid crust is broken up into about a dozen semirigid plates, boundaries of which are zones of tectonic activity. Play Group of fields with similar trap structures / reservoir rock.

Pleistocene Division of Quaternary period, also known as Ice Age. Pliocene Fifth and most recent division of Tertiary period on geologic time scale from about 12 million to 2 million years ago. Precambrian Rocks older than 600 million years. Earliest division of time for which rock strata are recognised. Quaternary Period of geological time about 1.64 million years ago. Seal or Cap

Rocks (salt, clays or cemented sandstone) in right shapes and relative positions to form traps. Sedimentary rock Formed by consolidation of deposits formed by settlement of sand, silt, and other materials. Source rocks Rocks containing sufficient organic substances to generate hydrocarbons. Stratigraphic traps Originate where suitable combination of rock types is deposited in a particular environment. Structural traps

Formed by Earth movements that fold rocks into suitable shapes or juxtapose reservoir and sealing rocks along faults. Traps may also form when rocks are domed over rising salt masses. Subsalt Refers to rock formations lying beneath long, horizontal layers of salt. These rock formations may contain hydrocarbons. Tertiary Period of geological time about 65 - 1.64 million years ago. Timescale Trap Geological structure in which hydrocarbons build up to from an oil or gas field.

Triassic Period of geological time about 248 - 213 million years ago.

Legislation
Annex B Development plan approval to develop and produce from a commercial field. BNOC British National Oil Corporation set up 1976 abolished 1985. Consortium

A group of unrelated companies acting together in a specific venture (Licence application). Continental Shelf Act Passed by UK Parliament in 1964 DETR DG Directorate General (department of EU Commission with responsibilities in a certain field, for example, II Economic and Financial Affairs, III - Industry, XI Environment, XVII - Energy). DTI Energy Charter Treaty (ECT)

Signed by 45 governments and EU in Lisbon, Portugal on 17 December 1994. EU European Union Framework Convention on Climate Change UK signed Framework convention at Rio in 1992 and, along with other developed countries, agreed to return its emissions of greenhouse gases to 1990 levels by 2000 - a necessary first step. Gas Act 1995 Enabled final liberalisation of gas market by creating licensing framework for new entrants into domestic UK market. Licence

Right to explore for and exploit hydrocarbon reserves within a defined area. Licence Nomenclature (UK Onshore) Appraisal Licence (AL) Development Licence (DL) Mining Licences (ML) PEDL Production Licences (PL) Supplementary Seismic Licence (SSSL) Exploration Licences (XL). Licence Nomenclature (UKCS) Licence (P) Licence Round

Period during which Government offers and then allocates a number of specified areas (Blocks or part Blocks) within its national boundaries. Licensee(s) Companies that Government believes are capable of satisfying various conditions of a Licence. Operator Company which operates a Licence, either on its own behalf, or, if a member of a consortium, on behalf of Licensees. Takes primary responsibility for day-to-day operations for an activity (exploration, development or production). PEDL Petroleum Exploration and Development Licence. New single licence came into effect in 1995 (Seventh Round) for onshore UK Licensing.

Petroleum (Production) Act 1934 Onshore legislation which vested in Crown ownership of all petroleum (oil and natural gas) existing in natural conditions in strata in Great Britain. UKCS Key Dates Unitisation When licensees of oil and/or gas reserves pool their individual interests in return for an interest in overall unit, which is then operated by a single company on behalf of group. Occurs where a field lies under different licences with differing equity interests.

Measurement
API gravity

Scale used to express specific gravity of oils. Higher API gravity, lighter oil. Atmospheric pressure Weight of atmosphere on surface of Earth. At sea level approx. 1.013 bars. Bar One bar = 100 kPa Barrel (bbl) 7.3 bbls = One tonne: 6.29 bbls = One cubic metre: One bbl = 159 litres approx. bcf Billion Cubic Feet (One bcf = 0.176 Mboe) bcm

Billion Cubic Metres (One bcm = 0.83 MToe) Billion One thousand million (109) Block UKCS acreage one thirtieth of a quadrant (approx. 200 250 sq. kms). Generally defined in terms of latitude and longitude, at one-degree intervals. bopd / boe bbls of oil per day / bbls of oil equivalent. Brent blend International marker for crude oil pricing based on a blend of North Sea crudes. British Thermal Unit (BTU)

One BTU or Btu = 1.05506 kJ = 0.293 watt-hour Calorific equivalents One cubic foot of gas = 1000 BTUs = 1055.06 kJ Approx. one million tonnes of oil = 40 x 1012 BTUs = 40,400 MJ Candela SI unit of light intensity defined as 1/60 of the light radiated from a sq. cm of a blackbody, a perfect radiator that absorbs no light, held at the temperature of freezing platinum. Cubic foot Standard unit used to measure quantity of gas at atmospheric pressure (One cubic foot = 0.0283 cubic metres).

Cubic metre SI unit used to measure quantity of gas at atmospheric pressure (One cubic metre = 35.31 cubic feet). Dead Weight (dwt) Difference between loaded and unloaded weights of a ship. Exposure Measurement of time during which subject is at risk from a hazard. Gas Oil Ratio (GOR) Volume of gas at atmospheric pressure produced per unit of oil produced. Joule (j)

Derived SI unit of work or energy. Gigajoule = One million joules = 278 kWh. Kilocalorie (kcal) One thousand calories. Kilogram (kg) SI unit of mass. One thousand grams. Kilopascal (kPa) Defined as pressure of 0.0102 kg / sq. cm Kilowatt-hour (kWh) One kWh = 3.6 MJ = 3,412 BTU = 860 kcal = 0.0949 cubic metres of gas) m / mcf Thousands / Thousands of Cubic Feet (of Gas)

mm / M Millions mmbbls / mmboe Million bbls / Million bbls of oil equivalent mmscf / mmscfd Millions of Standard Cubic Feet (of Gas) / Millions of Standard Cubic Feet per Day (of Gas) MtC Million tonnes of carbon MtCH4 Million tonnes of methane MtCO2

Million tonnes of carbon dioxide Mboe / MToe Million bbls of oil equivalent / Million tonnes of oil equivalent Oil Equivalent Method of assessing work of calorific value of different sources of energy in terms of one tonne of oil. ppb / ppm parts per billion / parts per million psi Pounds per square inch One psi = 6.89 kPa Quadrant UKCS acreage one degree by one degree. 30 Blocks to Quadrant.

Specific Gravity Ratio of density of a substance at a particular temperature to density of water. SI unit Self-consistent system of measurement units based on the MKS (metre-kilogram-second) system. Adopted for international use under Le Systme International d'Units, now employed for all scientific and most technical purposes. Square kilometres (Sq. kms / Km2) 1000 metres x 1000 metres, One Km2 (100 hectares) = 0.3861 sq. miles Square Miles One Sq Mile (640 acres) = 2.590 Km2

tcf Trillion (a million million) Cubic Feet (of Gas) Tonne (t) Metric tonne = 1000 kilograms Watt (W) Power which in one second gives rise to energy of one joule (j). Kilowatt (kW) = One kW = 1000 watts. Megawatt (MW) = One million watts. Gigawatt (GW) = Thousand megawatts.

Production
Abandonment / Decommissioning Process of dismantling wellhead, production and transportation facilities and restoration of depleted

producing areas in accordance with licence requirements and /or legislation. Acid stimulation Form of hydrochloric acid is pumped down well hole to enlarge pore space in oil bearing rocks to increase flow and recovery. Acoustic log Record of time taken by a sound wave to travel over a certain distance through geological formations. Air injection An enhanced recovery technique in which air is injected into hydrocarbon formation to increase reservoir pressure. Annulus

Artificial lift Any techniques, other than natural drives, for bringing oil to surface. Blow-down Condensate and gas produced simultaneously from outset of production. Casing perforation Holes made in liner of a finished well to allow hydrocarbons to flow into production tube. Cathodic protection Method used to minimise rate of electrochemical corrosion of structures, for example, installations offshore, pipelines and storage tanks. Christmas tree

Branching series of pipes, gauges and valves on top end of each production well to control flow of oil or gas. Closed-in Descriptive of a well that is capable of producing, but is not currently producing. Coiled tubing Used to carry production equipment to bottom of well. Commingling Producing oil and gas from two or more reservoirs at different depths, or where product of two or more fields is transported via a common pipeline. Delineation well

Drilled at a distance from a discovery well to determine physical extent, reserves and likely production rate of a new oil or gas field. Deviated well Horizontal well drilled at an angle (over 80 degrees) to vertical. Development Phase on which a proven oil or gas field is brought into production by drilling production (development) wells. Development well A production well drilled with intent of producing oil or gas from a proven field. Downstream

Dual Completion A well completed to produce from two separate reservoirs. Enhanced reach Deviated wells (over 65 degrees) from vertical and reach out horizontally more than twice vertical depth. Field Geographical area under which an oil or gas reservoir lies. Field Nomenclature Field ceased production (FCP) Field under development (FUD) Field in production (FIP) Flaring and venting

Flaring is burning of hydrocarbon gases for commercial or technical reasons. Venting is release of gases to atmosphere. Flare Stack Steel structure on an offshore installation or at a processing facility from which gas is flared. Gas Cap In field containing both gas and oil, some gas will often collect at top of reservoir in a single deposit. Gas/Condensate field Reservoir containing both natural gas and oil, with greater proportion of gas. Condensate appears when gas in drawn from well, and its temperature and pressure change sufficiently for some of it to became liquid petroleum. Gas field

Field containing natural gas, but no oil. Gas gathering system Central collection point for offshore gas fields. Production is then piped to central processing system onshore. Gas Injection (GI) Associated gas is pumped back into a reservoir to maintain reservoir pressure. In this way rate of production of crude oil also can be increased. Gas lift Gas from same or nearby field is mixed with oil in tubing to lessen weight of liquid column. Gas Oil Ratio (GOR) Gas Processing

Separation of oil and gas, and removal of impurities and NGLs from natural gas. Gas Treatment Removal of impurities, condensate, hydrogen sulphide and NGLs from natural gas. Gravity Structures Either concrete or hybrid (concrete base and steel legs and superstructure) structures that due to weight rest on seabed or piled into it. Horizontal well Used when reservoir permeability is low or hydrocarbons are being produced from vertical fractures in rock. Jacket

Supporting (concrete base or steel legs) structure for an offshore installation. Marine Riser Pipe connecting offshore installation to a subsea wellhead or pipeline for drilling or production purposes. Module Self-contained box or package built with a specific purpose (for example, well head, oil and gas separation, gas compression, platform power generation, mud, storage, diesel, filter and exhaust) located on production installations. Multilateral well More than one horizontal section drilled in one well. Used to maximise number of wells that can be drilled from small installations.

Odorant Substance (for example mercaptan) added to odourless natural gas or NGLs to enable detection. Offshore Oil Loading Nomenclature Single buoy mooring (SBM) Single point mooring (SPM) Exposed location single buoy mooring (ELSBM) Spar Enables offshore loading with vessel swinging to present least resistance to prevailing wind or current conditions. Oil in Place (OIP) Estimation of real amount of oil in a reservoir. Higher value than recoverable reserves of reservoir. Pig

Device for cleaning a pipeline or separating two liquids being moved down pipeline. (Intelligent pig - fitted with sensors to check for corrosion or defects in pipelines.) Piling Long steel piles driven into the seabed to anchor fixed offshore structures solidly in place. Pipeline A pipe through which natural gas, crude oil or petroleum products are pumped between two points, either onshore or offshore. Plateau Level of peak oil or gas field production; it is always followed by declining level of production. Platform

Fixed structure resting on seabed or piled into it. Platform Nomenclature Tension Leg Platform (TLP) Minimum Facility Platform (MINF) Not Normally Attended Installation (NNAI) Gravity based structures (GBS) Accommodation (ACCOM) Compression (COMP) Drilling (DRIL) Riser (RISE) Preventative maintenance Maintenance carried out prior to unit or system failure. Primary Recovery

Recovery of hydrocarbons from a reservoir using only natural reservoir pressure.(see also Secondary and Tertiary Recovery.) Produced Water Brines naturally present or injected into reservoir to enhance production. Produced along side oil production. Production Drilling Drilling of wells in order to bring a field into production. Production Installation An installation from which development wells are drilled and that carries all associated processing plants and other equipment needed to maintain a field in production. Production String

Tubing or piping in a production well through which oil or gas flows from reservoir to wellhead. Recovery Factor Ratio of recoverable oil and / or gas to estimated oil and / or gas in place in reservoir. Determined by a various factors such as reservoir dimensions, pressure, nature of hydrocarbons, and development plan. (see also Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Recovery.) Redetermination Retroactive adjustment to relative percentage interests of joint venturers in a field. Reserves: Possible Reserves at present cannot be regarded as "probable". Reserves: Probable

Reserves not yet "proven", but are estimated to have a better than 50% chance of being technically and economically producible. Reserves: Proven Reserves which on available evidence are virtually certain to be technically and economically producible. Reservoir Subsurface, porous, permeable rock formation in which hydrocarbons are present. Reservoir drive Powered by difference in pressures within reservoir and well. Reservoir engineering model

Used to predict reservoir behaviour during production to enable selection of most efficient method of recovery. Satellite Installation An offshore structure that depends on another installation for materials or services. Secondary Recovery Recovery of hydrocarbons from a reservoir by increasing reservoir pressure by injecting gas or water into reservoir rock. (see also Primary and Tertiary Recovery.) Slug catcher Plant installed in a gas pipeline system to catch unwanted "slugs" of liquid. Subsea manifolds

Allows wells to be put on production without need to build a platform to operate and maintain wells. Sub-sea wellhead A wellhead installed on the sea floor and controlled remotely from a platform, a floating production facility or land. Substructure Support form of an offshore installation on which derrick, engines, helicopter pad, cranes, etc. are installed. Tension Leg Platform A floating offshore structure held in position by a number of tension-maintaining cables anchored to seabed. Cables dampen wave action to keep platform stationary. Terminal

Onshore transit installation that receives oil or gas from offshore production facilities via pipeline and / or tankers. Plant and equipment designed to receive and process crude oil or gas to remove water and impurities. Tertiary Recovery Recovery of hydrocarbons from a reservoir by sophisticated methods, for example, heating reservoir or enlarging pore spaces using chemicals. (see also Primary and Secondary Recovery) Tubing Piping installed in wells for production of oil and gas. Topsides Top of an installation positioned on jacket. Upstream

Water Injection (WI) Water is pumped into alternate wells in a field. Pressure in reservoir as a whole can be maintained or increased and production can be maintained or increased. Well completion Well Nomenclature (Field) Development (DEV) Deviated (DEVW) Gas Injection (GI) Water Injection (WI). Workover Re-entry into a completed field well for modification or repair. Restoring well productivity by cleaning out

accumulations of sand, silt or other substances that clog production tubing.

Safety
Accident Any event which results in injury, and / or damage, and / or loss. Blow-out Preventers (BOPs) High-pressure wellhead (top of casing) valves designed to shut-off flow of hydrocarbons to prevent blowouts (accidental escapes of oil or gas from a well). BRIGHT EYE Regular UKCS exercise to test search and rescue capability. Competence

Ability to perform particular job in compliance with performance standards. Danger Risk of injury Dangerous occurrence Readily identifiable event with potential to cause an accident or disease to persons at work and public or of significant actual of potential material damage. Fatal Accident Frequency Rate (FAFR) Number of fatalities per 100 million man hours worked. Fatality Death due to work related injury / illness. Fatality Rate (FR)

Number of fatalities per 1000 employees. Flash Point Lowest temperature at which vapour above a flammable liquid can be ignited. Gas Detector Instrument to detect presence of various gases. Hazard Incident An unplanned event or chain of events which has or could have caused injury or illness and / or damage or loss to environment, third parties or assets. Injury

Physical harm or damage to a person resulting from traumatic contact between body of person and an outside agency, or from exposure to environmental factors. Injury Frequency (IF) Number of injuries per million man hours worked. Injury Rate (IR) Number of injuries per one hundred employees. Injury Severity Rate (ISR) Number of days lost per one million man hours worked. Lost Time Injury (LTI) Any work related injury or illness which prevents that person from doing any work day after accident. Lost Time Injury Frequency (LTIF)

Number of LTIs recorded for a group of workers, per million hours worked by that group. Near miss / accident Any event which had potential to cause injury and/or damage and or/loss, but which was avoided by circumstances. Permit-to-Work (PTW) Formal written system used to control certain types of work which are identified as (potentially) hazardous. Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) Equipment / clothing which offers protection against risks to health and safety. Reasonably Practicable

Risk Risk Assessment Risk Management

Vessels
Barge Non-self-propelled marine vessel used as cargo tankers, as equipment and supply carriers, crane platforms and support and accommodation bases in offshore drilling, and as submarine pipe-laying vessels. Crane Barge

Vessel capable of lifting heavy equipment onto / off offshore installations. Drill Ship Free floating mobile drilling platform used in very deep waters. Positioned by dynamic positioning. Floating Vessel Nomenclature Floating accommodation for offshore personnel (Flotel). Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Vessel (FPSO) Floating Production Vessel (FPV) Floating Storage Unit (FSU) Jack-up Rig Mobile drilling platform with retractable legs used in shallow waters less than 100 metres deep.

Lay barge Vessel specially equipped to lay submarine pipelines. Lightering Unloading cargo from large marine tankers into smaller tankers that can enter shallow-water ports. LNG Carrier Tanker, with insulated pressure tanks, designed to carry refrigerated LNG shipments. Semi-submersible Rig Mobile drilling platform with floats or pontoons submerged to give stability while operating. Used in deeper waters down to 360 metres or more. Kept in position by anchors or dynamic positioning.

TEMPSC Totally Enclosed Motor Propelled Survival Craft ULCC Ultra large crude carrier. Oil tanker over 300,000 tonnes dwt. VLCC Very large crude carrier. Oil tanker over 200,000 tonnes dwt.