Oil and Gas Industry Equipment Key Terms

Gain knowledge about fossil fuels by learning oil and gas industry equipment key terms

The oil and gas industry is volatile with ever-changing shifts in supply and demand. While there is heightened interest in preserving Earth’s natural resources, the demand for oil and gas is growing significantly. With this growth comes increased governmental regulation and environmental legislation designed to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

Scientists predict that although the use of alternative energy resources will increase, fossil fuels created by oil and gas industry equipment will still be very much in demand. Learn more about how oil and gas is processed by reviewing some oil and gas industry equipment key terms.

 

Barrel

The barrel is the standard unit of measurement for oil. One barrel equals 42 gallons of petroleum. While oil is no longer shipped in barrels, this unit of measurement has been the standard since the 1800s.
Try: Read more about oil barrels at Time Magazine.

Refinery

A refinery is a factory that processes and refines crude oil. Crude oil is converted into more usable products such as gasoline, diesel fuel, heating oil and kerosene at oil refineries. Due to the demand of these products, oil refineries never close and operate daily with numerous employees.
Try: Read more about oil refineries at Energy Information Administration.

Horizontal drilling

Horizontal drilling is an oil drilling method that allows oil and gas operators to access a larger portion of the producing horizon than they would intersect using the conventional vertical drilling technique. Horizontal drilling has become one of the most useful oil drilling techniques. As oil prices increase, horizontal drilling gains popularity because it is an enhanced gas recovery technique.
Try: Learn more about horizontal drilling at the University of Wisconsin.

Blowout preventer

The blowout preventer is a device installed at the end of the oil wellhead to control the flow of oil pressure in the space between the oil casing and drill pipe.
Try: Find out more about blowout preventers at Schlumberger.

Pipeline

Gas, crude oil and petroleum are pumped through pipelines. A pipeline connects two points that can be on or offshore.
Try: Learn more about pipelines at Pipeline 101.

Christmas tree

In the oil and gas industry, a casinghead through which a well is produced has a Christmas tree. A Christmas tree is the assembly of valves mounted on the casinghead used to test the well and shut the well in if needed.
Try: Find out more about Christmas trees at Prodigy Oil and Gas.

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