Petroleum and Natural Gas Lecture Notes

Flashcards for reviewing key concepts from the petroleum and natural gas lecture notes.

What is petroleum?

A complex mixture of hydrocarbons that can exist in a liquid or gaseous state, naturally occurring as crude oil (liquid) or natural gas (gaseous).

When were oil discoveries made in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia?

August 1910

When was PETRONAS established?

1974

What is the estimated amount of Malaysia's remaining commercial reserves of oil?

Over 5 billion barrels of oil equivalent

What are the three stages of the oil chain?

Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream

What is the inorganic theory of petroleum origin?

Hydrocarbons come from deep within the earth, incorporated as the earth formed, or are a residue from solar system formation or chemical actions within the earth.

What is the organic theory of petroleum origin?

Tiny marine creatures and animals decayed over millions of years, transforming into gas and oil under heat, bacterial action, and radioactive actions, then trapped under non-porous rocks.

What is 'cap rock'?

A layer of rock that covers an area trapping oil and gas, providing a seal for the trap.

Name some types of rock formations where crude petroleum can be found.

Sandstone, porous limestone, and dolomites

What are the steps in petroleum prospecting?

1. Aerial Surveys Obtain topographical & geological maps. 2. Geological and Geophysical Exploration Applies geophysics and geophysical techniques to determine location of subsurface petroleum reservoirs. 3. Exploration Drilling Done after oil discovery and a test well is drilled.

What is the purpose of drilling fluids/muds?

a) Provide a high-density fluid to maintain oil well pressure. b) Carry rock cuttings away from the drill bit. c) Lubricate and cool the drill bit. d) Coat the well bore with cake/muds.

List the purposes of Casing Wells.

Seals off troublesome zones, isolates the production zone, protects fresh water zones, prevents caving.

What is a Blowout Preventer (BOP)?

A stack installed at the rig to prevent high-pressure fluids from causing a well to 'blow out'.

What is artificial lift?

Methods used to bring reservoir fluids to the surface when there is not enough pressure for natural flow.

Name examples of offshore drilling rigs.

Drillship, Semi-submersible, Jack-Up Rig, Drilling Barge.

What distinguishes land rigs?

Components separated to be transported by roads using trucks.

What are rigs on fixed platforms used for?

Shallow water drilling

What is a drilling barge and where is it used?

Large, floating platform towed by a tugboat; used mostly for inland, shallow water drilling (lakes, swamps, rivers, and canals).

What is a jack-up rig and where is it used?

Offshore drilling platform with three-to-four legs that can be lowered to rest on the sea bed; used in shallow waters.

What is a submersible drilling rig and where is it used?

Platform with two hulls, the lower of which can be filled with air for buoyancy or water for submerging to the sea floor; used in shallow water.

What is a semi-submersible drilling rig and where is it used?

Floating drill unit with columns and pontoons that submerge to a predetermined depth; stable rig used in water depths of over 900 m.

What is a drillship and where is it used?

Ship equipped with drilling facilities, suitable for very deep waters and long periods offshore.

What are the main stages of petroleum processing and refining?

Petroleum extracted from the earth is processed and refined to obtain fractions of product which are usable as end products as well as for product manufacturing.

What is desalting of crude oil?

A process to remove inorganic salts from crude oil so that these salts will not cause plugging of exchangers or poison process catalysts. It involves water washing, heating, and electrostatic separation.

Name the main categories of crude oil refining

Separation, Conversion, Reorganization/Reforming, Finishing

What is the purpose of separation in crude oil refining?

Division of crude oil into various streams (or fractions) to isolate the desired products.

What is atmospheric distillation?

Distillation at atmospheric pressure, typically with a maximum temperature of ~350°C, used to separate crude oil into fractions.

What is vacuum distillation?

Distillation under vacuum pressure, used to further distill the residue from atmospheric distillation to obtain more fractions.

What is conversion in crude oil refining?

Thermal treatment of crude oil to produce more saleable product by changing the number of carbon atoms per molecule; also called 'cracking'.

What is reorganization/reforming in crude oil refining?

Building the desired properties by chemical or thermal reaction to alter chemical structures to meet liquid fuel specifications.

What is finishing in crude oil refining?

Purification of crude oil product streams to remove deleterious components and saturation of olefins and unstable compounds.

What blending process in petroleum refining?

Mixing of different refined products to create a final product that meets specific performance and quality requirements.

What is an auxiliary process petroleum refining?

A secondary process carried out to improve the quality and value of refined petroleum products.

What are petrochemicals?

Chemicals derived from petroleum and natural gas, typically extracted during the refining process as crude oil and natural gas liquids are cracked/distilled.