Oil and Gas Terms Beginning with “S” — Page 14

(noun) The study of the origin, composition, distribution, and succession of rock strata to interpret depositional environments, correlate formations between wells, and identify stratigraphic traps that may contain… Read more →

A variety of sealed geologic container capable of retaining hydrocarbons, formed by changes in rock type or pinch-outs, unconformities, or sedimentary features such as reefs. Structural traps, in contrast, consist of… Read more →

The study of the history, composition, relative ages and distribution of strata, and the interpretation of strata to elucidate Earth history. The comparison, or correlation, of separated strata can include study of… Read more →

Layers of sedimentary rock that form beds. Read more →

A surface marine cable, usually a buoyant assembly of electrical wires that connects hydrophones and relays seismic data to the recording seismic vessel. Multistreamer vessels tow more than one streamer cable to… Read more →

In marineseismic acquisition, the lateral deviation of a streamer away from the towing direction because of a water current. Read more →

A decline of cement strength at elevated temperatures. This decline is pronounced at temperatures above 230°F [110°C], but it may be controlled by the addition of silica to the cement. Read more →

The force applied to a body that can result in deformation, or strain, usually described in terms of magnitude per unit of area, or intensity. Read more →

A form of corrosion in which susceptible types of metals will break by a combination of stress within the metal and the specific type of corrosion. Sulfide corrosion of ferrous alloys and chloride corrosion of stainless… Read more →

A form of corrosion in which susceptible types of metals will break by a combination of stress within the metal and the specific type of corrosion. Sulfide corrosion of ferrous alloys and chloride corrosion of stainless… Read more →

A situation in which the formationshear-wavevelocity varies azimuthally around the borehole, because unequal horizontal stresses in the formation have caused azimuthal variations in the stress concentrations around the… Read more →

The azimuth of the intersection of a plane, such as a dipping bed, with a horizontal surface. Read more →

A fault whose primary movement is in the strike direction (usually horizontal). This type of fault is usually caused by continents or tectonic plates moving laterally with respect to each other, as is happening in… Read more →

A type of fault whose surface is typically vertical or nearly so. The motion along a strike-slip fault is parallel to the strike of the fault surface, and the fault blocks move sideways past each other. A strike-slip… Read more →

The sealing element used in coiled tubing or snubbing stripper systems. The stripper element is a consumable product and generally should be replaced for each operation. Coiled tubing elements can be replaced with the… Read more →

The running or retrieving of a tubing string in a well under pressure, using a stripper or similar sealing device to contain well pressure and fluids. Coiled tubing, snubbing and some specialized workoverrig operations… Read more →

A ram-type blowout preventer used to provide primary pressure control in high-pressure snubbing operations. Stripping rams are used when the wellhead pressure is higher than the limitations of a stripper bowl. Read more →

In a sucker-rod pump, one complete round of the polished rod (surface stroke). On each stroke, a fixed volume of liquid is lifted. This volume is related to the cross-sectional area of the pump and the length of the… Read more →

The number of strokes the polished rod completes in one minute. This determines the rate at which liquid is pumped. If the number of strokes per minute is increased, the pump rate is also increased. This term is also… Read more →

An examination of a geological scenario to understand the geometry and spatial arrangement of rocks. The structure or deformation can include many mechanisms, such as folding, faulting and fracturing. Structure can… Read more →

A particular type of shale distribution in which the shale exists as grains within a rock framework, in contrast to dispersed shale and laminar shale. The term also refers to a formationmodel or saturation equation… Read more →

A variety of sealed geologicstructure capable of retaining hydrocarbons, such as a fault or a fold. Stratigraphic traps form where changes in rock type can retain hydrocarbons. Read more →

A geological feature produced by deformation of the Earth's crust, such as a fold or a fault; a feature within a rock, such as a fracture or bedding surface; or, more generally, the spatial arrangement of rocks. Read more →

A type of subsurface map whose contours represent the elevation of a particular formation, reservoir or geologic marker in space, such that folds, faults and other geologic structures are clearly displayed. Its… Read more →

Referring to the varying degrees of inability to move or remove the drillstring from the wellbore. At one extreme, it might be possible to rotate the pipe or lower it back into the wellbore, or it might refer to an… Read more →

The portion of the drillstring that cannot be rotated or moved vertically. Read more →

Wave-like or tooth-like, serrated, interlocking surfaces most commonly seen in carbonate and quartz-rich rocks that contain concentrated insoluble residue such as clay minerals and iron oxides. Stylolites are thought to… Read more →

The compound C6H5-HC=CH2, also known as styrolene, cinnamene and phenethylene. The phenyl radical, C6H5-, replaces one of the hydrogen atoms on ethylene. Styrene polymers are analogous to vinyl polymers in structure… Read more →

Slang for substructure, which is the part of the rig that supports the derrick, rig floor and associated equipment. Read more →

A plate tectonic process in which one lithospheric plate descends beneath another into the asthenosphere during a collision at a convergent plate margin. Because of the relatively higher density of oceanic lithosphere,… Read more →