petroleum glossary

8/11/2019 Petroleum Glossary

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A

Accommodation Platform/RigAn offshore platform, or semi-submersible rig, built or adapted to provide living quarters for drilling andproduction personnel.

AcreageLand leased for oil and gas exploration and development; usually descriptive of more than one lease.

AdditiveA term used generally to indicate special chemicals that may be added to products to improve theircharacteristics.

Air DrillingA rotary drilling technique in which compressed air is used instead of fluids to circulate, or bring to thesurface, bits of rock and other cuttings from the drill bit.

Air InjectionAn enhanced recovery technique in which air is inected into the petroleum formation to increase reservoirpressure.

Air LiftA production technique in which an air balance beam pumping unit is used to lift oil to the surface.

Aliphatic solvents!rimarily white spirit and hexane for industrial use.Alkylation

A refining process for converting light, gaseous olefins into high-octane gasoline components "the reverseof cracking#.

AlloyA composition of two or more metals.

Annulus

$he space between the drill string and the earthen wall of the well bore, or between the production tubingand the casing.

API GravityA measurement of the gravity "weight per unit volume# of crude oil and other liquid hydrocarbons by asystem recommended by the American !etroleum %nstitute "A!%#. $he measuring scale is calibrated interms of &A!% degrees.& $he lower the A!% gravity, the heavier the oil. $he higher the A!% gravity, thelighter the oil.

Appraisal Drilling'rilling carried out following the discovery of a new field to determine the physical extent, amount ofreserves and likely production rate of the field.

Appraisal WellA well drilled as part of an appraisal drilling program.

ARDS$he refiner(s shorthand for &atmospheric residual desulfuri)ation,& a refining process that removes sulfurfrom oils.


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Aromatics*lass of hydrocarbons that have at least one ben)ene ring as part of their structure. +enerally describesben)ene and ben)ene derivatives. !hillips-produced aromatics include ben)ene, toluene and xylene.$hese products are used as components of unleaded gasolines and as feedstocks for petrochemicalssuch as cyclohexane and paraxylene, both of which are used in end products like nylons and polyesters.

Artificial Drives$echniques for producing oil after depletion or in lieu of natural drives; includes waterflooding, natural gasreinection, inert gas inection, flue gas inection and in-situ combustion.

Artificial LiftAny of the techniques, other than natural drives, for bringing oil to the surface.

Associated Gasatural gas found in association with oil, either dissolved in the oil or as a cap of free gas above the oil.

Associated LiuidsLiquid hydrocarbons found in association with natural gas.

Atmospheric distillation

$he distillation of crude oil under pressure, slightly higher than atmospheric. $his is the basic process thattakes place in oil refining.

Aviation Gasolineigh-performance petroleum fuels made specifically for piston engine, propeller- driven airplanes


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B

!argeon-self-propelled marine vessel used as cargo tankers, equipment and supply carriers, crane platformsand support and accommodation bases in offshore drilling, and as submarine pipe-laying vessels.

!arrelAs the standard unit of measurement of liquids in the petroleum industry, it contains / 0.1. standardgallons. Abbreviated to &bbl.&

!arrels of "il #uivalent $!"#%$he volume of natural gas that when burned produces the same amount of heat as a barrel of oil "2,333cubic feet of gas equals one barrel of oil#.456 7 gas volumes divided by six and added to crude and natural gas volumes.

!asement Roc&$he ancient rock that lies below sedimentary strata; it does not contain oil or gas.

!ase oils8eedstock for lubricant production from the residual part of crude oil.4edrock

$he firm base rock to which is anchored the geological structure of interest to petroleum geologists.

!en'eneAn aromatic hydrocarbon present to a minor degree in most crude oils. 1ome important productsmanufactured from ben)ene are styrene, phenol, nylon and synthetic detergents.

!lending$he technique of combining two or more petroleum liquids to produce a product with specificcharacteristics.

!loc&A geographical area that includes several separate oil and gas license tracts.

!loc& LeasesA contract with diverse owners of separately leased oil and gas tracts that enables an oil company to drillone or two test wells instead of one well per tract.

!loc& (um)er$he numerical designation assigned to offshore lease and license tracts, or subdivisions of the tracts.

!lo* +oldingA plastics-forming process that uses compressed air to shape the final product by expanding it to fit themold.

!oosterA pump system installed to maintain or increase pressure in pipelines so that liquids and gases keep

flowing.

!"PD/!PD4arrels of oil per day; barrels per day.

!"PP-4i-axially oriented polypropylene production.4ottom 5ut$o reach the obective depth in drilling a well.


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!ottoms$he heavy portions, or fractions, of a crude oil that do not vapori)e during distillation; the accumulation ofsediments, mud and water in the bottoms of lease tanks.

!ottom,hole Assem)ly$he components, together as a group, that make up the lower end of the drill string 9 comprising the drillbit, drill collars, drill pipe and ancillary equipment.

!un&er fuel oilA heavy residual fuel oil used by ships.

!utadieneA butane derivative that is one of the most widely used raw materials used in the manufacture of syntheticrubber.

!utane:efers usually to a mixture of isobutane and normal butane. A flammable, gaseous hydrocarbon. 0sed asfuel.

!ypass

A pipe connected around a valve or other control mechanism in a flow line for the purpose of maintainingflow during adustments or repair work.

!y,productA substance obtained incidentally during the manufacture or production of some other substance.


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-

-ap Roc&An impervious layer of rock that overlies a reservoir rock, thus preventing hydrocarbons from escapingto the surface.

-apillaries$he minute spaces, cracks or pores in rock through which hydrocarbon fluids move in response to naturalforces.

-apping$ightly closing a well so that oil or natural gas cannot escape.

-ar)on$he base of all hydrocarbons; capable of combining with hydrogen in almost numberless hydrocarboncompounds. $he carbon content of a hydrocarbon determines, to a degree, the hydrocarbon(s burningcharacteristics and qualities.

-asing1teel pipe that is cemented into a well to prevent the well bore wall from caving in, to stop drilling fluids

from losing circulation and to prevent water and other fluids from invading the well bore.

-asing Perforation$he holes made in the liner of a finished well to allow oil or natural gas to flow into the production tube.

-asing Seat$he lowest point at which casing is set.

-asinghead$he top of the casing set in the well; the part of the casing that protrudes above the surface and to whichthe control valves and flow pipes are attached.

-asinghead Gas

+as produced with oil from an oil well as distinguished from gas from a gas well. $he casinghead gas istaken off at the top of the well or at the separator.

-asinghead GasolineLiquid hydrocarbons separated from casinghead gas by the reduction of pressure at the wellhead or by aseparator or an absorption plant.

-atalyst1ubstance that aids or promotes a chemical reaction between other substances, but does not, itself, enterinto the reaction.

-atalytic -rac&ingA petroleum refining process in which heavy hydrocarbon molecules are broken down "cracked# into

lighter molecules by passing them over a suitable catalyst "generally heated#.

-atalytic reforming$he conversion of naphtha into higher octane intermediate products suitable for blending into finishedgasoline or for petrochemical feedstocks via simultaneous catalytic combination of polymerisation,cracking, dehydrogeneration and isomerisation processes.


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--R $continuous catalyst regeneration#*ontinuous catalyst regeneration technology. $his assures the continuous operation of the catalyticreforming process. %t involves partially aged catalyst in the reactors being continuously replaced withfreshly generated catalyst from an external regenerator to maintain a low average cost of the reactor

catalyst.-ementing$he technique of pumping cement into the space between the casing and the well bore wall in order tohold the casing in place.

-ho&eA device to restrict the rate of flow during the testing of an exploratory discovery.

-I*%8 prices for crude oil, feedstocks and finished products include the cost of insurance and freightcharges.

-irculation$he techniques for bringing rock cuttings from the bottom of the well bore to the surface by continuouslypumping drilling mud down through the drill string and up the annulus during rotary drilling.

-lean -irculation'escriptive of drilling muds returning to the surface without rock cuttings.

-losed,in'escriptive of a well that is capable of producing, but is not producing at the time.

-oalA solid fossil fuel consisting mainly of carbon produced by the compression of decayed plants.

-oal)ed +ethaneA methane-rich, sulfur-free natural gas contained within underground coal beds. !roduced in the 1anuan 4asin of ew


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-oncessionA geographic area that is licensed or leased to a company for a given period for exploration anddevelopment under specified terms and conditions.

-ondensateA term used to describe light liquid hydrocarbons separated from crude oil after production and soldseparately.

-onfiguration inde0A scale providing a quantitative means of comparing the overall processing capabilities of individualrefineries. *onfiguration "or complexity# indices are produced by various companies "e.g., 1olomon

Associates#.

-onservation:egulation of oil and=or gas production from a reservoir in order to prolong its life and hopefully recover alarger quantity of the oil or gas in place; re-inection of associated gas for future use. Also, environmentalprotection and preservation.

-onsortiumA group of unrelated companies acting together in a specific venture.

-ontinental Shelf$he edge of a continental mass that lies under the sea in comparatively shallow water "up to a waterdepth of about >33 feet#.

-opolymerA polymer manufactured from two or more different monomers. An example is butadiene-styrene.

-o,venturerA person or company oined with others in a particular venture.

-rac&ing$he refinery process in which large, heavy, complex hydrocarbon molecules are broken down into simpler

and lighter molecules in order to derive a variety of fuel products.

-rude "ilA mineral oil consisting of a mixture of hydrocarbons of natural origin, yellow to black in color, of variablespecific gravity and viscosity; often referred to simply as crude.

-rude slate sulphur content$he average percentage of sulphur contained in crude oil. +enerally, the higher the crude slate contentthe lower the price of the crude oil.

-yclohe0ane$he cyclic form of hexane; used as a raw material in the manufacture of nylon.


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D

Delineation WellA well drilled in an unproven area adacent to a proven well to determine the extent of the reservoir; alsoreferred to as a &stepout& well.

Distillation


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E

#ffluent?aste liquid, gas or vapor that results from petroleum and chemical processing.

#m1RA-6mergency $raining and :esponse Action *enters. $wo specially designed communications andemergency vehicles operated by the :ed *ross and sponsored by !hillips. 6m$:A* was developed afterthe 5klahoma *ity bombing to provide fast, mobile assistance in emergencies.

#nhanced "il Recovery:ecovery of oil or gas from a reservoir by artificially maintaining or enhancing the reservoir pressure byinecting gas, water or other substances into the reservoir rock.

#thylene4asic chemical used in the manufacture of plastics "such as polyethylene#, antifree)e and synthetic fibers.

#0ploration Drilling'rilling carried out to determine whether hydrocarbons are present in a particular area or structure.

#0ploration LicenseA license to explore for oil or gas in a particular area issued to a company by the governing state.

#0ploration Phase$he phase of operations in which a company searches for oil or gas by carrying out detailed geologicaland geophysical surveys, followed up where appropriate by exploratory drilling in the most promisingplaces.

#0ploration RigA structure used to carry the equipment needed for exploratory drilling.


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F

-- $fluid catalytic crac&ing#*atalytic conversion of heavier and more complex hydrocarbons into lighter products and coke in fluidisedbed catalytic reactor with continuous catalyst regeneration. $hus the lighter products yield from crude oilis increased.

eedstoc&*rude oil, natural gas liquids, natural gas or other materials used as raw ingredients for making gasoline,other refined products or chemicals.

ieldA geographical area under which a producing or prospective oil and=or natural gas reservoir lies.

ield Potential6stimate of the producing capacity of a field during a /-hour period.

lareAn open flame used to burn off unwanted natural gas.

lare Stac&$he steel structure on an offshore rig or at a processing facility from which gas is flared.

"!8ree on board. 854 prices for crude oil, feedstocks and finished products do not include the cost ofinsurance and freight charges.

PS"8loating production, storage and offloading facility.

ractionating -olumnA tall tower, fitted with perforated trays, in which fractional distillation of crude oil or its products is carriedout.

ractionation$he process for breaking natural gas liquids into component parts -- methane, ethane, propane, butane,pentane and heavier hydrocarbons.

uel "ils$he heavy distillates from the oil refining process that are used primarily for heating, for fueling industrialprocesses, for fueling locomotives and ships, and for fueling power generation systems.


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G

Gas ieldA field containing natural gas but no oil.

Gas InjectionAn enhanced recovery technique in which natural gas is inected under pressure into a producingreservoir through an inection well to drive oil to the well bore and the surface.

GasificationAn environmentally superior technology for converting a wide variety of hydrocarbon fuels "coal, heavy oil,petroleum coke, natural gas and wastes# into clean synthetic gas, or &syngas,& which is used to produceelectricity, industrial chemicals and gases as well as fuels and fertili)ers.

Gasoline$he light fuel used to spark ignition engines in cars, motorcycles, etc.


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H

3DP#igh-density polyethylene. 0sed in the manufacture of plastic items such as plastic pipe, grocery bags,water coolers and milk bottles.

3eavy !ottoms$hick, black substances that remain in refinery stills after all lighter fractions have been processed out ofthe feedstock.

3eavy -rude*rude oil of /3-degree A!% gravity or less; often very thick and viscous.

3e0aneA petroleum liquid found in small amounts in condensates; one of the components of natural gasoline.

3e0ene,4A key feedstock in the manufacture of many high-density and linear low-density polyethylene resins,which are used to make food and drink containers, trash bags, plastic pipe and other consumer products.

3ori'ontal Drilling$he technique for cutting a hole in geological strata in a hori)ontal, rather than the normal vertical,direction.

3ydrocar)ons5rganic chemical compounds of hydrogen and carbon atoms that form the basis of all petroleumproducts. $hey may exist as solids, liquids or gases.

3ydrocrac&ing*atalytic cracking of hydrocarbon feedstocks in the presence of hydrogen.

3ydrodesulphurisation the process of converting any type of organic sulphur compound into hydrogen sulphide and

hydrocarbons in order to reduce the sulphur content of petroleum products complying with the requiredfuel specifications "includes gas oil and kerosene desulphurisation#.

3ydros&imming refinery9a refinery with a configuration which only includes distillation, reforming, some hydrotreating, andoccasionally sulphur recovery processes.

3ydrotreating$he process whereby feedstocks are place into contact with hydrogen, under high pressure and at a hightemperature, in the presence of a catalyst, to reduce the content of sulphur, nitrogen, metals,polyaromatics and olefins.


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I

Improved Recovery$echnology for increasing or prolonging the productivity of oil and gas fields. $his is a special field ofactivity and research in the oil and gas industry.

Injection +oldingA plastics-forming process in which molten plastic is forced into amold under pressure and allowed tosolidify.

Injection WellA well used to inect gas or water into the reservoir in order to maintain reservoir pressure in secondaryrecovery proects or for conservation purposes.

Isomerisation$he rearrangement of the molecular structure of hydrocarbons without adding or removing anything fromthe original material. %somerisation is used in a refinery to manipulate physical quantities of a substancee.g., light naphtha isomerisation is a refinery process used to increase the octane number of naphtha


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5

5ac&An oil well pumping unit that operates with an up-and-down, or seesawing, motion; also called a pumpingack.

5ac&et$he steel lattice structure that supports an offshore platform.

5ac&et PlatformAn offshore platform constructed entirely of steel. 1uch platforms generally are held in position by longsteel piles driven deep into the seabed.

5ac&,up RigA type of mobile offshore platform with retractable legs that stand on the seabed to help support thedrilling platform.

5oint 6entureAn investment undertaken by a consortium of companies, usually with one member acting as operator.


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K

7eroseneA medium-light distillate from the oil refining process; used for lighting and heating, and for themanufacture of fuel for et and turbo-prop aircraft engines.

7erosene mero0*atalytic processing of kerosene to convert mercaptan sulphur into less - obectionable disulphides, whichremain in the treated product.

7,Resin!hillips( copolymer resin used to produce clear packaging materials, cups, water bottles, toys and showerdoors.

7ic&s 88!hillips( company-owned retail outlets, featuring up to ,333 square feet of shopping space and a widerange of food items.


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L

LDLP#Low-density linear polyethylene. A strong, clear film ideal for packaging.

Lease$he legal contract that specifies the terms and conditions of the business relationship between an oilcompany and the landowner or mineral rights holder on a particular tract.

Lease "perating #0penses!roduction expenses and cost of sales excluding exploration expenses, depreciation, depletion,amorti)ation and dry hole expenses.

LicenseAn agreement in which a national government gives an oil company the rights to explore for and produceoil and=or gas in a designated area.

License !loc&A section of continental shelf area in a particular national sector bounded by latitude and longitude lines,

generally at one-degree intervals; a license block is usually sub-divided into smaller areas.

License RoundA stage in the allocation of offshore licenses in which a state places a number of specified areas in itssector on offer to oil companies at one time.

Light -rude*rude oil with a high A!% gravity due to the presence of a high proportion of light hydrocarbon fractions.

Lightering0nloading cargo from large marine tankers into smaller tankers that can enter shallow-water ports.

Lignite

0sually a dark brown substance that is the lowest rank of coal.

Liuefied (atural Gas $L(G%atural gas liquefied either by refrigeration or by pressure to facilitate storage or transportation.

Liuefied Petroleum Gas $LPG%A mixture of butane, propane and other light hydrocarbons derived from refining crude oil. At normaltemperatures it is a gas, but it can be cooled or subected to pressure to facilitate storage andtransportation.

Linear programming1ophisticated mathematical models used to simulate and optimise refining processes.

LiuidsAn aggregate of crude oil and natural gas liquids; also known as hydrocarbon liquids.

LLDP#Linear low-density polyethylene. A strong, clear film ideal for packaging and one of the fastest-growing


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M

+arginal ieldA field that may not produce enough net income to make it worth developing at a given time; shouldtechnical or economic conditions change, such a field may become commercial.

+aureen PlatformLocated B2C miles offshore Aberdeen, 1cotland,


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(

(aphthaA colorless liquid product of petroleum distillation that is used as a manufacturing solvent, a dry-cleaningfluid and a gasoline-blending stock.

(ational Petroleum ReserveA petroleum province west of the !rudhoe 4ay 8ield and south of !oint 4arrow on the orth 1lope ofAlaska, consisting of millions of acres set aside and held in reserve for the purpose of national defense.Also called the 1trategic !etroleum :eserve.

(atural GasA mixture of light hydrocarbons found naturally in the 6arth(s crust, often in association with oil "when it isknown as associated gas#.


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O

"ctane (um)erA measure of the resistance of a fuel to pre-ignition "&knock when burned in an internal combustionengine. $he higher the number, the more anti-knock quality.

"dorantA substance, such as a mercaptan, that is added to odorless natural gas and natural gas liquids; givesthem a characteristic smell and thus enables them to be detected.

"ilA mixture of liquid hydrocarbons of different molecular weights.

"il ieldA geographical area under which an oil reservoir lies.

"lefins4asic chemicals made from oil or natural gas liquids feedstocks; commonly used to manufacture plasticsand gasoline. 6xamples are ethylene and propylene.

"P#-$he 5rgani)ation of !etroleum 6xporting *ountries, which are Algeria, %ndonesia, %ran, %raq, Duwait,Libya, igeria, Fatar, 1audi Arabia, 0nited Arab 6mirates and Gene)uela.

"perating Interest$he legal right to produce oil or gas from a well, accompanied by the responsibilities to pay productioncosts and assume the risks.

"perator$erm used to describe a company appointed by venture stakeholders to take primary responsibility forday-to-day operations for a specific plant or activity.

"rtho0yleneAn aromatic compound used in the manufacture of plastici)ers and polyester.

"uter -ontinental Shelf $"-S%$hat portion of a continental land mass that constitutes the slope down to the ocean floor. $he outercontinental shelves are heavily sedimented, and it is believed they contain a large portion of the earthEsundiscovered oil and gas.


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P

Para0yleneAn aromatic compound used to make polyester fibers and plastic soft drink bottles.

Pay 9one$he stratum of rock in which oil and=or gas is found.

Permea)ility$he capacity of a rock or stratum to allow water or other fluids, such as oil, to pass through it.

PetrochemicalAn intermediate chemical derived from petroleum, hydrocarbon liquids or natural gas ethylene,propylene, ben)ene, toluene and xylene.

PetroleumA generic name for hydrocarbons, including crude oil, natural gas liquids, natural gas and their products.

Petroleum -o&e

1olid carbon or coke retained as a residue in tar stills after high-temperature distillation.

PigA cylindrical device that is inserted into a pipeline to clean the pipeline wall or monitor the internalcondition of the pipeline. Also called a go-devil.

PilingsLong steel piles driven into the seabed to anchor fixed offshore structures solidly in place.

PipelineA pipe through which natural gas, crude oil or petroleum products are pumped between two points, eitheronshore or offshore.

PlasticA generic term for a range of high-molecular-weight polymers that can be used to produce a variety ofitems.

Plastic ResinsA class of petroleum-based materials that can be molded to form plastic items or used as the basis ofadhesives.

Plateau Level$he level of peak production reached by an oil or gas field; it is always followed by declining level ofproduction.

Platform

An offshore structure from which development wells are drilled; see drilling installation, productioninstallation.

Platt:s "! +#D ,free on board


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Playa La&es 5oint 6enture!hillips was one of the founding partners of this cooperative partnership of government and privateorgani)ations to preserve the playas of 5klahoma, $exas, ew


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Production Phase$he productive life of an oil or gas field.

Production PlatformA platform from which development wells are drilled and that carries all the associated processing plantsand other equipment needed to maintain a field in production.

Production String$he tubing or piping in a production well through which oil or gas flows from the reservoir to the wellhead.

Production WellA well used to remove oil or gas from a reservoir.

PropaneA heavy gaseous hydrocarbon found in crude oil and natural gas; used as fuel and in the making ofpetrochemicals.

PropyleneA raw material in the chemical, plastics and fibers industries.


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R

ReactorA vessel, tank or tower in which a specific chemical reaction takes place.

Recovera)le Reserves$hat proportion of the oil and=or gas in a reservoir that can be removed using currently availabletechniques.

Recycling$he process undertaken to regain material for human use. $o reuse; to make ready for reuse.

RefineryA plant used to separate the various components present in crude oil and convert them into usable fuelproducts or feedstock for other processes.

Refining +argins$he difference in value between the products produced by a refinery and the value of the crude oil usedto produce them. :efining margins will thus vary from refinery to refinery and depend on the price and

characteristics of the crude used.

Reformulated Gasoline:eformulated gasoline is a cleaner-burning gasoline that reduces smog and other air pollution. 8ederallaw mandates the sale of reformulated gasoline in nine metropolitan areas with the worst o)one smog4altimore, *hicago, artford, ouston, Los Angeles,


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Re6AP:educed Golatility Alkylation !rocess. An environmental innovation that cuts by 23 to H3 percent theairborne hydrogen fluoride "8# emissions in the event of an accidental release. !hillips and


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S

Satellite PlatformAn offshore structure that depends on another platform for materials or services.

Secondary Recovery6nhanced recovery of oil or gas from a reservoir beyond the oil or gas that can be recovered by normalflowing and pumping operations. 1econdary recovery techniques involve maintaining or enhancingreservoir pressure by inecting water, gas or other substances into the formation. 1ee also enhancedrecovery and tertiary recovery.

Seismic #0plorationAn exploration technique involving the use of seismic methods.

Seismic SurveyA technique for determining the detailed structure of the rocks underlying a particular area by passingacoustic shock waves into the strata and detecting and measuring the reflected signals.

Semi,su)mersi)le Rig

A floating drilling installation that is supported by underwater pontoons; generally used for explorationpurposes only.

Service WellA well that does not produce oil or gas but that is used to inect liquids or gas into the main producingformation for such purposes as pressure maintenance, enhanced recovery, and storage or subsurfacedisposal of salt water and other substances.

Sidetrac& DrillingA remedial operation that results in the creation of a new section of well bore for the purpose of detouringaround &unk,& redrilling a lost hole or straightening crooked holes.

Solte0

!hillips( brand of drilling muds.

Sour -rude*rude oil with a high sulfur content.

Sour Gasatural or associated gas with a high sulfur content.

Specialty -hemicalA chemical made in a relatively small quantity for a particular application.

Specific GravityA measure of the density of a material usually obtained by comparing it with water.

Spot +ar&et$he trading in crude oil and petroleum products that occurs in international commerce, setting the pricesthat are widely published.


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Steamflood 1echnology5ne method of enhanced recovery in which steam is introduced into the reservoir through an inector well,providing heat and pressure to push heavy oil toward the surrounding producing wells.

Straight runA description applied to a product of crude oil created solely by distillation without further treatment e.g.,straight run atmospheric residue "1:A:#.

Stripper WellAn oil well that produces a limited amount of oil, usually no more than B3 barrels a day.

Su)salt:efers to rock formations lying beneath long, hori)ontal layers of salt. $hese rock formations may containhydrocarbons.

Su),sea WellheadA wellhead installed on the sea floor and controlled remotely from a platform, a floating production facilityor land.

Su)sidence

$he settling or sinking of a surface as a result of the loss of support from underlying soils or strata.

Su)structure$he support form of an offshore installation on which the derrick, engines, quarters, helicopter pad,cranes, etc. are installed.

Sulphur recovery!rocess used to recover sulphur contained in acid gas streams "e.g., hydrogen sulphide# generated inrefining processes

Supply -hain +anagement$he interlocking series of transactions necessary to convert crude oil into marketable products.

Suspended DiscoveryAn oil or gas field identified by a discovery well but not being produced or developed.

S*eet -rude*rude oil with a low sulfur content.

S*eet GasA natural gas that contains little sulfur.

SyngasA synthetic gas fuel.

Synthetic uels

4urnable energy fluids made from coals or other hydrocarbon-containing substances.

Synthetic (atural Gas+ases made from coals and other hydrocarbon-containing substances.Synthetic "ilsLiquid fuels made from hydrocarbon- containing substances, including tar sands, plus animal andvegetable oils that are used as lubricants.


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TOP TOP

T

1ail Gas

A sulfur recovery unitEs residue gas; any processing unitEs gaseous exhaust that is treated as residue.

1an& armA number of petroleum tanks that are operated together as a depot in oil storage and distributionactivities.

1APSAbbreviation for $rans-Alaska !ipeline 1ystem, the line from !rudhoe 4ay on the orth 1lope to theterminal port of Galde) on the south coast of Alaska. !hillips owns a B./ percent interest.

1ension,leg PlatformA floating offshore structure held in position by a number of tension-maintaining cables anchored to theseabed. $he cables dampen wave action to keep the platform stationary.

1erminal!lant and equipment designed to receive and process crude oil or gas to remove water and impurities.

1ertiary Recovery$he third maor phase of recovery of oil or gas, the quantities recovered being over and beyond whatcould be produced by primary and secondary recovery technology; generally involves using sophisticatedtechniques such as heating the reservoir to reduce the viscosity of the oil.

1hree,dimensional Seismic*ommonly shortened to C-' seismic. $hree-dimensional images created by bouncing sound waves offunderground rock formations; used by oil companies to determine the best places to drill forhydrocarbons.

1hroughput$he average amount of raw material that is processed in a given period by a facility, such as a natural gasprocessing plant, an oil refinery or a petrochemical plant.

1olueneA key petrochemical and an organic solvent; along with xylene, a key component in unleaded gasoline.

1on/,333 pounds in the 0nited 1tates; in the 0nited Dingdom, a long ton is /,/3 pounds; a metric ton equals/,333 kilograms. %n most countries, oil and petroleum products are sold by weight instead of liquidsquantities, e.g. a ton of oil is the equivalent of 2.> to >.@ barrels of oil, depending on temperature, specificgravity and other physical factors.

1opping refineryA refinery consisting only of an atmospheric distillation unit.

1otal Depth $1D%'escriptive of a well reaching the intended depth.

1rainA series of units that together accomplish a complex process.


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1u)ing$he piping installed in wells for the production of oil and gas.

1ur)ineA piece of equipment in which a shaft is steadily rotated by the impact of a current of steam, air, water orother fluid directed from ets or no))les upon blades of a wheel.

1urnaroundA period of brisk activity at a refinery or plant when processing units, or portions of them, are shut downfor scheduled maintenance or the installation of new equipment and systems.


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U


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V

6acuum distillation'istillation under reduced pressure "less than atmospheric# which lowers the boilign points of the liquidmixture being distilled. $his technique, involving a relatively lower temperature, prevents cracking ordecomposition of the very heavy hydrocarbon stocks which normally boil at very high temperatures.

6acuum gas oil $6G"%$he top product of the vacuum distillation unit.

6acuum gas oil mild hydrocrac&erA unit processing vacuum gas oil at moderate temperatures and pressures over a fixed catalyst bed inwhich the vacuum gas oil is partially cracked in a hydrogen atmosphere in order to produce lighterproducts "mainly naphtha, kerosene, distillates and oils#. At the same time sulphur, nitrogen and oxygenare almost completely removed and olefins are saturated so that products are a mixture of essentiallypure paraffins, naphthenes and aromatics.

6alues!hillips( values are 1afety, trust, respect, diversity, opportunity for everyone, teamwork, open and honest

communications, creativity, ethical conduct, community involvement and environmental stewardship.

6-+Ginyl chloride monomer. 8eedstock used in the manufacture of !G*.

6iscosityA measure of the resistance that a fluid makes to motion or flow; it usually decreases as the temperatureincreases.

6is)rea&erA process unit whereby residue feedstock "e.g., vacuum gas oil and straight rum atmospheric residue# isheated until it reaches a temperature at which it thermally cracks with a consequent reduction in viscosityand pour point "producing gas, gasoline and gas oil#.


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W

Water Injection


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X

KyleneAn aromatic hydrocarbon that is the basis for many petrochemicals; along with toluene, a key ingredientin unleaded gasoline.

petroleum glossary

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