Drilling for Oil
How is oil formed?
Heat and pressure from these
help
The layers
remains
of to
ocean plants and animals drift to
turn the remains into crudethe
oil.ocean bottom.
Sand and silt cover the remains.
Over millions of years the sand and
silt develop into a thick layer.
Oil gathers in a “pocket” called a
reservoir.
3 conditions must be met:
1. A source rock rich in hydrocarbon material must be
buried deep enough for heat to cook it into oil.
3 conditions must be met:
2. A porous reservoir rock must be present for the oil
to accumulate
3 conditions must be met:
3. An impermeable rock (doesn’t allow liquid or gas through) must be
above to seal the oil from escaping to the surface
Once an oil reservoir is located,
the oil is pumped out.
oil
Oil Exploration Activity ~ where to drill?
How oil is trapped by impermeable rock
animation
Once an oil reservoir is located,
the oil is pumped out.
oil
Drill bit animation
• When the bit gets to a certain depth, heavy mud is circulated
to float the rock bits up out of the hole.
• Then the drill bit continues farther down
animation
Oil rig
with
drill bit
close-up
animation
Searching for oil over water using
seismology
Drilling in the ocean ~ the depth of
the water dictates the best platform
Lowering the Blowout Preventer to
the seafloor.
animation
Oil is sent to shore via pipeline or tanker
At the refinery, crude oil is processed
Crude oil
becomes….