Basic drilling technology to extract oil and gas from beneath the surface of the Earth consists of a drill string and bit, mud circulation, blowout prevention, and additional supporting equipment (Skinner, 1981–2; Giuliano, 1981). The objective is to drill through several kilometers of Earth materials to reach geologic structures defined during exploration where the oil and gas lie under high pressure. The principal features of the drilling system are illustrated in (Figure o5) and an example from the field is shown in (Figure O6). The derrick enables addition or removal of pipe to the drill string and casing. The drill string and bit are attached to the kelly, which is usually square in cross-section, and is turned by the rotary table. Hence the process is called rotary drilling because as the bit turns it cuts pieces of rock. The system also allows vertical movement of the pipe as the hole becomes deeper. Joints or sections of pipe are added to the drill string as needed. Casing...
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Burroughs, R.H. (1999). Oil and gas deposits: extraction and uses. In: Environmental Geology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4494-1_242
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