Glossary 3341926 01

Online Interactive Learning:
Glossary
Reference: 3341926
Version: 7.0
Release Date: 30-Jun-2010
EDMS UID: 1653410879
Produced: 30-Jun-2010 11:55:48
Owner: InTouch SPC LWD
Author: Sara Richmire
Private OIL, on line interactive learning, glossary
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Revision History
Version Date Description Prepared by
7.0 14-Jan-2010 Major update of the OIL TBT training package. Author: Cecile Ramirez
The MaxWell Introduction lesson has been
added.
6.1 15-Dec-2006 Reorganized the topics. There are now eleven Author: Jesus Saenz
lesson files that make up the entire OIL TBT.
6.0 02-Sep-2002 First major release of the OIL CD lessons. Author: Sugar Land Learning
Center
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iv OIL Glossary / Table of Contents iv
Table of Contents
1 Glossary _______________________________________________________ 1-1

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Glossary
OIL Glossary / Glossary

1-i
1-1 OIL Glossary / Glossary 1-1
1 Glossary OIL, online interactive learning
Term Definition
4/5 axis correction The field engineer runs the 4/5 axis correction program to correct
for a failed sensor or axis. The 4/5 axis program recomputes an
estimated reading for a failed axis on a bad 6-axis survey. A
downhole 6-axis survey is considered bad if any one of the values
of inclination, azimuth, dip angle, tool G, or tool H does not match
the reference values within the deviation limits. The program can
detect and correct for up to two bad axes as long as two axes of
the same sensor type have not failed. The 4/5 axis program can
be run online or offline.

accelerometer To measure its orientation to vector g, the MWD tool uses three
accelerometers, one for each of the reference axes: X, Y and Z.
An accelerometer is a transducer that is capable of responding to
gravitational acceleration. It reads changes in its orientation with
respect to vector g. It has a magnetically permeable pendulum that
is free to swing to maintain its orientation relative to gravity. The
accelerometer acts like a plumb line. It assumes the direction in
which Earth’s gravity acts on it. The accelerometer is only sensitive
to forces along its reference axis.
accuracy (of a The accuracy of a measurement is the closeness of the agreement
measurement) between the result of the measurement and the (conventional)
true value (of the measurement).
activity The process of decay in an element. Measured in curies or
becquerels.
air tugger Also called an air hoist. It is an air-operated winch with a cable
and a piece of chain on the end.
ALARA An acronym that stands for As Low As Reasonably Achievable. It
refers to the practice of keeping exposure of personnel and work
areas to radioactive sources as low as reasonably achievable,
given the areas economic and social factors.
alpha particle A particle emitted from an unstable nucleus during radioactive
disintegration that consists of a helium nucleus, two protons and
two neutrons, with a double positive charge. Alpha particles exhibit
low penetration. They will travel a few feet in air and can be
stopped by a piece of paper.
americium Element used in spectral scintillation detectors. When americium
(Am241) decays, it gives off gamma rays. These gamma rays
have an energy of 60 KeV. The gamma rays bombard the crystal in
the detector and provide a benchmark to measure other gamma
rays by.
ampere Ampere is the basic international standard unit of electric current.
One ampere is a coulomb per second.
amplitude The difference between the maximum displacement of a wave and
the point of no displacement. The common symbol for amplitude
is a.
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anchor The anchor is also referred to as the deadline tie-down anchor.

The anchor is a device for securely fastening the deadline to the
derrick substructure.
anisotropy A property of substance that manifests different values when
measured on different axes.
annulus The space between the drillpipe and the wellbore.
annulus pressure The pressure of the annulus, which is the space between the
drillpipe and the wellbore.
anode The electrode (electronic conductor) where oxidation, or loss of
electrons, occurs in the electrochemical cells of a battery. It is the
electrode from which electrons leave to enter the external circuit.
In a storage battery, the anode is the negative terminal. In an
electrolytic cell, the anode is the positive terminal.
API American Petroleum Institute. An organization that sets the

standards for the petroleum industry. API gravity is a scale
reflecting the density of a fluid such as crude oil, water or natural
gas. It is computed by dividing the specific gravity of the fluid at 60°
into 141.5 and subtracting 131.5. Fresh water has 10° API. Crude
oils generally range from 6° (very heavy) to 60° (very light). (from
the Dictionary of Petroleum Exploration, Drilling & Production).
apparent bulk density Density reading taken by a nuclear tool.
apparent porosity Porosity reading taken by a nuclear tool.
apparent resistivity Resistivity reading taken by a resistivity tool.
Archie’s equation Equation describing the relationship between formation resistivity,
formation porosity, formation fluid resistivity and water saturation.
arcVISION arcVISION (ARC) is an LWD tool. It stands for Array Resistivity
Compensated. The tool measures resistivity.
atom The smallest particle of an element that can exist alone or in
combination.
atomic number The number of protons in an atomic nucleus, or the number
of neutrons in a neutral atom; usually equal to the number of
electrons in the atom.
atomic weight The weight of an atom of any element.
attenuation The decrease of a physical quantity. Many high frequency LWD
resistivity devices measure the attenuation of the propagated wave
and relate this attenuation to resistivity. Conversely, many LWD
vendors also measure the shift in phase of the propagated wave
and relate this shift to resistivity. Attenuation is often expressed in
decibels (dB).
attenuation resistivity Measurement made by electromagnetic propagation tool. The
measurement (ATR) attenuation of an electromagnetic wave propagating through the
formation is measured and transformed into a resistivity value.
average angle survey To calculate the coordinates of a survey point, the average angle
calculation method method averages the inclination and azimuth angles at the current
and last survey point. Because it uses the angles at two survey
points, it is more accurate than the tangential method. However,
like the tangential method, the well path is assumed to lie in a
straight line between the two survey points. Therefore, as long as
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the path and the dogleg severity remain small between the two
stations, the method can be a good approximation. The surface
system software does NOT use this method.
A avg = (A1 + A2) / 2
I avg = (I1 + I2) / 2
N/S = MD sin(I avg) cos(A avg)
E/W = MD sin(I avg) sin(A avg)
TVD = MD cos(I avg)
Displacement = MD sin(I avg)
Avogadro’s number The number of atoms in one gram-atom of any element, 6.023
X 1023.
azimuth Azimuth is the clockwise angle of departure from a reference
direction (typically geographic) north, measured in a horizontal
plane. In directional surveys, it is the clockwise angle from
magnetic north to the MWD tool reference point. This measurement
must be corrected for magnetic declination and grid convergence.
Azimuth is also referred to as direction.

azimuthal Logging tools such as the MWD tool perform separate
measurements in different directions (azimuths) around the
axis of the tool. For example, the D&I sensors make azimuthal
measurements that give measurements in quadrants around the
borehole. Some MWD gamma ray sensors are shielded on one
side so that measurements are taken from only (primarily) the
unshielded side. These are oriented measurements rather than
true azimuthal measurements.
band A band of frequencies is a specific range of frequencies.
band-pass The band-pass is a filter that screens out frequencies above and
below a specified range. All frequencies within the range pass
through (pass-band) to the receiver.
bandwidth When the MWD signal is demodulated at the surface, the receiver
looks for it in a range of frequencies close to the carrier frequency.
This range of frequencies is proportional to the symbol rate and
is called the bandwidth.
barite Barite, or barium sulfate, is a mineral additive used to increase
the weight of drilling mud. It is very effective in absorbing gamma
rays. The presence of barite can affect some logging sensors, both
wireline and MWD. The measurements most significantly affected
by barite are spectral gamma ray and the photoelectric effect (Pe).
bar A unit of pressure equal to 14.5 psi.
battery pack A single galvanic cell or group of cells connected through series
or parallel circuits and housed in a modular enclosure to provide
power to electronic devices.
Becquerel A unit of radioactivity that corresponds to the smallest amount of
specific activity measurable: one disintegration per unit volume
per second.
bent housing The bent housing is an integral part of a steerable motor. It
includes a motor and a bent sub. The housing enables Drilling &
Measurements to give the downhole motor a non-straight bottom
assembly. The bent housing includes the motor and bent sub.
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bent sub The bent sub is a small section of drillpipe with an angle machined
into it. It is used to drill directional wellbores. A bent sub is run
between the downhole mud motor and the lowest drill collar.
Typically, bent subs create a 0.5° to 2.5° bend. A 0.5° bent sub will
produce an inclination change of 2° to 3° per 100 ft. A 2° bent sub
will produce a 6° to 8° inclination change per 100 ft.
beta particle A particle emitted from the nucleus of an atom when a neutron is
converted into or decays into a proton. It has a mass and charge
equal in magnitude to electrons. Beta particles exhibit medium
penetration. They will travel a few feet in air and can be stopped by
a thin sheet of aluminum or a few sheets of paper.
BHA BHA stands for bottom hole assembly. The BHA is the portion of
the drillstring below the drillpipe. It consists of such things as drill
collars, subs and the bent housing. Drilling & Measurements MWD
and LWD tools are located in the BHA.
BHA drag BHA drag is the frictional force between the BHA and the wellbore.
The well profile is designed to minimize BHA drag to prevent the
drillstring from getting stuck.
BHA torque BHA torque is the rotational force applied to the drillstring. The well
profile is designed to minimize BHA torque to prevent damage to
the drillstring.
BHA torque and drag The well plan is designed to minimize dogleg severity and BHA
analysis torque and drag. Dogleg severity is the rate of change of the hole
angle (inclination) plus the rate of change of the azimuth (direction).
The smaller the rate of change the less BHA torque and drag that
can develop during drilling. BHA torque is the rotational force
applied to the drillstring. BHA drag is the frictional force between
the BHA and the wellbore.
You need to minimize BHA torque to prevent damage to the
drillstring. You need to minimize BHA drag to prevent the drillstring
from getting stuck. The drillstring is made up to certain torque
parameters. During drilling, you do not want to exceed the weakest
part of your BHA or you may cause "twist off."
bias Bias is the systematic or persistent distortion of a measurement
process that causes errors in one direction.
binary A group of binary digits. Each word can have any combination of
ones and zeros to represent its numeric value. For example, a 4-bit
binary word with the binary value of 1100 has a decimal value of 12.
To convert from binary to decimal, sum the decimal values for each
column that has a binary 1 in it. 8 + 4 = 12.
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binary digit A binary digit is called a bit. The MWD and LWD tools convert
their downhole measurements to binary digits. The digits are
encoded into the MWD signal and transmitted to the surface where
the binary digits are demodulated from the signal and stored in a
database.
bit (drill bit) The drill bit is used to cut or bore into a formation. It is mounted
at the end of the drillstring. It consists of cutting and circulating
elements.
bit confidence The receiver software in the surface computer indicates, on a scale
of 0 to 100, how confident it is that a bit (binary digit) was correctly
received from the MWD signal. A bit confidence near 100 indicates
that the chance of bit error is small. The probability of bit error
increases as confidence drops. A bit confidence near 20 indicates
that the chance of bit error is about 1/100.
bit depth Bit depth is the depth of the bit in the wellbore. Bit depth is equal to
the length of the drillstring below the rotary table.
bit error Bit error refers to errors that occur during demodulation of the
MWD signal by the receiver in the surface computer. Bit errors
occur when the receiver’s decision about a received binary digit is
different from what was sent by the MWD tool. For example, the
receiver decides that a binary 0 is a binary 1 or vice versa. Bit error
is caused by a weak MWD signal, noise within the bandwidth of
the MWD signal, or both.
bit error rate The rate at which the receiver in the surface computer incorrectly
receives binary digits from the MWD signal during demodulation.
There is an inverse relationship between the signal to noise ratio
and the bit error rate. The higher the signal-to-noise ratio, the lower
the bit error rate, and vice versa.
bit rate The rate at which binary bits of data are encoded into the MWD
signal by the MWD tool. Bit rate is determined by the symbol rate
and encoding method used by the MWD tool. With BPSK and MSK,
each phase or frequency shift encodes one symbol representing
one binary digit. Therefore, with BPSK and MSK, the bit rate and
symbol rate are the same. With QPSK, each phase shift encodes
one symbol representing two binary digits. Therefore, with QPSK,
the bit rate is twice the symbol rate. For example, when the symbol
rate is 3.0 symbols/second, using QPSK, the bit rate would be 6
bits per second, whereas using BPSK, the bit rate would be 3 bits
per second (bps).
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The higher the bit rate, the more bits per second. The more bits
per second the more real-time measurements and the higher the
quality of the data.

bit run The borehole is drilled in bit runs. Each run is the distance the rig
can drill before the drillstring is pulled out of hole to change the bit.
Typically, the driller sequentially numbers each bit run.
block position Block position is the distance from the rotary table to a reference
point somewhere on the traveling block or topdrive.
borehole The hole drilled by the drill bit.
BPSK BPSK stands for Binary Phase Shift Keying. BPSK is a telemetry
method used by the MWD tool to encode downhole measurement
data (in binary format) into a signal. The signal travels through the
mud inside the drillstring to the surface for processing. With BPSK,
the MWD tool shifts the phase of the signal to encode one symbol
representing one binary digit. A 180° phase shift encodes a binary
1. A 0° phase shift encodes a binary 0.
buildup rate (BUR) The change of inclination in a wellbore where the angle is
increased. Usually expressed as the angular increase per 100 ft or
30 meters of the measured depth.
bulk density Overall gross or weight-average density of a unit of the formation.
It can be expressed by: Bulk Density = Porosity x Fluid Density +
(1 - Porosity) x Matrix Density.
byte A byte is 8 binary digits. D&M converts its tool measurements to
binary digits, or bits. The bits may be transmitted to the surface
or stored in tool memory. When binary data is stored, the size
of the storage area is defined in terms of bytes. For example, a
computer file may require 10 kilobytes of storage. A kilobyte is
1,024 bytes. So the file will be 10 x 1,024, or 10,024 bytes in
size. Some tools have more storage capacity than others. They
may have 100 megabytes of storage, for example. A megabyte
is 1,024,000 bytes.
caliper Tool that records the diameter of the wellbore.
carrier frequency (fc) In the power density spectrum of the MWD signal, the carrier
frequency (fc) is the frequency where the energy of the signal is
centered.
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casing Casing is thin-walled steel pipe ranging in length from 16 ft to

greater than 40 ft. Casing is used to complete a section of a well. A
string of casing is run into the well and cemented. Casing prevents
the walls of the wellbore from caving in. It also prevents movement
of fluid between formations and makes extraction more efficient.
casing shoe The casing shoe is a short hollow steel cylinder that is rounded at
the bottom. The shoe is screwed into the bottom of a casing string.
There is an orifice in the center of the shoe through which cement
flows during the cementing operation and drilling fluid flows during
drilling.
cathode The cathode is the electrode where reduction, or electron gain,
occurs in electrochemical cells. It is the electrode where electrons
enter from the external circuit. In a storage battery, it is the positive
terminal. In an electrolytic cell (nuclear detectors), it is the positive
terminal of two electrodes. The cathode does not corrode and
is in contrast to anode.
catwalk A flat, horizontal, steel platform usually 4 ft to 6 ft wide and
approximately 40 ft or 50 ft long. The catwalk extends out from the
inclined pipe ramp that runs from the drill floor down to the ground.
The LWD and MWD tools are rolled onto the catwalk from the pipe
rack before being hoisted up to the drill floor.
CDN tool Compensated Density Neutron tool. Designed to measure
lithological properties important to the evaluation of formations and
reservoirs. These properties include:
• formation density
• photoelectric effect
• neutron porosity
• borehole size and standoff
The tool comes in 6.5-in and 8-in collar sizes (CDN6 and CDN8)
and can be run alone or in combination with other LWD and MWD
tools.
central meridian A central meridian is a longitude passing through the center of a
projection. It is generally a straight line about which the projection
is centered (symmetrically). Usually, the central meridian defines
the X-origin of the map.
In a grid system such as UTM, the world is divided into equal
zones. Each zone has its own origin at the intersection of its central
meridian and the equator. Any point on Earth can be identified by
its distance in meters from the equator ("northing") and its distance
in meters from the central meridian or north-south reference line
("easting"). Grid north is the distance from a point in a zone to
the central meridian of the zone.
cgs Centimeter gram seconds.
chain spinner Also called the chain tongs. It is a tool used to grip and turn pipe or
drill collar that is too large to be handled with a pipe wrench. The
chain spinner consists of a releasable chain and a handle.
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circuit A complete electrical path from the terminal of a source of

electricity to another terminal. When the circuit is closed, electric
current flows through it.
circular arc (minimum Circular arc, also called minimum curvature, is the most accurate
curvature) survey method for calculating the coordinates a survey point in horizontal
calculation method wells. The surface system software uses this method to calculate
the BHA coordinates. Minimum curvature fits a spherical arc onto
the current and previous survey points. It does this by smoothing
the space vectors defined by the inclination and azimuth of each
survey point onto the wellbore with the use of a ratio factor, RF. RF
is defined by the curvature, or dogleg severity (DL), of the wellbore
section.
DL= cos-1 [cos(I2 - I1) - sin I1 sin I2 (1 - cos(A2 - A1)]
RF = (360 /DL x π) x ((1 - cos DL) / sin DL)
or
RF = (360 / DL x π ) x tan (DL/2)

For small angles, DL < 0.25, RF is usually set to 1.0. The course
length ΔMD is measured along a curve. "I" and "A" define
straight line directions in space. These straight line segments are
smoothed onto the curve using RF. Next, the position of the current
survey point is calculated relative to the previous survey point.
ΔTVD = ΔMD/2 (cos I1 + cos I2) x RF
ΔDisplacement = ΔMD/2 (sin I1 + sin I2) x RF
ΔNorth = ΔMD/2 (sin I1 cos A1 + sin I2 cos A2) x RF
ΔEast = ΔMD/2 (sin I1 sin A1 + sin I2 sin A2) x RF
circulating system The circulating system on a rig pumps, stores and conditions the
drilling fluid, or drilling mud. The system works as follows:
• the mud pumps suck mud from the mud tanks, where mud is
stored
• the mud is pushed through the rotary hose, swivel, topdrive
or kelly, and into the drillpipe
• the mud flows down the drillpipe and out the bit
• the mud flows back up to the surface in the annulus, which is
the space between the drillpipe and the wellbore
• at the surface, the mud flows through the return line to be
cleaned, degassed and then returned to the mud tanks.
Clamp-line tensiometer The clamp-line tensiometer (CLT) measures hook load. The sensor
(CLT) is installed on the deadline to detect the tension caused by the
weight of the drillstring.
computer station One complete computer setup, including a monitor, a central
processing unit (or CPU), a keyboard and a mouse.
conductivity A property of a material. Materials with high conductivity readily
conduct electric current when an electric field is applied. The
conductivity is a function of the concentration of free charge
carriers (electrons, ions) and their mobility.
connection, making a Making a connection refers to adding a new joint or stand of pipe to
the drillstring. When the wellbore deepens to a length almost equal
to the total length of the drillstring, a new length of pipe must be
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added so that drilling can proceed. The driller stops the topdrive
and uses the drawworks, traveling block and hook to raise the drill
stem so that a new joint or stand can be added.
contamination Exposure to a radioactive material during which the material gets
in or on the item exposed.
coring The process of physically cutting a cylindrical shaped sample from
a formation.
corrected gamma ray log Log created by spectral scintillation detector. Displays gamma ray
(CGR) counts from potassium and thorium only. Helps identify radioactive
sands by indicating uranium’s influence on the total gamma ray log.
correction matrix To properly interpret the output voltages of the D&I sensors, it is
necessary to obtain very accurate values for the sensor scale
factors, biases and orientations.
• The scale factor for a given sensor can be defined as the unit
conversion factor for the output of the sensor. For example,

the number of millivolts/gamma for a magnetometer sensor is
the scale factor for that particular sensor and the number of
volts/g for a particular accelerometer is the scale factor for
that sensor. The matrix diagonal for PowerPulse* (going from
top-left to bottom-right) will be 1.28.
• The bias can be defined as the sensor output in a zero
gravitational or magnetic field. This output is usually less
than or greater than zero due to circuit imbalances. The bias
entered for PowerPulse will be zero. Zero is entered at the
surface for the PowerPulse bias because the bias is corrected
downhole.
• The sensor orientation is a function of the alignment of the
sensors on the physical axes of the tool.
correction matrix The correction matrix for each MWD tool is generated on a
calibration calibration stand. The sensor cartridge is moved through a
particular sequence of rotations mandated by the calibration
procedure. Data is taken at 16 different tool orientations. The tool
must be calibrated in an area free of magnetic interference. The
magnetic field intensity should not differ by more than 20 gammas
while performing the calibration.
A proton precession magnetometer must be used to check the
magnetic field intensity and should be performed every 15 minutes
so that fluctuations over time can be subtracted from the survey.
After the calibration of a TeleScope or SlimPulse tool, the scale
factors and biases are entered into the tool at the shop. The
M1*/M3* calibration scale factors and biases are on the OST sheet
that accompanies the tool to the rig.
coulomb The quantity of electricity transported in one second by a
one-ampere current, the basic international standard unit of electric
charge.
counts/s Counts per second. The unit symbol cps is replaced by counts/s.
cP The centipoise unit symbol is cP. Centipoise is a unit of dynamic
viscosity in cgs units. It is 1/100 of a poise and is one gram per
sec-cm. A centipoise is equal to 0.000672 lb.ft/s. Water has a
viscosity of 1.005 cP at 20 degC counts/s.
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crystal scintillator Part of the scintillation detector that generates flashes of light. The
scintillator is a sodium iodide crystal doped with thallium. When
gamma rays strike the crystal, flashes of light, called scintillations,
are generated.
curie A unit of radioactivity defined as that quantity of any radioactive
nuclide in which the number of disintegrations is 3.7 X 1010.
current The transfer, flow or rate of flow, of electrons through an electrical
conductor. Current is measured in amperes (A), or one coulomb
per second.
cuttings Cuttings are pieces of drilled rock removed to the surface by
circulating drilling mud.
data rate The speed at which measurements and data are transmitted and
recorded. In MWD, this parameter is important due to its relation
to drilling or tripping speeds. If data are recorded slowly by a fast
moving sensor, they may be less representative of the environment

and difficult to reproduce.
data point The point in time when the LWD tool takes a measurement of
the formation (e.g., resistivity, natural gamma ray). A data point
(Dpoint) can contain multiple variables. Each variable is a specific,
separate measurement. Some LWD tools can take 30 or 40
different variables. For example, the tool may be programmed to
take 15 different resistivity measurements at each data point.
dB dB stands for decibel. A decibel is a logarithmic unit of power
ratio. Signal-to-noise ratio (dB) = 10log10 ({signal power/bit}/noise
power).
deadline The deadline is the drilling line that runs from the crown block down
to the anchor. It is called the deadline because it does not move.
decimal feet On a rig, it is common to measure pipe in decimal feet. A decimal
foot is a foot divided by 10 instead of by 12.
demodulation The process of receiving and decoding data from a telemetry
signal. In the case of the MWD signal, demodulation software
in the surface computer receives the signal. Receiving is the
recovery of binary digits (zeros and ones) from the pressure wave
generated by the MWD tool. After recovering the binary digits, the
receiver sends them to the frame decoder. The decoder translates
the stream of binary digits into words and frames, which are stored
in the surface computer.
density The mass of a substance per unit volume.
density porosity Porosity derived from a nuclear tool using gamma rays.
departure The horizontal displacement of one survey station from another
in the horizontal plane. Departure is often expressed as two
components, east/west and north/south.
depassivation Depassivation is the process of breaking down the passivation
layer in a lithium battery. Depassivation steps:
1. Check OCV (open circuit voltage). The voltage without a load

applied should be close to the nominal OCV as specified in
the product data sheets for the battery.
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2. Apply a temporary load to the battery as specified in the

product data sheets. Load should be higher than tool load.
3. Watch the voltage until it rises to the published nominal value
of the battery pack as specified in the product data sheets.
4. Connect the battery to the final load (tool).
depletion A lithium battery is considered to be depleted when its voltage
under load falls below its published nominal value.
depth The depth of the bit in the wellbore. Bit depth is equal to the length
of the drillstring below the rotary table. Bit depth is measured by a
depth encoder. Depth encoders track the position of the traveling
block. Drilling & Measurements’ software uses block position to
calculate the depth of the bit in the wellbore.
depth reference The LWD field engineer enters a reference to bit depth and hole
depth into the surface computer. The surface computer uses the
depth reference to calculate depth as each new stand or joint of

pipe is added to the drillstring.
depth of investigation The 50% point of the integrated radial geometric factor; how deep
into the formation a resistivity measurement is made.
depth sensor A depth sensor is also referred to as a depth encoder. Depth
encoders track the position of the traveling block. Drilling &
Measurements’ software uses block position to calculate the depth
of the bit in the wellbore.
dielectric constant A measure of the degree to which a material becomes polarized
when an electric field is applied to it.
differential encoding QPSK and BPSK use differential encoding to encode data within
the wave of the MWD signal. With differential encoding, the
absolute phase is not significant. Only the change in phase
between the current and previous symbol indicates a binary 0 or
a binary 1.
differential filtering Differential filtering is a software option for canceling out pump
noise. To use it, two SPTs must be rigged up. The software
combines the signals from both SPTs to cancel out the noise from
the pumps.
diode A circuit element that allows electrical current to pass in one
direction but substantially limits or effectively blocks current in the
opposite direction. In lithium batteries, diodes are used to protect
the cells from reverse currents that could cause cell damage or
explosion.
direction Direction is the clockwise angle of departure from a reference
direction (typically geographic) north, measured in a horizontal
plane. In directional surveys, it is the clockwise angle from
magnetic north to the MWD tool reference point. This measurement
must be corrected for magnetic declination and grid convergence.
Direction is also referred to as azimuth.
directional drilling Directional drilling is when the wellbore is deflected away from
vertical. A downhole motor with a bent sub is used to drill
directionally. The bent sub creates a slight bend below the motor.
The bend is usually between 1° and 3° . This allows wellbore
inclination and direction to be increased gradually. To achieve a
specific inclination and direction, drilling occurs in sliding mode. In
sliding mode, the bit rotates and the drillstring does not rotate.
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The bit is rotated by the mud flowing through the downhole motor.
Once a specified inclination and direction are achieved, drilling
proceeds in rotating mode, where the entire drillstring rotates.
dogleg severity Dogleg is a sharp deviation or bend in a well’s direction or
inclination. Dogleg severity is a measure of the amount of change
of inclination and/or direction of a wellbore. It is usually expressed
in degrees per 100 feet or degrees per 30 meters. The smaller the
dogleg severity the less BHA torque and drag that can develop
during drilling.
dose equivalent A way of expressing the dose of radiation a human being receives.
Measured in rems or sieverts.
dosimeter A special badge that measures the amount of radiation an
employee is exposed to.
downhole motor, or mud A downhole motor, or mud motor, is one of the tools used to drill a
motor directional wellbore. The motor is shaped like a piece of drillpipe
and is joined to a bent sub that creates a bend of from 1° to 3° .

This bend is enough to drill at an angle without the tool hanging up
on the side of the wellbore. Downhole, the bend in the downhole
motor and bent sub is turned in the specified direction of drilling.
The motor is driven by the circulating mud that is pumped through
the drillstring. The downhole motor is used to drill in "sliding mode."
In sliding mode, the drillstring does not rotate. Instead, the flow of
drilling mud through the motor rotates the bit.
downhole survey Downhole surveys are taken by the MWD tool using accelerometers
and magnetometers that measure the gravitational force and
magnetic field strength at a survey point. These measurements are
used to calculate the inclination and direction of the survey point.
drainage area The subsurface area containing oil and gas. The fluid is drained by
the pressure gradient created by the presence of a borehole.
drawworks The drawworks is a large winch used to hoist the traveling block
and drillstring. Drilling line is wrapped around the drawworks drum.
The driller turns the drawworks to spool off or take in drilling line,
thereby raising or lowering the drillstring and bit.
drawworks encoder The drawworks encoder is used to track the position of the
traveling block. The encoder is installed on the drawworks shaft.
The encoder takes a pulse count as the shaft is rotated to spool
out or reel in the drilling line. Drilling & Measurements’ software
uses the pulse count to determine block position for calculating the
depth of the bit in the wellbore.
drill collar Heavy thick-walled, large diameter pipe, usually made of steel. It
is placed in the drillstring between the drillpipe and the bit. Drill
collar gives the drillstring weight. It is the downward force of the
drill collars that produces sufficient weight on bit to cause the bit
to drill into a formation.
driller console The place on the rig where the driller works. At the console, he
or she has access to the IRCT, the drilling parameters panel, the
rotary drilling break, and so on.
driller’s depth The length of drillpipe and BHA below a reference point, usually
the drill floor (rotary table).
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driller’s shack The driller’s shack is a small building used by the driller to store
equipment. The rig’s geolograph is typically housed in the driller’s
shack.
drilling line Drilling line is several steel wires braided together to form wire
rope. The line ranges from 7/8 inch to 2 inches in diameter. During
rig-up, the line is passed through the crown and traveling blocks
and then wrapped around the drawworks drum.
drilling noise During drilling, the drill bit, mud motor and rotating drillpipe produce
pressure pulses in the mud inside the drillstring. The frequency of
the pulses can fall within the telemetry bandwidth. The telemetry
bandwidth is the range of frequencies where the receiver in the
surface software looks for the MWD signal. The frequencies
produced by drilling are considered noise because they can
interfere with the demodulation of the MWD signal, causing data
to be lost.
drillpipe Drillpipe is steel or aluminum pipe. It comes in joints of 30 ft,

or stands (typically 3 pipe joints). The pipe joints or stands are
screwed together to make up the drillstring.
drillstring The drillstring is the column of pipe that hangs from the traveling
block and topdrive. The drillstring consists of 30-ft joints of pipe
and pipe collars. The topdrive rotates the drillstring, which causes
the bit to rotate. Drilling mud is pumped down the inside of the
drillstring to the bit.
drillstring hydraulics Drillstring hydraulics relates to the following:
• maintaining the condition of the hole by cleaning the hole

properly with mud that has good cleaning properties
• maintaining the proper flow rate.
The circulating mud cools the bit and cleans the bottom of the hole
so as not to redrill cuttings, provides a jetting action to help drill the
hole by hydraulic erosion, and transports the cuttings out of the
hole. To drill the well efficiently, there must be an adequate volume
of mud circulating through the drillstring. The mud must also be at
an adequate pressure.
dummy batteries The tools are shipped with dummy batteries that are exactly the
same shape and size as the lithium batteries but without lithium.
This is done for safety reasons.
dynode An electrode in an electron tube that functions to produce
secondary emission of electrons.
echoes and reflections As the MWD signal propagates to the surface, it can be distorted
when it encounters a change in the cross-sectional area of a pipe,
a valve, or any other component of the circulating system. The
distortion is due to some of the wave being transmitted forward
and some being transmitted back. This is called a reflection.
Reflections interfere with subsequent waves. When a reflection is
also reflected, it is called an echo. Echoes and reflections reduce
signal strength.
electrical charging Electric current flowing into a cell from an external source or other
cells.
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electrical noise Electrical spikes that cause interference with the transmission of
data.
electrode An electronic conductor that acts as an electron source or sink,
usually made of metal and immersed in electrolyte solution.
electrolyte An ionic solution capable of conducting electric current.
electromagnetic Resistivity tool that measures phase shift and attenuation of very
propagation tool high frequency electromagnetic waves.
electron An elementary particle consisting of a charge of negative electricity
equal to or about 1.6 X 10-19 coulomb and having a mass when at
rest of about 9.1 X 10-28 gram.
electron density The number of electrons in a cubic centimeter. Represented as
(he).
elemental analysis Logs produced by spectral scintillation detector. They show
individual contributions of thorium, potassium and uranium to the

total gamma ray count.
encoding Encoding is the part of MWD telemetry where the MWD tool puts
data into a pressure wave for transmission to the surface. To
encode data into the wave, the MWD tool shifts the frequency or
the phase of the wave, depending on the method of encoding.
The MWD tools use the following encoding methods:
PowerPulse* - MSK, BPSK, QPSK
ImPulse* - MSK, BPSK, QPSK
SlimPulse* - MSK, QPSK
end-of-life Normal end-of-life of a lithium battery is when the active ingredients
in the cells are used up. For safety reasons, more thionyl chloride
is put in each cell than lithium metal. Therefore, when the battery
totally depletes, the cells still have some residual thionyl chloride.
This prevents a dangerous situation.
energy spectrum Line produced by the spectral scintillation detector. Connects the
gamma ray counts in all energy windows.
energy window Range of gamma ray energy. Spectral detectors classify gamma
rays by their energy and sort them into energy windows of different
ranges. Also called bins.
External Sensor The ESCP is a type of junction box for the umbilical cables in the
Connection Panel (ESCP) UCS. It is located on the outside of the logging unit.
Ethernet traffic The amount of data traveling across a network.
fastline The fastline is the part of the drilling line that runs from the
drawworks to the traveling block. It is called the fastline because it
is spooled off and taken in by the rotation of the drawworks.
final log A final log is a complete log of high quality density data. This log
is given to the client at the end of the job.
first battery Also referred to as battery A. It is the battery closest to the tool
electronics when the batteries are loaded in the collar. The second
battery of the pair is referred to as battery B.
fish Fish are pieces of equipment such as a tool or a part of the
drillstring that are accidentally left in the hole. These pieces are
retrieved, or fished out, by the rig crew using several different
tools and techniques. A fish left in the hole is a potential source of
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external magnetic interference that can produce errors in the D&I

magnetometer readings. If interference from a fish is the suspected
cause of a bad survey, the rig typically drills ahead until the MWD
tool is out of range of the interference.
flow rate The rate at which the mud, also called drilling fluid, circulates
through the system. To drill the well efficiently, there must be an
adequate volume of mud circulating through the drillstring. The
mud must also be at an adequate pressure.
flux The charge due to the ionization of a specific volume of air.
Applies only to X-rays and gamma rays. Measured in roentgens
or coulomb per kilogram (C/kg).
forced over-discharge Forced over-discharge is a dangerous condition. It can occur when
a load is placed on a lithium battery after its voltage output has
fallen below 60% of the nominal OCV of the battery (2.0 V per cell).
Below 60% of the nominal OCV, the battery is considered depleted.
formation A formation is a bed or deposit of the same type of rock material.

formation pressure The pressure exerted on the fluid in the rock pores of a subsurface
formation. It is usually measured in psi. Formation pressure
depends on the density of the overlying ground water and it
increases with depth.
Fourier transform A set of mathematical formulas used to convert a time function,
such as a pressure wave, to a function in the frequency domain
(Fourier analysis) and back (Fourier synthesis). The function is
expressed as a convergent trigonometric series, similar to that first
formulated by French mathematician Jean-Baptiste-Joseph, Baron
Fourier (1768 to 1830). The Fourier transform is used extensively
in signal processing to design filters and remove coherent noise.
Many filtering operations are performed in the frequency domain.
frame In the case of the MWD signal, a frame is an ordered collection of
binary words. Typically, there are from 10 to 25 data words per
frame. There are about 1,000 different frame definitions depending
on the version of the downhole software that is installed in the
MWD tool. The definitions are stored in both the downhole tool
and the surface system.
frame decoder During MWD signal demodulation, the receiver recovers binary
digits from the MWD signal and sends the bits to the frame
decoder. The decoder translates the stream of binary digits into
words and frames. When the frame decoder recognizes a sync
word and FID, it decodes the stream of binary digits that follow into
words according to the predefined frame layout. Then, the data is
stored in the database.
frame quality Frames of data are transmitted from downhole to the surface by
the MWD tool. Each frame contains binary words, each word
representing a downhole measurement. The surface software
receives and decodes the data and indicates the quality of each
decoded frame as "good or "questionable" based upon the total
number of low confidence bits received in that frame.
frequency The frequency of a wave is the number of waves per second.
G G is the strength of the gravitational force at a location. G is
measured in gammas and converted to Tool G. 1 g = 1000 counts.
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galvanic cell An arrangement consisting of two electrodes and an electrolyte that

produces electric current from a spontaneous chemical reaction
when the electrodes are connected externally.
gamma ray Short bursts of energy emitted by an unstable nucleus. A quantum
of electromagnetic radiation emitted by nucleus as a result of a
quantum transition between two energy levels of the nucleus.
They normally have an energy level of between 104 to 107 eV and
wave lengths between 10-8 to 10-11 cm. Gamma rays exhibit high
penetration. They can be detected after passing through several
inches of steel.
gamma ray interactions Gamma rays interact with atoms in one of three ways:
Pair Production - If the gamma ray has an energy level above 2
MeV, the gamma ray will penetrate the electron shell of the atom
and collide with the nucleus. The gamma ray will be absorbed by
the nucleus, and the nucleus will release a positron and negatron.
Compton Scattering - If the gamma ray has an energy level
between 75 keV and 2 MeV, the gamma ray will collide with an
electron in the outer shell. The gamma ray will bounce off the
electron, losing a little energy. The gamma ray will continue to
collide with electrons in the outer shell until it falls below 75 keV.
Photoelectric Absorption - If the gamma ray has an energy level
below 100 KeV, the gamma ray will collide with the entire atom.
The gamma ray will be absorbed by the atom, and the atom will
give off an electron.
gamma ray logging This logging service measures the naturally occurring gamma rays
service (GR) in the formation using a plateau scintillation detector. The log
shows the total gamma ray counts from the formation. Gamma
ray counts indicate the composition or type of rock present in the
formation. The log is primarily used to identify sand and shale in
the formation.
geolograph The geolograph is similar to the drawworks encoder. Like the
drawworks encoder, the geolograph is used to track the position
of the traveling block. Unlike the drawworks encoder, however,
the geolograph is installed on the wire that runs from the traveling
block to the rig’s geolograph, which is usually located inside the
driller’s shack or dog house.
The geolograph takes a pulse count as the traveling block is raised
and lowered. Drilling & Measurements software uses the pulse
count to determine block position for calculating the depth of the
bit in the wellbore.
Geomag Geomag is a program that calculates location G, location H,
magnetic dip and magnetic declination for any given elevation,
latitude, longitude and date. The field engineer runs Geomag
from the D&I Inits panel as part of the general surface system
acquisition setup before the start of a run. To learn more about
Geomag, see the Reference module.
geometric factor Factor applied to take the geometry of the formation being
measured into account; applied to resistance to derive resistivity.
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geophone A microphone used to detect seismic energy. In the case of the

seismic logging service, the geophone detects the seismic waves
produced by a device such as an air gun. The geophone converts
the seismic energy into an electric voltage.
GFH GFH, or total vector G, is the sum of the three measurements of
the orthogonal set, Gx, Gy and Gz.
GFH =
gram-atom The atomic weight of an element expressed in grams; the mass

of one mole of an element equal in grams to the atomic weight.
The gram-atomic weights of oxygen and of hydrogen are 15.9994
grams and 1.00797 grams, respectively.

Grays A measure of the dose of radiation absorbed by any medium.
grid convergence Grid convergence is the angular difference between true north
and grid north. The angle quantifies the amount of distortion for
each mapping area. Angles east of true north are positive. Angles
west of true north are negative. Grid convergence is part of the
correction to magnetic azimuth.
Total correction = magnetic azimuth + magnetic declination - grid
convergence.
grid north A grid system such as UTM divides the world into equal zones.
Each zone has its own origin at the intersection of its central
meridian and the equator. Any point on Earth can be identified by
its distance in meters from the equator ("northing") and its distance
in meters from the central meridian or north-south reference line
("easting"). Grid north is the distance from a point in a zone to
the central meridian of the zone.
grid system A grid system is used to represent the curved Earth surface on
a horizontal plane. It is a map projection designed to convert
coordinates of latitude and longitude on the surface of a sphere
into positions that can be plotted onto a flat map with some degree
of controlled error and known accuracy.
Two types of grid systems are used in the drilling industry: UTM
(Universal Transverse Mercator) and Lambert Projection. For an
in-depth explanation of these grid systems, refer to Grid Systems
in the Reference section. You access the Reference module from
the Main Menu.
GST* GST stands for Induced Gamma Ray Spectromotry Tool.
Gyroscope A Gyroscope is a survey tool that is sometimes run in the wellbore
to take surveys. Basically, a gyroscope is a balanced, spinning
mass, which is free to rotate on one of more axes. The basic
operation can be compared to a spinning top. As long as the top
spins fast enough, it attempts to hold its vertical orientation. If the
top were propelled by a spin motor at a particular speed designated
by its mass, it would stay vertical for as long as the motor ran, as
long as no external forces acted on it.
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This is the simple basis of all gyroscopes used in navigation—a

spinning mass that through its momentum becomes resistant to
external forces and attempts to maintain an orientation like the
top in space. The term "resistant to external forces" is important
because the perfect gyro, one that will not be acted upon by
external forces and will not react by movement, can NOT be built.
How a gyro reacts to external force is an important topic. For
more information about Gyroscopes and their use in downhole
surveying, see "Other Survey Tools" in the Reference module.
H The H value is the strength of the magnetic field at a location. H
is measured in gammas and converted to Tool H. 1 Tool H = 50
gammas.
half life The time required for a radioactive nuclide to decay to one half of
its original activity.
harmonic A properly functioning mud pump produces noise that is related
to the pump stroke rate. The repetitive nature of the mud pump
action generates noise tones at frequencies that are harmonics
(i.e., integer multiples) of the pump fundamental frequency. The
pump fundamental frequency = (strokes/min)/60 Hz.
A harmonic is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency:
i.e., 1st , 2nd , 3rd, etc. For example, if the fundamental frequency
is 1.4 Hz, the 2nd harmonic will be at 2.8 Hz, 3rd harmonic at 4.2
Hz, etc.
He3 detector Used to detect and count neutrons during logging. He3 detectors
are composed of several parts: the tube, the anode and cathode,
and the comparator/amplifier circuit.
heavy mud Mud weighted with barite.
heavy-weight drillpipe Heavy-weight drillpipe (HWDP) is drillpipe with thicker walls than
(HWDP) normal drillpipe but with the same external dimensions. In other
words, the outer diameter (OD) is the same as normal drillpipe, but
the inner diameter (ID) is reduced. Also, the tool joint, the short
cylinder that is added to the end of the pipe, is longer. HWDP is
added between drill collars and drillpipe to increase the weight of
the string.
hermetic seal A gas-tight and non-conductive external barrier that allows an
electrical connection with an internal cell electrode.
HFH HFH, or total vector H, is the sum of the three measurements of
the orthogonal set, Hx, Hy and Hz.
HFH =
high energy density A large amount of energy in a small space.

High-speed Signal The HSPM is software that runs on the IWS computer. The
Processing Module software has several functions, including digitizing sensor signals
(HSPM) and demodulating the MWD telemetry signal.
hole section A hole section is a section of the wellbore, often cased. The
wellbore is drilled in sections and each section is cased when
completed.
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hook load Hook load is the weight of the drillstring suspended from the
traveling block. The hook load sensor measures the tension
on the deadline. The heavier the drillstring, the more tension
on the deadline. The more tension, the greater the hook load
measurement.
hook load sensor The hook load sensor measures the tension on the deadline. The
heavier the drillstring, the more tension on the deadline. The more
tension, the greater the hook load measurement.
horizontal component The horizontal component (HC) is a function of the magnetic field
(HC) vector (H) and the magnetic dip angle. The magnetic dip angle
is equal to the angle between the horizontal component and the
magnetic field vector (H).
HC can be computed as follows:
HC = H x cos(magnetic dip angle)
horizontal displacement The distance between the surface location and the current survey
when the wellbore is projected onto the horizontal view.
horizontal projection The horizontal projection, or plan view, of the wellbore, is what you
would see if you were looking straight down from above. In this
view, the apparent well path can be plotted as a series of points by
latitude (north/south) plotted against departure (east/west).
horizontal resistivity Also known as parallel resistivity because the current loops are
parallel to boundaries or laminations.
hydrocarbons Compounds consisting of molecules of hydrogen and carbon.
Hydrocarbons exist in a variety of compounds because of the
strong affinity of the carbon atom for other atoms and for itself.
The smallest molecules of hydrocarbons are gaseous while the
largest are solids. Both oil and unprocessed "wet" natural gas are
mixtures of many hydrocarbons.
hydrocarbon saturation The volume percentage of hydrocarbon in the pore spaces of rock.
For example, a particular formation could have a hydrocarbon
saturation of 80% oil and 20% water, totaling 100% saturation.
Hydrogen Index The number of hydrogen atoms per unit volume of the formation as
compared to those in fresh water at 75 degF.
Hz Hertz is a unit of frequency equal to one cycle per second.
IDEAL* IDEAL is outdated equipment. IDEAL stands for Integrated Drilling
Evaluation and Logging. It is the name given to the hardware
and software that was previously used in MWD/LWD jobs. IDEAL
also referred to the two computers in Drilling & Measurements’
logging unit that analyzed the data from downhole and surface
measurements. The current equipment is MaxWell.
IDEAL Client Personal The ICPC is a PC placed in the company representative’s office. It
Computer (ICPC) is connected to the MaxWell computer in the logging unit to allow
the client to view Drilling & Measurements data.
IDEAL Rig Floor Color The IRCT is a display device on the rig floor that is connected
Terminal (IRCT) through an Ethernet to the MaxWell computer inside the logging
unit.
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IDEAL Workstation (IWS) The IWS combines the functionality of the HSPM and MaxWell
computers into one workstation. It contains the boards for
demodulating sensor signals, the HSPM software and the MaxWell
software.
ImPulse* ImPulse is the slimhole version of PowerPulse*. ImPulse is
integrated into the same collar as the ARC5 resistivity tool. It can
also be combined with a slimhole ADN tool.
inclination The angle between the wellbore and the vertical.
in gauge A borehole that is the same diameter as the bit that drilled the well.
in-line sensor The in-line sensor measures hook load. The sensor is consists of
a transducer and a hydraulic line that ties into the rig’s pancake
sensor.
in slips In slips refers to supporting the drillstring to prevent it from slipping
down into the hole. For example, to add a new joint of pipe, the
drillstring is put in slips. When in slips, the drillstring is held by
wedge-shaped pieces of metal with teeth called rotary slips. The
rotary slips are part of the rotary table.
integrated radial Curve that represents the percentage of the signal in a resistivity
geometric factor tool generated by a cylinder of a specific diameter around the tool.
By definition, the depth of investigation for any measurement is the
50% of the integrated radial geometric factor.
invasion Process of mud filtrate flowing directly into the formation, pushing
formation fluids away from the borehole.
ion An atom or group of atoms that carries a positive or negative
electric charge as a result of having lost or gained one or more
electrons.
ionization The production of ions from a neutral atom or molecules. Usually
done by radiation removing electrons from the atoms it impinges
upon.
ionizing gas A gas that can be converted to ions by the introduction of a
charged particle or ray.
ionizing radiation The process by which particles and rays from a decaying element
collide with an atom, stripping off an electron or a proton from that
atom. When such an event occurs, the atom becomes an ion, and
the event is called ionizing radiation.
irradiation Exposure to a radioactive material. Differs from contamination
because the radioactive material does not get in or on the item
that was exposed.
isotope A variation in an element due to additional neutrons in the nucleus.
IWOB IWOB stands for integrated weight on bit. The IWOB sensor is
installed on the MWD tool. It measures weight on bit. Weight on
bit refers to the weight that the driller puts on the bit in order to
drill into a formation.
To put weight on the bit, the driller lowers the bit to the bottom,
rotates the bit and then slacks off on the drawworks brake.
Slacking off on the brake lets out more drilling line, which lowers
the drillstring. Just enough line is spooled out to press down on the
bit without putting too much tension on the drillpipe.
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jar A jar is a tool that is run on the drillstring to impart a sharp upward
or downward blow to the tools below it. Jars are used for drilling
and fishing.
kelly drive system A type of rotating system for turning the bit and drilling. Older
rotating systems are called kelly drive systems because they use a
special length of pipe called a kelly. Drillpipe, drill collars and the
bit are attached below the kelly pipe and the kelly pipe sits in the
rotary table. When the bushing in the rotary table turns, it turns the
kelly pipe, which then turns the drillstring.
kick The unintended entry of formation fluid (oil, water, gas, or other)
into the borehole. A kick occurs when the pressure exerted by
the drilling fluid in the borehole is less than the pressure exerted
by the fluids in the formation. A kick must be avoided because it
is very dangerous.
kPa kPa stands for kilopascal, which is the System International (SI)
unit for pressure. To convert psi (the conventional unit of pressure)
to the kPa unit, multiply by 6.895 kPa.
lithology Composition and character of rock such as sandstone or limestone.
lithium battery A collection of lithium cells wired together. The materials inside
each cell produce the chemical reaction that generates an electric
current. The chemical reaction inside a lithium cell provides high
energy density. It is also a potential hazard if the battery is handled
improperly.
load An electrical device (e.g., resistor, tool) that draws electrical current
from a voltage source (e.g., battery) when connected to the source.
log Detailed record of the formation measurements made during
drilling. A log is a graphic representation of the properties of the
formation.
logging services Services provided to the client to take measurements of the
formation around a borehole. The output of the logging service is
a log, which is a graphic representation of the properties of the
formation.
logging unit The logging unit is also called an ergonomic unit. It contains
Drilling & Measurements’ surface computers and related hardware
for running LWD/MWD jobs.
longitude Longitude is the angular distance, east-west, on Earth’s surface,
measured in degrees. Longitude is measured from the prime
meridian that passes through Greenwich, England.
lost circulation material LCM is material added to the mud to prevent downhole mud loss
(LCM) into the formation.
low frequency Low frequency is considered to be any frequency below 2.0 Hz.
High frequency is considered to be any frequency above 10 Hz.
low-pass filter A low-pass filter is a piece of hardware or software that screens
out frequencies above a specified frequency.
low power tool bus (LTB) A solid metal conductor used to transmit power and data from
one tool to another. D&I downhole tools are connected through
extenders that contain an LTB. For example, the MWD tool has an
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uphole and downhole extender at each end. Power from the MWD
tool is transmitted through the LTB to the LWD tools. Real-time data
from the LWD tools is transmitted through the bus to the MWD tool.
logging while drilling LWD (logging while drilling) involves the collecting of petrophysical
(LWD) data for evaluating the characteristics of a formation.
made up When a tool is "made up" in the BHA, it is connected to the BHA.
The tool, which is inside a drill collar, is connected to the BHA,
which is in slips in the rotary table.
Magcorr The field engineer runs the Magcorr program to correct azimuth
errors caused by drillstring magnetism. Magcorr computes
correction offsets for the X, Y and Z magnetometers. To compute
the correction offsets, you run Magcorr off line from the Options
pulldown menu in the "Accept/Reject new surveys" window of the
Survey control panel.
Magcorr should NOT be used in place of running sufficient
non-magnetic material in the drillstring. Magcorr is a licensed

program and, therefore, the field engineer must get permission
from the district manager before running it.
After computing the correction offsets, you must activate the online
magnetic correction so that the computed correction offsets will be
automatically applied to all future downhole surveys taken during
the run.
magnetic declination The magnetic dip angle is equal to the angle between the horizontal
component and the magnetic field vector (H). HC can be computed
as follows:
HC = H x cos (magnetic dip angle)
The dip angle ranges from 90° close to the North Pole to almost 0°
at the equator
Magnetic dip angle = sin-1V.
Dip angle is one of the criteria for checking the quality of a given
downhole survey.
magnetic north The location of the north magnetic pole.
magnetometer To measure Earth’s magnetic field, Drilling & Measurements
employs three fluxgate saturation induction magnetometers in the
D&I survey package, one for each reference axis.
A basic fluxgate magnetometer uses a magnetic core material to
gate the ambient magnetic field flux lines into and out of a pickup
coil. The pickup coil is wound about a primary coil which, in turn,
is wound about the core.
The design is based on the phenomenon of magnetic hysteresis
and saturation. This is the failure of the magnetized body to
immediately return to its original value when the external value is
reduced. By passing a current through the primary coil, a field is
generated that drives the core through its hysteresis loop. As the
flux lines are drawn into and expelled from the core, the flux in
the pickup coil changes and an induced voltage appears across
the terminals of the coil.
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manifold A manifold is a piping system that serves to divide a flow into

several parts or combine several flows into one. For example,
there is a manifold at the bottom of the standpipe.
matrix Rock and fluid in the formation.
measured depth The actual length of the wellbore from the surface location to a
survey point.
milliamp (mA) One thousandth of an ampere.
modulator The MWD tool uses a modulator or a pulser to generate a telemetry
signal for transmitting measurement data uphole to the surface
computer.
PowerPulse, the MWD tool used in large diameter wells, uses a
modulator that consists of a rotor and stator with four lobes each.
The rotor is driven by the modulator motor, which is powered by
the turbine alternator in the tool. The flow of mud through the tool
powers the turbine.
SlimPulse, the slimhole MWD tool, uses a pulser to generate a
continuous wave of positive pulses. The pulser uses a rotary valve
to momentarily restrict the drilling fluid as it flows through the tool.
modulator gap The strength of the MWD signal is controlled by the size of the gap
between the rotor/restrictor and stator in the MWD tool modulator.
The gap allows the mud to flow even when the modulator/pulser is
in the closed position. The size of the gap determines the pressure
drop that can be created across the modulator or pulser. The
smaller the gap, the bigger the pressure drop and the larger the
amplitude of the signal produced.
molecule The smallest particle of a compound that still has all the properties
of that compound.
MSK MSK stands for Minimum Shift Keying. MSK is a telemetry method
used by the MWD tool to encode downhole measurement data (in
binary format) into a signal, which travels through the mud inside
the drillstring to the surface for processing. With MSK, the MWD
tool uses a frequency shift to encode one symbol representing
one binary digit. One frequency encodes a binary 0; the other
frequency encodes a binary 1.
mud The circulating mud, also called drilling fluid, cools the bit and
cleans the bottom of the hole so as not to re-drill cuttings, provides
a jetting action to help drill the hole by hydraulic erosion, and
transports the cuttings out of the hole. To drill the well efficiently,
there must be an adequate volume of mud circulating through the
drillstring. The mud must also be at an adequate pressure.
mudcake Layer of particles that are deposited on the borehole wall whenever
the drilling fluid is filtered by the formation rock.
mud engineer The person in charge of the drilling mud. The mud engineer
prepares, conditions and tests the drilling mud as the well is drilled.
Drilling mud is mud that is circulated down through the drillpipe
and back up the annulus to the surface where it is cleaned for
recirculation. The purpose of the mud is to cool and lubricate
the bit, remove wellbore cuttings from around the bit, and build a
cake on the walls of the wellbore to prevent subsurface fluids from
entering the borehole.
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mud filtrate The liquid portion of the drilling mud; the fluid that invades the
formation.
mud motor, or downhole The mud motor is one of the tools used to drill a directional
motor wellbore. The motor is shaped like a piece of drillpipe and is joined
to a bent sub that creates a bend of from 1° to 3° . This bend is
enough to drill at an angle without the tool hanging up on the side
of the wellbore. Downhole, the bend in the downhole motor and
bent sub is turned in the specified direction of drilling.
The motor is driven by the circulating mud that is pumped through
the drillstring. The downhole motor is used to drill in "sliding mode."
In sliding mode, the drillstring does not rotate. Instead, the flow of
drilling mud through the motor rotates the bit.
mud motor stall When the mud motor stalls, there is a brief pressure spike.
mud pressure Drilling mud is circulated through the drillstring and borehole by
mud pumps. The pumping action pressurizes the mud. Mud

pressure must be high enough to prevent formation fluids from
entering the borehole, which would be dangerous.
mud pump The mud pumps circulate drilling mud through the circulating
system on a rig. Typically, the pumps are duplex (two cylinders)
or triplex (three cylinders) reciprocating pumps. The pumps suck
drilling mud from the mud tanks. The duplex pump forces the
mud into the discharge line on both the forward and back strokes.
Triplex pumps are single-acting. They force the mud into the
discharge line on the forward stroke only. Most rigs use two mud
pumps.
mud weight The density of the drilling mud expressed in pounds per gallon
(lbm/galUS), pounds per cubic foot (lbm/ft3), or kg/m3. The heavier
the mud weight, the greater the pressure that it exerts on the
bottom of the well.
MWD MWD (measurement while drilling) involves taking downhole
measurements of azimuth, inclination, tool orientation, natural
radioactivity, resistivity, temperature, vibration, weight, torque, etc.
Examples of MWD tools are PowerPulse, SHARP and ImPulse.
MWD/LWD job An MWD/LWD job refers to the services provided by Drilling &
Measurements to its client.
• MWD (measurement while drilling) involves making downhole

measurements of azimuth, inclination, tool orientation, natural
radioactivity, resistivity, temperature, vibration, weight, torque,
etc. Examples of MWD tools are PowerPulse, SHARP and
ImPulse.
• LWD (logging while drilling) involves the collecting of
petrophysical data for evaluating the characteristics of a
formation. Examples of LWD tools are CDR, RAB and CDN.
MWD signal The MWD signal is produced by the MWD telemetry tools, such as
PowerPulse or SHARP. The signal is a series of pressure pulses
in the mud column. Binary data is encoded within the signal for
transmission to the surface. The MWD signal is detected by a
sensor at the surface. The sensor is a signal pressure transducer
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(SPT). The transducer converts the mud pulses into an analog

signal and sends it to Drilling & Measurements’ surface computer
for processing.
MWD signal sensor Drilling & Measurements uses a sensor to detect pressure
pulses from the downhole MWD telemetry tool. The sensor is
a signal pressure transducer (SPT). The transducer converts
the mud pulses into an analog signal and sends it to Drilling &
Measurements’ surface computer for processing.
Typically, the field engineer rigs up two SPTs (SPT1 and SPT2).
SPT1 is normally installed close to the top of the standpipe. SPT2
is normally installed at the bottom of the standpipe, on or near
the manifold.
MWD tool The term MWD tool refers to those tools that not only take
downhole measurements, such as azimuth, inclination and
naturally occurring gamma rays, but also transmit real-time
measurements to the surface for processing. The MWD tool also

receives data from other tools in the BHA and transmits that data
to the surface. Examples of MWD tools are PowerPulse, SHARP
and ImPulse.
neutron A neutral elementary particle of mass number 1. Neutrons can be
emitted from an atom when that atom is bombarded by an external
particle. Neutrons exhibit high penetration.
neutron classification Neutrons can be classified into three main categories according
to their energy level. Neutrons have no charge and their energy
is in the form of kinetic energy.
• Fast neutrons: energy in excess of 0.1 MeV

• Epithermal neutrons: energy between 10 eV and 0.4 eV
• Thermal Neutrons: in thermal equilibrium with their
surroundings with an average kinetic energy of around 0.025
eV at 20 degC.
noise Noise is energy within the bandwidth of the MWD signal that comes
from sources other than the MWD tool. Noise is the undesirable
information that typically accompanies the MWD signal. Noise
can cause bit errors during demodulation of the signal. Noise
interferes with the receiver’s ability to correctly recover the binary
digits encoded in the signal. Noise can, to some extent, be filtered
out of the data.
nominal Nominal is a value that is calculated rather than measured.
non-magnetic collar hot Non-magnetic collars can develop magnetic hot spots. Hot spots
spot occur when the collar exceeds its magnetic tolerance. Magnetic
hot spots produce a variation in the total H value depending on the
toolface setting. The fluctuation in the H value can be observed
when the MWD tool is rotated at the same depth because the hot
spot rotates with the collar.
non-magnetic drill collar Non-magnetic drill collar is large-diameter, thick-walled, heavy
(NMDC) joint drillpipe that is made of nonferrous material such as Monel
steel. It is added to the BHA to isolate the MWD tool from
sources of drillstring magnetic interference that interfere with the
magnetometer readings.
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non-magnetic drill collar The non-magnetic drill collar (NMDC) requirement is the predicted
(NMDC) requirement azimuth error for a particular BHA. The equation below was
developed assuming an 8-in drill collar. The interfering field for a
different size drill collar will be different since the inner (ID) and
outer (OD) diameters of the BHA are not taken into consideration
in the equation.
The value of the predicted azimuth error (AE) must be less than
0.5° . If it is not, continue adding lengths of non-magnetic collar
above and below the MWD tool until AE is less than 0.5° . Some
clients insist that the AE value be lower than 0.25° when there is a
small target area.
Note: The NMDC calculation has been incorporated into the
surface system software in IDEAL V6 baseline 70 and higher. This
program can be run from the D&I Initialization panel.
nuclear logging service This service measures the porosity and bulk density of a formation
(porosity and bulk using a radioactive source. Two types of radiation are used
density) depending on the type of analysis: gamma rays and neutrons. The
log indicates if the hydrocarbon in an area is oil or gas.
nuclear Pertaining to the nucleus of an atom.
nucleus The nucleus of an atom is the positively charged core.
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null point A null point is a point in the circulating system (pipes, valves, etc.)
where the MWD signal basically disappears due to echoes and
reflections. If the SPT is placed at one of these null points, the
signal will be too weak for good demodulation of the signal.
The telemetry wave detected by the surface sensors consists of the
main wave and echoes. The echoes from previously transmitted
symbols interfere with the main wave of the more recent symbols
resulting in inter-symbol interference (ISI). In the frequency
domain the echoes and reflections can cause frequency selective
attenuation (energy loss) of the signal. Reflections will occur
when the signal waves encounter changes in pipe diameter, the
pulsation dampener, the bottom of the well, valves, manifold and
flexible hose. When the signal wave bounces back, it interferes
with subsequent waves. Destructive and constructive interference
occurs in a similar manner to standing waves on a vibrating string.
The positions of the null points are frequency dependent, e.g., at a

particular location there may be a null for 12 Hz, but not for 16 Hz.
OCV OCV stands for open circuit voltage. It is the battery voltage when
there is no load on the battery, which means the circuit is open.
off-bottom Off-bottom is an expression that refers to the bit being off the
bottom of the wellbore. When the bit is off-bottom, the bit is not
drilling ahead.
on-bottom On-bottom is an expression that refers to the bit being on the
bottom of the wellbore. The bit must be on-bottom for drilling to
occur.
Operations Reference The standard, required, official, operating procedures for any piece
Manual (ORM) of equipment or procedure used by Schlumberger personnel. The
field engineer should refer to the ORM for a tool or a procedure
whenever there is a question about how to do something. For
example, there is an LWD ORM that provides instructions on
proper procedures for safety, maintenance, job preparation,
equipment setup, calibration, etc.
orthogonal set The orthogonal set is the tri-axial measurements taken by the
MWD tool. For the gravitational measurement, the set includes Gx,
Gy and Gz. For the magnetic field measurement, the set includes
Hx, Hy and Hz. The sum of the three measurements is the total
gravitational vector GFH, or the total magnetic field vector HFH.
Outgoing System Test The Outgoing System Test is generated by the Drilling &
(OST) Measurements lab. It contains calibration values for the
magnetometers in the MWD tool.
over-discharge Depletion of a battery below zero volts and into voltage reversal.
parallel circuit An electrical path formed by connecting positive terminals through
one conductor and negative terminals through another conductor,
so that current flows from each cell to the external load.
particle Generally referred to as that part of matter that has a unique
set of intrinsic properties and a permanent and independent
existence. Electrons, protons, neutrons, hyperons, neutrinos, etc.,
are examples of particles.
pass-band A pass-band is the range of frequencies that a filter allows through.
The frequencies that fall outside the pass-band are screened out.
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passivation When the lithium cell is manufactured, it is filled with liquid thionyl
chloride. The liquid immediately reacts with the lithium metal to
form a solid coating of lithium chloride (LiCl) on the metal surface.
This coating is called the passivation layer. Once the coating
forms, it blocks further reaction between the lithium and thionyl
chloride. The layer is important. Without it, the reaction would
continue and the battery would rapidly lose its capacity to supply a
charge, hence it would discharge.
pay zone Formation where hydrocarbons can be produced. Also known as
reservoir rock.
permeability A measure of the ease in which a fluid flows through a rock.
petrophysical The physical aspects of rocks including the pores. Pores are the
spaces between rock particles. Sometimes, it is narrowly defined
as the study of pores and their shapes. Most oil and gas that is
produced today comes from the pore spaces in rock.

phase The phase of a wave is a point in the passage of the wave. A
wave can be related to a circle of 360° , which can be divided into
90° , 180° and 270° phases. PowerPulse uses BPSK and QPSK
telemetry to encode binary data within a wave by shifting the phase
of the wave 90°, 180° or 270°.
phase shift The difference in phase between two signals.
phase shift keying or Phase shift keying, also called phase shifting, is what the MWD
phase shifting tool does to encode data within the wave of the MWD signal
using BPSK or QPSK. BPSK (binary phase shift keying) encodes
a symbol representing a binary 0 with a 0° phase shift. BPSK
encodes a symbol representing a binary 1 by shifting the phase
of the wave 180° .
QPSK (Quadrature phase shift keying) encodes a symbol
representing binary 00 with a 0° phase shift, a symbol representing
binary 01 with a 90° phase shift, a symbol representing binary 11
with a 180° phase shift, and a symbol representing binary 10 with
a 270° phase shift.
phase shift resistivity Measurement made by electromagnetic propagation tool. The
measurement (PSR) phase shift of an electromagnetic wave propagating through the
formation is measured and transformed into a resistivity value.
photocathode A cathode that emits electrons when exposed to radiant energy,
especially light.
photoelectric absorption Index based on atomic number of formation types. Used to
index (PEF) determine lithology.
photomultiplier tube A vacuum tube that detects light, especially from dim sources,
through the use of photo-emission and successive instances of
secondary emission to produce enough electrons to generate a
useful current.
photon A quantum of electromagnetic energy whose energy in ergs equals
h (Plank’s constant) x m (its frequency in cycles per second). This
can refer to light waves or gamma rays.
pin Each pipe joint or drill collar has a female and a male tool joint at
the ends. The female tool joint is called a box. The threads are
inside. The male tool joint is called a pin. The threads are exposed
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on the pin. When drillpipe or drill collars are connected together

to make up the drillstring, the male pin end of one pipe is stabbed
down into the female box end of another pipe.
pipe joint Typically 30 feet of drillpipe.
pipe rack Also called the pipe deck. Typically, it is a 20-ft platform made of
steel pipe. Drillpipe and drill collar are stacked on the pipe rack in
preparation for being lifted to the drill floor. Two pipe racks are
placed horizontal to the catwalk.
plateau curve The portion of the counting rate versus voltage characteristic
curve in which the counting rate is substantially independent of
the applied voltage.
plateau detector Type of scintillation detector used to detect gamma rays. A plateau
detector produces GR, or total gamma ray, curve. At a certain
voltage range, or plateau, the plateau detector will operate properly.
platform reference point A reference point on the rig platform defined by TVD, latitude (N/S)
and departure (E/W).
poise Poise is the cgs unit of viscosity. A fluid has a viscosity of 1.0 poise
when a tangential force of 1.0 dyne causes a plane surface of 1.0
cm2 to move at a constant velocity of 1.0 cm/s while separated from
a stationary surface by 1.0 cm that is filled with that fluid. A poise is
equal to 1.0 g/cm/s. Viscosities of crude oil vary greatly with °API,
the amount of gas dissolved in the oil, and temperature. (from the
Dictionary of Petroleum Exploration, Drilling & Production)
polarization horn Sharp spike on a log caused by a resistivity tool crossing a
boundary between layers of contrasting resistivity at a high angle.
POOH POOH stands for pulling out of hole. POOH is the same as tripping
out. It is the process of removing the drillstring from the borehole.
pore pressure The pressure exerted by the formation fluid on the walls of the
pores in the formation.
pore spaces Minute channels or open spaces in a solid. Hydrocarbons
accumulate in the pore spaces of sands.
porosity 1) The property of containing pores, which are minute channels or
open spaces in a solid.
2) The proportion of the volume of the formation occupied by
such pores. Porosity is a measure of the reservoir rock’s storage
capacity for fluids.
positive displacement A pump that moves drilling fluid through the circulation system by
pump decreasing the volume that contains the fluid. (from the Dictionary
of Petroleum Exploration, Drilling & Production)
power density spectrum The power density spectrum is a graphical representation of signal
(also called frequency power versus frequency. When the MWD tool encodes data within
spectrum) the pressure wave by shifting the phase or the frequency of the
wave, it spreads the signal power over a range of frequencies. The
spectral density at frequencies within the MWD signal bandwidth
shows the power, or strength, of the MWD signal.
The power density spectrum is derived from the waveform of the
signal in the time domain. The time domain shows the amplitude
(psi) of the signal versus time. The SPM uses the Fourier
transform, a mathematical technique, to calculate the power
density spectrum from the time domain waveform received by the
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SPT. The frequency domain has advantages over the time domain
in terms of analyzing the quality of the MWD signal. With the
spectrum, the MWD signal and mud pump noise can be identified.
Frequency nulls caused by echoes and reflections are easier to
detect in the frequency domain than in the time domain.
PowerPulse* PowerPulse is the M10 MWD tool. It is designed for use in
wellbores down to 8.5 in diameter and temperatures up to 175
degC. The tool is completely compatible with all the LWD tools
(except arcVISION5).
premature depletion Premature depletion is any condition that causes battery voltage to
drop below the published nominal value of the battery before the
lithium metal "runs out." These conditions include:
• blocked carbon electrode

• leaking thionyl chloride
• broken wire inside battery pack.

primary ion An ion pair produced directly by the initial radiation.
proton A positively charged elementary particle of mass number 1.
pulsation dampener The pulsation dampener is a piece of equipment that reduces fluid
pressure pulses on a pumping system like the mud pumps on a
rig. When operating correctly, the dampener absorbs the change in
standpipe pressure created by the stroking of the mud pumps. It
also has the effect of weakening pump noise (unwanted pressure
pulses in the mud) made by the pump stroking action. These
unwanted pulses can interfere with the telemetry signal coming
from the MWD tool.
For more information on the pulsation dampener, refer to MWD
Telemetry in the Reference module.
pump pressure Pump pressure is monitored for safety and drilling efficiency. The
pump pressure sensor detects surface pressure at the standpipe.
The sensor consists of a diaphragm, hydraulic line and transducer.
pump stroke counter A pump stroke counter is a digital sensor. It is used to count pump
strokes. Drilling & Measurements uses the pump stroke counter to
determine pump output.
pump stroke Drilling & Measurements measures pump strokes to determine
pump output. The pump stroke sensor is a digital counter. It is
used to count pump strokes.
purging the logging unit The newly set up logging unit must be purged of any dangerous
gases before it can operate. Purging takes about twenty minutes.
During this time, the fan pushes air through the logging unit and a
yellow "purge active" light appears on the PCS. Once the PCS has
purged the unit for twenty minutes, the yellow light goes out and
a green "power on" indicator comes on. This light indicates that
the unit has been successfully purged and is ready to be operated
in the pressurized mode.
QPSK QPSK stands for Quadrature Phase Shift Keying. QPSK is a
telemetry method used by the MWD tool to encode downhole
measurement data (in binary format) into a signal, which travels
through the mud inside the drillstring to the surface for processing.
QPSK uses a 0°, 90°, 180° or 270° phase shift to encode one of
four symbols. Each symbol represents 2 binary digits. A 0° phase
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shift encodes binary 00. A 90° phase shift encodes binary 01. A
180° phase shift encodes binary 11. A 270° phase shift encodes
binary 10.
qualitative vertical Thickness of the thinnest layer that a resistivity tool can detect.
resolution
quantitative vertical Thickness that a bed must be for a resistivity tool to read at least
resolution 90% of the true resistivity. That is, the measured resistivity (Ra) is
with 10% of the formation resistivity (Rt).
rad A measure of the dose of radiation absorbed by any medium.
radial geometric factor The contribution of a single cell of the formation to the signal.
radiation The process of emitting radiant energy in the form of waves or
particles. Drilling & Measurements uses radiation to identify
formation properties.
radiation worker An employee who works around radioactive sources on a regular
basis. Radiation workers wear special badges called "dosimeters"

that measure the radiation they are exposed to. They also receive
special training.
radioactive decay 1) Radioactive disintegration. 2) The decrease with time of
the number of radioactive atoms in a sample, because of their
spontaneous transformation.
radioactivity The property of having atoms that spontaneously change or decay.
radioisotopes An inherently unstable isotope that is radioactive.
radius of curvature To calculate the coordinates of a survey point, the radius of
survey calculation curvature method assumes that the well path is a smooth curve
method that can be fit to the surface of a cylinder of a specific radius.
The method takes a vertical section through the well path and
creates an arc length of ΔMD. A change of inclination from I1 to I2
is obtained. Assuming I and A are measured in degrees, Rv is
calculated as:
RV = 180 ΔMD / π (I2 - I1)
ΔTVD = Rv (sin I2 - sin I1)
ΔH = Rv(cos I1 - cosI2)
To find the north and east displacements one can consider a
horizontal projection of the wellbore, having a radius of curvature
Rh, and is defined by the following:
Rh = 180 ΔH / π (A2 - A1)
Δ North = Rh (sin A2 - sin A1)
ΔEast = Rh (cos A2 - cos A1)
The surface system software does NOT use this method.
rate of penetration (ROP) The speed of the drill bit as it drills into the formation. ROP is
typically expressed in feet (meters) per hour (ft/h or m/h).
readout port An electronic port on the outside of the MWD and LWD tools. The
field engineer connects an electronic cable to the readout port and
to the surface computer. The readout port is used to program the
tool from the surface computer. It is also used to dump recorded
data from the LWD tool when it is pulled out of hole after a bit run.
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real-time Real-time means there is no time lag between the gathering of

data and its availability. For example, Drilling & Measurements’
downhole real-time measurements are transmitted to the surface
while a drilling operation is in progress. This means the data is
available as it is being gathered.
receiver An electronic or software module that receives electrical signals
from the surface sensors and recovers binary data from the
modulated signal wave.
record rate The rate at which the LWD tool records measurements into
memory.
recorded mode The process where the LWD tool stores measurements in tool
memory. Recorded mode data is typically high quality density
data (minimum of 2 data points/ft). The data is dumped from the
tool at the surface. Recorded mode logs are produced from the
data. Recorded mode logs are high quality, complete logs of the
formation.
relative dip Angle between an electric field from a resistivity tool and a bed
boundary.
REM Roentgen Equivalent Man. A unit of measurement used to express
the effect of radiation on human beings.
reservoir A subsurface, porous, permeable rock body containing oil, gas, or
water. Most reservoir rocks consist individually or collectively of
limestones, dolomites, or sandstones. An oil reservoir generally
contains three fluids—gas, oil, and water—with oil the dominant
product. Gas, the lightest, occupies the upper part of the reservoir
rocks; oil, the intermediate part; and water the lowest part.
resistivity The degree to which a substance opposes the flow of an electric
current; the specific resistance of a cube of a substance. The
resistivity log is used to identify the type of fluid that may be present
in the formation. For example, hydrocarbons are highly resistant,
whereas, salt water has low resistivity.
rig crew Also called the drilling crew. The rig crew consists of a driller,
derrick hand and two or more rotary helpers. Together, the rig crew
operates the drilling rig.
roentgen 1) The first unit developed to measure the effect of radiation. It
measures the amount of ionization produced in air by the passage
of either gamma or X-radiation through an ionization chamber.
2) One electrostatic unit (esu) of charge.
roll test When a roll test, also called a cluster shot, is performed, downhole
surveys are taken at a given point of constant trajectory in different
quadrants, by rolling the MWD tool 90° four times. The values of
Gy, Gz, Hy, Hz across the quadrants will change while Tg and Th
will remain constant. If Tg or Th do not remain constant, it is an
indication of accelerometer or magnetometer failure.
rotary table The rotary table is what gives rotary drilling its name. Prior to the
topdrive, the rotary table was the mechanism used to turn the
drillstring.
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rotary torque sensor The rotary torque sensor measures drillstring torque by measuring
the electromagnetic field generated by the current in the topdrive
power cable. The more current going to the topdrive, the stronger
the field. The stronger the field, the stronger the signal produced
by the sensor.
rotating mode The process of drilling while rotating the drillstring. Also, see
sliding mode.
rpm Revolutions per minute (rpm).
rugose Rough, irregular.
safe dose limit The amount of radiation human beings can work around with no
measurable biological risk.
sand Sand or sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed of sand-sized
particles. Sandstones include quartz and other particles from
eroded granite. Zones of sand are considered potential reservoirs

because of their porosity. Sand is identified by the gamma ray
counts shown on a gamma ray log.
safety barrier enclosure The SBE (safety barrier enclosure) contains Zener barriers that
(SBE) prevent power surges from leaving the logging unit in the event of a
power surge or fault in the UCS. Sensor wires are routed from the
ESCP to the SBE on their way to the SAM/PSAM for processing.
scan rate The rate at which the LWD tool scans or takes measurements.
scintillation detector Used to detect and count gamma rays during logging. Scintillation
detectors are composed of three parts: the crystal scintillator, the
photomultiplier tube, and the discriminator/amplifier circuit. Drilling
& Measurements uses two kinds of scintillation detectors: plateau
and spectral.
sensor cartridge The sensor cartridge in the MWD tool contains three
accelerometers and three magnetometers for taking downhole
survey measurements. The accelerometers measure the
gravitational force and the magnetometers measure the magnetic
field.
sensor offset distance The distance between the location of the sensors on the LWD or
MWD tool and some other point, such as the bottom of the collar or
the bit. The sensors take measurements of the formation.
sequential depletion Lithium batteries connected in series will deplete in sequential
order. This means the first battery in the series, which is the one
closest to the tool electronics, will deplete first, then the next
battery depletes, etc. Depletion is the condition where the active
ingredients in the battery are used up.
series circuit A fissile rock formed by the consolidation of clay, mud, or silt
sediments that has a finely stratified or laminated structure and is
composed of minerals essentially unaltered since being deposited
as a sedimentary formation. Typically, shale has a relatively high
amount of natural radiation. Areas of shale have little production
value because even though they may contain fluid, it cannot flow
easily through the shale, and therefore, cannot be extracted.
shielding Material placed between a radioactive source and a person. The
lead apron a patient wears during a dental X-ray is an example
of shielding.
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shop The D&M workshop, usually in a town near the rigsite. D&M
employees maintain and calibrate tools and equipment at the shop
before sending the equipment to the rig.
short circuit A short circuit is a very conductive path across the anode and
cathode terminals of a battery. This causes an accelerated
chemical reaction inside one or more cells of the battery. This
results in the buildup of heat and gas pressure, which can rupture
the battery and vent hazardous gases.
A short circuit can occur internally and externally. An example of
an internal short circuit is when blunt force breaks the fiberglass
separator inside one or more cells of a battery and there is contact
between the lithium metal (anode) and the carbon electrode
(cathode). An example of an external short circuit is when too high
a load is placed on the battery.
shoulder bed Rock layers located above and below a particular layer of interest.
sievert A unit of measurement (Sv) used to express the effect of radiation
on human beings.
Signal Acquisition The SAM sends power to and receives signals from the sensors.
Module (SAM) It has eleven circuit boards, with six channels each, for receiving,
converting and routing the signals to the ISPW.
signal energy The energy within the bandwidth of the MWD signal. The
bandwidth is the range of frequencies within which the receiver
looks for the MWD signal.
signal power The rate at which signal energy is transmitted.
Signal power = (signal strength)2.
signal pressure SPT stands for signal pressure transducer. The SPT is a sensor
transducer (SPT) that detects pressure changes in the mud column. It is used to
detect the MWD signal. It converts the pulse into an electrical
signal and sends it to the surface computer for processing.
Typically, PowerPulse uses two signal pressure transducers, one
at the manifold (SPT2) and the other at the top of the standpipe
(SPT1). SlimPulse uses one signal pressure transducer (SPTC)
at the manifold.
signal strength Signal strength is the magnitude of the received MWD signal wave
in units of psi or kPa. Signal strength can also be defined as the
energy within the bandwidth of the MWD signal. The bandwidth
is the range of frequencies within which the receiver looks for the
MWD signal. The bandwidth is equivalent to the carrier frequency
+/- (0.75 * symbol rate).
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InTouch SPC LWD\Sara Richmire\3341926\7.0\Release Date:30-Jun-2010\EDMS UID: 1653410879\Produced: 30-Jun-2010 11:55:48 1-35 OIL Glossary / Glossary 1-35
Taking time slices of a wave at time 1,2…8, etc., you can derive
the value of signal strength using the following formula:
signal-to-noise ratio The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is the relationship of the strength of
(SNR) the MWD signal to the strength of the noise within the bandwidth of
the signal.
sleep mode A mode of tool operation when the tool does not record
measurements in memory. The field engineer puts the LWD tool
in sleep mode to save memory.
sliding mode The process of drilling without rotating the drillstring. In sliding
mode, only the bit rotates due to the flow of drilling mud through the
downhole motor. Sliding mode is used when changing the direction
and/or inclination of a wellbore. Once the specified direction and
inclination have been achieved, drilling proceeds in rotating mode,
where the entire drillstring rotates.
SlimPulse* The SlimPulse is an MWD telemetry tool for slim wellbores. The
SlimPulse is battery powered and can be combined with the
arcVISION resistivity LWD tool.
slip & cut Slip & cut refers to slipping the drilling line so that worn parts of the
line, such as those parts that run through the sheaves of the crown
and traveling blocks, will be replaced with unworn drilling line. To
slip the line, the traveling block is supported and the clamps on the
deadline anchor are loosened. The driller starts the drawworks
and reels in the required length of line so that the wear points on
the line change. To prevent too much line accumulating on the
drawworks drum, excess line is cut off.
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sonde One of two components of the wireline instrument used to log the
borehole. The sonde contains the sensors used in making the
measurements. The type of sensor inside the sonde depends on
the type of service, e.g., resistivity, gamma ray, nuclear.
source A capsule which contains radioactive material and emits the
particle created by the radioactive decay of that material.
spectral detector Scintillation detector that provides both total gamma ray and
elemental analysis of the formation.
spectral gamma ray log Log produced by spectral scintillation detector; displays total
(SGR) gamma ray.
spectrogram The spectrogram is software that shows the power density
spectrum of a signal as it changes over time. The x-axis is the
time axis. The y-axis represents the power density spectrum at
each point in time.
SPT1 One of two signal pressure transducers used by TeleScope.

Typically, two SPTs are installed for TeleScope. SPT1 is the name
for the SPT installed closest to downhole, normally at the top of the
standpipe. SPT1 does not measure standpipe pressure. It only
measures changes in pressure.
SPT2 One of two signal pressure transducers used by TeleScope.
Typically, two SPTs are installed for TeleScope. SPT2 is the
name for the SPT installed closest to the mud pumps, normally at
the bottom of the standpipe. SPT2 does not measure standpipe
pressure. It only measures changes in pressure.
stabilizer A stabilizer is a bladed sub (short length of drillpipe) that is added
to the BHA to do the following:
• keep the drill collars in the center of the well

• prevent drill collar sticking and wear
• ream the wellbore
• control wellbore deviation.
stand Typically, three joints of drillpipe.
standoff The distance from a tool to the side of the wellbore.
standpipe The standpipe is vertical pipe that rises alongside the derrick.
Circulating mud is pumped from the discharge line up the
standpipe. The mud exits the standpipe through a rotary hose that
directs it into the top of the drillstring at the topdrive.
status word An LWD or MWD tool reading that contains information about how
the tool is operating.
stuck pipe Stuck pipe is a condition where the drillstring is no longer free to
move up or down, or to rotate as the driller wants it to. Sticking can
occur during any operation, such as a survey, when the drillstring
is stationary for a period of time.
sub Sub is short for substitute. A sub is a short length of pipe or fitting.
There are several types of subs and they have several different
functions.
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• Bent sub: A bent sub is a small section of drillpipe with an

angle machined into it. It is used to drill directional wellbores.
A bent sub is run between the downhole mud motor and the
lowest drill collar. Typically, bent subs create a 0.5° to 2.5°
bend. A 0.5° bent sub will produce an inclination change
of 2° to 3° per 100 ft. A 2° bent sub will produce a 6° to 8°
inclination change per 100 ft.
• Bit sub: A bit sub has a box at both ends. The bit sub is used
between the first drill collar and the bit. Most bits typically
come with a pin end. The pin of the bit is connected to one box
end of the bit sub. Then the pin end of the drill collar can be
stabbed into the other box end of the bit sub.
• Crossover sub (XOS): The crossover sub is used whenever
the threads of a joint of drillpipe or drill collar do not match
the threads of the drillstring. For example, an XOS is used
between the last drill collar in the BHA and the first joint of
drillpipe. Also, an XOS is often placed between the MWD and

LWD tools.
• Filter sub: D&M uses a filter sub in the drillstring just above
the MWD tool to protect the tool from junk that may drop down
into the borehole. The filter sub is a hollowed out piece of pipe
with a screen installed inside.
• Lifting sub: The rig crew attaches a lift sub to the LWD or MWD
tool when lifting the tool onto the drill floor and connecting it
to the drillstring. The tools come inside drill collar. Drill collar
does not have a shoulder. The lift sub, like drillpipe, provides
a shoulder produced by the bulge of the tool joint at each
end. For example, when connecting drill collar to the BHA,
the elevators that hang from the topdrive are latched below
the shoulder.
• Saver sub: A saver sub is a connection that is used to protect
the pin of a tool or other piece of equipment. For example, in a
kelly system, the rig crew connects a saver sub to the threaded
pin of the kelly. This saves the kelly pin from damage as the
kelly is connected to and disconnected from the drillstring
during drilling. Instead of stabbing the pin of the kelly into a
new joint of pipe, the pin of the saver sub is used. Similarly,
the LWD tool usually has a saver sub on the downhole, or
pin, end of the tool to protect the LWD tool joint from damage
when the tool is connected to and broken out from the BHA in
each bit run.
surface location The start of the wellbore. The coordinates of the surface location
represent the geographical position where the well is started.
surface sensor A sensor installed at the surface on a piece of rig equipment.
Surface sensors measure a variety of drilling parameters such as
pump pressure, depth, hook load, and pressure waves produced
in the drilling mud by downhole equipment for the purpose of
transmitting data to the surface.
surface system The surface system is currently called IDEAL. IDEAL stands for
Integrated Drilling Evaluation and Logging. It is the name given to
the hardware and software used in MWD/LWD jobs. IDEAL also
refers to the two computers in Drilling & Measurements’ logging unit
that analyze the data from downhole and surface measurements.
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surface system software The surface system software is currently called IDEAL. IDEAL
stands for Integrated Drilling Evaluation and Logging. It is the
name given to the hardware and software used in MWD/LWD jobs.
IDEAL also refers to the two computers in Drilling & Measurements’
logging unit that analyze the data from downhole and surface
measurements.
survey acceptance The survey acceptance criteria are found in the Reference row
criteria with their respective deviations in the Deviation row on the Survey
Control panel. The criteria are:
• inclination
• azimuth
• tool G
• tool H
• magnetic dip
• dogleg severity.
survey control panel A window in the surface system software. The survey control
panel displays several types of survey data including the survey
acceptance criteria, which are found in the Reference row with
their respective deviations in the Deviation row.
survey interval To track the progress of the wellbore, the MWD tool takes downhole
surveys at regular intervals (feet or meters) as determined by
the client.
survey procedure Downhole surveys are typically taken when drilling stops to make a
connection (generally each pipe joint or stand). The following steps
describe the procedure for taking downhole surveys.
1. Driller works the drillstring

2. Driller reduces the flow rate
3. Driller locks the drillstring
4. Driller increases the flow rate
5. Field engineer detects MWD signal
6. Field engineer examines survey results
7. Surface system software computes toolface for directional
driller
8. Drilling proceeds.
symbol rate The symbol rate is the number of symbols per second encoded
into the wave of the MWD signal. To encode a symbol, the MWD
tool shifts the phase or frequency of the signal. Each symbol
represents one or more bits of data, depending on the encoding
method (i.e., MSK, BPSK, QPSK).
Each MWD tool is capable of several symbol rates.
PowerPulse* - 0.50, 0.75, 1.50, 3.0 or 6.0 symbols/s
ImPulse* - 0.50, 1.50, or 3.0 symbols/s
SlimPulse* - 0.25 or 0.50 symbols/s
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The higher the symbol rate, the more bits per second. The more
bits per second, the more real-time measurements and the higher
the quality of the data.
tangential survey This is the oldest, least sophisticated and most inaccurate method
calculation method of calculating the coordinates of a survey point. It is the least
accurate because it assumes that inclination is constant from the
current to the previous survey point. The well path is assumed to
be a straight line tangential to inclination and azimuth.
This method can be accurate when azimuth and inclination do not
change much over short distances. However, the method produces
flaws when calculating the wellbore position at a curved section.
As a result, it is used as a quick-look method only. The surface
system software does NOT use this method.
TVD = MD * cos Inc
Displ = MD * sin Inc
North = Displ * cos Az

East = Displ * sin Az
target A defined area at a prescribed vertical depth and location that will
be intersected by the wellbore.
techlog A time-based plot of the raw measurements taken by the LWD tool.
It can be used to detect measurement problems due to hardware
failures, high shock or high temperature environments.
telemetry Telemetry is the process of transmitting data from one place to
another. In the case of the MWD signal, transmission is from the
downhole MWD tool to the surface computer. MWD telemetry
consists of three parts:
• signal modulation (signal generation and data encoding)

• signal propagation (uphole through the wellbore to the surface)
• signal demodulation (receiving and decoding).
tesla A unit of measurement in Systems International (SI) of magnetic
flux density (T).
tie-in point The tie-in point is the reference point for survey computations. It
can be the surface location at the start of a job, or the last survey
station in a previous hole section. Normally, the client provides the
tie-in point. The tie-in point is used to compute TVD (true vertical
depth) at each survey point.
time after bit Defines the amount of time that has elapsed between when the bit
drilled the formation and when the particular sensor measures the
same formation. Time after bit is used to gauge measurement
quality.
time-depth Time versus depth is tracked in a file in the surface computer.
During drilling, the computer writes time versus depth data to the
file and the LWD field engineer compares each depth with driller’s
depth to make sure the file is correct. At the end of the bit run, the
time-depth file is merged with the time versus LWD data file from
the LWD tool to produce recorded mode logs.
time domain trace The time domain trace is a graphical representation of the MWD
signal as it is detected by the SPT. The time domain trace can be
viewed in the surface system software.
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tongs Large wrenches that hang suspended above the drill floor. The
wrenches are used to grasp the pipe or drill collar when making up
or breaking out the drillstring.
toolface Toolface is an angular measurement taken by the MWD tool to
define the orientation of the BHA in the wellbore. The driller uses
toolface to steer in the required direction (right, left, up, down).
Magnetic toolface (MTF) is used at inclinations below 4.0°. Gravity
toolface (GTF) is used at inclinations of 4° and higher.
When the BHA is completely made up, the field engineer measures
the distance from the MWD tool reference point (readout port) to
the projected motor scribe line. This measurement is done in a
clockwise direction from the MWD tool to the projected motor scribe
line while looking downhole. It is one of the few measurements
that is performed manually, and is, therefore, the most susceptible
to human error.
The reference point on the MWD tool is the readout port

(PowerPulse, ImPulse). The downhole motor reference point is
the scribe line. The surface system software assumes that these
two reference points are in alignment. However, when the BHA is
made up, they are not normally physically aligned. A correction
must be made to account for the offset. Since the downhole motor
steers the wellbore, the MWD tool readout port is referenced to the
motor scribe line. The offset between these reference points is
normally referred to as the toolface correction angle.
toolface correction The toolface correction angle is the most important correction
applied to the surface system software in order to kick the well
off in the proper direction. The toolface correction corrects the
toolface angular measurement taken by the MWD tool to account
for the misalignment the MWD tool and the mud motor reference
points when the BHA is made up.
The MWD tool and the downhole motor have reference points on
them. The reference point on the MWD tool is the readout port
(PowerPulse, ImPulse). The downhole motor reference point is
the scribe line. The surface system software assumes that these
two reference points are in alignment. However, when the BHA is
made up, they are not normally physically aligned. A correction
must be made to account for the offset. Since the downhole motor
steers the wellbore, the MWD tool readout port is referenced to the
motor scribe line. The offset between these reference points is
normally referred to as the toolface correction angle.
When the BHA is completely made up, the field engineer measures
the distance from the MWD tool reference point (readout port) to
the projected motor scribe line. This measurement is done in a
clockwise direction from the MWD tool to the projected motor scribe
line while looking downhole. It is one of the few measurements
that is performed manually, and is, therefore, the most susceptible
to human error.
tool G Tool G is a measure of g in counts. 1 g = 1 tool G = 1000 counts.
tool H Tool H is a conversion of the H measurement to counts. 1 tool H
= 50 gammas.
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tool joint Threaded pieces that are welded onto the ends of drillpipe. There
is a tool joint at each end of a joint of drillpipe. The tool joints give
drillpipe a characteristic bulge at each end. The drill collar, which is
thicker walled than drillpipe, also has threaded ends. Because the
drill collar is thicker, the tool joints do not bulge out, as they do on a
joint of drillpipe. Tool joint walls are typically 2.0 inches thick, and
the joint is usually about a foot long.
Each pipe joint or drill collar has a female and a male tool joint.
The female tool joint is called a box. The threads are inside. The
male tool joint is called a pin. The threads are exposed on the pin.
When drillpipe or drill collars are connected together to make up
the drillstring, the male pin end of one pipe is stabbed down into
the female box end of another pipe.
tool power reset When power shuts off and then comes back on.
topdrive The topdrive is a device that is used in place of the rotary table to
turn the drillstring. The topdrive hangs from the traveling block.
The drillstring is suspended from the topdrive.
topology An organization of network components.
torque Torque is the force required to turn something. It could be the force
required to turn the drillstring to drill the formation or the force
required to turn an LWD drill collar being made up in the BHA.
Each LWD tool requires a specific amount of torque to be applied
when it is connected to the BHA. If the wrong torque is used, the
tool could be damaged. The required torque is specified in the
ORM for the tool. To monitor drilling operations, D&M measures
torque at the surface and downhole in foot-pounds-force (ft.lbf).
Measuring torque is an important part of D&M’s MWD services
because it is used to make critical drilling decisions.
• Surface torque is measured with a sensor that is installed on

the topdrive power cable. The sensor measures the power to
the topdrive. The more power, the more torque.
• Downhole torque is measured by several of Drilling &
Measurements’ tools, including PowerPulse. An IWOB
(Integrated Weight On Bit) sensor is an integrated part of
the PowerPulse collar. Real-time torque measurements
are transmitted by PowerPulse to the surface computer for
processing.
total gamma ray Sum of gamma rays from the three radioactive elements—thorium,
potassium and uranium.
trajectory The path of the wellbore.
transducer A transducer is a device, such as a sensor, that detects and
transmits voltage or current.
transform charts Charts used to correct raw LWD data for environmental effects.
traveling block The traveling block consists of a series of pulleys. Drilling line
from the drawworks is reeled through the pulleys, causing the
block to be raised and lowered as drilling line is spooled out from
and reeled onto the drawworks. The topdrive and drillstring are
suspended from the traveling block.
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tripping in The process of adding stands of pipe to the drillstring and lowering
the drillstring into the borehole until the bit is on-bottom.
tripping out The process of raising the drillstring out of the borehole and
removing stands of pipe from the drillstring until the bit is out of
the borehole.
true north The direction of a line from any geographical location on Earth’s
surface to the north geometric pole.
true vertical depth (TVD) TVD is the measured depth projected onto a vertical plane.
umbilical cable The umbilical cable is part of the UCS (Universal Cabling System)
used by Drilling & Measurements. It’s designed to make sensor
installation quick and easy. The cables from six surface sensors
can be connected into one umbilical cable. The umbilical cable
contains 26 wires: four wires from each of six sensors, a common
ground wire and a common shield wire.
unity matrix In a unity matrix, the diagonal values of the magnetometers, M11,
M22 and M33 equal 1.0.
Universal Cabling UCS stands for Universal Cabling System. The UCS is designed
System (UCS) to make sensor installation quick and easy. The system includes
quick connect sensor cables, remote junction boxes and umbilical
cables.
vermiculite A hydrous silicate mineral made from mica. It occurs in tiny, leafy
scales that expand when heated. It is used for insulation and
water absorption.
vertical component (V) To determine the direction of the magnetic field, the H measurement
is split into two components: vertical and horizontal. The vertical
component is perpendicular to a tangent line (horizontal
component) drawn on Earth’s surface. It points towards the ground
and, therefore, does not contribute to the determination of the
direction of magnetic north. It only contributes to the magnitude of
the magnetic field strength. V is used to calculate the magnetic
dip angle.
Dip angle = Sin-1V
vertical plane A vertical plane of projection is defined by its direction (azimuth)
and scaled with vertical depth.
vertical plane of The plane of proposal is the chosen projection of the wellbore onto
projection (plane of a vertical plane of a specified azimuth (direction). This is what the
proposal) wellbore would look like if you were looking at it from the side.
In this projection, the wellbore is plotted with TVD (true vertical
depth) against the vertical section. If the current survey falls on
the vertical plane of projection, then horizontal displacement and
vertical section are equal.
vertical resistivity Also known as perpendicular resistivity because the current loops
pass through bed boundaries at 90°.
vertical resolution The thickness of the bed that a resistivity tool measures.
1. Qualitative vertical resolution: Thickness of the thinnest layer

that a resistivity tool can detect.
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2. Quantitative vertical resolution: Thickness that a bed must be

for a resistivity tool to read at least 90% of the true resistivity.
That is, the measured resistivity (Ra) is with 10% of the
formation resistivity (Rt).
vertical section The vertical section is the length of the projection of the horizontal
displacement onto the vertical plane of projection. A vertical plane
of projection is defined by its direction (azimuth) and scaled with
vertical depth.
viscous Viscosity is a measure of the internal resistance or friction of a
fluid. The viscosity of mud depends on its molecular composition.
The more viscous the mud, the less fluid it is.
volt The difference in electric potential that makes a 1.0 A current flow
through a 1.0 ohm resistance.
voltage Electric potential or potential difference expressed in volts.
voltage delay The immediate drop in voltage below normal operating values
caused by passivation. Voltage recovery may occur slowly or not
at all, depending on passivation severity.
voltage potential A measure of the electric energy per electron that electrons can
acquire and/or give up as they move between the two conductors;
the potential difference between two points in an electric field such
that one joule (J) of work moves a charge of one Coulomb (C)
between these points.
volume of investigation The part of the formation around the borehole being measured.
volumetric energy Electric energy in a unit volume expressed in W-hr/L.
density
wave A wave is a periodic vibrational disturbance in which energy
is propagated through or on the surface of a medium without
translation of the material. Waves can be differentiated by their
frequency, amplitude, wavelength and speed of propagation.
wavelength Distance between corresponding points in a wave. Usually given
the symbol λ (lambda).
weight on bit Weight on bit refers to the weight that the driller puts on the bit in
order to drill into a formation. To put weight on the bit, the driller
lowers the bit to the bottom, rotates the bit and then slacks off on
the drawworks brake. Slacking off on the brake lets out more
drilling line, which lowers the drillstring. Just enough line is spooled
out to press down on the bit without putting too much tension on
the drillpipe.
wellbore The wellbore is the hole produced in a formation as a result of
drilling.
well folder The well folder contains files created by the surface system
software. The software stores information in a hierarchical
structure of folders and files. Folders can contain files and/or other
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folders. The hierarchical structure is called the "folder tree." The

folder tree is similar to a family tree. It has parents (higher-level
folders) and children (lower-level folders or files).
well plan map After a well is planned, it is depicted graphically as a well plan map.
The map must represent complex, 3-dimensional geometry on flat
paper. The map uses a grid system to plot wellbore coordinates.
These coordinates are derived mathematically from our surveys.
There are two main views of the map: a horizontal projection (plan
view) and a vertical projection (plane of proposal).
well profile The well profile is the proposed path of the wellbore.
winch A reel or spool of wire cable that is powered to raise and lower
equipment in and out of the borehole.
word In the case of the MWD signal, a word is a series of binary digits
(bits) representing one data point. A word can vary in size from 2
to 16 bits.
wrap A wrap is one layer of drilling line wrapped around the drawworks
drum from one end of the drum to the other.
zone Rigs are divided into three zones: 0, 1, and 2. Zone zero always
contains an explosive mixture of gas and air. The same mixture
is likely to exist in Zone 1 for extended periods of time. In Zone
2, the explosive mixture of gas and air may occur but it will only
exist for a short time.
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Online Interactive Learning:

Private OIL, on line interactive learning, glossary

Copyright © 2010 Schlumberger, Unpublished Work. All rights reserved.

Copyright © 2010 Schlumberger, Unpublished Work. All rights reserved.

Trademarks & Service marks

Schlumberger, the Schlumberger logotype, and other words or symbols used

A complete list of Schlumberger marks may be viewed at the Schlumberger

Author: Sara Richmire

Reviewer: InTouch SPC LWD, Sugar Land Learning Center

Approver: HFE Technical Communications Manager - D&M

1 Glossary _______________________________________________________ 1-1

Copyright © 2010 Schlumberger, Unpublished Work. All rights reserved.

1 Glossary OIL, online interactive learning

be run online or offline.

anchor The anchor is also referred to as the deadline tie-down anchor.

API American Petroleum Institute. An organization that sets the

Azimuth is also referred to as direction.

quality of the data.

casing Casing is thin-walled steel pipe ranging in length from 16 ft to

circuit A complete electrical path from the terminal of a source of

RF = (360 / DL x π ) x tan (DL/2)

conversion factor for the output of the sensor. For example,

moving sensor, they may be less representative of the environment

1. Check OCV (open circuit voltage). The voltage without a load

2. Apply a temporary load to the battery as specified in the

depth reference to calculate depth as each new stand or joint of

and is joined to a bent sub that creates a bend of from 1° to 3° .

drillpipe Drillpipe is steel or aluminum pipe. It comes in joints of 30 ft,

• maintaining the condition of the hole by cleaning the hole

individual contributions of thorium, potassium and uranium to the

external magnetic interference that can produce errors in the D&I

formation A formation is a bed or deposit of the same type of rock material.

galvanic cell An arrangement consisting of two electrodes and an electrolyte that

geophone A microphone used to detect seismic energy. In the case of the

gram-atom The atomic weight of an element expressed in grams; the mass

grams and 1.00797 grams, respectively.

This is the simple basis of all gyroscopes used in navigation—a

high energy density A large amount of energy in a small space.

non-magnetic material in the drillstring. Magcorr is a licensed

manifold A manifold is a piping system that serves to divide a flow into

mud pumps. The pumping action pressurizes the mud. Mud

• MWD (measurement while drilling) involves making downhole

(SPT). The transducer converts the mud pulses into an analog

measurements to the surface for processing. The MWD tool also

• Fast neutrons: energy in excess of 0.1 MeV

The positions of the null points are frequency dependent, e.g., at a

produced today comes from the pore spaces in rock.

on the pin. When drillpipe or drill collars are connected together

• blocked carbon electrode

• broken wire inside battery pack.

basis. Radiation workers wear special badges called "dosimeters"

real-time Real-time means there is no time lag between the gathering of

eroded granite. Zones of sand are considered potential reservoirs

SPT1 One of two signal pressure transducers used by TeleScope.

• keep the drill collars in the center of the well

• Bent sub: A bent sub is a small section of drillpipe with an

drillpipe. Also, an XOS is often placed between the MWD and

1. Driller works the drillstring

North = Displ * cos Az

• signal modulation (signal generation and data encoding)

The reference point on the MWD tool is the readout port

• Surface torque is measured with a sensor that is installed on

1. Qualitative vertical resolution: Thickness of the thinnest layer