| AAPG |
American
Association of Petroleum Geologists |
| AAPL |
American
Association of Petroleum Landmen |
| abaft |
1.
toward the stern of a ship or mobile offshore drilling rig 2. behind.
3. farther than aft |
| abandon |
1. to
cease efforts to produce oil or gas from a well, and to plug a depleted formation and
salvage all material and equipment. 2. to cease
producing oil and gas from a well when it becomes unprofitable. A wildcat well may
be abandoned after it has proven nonproductive. Several steps are involved in
abandoning a well; part of the casing may be removed and salvaged; one or more cement
plugs are placed in the borehole to prevent migration of fluids between the different
formations penetrated by the borehole; and the well is abandoned. In many states, it
is necessary to secure permission from official agencies before a well may be abandoned. |
| abnormal pressure |
pressure
exceeding or falling below the normal pressure to be expected at a given depth.
Normal pressure increases approximately 0.465 psi per foot of depth (10.5kPa per meter of
depth). Thus, normal pressure at 10,000 feet is 4,650 psi; abnormal pressure at this
depth would be higher or lower than 4,650 psi. See pressure
gradient. |
| aboard |
on or in
a ship, offshore drilling rig, or helicopter |
| abrasion |
wearing
away by friction. |
| ABS |
American
Bureau of Shipping |
| absolute humidity |
the
amount of moisture present in the air, usually expressed in grains of water per 100 cubic
feet of air (milligrams of water per cubic meter of air). |
| absolute permeability |
a
measure of the ability of a single fluid (such as water, gas, or oil) to flow through a
rock formation when the formation is totally filled (saturated) with a single fluid.
The permeability measure of a rock filled with a single fluid is different from the
permeability measure of the same rock filled with two or more fluids. See effective permeability. |
| absolute porosity |
the
percentage of the total bulk volume of a rock sample that is composed of pore spaces or
voids. See porosity. |
| absolute pressure |
total
pressure measured from an absolute vacuum. It equals the sum of the gauge pressure
and the atmospheric pressure corresponding to the barometer (expressed in pounds per
square inch). |
| absolute temperature scale |
a scale
of temperature measurement in which zero degrees is absolute zero. On the Rankine
absolute temperature scale, in which degrees correspond to degrees Fahrenheit, water
freezes at 273 degrees and boils at 373 degrees. See absolute
zero. |
| absolute zero |
a
hypothetical temperature at which there is a total absence of heat. Since heat is a
result of energy caused by molecular motion, there is no motion of molecules with respect
to each other at absolute zero. |
| absorb, absorption |
1.To
take in or make part of an existing whole. 2. to
recover liquid hydrocarbons from natural or refinery gas in a gas-absorption
plant. The wet gas enters the absorber at the bottom and rises to the top,
encountering a stream of absorption oil (a light oil) traveling downward over bubble-cap
trays, valve trays, or sieve trays. The light oil removes, or absorbs, the heavier
liquid hydrocarbons from the wet gas.
3. to soak up as a sponge takes water. |
| absorbent |
also
called absorption oil. See absorption oil. |
| absorber |
a
vertical, cylindrical vessel that recovers heavier hydrocarbons from a mixture of
predominantly lighter hydrocarbons. Also called absorption tower. See absorb. |
| absorber capacity |
the
maximum volume of natural gas that can be processed through an absorber at a specified
absorption oil rate, temperature, and pressure without exceeding pressure drop or any
other operating limitation. |
| absorption |
the
process of sucking up; taking in and making part of an existing whole. Compare adsorption. |
| absorption gasoline |
the
gasoline extracted from natural gas by putting the gas into contact with oil in a vessel
and subsequently distilling the gasoline from the heavier oil. |
| absorption oil |
a
hydrocarbon liquid used to absorb and recover components from natural gas before being
processed. |
| absorption plant |
a plant
that processes natural gas with absorption oil |
| absorption-refrigeration
cycle |
a
mechanical refrigeration system in which the refrigerant is absorbed by a suitable liquid
or solid. The most commonly used refrigerant is ammonia; the most commonly used
absorbing medium is water. |
| absorption tower |
also
called absorber. See absorber. |
| abyssal |
of or
relating to the bottom waters of the ocean. |
