How does a Tower Crane Work

Introduction to crude oil:

Since crude oil usually accumulates between the granules of sedimentary rocks, it must be extracted from there.  If the drilling of an oil well is successful, the pressure of the natural gas stored with the oil forces the oil to the surface.  In cases when the pressure is small, a nodding pump pumps the oil to the surface.  When the well is abandoned, it is sealed with a cap.

crude oil

How Crude Oil is Made:

Crude oil and natural gas are hydrocarbons, meaning they are compounds of carbon and hydrogen.  Hydrocarbons were formed when large quantities of marine organisms, mainly algae, died of unfavourable conditions and were buried beneath the seabed.  Over millions of years, because of substantial movements in the Earth's crust, these sedimentary layers sank thousands of meters deep.  

How crude oil is made

Isolated from oxygen, they turned into crude oil and natural gas due to a combination of high temperature and pressure.  Because of high pressure and low density in these depths, crude oil and natural gas started to migrate upwards until they became trapped under the impermeable layer.  They accumulated here in reservoirs containing porous or fractured rock formations.

Oil Reservoir Exploration:

The place where crude oil and natural gas accumulate is called a trap.  The density of crude oil and natural gas is less than that of water;  therefore water is found at the bottom of the trap, crude oil in the middle and natural gas at the top.

Oil Reservoir Exploration

 

The first step in oil reservoir exploration is to designate the place where the exploration drilling should be carried out. This is done with geographical mapping and geophysical measurements.  The drilling rig is then set up to determine the actual properties and contents of the layers thousands of meters deep.  Drilling rigs are heavy-duty cranes with pulley systems.  They must be built high in order to be able to screw together the drilling jars in the borehole.  Drilling fluid is pumped into the well through the mud hose to keep the drill bit cool, to carry cuttings to the surface and to prevent the borehole from collapsing.  After sufficient treatment, the drilling fluid (or mud) is re-circulated in the system. 

Oil Reservoir Exploration

Blowout preventers are installed on the wellhead to prevent outbreaks: this allows the well to be closed if necessary.  Drill strings are rotated by engines on the surface.  The drill bit found at the end of the drill string breaks up rock formations, allowing the string to penetrate deeper.  Drilling is completed after the depth of the well is determined based on the information acquired.  In order to determine the extent of the oil reservoir, it is necessary to carry out additional exploration drilling.  The presumed dimensions of oil wells are calculated this way.  If the exploitation of oil is deemed economical, an oil rig is installed over the boreholes and production can start.

Initial stage of Production of Oil:

In the initial stage of production, the sheer pressure of the natural gas below is enough to push the oil to the surface.  This method, however, is only enough to extract 10-20% of oil reservoirs.  After the pressure decreases, nodding pumps (or pump jacks) are used to pump the oil to the surface. 

Initial stage of production

 
The pump jack is the piston pump of an oil rig. The piston pump is operated with a string of rods on the horse head. The piston pumps the oil to the surface.  Oil rigs usually produce oil, water and gas;  These materials are only separated from each other after they are brought to the surface.