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DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


The  Principles  and  Practices  of  Deep 
Well  Drilling  and  a  Hand  Book  of  Use- 
ful   Information  for    the   Well  Driller 


By 

WALTER  H.  JEFFERY 


Copyright,   1921,   by  W.  H.  Jeffery. 

Published  by 

W.  H.   JEFFERY  COMPANY. 

Toledo,  Ohio 


Printed  by 

OILDOM  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 

Woolworth  Bldg..  New  York,  N.  Y. 


•  .         .  -  1 


ti> 


To  the  drillers  of  the  United 
States  and  of  Canada,  the  men 
who  have  developed  modern 
practices  of  well  drilling  at  home 
and  abroad,  this  volume  is  re- 
spectfully dedicated. 


PREFACE 

Well  drilling  is  an  ancient  craft,  although  comparatively  a 
modern  industry.  Deep  well  drilling  as  practiced  today  began 
with  the  drilling  of  Drake's  first  oil  well  at  Titusville,  Pa.,  in  1859. 
The  business  of  drilling  deep  wells,  for  petroleum,  stimulated  by 
the  wonderful  development  of  the  internal  combustion  engine, 
has  since  spread  to  many  parts  of  the  world  and  has  developed 
into  one  of  the  foremost  industries  of  the  United  States,  requiring 
the  services  of  an  army  of  experienced  drillers.  The  search  for 
petroleum  is  destined  to  lead  the  driller  to  the  uttermost  parts  of 
the  earth.  These  men  learn  both  the  theory  and  the  practice  of 
their  craft  by  working  in  the  derrick.  Several  schools  now  offer 
courses  in  petroleum  technology  and  the  University  of  California 
has  a  course  in  well  drilling  methods.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  some 
of  our  universities  and  technical  schools  may  add  to  their  cur- 
ricula a  complete  course  in  deep  well  engineering.  For  the 
drilling  of  a  well  5,000  feet  deep,  or  drilling  in  a  foreign  country 
where  the  geological  formations  may  not  be  known  are  both  engi- 
neering undertakings.  Although  rule  of  thumb  methods  have, 
to  a  large  degree,  been  followed  by  the  well  driller,  yet  his  work 
is  beset  by  many  difficulties  and  unforeseen  obstacles  that  are 
often  overcome  only  by  his  own  ingenuity  and  resourcefulness. 

There  are  several  valuable  technical  works  covering,  in  a  gen- 
eral way,  the  different  branches  of  the  petroleum  industry  or 
descriptive  of  drilling  practices  in  certain  localities,  also  during 
the  past  few  years  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  has  performed  an 
admirable  service  in  studying  the  problems  of  the  driller  and  at 
frequent  intervals  publishing  technical  papers  covering  various 
phases  of  the  subject.  However,  so  few  books  have  appeared 
that  describe  in  detail  modern  well  drilling  practices,  that  the 
author  was  led  to  attempt  this  work. 

3 


463293 


4  PREFACE 

The  different  well  drilling  methods  include  the  cable,  or  percus- 
sion, pole  tool,  hydraulic  rotary,  core  drill  and  hydraulic  jetting. 
In  some  localities  the  combination  cable  and  hydraulic  rotary 
s^ystem  is  employed. 

Geology  plays  an  important  part  in  well  drilling  and  a  study  of 
the  rock  formation  and  stratification,  in  the  locality  where  the 
well  is  to  be  drilled,  is  necessary  to  determine  the  type  of  drilling 
outfit  best  adapted  to  the  purpose.  For  drilling  hard  sandstones 
and  limestones  the  cable  tool  outfit  is  suitable  equipment,  while 
soft  formations  are  mote  successfully  penetrated  with  the  rotary 
outfit.  In  localities  where  soft  formations  and  hard  rock  alter- 
nate, a  combination  cable  and  hydraulic  rotary  outfit  may  be  the 
best  equipment.  The  author  has  undertaken  in  this  volume  to 
cover  the  processes  of  drilling  wells  by  the  two  methods  now  most 
generally  used :  the  cable  tool  and  the  hydraulic  rotary,  including 
the  building  of  the  derrick,  drilling,  handling  casing,  fishing  for 
lost  tools  and  the  completion  of  the  well  according  to  the  best 
practice  of  present  day  expert  drillers. 

Specifications  here  shown  of  material  for  building  the  several 
types  of  derricks  and  for  complete  outfits  of  drilling  tools  have 
been  carefully  worked  out  and  are  believed  to  be  accurate  accord- 
ing to  modern  practice. 

Different  fields  present  their  own  drilling  problems.  It  is 
obviously  impossible  within  the  limits  of  a  single  volume  to  treat 
in  detail  the  drilling  peculiarities  of  every  field,  but  it  has  been 
the  aim  of  the  author  to  cover  the  whole  subject  as  completely  as 
possible  in  a  general  way. 

The  author  hopes  that  this  book,  the  work  at  odd  moments  of 
many  years,  may  find  a  place  both  as  a  guide  to  the  student  or 
the  inexperienced  and  as  a  handbook  of  information  and  refer- 
ence for  the  practical  driller,  and  he  asks  the  reader's  indulgence 
for  any  errors  or  omissions. 

WALTER  H.  JEFFERY. 

Toledo,  Ohio,  March  3,  1921. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I     Geology. — Origin    of    petroleum    and    natural 

gas. — Bibliography       .  .  .  .         .         7 

II     Standard  or  cable  tool  system  of  drilling — rigs, 

derricks  and  specifications,  drilling  outfits     .       43 

III  Standard   or    cable   tool    system    of    drilling. — 

Spudding,  driving  pipe,  drillings  under-ream- 
ing, bit  dressing  .  .  .         .  .97 

IV  Fishing  for  tools  fast  or  lost  in  the  hole    .  .158 
V     Rotary  process  of  drilling         .          .          .  .184 

VI     Combination  cable  and  rotary  system  of  drilling    223 
VII     Drilling  by  the  hydraulic  circulating  system. — 

Use  of  mud  laden  fluid       .  .  .  .     236 

VIII     Casing  methods. — Casing  used  in  various  fields, 
collapsing  pressures,  safe  lengths  of  string, 
casing  equipment         .....     249 

IX     The  use  of  packers  ......     291 

X     Cementing  casing. — Shutting  off  bottom  water    301 
XI     Shooting  wells         .  .  .  .  .  .     323 

XII  Finishing  the  well. — Finishing  and  shutting  in 
oil  wells,  pumping  equipment,  setting 
screens  and  liners,  washing  wells,  shutting 
in  gas  wells         ......     336 

XIII  Cost  of  drilling  wells  in  various  localities         .     365 

XIV  Strength  of  materials       .  .         .  .  .     371 
XV     General  information         .....     391 

XVI     State  laws  relating  to  drilling,  abandoning  and 

plugging  oil  and  gas  wells  and  to  oil  and  gas     463 


ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

For  illustrations  and  for  valuable  information  furnished  for 
this  volume  the  author  is  indebted  to  Mr.  George  Otis 
Smith,  Director,  Mr.  Philip  S.  Smith,  Acting  Director, 
Mr.  A.  E.  Path  and  Mr.  W.  S.  W.  Kew,  of  the  U.  S.  Geological 
Survey,  Washfngton,  D.  C. ;  The  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines, 
Washington,  D.  C. ;  Mr.  Eugene  F.  Coste,  E.M.,  Calgary, 
Alberta;  The  National  Supply  Co.,  Toledo,  Ohio;  The  Oil 
Well  Supply  Company,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.;  The  Lucey  Mfg.  Co., 
New  York;  The  Carnegie  Steel  Co.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.;  The 
National  Tube  Co.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.;  The  John  A.  Roebling's 
Sons  Co.,  Trenton,  N.  J.;  The  Columbian  Rope  Co.,  Auburn, 
N.  Y. ;  The  Sanderson-Cyclone  Drill  Co.,  Orrville,  Ohio;  The 
Union  Tool  Co.,  Torrance,  Calif. ;  The  Norwalk  Drilling  Tool 
Co.,  Norwalk,  Ohio ;  The  Waverly  Oil  Works,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. ; 
The  Hope  Natural  Gas  Company,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.;  Hughes 
Tool  Co.,  Houston,  Texas;  Parkersburg  Rig  &  Reel  Co., 
Parkersburg,  W.  Va. ;  Metric  Metal  Works,  Erie,  Pa.; 
The  Eastern  Torpedo  of  Ohio  Co.,  Tulsa,  Okla.;  Mr.  F.  H. 
Hillman,  Vice-President,  The  Standard  Oil  Co.  of  California, 
San  Francisco,  California;  Prairie  Oil  and  Gas  Company, 
Independence,  Kas. ;  Perkins  Oil  Well  Cementing  Co.,  Los 
Angeles,  Calif.;  Mr.  Harry  Hillman,  Mr.  C.  S.  Wright,  Mr. 
John  F.  Tucker,  Mr.  Geo.  J.  Vollmayer,  and  Mr.  R.  F.  Hill, 
of  The  National  Supply  Co.;  Mr.  A.  G.  Heggem,  Tulsa, 
Okla.;  Gunn  Bros.,  Humble,  Texas;  Larkin  Packer  Co., 
Bartlesville,  Okla.;  Mr.  D.  D.  Wertzberger,  Tulsa,  Oklahoma; 
Mr.  W.  R.  Martin,  Medicine  Hat,  Alberta;  Mr.  A.  H.  Bran- 
don, Toledo,  Ohio;  Mr.  G.  H.  Ashley,  State  Geologist  of 
Pennsylvania;  Mr.  Chas.  M.  Boughton,  of  the  Geological 
Survey  of  Kansas,  for  assistance  in  preparing  manuscript 
to  Miss  Beth  Price  and  to  many  others. 


CHAPTER  I 

GEOLOGY  — ORIGIN  OF  PETROLEUM  AND 
NATURAL  GAS— BIBLIOGRAPHY 

Petroleum,  natural  gas  and  artesian  water  occur  in  many  of  the 
stratified  rocks  forming  the  earth's  crust.  The  thickness  of  these 
strata  varies  in  different  localities.  In  California  the  sedimentary 
rocks  from  the  Quaternary  to  the  granites  and  metamorphics  lie 
in  massive  beds,  aggregating  a  thickness  of  more  than  25,000  feet. 
In  Northern  Ohio,  where  the  more  recent  formations  are  absent, 
the  Trenton  limestone,  lying  at  nearly  the  base  of  the  one  hun- 
dred or  more  producing  formations,  is  reached  at  depths  of  1,200 
to  1,500  feet  from  the  surface.  A  glance  at  the  accompanying 
chart  of  producing  horizons  in  North  America  will  illustrate  this. 

The  older  the  formation,  for  example  the  Trenton  limestone  of 
the  Ordovician  age,  the  harder  will  the  rocks  be  found.  Hard 
limestones,  while  they  cannot  be  drilled  rapidly,  present  few  drill- 
ing difficulties.  The  rocks  of  later  periods,  as  the  shales  and 
sandstone  of  Wyoming  and  California  of  Cretaceous  and  Tertiary 
age,  are  usually  soft  and  caving  and  must  be  drilled  by  a  process 
of  under-reaming.  The  more  recent  alluvial  deposits  of  the  Gulf 
Coastal  Plain  and  some  parts  of  California  and  Mexico  can  only 
be  successfully  penetrated  by  the  rotary  system.  Thus  a  study 
of  the  geological  formations  in  the  locality  to  be  drilled  is  essen- 
tial to  determine  the  type  of  drilling  outfit  best  suited  to  the  work. 

The  United  States  Geological  Survey  and  the  Canadian  Geologi- 
cal Survey  have  studied  and  reported  upon  large  areas  of  the 
North  American  Continent,  and  in  the  United  States  many  of  the 
state  geologists  have  much  valuable  data  upon  the  stratified  rocks 
of  their  respective  states.  When^  therefore,  it  is  desired  to  drill 
in  localities  where  doubt  may  exist  regarding  the  nature  of  the 
formations  to  be  penetrated,  it  would  be  well  to  consult  thie  geolog- 
ical publications  reporting  on  the  region  to  be  prospected.    The 

7 


8  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

authorities  are  usually  glad  to  furnish  such  information  if  it  is  a 
matter  of  record,  otherwise  to  offer  valuable  suggestions. 

Surface  indications  of  oil  or  gas  occur  in  but  few  localities.  In 
broken  or  mountainous  regions,  as  in  Wyoming,  an  occasional  oil 
seepage  is  found,  and  in  California  there  are  many  such  seepages. 
In  Mexico  asphalt  springs  occur,  and  in  the  Island  of  Trinidad 
we  have  the  famous  pitch  lake.  Along  the  Athabasca  River  in 
Northern  Alberta  for  a  distance  of  several  miles  the  so-called  tar 
sands  crop  out  and  asphalt  oil  seeps  from  them.  At  one  point 
on  this  river,  where  it  flows  over  a  fault  line,  escaping  natural  gas 
forms  many  bubbles  on  the  surface  of  the  water.  Yet  consider- 
able drilling  has  been  done  in  that  locality  without  developing  a 
paying  oil  field.  Oil  sands  sometimes  are  located  where  they 
crop  out  or  are  exposed,  due  to  erosion,  the  folding  of  the  struc- 
ture, or  to  mountain  uplift.  Oil  and  gas  fields  usually  are  located 
by  searching  for  geological  structures  favorable  for  the  accumula- 
tion of  these  deposits. 

ANTICLINAL  THEORY  FOR  ACCUMULATION  OF 

OIL  AND  GAS 

The  basis  of  the  anticlinal  theory  is  that  oil  and  gas,  being 
lighter  than  water,  naturally  find  their  way  to  the  highest  point  in 
the  water  bearing  stratum  in  which  they  may  be  present.  Thus  in 
drilling  along  the  axis  of  an  anticline  or  on  the  crest  of  a  dome, 
gas  may  be  found  but  no  oil.  Lower  down  on  the  dome  or  on  the 
flanks  of  the  anticline,  oil  may  occur  and  little  or  no  gas,  while 
near  the  base  of  the  anticline  or  dome,  or  in  the  syncline  (the 
revers.e  structure  of  the  anticline),  water  may  be  encountered, 
with  usually  no  trace  of  oil  or  gas. 

The  anticline  is  an  arch  or  fold  in  the  stratified  rocks  that  form 
the  earth's  crust,  (See  Fig.  No.  1.  There  are  several  types  of  the 
arch  or  fold,  the  most  common  of  which  are  the  anticline,  the 
dome  and  the  anticlinal  dome.*  The  anticline  is  a  long  fold  with 
the  dips  of  its  sides  inclining  away  from  a  line  called  the  axis. 
Thus  in  describing  an  anticline  geologists  use  the  terms  "strike" 
and  "dip";  the  strike  being  the  general  direction  along  the  crest 


or  axis  and  the  dip  the  sloping  away  on  either  side  from  the  axis. 
The  dome  is,  as  its  name  implies,  a  domelike  uplift  in  the  stratum, 


FlK.  1-     Anticline  • 

standing  alone,  with  the  dip  sloping  away  on  all  sides  from  the 
crest.  Anticlinal  domes  sometimes  occur  at  intervals  along  the 
top  of  a  main  anticlinal  fold.  Such  domes  are  common  in  Okla- 
homa, Wyoming  and  California. 

Syncline. — The  syncline  is  the  reverse  of  the  anticline  and, 
while  usually  unfavorable  for  the  accumulation  of  oil,  yet  oil  has 
been  found  in  them. 

Synclines,  that  are  productive  of  oil,  usually  are  not  water  bear- 


Plg  2.     Syncline 

ing  and,  due  to  the  absence  of  water  pressure,  the  direction  of  the 
oil  is  reversed  from  that  in  the  anticline  and  by  gravity  it  has 
drained  into  the  lowest  point  or  trough  of  the  structure..    Oil  has 
■  Illustration  alter  Doreey  Hager!  '  ''i: 


10  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING. .. 

been  found  on  the  flanks  of  a  syncline  where  the  basin  is  filled 
with  water. 

Oil  in  commercial  quantity  has  bceen  found  in  synclines  in  shale 
formations  above  the  regular  oil  bearing  formation,  probably 
forced  there  through  fissures  in  the  rocks.  This  condition  has 
been  developed  in  the  syncline  outside  the  structure  of  the  Salt 
Creek  field  of  Wyomii^.  In  the  Coalings,  California,  oil  field, 
oil  occurs  in  both  the  syncline  and  the  anticline. 

Monocline. — The  monocline  is  a  structure  whose  dip  is  in  one 
direction  and  where  the  oil  bearing  formation  may  rise  to  the 
surface.     Oil  occurring  in  commercial  quanti^  in  monoclines 


FlK.    i.     Monocline  * 

where  the  oil  sands  crop  out  is  usually  heavy  and  forms  asphalt 
beds  that  seal  the  outcrop,  confining  the  remaining  oil.  Light 
paraffine  oil  would  in  most  cases  escape  where  the  oijt  bearing 
sand  was  exposed,  thus  draining  the  sand  for  a  considerable  area 
in  proximity  to  the  outcrop.  The  well  location  should,  therefore, 
be  at  a  distance  from  the  outcrop. 

Near  Barranquilla,  Colombia,  there  are  numerous  seepages  of 
oil  and  natural  gas.  One  of  these  seepages  has  formed  a  large 
mound  of  asphalt,  locally  named  the  "big  Volcan,"  yet  several 
wells  drilled  within  a  few  miles  of  this  surface  showing  failed  to 
find  oil  in  paying  quantity. 

Terrace.— Commercially  profitable  oil  pools  are  sometimes 
found  on  terraces.  The  terrace  may  be  a  horizontal  bench,  ex- 
1  after  Doraey  Hftger. 


GEOLOGY 


11 


tending  along  a  gentle  slope,  or  a  locality  where  the  dip  of  an 
anticline  becomes  more  nearly  flat. 

In  addition  to  the  structures  above  described,  oil  is  often  found 


Fig.  4.     Terrace 

arourtd  volcanic  necks  or  chimneys  and  in  saline  domes.  The  top, 
or  on  the  flank  near  the  top,  of  an  anticline  or  a  dome,  however, 
is  the  best  location  for  a  test  well. 

The  anticline  and  the  dome  are  sometimes  found  in  close  prox- 
imity to  each  other.  The  accompanying  plate  *  illustrates  this 
condition  where  the  Lamb  anticline  and  the  Torchlight  dome 
occur  in  the  Big  Horn  Basin  of  Wyoming.  The  anticline  in  this 
instance  is  a  small  one,  extending  over  only  a  few  sections.  There 
are  many  long  anticlines ;  for  example,  the  Preston  anticline  along 
the  Red  River,  crossing  Grayson  and  Fannin  Counties,  Texas,  and 
Bryan  and  Marshall  Counties,  Oklahoma,  and  extending  for  a 
distance  of  over  forty  miles.  The  dome  usually  is  a  small  round 
structure,  as  shown  on  the  chart. 

The  sub-surface  contour  lines  on  this  chart  show  numbers  indi- 
cating the  distance  at  that  point  to  the  top  of  the  Greybull  sand, 
above  or  below  sea  level.  In  other  words,  if  it  were  possible  for 
one  to  follow  any  one  of  these  contour  lines  on  the  ground,  he 
would  always  be  at  exactly  the  same  elevation.  Referring  again 
to  the  chart,  it  will  be  observed  that  the  elevations  reach  from  0 
to  2,800  feet  above  sea  level  and  from  0  to  600  feet  below  sea 

0 

•  Footnote: 

Reproduction  of  map  in  the  U.  S.  Geologrical  Survey  Bulletin  No. 
656,  by  Charles  T.  Lupton. 


» 


12 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


level.  Putting  it  another  way,  the  total  elevation  as  shown  on 
this  chart  would  be  the  sum  of  the  distances  below  and  above  sea 
level  or  3,400  feet. 

Faults. — ^A  fault  is  a  displacement  or  a  slip  in  the  strata,  the 
result  of  which  may  be  the  breaking  off  of  an  oil  bearing  forma- 
tion and  abutting  of  its  face  against  an  impervious  bed.  This 
may  either  cause  the  oil  to  escape  to  the  surface,  or  if  the  contact 
between  the  broken  off  oil  bearing  bed  and  the  impervious  rock 
face  is  sufficiently  close,  it  may  seal  up  the  oil.    Thus,  on  one  side 


Fig.   5.     Fault 

of  the  fault  line  good  wells  would  be  secured,  while  on  the  other 
side,  the  sand  would  be  barren.  (See  Fig.  No.  5.)  The  oil  field 
of  the  Puente  Hills  district  of  southern  California  is  a  good  ex- 
ample, of  oil  accumulation  along  faults. 

Although  the  structures  here  described  are  favorable  for  the 
accumulation  of  oil,  yet  it  does  not  follow  that  all  such  structures 
may  prove  to  be  productive.  One  or  more  necessary  elements 
may  be  lacking.  The  sand  may  be  too  hard  or  close,  or  it  may 
be  water  bearing.  Also  the  oil  or  gas  present  in  past  ages  may 
have  long  since  escaped  for  want  of  an  impervious  shale  or  other 
confining  "cap  rock,"  so  called. 

The  procedure  followed  by  geologists  in  seeking  for  and  in 
locating  favorable  structure  for  the  accumulation  of  oil  and  gas, 
and  in  locating  well  sites  will  not  here  be  discussed.  The  author 
is  not  a  professional  geologist,  and  for  such  geological  information 


i^ 


13 


k      •     , 


• 


*  _  • 


\ 


GEOLOGY  15 

respectfully  refers  his  readers  to  the  following  works  on  the 
subject : 

Economic  Geology,  by  Frederick  G.  Clapp. 

Oil  Finding,  by  E.  H.  Cunningham-Craig. 

Practical  Geology,  by  Dorsey  Hager. 

Popular  Oil  Geology,  by  Victor  Zeigler. 

Publications  of  U.  S.  Geological  Survey. 

Geology  is  an  applied  science  with  reference  to  the  oil  and  gas 
industry  and  has  made  good  in  a  large  way  in  the  development 
of  the  oil  fields  of  the  United  States.  Recently  Mr.  George  Otis 
Smith,  Director  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  in  an  address 
before  the  Association  of  Petroleum  Geologists  at  Dallas,  Texas,* 
stated  that  at  his  direction  a  test  was  made  of  the  measure  of 
agreement  between  the  structure  mapping  and  the  results  of  the 
drill  in  a  number  of  townships  of  the  Osage  lands  with  the  result 
that  the  geologist,  when  his  work  had  been  tested  by  the  drill, 
had  been  right  87  per  cent  of  the  time. 

Those  undertaking  the  development  of  new  fields,  or  selecting 
the  location  for  a  "wild  cat"  well,  would  do  well  to  secure  a 
competent  geologist  to  assist  them. 

ROCK  FORMATIONS 

It  is  essential  that  the  well  driller  have  a  working  knowledge  of 
rock  formations.  He  should  be  able  to  identify  the  shales  and  the 
conglomerates,  the  varying  grades  and  colors  of  the  sandstones, 
the  limestones  and  dolomites,  and  the  slates.  He  should  recognize 
also  the  igneous  or  crystalline  rocks  such  as  granites,  quartz,  lava, 
etc.  Oil  and  gas  and  usually  water  are  found  only  in  the  porous 
stratified  formations.  If,  therefore,  the  driller  should  find  himself 
working  in  granite  or  other  igneous  rocks  (intrusions  of  igneous 
rocks  in  stratified  formations  excepted),  he  may  as  well  abandon 
further  drilling.  As  an  exception  to  prove  the  rule :  oil  in  com- 
mercial quantity  was  found  in  a  few  wells  drilled  in  Placerita 
Canyon,  Los  Angeles  County,  Calif ornia^  where  the  oil  occurred 
in  the  granite,  as  a  result  of  the  granite  being  faulted  against 

•  Southwestern  Oil  Journal,  Ft.  Worth,  Texas.  March  26,  1920. 


16  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

sedimentary  rocks  from  which  the  oil  had  seeped  into  the  broken 
granite. 

POROSITY  AND  SATURATION  OF  OIL  SANDS 

The  dolomitic  limestones,  due  to  solution,  dolomitization  or 
fracturing,  are  the  most  porous  of  the  many  formations  carrying 
oil,  their  percentages  of  voids  in  some  cases  running  as  high  as 
33  1/3  per  cent.  Next  in  porosity  are  the  conglomerates  and 
loose  coarse  sands,  similar  to  those  found  in  the  Coastal  Plain  oil 
fields  in  Te^^as  and  in  California,  which  contain  from  20  to  30 
per  cent,  voids.  The  sandstones  are  variable,  some  more  porous 
than  others,  but  usually  their  voids  will  not  exceed  15  to  20  per 
cent.  Due  perhaps  to  the  fact  that  in  nearly  all  beds  of  dolomite 
and  limestone  there  are  places  where  the  rock  is  exceedingly 
hard  and  close,  the  sandstones  are  more  favorably  regarded  as 
oil  producing  formations  (for  example,  th^  Wall  Creek  Sand- 
stones of  Wyoming  are  well  saturated  with  oil  and  rank  with  the 
best  oil  producing  san<Js  of  this  country).  Shales  are  lowest  in 
the  scale  and  although  they  sometimes  contain  oil  they  are  not 
favorable  reservoirs,  their  porosity  averaging  not  more  than  five 
per  cent. 

Oil  Content  of  Sand. — A  limestone  or  sandstone  with  15 
per  cent,  of  voids  and  thoroughly  saturated  would  contain  ap- 
proximately 15  per  cent,  of  its  volume  in  oil,  or  15  cubic  feet  of 
oil  per  hundred  feet  (7.5  gallons  per  cubic  foot).  Thus  an  oil 
sand  100  feet  thick,  covering  the  space  of  one  acre  (43,560  square 

43,560x7.5x15 
feet)  would  contain  j^ — j — __  .  ^tv-  =  116,678  barrels. 

The  United  States  Government  uses  10  per  cent,  as  an  average 
saturation  of  oil  sands.  The  figures  usually  employed  in  estimat- 
ing the  oil  content  of  sands  are  one  gallon  per  cubic  foot  of  sand, 
approximating  1,000  barrels  per  acre  foot  of  sand.  This  estimate 
must  be  regarded  as  an  average  only,  and  may  not  be  accurate 
when  applied  to  specific  fields  or  properties  where  the  saturation 
factor  might  be  as  high  as  25  per  cent  or  as  low  as  5  per  cent. 


GEOLOGY 


17 


The  production  curve  method  of  approximating  the  oil  content  of 
sands  is  much  more  accurate  as  applied  to  individual  wells,  prop- 
erties or  localities.  The  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines,  in  a  recent  pub- 
lication, deals  at  length  in  an  able  manner  with  this  subject  for 
many  of  the  oil  fields  of  this  country,    (a) 

Estimates  of  the  proportion  of  oil  that  is  left  in  the  sands,  and 
that  is  not  recoverable,  are  from  10  to  75  per  cent,  and  vary 
greatly  according  to  locality  and  to  different  authorities.  J.  O. 
Lewis  estimates  that  the  average  recovery  factors  for  the  fields 
of  the  United  States  are  from  10  to  20  per  cent,  (b)  A  recovery 
factor  of  50  per  cent,  is  often  used,  but  this  is  only  an  approxima- 
tion and  probably  is  too  high  as  an  average  for  all  fields. 

(a)  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines,  Bulletin  No.  177,  The  decline  and  ultimate 
production  of  oil  wells,  with  notes  on  the  valuation  of  oil  proper- 
ties, by  Carl  H.  Beal,  pp.  9-12. 

(b)  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin  No.  148,  Oil  recovery  methods,  by 
J.  O.  Lewis,  pp.  26-32. 

Footnote:     Ref.  "Practical  Oil  Geology,"  by  Dorsey  Hagrer. 


^ 


\  v-\ 


li 


\ 


<      v 

.'I  r 


1      • 


18 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS  OR  "SANDS"  IN  WHICH  OIL 
AND  GAS  ARE  FOUND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AND  CANADA 

Compiled  from  reports  of  the  United  States  Geological  Survey,  of  the 
Geological  Surveys  of  several  of  the  States  and  from  the  original  chart  of 
sands  below  Pittsburgh  coal  by  the  late  F.  H.  Oliphant. 

This  chart  was  prepared  with  a  view  of  showing  the  various  oil  and 
gas  sands  with  reference  to  their  age  and  position  in  the  stratified  rocks 
forming  tlje  earth's  crust.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  some  of  the  oil  fields 
have  not  been  given  thorough  geological  study  and  also  that  geologists 
are  not  yet  certain  regarding  the  age  of  several  of  the  formations,  this 
chart  is  approximated.  Dotted  lines  indicate  points  at  which  uncertainty 
exists. 


Era 

Geological 
System  , 

Geological 

Series  or 

Group 

Producing 

Formation 

or  Sand 

Character 

Thick- 
ness. 
Feet 

Locality 

Where 

Productive 

Quater- 
nary 

Recent 
Series 
and 
Pleis- 
tocene 

Pliocene 

Sands    overlying 
cores    of    salt 
and  gypsum 

• 

Calcareous  sands 

In  some  salt  domes 
of  Gulf  Coast  of 
Texas  and  Louisi- 
ana 

Dewitt 

Calcareous  sands 

1200- 
1500 

Gulf  Coast 

Fernando  Group 

Conglomerate 
sandstone, 
gravel  and 

sand 

1000 

California 

• 

Etchegoin     For- 
mation 

Buff  (!iuartsoze 
sandstone 

300- 
1000 

Coalinga,      McKit- 
trick-Sunset,  San- 
ta Clara  Riyer  & 
Los  Angeles.  Cali- 
fornia 

Ter- 
tiary 

■0 

c 

Upper 
Miocene 

Fleming  Clay 

Calcareous  Clay 

200-500 

Gulf  Coast 

.a 

U 

Middle 
Miocene 
and  Low- 
er    Mio- 
cene 

Monterey  Group 
including  Mod- 
el© and  Puente 
Formations,  Sa- 
linas    Shale 
and    Vaqueros 
Formation 

Thinly  laminat- 
ed shale  with 
layers  of  sand- 
stone. Coarse 
brown    sand- 
stone 

100- 
1800 

Santa  Maria. 
Summerland.    ' 
Los  Angdes, 
Puente  Dis- 
trict, Coalinga. 
McKittrick-Sun- 
set   and    Santa 
Clara  River,  Cal. 

Oligo- 
cene 

Catahoula 

Blue     sandstone 
and  green  clay 

250-600 

Gulf  Coast  Deep 
Sand 

GEOLOGY 


19 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS  OR  ''SANDS"  IN  WHICH  OIL 
AND  GAS  ARE  FOUND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AND  CANADA^Continued 


Era 

Geological 

System 

Geological 

Series  or 

Group 

Producing 

Formation 

or  Sand 

Character 

Thick- 
ness, 
Feet 

Locality 

Where 

Productive 

Tertiary 

Oligocene 

White  River 

Clay,     conglom- 
erates   and 
sandstone 

1000 

Douglas,  Wyoming 

Sespe  formation 

Brown  sandstone 
with    beds    of 
conglomerate 

3000 

Santa  Clara  River, 
and  Simi  Valley, 
Calif. 

.5 

Eocene 

Yequa  formation 

Green  clays  with 
lenses  of  sand 

375-750 

Gonzeles,  Webb  and 
Zapata  Counties, 
Tex.  (gas) 

* 

Cook    Mountain 
(Claiborne) 

Marls  and  green 
sands 

400 

Oil  City,  Tex.  (oil) 

Tejon  formation 

Brown  sandstone 
and    conglom- 
erate and  gray 
shale 

2000- 
3500 

Coalinga,  Calif. 

Meganos  forma- 
tion 

' 

Simi  Valley,  Calif. 

Wasatch  sand 

Yellow  sandstone 
and  gray  shale 

2000 

Spring  Valley,  Fos- 
sil,   Hilliard    and 
Labarge,  Wyo. 

Creta- 
ceous 

Upper 
Creta- 
ceous 

Chico  formation 

« 

Massive  buff 
sandstone  with 
layers  of  gray 
shale 

4000 

Coalinga,  Calif. 

Navarro    forma- 
tion 

Clays,  shales, 
thin  beds  sand- 
stone 

800 

Corsicana,  Tex. 

Teapot  sand- 
stone 

Buff  sandstone 

50-1000 

• 

Wyoming 

Parkman     sand- 
stone 

Buff  sandstone 

50-1000 

Wyoming 

Pierre  shales 

Gray  shales,  buff 
sandstones, 
thin  shelly  lime 

500- 
1000 

Florence,  Colorado. 
Elk     Basin     and 
Cody,  Wyoming 

• 

Hygiene 

0 

Light     gray     to 
greenish    gray 
sandstone 

100-250 

Boulder,  Colorado* 

20 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS  OR  "SANDS"  IN  WHICH  OIL 
AND  GAS  ARE  FOUND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AND  CANADA— Continued 


Era 

Geological 
System 

Geological 

Series  or 

Group 

Producing 

Formation 

or  Sand 

.    ■        -'i.Ti   - ^= 

Character 

Thick- 
ness, 
Feet 

Locality 

Where 

Productive 

Creta- 
ceous 

Shannon  sand 

Buff  sandstone 

50 

Salt    Creek,    Big 
Muddy  and  Pilot 
Butte,  Wyo. 

Virgelle  sand- 
stone 

Coarse  gray 
sandstone    in^ 
terbedded 
with  shale 

200-380 

Montana    and    Al- 
berta, Can.  (gas) 

Niobrara 

Gray    and    buff 
shales,     lower 
part  sandy 

200-900 

Powder  River .  Wj  o . 
and  Boulder.  Col. 

Upper 
Creta- 
ceous 

0. 

1 

o 

Upper   Wall 
Creek  sand- 
stone (Lentil 
of   Benton 
shale) 

Buff     to     white 
sandstone 

100-125 

Salt  Creek  and  Bis 
Muddy.  Wyo. 

.y 

Lower  Wall 
Creek  sand- 
stone 

White,   quartzite 
sandstone 

20-30 

Salt  Creek  and  Bis 
Muddy,  Wyo. 

S 

Frontier    forma- 
tion 

Gray,  yellow,  buff 
and   brown 
sandstones, 
with  thin  beds 
of    conglomer- 
ate and  chert 
pebbles 

450-650 

Spring  Valley,   By- 
ron, Cody,  Grass 
Creek    and     Elk 
Basin,  Wyo. 

Torchlight  sand 

15^7 

Big  Horn  Basin, 
Wyoming 

Peay  sand 

50 

Big  Horn  Basin, 
Wyoming 

Aspen  formation 

Gray  and  black 
shale  with  beds 
of   gray   sand- 
stone 

1200- 
1800 

Spring  Valley,  Wyo. 

» 

Mowry  shale 
(Kimball  sand) 

Gray  slaty  shale 
with    beds    of 
sandstone 

200-300 

Basin,        Grey  bull. 
Lander  and  Moor- 
croft,  Wyoming 

J 


GEOLOGY 


21 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS  OR  "SANDS"  IN  WHICH  OIL 
AND  GAS  ARE  FOUND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AND  CANADA— Continued 


Era 


Geological 
System 


u 

o 

N 


Geological 

Series  or 

Group 


Creta- 
ceous 


Upper 
Creta- 
ceous 


Producing 

Formation 

or  Sand 


Thermopolis 
shale 


First  and  second 
muddy  sands 
(near  base  of 
Thermopolis 
shale) 


Nacatoch  sand 


Taylor  marl 


Annona    (Austin 
chalk) 


Eagle  Ford  shale 
(Blossom  sand) 


Woodbine  sand 


Bear  River 


Dakota  sand- 
stone 


Character 


Dark  shale  with 
beds  of  rusty 
sandstone 


Shale  with  beds 
of  buff  sand- 
stone 


Thick- 
ness, 
Feet 


400-800 


Gray  to  green 
sandstone  with 
layers  of  clay 


Bluish  gray  marl 
or    clay    with 
layers   of   cal 
careous    sand 
stone 


Gray  to  white 
chalky  lime- 
stone with  beds 
of  sand 


Soft    sandstone 
with  layers  of 
clay 


Shaly  clay  and 
dark  greenish 
sand 


Shale  with  beds 
of  buff  sand- 
stone 


Gray  sandstone 


75-200 


500-600 


200-500 


50-100 


300-400 


800- 
1500 


200-300 


Locality 

Where 

Productive 


Oregon    Basin    and 
Cody,  Wyoming 


Lance     Creek    and 
Rock  River,  Wyo. 


Shreveport,  Caddo, 
De  Soto  and  Red 
River,  Louisiana, 
Mexia  and  Groes- 
beck,  Texas  (gas) 


Corsicana.?  Thrall,? 
and  San  Antonio,? 
Texas  . 


Caddo,  La..  San  An- 
tonio, Texas 


Caddo,  La. 


Louisiana,  Texas 


Spring  Valley,  Wyo. 


North  Dakota,  Wy- 
oming, Montana, 
Alberta,  Canada 
(gas) 


22 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS  OR  *'SANDS"  IN  WHICH  OIL 
AND  GAS  ARE  FOUND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AND  CANADA^Continued 


Fra 


o 

o 


o 

o 
o 


Geological 
System 


Creta- 
ceous 


Jurassic 


Triassic 


Carbon- 
iferous 


CO 

S 

s 

a* 


Geological 

Series  or 

Group 


Lower 
Creta- 
ceous 


Creta- 
ceous? 


Permian 
Series 


Upper 
Coal 
Meas- 
ures 


Producing 

Formation 

or  Sand 


Cloverly    (Grey- 
bull  sand) 


Trinity  sand 


Morrison 


Sundance  forma- 
tion 


Cbugwater     for- 
mation 


Albany  (Wichita) 


"Red  Beds" 


Cisco 


Strawn 


Embar  formation 


Goodridge  sand 


Character 


Conglomerates 
with  thin  lay- 
ers   of     sand- 
stone 


Fine  sand  with 
lentils  of  sandy 
clay 


Variegated  shale 
and  sandstone 


Shale,    limestone 
and  sandstone 


Red  sandy  shale, 
thin  beds  of 
sandstone  and 
gypsum 


Limestone 
shale 


and 


White,  buff  and 
red  sandstone 


Shales,  lime- 
stones,    sand- 
stones, coal 


Sandstone 
shale 


and 


Light  gray  lime- 
stone ,  shale 
and  chert 


Sandstone 


Thick- 
ness, 
Feet 


10-60 


400-700 


150-250 


150 


1000 


500 


10-100 


800 


900- 
3000 


225 


Locality 

Where 

Productive 


Greybull,  Byron, 
Powder  River  and 
Douglas.  Wyo. 


Medill.    Oklahoma. 
N.  E.  Texas 


Cody    and    Powder 
River,  Wyoming 


N.  E.  Wyoming 


Lander,  Wyoming 


Electra,  Texas 


Healdton.    Okla.. 
Cotton    and    Ste- 
phens    Counties, 
Okla.  and  South- 
ern Utah 


Petrolia  and  Ranger 
Texas 


Palo    PintoCo., 
Electra  and  Rang- 
er, Texas 


Lander.  Wyoming 


Bluff,  Utah 


GEOLOGY 


23 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS  OR  "SANDS"  IN  WHICH  OIL 
AND  GAS  ARE  FOUND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AND  CANADA— Continued 


Era 

• 

Geological 
System 

Geological 

Series  or 

Group 

Producing 

Formation  or 

Sand 

Character 

Thick- 
ness, 
Feet 

Locality  Where 
Productive 

Approxi- 
mate 
Depth 
below 
Pitts- 
burgh 
Coal, 
Feet 

1 

* 
( 

1 

1 
1 

Carbon-  g 
iferous  -c 

•  * 

cd 

a 

1  en 

C 

c 
a, 

1 
j 

Middle 

coal 

measures 

Tensleep 
sandstone 

• 

Cross  bedded 
quartz  sand- 
stone 

50-200 

Central 
Wyoming 

Connelsville 
sand 

Yellowish 
gray  conglom- 
eratic sand-, 
stone 

25-50 

West  Virginia 

40 

Morgantown 
sand 

Fine  grained 
gray  sand- 
stone 

20-75 

West  Virginia 

80 

Macksburg 
sandstone 

Coarse  gray 
sandstone 

5-90 

S.  E.  Ohio 

200 

• 

Lower 

coal 

measures 

First  Cow 
Run  sand 

Coarse,  pebbly 
gray  sandstone 

8-35 

S.W.Penna., 
S.  E.  Ohio  and 
W.  Virginia 

320 

500  foot 

Macksburg 

sand 

Soft  sandstone 
and  conglom- 
erate 

5-30 

S.  W.  Penna., 
W.  Va.  and  S. 
E.Ohio 

450 

1 

Second 
Cow  Run 
sand 

Coarse,  white 
sandstone 

40-85 

S.  W.  Penna., 
W.  Va.  and  S. 
E.  Ohio 

600 

0-* 

Bridgeport 
sand 

Conglomerate 
and  sandstone 

20-35 

Bridgeport. 
Illinois 

700  andjSOO  ft. 

Macksburg 

sands 

Coarse  gray 
sandstone 

20-60 

S.   W.    Pen^na., 
W.Va.,S.  E. 
Ohio  and  Ky. 

850-925 

Potts- 

ville 

group 

Salt  sands 

White  sand- 
stone 

25-175 

S.  W.     Penna., 
W.  Va..  S.   E, 
Ohio  and  Ky. 

950-1080 

Ralstonjgroup 
(Hoy  sand) 

Red  and  gray 
sandstone 

650 

Garber,  Okla. 

• 

Buxtonfsand- 
sandstone 

Sandstone  and 
shale 

700- 
1000 

Ponca,  Okla. 

Musselman 
sand 

Sandstone  and 
shale 

300-400 

Cleveland, Okla. 

• 

Hogsh'ooter 
lime 

Limestone 

100-150 

Oklahoma 

Layton  sand 

Soft  gray  sand- 
stone 

25-50 

Oklahoma 

Wayside  sand 

Brown  sand- 
stone 

5-30 

Kansas 

iA^ 


24 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS  OR  *'SANDS"  IN  WHICH  OIL 
AND  GAS  ARE  FOUND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AND  CANADA— Continued 


Era 


Geological 
System 


u 
o 


CO 


Car- 
bonif- 
erous 


e 

2 

B 

C 


Geological 

Series  or 

Group 


Potts- 

ville 

group 


CO 
0) 

•c 

'a 
a 


9) 

V 

09 

M 

2 
u 


Bend 
Series 


Chester 
group 


Producing 

Formation  or 

Sand 


Character 


Cleveland  sand 


Peru  sand 


Fort  Scott,  Os- 
wego or  Wheel 
er  eand 


Squirrel  sand 


Skinner  sand 


Varner  sand 


Winslow 
formation 


Red  Fork  sand 


Bartlesville  or 
Glenn  sand 


Sandstone 


Brown  sand- 
stone 


Brown  lime- 
stone with  lay- 
ers   of    sand- 
stone 


Sandstone 


Sandstone 


Booch  sand 


Tucker  sand 


Scott  or 
Dutcher  sand 


Buchanan 
sandstone 


Gordon 


McCIesky 


Burkburnett 
(deep) 


Mounds 


Benoist  or 
Kirkwobd 

sand 


McCIoskey 
sand 


Sandstone 


Thick- 
ness. 
Feet 


5-35 


10-50 


75 


10-138 


Sandstone 


Gray  to  brown 
sandstone 


Bluish  green 
sandstone 


Sandstone 


Conglomerate 
and  sandstone 


Limestone 
and  shale 


Limestone 
and  shale 


Limestone 
and  shale 


Sandstone 


White  sand- 
stone 


Sandy  lime- 
stone 


10-55 


20-50 


25-200 


Locality  Where 
Productive 


Kansas  and  Ok- 
lahoma 


Kansas  and  Ok- 
lahoma 


Kansas  and  Ok- 
lahoma 


Oklahoma 


Oklahoma 


Augusta.  Kan. 
deep? 


Muskogee. 
Oklahoma 


Oklahoma 


Approxi- 
mate 
Depth 
below 
PitU- 
burgh 
Coal. 
Feet 


Kansas  and  Oic- 
lahoma 


25-100 


15-35 


50-130 


350-400 


S.  E.  Okla. 


Cushing,  Okla. 


Oklahoma 


Casey  and  Rob 
inson.  111.,  and 
Princeton,  Ind. 


Electra. 
Ranger,  Tex. 


Ranger.  Tex. 


Burkburnett. 
Tex. 


20-50 


Oklahoma 


20-55 


Robinson. 
Bridgeport  and 
Sandoval.     111.. 
Oakland     City. 
Ind. 


10-25 


Robinson  and 
Bridgeport.  111. 


GEOLOGY 


25 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS  OR  '^SANDS"  IN  WHICH  OIL 
AND  GAS  ARE  FOUND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AND  CANADA— Continued 


Bra 

Geological 
System 

Geological 

Series  or 

Group 

Producing 
Formation  or 
Sand         1 

Character 

Thick- 
ness, 
Feet 

Locality  Where 
Productive 

Approxi- 
mate 
Depth 
below 
Pitts- 
burgh 
Coal. 
Feet 

■ 

Pocono 
group 

• 

Boone  (Mis- 
sissippi lime) 

White  lime- 
stone 

200-400 

Oklahoma 

Big  lime 

Massive   lime- 
stone with  lay- 
ers of  sand 

140 

S.  E.  Ohio  and 
W.  Va. 

1175 

! 

1 

Keener  sand- 
stone 

White  sand- 
stone 

40-90 

S.  E.  Ohio  and 
W.  Va. 

1275 

Big  Injun 
sand 
Squaw  sand 

Coarse  gray 
sandstone     in- 
terbedded 
with    gray    to 
green  shale 

100-300 

S.   W.   Penna., 
W.  Va.,  S.  E. 
Ohio  and  Ky. 

1340 
1425 

v^ar- 
bon- 
ifer- 
ous 

Wier  sand 

Gray  sand- 
stone 

15-105 

West  Va. 

1535 

Berea  grit 

Fine  grained 
white  to  gray 
sandstone 

5-170 

S.   W.   Penna., 
W.  Va.,  S.  E. 
Ohio  and  Ky. 

1700 

1 

First.  100  ft. 
or  Gantz  sand 

White  to  gray 
sandstone 

50-100 

W.  Penna.,  W. 
Va.  and  S.   E. 
Ohio 

1850 

& 

50  ft.  sand 

White  to  gray 
sandstone 

30-50 

W.  Penna.  and 
W.  Va. 

1885 

Second  or  30 
ft.  sand 

Soft  pebbly 
sandstone 

20-35 

W.  Penna.  and 
W.  Va. 

2000 

Beaver  Creek 
sand 

Cherty  lime- 
stone 

10-30 

Kentucky 

Devo- 
nian 

Stray  or 
Bowlder  sands 

White  to  gray 
sandstone 

10-50 

W.  Penna.  and 
W.  Va. 

2050 

Third  or  Gor- 
don sand 

Soft  white 
pebbly  sand- 
stone 

1-75 

W.  Penna.,  W. 
Va.  and  Ohio 

2130 

Fourth,    fifth 
and  sixth 
sands 

Soft,  white 
sandstones 

5-30 
each 

S.    W.    Penna. 
and  W.  Va. 

2200, 
2260  & 
2590 

Upper 
De- 
vonian 

a 

9 

2 

o 

9 

1 

First,  second 
and  third  War- 
ren sands 

Gray  sand- 
stones and 
shales 

5-35 
each 

N.  W.  Penna. 

2700. 

2815  & 

2900 

Speechly 
sand 

Hard  sand- 
stone 

1-85 

N.  W.  Penna. 

2 

Tiona  sand 

Hard  sand- 
stone 

5-100 

N.  W.  Penna. 

3020 

26 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS  OR  "SANDS"  IN  WHICH  OIL 
AND  GAS  ARE  FOUND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AND  CANADA— Continued 


Era 

Geological 
System 

Geological 

Series  or 

Group 

Producing 

Formation  or 

Sand 

Character 

■ 

Thick- 
ness. 
Feet 

Locality  Where 
Productive 

Approxi- 
mate 
Depth 
below 
Pitts- 
bursh 
Coal. 
Feet 

< 
Devonian 

Upper 
Devonian 

Cherry  Grove 
sand 

Gray  sand- 
stone 

N.    W.    Penna. 
and  W.  N.  Y. 

3150 

Lower 
Devonian 

Bradford  sand 

Chocolate  col- 
ored sand- 
stone 

10-150 

N.   W.   Penna. 
and  W.  N.  Y. 

3460 

Elk  Co.  sands 

Brown  sand- 
stone 

N.   W.   Penna. 
and  W.  N.  Y. 

3650 

Kane  sand 

Sandstone 

N.    W.    Penna. 
and  W.  N.  Y. 

3775 

Hamilton 
formation 

Gray  lime- 
stone and  blue 
shales 

200-350 

Petrolia  and  Oil 
Springs,  Ont. 

5330 

Comiferous 

limestone 

(Onondaga) 

Dark  gray 
cherty  lime- 
stone 

15-200 

N.  E.  and  Cen- 
tral   Ohio,    W. 
N.  Y.,  Ky.  and 
Ontario 

5625 

.y 

Silurian 

Niagara 
Group 

Oriskany  sand- 
stone 

Fine  grained 
cherty  white 
sandstone 

15-55 

N.  Y.,  S.  Ind. 
and  Ont. 

5660 

2 

Guelph     lime- 
stone 

Light   to   buff 
dolomite 

100-185 

Ontario  and  W. 
New  York 

5700 

Niagara    lime- 
stone 

Dolomite 

120-350 

W.  New.  York, 
Ont.  and  Ind. 

5820 

.• 

Clinton 
limestone* 

Clinton 
sandstone 

Variegated 

crystalline 

limestone 

Fine  grained 
gray  sand- 
stone 

lO-lOO 
5-75 

Central  Ohio 
and  Welland 
Co.,  Ont. 

5985 
6025 

Medina    Red 
sandstone 

Medina  white 
sands 

Soft  red  sand- 
stone 

White  sand- 
stone 

10-50 
5-36 

W.    New   York 

and    Welland 
Co.,  Ont. 

6085 
6200 

■■ 

Ordovi- 
cian 

* 

Trenton  lime- 
stone, upper 

Trenton  lime- 
stone, lower 

Gray-blue 
dolomitic  lime- 
stone 

50-800 

N.  W.  Ohio, 
Ind.  and Ky.   . 

N.  W.  Ohio,  W. 
New  York,  Ky. 
and  Ont. 

8700 
9200 

Cam- 
brian 

Calciferous 
and     Potsdam 
sandstone 

Sandstone 
with    beds    of 
shale  and  dolo- 
mite 

1000 

New  Yofk,  Ga., 
Ala.  and  Ont. 

Quebec  group 

New  Foundland 

and  New 
Brunswick 

9230 

*The  Clinton  limestone  may  be  the  horizon  of  the  lower  sand  in  the  Scottsville.  Ky..  fielcf. 


GEOLOGY  27 


GEOLOGICAL  FORMATIONS  OR  «<SANDS"  IN  WHICH  OIL 
AND  GAS  ARE  FOUND  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

AND  CANADA— Concluded 

The  oil  bearing  formations  of  Mexico  are  not  included  in  the 
chart,  for  the  reason  that  their  exact  co-relation  with  other  for- 
mations has  not  yet  been  determined.  The  oil  in  the  fields  of 
Mexico  occurs  in  several  formations  of  Tertiary  and  Cretaceous 
age. 

Note:  The  thickness  of  the  formations  co- related  in  this  chart 
are  the  total  thickness  of  the  formation  or  group  where  an  oil 
bearing  stratum  occurs.  For  example,  in  the  Strawn  formation 
of  Texas,  900  to  3,000  feet  thick,  the  actual  oil  bearing  sand  may 
be  only  a  few  feet  in  thickness.  The  thickness  of  oil  sands  also 
varies  in  different  localities,  sometimes  disappearing  or  "pinching 
out,"  as  the  drillers  say,  only  to  recur  in  a  nearby  well. 

The  names  of  oil  sands  originate  in  various  ways,  sometimes 
from  the  town  or  locality  where  they  crop  out,  as  the  Berca  grit, 
which  rises  to  the  surface  at  Berea,  Ohio ;  or  from  the  finding  of 
oil  at  a  certain  town,  as  the  Macksburg  and  Bartlesville  sands; 
or  they  may  be  named  for  the  man  who  first  drilled  into  a  new 
sand ;  or  the  farm  where  such  a  sand  was  found.  The  Speechly, 
Glenn  and  McClesky  were  thus  named. 

The  same  sand  may  be  known  by  two  or  more  names  in  dif- 
ferent localities;  thus  the  Cow  Run  sand  of  Southern  Ohio  is  the 
Bridgeport  of  Illinois;  the  Berea,  the  100  foot  and  the  Gantz  are 
doubtless  one  and  the  same ;  and  other  sands  of  Pennsylvanian  age 
bear  different  names  in  Pennsylvania,  in  Illinors  and  in  Okla- 
homa. Making  due  allowance  for  repetition,  however,  and  for  the 
many  "stray"  and  unnamed  sands,  there  are  upward  of  one 
hundred  oil  and  gas  producing  sands  in  North  America,  occurring 
in  the  sedimentary  rocks,  from  the  Quaternary  to  the  Cambrian. 


28  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

GEOLOGICAL  TERMS 

QUATERNARY 

Time  division  which  embraces  the  recent  and  Pleistocene 
epochs,  i.e.,  the  later  portion  of  the  Cenozoic  era,  otherwise  known 
as  the  post- Pliocene  or  Post-Tertiary.  The  term  was  proposed  by 
J  Desnoyers  in  1829  to  cover  these  formations  which  were 
formed  just  anterior  to  the  present.  Quaternary  embraces  the 
soft  formations  and  more  recent  stratified  rocks  laid  down  during 
the  glacial  period  and  the  early  human  period. 

TERTIARY 

Time  division  which  includes  the  Eocene,  Oligocene,  Niocene 
and  Pliocene  periods  or  the  earlier  portions  of  the  Cenozoic  Era. 
The  name  was  first  used  by  G.  Cuvier  and  H.  Brongniart  in 
1810.  Period  of  development  of  the  mammals,  snakes,  birds, 
fishes.  Rock  formations  of  the  Tertiary  age,  while  somewhat 
harder  than  those  of  the  Quaternary,  are  soft  formations. 

CRETACEOUS 

The  group  of  stratified  rocks  which  normally  occupy  a  posi- 
tion above  the  Jurassic  and  below  the  Tertiary.  Named  for  the 
chalky  character  of  many  of  its  rock  formations.  Contains  soft 
limestones  and  thick  beds  of  soft  sandstone,  as,  for  example,  the 
Wall  Creek  Sandstone  of  Wyoming.    The  age  of  the  big  reptiles. 

JURASSIC 

Period  between  the  Triassic  and  Cretaceous.  Named  for  the 
rocks  in  the  Jura  Mountains  of  Switzerland.  They  contain  clays, 
shales,  sandstones,  limestones  and  coal.  The  age  of  the  Dinosaurs 
and  large  marine  forms. 

TRIASSIC 

Occupies  a  position  above  the  Permian  and  below  the  Jurassic. 
The  rocks  of  this  age  were  classified  by  German  geologists  into 
three  principal  formations  and  grouped  under  the  name  Trias. 
These  formations  indude  marls,  paper  shales,  red  and  mottled 
sandstones,  dolomites,  limestones,  gypsum  and  rock  salt.  Life 
forms  include  earlier  mammals,  shell  fish,  etc. 


J 


GEOLOGY  29 

CARBONIFEROUS 

The  great  series  of  stratified  rocks  which  occur  above  the  De- 
vonian and  below  the  Triassic.  As  the  name  implies,  these 
formations  are  the  home  of  the  principal  coal  beds.  They  con- 
tain also  marine  limestones,  sandstones,  shales,  gypsum  and  salt. 
The  presence  of  igneous  (volcanic)  rocks  that  are  found  in  some 
localities  inter-bedded  with  the  sedimentary  deposits  may  be  at- 
tributed to  the  emanations  from  volcanoes.  Vegetation  was 
luxuriant  and  widely  distributed  during  this  age.  Life  forms 
were  chiefly  fishes,  mollusca,  various  insects,  and  the  early  amphib- 
ian. 

DEVONIAN 

The  series  of  stratified  rocks  that  were  formed  after  the  Silur- 
ian period  and  before  the  Carboniferous.  The  name  Devonian 
was  first  used  by  Sir  R.  Murchison  and  A.  Sedgwick  to  describe 
the  rocks  of  this  period  in  the  district  of  Devon,  England.  The 
stratigraphy  includes  the  Old  Red  Sandstone,  thick  beds  of  lime- 
stone, slates,  shales,  marl  grits  and  quartzite.  Fauna  was,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  insects,  confined  to  marine  forms :  crustace- 
ous,  corals,  fishes.    It  is  known  as  the  age  of  fishes. 

SILURIAN 

The  series  of  strata  that  lie  above  the  Ordovician  and  below 
the  Devonian.  The  name  was  first  introduced  for  a  series  of 
rocks  in  England,  a  region  formerly  inhabited  by  the  Silures. 
The  rocks  are  principally  of  marine  origin  and  consist  of  sand- 
stones, limestones,  shales,  grits  and  rock  salt.  Life  forms  were 
limited  to  those  of  aquatic  origin. 

ORDOVICIAN 

The  period  between  the  Cambrian  and  the  Silurian.  Next  to 
the  lowest  group  of  stratified  rocks  in  the  Geological  scale.  In- 
cluds  all  types  of  sedimentation,  when  flat  or  undisturbed,  and 
where  subjected  to  eruptive  forces,  slates,  quartzites,  chlorite, 
schists,  tuflFs,  lavas  and  other  metamorphosed  rocks  are  rep- 
resented. Life  forms  were  Trilobites,  Mollusca  (shell  fish)  and 
a  few  insects.    Some  of  the  shells  were  12  to  15  feet  in  length. 


30  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

CAMBRIAN 

Earliest  group  of  stratified  rocks  resting  on  the  Pre-Cambrian 
or  Igneous  rocks.  Stratification  includes  shales,  slates,  sand- 
stones, hard  dolomitic  limestones,  conglomerates  and  quartzites. 
In  some  parts  of  the  world  the  Cambrian  be<Js  are  of  great  thick- 
ness, 10,000  to  40,000  feet.  Life  forms  were  similar  to  those  of 
the  Ordovician  period. 

IGNEOUS  ROCKS 

Rocks  produced  by  the  action  of  intense  heat,  or  by  the  soldifi- 
cation  of  the  interior  molten  magma  of  the  earth.  These  rocks  lie 
below  all  of  the  several  series  of  stratified  rocks,  except  where 
they  occur  as  intrusions  within  sedimentary  rocks  or  as  extrusion 
sheets  and  include  granites,  schists,  basalt,  lava  and  other  meta- 
morphosed and  crystalline  forms. 

ORIGIN  OF  PETROLEUM  AND  NATURAL  GAS 

There  has  been  much  discussion  by  geologists,  chemists  and 
other  scientists,  with  reference  to  the  origin  of  petroleum  and 
natural  gas,  but  with  no  unanimity  of  conclusion.  There  are 
three  general  theories  for  the  origin  of  the  hydcrocarbons,  each 
of  which  has  had  eminent  supporters:  the  organic  theory,  the 
inorganic  chemical  theory  and  the  volcanic  theory. 

The  adherents  of  the  organic  theory  also  are  divided  in  opinion 
as  between  vegetable,  or  animal  and  fish  remains,  or  both,  as  the 
organisms  ie««-which  the  hydrocarbons  were  derived. 

Following  is  a  brief  outline  of  the  arguments  for  the  divergent 
views: 

Organic  origin.* 

That  both  oil  and  gas  are  the  product  of  natural  distillation  of 
organic  (vegetable  and  animal)  remains  imprisoned  in  the  strati- 
fied rocks.  Those  who  uphold  these  views,  perhaps  the  most 
orthodox,  point   for  evidence  to  the  coals,  admittedly   formed 

First  report  Geolosrical  Survey  of  Ohio,  by  Edward  Orton. 

U.    S.    Geological    Survey   Bulletin   330,   Data   of   Geochemistry,   by 

Frank  Wigglesworth  Clarke,  pp.  619-641. 
.     Hofer,  Das  Erdol,  1906. 


ORIGIN  OF  PETROLEUM  AND  NATURAL  GAS  31 

from  vegetable  matter,  to  marsh  gas,  to  the  limestones  which  are 
the  deposit  of  vast  quantities  of  animal  or  fish  remains. 

To  the  argument  that  organic  remains  could  hardly  be  confined 
in  sufficient  quantity  to  account  for  the  vast  amount  of  oil  in  the 
stratified  rocks,  answer  is  made  that  the  quantities  of  seaweed 
known  to  exist,  the  great  bodies  of  vegetation,  such  as  the  Sar- 
gasso Sea,  and  the  myriads  of  small  shellfish  which  must  have 
existed  in  past  ages  would  furnish  the  necessary  elements.  For 
further  proof  we  are  referred  to  the  gas  that  is  distilled  from  coal, 
to  the  medicinal  product  known  as  "ichthyol,"  an  oil  found  in 
Galician  fish  beds,  and  to  the  various  oils  derived  from  vegetables. 

Inorganic  origin. 

This  hypothesis  is  that'  oil  and  gas  (hydrocarbons)  are  the  re- 
sult of  chemical  reactions  within  the  earth.  Among  the  argu- 
ments advanced  is  that  large  quantities  of  calcium,  iron  and  other 
carbides  are  contained  within  the  earth,  and  that  percolating 
waters,  gaining  access  to  these  deposits,  would  generate  hydrocar- 
bon gases,  which  under  heat  and  pressure  are  condensed  into  pe- 
troleum as  we  find  it.  (1  and  2)  Acetylene  gas  produced  from  the 
action  of  water  on  calcium  carbide  is  cited  in  support  of  this 
theory.  Various  hydrocarbons  containing  part  at  least  of  the 
constituents  of  petroleum*  have  been  produced  by  chemists  in 
laboratory  experiments.  ** 

Volcanic  origin. 

This  hypothesis  is  that  the  fluid  magma  of  the  earth's  heated 
interior  contains  large  quantites  of  carbon, and  sulphur — ^both 
chemical  properties  of  petroleum — and  that  both  oil  and  gas  are 
the  products  of  hydrocarbon  gaseous  volcanic  emanations,  con- 
densed and  held  in  their  passage  upward  in  the  many  porous 
stratified  rocks  where  they  are  now  found.* 

1.  The  American  Petroleum  Industry,  pagres  8-13.  by  Bacon  and 
Hamor. 

2.  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  Bulletin  No.  401,  Relation  between  local 
magnetic  disturbances  and  the  genesis  of  petroleum,  by  George 
P.  Becker. 

••  Mendel6efs'  Principles  of  Chemistry,  Vol.  I. 

•  Volcanic  origin  of  natural  gas  and  petroleum.  Journal  of  Canadian 
Mining  Institute,  Vol.  VI,  by  Eugene  Coste,  B.M. 

Petroleum  and  Coals,  Journal  of  Canadian  Mining  Institute,  part  of 
Vol.  XII,  by  Eugene  Coste,  E.M. 


22  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Many  natural  phenomena  are  cited  in  support  of  this  theory: 
the  inflammable  gases  and  the  bituminous  odors  in  the  emanations 
of  Vesuvius,  Etna  and  other  volcanoes  ;t  sulphuric  vapors  and 
other  gases  associated  with  hot  springs;  the  gas,  mud  and  hot 
water  "blow  outs"  in  the  oil  fields  of  Baku  in  the  Caucasus,  and 
in  the  Gulf  Coast. 

Other  arguments  advanced  are: 

The  solid  hydrocarbons,  as  the  Ozokerite  deposits  of  Boryslaw 
Galicia,  which  occur  in  veins  and  faults,  cutting  the  strata ;  and 
the  graphites  which  have  been  found  in  gneisses,  in  granite  and  in 
other  rocks  of  volcanic  origin. 

In  the  oil  fields  of  the  Gulf  Coast  and  of  Mexico,  much  of  the 
oil  occurs  around  volcanic  necks  and  in  gait  domes,  or  associated 
with  sulphur  deposits. 

Analogy  of  the  chemical  composition  of  petroleum  and  that  of 
the  emanations  of  volcanoes:  chloride  salts,  sulphur,  carbonic 
acid,  sulphuretted  hydrogen,  hydrocarbons  and  salt  water. 

The  lake  of  asphalt  on  the  island  of  Trinidad  is  said  to  be  in 
the  crater  of  an  extinct  yolcano. 

It  is  apparently  the  same  oil  and  the  same  gas  in  all  of  the  one 
hundred  or  more  sands  in  which  they  are  found  and  probably 
have  escaped  into  these  sands  from  the  fluid  magma  below. 

Eugene  Coste  has  very  fully  covered  the  subject  of  volcanic 
origin  of  oil  and  gas  in  his  several  papers  read  before  the  Canadian 
Mining  Institute.* 

The  late  George  F.  Becker  has  ably  reviewe'd  the  subject  of  the 
genesis  of  oil  and  he  has  added  a  new  suggestion  with  an  accom- 
panying chart,  showing  irregular  compass  declinations  in  the 
vicinity  of  most  of  the  important  oil  fields  of  this  county.** 

t  Geologic,   by  A.  DeLapparent. 

•  Natural  gas  in  Ontario,  Journal  Canadian  Mining  Institute,  Vol. 
Ill,  pp.  68-89;  The  Volcanic  Origin  of  Natural  Gas  and  Petroleum,  Jour- 
nal Canadian  Mining  Institute.  Vol.  VI.  pp.  73-128;  Petroleum  and  Coals, 
Journal  Canadian  Mining  Institute,  part  of  Vol.  XII. 

••  Bulletin  No.  401,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  Relations  between  Local 
Magnetic  Disturbances  and  the  Genesis  of  Petroleum,  by  Geo.  F.  Becker. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  33 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  OIL 

AND  GAS  GEOLOGY  OF  PARTS  OF 

NORTH  AMERICA 

U.  S.  GEOLOGICAL  SURVEY  PUBLICATIONS 

Eastern  Field 

8th  Annual  Report — The  Trenton  limestone  in  Ohio  and  Indiana, 

by  E.  Orton. 
Bulletin  198 — The  Berea  grit  oil  sand  in  Cadiz  quadrangle,  Ohio, 

by  W.  T.  Griswold. . 
Bulletin  213 — Asphalt,  oil  and  gas  in  southwestern  Indiana,  By  M. 

L.  Fuller. 
Bulletin  225 — Oil  and  gas  fields  of  eastern  Greene  Co.,  Pa.,  by  R. 

W.  Stone. 
Bulletin  285 — ^The  Ninevah  and  Gordon  oil  sands,  Greene  Co.,  Pa., 

by  F.  G.  Clapp. 
BulletSn  304— Oil  and  gas  fields  of  Greene  Co.,  Pa.,  by  R.  W. 

Stone  and  F.  G.  Clapp. 
Bulletin  318 — Geology  of  oil  and  gas  fields  in  Steubenville,  Bur- 

gettstown  and  Claysville  quadrangles,  Ohio,  West  Virginia 

and  Pennsylvania,  by  W.  T.  Griswold  and  M.  J.  Munn. 
Bulletin  346 — Structure  of  the  Berea  oil  sand  in  the  Flushing 

quadrangle,  Harrison,  Belmont  and  Guernsey  Counties,  Ohio, 

by  W.  T.  Griswold. 
Bulletin  454 — Coal,  oil  and  gas  of   the  Foxburg  quadrangle, 

Pennsylvania,   by   Eugene  Wesley   Shaw  and  Malcolm  J. 

Munn. 
Bulletin  456— Oil  and  gas  fields  of  the  Carnegie  quadrangle,  Pa., 

by  M.  J.  Munn. 
Bulletin  471 -A- 1 — Petroleum  and  Natural  gas  in  Kentucky,  by  M. 

J.  Munn. 
Bulletin  531 -A — ^The  Menifee  gas  field  and  the  Ragland  oil  field, 

Kentucky,  by  M.  J.  Munn. 
Bulletin  541-A — Oil  and  gas  in  the  northern  part  of  the  Cadiz 

quadrangle,  Ohio,  by  D.  D.  Condit. 


34  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Bulletin  579 — Reconnaissance  of  oil  and  gas  fields  in  Wayne  and 
McCreary  Counties,  Kentucky,  by  M.  J.  Munn. 

Bulletin  621-H — Anticlines  in  the  Clinton  sand  near  Wooster, 
Ohio,  by  C.  A.  Bonnie. 

Bulletin  621-N — Structure  of  the  Berea  oil  sand  in  the  Summer- 
field  quadrangle,  Guernsey,  Noble  and  Monroe  Counties, 
Ohio,  by  D.  Dale  Condit. 

Bulletin  621-0 — Structure  of  the  Berea  oil  sand  in  the  Woodsfield 
quadrangle,  Belmont,  Monroe  and  Guernsey  Counties,  Ohio, 
by  D.  Dale  Condit. 

Bulletin  661 -A — The  Cleveland  gas  field,  Cuyahoga  County,  Ohio, 
with  a  study  of  rock  pressure  by  G.  Sherburne  Rogers. 

Bulletin  661-D— The  Irvine  oil  field,  Estill  County,  Ky.,  by  E.  W. 
Shaw.  • 

Bulletin  688 — The  oil  fields  of  Allen  County,  Kentucky,  by 
Eugene  Wesley  Shaw  and  Kirtley  F.  Mather. 

Mid-continent  Fields 

Bulletin  238 — Economic  geology  of  the  lola  quadrangle,  Kansas, 
by  G.  I.  Adams,  E.  Haworth  and  W.  R.  Crane. 

Bulletin  260 — Oil  and  gas  of  the  Independence  quadrangle,  Kas., 
by  F.  C.  Schrader  and  E.  Haworth. 

Bulletin  260 — Notes  on  the  geology  of  the  Muskogee,  Okla.,  oil 
fields,  by  J.  A.  Taff  and  M.  K.  Shaler. 

Bulletin  381 -D— The  Madill  oil  pool,  Okla.,  by  J.  A.  Taff  and  W. 
J.  Reed. 

Bulletin  531-B — Oil  and  gas  development  in  north-central  Okla- 
homa, by  Robert  H.  Wood. 

Bulletin  541 -B— Structure  of  the  Fort  Smith-Poteau  gas  field. 
Ark. ;  The  Glenn  oil  and  gas  pool  and  vicinity,  Okla.,  by  C 
D.  Smith. 

Bulletin  602 — Anticlinal  structure  in  parts  of  Cotton  and  Jefferson 
Counties,  Okla.,  by  Carroll  H.  Wegemann. 

Bulletin  621-B— The  Healdton,  Okla.,  oil  field,  by  C.  H.  Wege- 
mann and  Kenneth  C.  Heald. 

Bulletin  621-C— -The  Loco  gas  field,  Stephens  and  Jefferson  Coun- 
ties, Okla.,  by  C.  H.  Wegemann. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  35 

• 

Bulletin  621-G — The  Lawton,  Oklahoma,  oil  and  gas  field,  by  C. 
H.  Wegemann  and  Ralph  Howell. 

Bulletin  641 -B — The  oil  and  gas  geology  of  the  Foraker  quad- 
rangle, Osage  County,  Oklahoma,  by  K.  C.  Heald. 

Bulletin  641 -E — A»  anticlinal  fold  near  Billings,  Noble  County, 
Oklahoma,  by  A.  E.  Path. 

Bulletin  658 — Geologic  structure  in  the  Cushing  oil  and  gas  field, 
Oklahoma,  bv  Carl  H.  Beal. 

Bulletin  661 -B — Structure  of  the  northern  part  of  the  Bristow 
quadrangle.  Creek  County,  Oklahoma,  by  A.  E.  Path. 

Series  of  Bulletins  686-A  to  V  inclusive — Structure  and  oil  and 
gas  resources  of  the  Osage  Reservation,  Okla.,  by  C.  F. 
Bowen,  Wilson  B.  Emery,  Dean  E.  Winchester,  K.  C.  Heald, 
Oliver  B.  Hopkins,  Frank  R.  Clark,  E.  Russell  Lloyd,  Kirt- 
ley  F.  Mather,  Sidney  Powers,  H.  M:  Robinson,  R.  V.  A. 
Mills,  P.  V.  Roundy,  C.  S.  Ross  and  Frank  Reeves. 

Bulletin  691 -A — The  structure  of  parts  of  the  central  Great 
Plains,  by  N.  H.  Darton. 

Bulletin  691-C — Geologic  structure  of  the  northwestern  part  of 
the  Pawhuska  quadrangle,  Okla.,  by  K.  C.  Heald. 

Professional  Paper  120-H — A  contribution  to  the  geology  of 
northeastern  Texas  and  southern  Oklahoma,  by  Lloyd  Wil- 
liam Stephenson.     (The  Preston  Anticline.) 

Professional  Paper  128-C — ^The  origin  of  the  faults,  anticlines 
and  buried  "Granite  Ridge"  of  the  northern  part  of  the  Mid- 
Continent  oil  and  gas  field,  by  A.  E.  Fath. 

Louisiana,  North  Texas  and  Gulf  Coast 
Bulletin   184 — Oil  and  gas  fields  of  the  western  interior  and 

northern  Texas  coal  measures  and  of  the  Upper  Cretaceous 

and  Tertiary  of  the  western  Gulf  Coast,  by  G.  I.  Adams. 
Bulletin  212 — Oil  fields  of  the   Texas-Louisiana   Gulf   Coastal 

Plain,  by  C.  W.  Hayes  and  W.  Kennedy. 
Bulletin  260 — Oil  fields  of  the  Texas-Louisiana  Gulf  Coast,  by  N. 

M.  Fenneman. 
Bulletin  260 — Salt,  gypsum  and  petroleum  in  Trans-Pecos,  Texas, 

by  G.  B.  Richardson. 


36  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Bulletin  282 — Oil  fields  of  the  Texas-Louisiana  Gulf   Coastal 

Plain,  by  N.  M.  Fenneman. 
Bulletin  429 — Oil  and  gas  in  Louisiana,  by  G.  D.  Harris. 
Bulletin  619 — ^I'he  Caddo  oil  and  gas  field,  Louisiana  and  Texas, 

by  George  Charlton  Matson. 
Bulletin  621-E — ^A  reconnaissance  in  Palo  Pinto  County,  Texas, 

with  special  reference  to  oil  and  gas  by  C.  H.  Wegemann. 
Bulletin  621-J — ^A  reconnaissance  for  oil  near  Quanah,  Hardeman 

County,  Texas,  by  C.  H.  Wegemann. 
Bulletin  629 — Gas  in  the  area  north  and  west  of  Fort  Worth,  by 

Eugene  Wesley  Shaw ;  Gas  prospects  south  and  southeast  of 

Dallas,  by  George  Charlton  Matson;  with  notes  on  the  gas 

fields   of    central  and   southern  Oklahoma,   by   Carroll    H. 

Wegemann. 

Bulletin  661-C— The  DeSoto  Red  River  oil  and  gas  field  of 

Louisiana,  by  G.  C.  Matson  and  Oliver  B.  Hopkins. 
Bulletin  661-F — The  Corsicana  oil  and  gas  field,  Texas,  by  G.  C 

Matson  and  O.  B.  Hopkins. 
Bulletin  661-G — ^The   Palestine  salt  dome,  Anderson   County, 

Texas;  the   Brenham   salt  dome,  Washington  and  Austin 

Counties,  Texas,  by  Oliver  B.. Hopkins. 
Bulletin  716-D — Natural  Gas  Resources  Available  to  Dallas  and 

other  cities  of  Central  North  Texas,  by  E.  W.  Shaw  and  P. 

L.  Ports. 

Colorado,  Wyoming,  Utah  and  Montana 

Bulletin  213— The  Boulder,  Colo.,  oil  field,  by  N.  M.  Fenneman. 

Bulletin  260 — Oil  and  asphalt  prospects  in  Salt  Lake  Basin,  Utah, 
by  J.  M.  Boutwell. 

Bulletin  260— The  Florence,  Colo.,  oil  field,  by  N.  M.  Fenneman. 

Bulletin  260 — Natural  gas  near  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  by  by  G.  B. 
Richardson. 

Bulletin  340-F— Petroleum  in  southern  Utah,  by  G.  B.  Richard- 
son. 

Bulletin  340-F— The  LeBarge  oil  field,  Uinta  Co.,  Wyo.,  by  A.  R. 
Schultz. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  27 

Bulletin  350 — Geology  of  the  Rangely  oil  district,  Rio  Blanco 

County,  Colo.,  by  H.  S.  Gale.' 
Bulletin  381-D— Development  in  the  Boulder  oil  field,  Colo. ;  The 

Florence  oil  field,   Colo.,  by  C.  W.  Washbume. 
Bulletin  452 — The  Lander  oil  field,  Fremont  County,  Wyo.,  by 

E.  G.  Woodruff. 
Bulletin  471-A-3— The  Powder  River  oil  field,  Wyoming,  by  C. 

H.  Wegemann. 

Bulletin  471 -A-4 — Petroleum  and  natural  gas  in  Utah,  by  E.  G. 
Woodruff. 

Bulletin  531-C — Geology  and  petroleum  resources  of  the  De 

Beque  oil  field,  Colo.,  by  E.  G.  Woodruff. 
Bulletin  541 -C — The  Douglas  oil  and  gas  field.  Converse  County, 

Wyoming,  by  V.  H.  Barnett ;  The  Shoshone  River  section, 

Wyoming,  by  D.  F.  Hewett. 
Bulletin  541-D — Oil  and  gas  near  Green  River,  Utah,  b>  C.  T. 

Lupton. 

Bulletin  581-C — The  Moorcroft  oil  field  and  the  Big  Muddy  dome, 
Wyoming,  by  V.  H.  Barnett. 

Bulletin  621-F — Possibilities  of  oil  and  gas  in  the  Porcupine  dome. 
Rosebud  Co.,  Montana,  by  C.  F.  Bowen. 

Bulletin  621-L — Oil  and  gas  near  Basin,  Big  Horn  County, 
Wyoming,  by  C.  T.  Lupton. 

Bulletin  641-C — Possibilities  of  oil  and  gas  in  North  Central 
Montana,  by  Eugene  Stebinger. 

Bulletin  641-G— Geology  of  the  Upper  Stillwater  Basin,  Still- 
water and  Carbon  Counties,  Montana,  by  W.  R.  Calvert. 

Bulletin  641-1 — ^Anticlines  in  central  Wyoming,  by  C.  J.  Hares. 

Bulletin  641 -J — ^Anticlines  in  the  Blackfeet  Indian  Reservation, 
Montana,  by  Eugene  Stebinger. 

Bulletin  656 — ^Anticlines  in  the  southern  part  of  the  Big  Horn 
Basin,  by  D.  F.  Hewett  and  C.  T.  Lupton. 

Bulletin  661-E — The  Bowdoin  dome,  Montana,  a  possible  reser- 
voir of  oil  or  gas,  by  A.  J.  Collier. 

Bulletin  670— The  Salt  Creek  oil  field,  Wyoming,  by  C.  H.  Wege- 
mann. 


38  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Bulletin  691-D — ^Geology  and  oil  and  gas  prospects  of  the  Lake 

Basin  field,  Montana,  by  E.  T.  Hancock. 
Bulletin  691-E — Oil  and  gas  geology  of  the  Birch  Creek-Sun 

River  area  northwestern  Montana,  by  Eugene  Stebinger. 
Bulletin  691 -F — Anticlines  in  a  part  of  the  Musselshell  Valley, 

Musselshell,  Meagher  and  Sweetgrass  Counties,  Montana, 

by  C.  F.  Bowen. 
Bulletin  711-A — The  Famham  anticline.  Carbon  County,  Utah, 

by  F.  R.  .Clark. 
Bulletin  711-D — Oil  in  the  Warm  Springs  and  Hamilton  domes, 

near  Thermopolis,  Wyoming,  by  A.  J.  Collier. 
Professional  Paper  56 — Geography  and  geology  of  a  portion  of 

southwestern  Wyoming  with  special  reference  to  coal  and 

oil,  by  A.  C.  Veatch. 

California 

Bulk  in   285— The    Salt   Lake   oil   field,   California,   by   Ralph 

Arnold. 
Bulletin  309— The  Santa  Clara  Valley,  Puente  Hills  and  Los 

Angeles  oil  districts,  California,  by  G.  H.  Eldridge  and  Ralph 

Arnold. 
Bulletin  317 — Preliminary  report  on  the  Santa  Maria  oil  district, 

Santa  Barbara  County,  California,  by  Ralph  Arnold. 
Bulletin  321 — Geology  and  oil  resources  of  the  Summerland  dis- 
trict, Santa  Barbara  County,  California. 
Bulletin  322 — Geology  and  oil  resources  of  the  Santa  Maria  oil 

district,  by  Ralph  Arnold  and  Robert  Anderson. 
Bulletin  340-F — ^The  Miner  Ranch  oil  field.  Contra  Costa  County, 

California,  by  Ralph  Arnold. 
Bulletin  357 — Preliminary   report  on   the   Coalinga   oil   district, 

Fresno  and  Kings  Counties,  California,  by  Ralph  Arnold  and 

Robert  Anderson. 
Bulletin  398 — Geology  and  oil  resources  of  the  Coalinga  district, 

California,  by  Ralph  Arnold  and  Robert  Anderson. 
Bulletin  406 — Preliminary  report  on  the  McKittrick- Sunset  oil 

region,  Kern  and  San  Luis  Obispo  Counties,  California,  by 

Ralph  Arnold  and  H.  R.  Johnson. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  39 

Bulletin  431- A — Preliminary  report  on  the  geology  and  the  oil 
prospects  of  the  Cantua-Pantoche  region,  California,  by 
Robert  Anderson. 

Bulletin  471-A-5 — Petroleum  and  natural  gas  in  California  by 
Robert  Anderson. 

Bulletin  541-2 — Reconnaissance  of  the  Barstow-Kramer  region, 

California,  by  R.  W.  Pack. 
Bulletin  581-D — Geology  and  oil  prospecte  of  Waltham,  Priest, 

Bitterwater  and  Peachtree  Valleys,  California,  by  R.  W. 

Pack  and  W.  A.  English. 
Bulletin  603 — Geology  and  oil  resources  of  the  west  border  of  the 

San  Joaquin  Valley,  north  of  Coalinga,  California,  by  Robert 

Anderson  and  Robert  W.  Pack. 
Bulletin  621 — Geology  and  oil  prospects  of  the  Cuyama  Valley, 

California,  by  Walter  A.  English. 
Bulletin  653 — Chemical  relations  of  the  oil  field  waters  in  San 

Joaquin  Valley,  California,  by  G.  S.  Rogers. 
Bulletin  691-H— Geology  and  oil  prospects  of  the  Salinas  Valley, 

Parkfield  areia,  California,  by  Walter,  A.  English. 
Bulletin  691-M — Structure  and  oil  resources  of  the  Simi  Valley, 

southern  California,  by  William  S.  W.  Kew. 
Professional  Paper  116 — Sunset-Midway  oil  field,  California,  by 

R.  W.  Pack. 

Miscellaneous 

Bulletin  250 — The  petroleum  fields  of  the  Pacific  Coast  of  Alaska, 
by  G.  C.  Martin. 

Bulletin 431 -A — Natural  gas  in  North  Dakota,  by  A.  G.  Leonard; 
The  San  Juan  oil  field  in  San  Juan  County,  Utah,  by  H.  E. 
Gregory;  Gas  and  oil  prospects  near  Vale,  Oregon  and 
Payette,  Idaho,  by  C.  W.  Washburne ;  Gas  prospects  in  Har- 
ney Valley,  Oregon,  by  C.  W.  Washburne. 

Bulletin  471- A-2 — Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas  in  Alabama,  by  M. 
J.  Munn. 

Bulletin  541-D — Petr&leum'near  Dayton,  N.  Mexico,  by  G.  B. 
Richardson. 


40  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Bulletin  581-B — Oil  and  gas  in  the  western  part  of  the  Olympic 
Peninsula,  Wash.,  by  C.  T.  Lupton. 

Bulletin  641-D — Structure  of  the  Vicksburg-Japkson  area,  Miss., 
with  special  reference  to  oil  and  gas,  by  O.  B.  Hopkins. 

Bulletin  661-L— Oil  and  gas  possibilities  of  the  Hatchetigbee  anti- 
cline, Ala.,  by  O.  B.  Hopkins. 

Bulletin  691-G — The  Nesson  anticline,  Williams  County,  N. 
Dakota,  by  A.  J.  Collier. 

Bulletin  691-J — ^Asphalt  deposits  and  oil  conditions  in  south- 
western Arkansas,  by  H.  D.  Miser  and  A.  H.  Purdue. 

Bulletin  711-B — Oil  shale  in  western  Montana,  southeastern  Idaho 
and  adjacent  parts  of  Wyoming  and  Utah,  by  D.  D.  Condit. 

Bulletins  of  the  Several  States  and  of  Canada 

Geological  Survey  of  Ohio— 

.   Fourth  Series,  Bulletin  12,  The  Bremen  Oil  Field,  by  J.  A. 
Bownocker. 
Bulletin  1 — Oil  and  Gas,  by  Edward  Orton,  Jr. 

Geological  Survey  of  Pennsylvania  — 

Topographic  and  Geologic  Survey  Map  of  the  Oil  and  Gas 
Pools  of  southwest  Pennsylvania  by  Richard  R.  Hice. 
Bulletins  of  the  Pennsylvania  Geological  Survey  are  reported 
to  be  out  of  print. 

Geological  Survey  of  West  Virginia — 

Volume  1-A — Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas,  by  I.  C.  White. 
Volume  12 — Detailed  County  Report  on  Marshal,  Wetzel, 

and  Tyler  Counties,  by  R.  V.  Hennen. 
Volume  13 — Detailed  County  Report  on  Pleasants,  Wood  and 

Ritchie  Counties,  by  G.  P.  Grimsley. 
Volume  14 — Detailed  County  Report  on  Wirt,  Roane  and 

Calhoun  Counties,  by  Ray  V.  Hennen. 
Volume  15 — Detailed   County   Report  on  Jackson,   Mason 

and  Putnam  Counties,  by  C.  E.  Krebs. 
Volume  16 — Detailed  Report  on  Cabell,  Wayne  and  Lincoln 

Counties,  by  C.  E.  Krebs. 


BIBLIOGRAPHY  41 

Volume  17 — Detailed  County  Report  on  Doddridge  and  Har- 
rison Counties,  by  R.  V.  Hennen. 

Volume  18 — Detailed  County  Report  on  Monongalia,  Mar- 
ion and  Taylor  Counties,  by  R.  V.  Hennen. 

Volume  19 — Detailed  Report  on  Kanawha  County,  by  C.  E. 
Krebs. 

Volume  21 — Detailed  Report  on  Logan  and  Mingo  Counties 

by  Ray  V.  Hennen  and  David  B.  Reger. 
Volume  22 — Detailed  Report  on  Boone  County,  by  C.  E. 

Krebs. 

Volume  24 — Detailed  Report  on  Lewis  and  Gilmer  Counties, 
by  D.  B.  Reger. 

Volume  30 — New  Edition  of  Coal,  Oil,  Gas,  Limestone  and 
Iron  Ore  Map. 

Geological  Survey  of  Illinois — 

Bulletin  16— Oil,  Coal,  Lead,  Zinc,  by  Frank  W.  DeWolfe.  * 

University  of  Texas — 

A  Reconnaissance  Report  on  the  Geology  of  the  Oil  and 
Gas  Fields  of  Wichita  and  Clay  Counties,  Texas,  by  J.  A. 
Udden  and  Drury  McN.  Phillips. 

Bulletin  1753 — Notes  on  Geology  of  the  Glass  Mountains,  by 
J.  A.  Udden;  Geologic  Exploration  of  the  Southeastern 
Front  Range  of  Trans-Pecos,  Texas,  by  C.  I.  Baker  and  W. 
F.  Bowman, 

California  State  Mining  Bureau — 

Bulletin  63 — Petroleum  in  southern  California,  by  P.  W. 
Prutzmann. 

Bulletin  69 — Petroleum  Industry  of  California,  by  R.  P.  Mc- 
Laughlin and  C.  A.  Watitig. 
Bulletin  72 — Geologic  Formations  of  California. 

Ontario  Bureau  of  Mmes — 

24th  Annual  Report,  Record  of  Wells- Drffled -for  Oil  and 
Gas  in  Ontario,  by  Cyril  W.  Knight. 


42  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Canada  Department  of  Mines — 

Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas  Resources  of  Canada,  by  M.  R. 
Campbell. 

OTHER  PUBLICATIONS 

Practical  Geology,  by  Dorsey  Hager,  McGraw  Hill  Book  Co., 

N.  Y. 
Popular  Oil  Geology,  by  Victor  Zeigler. 
Economic  Geology,  by  Frederick  G.  Qapp. 
Oil  Finding,  by  E.  H.  Cunningham-Craig. 
A  Treatise  on  Petroleum,  by  Sir  Boverton  Redwood. 
Principles  of  Oil  and  Gas  Production,  by  Johnson  and  Huntley. 
Hand  Book  of  Natural  Gas,  by  Henry  P.  Westcott. 


\*" 


J 


CHAPTER  II 

STANDARD  OR  CABLE  TOOL  SYSTEM  OF 

DRILLING 

RIGS,   DERRICKS  AND    SPECIFICATIONS   OF   MATERIAL, 

DRILLING  OUTFITS 

RIG 

The  first  requisite  in  the  drilling  of  a  well  is  the  derrick  or  rig. 
The  derrick  may  usually  be  built  from  lumber  and  timbers  availa- 
ble in  the  locality  where  the  operations  are  to  be  carried  on.  For 
the  sills,  walking  beam,  pitman,  sampson  post,  headache  post, 
bull  wheel  posts,  jack  posts,  crown  block  and  engine  block,  hard 
wood,  oak  preferred,  should  be  used.  For  the  derrick,  pine,  hem- 
lock or  other  soft  wood  will  answer.  On  the  Pacific  Coast  Oregon 
pine  is  successfully  used  for  the  entire  rig.  Beech#and  maple  can 
also  be  used  for  the  sills,  etc.  Rotary  rigs  used  in  the  Gulf  Coast 
fields  are  built  throughout  of  Southern  pine. 

The  rig,  so  called,  consists  of  the  derrick,  surmounted  by  the 
crown  block,  which  carries  the  crown  pulley,  sand  pump  pulley 
and  casing  pulleys ;  the  bull  wheels  for  spooling  the  drilling  cable ; 
the  calf  wheel  for  spooling  the  casing  line ;  the  band  wheel  with 
shaft  and  crank ;  tug  pulley,  nailed  on  to  the  band  wheel  for 
transmitting  power,  by  means  of  the  bull  rope,  to  the  bull  wheels ; 
the  sand  reel  for  spooling  the  sand  pump  line;  walking  beam 
mounted  on  the  sampson  post;  jack  posts  which  carry  the  band 
wheel  shaft;  headache  post;  belt  house;  walk  from  derrick  to 
engine  house;  all  supported  on  posts  and  sills.  Cement  founda- 
tions are  often  used  for  heavy  derricks  in  California. 

Derricks  are  built  in  varying  size  and  degree  of  strength  ac- 
cording to  the  depth. of  well  to  be  drilled  and  the  weight  of  the 
pipe  or  casing  to  be  handled.  For  the  well  fifteen  hundred  feet 
or  less  in  depth  and  for  handling  light  strings  of  casing  the  72 

43 


44  DEEP  WELL  DRILLmC 

fool  derrick  with  single  tug  and  four  inch  band  wheel  shaft  will 
answer,  while  for  the  4,000  foot  California  well  a  106  foot  derrick, 
doubled,  with  6  inch  Ideal  clutch  sprocket  rig  irons  is  necessary. 

For  shallow  drilling  the  Star  and  the  Cyclone  Machines  and  the 
portable  rig,  of  which  the  National,  elsewhere  illustrated,  is  a 
good  t3rpe,  are  successfully  used. 

The  steel  derrick  and  the  derrick  made  of  pipe  are  good  equip- 
ment where  one  derrick  is  to  be  used  over  and  over  again  as  in 
gas  well  drilling,  or  for  use  in  hot  climates  where  wood  rapidly 
deteriorates,  or  in  localities  where  timber  is  scarce.  Steel  der- 
ricks, including  steel  walking  beams,  bull  wheels,  band  wheel,  etc., 
are  now  manufactured  in  all  sizes  for  drilling  to  depths  up  to 
5,000  feet. 

WOOD  DERRICKS 

The  derrick  built  of  wood  continues  to  be  the  most  generally 
used  despite  the  growing  popularity  of  the  steel  and  pipe  derrick. 
There  are  several  reasons,  chiefly  that  the  average  oil  field 
worker  is  more  familiar  with  the  wood  rig  and  it  is  easier  to  make 
repairs  to  it  than  to  the  rigs  built  of  metal. 

In  the  following  pages  diagrams  and  specifications  of  material 
are  shown  for  practically  all  of  the  sizes  and  types  of  wood  rig 
used  in  this  country,  for  cable,  combination  cable  and  rotary,  and 
rotary  drilling.  Detail  diagrams,  illustrating  construction  of  the 
several  parts,  methods  of  framing,  etc.,  are  also  included,  to- 
gether with  the  following  brief  description  of  the  process  of 
construction. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  ERECTING  WOOD  DERRICKS 

(Refer  to  diagrams  Figs.  7,  8,  9  and  10.) 

The  nose  sill  and  mud  sills  must  be  framed  to  receive  the  main 
sill,  sub  sill  and  sand  reel  sill,  and  the  latter  three  sills  are  framed 
to  mount  the  sampson  post,  jack  posts,  tail  post,  knuckle  post 
and  braces.  All  mortises  should  be  cut  wide  enough  to  admit  keys 
or  wedges.    (See  diagram  Fig.  7.) 

First  place  the  nose  sill.  No.  1  on  diagram,  and  next  the  mud 
sills.  Numbers  2  and  3.    Then  place  the  main  sill.  No.  4,  so  it  will 


.^ 


1  Nose  Sill. 

2  Mud  Sills. 

3  Mud   Sills. 

4  Main  Sill. 

5  Sub   Sin. 

6  Sand  Reel  Sill. 

7  Bumper,  Engine  Block 

to  Main  Sill. 

8  Engine  Block. 

9  Engine  Mud  Sills. 

10  Derrick  Side  Sills. 

11  Derrick  Floor  Sills. 

12  Foundation  Posts, 

13  Bull  Wheel  Posts. 

14  Bull  Wheel  Shaft. 

15  Bull  Wheel,  Brake  Side. 

16  Bull  Wheel,  Tug  Side. 

17  Calf  Wheel  Posts. 

18  Calf  Wheel  Shaft. 

19  Calf  Wheel. 

20  Calf  Wheel  Skeleton  Rim. 

21  Sand  Reel  Reach, 

22  Band  Wheel  Shaft. 

23  Iron   Tug  Wheel    for  Calf 

Wheel. 

24  Back  Jack  Post  Box. 

25  Tug  Pulley. 

26  Band   Wheel. 

27  Front  Jack  Post   Box  and 

28  Shaft.     Crank,     Wrist     Pin 

and  Flanges. 

29  Irbn   Sand  Reel. 

30  Sand    Reel    Posts. 

31  Jack    Post. 

32  Pitman. 

33  Sand  Reel  Lever. 

34  Sampson   Post. 

35  Sampson   Post   Braces. 

36  Derrick  Crane'  Post. 

37  Headache    Post, 

38  Walking  Beam. 

39  Jack   Post  Brace. 

40  Derrick  Ladder. 

41  Derrick    Cornice. 

42  Derrick  Girts. 


Fig.  7.— 74-foot  Standafd  i^ 


Elevator 


43  Derrick  Braces. 

44  Bull  Wheel  Cants. 

45  Bull  Wheel  Arms. 

46  Calf  Wheel  Cants. 

47  Calf  Wheel  Arms. 

48  Belt. 

49  Adjuster  Board 

50  Derrick  Floor. 

51  Bull  Wheel  Post  Brace. 

52  Crown  Pulley. 

53  Sand  Pump  Pulley. 

54  Casing  Pulley. 

55  Sand  Line. 

56  Drilling  Cable. 

57  Casing  Line. 

58  Bull  Rope. 

59  Calf  Rope. 

60  Temper      Screw 

61  Temper  Screw  Pulleys. 

62  Center  Irons. 

63  Stirrup. 

64  Calf  Wheel  Gudgeons   (not 

Visible). 
55  Bull  Wheel   Gudgeons   (not 
Visible). 

66  Brake      Band      for      Bull 

Wheel. 

67  Brake      Lever      for      Bull 

Wheel. 

58  Brake      Staple      for      Bull 

Wheel. 

59  Sand  Reel  Hand  Lever. 

70  Brake  Lever  and  Staple  for 

Calf  Wheel, 
n  Brake  Band  for  Calf  Wheel, 
11  Telegraph   Wheel. 
73  Derrick    Crane   with    Chain 

Hoist  and  Swivel  Wrench. 
?5  Crown  Block. 

76  Temper    Screw. 

77  Rope    Socket. 

78  Jars. 

79  Stem. 
30  Bit- 

Bl   Bailer  or  Sand  Pump. 


WOOD  DERRICKS  47 

cross  the  nose  and  mud  sills  at  an  angle  of  three  degrees.  Set  the 
posts  for  the  four  comers  of  the  derrick,  so  that  the  bottom  of  the 
derrick  mud  or  side  sills,  No.  10,  will  be  flush  with  bottom  of  main 
sill.    Next  place  the  derrick  floor  sills. 

Comer  posts  for  California  or  other  heavy  derricks  should  be 
supported  on  either  concrete  or  timber  footings.  (See  diagrams 
Figs.  8  and  148.) 

Construction  of  the  derrick  is  commenced  by  erecting  the  first 
leg  members  at  an  angle  according  to  the  dimensions  of  the  top 
and  bottom  and  the  height  of  the  derrick.  (The  angle  of  the  legs 
of  a  74-foot  derrick  with  20-foot  floor  and  6-foot  top  would  be 
jibout  six  degrees.)  The  two  boards  forming  the  leg,  No.  41,  are 
nailed  together,  one  at  a  right  angle  to  the  other,  making  a  corner 
in  which  are  nailed  the  horizontal  girts,  No.  42,  and  the  diagonal 
braces.  No.  43.  Heavy  derricks  should  be  doubled  with  extra 
planks,  called  doublers,  nailed  to  the  outside  of  the  legs  for  their 
entire  length.  When  erecting  leg  members  use  starting  leg 
planks  of  unequal  length  for  each  leg ;  otherwise,  if  both  timbers 
in  the  leg  were  of  equal  length,  the  joint  or  point  where  the  next 
limbers  joined,  would  be  weakened.  It  is  for  this  purpose  that 
starting  legs  longer  and  shorter  than  the  regular  leg  timbers  are 
used.  (See  Fig.  No.  121.)  If  additional  strength  is  required  or, 
as  a  protection  against  high  winds,  extra  girts  and  braces  nailed 
on  the  outside  of  the  derrick  and  called  "sway"  or  wind  braces 
are  used,  see  Fig.  147. 

The  crown  block,  consisting  of  the  three  or  more  courses  of 
boards  nailed  one  on  the  other  on  all  four  sides  of  the  derrick 
top,  surmounted  by  the  water  table  and  the  two  bumpers,  is  then 
built.  (See  Fig.  9.)  Crown,  sand  and  casing  pulleys  are  then 
mounted. 

If  an  iron  crown  block  is  used,-  it  can  be  taken  apart  and  the 
several  parts  and  pulleys  hoisted  to  the  top  one  at  a  time  and 
{assembled.  When  the  wood  crown  of  the  derrick  is  built  a  gin 
pole  is  rigged  on  it  for  convenience  in  hoisting  parts  into  the 
derrick,  walking  beam,  etc. 

The  Sampson  post  and  braces,  jack  posts  and  braces,  headache 


48  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

post,  sand  reel  post  and  braces  and  knuckle  post  are  put  in  their 
respective  places,  bolted  and  keyed  (see  details,  Figs.  9  and  10). 

Engine  block  and  sills,  and  bumper  from  engine  block  to  end 
of  main  sill  are  then  placed. 

Center  irons  are  fitted  to  Sampson  post  and  walking  beam,  and 
latter  is  hoisted  into  position;  and  the  pitman  connected  to  it. 

The  band  wheel  and  tug  pulley  are  built  into  the  shaft,  crank 
and  flanges  and  mounted  in  the  jack  post  boxes  bolted  to  top  of 
the  jack  posts.  The  bull  wheel  and  calf  wheel  posts  and  braces  are 
put  up  and  these  wheels  are  built  and  put  in  place.  (See  Figs. 
7,  11  and  148.) 

The  sand  reel  and  lever  are  the  last  working  parts  to  be  placed, 
for  the  sand  reel  runs  by  friction  from  the  band  wheel  and  the 
surface  of  the  latter  should  be  carefully  trued  up  and  smoothed 
off  to  insure  perfect  f rictional  contact. 

The  rig  is  completed  by  laying  the  floor  in  the  derrick  and  the 
walk  from  the  derrick  to  the  engine  house,  building  the  belt 
house,  engine  house,  etc. 

The  hole  in  the  derrick  floor,  through  which  the  well  is  drilled, 
is  cut  according  to  the  length  of  the  walking  beam,  usually  about 
8  feet  from  the  front  or  side  of  the  floor  toward  the  band  wheel. 
A  trap  door  is  provided  about  the  center  of  the  floor  for  con- 
venience in  handling  casing,  etc.  Heavy  derricks  for  under- 
reaming  or  rotary  drilling  are  sometimes  equipped  with  a  cellar, 
on  the  bottom  of  which  the  casing  spider  is  placed.  For  pulling 
pipe  the  cellar  is  convenient  as  a  means  for  supporting  hydraulic 
jacks.     (Refer  to  Fig.  150.) 

Derricks  erected  in  open  country,  or  localities  that  are  subject 
to  high  winds,  should  be  guyed  with  ^-inch  galvanized  strand 
anchored  to  dead  men  buried  in  the  ground.  Eight  guy  lines  are 
sometimes  used,  each  line,  instead  of  extending  out  from  the  cor- 
ner of  the  derrick,  passing  diagonally  across  the  derrick  to  the 
opposite  side. 


WOOD  DERRICKS 


49 


WOOD  DERRICKS 

SPECIFICATION  OF  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

COMPLETE  DOUBLE  TUG  STANDARD  RIG  WITHOUT 

CALF   WHEELS,    DERRICK    74   FEET    HIGH 

As  Used  in  the  Deep  Fields  of  Penna.,  Ohio  and  West  Va. 

(Refer  to  Fig!  7.) 


Number 
of  Pieces 

Pine 

Sise. 
Inches 

Length, 
Feet 

1 

Main  Sill 

16x16 

16x16 

14x24 

14x16 

14x14 

14x14 

12x12 

12x12 

8x20 

8x10 

8x   8 

6x   8 

6x   8 

6x   8 

2X12 

2x12 

2x12 

2x10 

2x10 

2x   8 

2x   8 

2x   6 

2*   6 

2x   6 

2x   4 

2x   4 

2x    4 

1x12 

1x12 

1x12 

Ix   6 

16x16 
12x12 
8x10 
6x13 
5x5x12 
4x16 
4x10 
3x   5 

28 

1 

Sampson  Post .• 

16 

4 

Walking  Beam 

24 

1 

Sub  SiU 

16 

2 

Mud  Sills 

18 

4 

Mud  Sills 

14 

1 

Sand  Reel  Sill,  Post  and  Block 

18 

2 

Pony  Sills: 

12 

2 

Engine  Blocks 

8 

2 

Derrick  Side  Sills 

22 

6 

Derrick  Sills 

20 

1 

Bumper  Post 

22 

3 

Braces 

16 

4 

Braces  and  Headache  Post 

14 

3 

Girts 

18 

16 

Boards 

18 

25 

Boards * 

16 

36 

Boards 

20 

90 

Boards 

16 

8 

Boards 

20 

20 

Boards 

16 

12 

Boards 

20 

30 

Boards 

16 

16 

Boards 

14 

30 

Boards « 

16 

10 

Boards 

12 

3 

False  Arms 

12 

175 

Boards. 

16 

70 

Boards 

14 

70 

Boards 

12 

20 

Boards 

16 

1 

Oak 
Bull  Wheel  Shaft 

14 

2 

Bull  Wheel  Posts 

10 

Sand  Reel  Lever 

10 

Crown  Block 

16 

12 

Jack  Post  and  Knuddc  Brace 

■14 

12 

3 

14 

Use  specification  of  Rig  Irons,  Nails,  Bolts,  Cants,  etc.,  shown 
on  page  51,  omitting  call  wheel  mateml  as  follows: 

1  90-inch  Skeleton  Rim  for  Calf  Wheel. 
1  Iron  TuflT  Wheel  for  Calf  Wheel. 

1  16-inch  Bowl  Calf  Wheel  Qudgreon  with  Band  and  Bolts. 
1  80-inch  Flangre  Calf  Wheel  Qudgreon  with  Band  and  Bolts. 
4  CasinflT  Pulleys.  8  2  H -inch  Plain  Cants 

1  Brake  Band  for  Calf  Wheel.  40  1-inch  Plain  Cants. 

1  Brake  Lever  for  Calf  Wheel.  8  8- inch  Oak  Arms. 

1  Brake  Staple  for  Calf  Wheel.  1$  Handles. 


50 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


WOOD  DERRICKS 

SPECIFICATION  OF  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

COMPLETE  DOUBLE  TUG  STANDARD  RIG  WITH 

CALF  WHEEL,  DERRICK  82  FEET  HIGH, 

USING  STANDARD  RIG  IRONS. 

(D.    D.   WERTZBERGER.) 

As  Used  in  the  Deep  Sand  Districts  of  Oklahoma  and  Kansas. 

(Refer  to  Fig.  7.) 


Number 
of  Pieoea 


1 

1 

1 

1 

2 

2 

1 

2 

2 

1 

2 

2 

8 

1 

3 

1 

'   4 

'   3 

32 

22 

25 

32 

4 

80 

8 

8 

40 

8 

10 

24 

8 

3 

30 

14 

175 

60 

55 

18 


1 
1 

1 
2 
2 


Pine 


Walking  Beam 

MainSm 

Sampson  Poet 

Sub  Sill 

MudSiUs 

MudSiUs 

NoaeSill 

MudSiUs 

Casing  Sills  in  Pit 

TaU  Sill  and  Posts 

Pony  Sills 

Timbers  lor  Pit 

Derrick  Sais 

Engine  Block 

Bunting  Pole  and  Pit 

Calf  Wheel  Brace 

Braces 

Braces  and  Headache  Poet. 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards.., 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards.... 

Boards..'. 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards...! 

Boards 

Boards... 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 


Sise. 
Inches 


Oak 


BuU  Wheel  Shaft 

Jack  Poet..: 

Calf  Wheel  Shaft 

Calf  Wheel  Posts...... 

BuU  Wheel  Posts.... ^ 


14x24 

16x16 

14x16 

14x16 

14x14 

14x14 

14x14 

14x14 

14x14 

12x12 

12x12 

12x12 

8x   8 

8x20 

6x    8 

6x   8 

6x   8 

6x   8 

2x12 

2x12 

2x12 

2x10 

2x10 

2x10 

2x   8 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

Ix 

Ix 

Ix 


Length, 
Feet 


8 

8 

6 

6 

6 

6 

4 

4 

4 

12 

12 

12 


Ix    6 


18x18 
16x16 
18x18 
12x12 
12x12 


24 

28 

16 

16 

18 

16 

16 

14 

14 

18 

12 

12 

20 

16 

22 

16 

16 

14 

20 

18 

16 

20 

18 

16 

20 

18 

16 

20 

18 

16 

14 

18 

16 

14 

16 

14 

12 

16 


14 

12 

7 

14 
10 


WOOD  DERRICKS 


51 


WOOD  DERRICKS 


SPECIFICATION  OF  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 
COMPLETE  DOUBLE  TUG  STANDARD   RIG  WITH 
CALF  WHEEL,  DERRICK  82  FEET  HIGH,  USING 
STANDARD  RIG  IRONS— Continued 

(D.  D.  WERTZBERGER) 


Number 
of  Pieces 


1 

1 

2 
1 

4 


Oak 


Top  of  Derrick. 
Swing  Lever... 
Crown  Blocks. . 

Pitman 

Keys 


Sise. 
Ibches 


9x10 
9x10 
6x14 
6x14 
3x   5 


Length. 
Feet 


12 
10 
16 
12 
16 


T 


For  a  rig  built  at  a  distant  from  supplies  add: 


1 

1 


Extra  Pitman. 
Extra  Timber. 


14x14 


18 


If  Pit  or  Cellar  is  not  needed,  deduct: 


2 

2 

22 


12x12 
6x  8 
2x12 


12 
22 
18 


If  galvanized  iron  engine  house  is  desired,  deduct  40  1  x  12- 
inch  X  14-foot  pine  boards  and  add  24  pieces  26-inch  x  7  foot  and 
14  pieces  26-inch  x  9-foot  galvanized  iron. 

Specifications  of  4J4-  or  5-inch  Rig  and  Calf  Irons. 

1  Shaft,  Crank,  Collar  and  Wrist  Pin. 

1  Pair  Flanges  with  Keys  and  Bolts. 

1  Set  Center  Irons  Complete  with  Bolts. 

1  Round  Iron  Stirrup  with  Bolts. 

2  Bull  Wheel  Gudgeons  with  Bands  and  Bolts. 
1  30-inch  Crown  Pulley. 

1  22-inch  Wire  Sand  Line  Pulley. 

1  Jack  Post  Box,  Closed. 

1  Jack  Post  Box,  Open. 

1  9-inch  X  28-foot  Brake  Band. 

1  1%  X  9-inch  Brake  Lever. 

1  9-inch  Brake  Staple. 

1  90-inch  Rim  with  8%  x  9-inch  Bolts. 

1  48-inch  Tug  Wheel  with  Split  Hub. 

1  16-inch  Bowl  Gudgeon  with  Band  and  Bolts. 

1  30-inch  Flange  Gudgeon  with  Band  and  Bolts. 

1  6-lnch  X  28-foot  Brake  Band. 

1  6-inch  Brake  Staple. 

1  1%  X  6-lnch  Brake  Lever. 

4  22-lnch  Casing  Pulleys. 


! 


52  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Specification  of  4^-  or  5-inch  Rig  and  Calf  Irons,  Concluded. 

40  l-lnch  Plain  Cants  for  10  foot  Band  Wheel.  ( 

1$  2% -inch  Grooved  Cants  ) 

1€  2% -inch  Plain  Cants         (For  7-foot  Tugr  Pulley. 

24  1     -inch  Plain  Cants 

1€  2Vi-inch  Qrooved  Cants 

8  2  V^  1-inch  Plain  Cants 
96  1     -inch  Plain  Cants         >  For  8-foot  Bull  Wheels. 
16  10-inch  Oak  Arms 
82  Handles. 

8  2% -inch  Plain  Cants 
40  1     -inch  Plain  CanU    }>For  7 H -foot  Calf  Wheel. 

8  8     -inch  Oak  Arms 
16  Handles. 

2  8 -foot  lengths  9&-inch  Cable  Chain. 

2  1%-inch  Hook  Bolts,  6%  feet  long:. 

1  40-inch  Double  Drum  Iron  Sand  Reel  with  Beveled  Pulley-  and  4  or 
4% -inch  Shaft. 

Nails,  Bolts  and  Washers. 

100  Pounds  8d  Wire  Nails. 

200  Pounds  16d  ditto. 

200  Pounds  30d  ditto. 

8  %"  X  18"  Machine  Bolts  with  TT  Square  Nuts 

4  %"  X  12"  Double  ESnd  Bolts,  1  Square  and  1  Hexaffon  Nut. 

6  T^''  X  28"  Double  End  Bolts.  TT  Square  Nuts. 

8  %"  X  18"  Machine  Bolts,  with  %"  Square  Nuts. 

4  %"  X  26"  Machine  Bolts. 

4  %"  X  24"  Machine  Bolts. 

8  %"  X  20"  Machine  Bolts. 

18  %"  X  18"  Machine  Bolts. 

18  %r  X  16"  Machine  Bolts. 

16  %"  X  14"  Machine  Bolts. 

4  %"  X  12"  Machine  Bolts. 

82  %"  X  10"  Machine  Bolts. 

10  %"  X    8"  Machine  Bolts. 

4  %"  X     6"  Machine  Bolts. 

4  %"  X     4"  Machine  Bolts. 

96  %"  W.  I.  Washers. 

28  %"  ditto. 

72  %"  Cast  Washers. 

4  %"  X  40"  D.  E.  Bolts. 

20  %"  C.  I.  Washers. 

1  Piece  1%"  X  18"  Plain  End  Pipe. 

100  Pounds  Babbitt  Metal. 

1  600-foot  Coil  Guy  Wire. 


n 


.  rr 


iO 


J' 


B19i<I 


WOOD  DERRICKS 


61 


WOOD  DERRICKS 


«. 


SPECIFICATION  OP  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

CALIFORNIA  RIG,  DERRICK  84  FEET  HIGH 

WITH  20-FOOT  BASE. 

<Refer  to  Figure  8.) 


Pieces 


1 
1 
1 
1 

4 
1 
1 
1 
2 
2 
1 

6t 

3 

1 

2 

4 

1 

4 

2 
11 

1 

1 

1 

2 

3* 

2 

3 

2 

2 
12 

8' 

1 
3 

% 

46 
20 

4 
32 

4 
14 

4 


Oregon  Pine 


Walking  Beam. 


Engine  Block: 

Main  SiU 

Sub  Sill 

Tail  SiU  and  Sand  Reel  Po«t 

MudSiUs 

NoeeSiU 

San.pson  Poet 

Jac :  Poet. 

Engine  Mud  Sills 

Engine  Pony  Sills 

Knuckle  Poet 

Derrick  Foundation 

Derrick  Cellar  or  Pit 

Derrick  Cellar  or  Pit 

Casing  Sills 

BuU  Wheel  and  Calf  Wheel  Poets 

Back  Brake 

Bumpers 

Der  ick  Side  SUls 

I>errick  Sills.  Casing  Rack  and  Blocking 

Sand  Reel  Lever 

Headache  Post 

Bunting  Pole 

Stringers  for  Walk 

Crown  Block 

Jack  Poet  Braces 

Bull  Wheel  and  Calf  Wheel  Poet  Braces 

Sampy-  n  Poet  Braces 

Dead  Men 

Derrick  Cellar  or  Pit 

Short  Braces,  Roof  Stringers  and  Keys  and  J.  P.  Bunting 


Size. 
Inches 


Pole, 


Calf  Wheel  Bra-e 

Engine  Hr  ise  Studding 

Engine  House  Sills 

Derrick  Foundation  (Redwoo^i). 
Derrick  Foundation  (Redwood). 

Walk.  Floor  and  Girts 

Band  Wheel,  Surface  Or  •  Side. 
Girts. 


Girts  and  Top  of  Derrick  (12).  Doublers  (20). 

Girts 

Doublers 

Starting  Legs 


Uxl4x 

14|c30 

24x24 

16x16 

16x16 

16x16 

16x16 

16x16 

16x16 

16x16 

16x16 

16x16 

16x16 

16x16 

14x14 

14x14 

14x14 

14x14 

16x16 

12x12 

8x10 

8x   8 

6x6x16 

6x   8 

4x   6 

6x   6 

6x16 

6x   6 

6x 

6X 

6x 

6z 


6 
6 
6 
6 


4x  6 
4x  4 
4x  4 
4x   4 

3x12 
3x12 
2x12 
2x12 
2x12 
2x12 
2x12 
2x12 
2x10 


Length, 
Feet 


26 
9 
32 
20 
16 
16 
10 
16 
16 
14 
7 
6 
4 
14 
16 
12 
12 
6 
7 
23 
20 
12 
14 
28 
20 
14 
18 
16 
14 
20 
20 

16 
18 
18 
16 
20 
16 
20 
20 
18 
16 
14 
24 
26 


*  Not  needed  if  Steel  Crown  Block  is  used, 
t  Not  needed  if  Concrete     '       are  used. 


62 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


WOOD  DERRICKS 

SPECIFICATION  OP  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

CALIFORNIA  RIG,  DERRICK  84  PEET  HIGH 

WITH  20-POOT  EASE.  (Continued.) 


Pieces 


36 

4 

8 

7 

5 

17 

22 

15 

6 

3 

9 

40 

5 

8 

16 

16 

30 

40 

75 

50 

60 

50 


1 
1 
1 


1 
1 
1 


Oregon  Pine 

Derrick  Less  and  to  cut  up 

Short  Starting  Legs 

Belt  House.  Forge  House  Stringers 

Belt  House,  etc 

Belt  House 

Braces 

Belt  House,  Braces  and  B.  W.  Spools 

Belt  House  and  Braces 

Belt  House  and  Engine. House 

Engine  House 

Engine  House 

Engine  and  Belt  House,  Ladder  and  to  cut  up 

Belt  House 

Girts 

Braces 

Braces * 

Housing  and  Boards 

Housing  and  Boards 

Housing  and  Boards 

Housing  and  Boards 

Housing  and  Boards 

Ladder  Strips,  Roof  Battens,  etc 

Hardwood 

Bull  Wheel  Shaft 

Calf  Wheel  Shaft 

Pitman 

Top  of  Crown  Block 

Top  of  Crown  Block 

Top  of  Beam  and  Dog 


Sise. 
Inches 


2x10 

2x10 

2x   8 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 

lKx6 
lKx6 


8 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
6 
4 
4 
4 
12 


12 
12 
12 
12 
12 
6 


16x16 
16x16 
5x5x 
5x14 
4x  6 
4x  6 
2x12 


Length, 
Feet 


16 
18 
20 
16 
26 
20 
16 
18 
14 
12 
20 
16 
12 
20 
14 
12 
20 
18 
16 
14 
12 
16 


14 
6 

12 
16 
12 
16 


If  outside  or  wind  braces  and  girts  are  used,  add  the  following: 

4 

Outside  Girts 

2x12 
2x12 
2x12 
2x12 
2x    8 
2x    8 
2x    8 
2x   8 

18 

4 

Outside  Girts 

16 

4 

Outside  Girts 

14 

2 

Outside  Girts , 

20 

8 

Outside  Braces 

22 

8 

Outside  Braces 

20 

'8 

Outside  Braces 

18 

8 

Outside  Braces 

16 

Specification  for  Ideal  Rig  and  Calf  Iron  Outfits. 

1  Shaft,  7-6/12  feet  lonfir*  with  Crank,  Wrist  Pin,  2  Collars  and  2  Keys. 
1  Pair  Flangres  with  Keys  and  Bolts. 
1  Set  Center  Irons  Complete  with  Bolts. 

1  Stirrup. 

2  Bull  Wheel  Gudgreons  with  Bands  and  Bolts. 
1  30-inch  Crown  Pulley. 

1  24-inch  Sand  Line  Pulley. 

1  7-inch  X  28-foot  Brake  Band. 

1  7-inch  Brake  Staple. 

1  7 -inch  Brake  Lever. 

1  Jack  Post  Box,  Closed. 

t  Jack  Post  Plate. 


WOOD  DERRICKS 


63 


WOOD  DERRICKS 

SPBCIPICATION  OP  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

CALIPORmA  RIG,  DERRICK  84  PEST  HIGH 

WITH  20.POOT  BASE— Concluded. 

4  Turnbuckle  Rods,  1  hi  inches  x  8  6/12  fe«t. 

2  Jack  Post  Rods.  IH  inches  x  8  4/12  fee t< 

2  Eye  Bolts,  %  x  22  Inches. 

2  Double  End  Bolts,  %  inch  x  9  6A2  feet. 

1  Double  End  Bqlt,%  inch  x  8  feet. 

1  7-foot  Sprocket  Tuff  Rim  with  Bolts. 

1  42-inch  Sprocket  Wheel. 

1  Sprocket  Clutch  with  Straps  and  Keys. 

1  Clutch  Liever  Complete  with  Bolts. 

1  80-inch  Flansred  Calf  Wheel.  Oudfireon  with  Bands  and  Bolts. 

1  16-inch  Calf  Wheel  Oudfireon  with  Band  and  Bolts. 

1  Calf  Wheel  Box. 

1  6-inch  X  28*foot  Brakcf  Band. 

1  6-inch  Brake  Staple. 

1  6-inch  Brake  Lever. 

4  22-inch  Casinsr  Line  Pulleys. 

2  Calf  Wheel  Box  Eye  Bolts,  1^  Inches  x  4  feet 

1  Calf  Wheel  Box  Double  End  Bolt,  1^  x  26  inches. 
65  feet  No.  1030  Sprocket  Chain. 

Sand  Reel 

1  Iron   Sand  Reel  with  5-inch   Shaft   and   42  x  12-inch  Pulley,   with 
Lever. 


Nails,  Bolts  and  Washers. 

100  Pounds  60d  Nails. 
150  Pounds  30d  Nails. 
200  Pounds  20d  Nails. 
100,  Pounds  16d  Nails. 
100  Pounds  lOd  Nails. 

Z  %  X  8 -inch  Machine  Bolts. 
8  %  X  10-inch  Machine  Bolts. 
26  ^  X  12-inch  Machine  Bolts. 
10  %  X  14-inch  Machine  Bolts. 
12  %  X  16-inch  Machine  Bolts. 
35  ^  X  18-inch  Machine  Bolts. 
18  ^  X  20-inch  Machine  Bolts. 
2  ^   X  22-inch  Machine  Bolts. 


3 
2 
3 
2 
4 
4 
1 

126 


% 
% 


X  26-inch  Machine  Bolts. 

X  24-inch  Machine  Bolts. 

X  32-inch  Machine  Bolts. 

X  42-inch  Machine  Bolts. 

X  28-inch  Machine  Bolts. 

X  28-inch  D.  E.  Bolts. 
Piece  IH-inch  Pipe,  18  Inches 
Ions,  (not  threaded). 
%-inch  Cast  Iron  Washers. 


20  1-lnch  Cast  Iron  Washers. 
100  %-inch  WroufiTht  Iron  Washers. 

30  1-inch  Wrougrht  Iron  Washers. 
600  feet  % -inch  Galvanized  Guy  Wire. 


Cants,  Arms  and  Handles 


66.1 
16  3 

8  3 
24  1 
16  3 

8  8 
80  1 

8  3 
40  1 


X  8-inch  X 

X  8-inch  X 

X  8-inch  x 

X  8-inch  X 

X  8-inch  X 

X  8-inch  X 

X  8-inch  x 

X  8-lnch 


10-foot  Band  Wheel  Cants. 
7-foot  Grooved  Tugr  Pulley  Cants. 
7-foot  Plain  Tugr  Pulley  Cants. 
7 -foot  Plain  Tugr  Pulley  Cants. 
8-foot  Grooved  Bull  Wheel  Cants. 
8-foot  Plain  Bull  Wheel  Cants. 
8-foot  Plain  Bull  Wheel  Cants. 
7 H -foot  Plain  Calf  Wheel  Cants. 
8-inch  X  7% -foot  Plain  Calf  Wheel  CanU. 
16  12-ihch  Oak  Bull  Wheel  Arms. 
8  12-inch  Oak  Calf  Wheel  Arms. 
48  Bull   and  Calf  Wheel   Handles. 


Exact  Length  to  Cut  Girts  and  Braces. 

First  Braces,  18  feet,  9  inches. 
Second  Braces,   17  feet,  6  inches: 


First  Girts,  18  feet,  2%  inches. 
Second  Girts,  16  feet,  9%   Inq^es. 
Third  Girts,  15  feet,  i%  inches. 
Fourth  Girts,   14  feet,   1/16  inch. 
Fifth  Girts,  12  feet.  7%  inches. 
Sixth  Girts,  11  feet,  2%  inches. 
Seventh  Girts,  9  feet,  9%  inches. 
Eighth  Girts,  8  feet,  4%  inches. 
Ninth  Girts,  7  feet.  3/16  inch. 


Third  Braces,  16  feet,  2  inches. 
Fourth  Braces    14  feet,  10  inches. 
Fifth  Braces,  13  feet,  7  inches.- 
Sixth  Braces,  12  feet,  3  inches. 
Seventh  Braces,  11  feet,  1  inch. 
Biffhth  Braces,  10  feet. 


64 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


WOOD  DERRICKS 

SPECIFICATION  OP  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

COMPLETE      DOUBLE     TUG     STANDARD     RIG, 

DERRICK  84   FEET   HIGH,   USING   pEAL 

CHAIN  DRIVEN  CALF  AND  RIG  IRONS, 

AS  USED  IN  THE  DEEP  FIELDS 

OF  NORTH  TEXAS. 

(PRAIRIE  OIL  ft  GAS  COMPANY.) 

(Refer  to  Figure  8.) 

Note:     This  rig  will  answer  for  the  deep  fields  of  Wyoming. 


Number 
of  Pieces 


1 

1 

1 

1 

2 

2 

2 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

2 

1 

2 

2 

6 

1 

1 

4 

1 

4 

1 

1 

2 

2 

1 

3 

4 

10 

26 

40 

4 

4 

4 

4 

42 

22 

130 

4 

•    4 

6 

8 

24 

29 

74 


Main  SiU— Fir 

Walking  Beam— Fir 

Sub  Sill 

Sampson  Post 

Mudsills 

Mudsills 

Mud  Sills — Engine  House 

Mudsills 

NoaeSUl 

Foundation  Posts 

Back  Brake 

Derrick  Comers 

Engine  Pony  Sills 

Engine  Block 

Casing  Sills 

Derrick  Side  Sills 

Derrick  Sills 

Casing  Sills  (2-8') 

Bunting  Pole 

Casing  Rack  and  Pit 

Calf  Wheel  Post  Brace 

Jack  Post  and  Sampson  Post  Braces 

Braces 

Headache  Post 

Bull  Wheel  Post  Braces 

Braces 

Dead  Men 

Braces. 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards ^ 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 


16x16 
14x30 
16x16 
16x16 
14x14 
14x14 
14x14 
14x14 
14x14 
14x14 
12x12 
12x12 
12x12 

8x18 
10x12 

8x10 

8x10 

8x10 

6x   8 

6x 

6x 

6x 

6x 

6x 

6x 

6x 

6x 

4x 

3x12 

2x12 

2x12 


8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
8 
6 
6 


2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2x 

2x 

2x 

2x 


12 

12 

12 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

8 

6 

6 

6 

6 


32 
24 
18 
16 
18 
16 
14 
14 
14 
14 
5 

14 
12 
16 
14 
22 
20 
16 
22 
20 
16 
16 
16 
14 
14 
14 
16 
16 
20 
20 
18 
16 
14 
12 
26 
24 
20 
18 
16 
12 
10 
20 
22 
20 
18 
16 


WOOD  DERRICKS 


65 


WOOD  DERRICKS 

SPECIFICATION  OF  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

COMPLETE      DOUBLE      TUG      STANDARD      RIG, 

DERRICK  84   FEET   HIGH,   USING   IDEAL 

CHAIN  DRIVEN  CALF  AND  RIG  IRONS, 

AS  USED  IN  THE  DEEP  FIELDS 

OF    NORTH    TEXAS— Concluded. 

(PRAIRIE  OIL  ft  GAS  COMPANY.) 


Number 
of  Pieces 


12 
24 
245 
71 
43 
22 


1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
2 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
3 
1 


Pine 


Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Boards 

Oak 

Bull  Wheel  Shaft 

Calf  Wheel  Shaft 

Jack  Post 

Tail  Sill  and  Post 

Bull  Wheel  Posts 

Calf  Wheel  Posts 

Bumper 

Swing  Lever 

Crown  Blocks 

Pitman 

Knuckle  Post 

Keys 

Top  of  Beam 


Size, 
Inches 


6 

4 
12 
12 
12 

6 


18x18 

18x18 

16x16 

12x12 

12x12 

10x12 

8x10 

8x10 

6x16 

6x16 

6x16 

3x    5 

2x14 


Length, 
Feet 


1  Set  5  or  6-inch  Ideal  Rigr  Irons  as  specified  on  psLges  62>63. 

Nails,  Bolts  and  Washers. 

200  Pounds  lOD  Wire  Nails. 

50  Pounds  16D  Wire  Nails. 
200  Pounds  20D  Wire  Nails. 
100  Pounds  SOD  Wire  Nails. 
100  Pounds  40D  Wire  Nails. 

50  Pounds  i»OD  Wire  Nails. 

2  %  X  42-inch  Machine  Bolts. 
4  ^  X  6 -inch  Machine  Bolts. 
2  %   X     8 -inch  Machine  Bolts. 

10  %   X  10 -inch  Machine  Bolts. 

28  44   z  12 -inch  Machine  Bolts. 

Z9  %   X  14 -inch  Machine  Bolts. 

1  %  X  16 -inch  Machine  Bolts. 
26  %  X  18 -inch  Machine  Bolts. 
14  %   X  20 -inch  Machine  BolU. 

4  %   X  22 -inch  Machine  Bolts. 

2  %   X.  24 -inch  Machine  BolU. 

5  %  X  26 -inch  Machine  Bolts. 
4   %   X  46  D.   E.  BolU. 

2   %   X  11'  6"  D.  E.  BolU. 

2  1%  X  8'  6*  D.  E.  BolU  (for  back  brace). 

1  1!4''  X  15  D.  E.  BolU. 

1  Piece  r  X  18-  Pipe. 


12 
16 
16 
14 
12 
16 


14 

6 

12 

18 

11 

14 

14 

10 

16 

14 

8 

14 

6 


S0«  foot  Coil  Of  M"  Galv.  Strand. 


66  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

WOOD  DERRICKS 

There  has  been  continuous  improvement  in  the  character  and 
construction  of  the  wood  derrick,  and  steel  and  iron  are  displac- 
ing wood  for  the  working  parts.  The  Ideal  chain  driven  clutch 
sprocket  rig  and  calf  irons  have  become  standard  equipment  for 
handling  long  and  heavy  strings  of  casing,  and  for  continuous 
under-reaming,    (See  Fig.  12.) 


Fig.   12.      Ideal  RlK  Iron.B. 

The  wood  sand  reel  has  almost  disappeared ;  the  reel  made 
of  iron  and  steel  having  taken  its  place.  The  drilling  of  deep 
3,000-  to  4,000-foot  wells  developed  the  need  for  a  sand  reel 
equipped  with  a  double,  or  auxiliary,  friction  or  brake  wheel.  It 
was  found  in  withdrawing  a  heavy  bailer  from  the  hole,  or  in 
running  it  to  the  bottom  and  holding  the  reel  against  the  back 
brake,  that  the  long  run  generated  frictional  heat  that  injured  the 
surface  of  the  band  wheel,  the  back  brake  block  and  also  the  sand 
reel  pulley.  To  remedy  this  the  sand  reel  with  two  pulleys  was 
devised  (see  Fig.  13).  The  taper  pulley  is  run  by  friction  against 
the  band  wheel  when  puUit^  out,  and  the  straight  faced  pulley  is 
used  as  a  brake  wheel  against  the  back  brake  block  in  lowering 


WOOD  DERRICKS 


Fig.  14.     ParkeraburK  Steel  and  Wood  Bull  '1 


PIk-  15.     Parkeraburs  8te«t  and  Wood  Calf  Wh«el  Shaft. 


68  DEEP  WELL  DRILUNG 

the  bailer.  Thus  the  frictional  load  is  divided  between  the  band 
wheel  and  the  back  brake  block. 

Several  types  of  steel  bull  wheel  and  calf  wheel  shafts  are  now 
quite  generally  used  in  California,  Wyoming  and  Texas,  of  which 
the  Parkersburg,  Figs.  No.  14  and  15,  and  Ross  arid  Seely 
are  good  examples. 

For  heavy  work  the  steel  crown  block  with  pulleys  in  iron 
bearings  (Fig.  16)  has  quite  generally  superseded  the  wood 
crown  block. 


Pie.   IS.     steel   Crown   Block. 

In  some  of  the  deep  fields  Carnegie  steel  bull  wheels  and  calf 
wheels  are  used  in  conjunction  with  the  wood  derrick.  Minor 
parts  of  the  derrick,  too,  are  receiving  more  attention,  as  evi- 
denced by  the  accompanying  illustration  of  swing  lever  irons  for 
the.sand  reel  (Fig.  17). 

Deep  well  drilling  is  becoming,  in  increasing  degree,  an  engi- 
neering proposition,  requiring  in  all  its  branches  improved  me- 
chanical equipment. 


WOOD  DERRICKS 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 
STEEL  DERRICKS 


STEEL  DERRICKS 


SI 


li'- 


Hi 


a 

111 


=1!! 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


I! 


at) 


Mi 

lis 

OS'S 

Ml 


ill 


STEEL  DERRICKS 


FlK-  >1.     CarneKle   Steel   Calf  Wheel,   Detail   DlaKram. 

Steel  RiK  Blte—T-V  over  KUdKeona,  ahaft  Kf  O.  D.  Pipe,  %"  thick. 
Weleht.  approxlmatelr.   2,40a  pounds. 

Wood  Rig  Size — ^fl'-O"  over  gudKeona,  shaft  18"  O,  D.  Pipe,  %"  thick. 
Weight,  approximately,  £,340  pounds. 

Cast  iron  gudgeons,  spoke  type.  Inserted  In  end  and  riveted  to  shafts. 

Standard  90"  cast  Iron  Hprocket  rim  bolted  to  wood-lined  ateel  plate 
rim.      Made  for  use  with  either  S  or  fi-lnch  Imperial  or  Ideal  Rig  Irons. 


CORRUGATED  IRON  REQUIRED  FOR  DRIU-INO  RIGS 


0-Foot  California  Rig 


12  Pieces— i 

-0"  lo 

2i  Fleces-i 

Ifl"  lo 

4  Pieces— 6 

-0-  lo 

SB  Plecee— 6 

-6-  lo 

«  Pieces— T 

-0-  lo 

10  Pieces— 1 

-6-  lo 

-0"  lo 

St  Pieces— ( 

-6'  lo 

-0-  lo 

3  Pieces—! 

-6-  lo 

[K-0-  1 

SB  Pieces— 3 

'K  ' 

24  Pieces— 4 

4  Pieces— B 

-"o-  I 

34  Pieces— I 

'"'  '■ 

27  Pieces— J 

lo;  1 

2S  PI«es— r-O-  1 

7  PiecBB— 9'-e"  1 

28  Pieces— 1 

'-0- 

4  Pieces— 1 

•-0- 

IB  Pleces-S- 

0-  lo 

6-  ! 

80  Pieces— 8 

o;,i 

33  Pieces— 7 

^;  1 

10  Pieces— 6 

o;  1 

23  Pieces— B 

17  Pieces— S 

-0-  1 

a-  1 

6  Pieces— 4 

-o;! 

19  Pieces— 3 

DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


PORTABLE  RIGS  75 

NBILL  TUBULAR  DERRICKS 
Made  from  Steel  Pipe 

The  pipe  derrick  has  grown  in  popularity  due  to  its  indestructi- 
bility, the  ease  with  which  it  can  be  erects  and  taken  down,  and 
the  fact  that  repair  members,  pieces  of  pipe,  are  readily  obtain- 
able. The  Neill  derrick  is  made  by  Lee  C.  Moore  &  Co.,  Pitts- 
burgh, in  sizes  and  weights  for  various  service  as  follows : 

Pipe  Derricks,  including  ladder,  gin  pole,  top  and  crown  block. 


Height.  Feet 

Leg  Diameter, 
Inches 

Weight,  per 
Foot.  Pounds 

Total  Weight. 
Pounds 

74 

3'  Single 

7.57 

8.680 

74 

3*  Duplex 

13.37 

11.050 

74 

3'  Triplex 

17.00 

12.130 

81 

3"  Single 

7.57 

9.530 

81 

3'  Duplex 

13.37 

12.000 

81 

3*  Triplex 

17.00 

13.185 

84 

4'  Duplex 

18.36 

17.950 

84 

4*  Triplex 

24.15 

20.350 

91 

4'  Duplex 

18.36 

21.700 

91 

4»  Triplex 

24.15 

22.300 

98 

4"  Duplex 

18.36 

24.000 

98 

4"  Triplex 

24.15 

25.000 

105 

4'  Duplex 

18.36 

26.200 

105 

4'  Triplex 

24.15 

29.800 

112 

4' Triplex 

24.15 

36.900 

119 

4*  Triplex 

24.15 

43.000 

Safe  Working  Load  for  Neill  Tubular  Derricks,  with  Safety 

Factor  of  4 


Leg  Diameter, 
Inches 

'     Safe  Load. 
Pounds 

Leg  Diameter , 
Inches 

Safe  Load. 
Pounds 

3  Single 
3  Duplex 

64.900 
138.470 

4  Duplex 
4  Triplex 

171.150 
187.780 

The  manufacturers  furnish  steel  sills,  bull  wheels,  band  wheel, 
calf  wheel  and  walking  beam  if  desired. 

PORTABLE  RIGS 

The  portable  drilling  rig  is  a  practical  outfit  for  drilling  1,800 
to  3,000  feet  where  long  strings  of  casing  are  not  necessary. 
The  National  Portable  Rig  illustrated  is  recommended  by  the 
manufacturer,  for  service  as  follows : 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


Irilling 
work- 
17,000 

:rated) 

Wfeet, 

load 

Steel, 

Wfeet, 

load 

ety4. 


Fls.   i3.    Natlonsl  Portable  DrilllQK  Klff. 


PORTABLE  RIGS 


three  heights, 
84  feet,  20  ft. 


Pis.  24.  Parkersburgr  Portable  HIk  with  Bolted  Derrick. 
For  drilling  not  more  than  3,000  feet,  wBere  under-reaming  is 
not  necessary  and  when  it  may  be  diflicuh  to  secure  rig  builders, 
ihe  bolted  derrick  is  a  convenient  and  efficient  rig.  The  timbers 
are  all  framed  and  the  girts,  braces  and  legs  are  all  bored  for 
bolts,  ready  for  erection.    All  parts  are  numbered. 


78  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

DRILLING  OUTFITS 

The  drilling  outfit  must  be  selected  according  to  the  locality  in 
which  the  well  is  to  be  drilled,  character  of  formation,  depth  of 
well,  etc  An  outfit  suitable  for  one  district  would  be  inadequate 
in  another.  The  combinations  are  so  many  and  so  varied  that  it 
would  be  difficult  to  give  complete  specifications  for  drilling  in  all 
the  fields.    Following  are  specifications  for  several  standard  out- 


Tlg.  !5.     Cyolone  Gasoline  Driven  Machine. 

fits,  which  may  be  added  to  or  changed  according  to  conditions. 
A  practical  driller  may  usually  be  depended  upon  to  choose  a 
suitable  outfit  for  the  well  he  intends  to  drill. 

Outfit  for  drilling  not  deeper  than  600  feet.  A  small  drilling 
machine  such  as  the  Keystone,  Star  or  Cyclone  is  a  suitable  outfit 
for  this  work.  The  Cyclone  machine  here  shown  is  equipped 
with  a  gasoline  engine,  and  driven  over  the  roads  by  its  own 
traction.  These  outfits  are  complete  with  all  necessary  ropes  and 
tools. 


•    DRILLING  OUTFITS 


Ontfit  for  drilUng  700  to  1,200  foot  wells.— The  Star  Drilling 
Machine  (Fig.  26)  is  a  very  good  outfit  for  this  work.  It  has  an 
engine  mounted  on  the  frame,  and  the  boiler  on  an  extra  truck. 


FiK.  at. 

The  heavy  Star  machines  are  rated  by  the  manufacturer  for  drill- 
ing 2,500  and  even  3,000  ft.  wells  and,  while  they  will  perform 
this  service,  the  regular  standard  derrick  is  considered  by  most 
operators  as  better  equipment  for  deep  drilling. 

Star  machines  come  fully  equipped  with  all  necessary  ropes  and 
tools. 


80  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING  • 

ft 

Outfit  suitable  for  drilling  to  1,800  feet  and  for  handling  not  | 

more  than  1,000  feet  of  17-pound  casing,  where  rock  formations 
stand  up : 

1  74-foot  Standard  derrick  with  2  x  8-lnch  legrs,  using:  4^inch  or  4%- 
inch  rig:  irons  or  No.  1  National  portable  drillingr  rig:. 

1  25  H.  P.  Boiler. 
1   10%   X  12   (23  H.  P.)   Engrine. 
95  feet  10-inch  5-ply  Rubber  Belt  with  Clamps. 
1  2     or  2 H -inch  x  1800-foot  hawser  laid  Drilling:  Cable. 
1   %  or  7/16-inch  x  1800-foot  Steel  Wire  Sand  Line. 
•    1  2% -inch  X  85-foot  Bull  Rope.  • 

1  1%-inch  X  6-foot  Ball   Bearing:  Temper  Screw. 
1  New  Era  Rope  Socket,  2%   x  3%   x  7  I.  &•  H.  Joint. 
1  Set  5% -inch  diameter  Drilling:  Jars,  5-inch  stroke,  2%   x  3% -7  I.  & 
H.  Joint. 

1  4% -Inch  X  34-foot  Aug:er  Stem,  2%   x  3% -7  I.  &  H.  Joint. 
1  14-inch    All    Steel    Spudding:    Bit,    425    pounds.    2%   x  3% -7    I.    &    H. 
Joint.  . 

1  Set  (2)  10-inch  All  Steel  Drilling:  Bits,  500  pounds  each,  2%   x  3%-7 
I.  &  H.  Joint. 

1  Set  (2)  8%-inch  All  Steel  Drilling:  Bits,  400  pounds  each,  2%   x  3% -7 
I.  &  H.  Joint. 

1  Set  (2)  6%-inch  All  Steel  Drilling:  Bits,  300  pounds  each,  2%   x  3% -7 
I.  &  H.  Joint. 

1  Each  10,  8^  and  6% -inch  Tool  Gaug:es. 

1  Set   (2)  Tool  Wrenches  for  4-inch  Squares,  200  pounds  each. 

1  No.  2  Barrett  Type  Tool  Jack  with  Rack. 

1   7-inch  X  19-foot  W.  I.  Bailer  with  Forg:ed  Valve. 

1   5-inch  X  25-foot  W.   I.  Bailer  with  Forg:ed  Valve. 

1  One  Ton  Improved  Chain  Hoist. 

1  Swivel  Wrench  for  4-inch  Squares. 

1   2%   X  3%-inch-7  Box  for  welding. 

1   2%   X  3%-inch-7  Pin  for  welding. 

1  1,800-foot  Aluminum  Measuring  Line  with  Reel. 

1  Spudding  Shoe. 

1   %-inch  X  450-foot  Wire  Casing  Line. 

1  Set  (2)  10-inch  Fair's  Regular  Wrought  Iron  Elevators. 

1  Set  (2)  8% -inch  Fair's  Extra  Heavy  Wrought  Iron  Elevators. 

1  Set  (2)  6% -inch  Fair's  E^tra  Heavy  Wrought  Iron  Elevators. 

1  26-inch  Single  All  Iron  Improved  Snatch  Block  for  Wire  Line. 

1  26-inch    Double    All    Iron    California    Pattern    Extra    Heavy    Casing 

Block  for  Wire  Line. 
1  4-inch  Double  Swivel   Casing  Hook. 
1  Pair  No.  15  Vulcan  Chain  Tongs. 

1  Set  10-inch  Drive  Clamps  for  4-inch  Squares  with  Wrench. 
1  10-inch  Hollow  Drive  Head. 
5  Derrick  Lamps. 
1  Telegraph  Wheel  with  Line. 

See  pages  90-91  for  list  of  general  supplies  needed  with  all 
outfits. 

Estimated  cost  of  above  outfit  at  PiQ:sburgh,  Pa.,  including 
general  supplies  but  not  including  derrick,  $4,650.00. 

Note:  If  Standard  Derrick  is  used  add  1  Derrick  Crane  with  1x6 
Beam  and  if  National  Rig  is  used  deduct  the  Bull  Rope. 


DRILLING  OUTFITS  81 

Outfit  suitable  for  drilling  to  2,500  feet  and  for  handling  not 
more  than  1,800  feet  of  17-pound  casing,  where  rock  formations 
stand  up : 

1  74-foot  Standard  Derrick  with  2  x  8-inch  legs,  using:  4% -inch 
Double  Tugr  Rig  Irons,  or  No.  2  National  Portable  Drilling  Rig 
or  Parkersburg  Bolted  .Derrick.  ^ 

'    1   25  H.  P.  Boiler. 

1    11  X  12   (25  H.   P.)   Engine. 
95   Feet  12-inch  6-ply  Rubber  Belt  and  Clamps. 
1   2% -inch  X  2,500^foot  Hawser  Laid  Drilling  Cable. 

1  %-inch  X  2,500-foot  Steel  Wire  Sand  Line. 

2  2% -inch  x  85-foot  Bull  Ropes   (for  Standard  Rig). 

1    2-inch  X  6-foot   Heavy   Ball   Bearing   Temper    Screw. 
1   New  Era  Rope  Socket,  2%    x  3%-7  L  &  H.  Joint. 

1  Set  5% -inch  diameter  Drilling  Jars,  5-inch  stroke,  2%  x  3% -7  I.  & 
H.  Joint. 

1   4%-inch  X  36-foot  Auger  Stem,   2%   x  3%-7  L   &  H.   Joint. 
1   4% -inch  X  12-foot  Sinker  Bar,   2%   x  3%-7   L   &   H.   Joint. 
1    14-inch  All  Steel  Spudding  Bit,  550  pounds,  2%    x  3%-7  L  &  H.  Joint. 
1   Set  (2)  10-inch  All  Steel  Drilling  Bits,  600  pounds  each,  2%    x  3% -7 
L  &  H.  Joint. 

1  Set  (2)  8^-inch  All  Steel  Drilling  Bits,  500  pounds  each,  2%  x  3%-7 
L  &  H.  Joint. 

1  Set  (2)  6% -inch  All  Steel  Drilling  Bits,  350  pounds  each,  2%  x  3% -7 
L  &  H.  Joint. 

1   Each   10-inch,   8% -inch  and  6% -inch   Tool  Gauges. 
1   Set  (2)  Tool  Wrenches  for  4-inch  squares,  225  pounds  each. 
1   No.  2  Barrett  Type  Tool  Jack  with  Rack. 
1   One  Ton  Improved  Chain  Hoist. 
1   Swivel  Wrench  for  4-inch  Squares. 
1   7-inch  X  19-foot  W.  I.  Bailer  with  Forged   Valve. 
1   5-lnch  X  25-foot  W.  I.  Bailer  with  Forged  Valve. 
1   5-inch  Larkin  Sand  Pump. 
1   2% -inch  X  3%-inch-7  Box  for  welding. 
1   2% -inch  X  3%-inch-7  Pin  for  welding. 
I   2,000-foot  Aluminum  Measuring  Line  with  Reel. 
1   Spudding  Shoe. 

1    %-inch  X  600-foot  Wire  Casing  Line. 

1   26-inch    Double   All   Iron    Improved   Snatch   Block    for   Wire   Line. 
1   26-inch    Triple    All    Iron    California'  Pattern    Extra    Heavy    Casing 
Block  for  Wire  Line. 

1  4-inch  Double  Swivel  Casing  Hook. 

1  Set   (2)    10-inch  Fair's  Extra  Heavy  Wrought  Iron  Elevators. 

1  Set  (2)   814-inch  Fair's  Extra  Heavy  Wrought  Iron  Elevators. 

1  Set  (2)  6^ -inch  Fair's  Extra  Heavy  Wrought  Iron  Elevators. 

1  Pair  No.   15  Vulcan  Chain   Tongs. 

1  Set  10-inch  Drive  Clamps  for  4-inch  Squares,  with  Wrench. 

1  10-inch  Hollow  Drive  Head. 

5  Derrick    Lamps. 

1  Telegraph  Wheel   with  Line.. 

Estimated  cost  of  above,  outfit  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  including 
general  supplies  but  not  including  derrick,  $5,600.00. 

See  pages  90-91  for  list  of  general  supplies  needed  with  all 
outfits. 

Note:  If  Standard  Derrick  is  used,  add  1  Derrick  Crane  with  1  x  6 
Beam  ai*d  if  National  Rig  is  used  deduct  the  Bull  Ropes. 


.  I  ■  ■  ■ . 


y.  .' :     ■  :  .•     .     .      1   ;      ^...-i;.    •  '  ;■  i         ^''   rl 


82  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Outfit  suitable  for  drilling  to  3,000  feet  and  for  handling  not 
more  than  2,500  feet  of  20-pound  casing,  where  rock  {ormations 
stand  up : 

1  82-foot  Standard  Derrick:  with  2  x  S-inch  leffs.  doubled  with  2  x  10- 
inch,  usingr  4% -inch  Double  Tugr  RiR  Irons  with  8-foot  Bull  Wheels 
or  Parkersburgr  Bolted  Derrick. 

1  30  'H.  P.  Boiler.  • 

1  11%  X  12  (28  H.  P.)  Engine. 
95  Feet  12-inch  x  6-ply  Stitched  Rubber  Belt  with  Clamps. 

1  2% -inch  X  3,000-foot  Hawser  Laid  Manila  DriUinfir  Cable  or 

1   %-inch  X  3.500-foot  Steel  Wire  Drillinfir  Cable. 

1  2%  X  300-foot  lenirth  Hawser  Laid  Manila  Cable  for  splicinfr  to  Wire 
Cable  to  be  used  as  a  "cracker/* 

1   %  or  9/16-inch  x  3.500-foot  Steel  Wire  Sand  Line. 

1   %-inch  X  600-foot  Wire   Casing   Line. 

1  1%-inch  X  40-foot  Endless  Wire  Dead  Line. 

2  2^ -inch  x  95-foot  Bull  Ropes. 

1  2-inch  X  6-foot  Ball  Bearing  Temper  Screw  with  extra  clamps  for 
wire  cable. 

1  New  Era  Rope  Socket,  3%  x  4% -7  I.  &  H.  Box,  5-inch  Square. 
1  New  Era  Rope  Socket,  2\  x  3%-7  I.  &  H.  Box,  4-inch  Square. 
1  Babcock  Rope  Socket  for  Wire  Cable  with  3%  x  4^-7  L  &  H.  Box. 
1  Babcock  Rope  Socket  for  Wire  Cable  with  2%,   x  3^-7  L  &  H.  Box. 
1  Set  6^ -inch  Diameter  Drilling:  Jars,  5-inch  stroke,  3^   x  4^-7  L  & 

H.  Joint. 
1  Set  5% -inch  Diameter  Drilling  Jars,  5-inch  stroke,  2%,  x  3^-7  L  & 

H.  Joint. 

1  5-inch  X  32-foot  Stem,  3%  x  4^-7  L  &  H.  Joints. 
1  4 H -inch  X  36-foot  Stem.  2%  x  3%-7  L  &  H.  Joints. 
1  4%-inch  X  16-foot  Sinker,  2^4   x  3^-7  L  &  H.  Joints. 
1  Set  13-inch  1.000  pound  All  Steel  Bits.  3^  x  4M-7  L  &  H.  Joint. 
1  Set   10-inch   750  pound   All   Steel  Bits,   3%  x  4%-7  L   &   H.   Joint. 
1  Set  8% -inch  500  pound  All  Steel  Bits,  3%  x  4^4-7  L  &  H.  Joint. 
1  Set  6% -inch  400  pound  All  Steel  Bits.  2\   x  3^-7  L  &  H.  Joint. 
1   Substitute,    2^    x  3«Vi    Pin,   3%   x  4%    Box. 
1  Substitute,   3%  x  4%   Pin.   2%   x  3%    Box. 
1  3,000-foot   Aluminum  Measuring:  Line  with  Reel. 
1  9-inch  X  19-foot  Bailer. 
1  7-inch  X  19-foot  Bailer. 
1   5-inch   X  25-fnot  Ban<»r. 
1  Each  13,  10,  8.  and  6%-incl}  Tool  Oaug:e8. 
1  5% -inch  I<arkln  Sand  Pump. 
1  Set  350  Pound  Tool  Wrenches.  5-inch  Square. 
1  Set   275  Pound  Tool  Wrenches,   4-inch  Square. 
1  No.   2  Barrett  Jack  with  Rack. 
1  Ball  Bearing:  Derrick  Crane  with  4x5  Beam. 
1  1  or  IH-Ton  Chain  Hoist. 

1  Barrett  Swivel  Wrench   with   Plates   for  5   and  4 -inch  square. 
1  SpuddinK  Shoe. 
1  14-inch  O.  D.  Drive  Head. 

1  Set  14-inch  O.  D.  Drive  Clamps  made  of  5  x  5  x  18-inch  iron,  with 
Wrench. 

5  Derrick  Lamps  or  1  Steam  Turbine  Electric  Generator  with  Wiring: 
and  Lamps. 

1  Teleg:raph  Wheel  and  Line. 

1  Set  14-inch  O  D.  Fair's  Reg:ular  Elevators. 

1  Set  10-inch  Fair^s  Extra  Heavy  Elevators. 

1  Set  8 -inch  Fair's  or  Scott's  Extra  Heavy  Elevators. 

1  Set  6% -inch  Fair's  or  Scott's  Extra  Heavy  Elevators. 

1  28   or   32-inch   Double   Casing:   Block. 

1  28  or  32-inch  Triple  Casing:  Block.  ^ 

1  4%  or  5-inch  Casing:  Hook. 

1  8  Ml -inch  Casing  Hook. 

1  Boiler  Feed  Pump  or  1-2%  H.  P.  Gasoline  Bng:ine  with  Pump. 

1  Heavy  Casing  Tonvs. 


DRILLING  OUTFITS  83 

For  3,000  feet. 

Estimated  cost  of  above  outfit  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa./  including 
general  supplies  but  not  including  derrick,  $7,500.00. 

If  necessary  to  reduce  the  hole  below  6^  inch,  5  3/16-inch 
casing  may  be  used  and  a  set  of  5  3/16-inch  Bits,  Jars,  Rope 
Socket  and  Stem  should  be  added. 

See  pages  90-91  for  list  of  general  supplies  needed  with  all 
outfits. 

Outfit  suitable  for  drilling  to  4,000  feet  and  for  handling  not 
more  than  3,000  feet  of  24-pound  casing,  where  rock  formations 
stand  up:. 

1  82-foot  Standard  Derrick  with  2  x  10-inch  leffs.  doubled  all  around 
with  2  X  12-inch,  usinfr  5-inch  Rig  Irons,  with  8-foot  Bull  Wheels, 
11  or  12-foot  Band  Wheel  and  Steel  Sand  Reel  with  6-inch  Shaft, 
and  Calf  Wheel. 

1   40  H  P.  Boiler. 

1  13  X  1^   (42  H.  P.)  EniTine  (12  x  12  migrht  answer). 
95    feet  12-inch  6-ply  Stitched  Rubber  Belt  with  Clamps.  .   '^        * 

1  2^  or  2% -inch  x  4,000-f6ot  ^lawser  I^id  Hanila  Prillinfir  Cable  or 
1   1-inch  X  4.500-foot    Extra    Strong:    or    Ploufrh    Steel    Wire    DrUlinsr 

Cable. 
1   2%    or    2%-inch  x  400-foot   lengrth   Hawser   Laid   Manila   Cable   for 

"cracker."  *, 

1  %-inch  X  4,500-foot  Steel  Wire  Sand  Line.  « 

2  3-inch  X  96-foot   Bull   Ropes. 

1  1-inch  X  800-foot  Steel  Wire  Casinfr  Line.  * . 

1   l^-inch  X  40-foot  Endless  Wire  Dead  Line. 

1  2^ -inch  X  6-foot  Ball   Bearing  Temper   Screw   with  Extra  Clamps 

for  Wire  Cable.  "''"' 

1  New  Era  Rope  Socket  with  3%  x  4%  I.  Sc  H.  Box. 
1   New  Era  Rope  Socket  with  2\   x  Z\   I.  &  H.  Box. 
1  Babcock  Rope  Socket  for  Wire  Cable  with  3>A   x  4^  L  &  H.  Box. 
1  Babcock  Rope  Socket  for  Wire  Cable  with  2%   Jc  3%   L  &  H.Box. 
1  Set  6% -inch  diameter  Drilling:  Jars,  5-inch  Stroke,  3%  x  i^  I.  &  H. 

Joints. 

1  Set  5% -inch  diameter  Drilling:  Jars,  5-inch  Stroke,  2%  x  3^:1;  &  H. 
Joints.  . .    : : 

1   6%-inch  X  34  foot  Stem  with  3H  x  4%  Pin.  4x5  Box.  *'   ^ 

1   5-inch  X  34-foot  Stem  with  2%  x  3%  Pin.  3%  x  4%  Box.         '    '     j    ; 

1  4%-inch  X  36  foot  Stem  with  2%  x  3%   Joints.  ■     >^    * 

1   4^-inch  X  16  foot  Sinker  with  2%  x  3%  Joints. 

1   Set  17-inch  1,600  pound  All  Steel  Bits  with  4x5  Pins,  5-inch  Qquafe. 

1  Set  13-inch  1,200  poun4  All  Steel  Bits  with  4  x  .6.  PHui.  •S^iWshiJSouat'e. 

1   Set  10-inch  800  pound  All  Steel  Bits  with.3U'^  4%  Pins.  •    ' 

1  Set  8^ -inch  650  pound  All  dteel  Bits  with  3^4  x  4%  Piqs.     ^ 

1  Set  6% -inch  400  pound  AH  Steel  Bits  with  1%  x  Z%.  Pinii.     '       ' 

1  Substitute.  2%   x  3^  Pin.  4x5  Box.  »  • 

1  Substitute.  8%  X  4%  Pin.  4x5  Box.  ' 

1  Substitute,  2%  x  3%  Pin.  3%  x  4^  Box. 

1  Substitute,  4x5  Pin.  2%   x  Z%    Box. 

1  Substitute,  4x6  Pin.  3tt  x  4%  16ox. 

1  Substitute,  8^   X  4^  Pin,  2%  x  Z%   Box. ' 

1  Each  17.  13.  10.  8%  and  6% -inch  Tool  Gauges. 

1  11-lnch  X  16  foot  Bailer. 

1  9-jnch  X  19  foot  Bailer.  .  ■    >  .utl:''.-' 

' ,  ■  : '  ( •'  1  • - 


84  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

For  4,000  feet. 

1  7-inch   X  25   foot  Bailer. 

1 .5-inch  X  25  foot  Bailer. 

1  5Vi-inch  Larkin  Sand  Pump. 

1  Set  5-inch  450.  pound  Tool  Wrenches,  5-inch  Square. 

1  Set  4-inch  300  pound  Tool  Wrenches,  4-inch  Square. 

1  No.    2    Barrett    Jagk  .^with   K9.ci^ 

1  Ball  Bearing:  Derrick  Crane  with  4  x  5-inch  Beam. 

1  Bit  Pulley  and  Chain. 

11%   Ton  Chain  Hoist. 

1  Barrett  Swivel  Wrench  with  Plates  for  5  and  4 -inch  Square. 

1  4,000  foot  Aluminum  Measuring:  Line  with  Heel. 

1  Spudding:  Shoe. 

1  18-inch  O.  D.  Drive  Head. 

1  14-inch  O.  D.  Drive  Head. 

1  Set  Drive  Clamps  made  of  5  x  5  x  24-inch  Iron. 

5  Derrick  Lamps  or  1  Steam  Turbine  Electric  Generator  with  Wiring: 
and  Lamps. 

1  Telegraph  Wheel  and  Line. 

1  Set   18-inch  O.   D.   Reg:ular  Elevators. 

1  Set  14-inch  O.  D.  Fair's  or  Scott's  Extra  Heavy  Elevators. 

1  Set  10-inch  Fair's  or  Scott's  Extra  Heavy  Elevators. 

1  Set  8 H -inch  Fairs  or  Scott's   Extra  Heavy  Elevators. 

1  Set  6% -inch  Fair's  or  Scott's  Extra  Heavy  Elevators. 
Note:  If  very  long  strings  of  casing  are  to  be  handled,  Wilson,  Dunn. 
O.  W.  S.  Co.  Double  Gate  .or  Lucey  Rex  Elevators,  instead  of  Fair's  or 
Scott's  are  recommended. 

1  32-inch   Triple   Casing   Block. 

1  32-inch   Double   C  asing   Block. 

1  5% -inch  Casing  Hook. 

1  3% -inch  Casing  Hook. 
•     1  Type  U  2%  H.  P.  Novo  Pumpinip  Outfit. 

1  Heavy  Casing  Tongs.        '*'' 

1  Bit  Ram.  300  pound. 

Estimated  cc^t  of  above  outfit  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  including 
general  supplies  but  not  including  derrick,  $10,000.00. 

Note:     See  pages  90-91   for  list  of  general  supplies  needed  with  all 
outfits. 

Outfit  suitable  for.  drilling  5,000  feet  and  for  handling  not  more 
than  3,500  feet  28-pound  casing,  where  rock  formations  stand  up : 

1  84  *foot  Standard  Derrick  with  2  x  12-inch  legs,  doubled  all  around, 
with  2  X  14-inch,  6-inch  California  Rig  Irons  and  Steel  Crown 
Block,  Double  Friction  Sand  Reel,  12-foot  Band  Wheel  and  Double 
12-inch  Brakes. 

1  60-H.  P.  BoHer. 

1   14  X  14   (50  H.  P.)  Engine. 

1  2%   or  2% -inch  x  5,000  foot  Hawser  Laid  Manila  Drilling  Cable  or 

1  1-inch  X  5,500-foot  Extra  Strong  or  Plough  Steel  Wire  Drillinsr  Cable. 

1  2%-inch  X  400  foot  Manila  CT>Ie  for   "cracker." 

1  11/16-inch  X  5,500-foot  Steel  Wire  Sand  Line. 

1  IH-inch  X  800  foot  Steel  Wire  Casing  Line. 

1  5,000   foot  Aluminum   Measuring  Line  with   Reel. 

1  36-inch  Triple  Casing  Block. 

1  6% -inch   Casing   Hook. 
]^ote:  Instead  of  using  double  land  triple  blocks,  use  the  four  casing 
pulleys    in    the   steel    crown    block    and    the    triple    block    for   the 
traveling   block.  x 

Balance  of  outfit  may  be  the  same  as  outfit  for  drilling  4*,000 
feet.  J  ..V 

Estimated  cost  of  above  outfit  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  including 
general  supplies  but  not  including  derrick,. $12,000.00! 


:V-    :  ;  /;       .   ..'.\     i..'\    ■•.:  ■>     ^'    .         '        .         .  ' 

.•-..»  .'.i  •.  .  •        i  ■        '  ;    •  .  i  I. 


DRILLING  OUTFITS  85 

Outfit  suitable  for  drilling  2,500  feet  and  for.  handling  not 
more  than  2,500  feet  of  20-pound  casing,  where  under-reaming 
is  necessary: 

^  -        » •       •  • 

1  82-foot  Standard  derrick,  with  2  x  8-inch  legs,  doubled  with  2  x  10- 
inch,  usingr  4^  or  5-inch  Double  Tug:  Rier  and  Calf. Irons. 
1   30  H.  P.  Boiler. 

1   12  X  12  (30  H.  P.)  Engrlne.  , 

1   10-inch  Under  Reamer  with  Extra  Set  of  Cutters^    . 
1  8% -inch  Under  Reamer  with  Extra  Set  of  Cutters. 
1   6% -inch  Under  Reamer  with  Extra  Set  of  Cutters. 
1  Block  for  dressing:  Under  Reamer  Cutters. 
1  3-inch  X  65-foot  Calf  Rope. 
1    %-inch  X  800  foot  Casingr  Line. 
1  32-inch   Triple   Casing:  Block   only.  _, 

Balance  of  outfit  may  be  the  same  as  the  regular  outfit  for 
drilling  2,500  feet  as  shown  on  page  8L 

Estimated  cost  of  above  outfit  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  including 
general  supplies  but  not  including  derrick,  $6,750.00. 

Outfit  suitable  for  drilling  3,000  feet  and  for  handling  not  more 
than  3,000  feet  24-pound  casing,  where  under-reaming  is  neces- 
sary: 

1  84-foot  Standard  Derrick,  with  2  x  10-inch  lepS,  rtoublerl  with 
2  X  12-inch,  using:  5-inch  Ideal  Clutch  Sprocket  Rig:  and  Calf 
Irons  with  Steel  Crown  Block. 

1  40  H.  P.  Boiler. 
1  12  X  12  (30  H.  P.)  Eng:ine. 
95  Feet  12-inch  x  6  Ply  Stitched  Rubber  Belt  with  Clamps. 
1   %-inch  X  3,500  foot  Steel  Wire  Drilling:  Cable. 

1  2 %-inch  X  300  foot  leng:th  Hawser  Laid  Manila  Cable  for  Cracker. 
1   %    or  9-16-inch  x  3,500  foot  Steel  Wire  Sand  Line. 

1  1-inch  X  800  foot  Steel  Wire  Casing  Line. 

2  2H-inch  x  95   foot  Bull   Ropes. 

1  2 %-inch  X  6  foot  Ball  Bearing:  Tamper  Screw  with  Extra  Clamps 
for   Wire   Cable. 

1  New  Era  Rope  Socket  with  3%  x  4%  I.  &  H.  Box,  5-inch  Square. 
1  New  Era  Rope  Socket  with  2%  x  3%   1.  &  H.  Box,  4-inch  Square. 
1  Babcock  Rope  Socket  for  Wire  Cable,  with  3%  x  4%   I.  &  H.  Box. 
1  Babcock  Rope  Socket  for  Wire  Cable,  with  2%  x  3%  J.  &  ,H.  Box. 
1  Set  6',4-inch  diameter  Drilling:  Jars,  5-inch  Stroke,  3%  x  4%  I.  &  H. 
Joints.  ...  ,    ,.  . 

1  Set  6 %-inch  diameter  Drilling:  Jars,  5-inch  Stroke,  2%  x  3%  I.  &  H. 
Joints.  •  : .    , 

1  5-inch  x  32  foot  Stem,  3%   x  4%-7  L  &  H.  Joints. 

1  4 %-inch   X  36  foot  Stem,  2%    x  3% -7  L  ^  H.  .Joints. 

1  4%-inch  X  16  foot  Sinker,  2%  X  3%-7  L  &  H.  Joints. 

1  Set  15%-inch  1,500  pound  All  Steel  Bits,  3%   x  4%   I.«  &  H.  Pin. 

1  Set  12%-inch  1,150  pound  All  Steel  Bits,  3%  x  4%  L  &  H.  Pin. 

1  Set  10-inch  800  pound  All  Steel  Bits.  3%  x  4%   L  &  H.  Pin. 

1  Set  8%-inch  550  pound  All  Steel  Bits,  3%   x  4%  I.  &  H.  Pin. 

1  Set  6%-inch  400  pound  All  Steel  Bits,  2%   x  3%   L  &  H.  Pi^i. 

1  12%-inch  Under  Reamer  with  extra  set  of  Cutters.  ' 


1  10-inch  Under  Reamer  with  extra  set  of  Cutters.  . 
1  8 %-inch  Under  Reamer  with  extra  set  of  Cutters. 
1  6%-inch  Under  Reamer  with  extra  set  of  Cutters. 


'  / 


1 


k     -  ■ .  •  -    . 


86  JEEP  WELL  DRILUNG 

For  3,000  feet. 

1  Block   for  DressinfT   Under   Reamer   Cutters. 

1  Substitute,  2%  n  Z%,  Pin,  Z%  x  iV4  Box. 

1  Substitute.  3^  X  4%  Pin,  2%  x  Z\  Box. 

1  3,000-foot  Aluminum  MeaJiurinff  Line. 

1  11-inch  X  16  foot  Bailer. 

1  9 -inch  X  19  foot  Bailer. 

1  7-inch  X  25  foot  Bailer. 

1  6-inch -X'  25'  foot  Bailer. 

1  Each   15%.  12%,  10,  $%   and  6%-inch  Tool  Gauffes.  • 

1  6% -inch  L<arkin  Sand  Pump. 

1  Set  350  pound  Tool  Wrenches.  6-inch  square. 

1  Set  275  pound  Tool  Wrenches.  4-inch  square. 

1  No.   2  Barrett  Jack  with  Rack. 

1  Ball  Bearing:  Derrick  Crane  with  4x5  Beam. 

1  1  or  1%   Ton  Chain  Hoist. 

1  Barrett  Swivel  Wrench  with  Plates  for  5  and  4 -inch  square. 

1  Bit  Pulley  and  Chain. 

1  Spudding  Shoe. 

6  Derrick    L<amps   or 

1  Steam  Turbine  Electric  Generator  with  Wiring  and  Lamps. 

1  Telegrraph  Wheel  and  Lihe. 

1  Set   15% -inch   Fair's   or   Scott's   Regrular  Elevators. 

1  Set  12% -inch  Fair's  or  Scott's  Extra  Heavy  Elevators. 

1  Set  10-inch  Fair's  or  Scott's  Extra  Heavy  Elevators. 

1  Set  8% -inch  Fair's  or  Scott's  Extra  Heavy  Elevators. 

1  Set  6% -inch  Fair's.  Scott's  or  Wilson's  Extra  Heavy  Elevators. 

1  5% -inch  Casing-  Hook. 

1  32^-inch  Triple  Casing:  Block  onl^. 

12%   H.  P.  Novo  Type  U  Pumping  Outfit. 

1  Heavy  Casing:  Tongr.  Type  B,  Dunn. 

1  Set  Casing:  Wag:ons. 

Note:  See  pag:e  90-01  for  list  of  g:eneral  supplies  needed  with  all  outfits. 

Estimated  cost  of  above  outfit  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  including 
general  supplies  but  not  including  derrick,  $11,250.00. 

Specification  for  Ranger,  Texas,  outfit  for  drilling  4,000  feet 
and  for  handling  not  more  than  3,500  feet  of  28-pound  casing, 
where  under-reaming  is  necessary: 

1  84  foot  Standard  Derrick  with  2  x  10-inch  legrs,  doubled  with 
2  X  12-inch,  using:  6-inch  Ideal  Clutch  Sprocket  Riff  and  Calf 
Irons,  with  Steel  Crown  Block. 

1  50  H.  P.  Boiler. 

1  12  X  12  or  13  X  14   Drilling:  Eng:ine. 

1  1-inch  X  4,500  foot  Steel  Wire  Cable. 

1  2% -inch  X  400  foot  Manila  Cable  for  Cracker. 

1   %-inch  X  4,500  foot  Steel  Wire  Sand  Line. 

1  Irinch  X  1,000  foot  Steel  Wire  Casing:  Line. 

2  3-inch  x  95   foot  Bull  Ropes. 

95  feet  12-inch  x  6  Ply  Stitched  Rubber  Belt. 
2  12-inch  Belt  Clamps. 

1  2% -inch  X  6  foot  Temper  Screw  with  Mechling:  Wire  Line  Clamps. 
1  5% -inch  X  34  foot  Stem.  3%  x  4%  Pin.  4x5  Box. 
1  6-inch  X  34  foot  Stem.  2%  x  3%  Pin.  3%  x  4%  Box. 
1  4% -inch  X  36  foot  Stem,   2%   x  3%   Box  and   Pin. 
1  Prosser  Swivel  Wire  Line  Rope  Socket,  3%   x  4%  Box. 
1  Prosser  Swivel  Wire  Line  Rope  Socket.  2%  x  3%  Box. 
1  New  Era  Rope  Socket.  3  %  x  4  %  Box. 
1  Set  6% -inch  Jars.  3%  x  4%  Joints. 
1  Set  5% -inch  Jars,  2%  x  3%  Joints. 
1  Set  18-inch  2.200  Pound  Bits.  4x6  Pins. 

1  Set  15% -inch  1,800  Pound  Bits.  4x5  Pins.  i 

1  Set  12% -inch  1.400  Pound  Bits.  3%  x  4%  Pins. 
1  Set  lO-inch  950  Pound  Bits.  3%  x  4%  Pins. 
1  Set  8% -inch  750  Pound  Bits.  3%  x  4%  Pins. 


DRILLING  OUTFITS  87 


For  4,000  feet. 


•1  Set  6^-inch  600  Pound  Bits,  2%  z  3%  Pins. 
^  2%    X  Z\    Pins   are   standard   on   6 H -inch   bits   but   if   6 ^ •inch   26 
Pound  CasinfT  is  used,  the  collar  of  the  294  x  894  Joint  would  be 
too  larffe  to  permit  a  fishing  socket  to  fro  over  it,  so  the  2%  x  3^ 
Joint  is  a  better  size  to  use  in  the  26  pound  casinfr- 

Substitute,  2%  x  3%  Pin,  4x5  Box. 

Substitute,  3%   X  4%   Pin,  4x5  Box. 

Substitute,  2^x3%  Pin,  3^x4^  Box. 

Substitute,  4x6  Pin,   2^x3%   Box. 

Substitute.  4x5  Pita,  3^x4%  Box. 

Substitute,  3^x4^  Pin,  2^  x  3^  Box. 

15% -inch  Under  Reamer  with  Extra  Set  Cutters. 

12% -inch  Under  Reamer  with  Extra  Set  Cutters. 

10-inch  Under  Reamer  with  Extra  Set  Cutters. 

8^ -inch  Under  Reamer  with  Extra  Set  Cutters. 

6^ -inch  Under  Reamer  with  Extra  Set  Cutters. 

Block  for  dressing:  Under  Reamer  Cutters. 

Set  5-inch  400  pound  Tool  Wrenches. 

Set   4-inch   300   pound   Tool   Wrenches. 

No.  2  Barrett  Jack  with  Rack. 

Barrett  Swivel  Wrench  with  Plates  for  5-inch  and  4-inch  squares. 

2  Ton  Cyclone  Hoist. 

Ball  Bearingr  Derrick  Crane  with  4x5  Beam. 

Bit  Pulley  and  Chain. 

14-inch   X   15    foot   Bailer. 

11-inch   X   19   foot   Bailer. 

9-inch   X   19   foot   Bailer. 

7-inch  X  25  foot  Bailer. 

5% -inch  X  30  foot  Bailer. 

Each  18,  15%,  12%,  10,  8%  and  6%  Tool  Gauffes. 

Set  Spiders  and  Slips  for  15%,  12%,  10,  8%  and  6%  Casing. 

Set  20-inch  O.  D.  Wilson   Elevators. 

Set  15% -inch  Wilson  Elevators. 

Set  12% -inch  Wilson   Elevators. 

Set   10-inch   Dunn   Elevators. 

Set  8% -inch   Dunn   Elevators. 

Set   6% -inch  Dunn  Elevators. 

42-inch  Triple  Casingr  Block. 

6% -inch  Casing:  Hook. 

Type  A  Dunn  Tong:s. 

Dunn   Tool    Support. 

Steam  Turbine  Electric  Generator  with  Wiring:  and  Lamps. 

Spudding:  Shoe. 

Steel   Forg:e. 

Slack  Tub. 

Type  U  2%   H.  P.   Novo  Pumping:  Outfit. 

400  Pound  Bit  Ram. 

Telegraph  Wheel. 

Wire  Teleg:raph  Line. 

Set  Casing:  Wag:ons.' 

4,000  foot  Aluminum  Measuring:  Line  and  Reel. 

For  list  of  small  tools  and  fittings  see  pages  90-91. 
Estimated  cost  of  above  outfit  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  including 
general  supplies  but  not  including  derrick,  $15,000.00. 

Outfit  suitable  for  drilling  5,000  feet  and  for  handling  4,000 
feet  28-pound  casing,  where  under- reaming  is  necessary : 

1  84  foot  standard  California  Derrick  using:  7% -inch  Ideal  Clutch, 
Sprocket  Riff  and  Calf  Irons,  Steel  Crown  Block  with  5  Cas- 
ing: Pulleys,  and  Ideal  Double  Friction  Sand  Reel,  with  6-inch 
Shaft  and  Crais  Swing:  Lever  Attachment. 

1  70  H.  P.  California  Boiler. 

1  14  X  14  (60  H.  P.)  Eng:ine. 


88  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

For  5,000  feet. 

95  Feet  14-inch  8  Ply  Stitched  Rubber  Belt. 
1  1-inch  X  5,500    foot    Extra    Strong    or    Plough    Steel    Wire    Drillingr 

Cable.  ■■■      .u  i 

1  11/16-inch  X  5,500  foot  Steel  Wire  Sand  Line. 
1  1%-inch  X  1,000  foofi  3teel  Wire  Casing  Line. 
1  Set  22-inch  2.500  Pound  Bits,  4x5  Pins.    , 
1  22-inch  Tool  Gauge. 

1  20-inch  O.  D.  Under  Reamer  with  4x5  Pin. 
1  Set   24-inch   O.    D.   Elevators   or   if   these   cannot   be   had,    a   special 

Swivel   threaded   to  screw  into  Couplings  of  24-inch  O.   D.   Drive 

Pipe  in  lieu  of  Elevators.  r 

1  42-inch  Quadruple  Extra  Heavy  Casing  Block. 
1  Spider  with  Liner  and  Slips   for  20-Inch  O.  D„  15% -inch,   12%-jnchv 

10-inch  8%-inch  and  6% -inch  Casing. 
1  5,000   foot  Aluminum    Measuring  Line   with   Reel. 

1  7% -inch   Casing  Hook. 

With  the  exception  of  the  aboVe  items,  the  outfit  for  drilling 
4,000  ft.  for  Ranger,  Texas,  specified  on  pages  86-87  may  be  used. 

Estimated  cost  of  above  outfit  at  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  including 
general  supplies  but  not  including  derrick,  $20,000.00. 

Specification  of  an  outfit  for  drilling  7,500  feet  and  for  handling 
4,500  feet  of  3C-pound  casing, where  the  rock  formations  stand  up: 

Note:  All  of  the  equipment  for  this  deep  drilling  is  not  regularly 
manufactured  by  oil  well  supply  companies  and  part  of  it  would  have  to 
be  made  to  order.  This  specification  is  based  on  the  experience  of  the 
People's  Natural  Gas  Co.,  in  drilling  their  well  7,250  feet  on  the  Geary 
farm  near  McDonald,  Pa.,  and  of  the  Hope  Natural  Gas  Co.  in  drilling* 
their  wells  7,270  feet  on  the  Goflf  farm  near  Bridgeport,  W.  Va.,  and 
7,579   feet  on    the   Lake   farm   near  Fairmont,   W.   Va. 

It  has  been  the  practice  of  the  Hope  Company  to  use  standard  derrick 
and  outfit  such  as  would  be  used  in  drilling  in  3,000-foot  well  to  drill  these 
deep  wells  down  to  about  that  depth  and  then,  as  the  depth  of  the  well 
increases,  to  replace  the  light  with  heavy  equipment  suitable  for  drilling 
greater  depths.     See  record  of  Lake  log.    Chapter  XV. 

Derrick:  100  feet  in  height  with  26-foot  base,  doubled  from  top  to 
bottom  and  reinforced  with  6- x  8-inch  oak  timbers  bolted  in  the  corners 
and  extending  from,  foundation  to  crown  block. 

Crown  block  constructed  of  8  x  20-inch  oak  timbers  or  of  15-inch 
steel  I  beams,  and  equipped  with  4  casing  pullevs.  Walkinp:  beam,  oak, 
22  X  36  inches,  27  feet  long.  Bull  wheels,  10  feet  in  diameter  with,  2 
brake  wheels  for  12-inch  brake  bands  and  tug  side  witlj  three  grooves 
for  triple  tug,  24-inch  oak  shaft  with  6-inch  cast  steel  or  forged 
gudgeons.  Band  wheel,  14  feet  in  diameter  with  18-Inch  face,  7^ -inch 
diameter  shaft  with  forged  steel  crank,  8  inches  thick  at  the  shaft  end 
and  4-inch  diameter  wrist  pin  and  60-inch  fianges.  Tug  pulley,  8  feet 
in  diameter  with  3  grooves  for  3-inch  bull  ropes.  Sampson  post,  24  inches 
square.  Crown  pulley,  36  inches  in  diameter  with  6-inch  steel  shaft. 
Center  irons  similar  to  those  furnished  with  7% -inch  Ideal  Rig  irons. 
Stirrup  made  of  3-inch  round  iron.  Sand  pump  pulley  24  Inched  in 
diameter  with  4%-rinch  steel  shaft.  Sand  reel,  6-inch  by  15-foot  shaft, 
48-inch  pulley  with  16-inch  face  and  steel  fianges  1  inch  thick  with 
extra  1-inch  plate  for  center  fiange,  making  it  2  inches  thick.  Jack  post 
boxes  and  guy  rods  similar  to  those  furnished  with  7% -inch  Ideal  rig 
irons.  All  sills  and  timbers  should  be  fifty  per  cent,  heavier  than  those 
used  on  the  derrick  for.  3,000  foot  drilling. 

2  30-H.  P.  Portable  Boilers. 

1  14    X   14    (50-H.    P.)    Engine   or   2    30-H.    P.    Engines   connected   with 
»haft    Coupling. 
150  feet  16 -inch  8 -Ply  Stitched  Rubber  Belt. 

1   2^ -inch  X  4,000   foot  Hawser .  Laid  Manila  Drilling  Cable. 
1  Special   8,000-foot   Plough   Steel   Wire   Drilling  Cable,   1  ^   inphes  in 
diameter  at  top,  tapering  to  %-inch  in  diameter  at  bottom. 


DRILLING  OUTFITS  89 

For  7,500  feet. 

1   11-16-inch  X  8,000  foot  Steel    Wire  Sand  Line. 

1  2% -inch   X   7-foot   Ball   Bearing:   Temper   Screw   with   Extra   Heavy 

Manila  Clamps  and  £xtra  Heavy  Wire  Line  Clamps. 
1  New  £ra  Rope  Socket,  3^x4^  Box. 
1  New  Era  Rope  Socket,  3x4  Box. 
1  Prosser  Wire  Line  Rope  Socket,   3^^    x  4^^    Box. 
1  Prosser  Wire  Line  Rope  Socket,  3x4  Box. 

Note:  The  collars  on  all  tools  for  the  6% -inch  hole  with  3x4  Joints 
should  be  turned  to  5%  inches  diameter.  Bits  for  30-pound  casing: 
should  be  6^ -inch. 

1  Set  8-inch  diameter  Drillingr  Jars  with  5-inch  stroke,  4x5  Joints. 
1  Set   6% -inch   diameter   Drillingr  Jars   with   5-inch  stroke,   3^    x  4% 
Joints. 

1  Set  51^ -inch  diameter  Drillingr  Jars  with  5-inch  stroke,  3x4  Joints. 
1   6-inch  X  32-foot  Stem,  3Vi  x  4^  Pin,  4x5  Box. 
1   5-inch  X  34-foot  Stem,  3^x4^  Joints. 
1  4% -inch  X  38-foot  Stem,  3x4  Joints. 
1  Set  18-inch  2,000-pound  All  Steel  Bits,  4x5  Pins. 
1  Set  15^ -inch  1,500-pound  All  Steel  Bits,  4x5  Pins. 
1  Set  12^ -inch  1,150-pound  All  Steel  Bits,  4x5  Pins. 
1  Set  10-inch  800-pound  All  Steel  Bits,  3^x4^  Pins. 
1  Set  8^ -inch  600-pound  All  Steel  Bits,  3^  x  4Vi  Pins. 
1  Set  6% -inch  450-pound  All  Steel  Bits,  2%  x3%  or  3x4  Pins. 
1  Each  18,  15^.  12  V^.  10,  8%  and  6% -inch  Tool  Gaugres. 
1  11-inch  X  19-foot  Bailer. 
1  9-inch  X  19-foot  Bailer. 
1  7-inch  X  25-foot  Bailer. 
1  5-inch  X  40-foot  Sectional  Bailer. 
1  7-inch  Larkin  or  Model  Sand  Pump. 
1  Set  550-Pound  Tool  Wrenches,  5^ -inch  square. 
1  Set  450-Pound  Tool  Wrenches,  5-inch  square. 
1  Set  350-Pound  Tool  Wrenches,  4% -inch  square. 
1  No.  4  Extra  Heavy  Barrett  Jack  with  Rack. 
1  Ball  Bearing:  Derrick  Crane  with  4  x  5-inch  T  Iron  Arm. 
1  2-Ton  Moore  Chain  Hoist. 

1  No.  3  Barrett  Swivel  Wrench  with  4%,  5  and  5% -inch  Plates. 
1  Spudding:  Shoe. 
1  Bit  Ram. 

1  20-inch   O.    D.    Drive    Head. 

1  Set  California  Pattern  Drive  Clamps  made  of  7  x  7  x  24-inch  Iron 
with    Wrench. 

6  Derrick   Lamps. 

1  Steam   Turbine   Electric  Generator  with  Wiring:  and  Lamps. 

1  Teleg:raph  Wheel  and  Line. 

1  Set  15% -inch  Wilson  Extra  Heavy  Elevators  with  2% -inch  Links. 

1  Set   12^ -inch  Wilson   Extra   Heavy  Elevators   with   2Vi-inch  Links. 

1  Set    10-inch    Wilson    Extra    Heavy    Spring:    Latch    Elevators    with 

2% -inch  Links. 
1  Set    8  H -inch    Wilson    Extra    Heavy    Spring:    Latch    Elevators    with 

2% -inch  Links. 
1  Set    6% -inch    Wilson    Extra    Heavy    Spring:    Latch    Elevators    with 

2Vi-inch  Links. 
1   40-inch   Quadruple   Bronze   Bushed   Steel   Casing:  Block. 
1   8% -inch  Extra  Heavy  Casing:  Hook  or  Strapped  C  Hook. 
1  4^ -inch  Casing:  Hook. 

1  1%-inch  X  1,200-foot  Plou-gh  Steel  Wire  Casing:  Line. 
3  3-inch  x  135-foot  Manila  Bull  Ropes. 
1  Novo  Pumping:  Qutflt  with  4-H.  P.  Gas  Eng:ine. 
1  M    Dunn    Casing:    Tong:s   with   Bushing:s    for    16%,    12 1^    and    10-inch 

Casing:. 

1  C.    X.    Dunn    Casing*    Tong:s    with    Bushing:s    for    8^    and    6% -inch 
Casing:. 

1  Oak  Casing-  Pole. 
12  1%-inch  Wire   Rope  Clips. 
6  11/16-inch  Wire  Rope  Clips. 
1  7,500  foot  Measuring  Line  with  Reel. 


90 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


For  7,500  feet. 

1  Tool  Substitute,  8H  x  4H  Pin,  4x6  Box. 

1  Tool  Substitute,  4x6  Pin,  8H  x  4H  Box. 

1  Tool  Substitute,  3x4  Pin,  3%  x  4H  Box. 

1  Tool  Substitute,  3%  x  4%  Pin,  8x4  Box. 

1  Spider  and  Slips  for  16%,  12%,  10,  8%  and  8%-inch  CasingT. 
Note:    See  Pagres  90-91  for  list  of  g^eneral  supplies  necessary  with  all 
outfits. 

Note:  In  puttlnff  in  the  long:  strings  of  casing:  used  in  7,600-foot 
well,  the  hole  should  be  filled  with  water  and  a  disc  inserted  in  the 
casing:  to  fioat  it  down  and  relieve  the  strain  on  the  derrick,  casing: 
blocks,  etc. 

Outfit  for  drilling  7,500  feet  where  under-reaming  is  necessary : 
No  well,  to  the  writer's  knowledge,  has  ever  been  under-reamed 
to  a  depth  of  7,500  feet,  and  the  operation  would  be  exceedingly 
difficult.  For  this  purpose  calf  wheels,  under  reamers,  etc.,  would 
have  to  be  added  to  the  above  outfit  and  it  might  be  necessary  to 
use  a  80-  to  100-horsepower  boiler  and  60-  to  75-horsepower 
engine  to  handle  the  casing,  etc. 

Note:  No  estimate  of  cost  is  furnished  for  this  outfit,  for  the  reason 
that  much  of  the  equipment  would  have  to  be  specially  made. 


Small  Tools  and  Supplies  Needed  With  All  Outfits 


1 

6 
1 
1 
1 
1 


Steel  Tool  Box  with  Padlock. 

Hay  Fork  Pulleys. 

Never  Slip  Pipe  Grip. 

Anvil. 

Star  Blower  for  Forg:e. 

Emery      Wheel      to      run     on 
Blower. 
2  14-Pound    Sledg:es    with    Han- 
dles. 
2  B.'P.  Hammers. 
2  derrick  Hatchets. 

2  Blacksmith  Tong:s. 
15-inch  Combination  Wrench. 
18 -inch    Trimo   Wrench. 
Chain  Ton8:s,  %-  to  2^ -inch. 
Chain  Ton8:s,  1-  to  6-inch. 
2-inch  Crumble  Tong:s. 
2% -inch   Crumble   Tong:s. 
Cold  Chisel. 
Splitting:  Chisel. 
Steel   Punch. 
Hardie. 
Flatter. 

Casing:  Splitter. 
Flue   Cleaner. 

3 -inch   Boiler   Tube   Expander. 
14-inch  Flat  File. 
12-inch  yk  Round  File. 
6-inch   Slim   Taper  Files. 
Ax  with  Handle. 
Pick   with   Handle. 
Mattock  with  Handle. 
Brace. 

3  Aug:ers,  1-  to  2-inch. 

3  Aug:er  Bits,  %-  to  %-inch. 
1  1-inch  Ship  Aug:er. 
1  Aug:er  Handle. 
1  Expansive  Bit. 
1  Belt  Punch. 


1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 


1  Screw  Driver. 

1  Saw. 

1  No.  3  Steel  Square. 

1  12-inch  Draw  Knife. 

1  Shovel. 

1  Coal   Scoop. 

1  14-inch  Ditching:  Spade. 

2  2  X  12-inch  Jack  Screws. 
1  Crow  Bar. 

1  50  foot  Metallic  Tape. 

1  No.    2    Combination   Vise. 

1  Ratchet     Stock     and    Dies     to 

Thread,  1  to  2-inch  Pipe. 
1  Malleable    Stock    and    Dies    to 

Thread  %  to  1-inch  Pipe. 
1  Pipe  Cutter. 
1  1-lnch  Pipe  Tap. 
1  2- inch  Pipe  Tap. 
1  Hack   Saw  Frame. 
12  Hack  Saw  Blades. 
1  6-inch    Long:    Handle    Melting: 

Ladle. 

1  No.  14  Steel  Oiler. 
1  Railroad   Oiler,   Long:  Spout. 
1  Derrick  Pail. 
1  Wire  Thread  B^ush. 
1  Pair  Combination  Pliers. 
10  Pounds     No.    9    Smoke    Stack 
Guy  Wire. 

6  Pounds  Rivet  Iron. 
1  Pound  Bailer  Rivets. 

1  Pound   Emery. 
50  Pounds  Babbitt. 

10  Pounds  Tool   Steel. 

2  Pounds  Hand  Hole  Gaskets. 
1  Pound  Graphite. 
6  Pounds      Asbestos 

Packing:. 


Millboard 


DRILLING  OUTFITS 


91 


Smmll  Tools  and  Supplies  Needed  WitH  All  Outfits— Concluded. 


2  Pounds    Square    Piston    Pack- 
ing:. 

2  Pounds  Hemp  or  Flax  Packinif. 
6  Pounds      H-inch      Red     Sheet 
Packing. 

6  Pounds  1/lS-inch  C.  B.  S.  Sheet 
Packing. 

5  Gallons  Cylinder  Oil. 

6  Oallons  Engine  Oil. 
1  Gallon  Lard  Oil. 

1  Pail  Tallow. 

5  Pounds  Cup  Grease. 

10  Pounds  Jack  Post  Grease. 
1  Pound  White  Lead. 

6  Pounds  Waste. 

26  Feet   1-inch   Hose   with  Coup- 
lings and  Nozzle. 
If    derrick    lamps    are    used 
add: 


1  Barrel   Torch  Oil, 
1  Pound  Lamp  Wick. 
300  Feet  1-inch   Pipe. 
200  Feet  2-inch  Pipe. 
6  1-inch  Tees. 
6  2-inch  Tees. 
S  1-inch   Ells. 

5  2-inch  Ells. 

6  1-inch  Pluffs. 
S  2-inch  PlufiTS. 

12  1-inch  Assorted  Nipples. 
12  2-inch  Assorted  Nipples. 

3  1-inch  Lip  Unions. 

8  2-inch  Flansre  Unions. 

3  2  X   1-inch  Bushiners. 

Six   ^-inch  Bushinffs. 

3  1-inch  Brass  Globe  Valves. 

2  2- inch  Brass  Globe  Valves. 

'i  1-inch  Brass  Check  Valve. 

2  2-inch   Iron   Cocks. 


TYPICAL   COMPLETE   DRILLING   OUTFIT  WITH   EXTRA 
PARTS,  FISHING  TOOLS,  ETC.,  FOR  USE  IN  FOREIGN 

.      FIELDS 

1  Set    6- inch    Ideal    Chain    Driven    Rig:   and    Calf    Irons,    with    Wood 
Work,  Nails,  Bolts,  Sand  Reel,  etc.,  as  specified  on  pagres  62-63. 

1  40   H.    P.   Oil   Country   Type   Boiler   for   not   less   than    100   pounds 
pressure,  complete. 

1  Boiler  Mounting:  with  8-inch  Tires. 

1  12  X  12  Steam  Engrine  complete. 

1  2% -inch  X  2,000-foot  Hawser  Laid  Manila  Drilling:  Cable. 

1  2% -inch  X  1,000-foot  Hawser  Laid  Manila  Drilling:  Cable. 

1   %-inch  X  3,600-foot  extra  strong:,  6  x  19  Wire  Drilling:  Cable. 

1  9/16-inch  x  3,800-foot  Wire  Sand  Line. 

1   1-inch  X  1,100-foot  Wire  Casing:  Line. 
200  Feet  1%-inch  Plain  Laid  Rope. 
200  Feet  1-inch  Plain  Laid  Rope. 
200  Feet  %-inch  Plain  Laid  Rope. 

1  12-inch  X  6-ply  x  100-foot  Rubber  Belt  or 

1  12-inch  X  6-ply  x  100-foot  Canvas  Belt. 

6  Sets  12-inch  Extra  Heavy  Belt  Clamps  and  24  Extra  Bolts. 

1  Belt  Tig:htener. 

6  Each  %-inch,  %-inch  and  1-inch  Wire  Rope  Clips. 

2  2H-inch  x  95-foot  Bull  Ropes. 

14Hx2%x4    Duplex    Boiler    Feed    Pump    complete    with    Brass 

Plung:er. 
1  Myers'  Low  Down  Pump. 
1  Moon   Turbine   Generator   with   650   feet   of  Weatherproof  Wire,   15 

Lamp   Sockets,    10-25   Watt  Lamps,    4-40   Watt  Lamps,   4-60  Watt 

Lamps  and  with  Double  Pole  Switch  with  Fuses,   35   Knobs  and 

Tapes. 
1  6 H -inch  X  36-foot  Drilling:  Stem,  4  x  6  Box,  3^x4%  Pin. 
1  6  -inch  X  40-foot  Drilling:  Stem,  3^x4%  Box,  2%  x  3%  Pin. 
1  4%-inch  X  40-foot  Drilling:  Stem,  2%  x  3%  Box,  2%  x  3%  Pin. 
1  4^-inch  X  27-foot  Drilling:  Stem,  2%  x  3%  Box,  2%  x  3%  Pin. 
1  3 H -inch  X  40-foot  Drilling:  Stem,  2^  x  3%  Box,  2%  x  3^   Pin. 

1  3 H -inch  X  26-foot  Driling:  Stem.   2^  x  3%    Box,   2^,  x  Z^,    Pin. 

3  Sets  6 H -inch,  6-inch  stroke.  Drilling:  Jars,  3^  x  4%  Box  and  Pin. 
3  Sets  5^ -inch,  6-inch  stroke.  Drilling:  Jars,  2%  x  3^  Box  and  Pin. 
3  Sets  4^ -inch,  6-lnch  stroke.  Drilling:  Jars,  2^  x  3^   Box  and  Pin. 

2  New  Era  Rope  Sockets  for  2% -inch  Rope,  3%  x  4%  Box. 
2  New  Era  Rope  Sockets  for  2% -inch  Rope,  2%  x  Z%  Box. 
2  New  Era  Rope  Sockets  for  2% -inch  Rope,  2^  x  8^  Box. 

2  Babcock  Rope  Sockets  for   %-inch  Wire  Rope,   3^  x  4^   Box. 
2  Babcock  Rope   Sockets   for   %-inch  Wire   Rope,   2%  x  Z%   Box. 
2  Babcock   Rope  Sockets  for   %-inch  Wire  Rope,   2^  x  3^    Box. 
1  Pressor  Swivel  Rope  Socket  for  %-inch  Wire  Rope,  2%  x  3%    Box. 
1  Set  of  6  3/16-inch  250  Pound  All  Steel  Bits,  2^  x  3%  Pins. 


92  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

1  Set  of  6  %     -inch  400.Pouna  All  Steel  Bits,  2%  x  3%   Pins. 
1  Set  of  8   %     -inch  550  Pouiid  All  Steel  Bits,  3^x4%   Pins. 
1  Set  of  10         -inch  750  Pound 'All  Steel  Bits,  3*4  x  4%   Pins. 
1  Set  12 Vi -inch  1,050  Pound  All  Steel  Bits,  4x5  Pins. 
1  Set  15^ -inch  1,400  Pound  All  Steel  Bits,  4x5  Pins. 

1  Set  18     -inch  1,700  Pound  All  Steel  Bits,  4x5  Pins. 

2  4  X  5  Boxes  to  weld. 
2  3%  X  4^  Boxes  to  weld. 
2  2%  X  3%  Boxes  to  weld. 
2  2^  X  3^  Boxes  to  weld. 
2  3^   X  4%   Pins  to  weld. 

2  2%   X  3%   Pins  to  weld. 

2  2%   X  3%.  Pins  to  weld. 

1  Sub,  4       X  5       Box,  3%   X  4%   Pin. 
1  Sub,  3%   X  4%   Box,  4     '  x  5       Pin. 
1  Sub,  3^   X  4%   Box,  2%   x  3%   Pin. 
1  Sub,   2%   X  3%   Box,  3^   x  4^   Pin. 
1  Sub,  3%   X  4%   Box,  2%   x  3%   Pin. 
1  Sub,  2%   X  3%   Box.  Shi  x  4%   Pin. 
1  Sub.  2%   X  3%   Box,  2^   X  3%   Pin. 
1  Sub,  2%  X  3^   Box,  2%   x  Z%   Pin. 
•  1  Sub,  from  8^""  D.  B.  X.  Casing:  to  2%  x  3%  Tool  Box. 
1  Sub.  from  6%"  D.  B.  X.  Casing  to  2%  x  3%  Tool  Box. 
1  Sub,  from  5  3/16''  Boston  Casing:  to  2%  x  3%  Tool  Box. 
14"       X  25-foot  Wrougrht  Iron   Bailer  with  Forged  Steel  Valve. 
1  4%"  X  25-foot  Wrought  Iron  Bailer  with  Forged  Steel  Valve. 
1  5^^"  X  25-foot  Wrought  Iron   Bailer  wfth  Forged  Steel  Valve. 
17"       X  25-foot   Wrought   Iron    Bailer   with    Forged   Steel   Valve. 
19"       X  20-foot  Wrought  Iron  Bailer  with   Forged  Steel  Valve. 
1  11"     X  20-foot  Wrought  Iron  Bailer  with  Forged   Steel  Valve. 
1  14"     X  20-foot  Wrought  Iron   Bailer  with   Forged   Steel  Valve. 
1  Bailer  Dump  for  2-inch  Pipe. 
1  2^ -inch  X  6-foot     Improved     Ball     Bearing     Temper     Screw     with 

Inserted  Boxes  and  with  Manila  Clamps  for  2% -inch  Rope 
1  Set  of  Heavy  Mechling  Wire  Rope  Clamps  with  extra  set  of  slips. 
1  Set  450  Pound  Tool  Wrenches,  5^ -inch  Square. 

1  Set  3^0  Pound  Tool  Wrenches,  4Vi-inch  Square  and  Liner  to  4-inch. 
1  Set  250  Pound  Tool  Wrenches;  3  V^ -inch  Square. 
1  6-inch  Larkin   Sand  Pump. 

1  16 Vi -inch  Double  or  Wilson  Under  Reamer,  3%  x  4^  Pin. 
1  12 V& -inch  Double  or  Wilson  Under  Reamer,  3%  x  4^  Pin. 
1  10  -inch  Double  or  Wilson  Under  Reamer,  3^x4%  Pin. 
1  8% -inch  Double  or  Wilson  Under  Reamer,  2%  x  3%  Pin. 
1  6% -inch  Double  or  Wilson  Under  Reamer,  2%  x  3%  Pin. 
1  5  3/16-inch  Double  or  Wilson  Under  Reamer,  2^x3%  Pin. 
1  Style  D  Anvil  to  dress  6,  8  and  10-inch  Bits. 

1  Style  D  Anvil  to  dress  12^   and  15 1^ -inch  Bits. 

3  Extra  Sets  Cutters  for  each  size  Under  Reamer. 

2  Extra  No.  17  Bolts  for  each  size  Under  Reamer   , 

1  Ball  Bearing  Derrick  Crane  complete  with  2 -ton  Hoist  and  Barrett 
Swivel  Wrench  with  5% -inch  Square  and  5-inch  Plate  including 
Bit,  Pulley  and  Chain. 

1  No.  2  Barrett  Tool  Jack  with  Rack. 

1  15^-inch  Spider  with  Liner  and  Wedges  for  15V&,  12^,  10,  8%;  6% 
and  5   3/16-inch  Casing. 

1  6-inch   Extra   Heavy  California  Casing  Hook. 

1  4^ -inch  Extra  Heavy  California  Casing  Hook. 

1  36-inch  Quadruple  Bronze  Bushed  Steel  Casing  Block. 

1  Each   10-inch.   8-inch  and   7-inch  Hartz  Steel   Snatch  Blocks. 

1  Set   15% -inch  Wilson  or  Dunn  Elevators  with   2% -inch  Links. 

1  Set  12% -inch  Wilson  or  Dunn  Elevators  with  2% -inch  Links. 

1  Set  10     -inch  Wilson   or  Dunn  Elevators  with  2     -inch  Links. 

1  Set     8% -inch  Wilson  or  Dunn  Elevators  with  2     -inch  Links. 

1  Set     6% -inch  Wilson  or  Dunn   Elevators  with  2     -inch  Links. 

1  Set  5  3/16-inch  Wilson  or  Dunn  Elevators  with  2     -inch  Links. 

1  Each  15%,  12%.  10,  8%,  6%  and  5  3/16-inch  Tool  Gauges. 

1  Spudding  Shoe  Complete  for  Manila  Rope. 

1  Set  Box  and  Pin  Gauges,  2%  x  3%,  2%   x  3%.  3%  x  4%,  and  4x6. 

1  Set  15% -inch  Casing  Clamps  with   10-inch  Ears. 

1  Set  12% -inch  Casing  Clamps. 


DRILLING  OUTFITS  93 

1  Set  10     -inch  Casing:  Clamps.  ■«■ 

1  Set     8^ -inch  Casing:  Clamps. 

1  Set     6% -inch  Casing:  Clamps.  . 

1  Set  5  3/16-inch  Casing:  Clamps.  'j 

1  No.  4  Star  Blower.  ** 

1  Guiberson-Mills  Handle  and  Jaws  for  15 1^ -inch,   12^ -inch,  10-inch, 
8% -inch,  6% -inch  and  5  3/16-inch  Casing:. 

1  3,500-foot    Aluminum    Measuring:    Line    Complete    with    Clamps    and 
Reel. 

1  300  Pound  Bit  Ram. 

2  No.  2,  22  X  20  X  66,  Steel  Tool  Boxes. 

1  Set    6  x  6  X  24-inch    California   Pattern    Drive   Clamps   with    5-inch 
Square  and  3x7  Bolts. 

1  Forg:ed  Steel  Drive  Clamp  Wrench  for  3-inch  Bolts. 

2  3  X  17-inch  Drive  Clamp  Bolts,  California  Pattern. 

1  Steel  Drive  Shoe  for  20-inch  O.  D.  Drive  Pipe. 

2  Steel  Drive  Shoes  for   15 1^ -inch  I.   D.  Casing:. 
2  Steel   Drive  Shoes   for  12^ -inch   I.   D.   Casing:. 
2  Steel   Drive  Shoes   for   10     -inch   I.    D.    Casing:.' 
2  Steel   Drive  Shoes   for     8% -inch   I.    D.   Casing:. 
2  Steel   Drive  Shoes   for     6% -inch    I   D.    Casing:. 
2  Steel  Drive  Shoes  for  5  3/16-inch  I.   D.  Casing:. 

1  Each   20-inch  O.   D.,   15^ -inch,   12 1^ -inch   and   10-inch  Hollow   Steel 
Drive  Heads. 

1  Butler  Portable  Steam  Hammer  with  Anvil. 
1  50  Bbl.  Galv.  Storag:e  Tank. 
1  56  Bbl.  Galv.  Storag:e  Tank. 
1   60  Bbl.  Galv.  Storag:e  Tank. 

(The  above  tanks  to  be  nested  for  convenient  shipment.) 

1  3-inch  Boiler  Tube  Expander. 

1     2-inch  Pipe  Tap. 

1     1-inch  Pipe  Tap. 

1  -%-inch  Pipe  Tap. 

1   %-inch  Pipe  Tap. 

1   %-inch  Pipe  Tap. 

1   %-inch  Pipe  Tap. 

1  3-inch  Freeman's  Flue  Cleaner. 

1  50-foot  Lufkin  Metallic  Tape  Measure. 

400  Feet    %-inch   Wire   Rope   for  Derrick   Stays 
10  Pounds  No.  9  Smoke  Stack  Guy  Wire. 

1  Emery  Wheel  for  Star  Blower. 

2  Never  Slip  Pipe  Grips. 

1  No.  14  Vulcan  Chain  Tong:s. 

1  No.  15  Vulcan  Chain  Tong:s. 

1  2-inch  United  Pattern  Steel  Lined  Klein  Tong:s  with  24  Extra  Bits. 

1  2% -inch  United  Pattern  Steel  Lined  Klein  Tong:s  with  24  Extra  Bits. 

1  2     -inch  Crumble  Tong:s. 

1  2% -inch  Crumble  Tong:s. 

1  Set  Casing:  Wag:ons. 

2  100-Ton  Double  Piston  Outside  Pump  Hydraulic  Jacks. 
1  No.  3  Combination  Vise! 

1  No.    2   Armstrong:  Malleable  Pipe  Vise. 

1  Ratchet  Stock  and  Dies  to  thread  1  to  2-inch  pipe. 

1  No.    1    Malleable   Stock   and   Die. 

1  No.  7  Little  Giant  Screw  Plate. 

1  No.  1  Barnes  3-Wheel  Pipe  Cutter. 

1  No.  2  Barnes  3 -Wheel  Pipe  Cutter. 

6  Extra  Wheels  for  No.  1  and  No.  2  Barnes  Pipe  Cutters. 

8  2-inc^  18  H -pound  B.  W.  Iron  Cocks. 

1  C  Penberthy  Injector. 

1  1-inch  Jarecki  Jet. 

12  2-inch  Malleable  Tees. 

24  1-inch  Malleable  Tees. 

12  %-inch  Malleable  Tees. 

12  2-inch  Malleable  Ells. 

24  1-inch  Malleable  Ells. 

12  V^-inch  Malleable  Ells. 


94  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

24  2  -inch  C.  I.  Pluffs. 

24  1  -inch  C.  I.  Pluffs. 

12  H-inch  C.  I.  Pluffs. 

18  1-inch  Jenkins  Globe  Valves  with  24  Extra  Discs. 

24  1-inch  Malleable  Lip  Unions. 

12  2  X  1-inch  Cast  Iron  Bushingrs. 

12  1  X  ^-inch  Cast  Iron  Bushings. 

12  2-inch  4-Bolt  O.  C.  Flangre  Unions. 

6  H-inch  Std.  Brass  Olobe  Valves. 
24  2-inch  Assorted  Nipples. 
86  1-inch  Assorted  Nipples. 
12  %-inch  Assorted  Nipples. 

1  16H  X  12% -inch  Swagred  Nipple. 

1  16^  X  10     -inch  Swaffed  Nipple. 

1  10       X     8  H -inch  Swagred  Nipple. 

1     8%  X     6% -inch  Swagred  Nipple. 

1     6%  X  6  3/16-inch  Swagred  Nipple. 

1     6%  X     2     -inch  Swagred  Nipple 

1  Largre  size  I.  &  H.  Anvil. 

1  8-Pound  B.  P.   Hammer. 

1  14-Pound  C.  P.  Sledgre  with  Handle. 

1  14-Pound  S  P.  Sledgre  with  Handle. 

1  12-Pound  S.  P  Sledgre  with  Handle. 

6  8-Pound  Splitting:  Chisels. 

6  1% -Pound   Cold   Chisels. 

1  Casingr  Splitter. 

1   %-inch  Calking:  Chisel. 

1  B.  S.  Hardie. 

1  3 -inch  B  S.  Flatter. 

1  6% -Pound  B.  S.  Set  Hammer. 

1   %-inch  Top  Fuller,  3% -Pound. 

1   %-inch  Bottom  Fuller,  4-Pound. 

1   %-inch  Top  Swaffe,  8  Vi -Pound. 

1   H-inch  Bottom  Swagre,  4-Pound. 

1  Diamond  Point  Chisel,  1^ -Pound. 

1  Hot  Chisel  with  largre  hole  for  handle,  6-Pound. 

1  Cold  Chisel,  Splittinsr,  with  largre  hole  for  handle,  5-Pound. 

2  1^ -Pound  Steel  Hand  Punches. 
2  26-Pound  Crow  Bars. 

2  Pairs  Blacksmiths'   Tongrs,   27-inch,   Straigrht  Lip. 

1  Dozen  Oil  Kingr  Hatchets  for  Rigr  Builders. 

1  6% -inch  X  9/16-inch  Sand  Line  Cap. 

1  8% -inch  X  9/16-inch  Sand  Line  Cap. 

1  12H  X  10-inch  Stufflngr  Box  Casing:  Head. 

1  10       X  8^ -inch  Stuffing:  Box  Casing:  Head. 

1     8%   X  6% -inch  Stuffing:  Box  Casing:  Head. 

1     6%  X  6  3/16-inch  Stuffing:  Box  Casing:  Head. 

1  6% -inch  4-way  Common  Casing: -Head. 

1  12-inch  Combination  Wrench. 

1  15-inch  Combination  Wrench. 

1  24-inch  Stillson  Wrench. 

T  14-inch  Trimo  Wrench. 

1  6%   X  2% -inch  Barrel  Oil   Saver.  , 

1  Drilling:  Oil  Saver  for  %-inch  Wire  Rope. 

2  Peavies. 

2  2-inch  X  20-inch  Common  Jack  Screws. 

2  IV^-inch  X  12-inch   Common   Jack   Screws. 

2  Square  Point  D  Handle  Shovels. 

2  Round  Point  Long:  Handle  Shovels. 

2  6-Pound  Railroad  Picks. 

2  6-Pound  Mattocks. 

6  Pick  and  Mattock  Handles   (8   of  each). 

1  No.  3  Steel  Square. 

1  No.  106  Fray  Ratchet  Brace. 

1   %-inch  X  86-inch  Irwins'  Solid  Center  Ship  Aug:er. 

1  1     -inch  X  36-inch  Irwin's  Solid  Center  Ship  Aug:er. 

1  1%-inch  X  86-inch  Irwin's  Solid  Center  Ship  Atigrer. 

1  1^-inch  X  86-inch  Irwin's  Solid  Center  Ship  Aug:er. 

2  26-inch  No.  7  Hand  Saws. 


DRILLING  OUTFITS  95 


2  26-inch  No.  8  Diston  Rip  Saws. 

1  14-inch  Compass  Saw. 

1  6-foot  6-inch  Cross  Cut  Saw  with  Handle. 

1  No.  9  Adjustable  Hack  Saw  Frame. 
12  12-inch  Hack  Saw  Blades. 

1  No.  1  Morrill  Hand  Saw  Set. 

1  No.  4  Morrill  Cross  Cut  Saw  Set. 

1  12-inch  Common  Draw  Knife. 

1  No.  9  Carpenters'  Level. 

1  Screw  Driver. 

1  No.  6  Iron  Jack  Plane. 

1  10-inch  Combination   Pliei;yi. 

1  N9.  14  Copperized  Oiler. 

1  No.  18  Copperized  Oiler. 

8  No.  3  Steel  Bottom  Oilers. 
12  Pairs  of  Heavy  Strap  Hingres,  12-inch. 

1  Set  8 -inch  Outside  and  Inside  Calipers. 
12  12-inch  Hingre  Hasps  and  Staples. 

4  1-inch  Extra  Heavy  Turnbuckles. 

6  Pounds  Rivet  Iron. 

1  Pound  Bailer  Rivets. 

4  Bars  %-inch  Round  Iron. 

4  Bars  4i-inch  Round  Iron. 

4  Bars   %-inch  Round  Iron. 

4  Bars  1  -inch  Round  Iron. 

10  Feet  1-inch  Hexagron  Tool  Steel. 
25  Qallons  Cylinder  Oil. 
25  Gallons  Engrine  Oil. 
6  Gallons  Lard  Oil. 

5  Pounds  Cup  Grease. 

10  Pounds  Jack  Post  Grease. 

6  Pounds  Waste. 
1  Pail  Tallow. 

1  Pound  White  Lead. 

5  Pounds  Hand  Hole  Gaskets. 

5  Pounds  %-inch  Asbestos  Piston  Packing:. 
10  Pounds  %-inch  C.  B.  S.  Packing:. 

10  Pounds  l/16^inch  C.  B.  S.  Packing:. 
10  Pounds  %-inch  Red  Eye  Packing:. 
10  Pounds    1/16-inch   Red    Eye   Packingi. 
10  Pounds   40  X  40  X  3/32  Asbestos  Mill  Board. 
20  Feet  1-inch  4-ply  Steam  Hose. 
40  Feet  1-inch  3-ply  Water  Hose. 
100  Pounds  No.  4  Babbitt. 

1  6-inch  Long:  Handle  Melting:  Ladle. 

1  1  Pound  Box  Dry  Graphite. 

6  12-inch  Half-Round  Bastard  Files. 
6  10-inch  Flat  Bastard  Files. 

2  12-inch  Square  Bastard  Files. 

2  10-inch  Round  Bastard  Files. 
6  6-inch   Slim   Taper  Files. 

.   6  6-inch  Slim  Taper  Files. 

1  Wire  Thread  Brush. 

1  Clark's  Larg:e  Expansive  Bit  with   2  Cuttera 

8  No.  8  O.  K.  Lease  Hatchets. 

6  No.  3  O.  K.  Lease  Hatchet  Handles,  18 -inch. 

1  Double  Bit  Axe  with  Handle. 

1  Sing:le  Bit  Axe  with  Handle. 
12  Sledg:e  Handles. 

1  Swan  Aug:er  Handle. 
24  6-inch  Hartz  Steel  Hay  Fork  Pulleys. 

8  No.  1  Grooved  Derrick  Wheels. 

3  150-foot  Wire  Teleg:raph  Cords. 
1  No.  14  Belt  Punch. 

1  No.  6  Scorcher  Derrick  Stove. 

1  24-inch  Grindstone  mounted  on  Frame. 

1  No.  6  Steel  Wheelbarrow. 

1  No.  1  Adze  Eye  Nail  Hammer. 

1  No.  3  Boiler  Ratchet. 


96 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


Fishing  Tools. 


3% -Inch. 
3% -inch. 
3% -inch. 
3% -inch. 


2%   X  3^ -inch. 
2%   X  3% -inch. 


6^ -inch    Dia.    Jars, 


1     5  3/16-inch  Fluted  Swagre,  2^  x 

1     6%       -inch  Fluted  Swagre,  2%   x 

1     8%'     -inch  Fluted  Swagre,  2%   x 

1  10  -inch  Fluted  Swa^e,  2%    x 

1  Set  41^ -inch  x  36-inch   stroke   Fishing:   Jars, 

1  Set   5^ -inch  x  36-inch   stroke   Fishing:  Jars, 

1  6  3/16-inch   Friction   Socket,   2%  x  3% -inch. 

1  6% -inch  Friction  Socket,  2%   x  3% -inch. 

1  8% -inch  Friction   Socket,   2%   x  3% -inch. 

1  Side    Jar    Socket    to    run    in    6% -inch    to    catch 

2%    X  3%   Pin. 
1  Three  Prong  Rope  Grab  for  5  3/16-inch,  2%  x  3^ -inch. 
1  Three  Prong  Rope  Grab  for  6% -inch,  2%   x  3% -inch. 
1  Combination   Socket   for   8%<-inch  Hole   to   catch  2% -inch  New  Era 

Rope  Socket,  2%   x  3% -inch. 
1  Combination    Socket    to    run    in    6% -inch    hole,    with    side    opening: 

and  2  sets  of  Slips,  2%   x  3% -inch. 
1  Combination   Socket  to   run   in   5   3/16-inch  hole,  with  side   opening 

and   2   sets   of   Slips,   2^  x  3% -inch. 

1  Slip  Socket  for  15 Vi -inch  hole  with  Bowl  for  18-inch  hole,  2%  x  3% 
Pin,  bore  of  Socket  to  be  large  enough  to  go  over  4x5  Box  on 
51^ -inch  Stem,  with  2  sets  of  Slips  to  catch  Box  on  Stem  or 
Collar  on  18-inch  or  15 Vi -inch  Bits. 

2  Slip  Sockets  for  10-inch  hole  with  Bowl  for  12^ -inch  hole.  2%  x  Z% 
Pin,  one  to  be  bored  to  go  over  5-inch  Box  and  the  other  to  be 
bored  6Vi-inch,  and  an  extra  Bowl  for  18-inch  hole  and  Slips  to 
catch  6%  and  5Vi-inch  Collar. 

Slip  Socket  for  8-inch  hole  with  Bowl  for  10-inch  hole,   2%   x  3%- 

inch,   bore   5% -inch,  with   2  sets  of  Slips. 
Long   Slip   Socket   for   8-inch   hole,   bore    5% -inch.   2%   x  3%,   to   go 

over  Jars  and  take  hold  of  Stem,  with  2  sets  of  Slips. 
12^ -inch  Fox  Trip   Casing  Spear,   2%   x  3% -inch. 
10     rinch  Fox  Trip  Casing  Spear,  2%   x  8% -inch. 

8^ -inch  Fox  Trip  Casing  Spear,  2%   x  3% -inch. 

6% -inch  Fox  Trip  Casing  Spear.  2%   x  3% -inch. 

5  3/16-inch  Fox  Trip  Casing  Spear,  2^   x  3%-inch. 
Spud  for  8-inch  hole.  7-foot,   2%   x  3% -inch. 
Spud  for  6% -inch  hole,  7-foot,  2%    x  3% -inch. 
Spud  for  5  3/16-inch  hole,  •7-foot,  2%   x  3%-inch. 
Jar  Tongue  Socket  for  6% -inch  hole,  2%   x  3% -inch. 
Jar  Tongue  Socket  for  5  3/16-inch  hole,  2%   x  3% -inch. 
Side  Jar  Socket  for  5  3/16-inch  hole  to  catch  4^ -inch  Jars,  2^x3^ 

Pin. 
Drive  Down  Socket  for  5  3/16-inch  hole,  2%   x  3%  Pin. 
Drive  Down  Socket  for  6% -inch  hole,  2%   x  3%   Pin. 
Drive  Down  Socket  for  8% -inch  Hole,  2%   x  3%   Pin. 
Bowl  for  12^ -inch  Casing. 
Bowl  for  10     -inch  Casing. 
Bowl  for     8% -inch  Casing. 
10-inch  M.  &  F.  Forged  Steel  Nipple. 

8% -Inch  M.  &  F.  Forged  Steel  Nipple. 
6% -inch  M.  &  F.  Forged  Steel  Nipple. 
5  3/16-inch  M.  &  F.  Forged  Steel  Nipple. 
Boot  Jack  for  6% -inch  hole,  2%   x  3%  Pin. 
Boot  Jack  for  5  3/16-Inch  hole,  2%   x  3%    Pin. 
Center  Rope  Spear  for  6%-inch  hole,  2%  x3%   Pin. 
Center  Rope  Spear  for  5  3/16-inch  hole,  2%x3^  Pin. 
8-inch  Bit  Hook,  10  ft.  long,  2%  x3%    Pin. 
Horse   Shoe   Trip    Rope   Knife   Complete   with   Jars   and   Sinker  for 

Manila  Rope. 
6%-inch  and  larger  Rope  Knife  for  Wire  Line. 
Jar  Bumper,  300  Pounds,  12  ft.  long. 
6%-inch  Hollow  Reamer  with  2%  x3%   Pin. 
8%-inch  Hollow  Reamer  with  2%x3%   Pin 

Estimated  cost  of  above  outfit,  including  rig  irons  and  general 
supplies,  $30,500.00. 


CHAPTER  III 

STANDARD,  OR  CABLE,  TOOL  SYSTEM  OF  DRILL- 
ING—RIGGING UP,  SPUDDING,  DRIVING  PIPE, 
DRILLING,  UNDER-REAMING,  BIT  DRESSING 

RIGGING  UP 

When  the  rig  is  ready  and  the  drilling  outfit  is  on  the  ground 
the  first  work  is  the  "rigging  up"  of  the  derrick  and  drilling 
outfit. 

The  boiler  is  first  set  up  about  50  to  100  feet  from  the  engine 


house  and  connected  with  the  water  supply.  The  stack  is  raised 
by  means  of  a  gin  pole  and  then  guyed  with  No.  9  wire  or  wire 
strand.  Drilling  boilers  (See  illustration)  are  usually  tested  at 
150  pounds  hydrostatic  pressure,  and  they  should  be  equipped  with 
extra  hand  hole  plates  for  convenience  in  cleaning.  In  California, 
a  tubular  boiler  with  dome,  mounted  in  a  frame  of  timbers  or  in 


98  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

brickwork,  and  with  cast  iroa  front  and  back,  is  extensively  used 
instead  of  the  fire  box  type  boiler  for  drilling. 

The  engine  is  mounted  on  the  engine  block  and  the  belt  pulley 
is  lined  up  with  the  band  wheel.  The  boiler  and  engine  connec- 
tions are  made;  steam  pipe  from  the  boiler  to  the  engine,  and 
feed  water  from  engine  pump  to  boiler.  Belt  is  next  placed 
around  belt  pulley  and  the  band  wheel  and  properly  damped. 
Some  drillers  first  clamp   the  belt,   then  place  it  around  the 


FlK-   28.     Drilling  Eaglni 

engine  pulley  and  start  the  edge  of  it  on  rim  of  band  wheel  and 
spike  it;  then  start  engine  and  run  belt  on  band  wheel,  tear- 
ing the  belt  over  head  of  spike  in  the  operation.  This  is  bad 
practice.  A  belt  tightener  should  be  used  to  draw  the  ends  of  belt 
tt^ther  for  clamping.  Engine  throttle  is  connected  by  means  of 
a  telegraph  wheel  on  headache  post  and  telegraph  line  to  throttle; 
and  engine  reverse  pipe  is  run  into  derrick  at  a  place  convenient  to 
the  driller's  reach. 

Several  extra  balances  should  be  part  of  the  equipment  of  a 
drilling  engine  to  help  balance  the  load  when  drilling  at  depth,  or  - 


RIGGING  UP  99 

handling  heavy  tools.    Note  the  type  of  lubricator  used,  capacity 
two  quarts. 

An  internal  combustion  drilling  engine  manufactured  by  Clark 
Bros.  Co.  is  now  being  introduced.  It  is  a  four-cylinder  reversible 
engine  of  the  automobile  type,  using  gas  or  gasoline,  and  mounted 
on  wheels.  This  engine  might  serve  for  use  in  localities  where 
water  is  not  available. 

Two  bull  ropes  are  passed  around  the  tug  pulley  on  band  wheel 
and  over  tug  side  of  bull  wheels.  One  end  of  sand  line  is  carried 
up  into  derrick  and  over  the  sand  sheave,  thence  down  to  the 
spooling  drum  on  sand  reel  and  spooled.  The  other  end  of  the 
sand  line  is  fastened  by  means  of  two  clips  to  the  bail  of  the 
bailer. 

In  stringing  a  Manila  cable,  it  is  best  to  select  the  end  of  the 
cable  with  the  nap  or  projecting  ifibres  pointing  toward  the  coil. 
This  end  is  carried  up  over  the  crown  pulley  and  down  under  the 
bull  wheel  shaft  and  made  fast.  Engine  is  started  and  the  cable 
spooled.  The  reason  the  nap  or  lay  of  the  cable  should  be  down- 
ward toward  the  rope  socket  is  that  the  cable  is  subjected  to 
greatest  wear  and  strain  when  on  the  up  stroke  in  drilling  and 
in  pulling  but,  and,  if  the  lay  of  the  rope  is  in  the  opposite  direc- 
tion, the  tendency  to  fray  and  wear  out  will  be  minimized. 

The  Barrett  jack  circle  (Fig.  55)  is  bolted  to  the  derrick  floor 
in  a  position  that  will  allow  the  tool  wrench  handles  to  engage 
with  the  jack  and  circle  post. 

A  forge  is  erected  at  one  side  of  the  derrick.  It  can  be  built 
of  brick  or  a  steel  portable  forge  may  be  used.  A  steam  blower 
should'be  used  to  furnish  the  forced  draft. 

The  derrick  crane  with  a  chain  hoist  and  a  swivel  wrench 
should  be  set  up  in  right  corner  of  derrick  nearest  walk,  to  handle 
bits  from  the  derrick  floor  to  the  forge  and  on  the  anvil. 

It  is  customary  to  swing  and  balance  the  tool  wrenches  by 
means  of  a  pole  fixed  across  one  of  the  upper  derrick  girts,  to 
each  end  of  which  is  fastened  a  rope,  one  attached  to  the  eye  or 
handle  in  the  wrench,  the  other  connected  to  a  counter  weight 
sufficient  to  balance  the  wrench. 


100 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

v.- 


Illustration  of  section 
of  the  end  of  a  walking 
beam  suspending  a  com- 
plete string  of  drilling 
tools,  consisting  of  the 
temper  screw  with 
clamps,  drilling  cable, 
rope  socket,  s'nker  bar,* 
jars,  auger  stem  and 
drilling  bit,  all  connected 
and  ready  for  drilling. 


Figr.  29.     (Oil  Well  Supply  Co.) 


RIGGING  UP  101 

The  temper  screw  (Fig.  44)  is  suspended  from  the 
walking  beam  and  the  temper  screw  elevator  is  con- 
nected with  small  size  rope  passed  over  hay  fork 
pulleys,  attached  to  walking  beam,  and  fastened  to 
counterweights,  so  that  when  screw  is  taken  up  while 
drilling  the  weigh'.s  will  balance  it. 

DIRECTIONS  FOE  CONNECTING  UP  THE  TOOLS 

Insert  the  end  of  the  cable  in  the  neck  of  rope  socket 
and  draw  it  down  through  the  hole  in  the  side.    Unlay 
the  three  strands  of  the  cable  for  a  dis'ance  of 
about  12  to  15  inches  from  hole  in  socket,  ac- 
cording to  size  of  cable  and  socket.    Ta'  e  a  piece 
of  cable  or  bull  rope  about  12  inches  long  and 
separate  it  into  yarns.    Insert  about  25  of  these 
yarns  between  two  of  the  strands  as  close  to  the 
socket   as   possible   and   wrap   the   two   s  rands 
just  below  the  yarns,  being  careful  that  the  yarns 
project  an  equal  distance  on  each  side.     Next 
■insert  the  same  number  of  yarns  between  ihc 
remaining  strand  and  the  two  just  wrapped  ami 
wrap   the  three   strands   together.     Repeat   this 
process  once  or  twice  or  until  the  ends  of  the 
yarns  last  inserted  come  out  even  with  the  end 
of    the   cable.     Then   twist   together    the   three 
strands  of  the  cable  and  wrap  them  securely  to 
the  end.     Smooth  out  the  inserted  yarns  around 
the  end  of  the  cable  and  pull  it  back  through  the    Fig.  31. 
socket  until  the  end  is  drawn  tightly  into  the     Rope 
"woodpecker"  hole.     This  makes  a  secure  fast- 
ening of  the  cable  in  the  socket  and  the  greater  the 
strain  on  the  cable,  the  lighter  it  will  hold  in  the  socket. 

Lay  the  stem  on  the  ground  back  of  the  bull  wheels 
with  a  piece  of  timber  under  the  pin  end.  Carry  the 
cable  and  rope  socket  out  over  the  bull  wheels  and 
pbove  the  second  girt.  Screw  the  rope  socket  to  the 
stem  and  tighten  the  joint  in  the  following  manner : 


102  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Place  one  of  the  tool  wrenches  on  the  wrench  square  of  the 
sockpt,  under  the  socket,  and  the  other  wrench  on  the  square  of 
the  stem,  over  the  stem.  Bring  the  ends  of  the  wrench  handles  as 
close  together  as  possible.  Pass  the  chain  of  a  chain  wrench 
around  the  two  handles  and  tighten  up  with  the  wrench.  This 
will  make  a  sufficiently  tight  joint  to  hold  until  it  can  he  set  up 
in  the  regular  way  with  the  tool  jack.  Hoist  the  stem  into  the 
derrick,  screw  the  pin  of  the  bit  into  the  box  on  the  stem  and 
tighten  the  joint  with  the  jack.  Be  careful  to  brush  and  clean 
all  grit,  grease  and  dirt  from  the  box  and  pin  threads  of  all  tools 
before  the  joints  are  screwed  together. 

COiMM£NCING  THE  W£LL— SPUDDING 

The  first  operation  in  the  drilling  of  a  well  is  spudding  a  hole 
through  the  surface  soil  to  the  first  or  bedrock  and,  where  the 
rock  lies  close  to  the  surface,  setting  a  length  of  wood  conductor; 
br  in  driving  pipe  to  the  rock  where  there  is  too  great  a  depth  of 
surface  soil  to  use  a  conductor.  This  conductor  or  drive  pipe 
should  be  of  a  suitable  size  to  permit  free  passage  of  the  first  or 
largest  size  casing.  In  shallow  wells  drive  pipe  in  8  inches 
diameter  may  be  used,  while  in  deeper  wells,  or  in  wells  requiring 
several  strings  of  casing,  drive  pipe  as  large  as  20  inches  to  24 
inches  should  be  used. 

As  it  is  impossible  to  drill  with  the  walking  beam  in  commenc- 
ing the  well,  owing  to  the  length  of  the  string  of  tools,  the  first 
drilling  is  done  by  spudding,  so  called.  A  jerk  line,  to  which  h 
attached  a  spudding  shoe,  is  connected  to  the  cable  just  above  \hc 
bull  wheel.  (See  Fig.  33.)  The  other  end  of  the  jerk  line  is 
made  fast  to  an  iron  spool  (furnished  with  spudding  shoe)  which 
revolves  on  the  band  wheel  crank  wrist  pin.  The  crank  imparts 
a  jerking  motion  to  the  cable  which  causes  the  tools  to  rise  and 
fall.  ,  ^ 


DIRECTIONS  FOR  APPLYING  NATIONAL  SPUDDING  SHOE 

The  jerk  line  and  bridle  line  should 
be  carefully  measured  as  indicated  in 
figure  No.  33. 

The  jerk  line  may  be  made  of  wire 
or  Manila  cable.  If  Manila  is  used, 
splice  an  eye  in  the  end  fastened  to 
spudding  shoe,  as  a  knot  adds  weight 
which  may  cause  tipping  of  the  shoe. 

If  wire  line  is  used,  wire  rope  clips  ^^_^^    National wi« Line 
may  be  used  to  make  the  loop  or  eye.  Spudding  shoe 

The  bridle  line  should  be  made  of  good  sand  line,  J^-inch  or 
larger  in  diameter. 

Make  the  jerk  line  according  to  length  indicated  in  Fig,  No.  33 
and  attach  it  to  wrist  pin  and  spudding  shoe. 

Slack  drilling  cable  and  hook  spudding  shoe  over  it. 

Make  loop  about  2  feet  long  on  one  end  of  the  bridle  line. 

Pass  this  loop  between  the  double  girts  above  the  bull  wheels 
and  put  a  short  block  of  wood  through  it.  This  block  should  rest 
about  2  feet  from  the  center  of  the  girts  on  the  tug  side  of  the 
derrick. 

Pass  bridle  line  back  of  and  under  bull  wheel  shaft  and  measure 
for  length  as  shown  at  C  and  D  in  Fig.  No.  33. 

Fasten  bridle  line  to  spudding  shoe  as  shown  at  (E)  in  Fig.  No. 
33  and  be  sure  to  bring  it  up  under  the  part  of  the  cable  which 
passes  from  bull  wheel  shaft  to  spudding  shoe  on  the  forge  side  of 
the  derrick.  This  is  necessary  in  order  that  when  shoe  is  un- 
hooked and  dropped  to  the  floor,  the  bridle  line  will  fall  clear  of 
the  cable. 

In  spudding  or  drilling  through  the  surface  soil,  or  in  soft 
formations,  the  tools  should  be  turned ;  otherwise  if  the  bit  is 
allowed  to  drill  without  turning  a  "flat  hole,"  as  the  drillers  say, 
may  result.  The  tools  are  turned  by  simply  twisting  the  cable 
several  turns  in  one  direction,  and  then  in  the  opposite  direction. 
If,  on  twisting  the  cable,  it  has  a  tendency  at  once  to  twist  back, 
it  is  an  indication  that  the  tools  are  not  turning  and  the  driller 


104 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


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DRIVING  PIPE  105 

should  pull  out  and  resume  drilling  a  few  feet  above  where  he 
stopped  in  order  to  avoid  a  flat  hole.  At  intervals,  as  the  hole 
deepens,  the  bull  wheel  brake  is  released  and  sufficient  slack  of  the 
cable  is  let  out  to  reach  bottom  and  "make  hole."  Enough  water 
is  poured  in  the  hole  to  mix  the  drillings  and  they  are  removed 
with  the  bailer  or  sand  pump  as  described  on  page  122.  WHen 
spudding  has  proceeded  to  a  sufficient  depth,  85  to  125  feet,  the 
temper  screw  is  suspended  from  the  walking  beam,  then  clamped 
to  the  cable,  and  drilling  with  the  walking  beam  is  begun. 

DRIVING  PIPE 

• 
Drive  pipe,  so  threaded  that  the  ends  of  the  pipe  will  meet  in 
the  coupling,  should  be  used.  For  shallow  driving  of  only  a  few 
joints  of  pipe,  casing  may  be  used,  but  for  driving  100  feet  or 
more  regular  heavy  drive  pipe  is  necessary.  A  steel  drive  shoe 
should  always  be  screwed  to  the  lower  joint,  and  the  inside  of  the 


Pig.  34.     Drive  Clamps 

shoe  below  the  shoulder  should  be  exactly  the  same  diameter  as 
the  inside  of  the  pipe.  In  ordering  the  shoe  it  is  best  to  state  the 
weight  per  foot  of  the  pipe  or  the  exact  inside  diameter  of  it. 
Otherwise,  should  the  pipe  be  larger  inside  than  the  shoe,  the  re- 
sulting projection  of  the  shoe  might  cause  the  bits  to  lodge  in  it 
or  the  shoe  to  break. 

The  driving  is  done  with  a  pair  of  drive  clamps  which  are 
clamped  on  the  wrench  square  of  the  stem  below  the  pin.    A  hoi- 


106  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

low  or  a  drop  drive  head  fitted  to  the  top  of  the  pipe  receives  the 
blow  delivered  by  the  stem  and  the  damps. 

For  very  long  drives  a  wood  maul  is  recommended,  for  thus 
the  blow  is  cushioned  and  danger  of  the  pipe  collapsing  or  tele- 
scoping is  minimized.    In  driving  with  a  maul  a  solid  drive  head 


Tie.  SE.    Drive  Hwd  Fig,  38.     Drive  Shoe 

is  used  and  a  pair  of  guides  is  sometimes  erected  in  the  derrick, 
similar  to  those  used  in  driving  piles. 

In  both  methods  of  driving  the  stroke  is  obtained  in  the  same 
way  as  in  spudding  3nd  the  spudding  shoe  is  used. 

When  driving  pipe  ahead  of  the  tools,  the  driller  should  adjust 
the  stroke  of  the  tools  so  that  the  blow  delivered  is  just  enough  to 
move  the  pipe.  If,  after  several  blows,  the  pipe  does  not  drive  or 
appears  to  spring  back,  it  would  be  advisable  to  stop  driving  and 
run  the  tools,  for  it  may  be  foimd  that  a  stratum  of  soft  shale, 
hard  day  or  a  boulder  has  been  encountered. 

If  it  is  shale  or  day  that  has  retarded  the  pipe,  it  is  suggested 
that  the  driller  pour  about  a  barrel  of  water  in  the  hole,  run  the 
tools  and  drill  a  few  inches.  This  should  mix  and  soften  the 
formation  sufHciently  to  drive  the  pipe  into  or  through  it. 

If  a  boulder  has  impeded  the  progress  of  the  pipe,  it  should  be 
drilled  throi^h,  if  possible,  and  the  pipe  pulled  back  five  to  ten 
feet  and  the-  boulder  broken  up  by  a  shot  of  dynamite.  Water 
should  be  poured  in  to  a  depth  of  twenty  feet  over  the  explosive 


DRIVING  PIPE  ,  107 

to  direct  its  force  downward.  The  chargtt'may  be  detonated  by 
means  of  water-proof  fuse  or  an- electric  battery. 

An  effective  way  to  shoot  a  boulder  is  to  use  a  string  of  tubing 
reaching  to  the  boulder,  in  the  bottom  joint  of  which  a  charge  of 
dynamite  is  confined  by  means  of  a  cast  iron  bushing  screwed  into 
the  lower  coupling.  Water  should  be  poured  into  the  tubing  to 
tamp  the  charge,  and  the  explosion  should  break  both  the  bushing 
and  the  boulder,  without  damaging  the  tubii^. 

Two  strings  of  drive  pipe  should  be  used  for  extremely  loi^ 
drives,  the  larger  pipe  being  driven  as  far  as  practicable,  the  core 
cleaned  out,  and  the  smaller  pipe  driven  inside  the  larger.  As  the 
pipe  is  driven  it  becomes  necessary  to  clean  out  the  core  of  soil 
or  sand.  This  is  done  with  the  drilling  tools  by  the  ordinary 
spudding  or  drilling  operation  and,  by  usii^  water  in  drilling, 
the  cuttings  may  be  removed  with  the  sand  pump  or  bailer. 


Fie.  3T.     Drive  Pipe 

Refer  to  table  of  sizes  for  drive  pipe  in  Chapter  XV,  General 
Information. 

In  drilling  soft  formations  it  sometimes  becomes  necessary  to 
drive  the  casing,  which  might  collapse  under  ordinary  drivii^ 
methods.  Long  strings  of  casing  may  be  driven  by  using  an  in- 
verted or  drive  down  trip  casing  spear,  Fig.  106,  whose  slips 
are  engaged  in  the  lower  joint  of  casing.  The  driving  is  done 
with  long  stroke  jars  on  a  heavy  stem. 


108  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

DRIVING  PIPE  BY  THE  KELLY  SYSTEM 

James  W.  Kelly,  while  drilling  in  Colombia,  found  it  impossible 
lo  penetrate  the  soft  formations  in  that  country  by  ordinary 
drilling  or  under-reaming  methods,  and  he  devised  a  system  of 
driving  the  casing.  He  rigged  a  drive  pipe  ring  and  wedges  with 
links  on  each  side  to  engage  the  beckets  of  double  blocks  for  a 
lower  clamp,  and  an  ordinary  casing  clamp,  made  extra  heavy, 
with  similar  links  and  single  blocks  for  the  upper  clamp.  He  then 
reeved  a  wire  casing  line  between  these  four  blocks  and  a  heavy 
casing  block  and  hook  operated  on  the  casing  line  from  the  calf 
wheel  (See  Fig.  38).  By  this  means  he  not  only  secured  a  power- 
ful downward  pull  on  the  pipe  or  casing,  but  was  enabled  to  keep 
a  constant  strain  on  it,  thus  neutralizing  the  tendency  for  it  to 
spring  back  under  the  driving  blows. 

He  removed  the  coupling  from  the  top  joint  of  casing  and  in  its 
place  used  an  ordinary  hollow  screw  drive  head  as  a  protection 
both  to  the  casing  and  the  coupling.  The  driving  was  done  with 
a  heavy  steel  maul  with  a  reduced  shank,  or  mandrel,  which 
plunged  in  a  drop  drive  head,  engaging  in  the  hollow  drive  head. 
He  used  the  maul  until  as  much  of  the  casing  as  could  safely  be 
driven  by  this  method  had  been  put  in ;  then  changed  to  a  drive- 
down  trip  casing  spear,  which  engaged  in  the  lower  joint  of  casing 
and  was  driven  with  48-inch  stroke  jars  operated  on  the  drilling 
tools,  using  the  walking  beam. 

CALIFORNIA   RIVETED   STOVE   PIPE   CASING   OR 

DRIVE  PIPE 

For  sinking  the  first  or  drive  pipe  string  of  casing  through  the 
soft  clays,  gravels  and  alluvium  of  the  Tertiary  period  in  Cali- 
fornia, there  has  been  developed  a  system  of  driving  "stove  pipe" 
casing,  so  called.  The  use  of  stove  pipe  casing  is  well  described  in 
"Oil  Production  Methods,"  a  treatise  on  California  well  prac- 
tices,* as  follows : 

"Riveted,  or  'stove  pipe,'  casing  is  made  of  steel  or  iron 
sheets,  riveted  at  the  seams,  and  is  used  especially  for  the 

*  Oil   Production   Methods,   by   Paul  M.   Paine   and   B.   K.   Stroud,   pp. 
79-80. 


DRIVING  PIPE 


Fir  as.     DriTlng  Pipe  by  the  Kelly  Syatem 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

first  String  to  be  inserted  in  a  well.  It  is  made  by  cutting  the 
sheets  into  the  proper  size,  panching  and  countersinking  the 
rivet  holes,  then  rolling  to  shape  and  fastenii^  with  rivets. 
The  pipe  most  commonly  used  in  the  United  States  has  two 
thicknesses  of  sheets,  so  placed  with  respect  to  each  other 
that  the  end  of  one  sheet  is  set  opposite  the  center  of  the 
other,  so  that  at  the  end  of  a  joint  the  inside  sheet  projects 
for  half  its  length  beyond  the  outside  sheet,  leaving  a  corre- 
sponding recess  at  the  other  end  (See  Fig.  39).  This  double 
riveted  casing  is  made  in  joints  two  or  three  feet  in  lei^h, 
and,  for  ease  in  handling,  several  of  these  joints  are  riveted 
together  into  sections  of  from  ten  to  twenty-one  feet  before 
placing  in  the  well.  Frequently  the  pipe  is  'picked'  with  a 
sharp-pointed  pick,  denting  the  outside  to  take  up  any  slack 


fie-  3i-  Stove  Pipe  Casing 
between  the  outside  and  inside  sheets  and  assist  the  rivets 
to  prevent  it  from  pulling  apart.  It  is  advisable  to  place  on 
the  bottom  of  the  first  or  'starter'  joint,  a  steel  shoe  of  slightly 
greater  diameter  than  the  outside  of  the  pipe.  This  cuts  away 
any  irregularities  projecting  from  the  side  of  the  hole  and 
dears  a  passage  for  the  casing.  Stovepipe  casiAg  shoes  are 
made  from  three  to  fourteen  inches  in  length  and  are  riveted 
directly  to  the  starter  joint.  The  latter  is  usually  made  of 
three  thicknesses  for  the  first  eighteen  feet,  and  when  a  steel 
shoe  is  not  used,  the  innermost  sheet  is  lapped  bat;k  over  the 
outside  for  six  or  eight  inches  and  riveted  there.  This  is 
known  as  the  'turnback'  starter  and,  while  it  is  not  as  rigid 
as  the  solid  steel  shoe  and  does  not  contribute  as  well  to  the 
starter  joint,  it  has  the  advantage  of  a  smaller  outside  diam- 


DRILLING  111 

eter,  thus  reducing  the  size  of  the  hole  to  be  drilled  by  the 
tools. 

"The  merits  of  riveted  pipe  are  mainly  that  its  smooth, 
uniform  outside  surface  is  a  great  aid  in  carrying  the  casing 
down  through  loose  and  sandy  material  which  has  a  tend- 
ency to  fall  in  and  bind  against  the  couplings  on  screw 
casing.  Screw  casing,  however,  is  more  easily  handled  and 
may  be  raised  and  lowered  at  will,  while  the  riveted  pipe, 
when  ofice  started  in  the  hole,  is  not  raised  and  can  be  lifted 
out  only  by  the  use  of  a  spear." 

Riveted  casing  is  put  in  by  the  same  driving  and  under- 
reaming  methods  as  screw  casing. 

DRILLING 

The  operation  of  drilling,  or  "making  hole,"  of  keeping  the 
correct  tension  on  the  cable,  of  running  the  tools  neither  too  tight 
nor  too  loose,  of  maintaining  the  right  motion,  as  it  is  termed,  is 
difficult  of  explanation  and  the  knowledge  can  be  acquired  only 
by  actual  work  in  the  derrick.  The  driller  should  know  by  the 
feel  of  the  cable,  which  transmits  the  jar  of  the  tools,  whether 
or  not  his  drilling  stroke  is  right  and  his  tools  are  "hitting"  prop- 
erly. The  driller  frequently  gr,asps  the  cable  and  feels  the  jar, 
the  better  to  determine  when  to  let  out  screw,  when  to  regulate 
motion,  when  the  cuttings  are  impeding  the  bit  and  should  be 
cleaned  out;  to  know  when  he  is  passing  from  a  hard  to  a  soft 
formation  and  vice  versa.  In  short  the  "feel"  of  the  cable  usually 
tells  the  experienced  driller  what  he  should  know  about  the  con- 
dition of  his  tools  down  in  the  hole.  The  cause  of  many  of  the 
driller's  troubles  and  fishing  jobs  is  that  he  may  have' allowed  his 
tools  to  drill  too  far  or  too  fast  without  giving  them  sufficient 
attention. 

Perhaps  as  good  a  description  of  drilling  motion  as  has  ever 
been  written  is  stated  in  a  few  words  in  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin 
No.  182,  "Casing  Troubles  and  Fishing  Methods  in  Oil  Wells," 
page  8,  by  Thomas  Curtin,  as  follows : 

"  'Motion'  is  the  engine  control  applied  by  the  driller  in  the 


112  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

raising  and  dropping  of  cable  tools.  A  driller  who  thoroughly 
understands  motion  has  mastered  his  trade  so  far  as  the  operation 
of  the  drilling  tools  is  concerned." 

The  careful  driller,  when  lowering  the  tools  into  the  hole,  ap- 
plies the  bull  wheel  brake  at  intervals  as  the  tools  approach  the 
bottom,  and  allows  the  tools  to  touch  bottom  on  the  stretch  or 
spring  of  the  cable.  Nearly  as  much  of  the  drilling  stroke  is  im- 
parted to  the  tools  by  the  stretch  of  the  cable  as  by  the  play  of 
the  walking  beam,  and  if  the  tools  should  be  run  to  bottom  the 
result  would  be  to  "drill  too  loo§e." 

The  engine  load  varies  and,  of  course,  grows  heavier  as  the  hole 
deepens,  thus  impeding  the  drilling  motion.  This  may  be  regu- 
lated by  adding,  as  needed,  one  of  the  extra  balances  to  the  engine 
fly  wheel.  Drilling  engines  usually  are  equipped  with  three  extra 
balance  rims  for  this  purpose. 

DRILLING  IN  THE  DIFFERENT  FORMATIONS 

SHALE 

Shale  is  soft  and  comparatively  easy  to  drill,  however,  as  it 
breaks  up  into  large  flakelike  pieces  and  readily  mixes  with  water 
into  a  thick  sludge,  the  driller  should  be  sure  his  tools  are  turning ; 
otherwise  a  flat  hole,  so  called,  may  result.  A  long  drilling  stroke 
should  be  used  and  the  tools  kept  well  up,  with  a  stiff  tension  on 
the  cable.  The  driller  should  be  careful  in  passing  from  a  shale 
to  a  harder  formation  that  his  tools  do  not  glance  off  into  a 
crooked  hole.  In  drilling  soft  or  sticky  shale  that  may  tend  to 
"mud  up"  the  tools  a  more  rapid  drilling  motion  may  be  necessary. 

SLATE 

Slate  is  similar  to  shale,  except  that  it  is  more  brittle  and 
harder.  As  the  bit  breaks  through  the  thin  bedded  layers,  there 
is  a  tendency  for  the  tools  to  stick,  and  there  should  be  the  same 
care  to  avoid  flat  and  crooked  holes  as  when  drilling  shale.  Tools 
should  be  kept  up,  with  tension  on  the  cable,  and  the  bit  should  be 
watched  to  be  sure  it  is  properly  dressed  and  true  to  gauge. 

Hard  nodules  of  iron  pyrites,  ranging  in  size  from  marbles  to 
bowling  balls,  sometimes  occur  in  the  slates.    They  are  difficult 


DRILLING  IN  DIFFERENT  FORMATIONS  113 

to  drill  or  to  break  and  have  a  tendency  to  deflect  the  tools  into  a 
crooked  hole. 

SANDSTONE 

Sandstone,  as  its  name  implies,  is  formed  from  grains  of  sand 
laid  down  in  water,  and  occurs  in  all  degrees  of  hardness  from 
soft  stone  that  can  be  crushed  in  the  hand  to  quartzite,  a  hard 
sandstone  formed  by  the  deposit  of  crystalline  quartz  between  its 
grains.  All  sandstones  act  as  an  abrasive  on  the  drilling  bit  and 
wear  it  down  rapidly ;  therefore  the  bit  should  be  tempered  hard 
and  frequently  gauged.  Sand  does  not  mix  into  mud  in  drilling 
but  settles  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole.  A  little  clay  dropped  in  the 
hole  will  assist  in  keeping  the  sand  in  suspension.  Sandstone  is 
not  difficult  to  drill  and  hole  can  be  made  rapidly  by  using  a  short 
stroke  and,  with  easy  tension  on  the  cable,*  "running  loose,"  as  the 
drillers  say.  Owing  to  the  tendency  of  the  sand  and  cjittings  to 
settle  rapidly,  thus  impeding  the  bit,  the  hole  should  be  cleaned 
out  after  drilling  each  screw,  or  every  few  feet.  A  sand  pump 
will  be  found  better  than  the  bailer  for  bailing  out  sandstone  cut- 
tings. 

LIMESTONE 

Limestone  is  a  rock  formed  from  pulverized  shells,  and  other 
organic  remains  deposited  in  water.  It  is  found  in  varying  hard- 
ness from  chalk  to  hard  crystalline  limestone  or  marble.  Some 
limestones  are  exceedingly  porous,  and  water  coCirses  and  caverns 
occur  in  them,  caused  by  the  chemical  action  of  waters  carrying 
acids  in  solution.  The  limestones  encountered  in  drilling  in 
North  America  are  usually  very  hard  and  slow  progress  is  made 
in  drilling  them.  Should  the  tools  break  into  a  cavern,  they 
should  be  lowered  until  they  touch  bottom  and  then  it  is  best  to 
drill  slowly  and  carefully  until  a  few  feet  have  been  drilled.  If 
the  floor  of  the  cavern  lies  at  an  angle,  it  may  be  difficult  or  im- 
possible to  prevent  the  tools  from  deflecting  and  the  hole  becoming 
crooked  When  this  occurs,  a  "shot"  of  nitro-glycerin  or  dyna- 
mite may  break  up  the  rock  so  that  the  hole  can  be  continued 
straight.  A  large  cavern  may  necessitate  an  additional  string  of 
casing  to  case  it  off. 


114  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Limestone  should  be  drilled  with  heavy  bits  and  long  stems  to 
give  weight  and  force  to  the  blow.  A  long  stroke,  with  the  cable 
at  easy  tension,  is  recommended. 

Suggestion  for  drilling  very  hard  limestone :  temper  the  bits  by 
adding  two  tablespoons ful  of  blue  vitriol  to  the  water  in  the  slack 
tub.  Do  not  allow  the  vapor  from  the  tub  to  get  into  the  eyes,  for 
the  vapor  from  blue  vitriol  is  injurious  to  the  eyes. 

GRANITE 

The  granites  are  the  base  on  which  the  vast  structure  of  strati- 
fied rocks  rests  and,  in  so  far  as  the  hope  of  finding  oil  or  gas  in 
them  is  concerned,  drilling  may  just  as  well  be  abandoned  when 
granite  is  reached.  In  mountainous  or  volcanic  regions,  however, 
there  sometimes  occurs  -an  intrusion  of  granite  in  the  stratified 
rocks  that  \t  may  be  necessary  to  penetrate.  Granite  is  an  igneous 
(volcanic)  rock,  cooled  and  hardened  into  its  present  form  from 
molten  magma.  It  is,  therefore,  exceedingly  hard  and  difficult  to 
drill.  Heavy,  thick  bits  or  star  bits  should  be  used,  with  a  heavy 
stem,  and  the  largest  size  joints  possible. 

Granites  should  be  drilled  slowly  and  carefully,  for  usually 
there  are  joints  or  cracks  intersecting  them  in  every  direction. 
Obviously  when  the  bit  enters  one  of  these  cracks  at  an  angle, 
the  tools  will,  in  all  likelihood,  go  off  crooked,  and  a  crooked  hole 
in  granite  is  difficult  to  straighten.  This  may  sometimes  be  ac- 
complished by  filling  the  hole  past  the  crack  with  scrap  iron 
broken  into  small  pieces,  and  then  drilling  it  out.  If  this  is  un- 
successful, shooting  with  dynamite  or  a  small  quantity  of  nitro- 
glycerin may  break  up  the  rock  sufficiently  to  permit  the  hole  to 
be  continued  straight. 

Caving  of  hole  can  sometimes  be  prevented  by  keeping  the  hole 
filled  with  water.  The  pressure  exerted  by  the  water  will  support 
the  wall. 

Sometimes  in  drilling  a  soft  water  sandstone  the  cuttings  and 
grains  of  sand  settle  rapidly  around  the  tools,  causing  them  to 
stick,  with  resultant  fishing  jobs.    This  can  be  overcome  by  drop- 
Note:     For  more  detailed  descriptions  of  drillinir  in  various  forma- 
tions, refer  to  Drill  Work,  Methods  and  Cost,  by  R.  R.  Sanderso;:!. 


DRILLING  WITH  MANILA  CABLE  115 

ping  in  the  hole  at  frequent  intervals  a  shovelful  of  blacksmith 
coal.    The  coal  will  prevent  the  tools  from  becoming  fast. 

In  very  soft  or  caving  rock  it  may  not  be  possible  to  drill  with 
any  kind  of  a  bit.  For  such  work  an  under-reamer  should  be 
used.  There  are  several  very  good  under- reamers  on  the  market 
for  this  purpose. 

BITS  OUT  OF  GAUGE 

When  drilling  in  an  abrasive  formation,  it  is  a  good  plan  to 
gauge  the  bit  every  time  it  is  withdrawn  from  the  hole.  If  the 
bit  has  been  worn  off  on  either  side  enough  to  reduce  its  size,  it 
should  be  removed  and  a  fresh  bit  put  on,  and  with  it,  a  set  of 
long-stroke  fishing  jars.  Thus,  if  the  new  bit,  out  to  full  gauge, 
should  become  stuck  in  the  hole  that  might  have  been  drilled 
slightly  smaller  by  the  off -gauge  bit,  it  can  be  released  by  a  few 
sharp  strokes  on  the  long  jars. 

DRILLING  WITH  A  MANILA  CABLE 

The  Manila  cable  is  better  adapted  to  driving  in  a  dry  hole 
than  the  wire  cable.  Formerly,  or  up  to  about  fifteen  years  ago, 
the  Manila  cable  was  used  almost  exclusively  for  all  kinds  of  drill- 
ing. The  wire  cable  now  has  come  into  general  use,  however, 
particularly  for  drilling  in  wet  holes  and  soft  or  caving  for- 
mations. 

In  drilling  with  a  Manila  cable  it  is  important  that  the  driller 
use  the  correct  motion,  and  that  he  run  the  tools  neither  too  tight 
nor  too  loose.  If  the  former,  he  may  "strand"  (one  strand  or 
third  stretching  more  than  the  others)  or  otherwise  injure  the 
cable;  if  the  latter  he  will  not  "make  hole,"  as  the  drillers  say. 
The  driller  should  be  able  to  determine  by  the  tension  on  the  cable 
and  by  the  jar  of  the  tools  whether  or  not  he  is  drilling  correctly. 
He  should  regulate  the  speed  of  the  engine  to  his  drilling  stroke 
and  let  out  or,  if  need  be  take  up  screw,  so  that  the  drilling  will  be 
done,  as  much  as  possible,  by  the  spring  or  stretch  of  the  rope. 
Or,  to  put  it  another  way,  the  drilling  stroke  should  be  adjusted 
by  engine  speed  and  by  regulating  the  throw  of  the  band  wheel 
crank,  so  that  it  will  conform  to  the  rebound  of  the  tools  after  the 
bit  strikes  the  rock.    If  the  driller  should  be  in  doubt  about  his 


116  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

stroke  or  the  tension  of  his  cable  it  would  be  advisable  to  slow 
down  his  motion  when,  if  the  jar  is  regular,  he  probably  would  be 
drilling  too  loose.  If,  on  slowing  down,  the  tools  should  "peg 
leg,"  or  the  jar  be  irregular,  his  tension  at  the  usual  drilling 
motion  would  be  right. 

When  the  cable  begins  to  "lift,"  as  the  drillers  say,  or  to  take 
up  stretch,  it  indicates  that  the  tools  are  drilling  off,  or  are  at  the 
limit  of  the  cable's  elasticity,  and  screw  should  at  once  be  let  out. 

If  the  drilling  motion  is  too  slow  or  the  tension  too  loose,  the 
cuttings  will  settle  to  the  bottom  and  obstruct  the  bit,  or  the  bit 
will  not  "mix  mud,"  meaning  the  required -mixing  of  the  cuttings 
and  the  water. 

For  ordinary  drilling  from  one-half  to  two  barrels  of  water, 
according  to  the  size  of  the  hole,  is  sufficient. 

When  drilling  in  a  caving  formation  the  water  should  not  be 
poured  in  the  hole ;  it  is  better  to  lower  it  to  bottom  in  the  bailer 
and  dump  it. 

Should  a  water  sand  be  encountered,  frequent  bailing  may  be 
necessary;  otherwise  the  tools  will  run  more  slowly  and  drilling 
will  be  retarded. 

When  a  new  cable  is  used,  before  attempting  to  drill  with  it, 
the  tools  should  be  run  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole  and  out  again 
several  times,  meanwhile  applying  warm  water  to  the  cable.  This 
treatment  will  take  part  of  the  stretch  out  of  the  cable  and  set  its 
lay.  When  commencing  to  drill  with  it,  for  the  first  few  screws  it 
will  be  found  that  hitching  on  will  be  at  a  point  only  about  a  foot 
above  the  previous  hitch  after  drilling  a  full  screw,  due  to  the 
excessive  stretch  of  the  new  rope. 

Should  a  new  cable  be  put  on  at  depths  greater  than  1,500  feet, 
its  stretch  may  at  first  keep  pace  with  the  making  of  hole.  There- 
fore the  driller  should  give  a  new  cable  careful  attention  and  be 
sure  not  to  clamp  it  too  long  or  too  hard  in  one  place  to  avoid  in- 
juring it. 

DRILLING  WITH  A  WIRE  CABLE 

The  wire  drilling  cable  now  is  almost  iiniversally  used  for 
drilling  in  deesp  wet  holes  and  in.  soft  or  shale  formations  that 


DRILLING  WITH  A  WIRE  CABLE  117 

"mud  up."  Some  drillers  splice  two  or  three  hundred  feet  of 
manila  cable  to  the  lower  end  of  a  wire  cable.  This  is  termed  a 
cracker  and  serves  to  add  spring  to  the  wire  cable.  For  descrip- 
tion of  method  of  splicing  Manila  and  wire  rope,  refer  lo  chap.er 
"General  Information." 

When  an  all-wire  cable  is  used,  the  cable  is  leaded  in  the  rope 
socket,  which  is  usually  the  old  style  Babcock  socket  bored  with 


a  smaller  diameter  hole  than  the  Manila  rope  socket.  The  end  of 
rope  is  opened  and  the  wires  spread  out-  It  is  then  fastened  in 
the  socket  by  melted  lead  or  babbitt  poured  into  the  neck. 

The  tools  will  not  turn  so  readily  with  an  all-wire  cable  as  with 
the  Manila  cable,  or  the  wire  cable  and  cracker.  When  an  all- wire 
cable  is  used  a  swivel  rope  socket  is  recommended. 

The  Manila  rope  clamps  on  the  temper  screw  will  not  answer 
for  wire  line  and  it  is  necessary  to  use  one  of  several  good  wire 
line  clamps  for  thcTwrpose,  which  can-be  used  with  the  ordinary 
temper  screw. 


118  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING^ 

There  are  several  different  styles  of  wife  cable.  Some  drillers 
prefer  the  rope  made  of  fine  wires  composed  of  six  strands  of 
nineteen  wires  each  and  a  hemp  center;  while  others  will  use 
only  the  coarse  wire  lines  made  of  six  strands  of  either  seven 
or  eight  wires  each  and  a  hemp  <:enter.  The  rope  made  of  small 
wires  is  more  flexible  and  more  easily  handled,  although  not  so 
strong  as  the  rope  composed  of  large  wires.  Also  the  fine  wires, 
by  the  constant  friction  against  the  casing  or  the  wall  of  the  hole, 
are  more  easily  worn  and  broken,  thus  causing  the  rope  to  fray 
and  weaken. 

Care  should  be  given  a  wire  cable  to  guard  against  kinking, 
for  kinksjare  difficult  to  remove,  and  a  line  that  has  kinked  usually 
wears  out  or  breaks  at  that  point.  The  use  of  spooling  flanges  on 
the  bull  wheel  shaft  is  recommended,  for  they  provide  for  proper 
spooling  of  the  wire  cable.  It  is  not  good  practice  to  have  too 
much  line  wound  around  and  spread  out  over  the  length  of  the 
shaft. 

The  strain  and  vibration  on  the  rig  is  much  greater  with  a  wire 
cable  than  with  the  Manila,  and  if  the  jack  post  and  boxes  are 
not  anchored,  there  is  danger  of  their  working  loose.  The  method 
of  anchoring  them  is  by  means  of  "bridle  irons"  consisting  of  two 
long  bolts  connecting  the  jack-post  box  with  a  stirrup  or  plate 
fitted  under  the  mud* sill. 

In  drilling  with  a  wire  cable,  it  is  good  practice  to  drill  the  first 
tew  hundred  feet  .of  hole  with  an  old  Manila  cable,  otherwise  if 
drilling  is  attempted  from  the  surface  with  a  wire  line  it  should 
be  done  carefully,  for  with  a  short  drilling  line  there  is  little  or  no 
spring,  causing  a  severe  strain  on  the  cable  and  rig.  In  drilling 
the  hard  limestones  of  the  North  Texas  field,  it  is  customary  to 
spud  for  the  first  500  feet  or  to  a  depth  where  sufficient  spring  is 
secured  with  the  wire  line  to  warrant  clamping  on  the  temper 
screw. 

Drilling  with  a  wire  cable  is  more  difficult  than  with  the  Manila 
cable,  especially  when  an  all-wire  line  with  no  "cracker"  is  used, 
and  requires  the  close  attention  of  the  driller.  If,  for  example,  a 
stratum  of  soft  rock  is  encountered  just  below  a  hard  formation 


DRILLING  WITH  A  WIRE  CABLE  IW 

such  as  limestone,  the  tools  will  make  hole  much  more  rapidly  in 
the  soft  rock,  necessitating  the  frequent  "letting  out  of  screw." 
If  the  driller  should  not  let  out  screw  fast  enough  to  keep  pace 
with  the  tools,  the  stretch  of  a  Manila  cable  would  largely  provide 
for  this  without  injury  to  the  cable.  Not  so  with  the  wire  line, 
however,  for  there  is  little  stretch  to  it  and,  if  drilling  proceeds 
beyond  the  limit  of  elasticity,  the  cable  may  part. 

The  driller  should  easily  determine  when  to  let  out  screw,  for 
when  that  point  is  reached,  the  tools  usually  "peg  leg,"  that  is,  they 
hit  on  every  alternate  stroke. 

Should  the  driller  be  negligent  about  letting  out  screw,  and  the 
limit  of  elasticity  of  the  cable  be  reached,  there  would  be  dai^r 
of  breaking  the  jars  or  of  whipping  the  cable  ofT  at  the  rope  socket. 

BACK  TWIST 

After  the  tools  are 
run  back  into  the 
hole,  they  should  be 
raised  clear  of  the 
bottom  and,  before 
clamping  on,  the  cable 
twisted  or  turned, 
one  turn  for  each  100 
feet  of  depth,  in  the 
direction  opposite  to 
its  lay;  that  is,  a  left 
lay  line  is  twisted  to 
the  right,  and  vice 
versa.  This  is  done 
to  neutralize  the  ten- 
dency of  the  line  to 
twist  with  its  lay.  A 
special  wrench  with 
jaws  to  conform  to 
the  rope  is  made  for 
this  purpose,  pi^    4j      Putting  "bftok  twist"  in  Wire  Cable 


120  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

In  putting  a  wire  cable  On  the  bull  wheel  shaft,  it  sh'^uld  be 
spooled  so  the  line  will  draw  under  the  shaft  instead  of  over  it. 
This  has  a  tendency  to  remove  twist  from  the  line. 

Sometimes  in  drilling  a  formation  that  becomes  muddy  or 
sticky  the  tools  "mud  up"  and  make  little  or  no  progress.  This 
may  be  overcome  by  a  little  faster  motion  and  keeping  the  tools  up. 

When  wire  rope  used  for  drilling  is  laid  aside  for  any  length 
of  time  it  quickly  rusts  and  deteriorates  unless  it  is  properly  cared 
for.  It  should  be  coiled  in  a  small  fuel  tank  filled  with  oil  or  in  a 
solution  of  soft  water  and  soda. 

When -drilling  with  a  wire  cable,  a  wood  drilling  plug  should  be 
used  to  center  the  line  in  the  hole  and  keep  it  from  rubbing  the 
casing.  The  plug  is  made  with  a  taper,  so  it  will  wedge  into  the 
casing.  A  hole  is  bored  in  the  center,  through  which  the  cable 
passes,  and  it  is  sawed  in  half  lengthwise,  for  convenience  in 
placing  it  around  the  cable. 

Wire  cables  have  a  tendency  to  twist  with  their  lay  when  they 
are  slacked,  or  in  jarring  down,  and  to  twist  opposite  to  their  lay 
when  a  strain  is  put  on  them.  For  example  with  a  left  lay  cable 
prolonged  jarring  down  might  cause  a  joint  to  unscrew,  or  keeping 
a  tension  on  it  would  tend  to  tighten  the  joints. 

DRILLING 

When-  the  drive  pipe  has  been  "landed"  on  the  rock,  drilling 
is  commenced.  The  .tools  are  run  in  the  hole  and  the  rope  clamps 
of  the  temper  screw  are  clamped  to  the  cable,  which  should  be 
wrapped  with  strands  of  rope  or  marline  to  increase  diameter 
of  cable  sufficiently  to  form  a  wedge,  or  knot  above  the  clamps. 
The  pitman  is  connected  to  the  wrist  pin  on  the. band  wheel 
crank ;  the  engine  is  started,  and  the  walking  beam  begins  its  up 
and  down  movement,  thus  imparting  the  necessary  stroke  to  the 
tools.  This  stroke  is  regulated  by  adjusting  the  wrist  pin  to  the 
hole  in  the  crank  which  will  provide  the  length  of  stroke  desired. 

As  the  bit  cuts  its  way  into  the  rock,  the  main  screw  of  the 
temper  screw  is  turned  and  let  out  until  the  entire  length  of  the 
screw  has  been  run  out.  It  is  customary,  after  drilling  the  length 
of  the  screw,  or  "running  a  screw,"  in  the  vernacular  of  the' 


DRILLING  121 

driller,  to  withdraw  the  tools  and  clean  out  the 
hole.     The   bull    ropes   are   "thrown    on";    the 
slack  of  the  cable  is  taken  up  until  the  temper 
screw  is  lifted   slightly,  and   the   temper  screw 
rope  clamps  are  loosened ;  the  pitman  is  removed 
from  the  crank  wrist  pin ;  the  walking  beam  is 
lowered  out  of  working  position,  and  the  tools 
are   pulled   from    the   hole   and   the   bull   ropes 
thrown.     The  bailer  or  the  sand  pump  is  next 
run  to  the  bottom  to  clean  out  the  cut- 
tings,- and   withdrawn.     The   tools   are 
then  run  back  into  the  hole ;  the  pitman 
is  replaced  on  the  crank,  and  the  walkin;; 
beam  is  brought  down  into  position ;  the 
temper  screw  main  screw  is  taken  up,  or 
rim  back  into  the  reins  and  the  clamps 
are  again  clamped  on  to  the  cable,  and 
drilling  is  resumed. 

JARS 

After  the  hole  has  been  spudded  or 
the  pipe  driven  to  bed-rock  the  jars  are 
added  tc  the  s'ring  of  tools.  They  are 
connected  between  the  rope  socket  and 
stem.  Some  expert  drillers  drill  suc- 
cessfully without  jars,  but  for  drilling  in 
strata  that  change  from  sandstone  or 
limestone  to  shale  or  slate,  jars  should 
be  used.  Jars  are  made  with  any  length 
of  stroke  desired,  but  for  ordinary  drill- 
ing five-  to  eight-inch  stroke  is  sufficient. 
Fig.  44.  Should    the   tools   stick   the    function 

Temper  Screw     ^^   ^^^  ^^^^    .^^   ^^   ^^^.^  ^^^    implies,    to 

jar  them  loose.  This  can  usually  be  done  by  letting 
out  a  few  inches  of  slack  in  the  cable,  enough  to 
lower  the  upper  rein  of  the  jars,  and  then,  by  the 
drilling  operation,  jar  the  tools  free.  ^'jars* 


122  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

When  dritUng  without  jars,  the  driller  should  be  careful,  in 
passing  from  sandstone  to  a  shale  or  state  formation,  not  to  at- 
tempt to  drill  too  fast  nor  too  loose,  otherwise  his  tools  may  stick 
in  the  shale. 

Jars  are  more  liable  to  wear  and  to  breakage  than  any  other 
tool  the  driller  uses.  They  should  be  carefully  watched  and,  if  a 
crack  or  weak  place  is  detected,  they  should  at  once  be  replaced 
with  a  new  set,  otherwise  a  difficult  fishing  job  may  result, 

CLEANING  OUT 

Cleaning  out  is  done  with  the  sand  pump  and  the  bailer.    The 

sand  pump  (Fig.  47)  has  a  sucker  valve  with  a  plunger,  so  that 

when  the  pump  is  lowered  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole  and  the 

plunger  is  pulled  up  the  mixture  of  drillings  and  water  is  drawn 

into  the  pump,  which 

is  then  raised  to  the 

surface  by  means  of 

the     sand     reel     and 

sand     'line,       and 

dumped. 

The  bailer  is  simply 
a  long  tube  with  a 
dart  valve  in  the  bot- 
tom. When  it  is 
lowered  to  the  bottom 
the  dart  strikes  and 
opens  the  valve,  thus 
admitting  the  water 
or  mixture.  When 
the  bailer  is  drawn  up 
the  valve  closes  and 
the  fluid  is  retained 
in  the  tube  until  it 
reaches  the  surface, 
when  it  is  eiViptied  by 
FiK.  46.    Running  the  Banar  Striking   the   dart   on 


DRILLING 

the  derrick  floor,  or  in  the  trough  for  carrying  off  the 
sand  pumpings. 

When  it  is  desired  to  clean  out  the  hole  of  all  cuttings, 

or  when  drilling  in  caving  or  sandy  strata,  it  is  best  to 

use  a  sand  pump.    The  bailer  will  handle  more  water  or 

thin  mud  than  the  sand  pump,  but  it  is  not  as  effective 

as  the  sand  pump  for  cleaning  the  hole. 

DRILLING  BITS 

The  drilling  bit  is,  perhaps,  the  most  important 
tool  in  the  well -driller's  equipment,  for  while  the 
derrick,  boiler,  engine  and  the  entire  outfit  are 
necessary,  yet  most  of  it  is  above  ground  and 
visible,  while  the  bit  is  out  of  sight,  performing 
the  chief  operation  of  "making  hole."  The  bit 
should  be  given  especial  attention  to  be  sure  it 
is  of  a  type  that  is  adapted  to  the  forrnations  to 
be  penetrated. 

There  are  several  styles  of  bits  for  different 
kinds  of  drilling  which  are  briefly  described  as 
follows : 

Spudding    Bits. — Used    for    commencing    the 
well  where  the  drillir^  is  in  soft  alluvium  such 
as  sand  and  clay.     This  bit  is  short,  wide  and   ■ 
thin,  with  the  edge  dressed  to  a  sharp  angle  for 
>  fast  digging. 

Regular  Bits. — Used  for  all-round  rock  drill- 
ing. This  bit  has  a  long  shank  sloping  into 
round  shoulders,  with  a  water  course  of  medium 
width.  It  is  a  good  bit  for  drilling  hard  sand- 
stones or  hmestones ;  but  for  shales  or  slates,  or 
.formations  that  "mud  up"  the  Mother  Hubbard 
type  is  a  better  bit. 

Mother   Hubbard   Bits. — This  type   of  bit   is 

quite  generally  used  for  drilling  all  kinds  of  rock 

Laririn'     formations.    It  has  a  short,  straight  shank,  end- 

Pump      ing    in    sharp    angular    shoulders.      The    water 


124  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

course  is  wide  and  rounding.  It  is  adapted  for  drilling  where 
ihe  hole  "muds  up,"  as  the  drillers  say.  The  sharp  shoulders  on 
the  Mother  Hubbard  bit  cause  it  to  cut  I'.s  way  through  the  mud 
when  pulling  out. 

California  Bits. — This  bit,  as  its  name  implies,  originated  in 
California,  where  the  drilling  is  in  soft  and  caving  formations. 


■2  Fig.  53 

Ht 

The  shank  slopes  gently  to  the  shoulder,  so  that  caving  material  will 
not  have  a  tendency  to  lodge  at  the  shoulder.  It  is  from  six  inches 
to  eighteen  inches  longer  than  the  regular  and  Mother  Hubbard 
bits,  and  the  water  course  runs  the  entire  length  of  the  blade, 
through  the  shoulder  to  the  wrench  square.  The  cutting  edge  is 
concaved  or  slightly  cut  out  in  the  center,  the  better  to  break  up 
and  cut  shale. 


DRILLING  125 

A  bit  with  a  round  blade,  somewhat  after  the  style  of  a  round 
reamer,  has  sometimes  successfully  been  used  for  drilling  soft  or 
caving  formations. 

Star  bits  are  used  for  drilling  exceedingly  hard  formations,  such 
as  granite,  and  for  creviced  formations,  also  for  straightening 
crooked  holes. 

DIAGRAM    AND    INSTRUCTIONS    FOR    MEASURING    BITS 

(Refer  to  Fig.   53) 

A.  Lengrth  of  bit.  P.  Size   of  wrench   square. 

B.  Lengrth  of  water  course.  G.  Diameter  of  collar. 

C.  Lengrth   of  collar.  H.  Thickness  of  blade. 

D.  Width  of  water  course.  I.    Thickness      of      blade      through 

E.  Width  of  blade.  water    course. 

A.  C.     Distance  across  corners. 

The  drilling  bits  should  be  carefully  watched  and  frequently 
gauged,  to  be  sure  they  are  true  to  size.  Bits  should  be  dressed  as 
often  as  necessary  and  care  should  be  exercised  in  properly 
tempering  them  after  dressing.  A  bit  that  is  too  soft  may  batter 
and  grind  off  at  the  edges,  reducing  the  size,  or  a  bit  that  is  too 
hard  will  chip  or  crack. 

CARE  IN  MAKING  UP  JOINTS 

It  is  essential  that  the  joints  of  all  tools  be  screwed  up  or  set  up 
as  tightly  as  possible.  The  reason  taper  joints  are  used  on  all 
drilling  tools  is  that  it  is  impossible  to  make  a  straight  thread, 
tight  after  it  has  been  used  for  a  short  time. 

The  taper  joint,  however,  after  it  is  set  up,  can  be  made  so 
tight  by  a  little  further  use  of  the  jack  and  wrenches  that  it  is 
almost  impossible  for  it  to  unscrew  during  the  ordinary  process  of 
drilling,  and  it  is  difficult  to  take  it  apart  or  "break  it"  except 
by  powerful  work  with  the  jack. 

New  joints  should  not  set  up  tight,  shoulder  to  shoulder,  but 
should  allow  a  space  of  at  least  1/32  of  an  inch,  after  the  joint 
has  been  screwed  up  as  far  as  it  will  go,  to  take  up  future  wear. 

Every  time  a  joint  is  screwed  together  the  threads  of  both  the 
box  and  the  pin  should  be  first  well  brushed  and  then  washed  to 
be  sure  they  are  perfectly  clean.    This  is  important,  for  a  dirty 


126  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

thread  cannot  be  made  sufficiently  tight,  and  might  unscrew  and 
cause  an  expensive  fishing  job. 


Tig.   54.     Tool  Joint 

The  Barrett  Jack  used  to  screw  up  tool  joints  should  not  be 
allowed  to  he  about  where  dirt  can  get  into  its  mechanism.    Thert  * 


Fig,  S5.     Barrett  Jack  and  Rack 


have  been  numerous  accidents  to  men  using  these  jacks  when 
the  pawl  would  not  fall  in  place,  due  to  dirt,  or  other  fore^^ 


Toot  wrench 


matter,  clogging  the  jack.  Also  the  teeth  in  the  circle,  or  rack, 
must  be  kept  clean  and  not  allowed  to  accumulate  dirt.  And  if 
there  are  any  broken  or  worn  teeth,  it  may  be  best  to  discard  the 
rack  and  get  a  perfect  one. 


DRILLING  127 

TO  STRAIGHTEN  A  CROOKED  HOLE 

When  drilling  in  inclined  formations,  there  is  a  tendency  for 
the  tools  to  follow  the  dip  of  the  strata,  particularly  when  passing 
from  a  soft  to  a  harder  formation,  resulting  in  a  "crooked"  hole. 

When  the  deflection  of  the*  tools  causes  the  hole  to  start  off 
crooked  or  on  a  slant  from  its  true  perpendicular,  this  condition 
may  be  determined  by  an  examination  of  the  bit.  If  the  wearing 
edges  are  unduly  worn,  it  is  apparent  that  the  bit  has  been  rubbed 
against  the  wall  of  the  hole,  indicating  that  the  hole  has  veered  off 
at  an  angle.  If  this  condition  should  continue,  the  result  would 
be  a  hole  in  which  it  might  be  iippossible  to  put  the  casing  or  even 
to  proceed  much  further  with  the  drilling. 

There  are  several  methods  of  straightening  the  crooked  hole. 
Filling  it  up  with  crushed  stone  or  cement  or  even  with  pieces  of 
wood  and  drilling  it  oUt  will  sometimes  answer.  A  straightening 
process  that  has  proved  successful  is  to  fill  up  the  hole  to  a  point 
above  that  at  which  it  started  crooked  with  crushed  limestone. 
On  top  of  the  stone  several  short  pieces  of  rope  are  dropped.  In 
the  operation  of  drilling,  the  bit  will  pound  around  on  the  rope 
until  it  (the  rope)  has  worked  up  around  the  bit  and  into  the 
wall  of  the  hole,  which  will  have  a  tendency  to  keep  the  bit 
straight.  When  drilling  is  resumed,  it  should  be  done  with  a 
four-wing  star  bit,  until  the  hole  is  straightened. 

Other  means  of  straightening  a  crooked  hole  are  by  using  a 
hollow  reamer  (See  Fig.  57),  or  by  running  a  star  bit  or  a  hollow 
reamer  on  a  string  of  casing  that  will  just  go  down  inside  the  hole. 
In  this  case  the  shoulder  of  the  bit  or  reamer  is  turned  off  and 
threaded  to  fit  the  coupling  on  the  casing. 

UNDER  REAMING 

Under  reaming  in  soft  or  caving  formations  is  the  most  difficult 
kind  of  drilling  and  requires  the  constant  attention  of  the  driller. 
Several  improved  under  reamers  have  come  into  use  during  the 
last  few  years.  Of  these,  the  Double,  the  Wilson  and  Willard 
and  the  Swan  under  reamers  are  good  types. 

The  illustration  (Fig.  58)  shows  a  Double  Under  Reamer  with 


128  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

the  cutters  or  lugs  expanded  ready  for  reaming.    The  cutters  are 
compressed  to  enter  the  casing  and  held  in  that  position  by  a  con- 
fining ring.     As  the  under  reamer  enters  the  casing,  the  ring 
slides  up  on  the  body  of  the  reamer  and  is  then  removed.    As  the 
under  reamer  passes  through  the  bottom  of  the  casing,  the  cutters 
are   automatically   expanded   by 
powerful  springs,  so  they  extend 
far  enough  out  to  ream  a  hole 
of   suflficient  size  to  permit  ihe 


fl 


M 


Fig.  67.  FiB.  58. 

Hollow  Reamer  Double  ruder 

Reamer,  Type  K 


couplings  of  the  casing  to  pass  freely.  When  it  is  desired  to 
withdraw  the  under  reamer  from  the  hole,  the  casing  shoe,  or  the 
bottom  of  the  casing  compresses  the  cutters  as  the  reamer  is 
drawn  into  the  casing. 

Fig.  59  of  the  Wilson  under  reamer  shows  the  cutters  set  to 
enter  the  casing.  Fig.  60  shows  the  same  reamer  with  the  cutters 
expanded  ready  to  ream.  The  cutters  of  the  Wilson  under  reamer 
are  set  to  enter  the  casing  by  means  of  a  lever  or  setting  pin, 
which  is  removed  as  the  cutters  pass  down  the  casing. 


UNDER  REAMING 


For  under  reaming  it  is  necessary 
to  use  a  rig  with  a  calf  wheel  for 
handling  the  casing,  which  is  allowed 
to  follow  the  reamer  in  order  to  pre- 
vent the  hole  from  caving  in  on  the 
tools.  A  drive  shoe  or  casing  shoe 
should  be  screwed  on  the  bottom  of 
the  casing.  The  driller  must  carefully 
tally  each  joint  of  casing  as  it  is  added 
to  the  string,  and  he  should  make  ac- 
curate allowance  for  the  length  of 
thread  that  he  screws  into  each  coup- 
ling ;  for  he  must  know  at  all  times 
the  exact  length  of  his  string  of  cas- 
ing. This  is  necessary  for  the  reason 
that  his  reamer  is  rising  and  falling 
just  below  the  bottom  of  the  casing 
and,  if  he  is  not  careful,  he  may  brea'v 
the  reamer  cutters  by  strking  them 
against  the  casing  shoe. 

There  has  recently  come  into  use 
a  special  adding  machine  for  adding 
feet  and  inches  which  is  employed  by 
some  of  the  drillers  in  North  Texas. 

The  chief  difficulty  in  under-ream- 
ing in  soft  formations  where  the  cas- 
ing follows  the  tools  is  in  keeping  the 
casing  free  or,  as  the  drillers  say, 
prevening  it  from  "free-ing,"  which 
is  caused  by  the  wall  of  ihe  hole  cav- 
ing against  it.  The  tendency  to  freeze 
is  reduced  by  raising  and  lowering  the 
casing  at  frequent  intervals. 

The  swinging  drilling  spider  is  a 
valuable  improvement  for  handling 
casing.  It  is  suspended  on  the  casing 
line  and  operated  by  the  calf  wheel. 


130  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

By  means  of  it,  the  casing  can  be  raised  or  lowered  at  any  time 
without  interfering  with  or  suspending  drilling  operations. 

The  hole  is  first  drilled  with  an  ordinary  bit  15  to  40  feet,  or  as 
far  ahead  of  the  casing  as  the  cavings  or  the  length  of  the  string 
of  tools  will  permit,  and  the  hole  is  then  reamed  out  with  the 
under  reamer. 

When  hard  or  non-caving  rock  is  encountered,  it  may  be  pos- 
sible for  the  driller  to  ream  ahead  of  his  casir^  25  to  50  feet,  but 
he  will  have  to  use  his  judgment  when  it  is  safe  to  do  this. 

It  is  inadvisable  to  drill  so  far  ahead  of  the  casing  that  the  top 
of  the  rope  socket  will  be  below  the  casing  shoe,  for  on  the  up- 
stroke of  the  tools  the  top  of  the  rope  socket  might  strike  against 
the  shoe  and  break  the  cable. 


Fig.  62.     Baker  Shoe 

The  Baker  spudding  shoe  (Fig.  62)  is  extensively  used  in 
California  where, -if  the  wall  of  the  hole  caves  around  the  casii^, 
the  teeth  of  the  shoe  will  cut  through  the  cavings  when  the  casing 
is  worked  up  and  down.  The  handling  of  frozen  casing  is  further 
described  under  Fishing  for  Casting,  pages  172-179. 

The  casing  is  supported  by  a  spider  with  slips,  or  wedges  set 
on  the  cellar  floor.  The  wedges  have  milled  teeth  which  engage  in 
the  casing  and  hold  it  suspended  above  the  under  reamer.  (Refer 
to  Fig.  162  and  further  description  on  page  275.) 

In  California,  where  nearly  all  cable  drilled  wells  must  be 
under-reamed,  and  an  occasional  stratum  of  hard  rock  or  "shell" 
is  encountered  which  it  is  difficult  to  ream,  the  drillers  use  an 


BIT  DRESSING  131 

eccentric  or  "sidehilt"  bit.  This  is  an  ordinary  bit  with  the  wear- 
ing edges  dressed  out  on  one  side  and  hammered  down  on  the 
other  sufficiently  that  the  bit  will  ream  a  hole  large  enough  for  the 
casing  to  follow.* 

REAMING 

It  sometimes  becomes  necessary,  for  the  purpose  of  re-setting 
casing  at  a  lower  depth,  or  to  enlarge  a  hole  that  has  already 
been  drilled,  to  ream  it  out  to  the  larger  diameter.  For  this  pur- 
pose a  round  reamer  is  used.  The  reamer  is  a  bit  made  thick 
enough  nearly  to  fill  the  diameter  of  the  hole,  but  with  deep  water 
channels. 

BIT  DRESSING 

Correct  dressing  of  the  bits  is  an  important  part  of  well  drilling. 
If  the  tool  dresser  is  inexperienced,  inefficient,  or  careless  in  his 
bit  dressing,  he  may  ruin  the  bits,  cause  serious  delays,  fishing 
jobs,  or  even  the  loss  of  the  tools  or  of  the  hole. 

The  writer,  years  ago,  in  the  company  of  one  of  the  best  drilling 
.contractors  in  the  country,  visited  one  of  his  rigs.  The  tool 
dresser  was  just  beginning  to  dress  a  bit.  This  contractor,  in 
clean  clothes  and  fresh  linen,  watched  the  operation  for  a  moment, 
then  stripped  off  his  coat,  took  the  sledge  from  the  "toolie"  and 
proceeded  to  dress  the  bit.  Carefully  he  hammered  the  cherry 
red  steel  from  the  center  of  the  bit  out  to  the  edge^  his  blows 
growing  lighter  as  he  reached  the  corner  of  the  bitr  Then  he 
turned  it  over  and  repeated  the  operation.  Placing  the  bit  back  in 
the  forge,  he  carefully  heated  it,  withdrawing  it  from  the  fire  two 
or  three  times  to  observe  its  color.  When  it  was  heated  suffi- 
ciently he  again  placed  it  on  the  anvil  and  went  at  it  with  the 
V-ledge,  at  intervals  slipping  the  gauge  over  it,  and  stoving  and 
shaping  it  until  it  looked  as  though  it  had  just  come  from*  the  shop. 
Not  yet  satisfied,  he  heated  it  again  and  then  trimmed  off  with  a 
splitting  chisel  th^.  small  fringe  of  steel  that  had  worked  over  the 
shoulder  or  into  the  water  course,  and  then  he  finished  the  job 

•  Oil  Production  Methods,  by  Paul  M.  Paine  and  B.  M.  Stroud,  1913. 


132  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

with  a  small  hand  hammer,  finally  gauging  it  once  more  to  be  sure 
it  was  true  to  gauge.  As  we  walked  out  of  the  rig,  he  remarked : 
"The  way  that  tool  dresser  was  abusing  that  bit  might  have  caused 
me  a  flat  hole  or  a  fishing  job,  so  I  thought  I  would  give  him  an 
object  lesson." 

The  forge  is  usually  a  four-foot  square  box  filled  with  clay  or 
built  up  of  fire  brick.  The  bellows  has  given  place  to  'the  Star 
blower  operated  by  steam.  For  bits  ten  inches  and  smaller  the 
No.  3  blower  with  outlet  for  2-inch  tuyere  is  large  enough,  but  for 
bits  12j4-inch  and  larger  the  No.  4  blower  with  3-inch  tuyere 
should  be  used. 

Mr.  R.  R.  Sanderson  has  very  well  covered  the  subject  of 
dressing  and  tempering  bits  in  his  book  on  shallow  water  well 
drilling,  "Drill  Work,  Methods  and  Cost,"  from  which  the  follow- 
ing description  is  adapted: 

A  fire  is  built  in  bottom  of  forge  and  fuel  gradually  added 
under  a  light  blast  until  the  forge  is  filled.  If  blacksmith  coal  is 
used  it  will  have  a  tendency  to  coke  together,  obstructing  the  blast. 
To  correct  this,  openings  should  be  made  through  the  coal,  at  in- 
tervals, by  prying  it  up  at  different  points  with  a  poker,  in  such  a 
way  that  only  the  center  of  the  mass  is  disturbed.  The  result 
should  be  a  wall  of  heated  coke  surrounding  the  loosened  center, 
which  may  be  10  to  20  inches  in  diameter,  according  to  the  size  of 
the  bit  to  be  heated.  An  opening  is  made  in  one  side  of  the  wall  of 
coke  and  enough  of  the  fire  raked  from  the  center  to  leave  a  space 
somewhat  larger  than  the  bit.  After  the  bit  has  been  carefully 
cleaned  of  all  mud  and  cuttings  (cuttings  sometimes  contain  iron 
pyrites,  which  when  heated,  liberate  sulphur,  harmful  to  steel),  it 
is  placed  in  the  fire,  so  that  the  cutting  edge  extends  three  to  four 
inches  beyond  the  center  of  fire. 

Bit  should  not  be  jammed  through  the  wall,  nor  pressed  down 
against  the  coals  with  such  force  as  to  break  down  the  fire,  thus 
shutting  off  the  blast. 

In  winter  when  the  bit  is  very  cold,  it  should  not  at  once  be 
covered  when  put  in  the  fire,  but  should  remain  on  top  of  the  hot 
coals  for  a  few  minutes  and  turned  three  or  four  times  to  warm 


BIT  DRESSING  133 

the  steel  slightly,  before  subjecting  it  to  the  full  heat  of  the^forge. 
After  the  bit  has  been  covered  with  the  coked  coal  previously 
scraped  from  the  center  of  the  fire,  a  small  amount  of  fresh  fine 
coal  should  be  sprinkled  around  the  edge  of  the  coke  just  put  on. 
By  repeating  this  at  intervals  the  supply  of  coke  can  be  main- 
tained. 

After  the  bit  has  been  sufficiently  heated  on  one  side,  it  should 
be  turned  over  so  that  the  other  side  is  next  the  fire.  It  is  very 
essential  to  have  the  bit  evenly  heated,  and  it  may  be  necessary 
to  turn  it  several  times  to  accomplish  this,  but  it  is  best  to  turn  it 
as  few  times  as  possible,  not  to  disturb  the  fire. 

If  the  flame  and  smoke  have  a  tendency  to  dart  back  beneath  the 
bit,  through  the  water  channel,  it  can  be  prevented  by  placing 
some  ashes  or  earth  below  the  bit  just  at  the  edge  of  the  fire. 

The  fire  should  not  be  forced  too  strongly,  for  the  bit  must  be 
allowed  time  to  heat  evenly.  Also  the  bit  should  not  be  left  to 
"soak"  in  the  fire  after  the  proper  heat  has  been  reached.  Some 
drillers  cut  down  the  blast  and  allow  the  bit  to  remain  in  the  hot 
coals  for  several  minutes,  after  it  is  hot  enough  to  dress,  believing 
the  steel  in  better  condition  to  dress,  owing  to  greater  amount  of 
heat  absorbed.  This  is  not  only  a  waste  of  time,  but  harmful  to 
the  bit,  as  the  hot  coals  draw  the  carbon  from  the  outer  shell  of 
the  steel. 

The  bit  should  be  so  placed  in  the  fire  that. for  4  to  5  inches  up 
from  the  cutting  edge  it  will  be  heated  to  the  same  temperature. 
Some  tool  dressers  think  it  necessary  to  heat  the  bit  for  only  a 
couple  of  inches  on  the  end,  but  if  this  practice  is  followed,  a 
cracked  bit  may  result,  as  the  steel  will  not  be  heated  far  enough 
back  to  allow  the  metal  to  "flow"  under  the  heavy  blows  used  in 
stoving  back  the  edge. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  the  corners  of  a  bit  are  much  thinner 
than  any  other  part  and  will  thus  heat  much  more  rapidly,  they 
must  be  carefully  watched,  to  see  that  they  do  not  burn.  If  the 
fire  has  been  made  so  that  it  has  an  even  temperature  throughout 
and  the  bit  has  been  properly  placed  in  it,  there  is  not  much  danger 
of  burned  corners,  but  if  the  fire  is  "dirty"  so  that  th*^  heat  is  not 


134  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

unifor;n,  the  proper  heating  of  bit  becomes  almost  an  impossi- 
bility. 

A  "dirty"  fire  may  be  caused  by  an  accumulation  of  ashes  or  of 
burned-out  coke ;  or  it  may  be  the  result  of  poor  quality  fuel.  If 
coke  is  the  fuel,  impurities  may  clinker  over  the  tuyere,  or  pieces 
of  slate  obstruct  the  blast. 

If  coke  is  the  fuel  used,  the  forge  should  be  cleaned  out  after 
each  heat;  if  coal,  the  forge  should  be  cleaned  within  the  space 
surrounded  by  the  coke  wall. 

It  will  be  noted  when  cleaning  out  the  forge  in  which  coal  is 
used,  that  there  are  numerous  small  pieces  of  very  hard  coke. 
This  coke  should  not  be  used  over  again,  as  it  is  more  ash  than 
coke,  and  contains  impurities  that  are  very  injurious  to  the  steel. 

So  far  as  possible,  the  steel  in  the  bits  should  be  kept  in  the  same 
condition  as  when  it  left  the  factory.  Coal  for  heating  containing, 
sulphur  or  phosphorus  should  not  be  used,  as  both  elements  are 
injurious  to  steel  when  heated.  Bits  may  also  be  ruined  by  over- 
heating. Iron  may  be  heated  until  the  sparks  fly  without  injury, 
but  overheating  a  bit  has  a  tendency  to  draw  or  burn  out  the  car- 
bon, leaving  the  steel  porous  and  brittle,  in  other  words,  a  "burned 
bit." 

If  by  any  chance  a  bit  should  be  burned,  it  is  best  to  cut  away 
the  injured  portion,  as  it  is  impossible  to  work  burned  steel,  or  to 
temper  it. 

When  a  bit  is  first  dressed,  it  should  not  be  heated  higher  than 
a  dark  cherry  red,  or  from  1,350  to  1,400  degrees  Fahrenheit. 
During  the  next  heat  the  temperature  may  be  higher,  gradually 
increasing  during  successive  heats  until  the  driller  has  found  the 
heat  at  which  the  steel  can  best  be  worked  and  tempered  to  secure 
good  drilling  results.  For  average  bit  steel,  temperatures  of  from 
1,400  to  1,600  degrees  Fahrenheit  will  be  found  suitable.  Bit 
steel,  however,  never  should  be  heated  higher  than  a  light  cherry 
red. 

STEEL  COLORS  AT  HIGH  TEMPERATURES. 

Skilled  observers  may  vary  100**  in  their  estimates  of  relatively 
low  temperatures  by  color  and  beyond  2,200**  F.  it  is  practically 


BIT  DRESSING 


impossible  to  make  estimates  with  any  certainty  whatever.    (Bul- 
letin  No.  2,  Bureau  of  Standards,  1905.) 


G36 

681  IVI  I    jwa,    vj 

700  1292  Dark  rea. 

800  1172  Dull   cherry-red. 

900  1652  Cherry-red. 

1000  1B32  Bright  cherry-red. 

1100  2012  Orange-red. 

1200  eiB2  Gran ea- yellow. 

UOO  2872  Tellow-whlta 

1100  2EG2  White  welding  beat. 

IGOO  2712  Brilliant  white. 

1400  2S12  Dazzling  white    (bluish   white). 

From  booklet  published  by  the  Halcomb  Steel  Co..  1»08. 


Fig.  63.     Derriek  Crane  Outnt 

For  handling  bits,  a  derrick  crane,  chain  hoist  and  swivd 
wrench  are  used.  Fig.  63  illustrates  the  method  of  handling  a  bit 
from  the  stem  to  the  forge,  thence  to  the  anvil  and  for  supporting 
it  while  it  is  being  screwed  into  the  box  of  the  stem.  A  bit  pulley 
and  chain,  suspended  from  the  trolley  of  the  crane,  are  sometimes 
used  for  convenience  in  turning  bits  on  the  anvil. 


136  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Shaping  the  Bit. — To  shape  a  bit  quickly  and  accurately,  it  is 
necessary  to  understand  the  functions  of  the  various  parts  com- 
posing the  cutting  end  and  to  know  the  relations  which  these 
parts  bear  to  each  other.  These  parts  are  the  Cutting  Edge,  the 
Faces,  the  Corners,  the  Wearing  Surfaces  or  Wearing  Edges,  the 
Shoulders  and  the  Water  Courses  or  Channels. 

After  bit  has  been  heated  to  proper  temperature,  it  is  placed 
on  the  anvil  block  with  one  of  the  flat  sides  down. 

For  small  bits  an  ordinary  sledge  and  a  ball  pein  hammer  will 
suffice,  but  for  large  bits  a  bit  dressing  ram  will  be  found  a  time 
saving  addition. to  the  outfit.  The  ram  is  a  forged  steel  device, 
shaped  something  like  a  baseball  bat,  with  an  iron  ring  fitted  into 
it  at  a  point  where  it  will  balance  when  suspended  from  a  derrick 
girt.  A  line  of  two  inch  pipe  connects  the  suspending  rope  with 
the  wrist  pin  on  band  wheel  crank  and  the  engine  furnishes  the 
power  for  the  stroke.  The  tool  dresser  grasps  the  handle  of  the 
ram  and  directs  the  blows  on  the  bit. 

Hammering  is  begun  first  at  center,  working  outward  toward 
the  corners,  the  heaviest  blows  being  used  at  center,  and  gradually 
growing  lighter  as  the  corners  are  approached.  After  one  side 
has  been  hammered  for  a  short  time,  the  bit  is  turned  and  the 
process  repeated  on  the  other  side.  This  is  continued  until  the 
bit  has  been  sufficiently  stoved.     Care  must  be  exercised  to  see 


Fig.  64.     Bit  Ram 

that  one  side  does  not  receive  more  or  heavier  blows  than  the 
other,  as  unequal  hammering  will  result  in  a  cutting  edge  off 
center.  The  cutting  edge  should  also  be  kept  in  a  straight  line  and 
not  allowed  to  become  rounded,  for  a  bit  with  a  round  edge  will 
not  cut  rock  rapidly. 

The  angle  of  the  faces  should  be  neither  too  sharp  nor  too  flat.. 
If  the  angle  is  too  sharp,  it  is  impossible  to  put  sufficient  wearing 
surface  on  the  bit;  and  in  hard  rock  drilling  this  may  result  in  a 


BIT  DRESSING 


137 


hole  which  is  not  perfectly  round — or  as  the  drillers  say,  a  "flat" 
hole.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  bottom  of  the  bit  is  too  flat,  the 
cutting  speed  is  reduced.  The  correct  angle  varies  according  to 
the  size  of  bit,  and  also  the  condition  of  the  rock. 

For  drilling  hard  rock  a  bit  with  flat  faces  and  heavy  corners 
and  cutting  edges  should  be  used.  The  sharper  bit  may  make 
hole  faster  when  first  put  on,  but  the  corners  and  edges  will  more 


Fig-  65.     Diagram  of  Angles  for  bit  faces 

quickly  be  broken  down,  with  consequent  danger  of  a  pinched 
hole.  When  this  happens,  reaming  is  necessary  to  prevent  the 
next  full  gauge  bit  from  sticking  in  the  hole. 

Where  broken-  or  creviced  formations  are  encountered  a  flat 
bit  should  be  used,  for  a  bit  with  thin  cutting  edge  has  a  tendency 
to  wedge  in  the  cracks,  thus  deflecting  the  tools,  and  a  crooked 
hole  will  result. 

In  stoving  the  bit,  it  will  be  noticed  that  not  only  is  the  width 
increased,  but  also  the  metal  around  the  wearing  edges  is  ex- 
panded. To  prevent  these  points  from  becoming -too  far  apart, 
they  should  frequently  be  hammered  down,  during  the  stoving 
operation.  Some  tool  dressers  finish  stoving  the  bit  before  driv- 
ing down  these  points,  but  this  is  not  good  practice,  because  if  the 
bit  requires  much  stoving,  these  points  become  so  spread  that  it 
requires  considerable  hammering  to  bring  them  back.     As  this 


138  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

heavy  hammering  has  a  tendency  not  only  to  increase  the  width 
but  to  drive  the  metal  back  into  the  body  of  the  bit,  cutting 
edge  is  likely  to  be  forced  out  of  straight  line.  If  the  points  are 
kept  well  worked  down  as  the  stoving  proceeds,  the  bit  will  shape 
up  more  symmetrically  and  with  less  labor.  Another  disadvantage 
of  waiting  until  after  stoving  before  driving  down  the  points  is 
that,  as  the,  points  project  somewhat  from  the  body  of  the  bit, 
they  will  cool  rapidly,  and  if  driving  these  chilled  points  down 
into  the  hot  steel  is  attempted,  a  cracked  bit  may  result.  All  the 
parts  being  worked  should  be  at  the  same  temperature,  so  that 
the  steel  will  "flow"  evenly  and  uniformly  under  the  hammer 
blows. 

When  evenly  heated  steel  is  hammered,  the  effect  will  be  to 
force  the  grains  more  closely  together  or  to  refine  and  toughen  it. 
If  unevenly  heated,  however,  it  will  cause  it  to  crack  or  check 
where  the  soft  grains  are  crushed  against  the  harder  steel.  While 
these  checks  cannot  be  seen,  they  are  nevertheless  there,  and  after 
the  bit  has  been  tempered  several  times,  large  pieces  may  spall  off. 

As  heated  steel  cools  there  is  formed  a  thin  shell  of  harder  steel 
enveloping  the  end  of  the  bit  and  increasing  in  thickness  as  cooling 
progresses.  Should  the  bit  be  too  heavily  hammered  while  in  this 
condition  the  cooler  grains  of  steel  on  the  surface  will  not  fuse 
with  the  more  plastic  steel  below,  resulting  in  crushing  the  outer 
shell  and  ultimately  in  checking  or  cracking  of  the  bit. 

In  stoving,  the  steel  is  forced  back  into  the  water  channels,  thus 
increasing  the  thickness  of  the  bit  through  the  center.  The  water 
channels  should  be  hammered  down  at  the  same  time  that  the 
points  referred  to  above  receive  attention.  To  reach  into  the 
hollow  channels,  it  will  be  necessary  to  use  the  peen  of  sledge. 
The  bit  should  not  become  so  thick  through  the  water  channels 
that  heavy  hammering  is  required  to  reduce  it,  thus  forcing  the 
middle  of  cutting  edge  outward,  causing  a  "bellied"  bit,  as  the 
drillers  say. 

As  it  is  impossible,  even  by  the  most  careful  hammering,  wholly 
to  prevent  an  accumulation  of  metal  around  and  in  the  water 
channels,  it  will  be  necessarv  to  cut  out  and  trim  the  channels 


BIT  DRESSING  139 

with  a  hot  chisel.  For  this  work  a  chisel  with  a  half  round  edge 
should  be  used.  If  a  cutter  having  a  straight  edge  is  used  it  will 
form  sharp  corners  in  the  bottom  of  channels  and  these  may  cause 
a  crack  to  start  in  the  steel. 

Some  drillers  use  a  fuller,  corresponding  in  shape  and  size  with 
the  channels,  to  keep  the  channels  straight  and  clean. 

If  the  bit  being  dressed  is  not  far  out  of  gauge  and  if  the  cor- 
ners are  not  badly  ground  away  or  broken  off,  the  stoving  required 
to  restore  the  cutting  edge  will  be  sufficient  to  spread  the  bit  so 
that  the  corners  and  wearing  edges  can  be  sharpened  and  brought 
to  gauge. 

When  the  bit  to  be  dressed  is  in  bad  condition,  requiring  much 
stoving,  it  should  be  heated  to  a  light  cherry  red  and  heavy  blows 
used  until  it  has  been  sufficiently  stoved,  unless  the  operation  takes 
so  much  time  that  the  bit  begins  to  cool,  when  the  blows  should  be 
lightened. 

Small  bits  and  bits  in  bad  condition  usually  require  three  heats 
to  complete  the  dressing,  the  first  for  stoving,  cutting  out  the 
water  channel  and  trimming  any  part  which  shows  signs  of  check- 
ing; the  second  for  turning  down  and  shaping  the  comers  and 
wearing  edges  and  finishing  with  a  hand  hammer,  while  the  third 
is  for  tempering. 

If  a  bit  is  not  in  bad  condition  and  is  of  sufficient  size  to  hold  a 
heat,  it  can  be  dressed  in  two  heats;  the  first  for  shaping  and  the 
second  for  tempering. 

Sometimes  it  is  necessary  to  dress  a  bit  that  is  almost  full 
gauge,  with  a  good  cutting  edge  and  one  good  corner  and  one  very 
bad  comer.  This  is  a  difficult  operation,  for  unless  it  is  properly 
handled  there  is  danger  of  having  a  low  corner  when  the  bit  is 
finished.  There  are  two  ways  to  prevent  this  unequal  distribution 
— to  draw  the  steel  toward  the  low  comer  by  hammering,  or  by 
cutting  from  the  good  corner  enough  steel  to  make  the  two 
comers  equal. 

Bits  in  fairly  good  condition  require  little  stoving,  perhaps  a 
quarter  of  an  inch  over  gauge,  or  just  enough  to  sharpen  the 
cutting  edge  and  to  furnish  sufficient  metal  to  dress  the  comers 


140  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

and  wearing  edges.  However  as  no  two  bits  are  alike,  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  lay  down  a  rule.  To  fill  out  the  corners  and  edges  of  bits 
that  are  worn  or  broken  they  may  have  to  be  stoved  an  inch  over 
gauge.  Too  much  stoving  should  be  avoided  for  the  extra  metal 
will  have  to  be  either  worked  back  into  the  bit  or  cut  off. 

After  the  stoving  operation  is  completed,  the  bit  is  turned  on 
edge,  so  that  the  shoulders  will  clear  the  outer  edge  of  anvil  and 
the  shoulders  above  the  corners  are  driven  down. 

If  one  corner  is  farther  from  the  center  than  the  other,  allow- 
ance must  be  made  for  this  and  the  hammering  so  done  that  when 
the  shoulders  are  both  driven  down,  the  corners  will  be  equi- 
distant from  the  center. 

While  shoulders  are  being  dressed,  the  bit  gauge  should 
frequently  be  used,  that  the  operation  may  not  be  overdone. 

When  the  shoulders  have  been  driven  down  so  that  the  corners 
come  to  gauge,  shoulders  above  the  wearing  edges  are  driven 
down  by  working  from  the  corner  outward.  In  doing  this  the 
wearing  edges  on  both  sides  of  the  bit  should  be  brought  down 
together,  that  is,  the  bit  should  be  turned  over  several  times  dur- 
ing the  hammering.  As  the  first  part  of  this  operation  usually  re- 
quires some  heavy  hammering,  it  should  be  done  while  the  metal 
is  at  its  highest  heat. 

The  wearing  edges  are  dressed  down  until  they  are  1/16  inch 
smaller  than  the  gauge,  while  the  corners  come  out  full  size.  The 
reason  for  this  is  that  in  driving  them  down  the  steel  will  be 
forced  out  past  the  faces  of  bit  and  allowance  must  be  made  for 
the  expansion  which  will  take  place  when  this  metal  is  worked 
back  into  the  bit. 

The  bit  is  now  laid  flat,  as  in  stoving,  and  the  wearing  edges 
and  corners  are  shaped. 

To  drive  back  the  extra  steel  at  these  points  without  expanding 
the  bit,  the  hammer  should  be  so  held  that  the  blows  fall  at  an 
angle  toward  the  face.  This  works  the  steel  away  from  the  wear- 
ing edges  into  the  body  of  bit. 

After  the  bit  has  been  thus  hammered  until  the  wearing  edge  is 
nearly  even  with  the  faces,  the  position  of  the  hammer  is  changed 


BIT  DRESSING  141 

and  blows  the  same  as  in  stoving  are  used,  until  the  edges  are  even 
with  the  faces.  The  bit  should  just  fill  the  gauge,  but  if  a 
little  large,  due  to  the  operation  just  described,  it  may  easily  be 
trued  by  slightly  driving  down  the  edges. 

The  bit  should  now  be  about  a  dull  red  or  a  little  cooler  and 
ready  for  the  final  hammering.  Using  a  small  hammer,  lj4  to  2 
pounds,  the  cutting  edge,  wearing  edges  and  corners  should  be 
gone  over  with  light  blows,  but  many  of  them.  This  tends  to 
toughen  the  grain  of  the  steel,  causing  the  bit  to  wear  better. 

•In  gauging  a  bit,  it  should  fill  the  gauge,  but  it  should  be  so 
dressed  that  the  gauge  will  pass  over  it  freely. 

The  angle  between  faces  and  the  shape  of  corners,  shoulders 
and  wearing  edges  of  a  bit  should  vary  according  to  the  character 
of  the  formation  to  be  drilled.  For  hard  rock,  the  corners  should 
be  made  rather  flat,  with  heavy  shoulders  extending  straight  up- 
ward from  the  corners  and  wearing  edges.  The  heavy  shoulders 
add  strength  to  the  corners  and  edges  by  reinforcing  them  with 
metal. 

Heavy  shoulders  and  wearing  edges  should  also  be  used  in 
sandstone,  owing  to  its  abrasive  qualities. 

In  drilling  soft  shale  or  slate,  a  bit  with  heavy  shoulders  has  a 
tendency  to  become  wedged  in  the  hole,  so  the  shoulders  should 
taper  backward  from  the  corners  with  the  wearing  edges  dressed 
out  thin.    This  is  called  a  "feather  edge." 

For  rock  much  broken  and  fissured,  the  bit  should  be  provided 
with  heavy  shoulders  and  very  full  wearing  edges  that  fill  a  large 
part  of  the  circle^  somewhat  similar  to  a  round  reamer. 

A  bit  for  gravel,  sand  or  clay  should  have  an  angle  of  from  70 
to  75  degrees  between  the  faces,  and  thin  wearing  edges. 

When  boulders  are  encountered  in  this  material,  it  is  necessary 
to  use  a  rock  bit,  as  the  cutting  edge  and  corners  of  the  gravel  bit 
are  too  thin  to  withstand  hard  drilling. 

Fig.  No.  66  illustrates  a  poorly  dressed  bit.  The  cutting  edge  is 
rounding,  thus  making  blunt  corners.  One  comer  is  farther  from 
the  center  than  the  other,  which  will  put  an  extra  strain  on  the 
tools,  by  forcing  them  out  of  center  line  of  hole.    There  are  na 


142  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

wearily  edges  and  the  water  channels  are  filled  up.  This  bit 
would  only  drill  about  one-third  as  many  feet  per  day  as  a  proper- 
ly dressed  bit. 

Fig.  No.  dJ  shows  the  result  of  unequal  heating  and  deep  tern- 


pering.  The  crack  through  the  center  has  been  started  by  ham- 
mering the  bit  while  the  steel  was  hotter  on  the  outside  than  the 
inside,  and  enlarged  by  setting  the  bit  too  deep  in  the  water  when 
tempering. 

The  steel  in  Fig.  No.  66  is  in  fairly  good  condition  and  the  bit. 
when  corrected,  can  be  used,  but  the  steel  in  Fig,  No.  67  is  spoiled 
for  a  distance  of  about  8  inches  from  the  end. 


BIT  DRESSING  •  143 

The  cuts,  Fig.  Nos.  68  and  69,  are  different  views  of  the  same 
bit  illustrating  how  it  should  look  when  properly  shaped.  This 
bit  was  dressed  for  hard  rock  drilling  with  straight  cutting  edge, 
deep  corners,  heavy  shoulders,  full  wearing  edges  and  clean  water 
channels. 

TEMPERING  THE  BIT 

There  are  two  methods  of  tempering ;  one  is  to  heat  the  bit,  set 
it  in  water  to  a  certain  depth  and  leave  it  to  cool.  This  is  known 
as  tempering  by  quenching. 

The  other,  and  most  satisfactory,  is  drawing  the  temper  and  con- 
sists of  heating  the  bit  to  a  certain  temperature,  then  cooling  the 
end  by  allowing  it  to  stand  in  shallow  water  fl)r  a  few  minutes, 
after  which  it  is  withdrawn  and  the  heat  allowed  to  "run"  (the 
heat  of  the  parts  to  be  tempered  is  on  an  ascending  scale,  see  color 
chart)  until  the  cutting  edge  and  the  steel  for  a  distance  of  J^ 
inch  above  the  cutting  edge  are  at  the  desired  temperature  or 
jcolor,  when  the  bit  is  set  back  in  the  water  and  allowed  to  cool. 
We  will  first  consider  this  method. 

The  cooling  box  or  trough  should  be  fitted  lengthwise  with  two 
pieces  of  pipe,  1J4  inches  in  diameter,  and  with  centers  4  inches 
apart.  The  bottom  of  the  pipes  should  be  about  2J^  to  3  inches 
above  the  bottom  of  the  box.  There  are  now  on  the  market  sheet 
steel  slack  tubs  that  are  much  used  for  this  purpose. 

The  bit  is  heated  for  a  distance  of  from  3  to  4  inches  on  the  end, 
to  a  dull  cherry  red,  never  higher  than  this ;  and  with  some  steels 
it  may  be  better  to  heat  to  a  lower  temperature. 

It  is  best  to  bring  the  bit  to  heat  slowly  and  evenly,  using  a  slow 
blast,  that  the  metal  all  through  the  end  may  be,  as  nearly  as  possi- 
ble, the  same  temperature. 

Enough  clear,  clean  water  is  poured  into  the  temper  box  so  that 
when  the  bit  is  put  in  it  the  water  will  just  reach  to  the  top  of  the 
bit  faces.  When  the  bit  has  been  heated  to  the  right  temperature, 
it  is  placed  in  the  box,  so  that  the  faces  rest  on  the  two  pipes. 
While  the  bit  is  cooling,  the  water  should  be  stirred  to  keep  it  in 
motion,  or  better,  the  box  may  be  arranged  to  have  a  stream  of 


144 


•  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


water  entering  at  the  bottom  and  running  through  it.  If  the  water 
is  allowed  to  remain  stationary  it  may  cause  cracking  of  the  steel. 
The  bit  should  not  be  set  deeper  in  the  water  than  the  top  of  the 
faces  and  shallower  if  possible. 

After  the  bit  has  been  in  the  tempering  trough  for  two  or  three 
minutes,  it  is  removed  and  with  a  file,  a  brick  or  piece  of  sandstone, 
the  shoulders  are  scoured  until  they  are  bright.  The  first  will  be 
a  straw  color  and  successively,  a  light  brown,  a  duller  brown, 
brown  with  purple  spots,  light  purple,  dark  purple,  light  blue, 
darker  blue,  blue  tinged  with  green  and  so  on.  The  following 
table  shows  the  differences  in  temperature  to  run  the  full  color 
scale : 


• 

Light  Straw  Color 

Full  Straw  Color 

Light  Brown 

Darker  Brown 

Brown  Fading  into  Purple 

Light  Purple 

Dark  Purple 

Light  Pigeon  Blue 

Darker  Blue 

Blue  with  Green. 


Fahrenheit 


430 
460 
490 
500 
510 
530 
550 
570 
600 
630 


Centigrade 


221.1 

237.8 

254.4 

260. 

265.6 

276.7 

287.8 

298.9 

315..  6 

328. 


For  rock  of  medium  hardness  the  temper  should  be  stopped  be- 
tween the  full  straw  and  the  darker  brown.  For  extremely  hard 
rock  the  temper  may  be  a  deeper  color.  Bits  for  drilling  very  soft 
rock  and  shales  may  be  tempered  hard,  for  the  cutting  edges  are 
not  easily  broken  in  such  formations  and  the  harder  temper  pre- 
vents the  bit  from  rapidly  wearing  out  of  gauge. 

In  limestone  or  other  hard  rock,  it  is  best  to  temper  as  hard  as 
possible  and  yet  have  the  steel  tough,  in  order  to  keep  the  bit  to 
gauge  as  long  as  possible. 

The  colors  above  will  vary  somewhat  with  the  kind  of  steel 
used,  and  the  driller  will  have  to  experiment  to  determine  the 
right  colors  for  the  bits  he  is.  using. 

It  is  necessary  that  the  water  in  which  tempering  is  done  be 
perfectly  clean,  as  dirt  or  an  oil  film  will  cause  the  colors  to  show 
up  differently;  also  dirty  or  oily  water  will  interfere  with  the 


BIT  DRESSING  145 

penetration  of  the  temper,  resulting  in  a  thin  hard  shell  of  steel, 
which  may  cause  the  bit  to  crack  or  pieces  to  spall  off. 

If  the  steel  cracks  in  tempering,  the  water  should  first  be  heated 
almost  to  the  boiling  point.  Some  drillers  use  salt  solution  or 
cyanide  of  potassium. 

If  it  is  desired  to  temper  by  the  "quenching"  method,  it  is  only 
necessary  to  heat  the  bit  to  the  right  temperature,  then  set  it  in 
the  water  and  allow  it  to  cool.  The  temperature  to  which  it 
should  be  heated  depends  upon  the  hardness  of  the  rock  being 
drilled,  also  the  kind  of  steel  used,  and  can  be  determined  only  by 
experiment. 

The  quenching  method  is  all  right  for  soft  or  medium  hard  rock, 
but  for  very  hard  rock,  it  is  best  to  draw  the  temper  in  order  to 
be  sure  the  steel  will  stand. 

INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  HEATING,  DRESSING  AND  TEMPER- 
ING UNDER.REAMER  CUTTERS 

(Union  Tool  Co.) 

To  dress  Cutters — Bring  slowly  to  an  orange  heat  which  is 
about  2,000  degrees  Fahrenheit  and  do  not  forge  at  a  temperature 
below  a  red  heat,  plainly  visible  in  daylight.  The  heel  of  every 
cutter,  in  dressing,  must  be  kept  parallel  with  the  cutting  edge, 
or,  in  other  words,  be  sure  the  bottom  of  the  cutter  is  straight 
across,  which  is  the  shape  or  form  of  all  new  cutters.  If  cutting 
edge  is  stove  back  of  the  heel,  the  cutters  may  wedge  on  the 
tongue,  crushing  them.  After  dressing  cutters,  allow  them  to 
cool  to  hand  warm  before  reheating  for  tempering. 

To  temper  Cutters — Heat  slowly  and  evenly  to  1,450  or  1,500 
degrees  Fahrenheit,  which  is  indicated  by  a  cherry  red,  then  dip 
about  J^  inch  of  the  cutting  edge  into  clear  water,  stirring  the 
cutter  around  to  keep  the  water  in  close  contact  with  its  surface. 
Allow  the  cutter  to  remain  in  the  water  until  the  cutting  edge  is 
cool,  then  quickly  dip  it  half  way  into  the  water  to  prevent  a 
check  or  crack  forming  between  the  hot  and  cold  parts.  Polish 
the  cutting  edge  to  observe  the  color,  and  when  it  has  run  down 


146  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

to  a  straw  color  on  the  edge,  set  the  cutter  to  a  depth  of  about  1 
inch  in  clear  water  or  a  bath  of  mud,  and  allow  to  cool  slowly. 

Note:  The  most  important  feature  of  the  treatment  of  cutters  is  to 
heat  them  slowly  and  uniformly,  to  prevent  the  setting:  up  of  strains 
In  .the  steel,  caused  by  uneven  expansion  or  contraction,  which  migrht 
develop  into  cracks  when  the  tool  is  put  in  service. 


MEASURING  THE  DEPTH  OF  HOLE 

At  frequent  intervals  during  the  progress  of  drilling  a  well  it 
becomes  necessary  to  measure  the  depth  of  the  hole,  particularly 
when  it  is  desired  to  keep  an  accurate  record  of  the  formations 
penetrated.  A  steel  measuring  line  on  a  reel  is  used.  A  convenient 
method  of  handHng  the  reel  and  line  is  by  clamping  the  reel  to  the 
engine  fly  wheel  and  using  the  engine  power  for  reeling  in  the 
line.  A  weight  should  be  attached  to  the  bottom  of  the  line.  The 
line  should  be  one  with  raised  figures  for  convenience  in  reading. 
When  sufficient  line  has  been  run  out  to  nearly  reach  the  bottom 
of  the  hole,  it  should  then  be  carefully  let  out  a  few  inches  at  a 
time  with  a  man  holding  the  line  in  the  center  of  the  hole  to  keep 
it  from  binding  on  the  casing.  By  keeping  the  line  taut  and  feel- 
ing for  the  impact  of  the  weight  on  the  bottom,  the  true  depth  is 
easily  determined. 

Difficulty  is  sometimes  experienced  in  measuring  the  depth  of 
deep  wells  having  long  strings  of  casing,  due  to  the  measuring 
line  adhering  to  the  casing  owing  to  magnetism  or  other  agency. 
This  can  be  in  part  overcome  by  using  a  heavier  weight  and  soap- 
ing the  line  or  coating  it  with  heavy  grease. 

Drillers  approximate  both  the  depth  at  which  they  are  drilling 
and  the  number  of  feet  drilled  during  a  "tour"  or  12  hour  shift 
by  the  simple  process  of  tying  a  short  piece  of  rope  or  twine 
around  the  cable  at  the  point  where  it  leaves  the  bull  wheel  shaft 
when  the  tools  are  resting  on  bottom.  By  knowing  the  exact 
height  of  the  derrick,  it  is  possible  to  determine  with  a  fair  degree 
of  accuracy  the  progress  being  made  in  feet  by  noting  the  position 
in  the  derrick  of  the  piece  of  string  attached  to  the  cable. 

The  following  suggestions  to  operators  for  the  correct  measur- 


MEASURING  THE  DEPTH  OF  HOLE  147 

ing  of  oil  wells  have  been  issued  by  the  California  State  Mining 
Bureau :  * 

"Methods  of  measuring  the  depth  of  oil  wells  and  the  amount  of 
casing  put  into  them  are  of  extreme  importance  in  order  that 
water  shall  be  shut  off  at  the  proper  depth  and  casing  perforated 
between  the  proper  depths.  While  the  water  may  appear  of  slight 
importance  to  some  careful  operators,  it  has  been  found  that  gross 
errors  are  frequent  enough  to  justify  some  general  regula- 
tion.    *     *    * 

"1.  All  measurements  must  be  made  with  a  steel  tape.  Cloth 
or  metallic  tapes  cannot  be  depended  upon,  as  they  are  subject  to 
great  change  in  length.  A  five- foot  stick  used  on  a  sand  or  drill- 
ing line,  for  distances  more  than  200  feet,  is  inaccurate.  The  rea- 
sons for  such  inaccuracy  are  that  exact  markings  on  the  line  at 
the  ends  of  the  stick  are  difficult  to  make  and  their  great  number 
quickly  multiplies  the  error. 

**2.  The  depth  of  the  well  shall  in  all  cases  be  determined  by 
running  a  bailer  or  string  of  tools  to  the  bottom.  The  unit  of 
measurement,  when  cable  tools  are  used,  shall  be  the  distance 
from  the  floor  of  the  derrick  along  the  sand  line  over  to  a  point 
level  with  the  top  of  the  flanges  of  the  reel.  This  is  commonly 
known  as  the  distance  the  derrick  'measures  over,'  and  details  for 
such  measurement  are  stated  below.  If  measurement  is  on  the 
drilling  line,  it  shall  be  from  the  floor  over  to  a  point  near  the 
bull  wheel  and  five  feet  above  the  floor,  as  determined  by  setting 
up  a  five-foot  stick, 

"The  depth  of  a  rotary  hole,  before  casing  is  put  in,  shall  be 
determined  by  measuring  each  stand  of  drillpipe  with  steel  tape, 
measurements  to  be  from  top  of  tool  box  joint  to  bottom  of 
shoulder  on  tool  joint  pin. 

"3.  The  length  of  a  string  of  casing  shall,  when  considered 
necessary  by  the  supervisor  or  deputy,  be  determined  by  measur- 
ing to  the  shoe  of  the  casing  from  the  derrick  floor.  This  measure- 
ment can  be  made  on  the  drilling  line  by  using  an  underreamer, 

•  Extract  from  Article  by  A.  W.   Ambrose,  Bureau   of  Mines,  Water 
Problems  of  the  Oil  Field,  The  Oil  and  Gas  Journal,  Nov.  5,  1920. 


: :  M 


148  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

a  latch-jack  or  any  other  tool  which  definitely  locates  the  shoe  of 
the  casing. 

"4.  A  derrick  should  be  'measured  over'  immediately  before  it 
is  intended  to  measure  the  depth  of  well  or  of  casing.  A  measure- 
ment made  when  the  rig  is  new  may  not  be  correct  after  the  rig 
and  rig  irons  have  been  in  use  for  some  time. 

"The  'distance  over'  can  be  determined  in  the  following  manner, 
using  a  bailer  and  sand  line : 

"(a)  Run  the  bailer  into  the  well  a  short  distance  and  tie  string 
on  the  sand  line  level  with  the  surface  of  the  floor,  using  a  straight 
edge  or  steel  square  to  determine  the  correct  position. 

"(b)  Tie  a  strand  of  rope  (target)  tightly  on  the  sand  line  at 
a  position  on  a  level  with  the  top  of  sand  reel  flanges,  laying  a 
straight  stick  on  top  of  the  flanges  to  determine  this  position. 

"(c)  Lower  the  bailer  into  the  well  until  the  target  is  within 
easy  reach  from  the  derrick  floor.  Attach  the  end  of  a  steel  tape 
to  the  sand  line  at  the  target.  Raise  the  bailer  until  another  target 
can  be  fastened  at  the  end  of  the  tape  and  tie  another  target. 
Lower  the  bailer,  detach  tape,  hoist  bailer  and  attach  tape  at  the 
second  target,  hoist  bailer  and  set  third  target.  Repeat  the  opera- 
tion until  it  is  possible  to  measure  with  the  tape  to  the  target  first 
set  at  the  floor.  The  tape  must  be  shorter  than  the  height  of  the 
derrick,  so  that  it  will  not  go  over  the  pulley  at  the  crown  block. 

"When  a  target  is  tied  to  the  line,  paint  should  be  put  on  the 
line  above  and  below  the  target  to  show  any  displacement  of  the 
target. 

"To  measure  into  the  well,  after  the  unit  length  or  'distance 
over'  is  determined,  hold  the  bottom  of  the  bailer  dart,  when 
raised,  level  with  the  surface  of  the  floor,  set  a  target  at  the  top 
of  the  flanges  of  the  reel,  lower  the  bailer  until  the  target  is  level 
with  the  floor  and  set  a  second  target  at  the  reel.  Correct  count 
of  the  targets  is  most  easily  kept  by  detaching  and  keeping  each 
one  as  it  reaches  the  floor. 

"The  depth  can  also  be  conveniently  measured  when  the  bailer 
is  pulled  out  of  the  well  by  setting  the  first  target  even  with  the 
floor,  while  the  bailer  is  on  the  bottom,  hoisting  until  the  target 


WELL  LOGS  149 

reaches  the  flanges  of  the  reel,  set  new  targets  at  floor  level  and 
remove  old  ones  as  they  reach  the  reel." 

WASHING  OUT  THE  SAND 

The  formations  penetrated  by  the  drill  should  be  carefully 
watched,  particularly  when  a  possible  oil  or  gas  bearing  sand  is 
encountered.  Samples  of  the  sand  should  be  washed  perfectly 
clean  in  warm  water  the  better  to  judge  of  its  character  and 
quality. 

LOG  OF  WELL 

Drillers  should  keep  an  accurate  log  of  the  formations  passed 
through  during  the  drilling  of  every  well.  This  log  should  show 
the  thickness  and  character  of  each  formation,  including  changes 
in  color  that  may  occur  in  any  one  stratum,  and  should  record  all 
showings  of  water,  gas  and  oil.  When  a  sample  of  the  formations 
is  required,  the  driller  should  secure  a  supply  of  small  bottles  with 
a  blank  label  pasted  on  each.  A  sample  of  each  formation  is 
then  placed  in  the  bottles  and  the  thickness,  color  and  name  of 
the  formation  recorded  on  the  label. 

Graphic  charts  are  often  employed  to  illustrate  well  logs. 
Geologists  have  established  a  system  of  symbols  to  designate  the 
different  formations,  as,  irregular  dots  for  sandstone,  blocks  for 
limestone,  etc.,  refer  to  diagram  of  well  log.  Fig.  70. 

WELL  LOGS 

The  terms  used  in  drillers'  logs  to  describe  formations  passed 
through  do  not  always  conform  to  the  technical  names  familiar 
to  geologists  and  engineers.  The  following  extracts  from  a  paper 
by  Mr.  Arthur  Knapp,  M.  E.,  before  a  meeting  of  the  American 
Institute  of  Mining  Engineers  entitled  "Rock  Classification  from 
the  Oil  Driller's  Standpoint'**  are  enlightening : 

"The  ordinary  well  log  is  subjected  to  a  great  deal  of  criticism, 
much  of  which  is  well  founded.  Sometimes,  though,  the  difficulty 
in  interpreting  the  log  is  due  to  the  fact  that  the  geologist  or 
engineer  using  the  logs  does  not  know  the  limitations  of  the  drill- 

*  Reprinted   from  Oil   and   Gas   Journal. 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


^Mm" 


White  «imnick,40' 


BiMjhM'.BO' 


WELL  LOGS  151 

ing  method  used.  The  rotary  drill,  especially,  has  inherent  limita- 
tions that  make  it  difficult  to  secure  definite  information  at  all 
times.  The  identification  of  well-defined  key  beds  is  about  all 
that  can  be  expected  from  the  rotary  log.  The  formation  in  a 
drilled  hole,  as  reported  by  the  driller,  has  a  direct  relation  to  the 
speed  with  which  the  drill  makes  the  hole  or  to  the  reaction  of  the 
various  strata  on  the  bit,  called  the  "feel  of  the  bit."  When  this 
is  not  thoroughly  understood  by  the  geologist  or  engineer  en- 
deavoring to  interpret  the  log,  the  result  is  an  erroneous  correla- 
tion with  other  wells  or  a  discarding  of  the  log  as  worthless. 

GENERAL  TERMS 

''Hard  and  Soft. — Hard  and  soft  are  relative  terms.  In  the  case 
of  well  logs,  they  are  very  misleading  as  they  are  used  in  connec- 
tion with  both  resistance  to  abrasion  and  resistance  to  percussion. 
In  technical  rock  classification,  hardness  is  relative  resistance  to 
abrasion.  The  term  brittleness  is  used  in  connection  with  re- 
sistance to  blows.  These  terms  are  misleading  to  the  geologist  or 
engineer  who  is  not  familiar  with  both  the  cable-tool,  or  standard 
tool,  method  of  drilling  and  the  rotary  method.  In  the  case  of 
the  standard  tools,  the  driller's  report  of  the  hardness  of  the  for- 
mation is  in  terms  of  its  resistance  to  blows.     *    *     * 

"The  rotary  driller  would  reverse  the  terms.  The  limestone  is 
hard  in  that  it  resists  the  abrasive  action  of  the  bit,  while  the 
gypsum  might  be  soft  in  that  it  is  readily  cut  by  the  rotary  bit.  It 
is  rare  that  wells  drilled  by  the  standard  tools  are  correlated  with 
those  drilled  by  the  rotary,  but  the  technologist  who  has  worked 
with  well  logs  from  one  system  might  be  misled  when  working 
with  the  other. 

''Sticky, — ^With  the  rotary  drill  a  formation  is  sticky  which  cuts 
in  large  pieces  that  adhere  to  the  bit  and  drill  pipe.  A  formation 
that  is  sticky  with  the  rotary  is  usually  sticky  with  the  cable  tools. 
On  the  other  hand,  formations  are  encountered  in  which  the  cable 
tools  stick,  either  owing  to  the  elasticity  of  the  formation  or  to 
the  fav^  that  the  drilled-up  particles  do  not  mix  readily  with  the 


152  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

water  in  the  hole  and  settle  so  quickly  as  to  stick  the  bit.    These 
formations  might  not  appear  sticky  at  all  to  the  rotary  driller. 

''Sandy. — This  term  may  be  used  accurately  by  the  cable-tool 
driller.  He  obtains  samples  of  the  formation  through  which  he 
passes,  of  sufficient  size  to  determine  the  relative  amount  of  sand 
to  clay  or  sand  to  shale  in  any  formation.  In  the  case  of  the 
rotary  drill,  this  term  is  misleading. 

"The  rotary  well  is  drilled  with  the  aid  of  a  "mud"  of  varying 
density.  It  is  usually  thought  of  as  a  mixture  of  clay  and  water 
with  a  small  amount  of  suspended  sand.  As  a  matter  of  fact  this 
mud  often. contains  as  high  as  40  to  50  per  cent.  sand.     *     *    * 

"It  is  impossible  to  settle  out  the  very  fine  sand  in  any  rotary 
mud.  An  easy  and  quick  way  to  separate  the  two  for  examination 
is  to  fill  the  glass  of  a  centrifugal  separator  half  full  of  mud  and 
add  a  saturated  solution  of  common  salt.  The  sand  will  be 
thrown  to  the  bottom  when  the  machine  is  turned  for  a  short  time. 
The  mud  alone  can  be  turned  indefinitely  without  any  appreciable 
separation. 

"Any  change  in  the  density  of  the  mud  changes  its  capacity  to 
carry  sand.     *     *     * 

.  "These  properties  of  the  mud  lead  to  error  in  the  observation  of 
the  formation.  If  a  clay  formation  containing  a  moderate  amount 
of  sand  is  encountered  while  drilling  in  a  mud  low  in  sand  content, 
the  mud  will  absorb  most  of  the  sand,  which  will  not  settle  out  in 
the  overflow  ditch  and  its  presence  in  the  formation  will  not  be 
noted,  if  not  felt  by  the  action  of  the  bit  in  drilling.  If,  sometime 
later,  the  mud  is  thinned  by  adding  water  this  sand  will  appear  in 
the  overflow  and  may  be  attributed  to  a  formation  many  feet  be- 
low the  one  from  which  it  actually  originated. 

j|e  j|e  >|e        >|e  ]|( 

"A  change  in  the  speed  of  pumping  the  mud  also  causes  a 
change  in  the  amount  and  size  of  the  cuttings  that  appear  at  the 
surface.  Thus,  in  the  case  of  the  rotary,  "sandy"  may  have  little 
or  no  meaning  when  applied  to  a  formation.  The  term  sandy  is 
often  used  in  contradistinction  to  sticky.  A  formation  that  drills 
easily  and  is  not  sticky  is  often  put  down  as  sandy  because  sand 


WELL  LOGS  153 

tends  to  interfere  with  the  stickiness;  sand  does  not  always  ac- 
count for  the  lack  of  stickiness  but  the  latter  is  often  attributed 
to  its  presence.     . 

''Dark  and  Light, — *  *  *  A  wet  specimen,  fresh  from  the 
hole,  has  an  entirely  different  color  from  the  same  specimen  dried. 
Specimens,  when  dried,  bleach  and  deteriorate.  Many  of  them 
air  slack  or  oxidize  and  change  composition  altogether.  The 
terms  light  and  dark  should  be  used  only  for  the  extremes.  *  *  * 

"It  is  better  to  use  a  definite  name  such  as  slate-colored  or 
chocolate-colored  shale. 

FORMATIONS 

« 

''Clay,  Gumbo,  Tough  Gumbo, — Clay  is  readily  recognizable  by 
the  "feel  of  the  bit"  while  drilling  with  either  cable  tools  or 
rotary.  To  some  drillers  all  clay  is  gumbo  while  to  others  gumbo 
is  only  stick]/  clay.  Some  clays  have  the  property  of  cutting  in 
large  pieces  but  do  not  adhere  excessively  to  the  bit  and  drill 
pipe  and  are  designated  as  "tough." 

"Sand,  Packed  Sand,  Water  Sand,  Quicksand,  Heaving  Sand, 
Oil  Sand,  Gas  Sand, — Free,  uncemented  sand  is  easily  recognized 
by  the  feel  of  the  tools  in  both  systems  of  drilling.  In  rotary  terri- 
tory, we  often  run  across  the  term  "packed  sand."  This  is  a  sand 
that  is  slightly  cemented  with  some  soft  easily  broken  cementing 
materials,  such  as  calcium  carbonate.     *     *    ♦ 

"The  cementing  material  is  dissolved  by  the  mud,  or  the  sand 
grains  are  all  broken  apart  before  reaching  the  surface,  so  that 
the  driller  finds  only  sand  in  the  overflow.  A  microscopic  examina- 
tion of  sands  from  the  overflow  often  shows  cementing  material 
to  be  present. 

"Water  sand  is  a  sand  containing  water.  There  is  no  specific 
sand  associated  with  water;  any  porous  formation  may  or  may 
not  contain  water.    *    *     * 

"A  sand  containing  no  cementing  material  nor  clay  very  often 
caves  badly  in  the  hole.  If  this  sand  settles  with  such  rapidity  as 
to  threa,ten  to  stick  the  tools,  it  is  designated  quicksand.  Such  a 
free  sand  may,  on  the  other  hand,  have  such  properties  that  it 


154 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


ROCK   CLASSIFICATION  SUMMARY 


DrUlera* 

Technical 

Term 

Use  in  Rotary  System 

Use  in  Cable-tool  System         Equivalent 

Sand 

Any  uncemented  sand 

Any   uncemented   sand;    Sand 

sdso  many  slightly  ce- 

mented sands  or  very 

. 

porous  formations 

Water  nnd 

Sands,    the    samples    of 
which  appear  clean  and 
bright 

Sands  tested  and  found  to 

Sands  producing  water 

Sand 

produce  water 

•           ^ 

Quicksand 

Sands  that  cave  and  settle 

Sands  that  cave  and  set- 

Sand 

rapidly 

tle  rapidly 

Heaving  aand 

Sands  that  cave  and  are 

Sands  that  cave  and  are 

Sand 

forced  up  the  hole 

forced  up  the  hole 

OUsand 

Sands  or  other  porous  for- 

Sand or  other  porous  for- 

OUsand 

mations  containing  oil 

mation  containing  oil 

Gas  sand 

Sands  or  other  porous  for- 

Sand or  other  porous  for- 

Gas sand 

mations  containing  gas 

mation  containing  gas 

Gravel 

Any  formation  having  the 
feel  of  gravel  while  drill- 

Correctly  used 

Gravel 

Boulders 

lug 

Large  loose  pieces  of  any 
formation 

Correctly  used 

Boulders 

Clay 

Clay  or  soft  shale;  usually 
not  sticky 

Correctly  used 

Clay,  or  sandy  clay 

Gumbo 

Soft  sticky  clay 

Soft  sticky  clay 

Clay 

Shale 

Formations  having  parallel 
bedding 

Consolidated  days 

Shale 

Rock 

Any   consolidated  forma- 
tion 
Any  rock  formation  con- 

Term not  used 

Rock 

Gas  rock 

Term  not  used 

Rock 

taining  gas 

Chalk  rock 

Applied    to    light-colored 

chalk  only 
Terms  used   interchange- 

Correctly used 

Chalk 

Sand  rock 

Correctly  used 

Sandstone 

sandstone* 

ably   for   all   cemented 
formation 

Packed  sand 

Loosely  cemented  sand 

Correctly  used 

Sandstone 

SheU 

Thin  layer  of  hard   ma- 

Thin layer  of  hard  ma- 

Rock 

terial 

terial 

Shell  rock* 

Any  consolidated  forma- 

Formation   containing 

Rock  with  shells 

tion     containing    fossil 

shells 

shells 

Flint  or  flinty  rock 

Any  very  brittle  rock 

Correctly  used 

Flint 

Limestone 

Limestone,  also  hard  shale 

Correctly  used 

Limestone 

Lignite 

All  fossil  wood 

Correctly  used 

Lignite     or     fossil 
wood 

Gypsum 

Correctly  used  when  rec- 
ognized .  also  reported  as 
limestone    or    shale    or 
sticky  gumbo 

Correctly  used 

Gypsum 

Shells 

Fossil  shells 

Fossil  shells 

FossU  shells 

seems  to  tend  to  float.    It  not  only  caves  but  fills  the  hole  above 
its  original  horizon,  sometimes  heaving  clear  to  the  surface.    This 
sand  is  called  a  heaving  sand.    The  presence  of  gas  or  a  high 
hydrostatic  head  often  accounts  for  the  heaving  of  the  sand. 
*  *  An  oil  sand  is  a  sand  containing  oil .  Any  porous  stratum  might 


*  These  are  rotary  drillers'  terms;  the  ,cable  drillers'  terms  are  sandstone  and  rock  with 
shells,  respectively* 


WELL  LOGS  1S5 

contain  oil.    A  porous,  stratum  containing  oil  is  very  often  called 
a  sand,  although  it  may  actually  be  a  limestone. 

''A  gas  sand  is  any  sand  containing  gas ;  even  a  hard  limestone 
is  sometimes  designated  as  a  gas  sand. 

**Boulders  and  Gravel, — True  boulder  formations  are  rarely 
encountered  in  drilling  for  oil.  They  are  encountered  above  the 
Trenton  in  Ohio  and  Indiana  and  occasionally  in  California.  Con- 
cretions are  often  encountered  which  fall  into  the  hole  and  follow 
the  bit  for  some  time  and  are  reported  as  boulders.    ♦    *    * 

"Shale, — Shale,  to  many  drillers,  is  only  that  kind  of  true  shale 
which  appears  in  the  overflow,  or  bailer,  in  flakes,  that  is, 
laminated  shale  with  well-defined  bedding.  Other  drillers  in- 
clude formations  that  are  sedimentary  in  character  and  are  con- 
solidated enough  to  appear  in  the  overflow,  or  bailer,  in  pieces 
as  large  as  a  pea  or  larger.  They  usually  call  a  shale  too  hard  to 
scratch  with  the  finger  nail  rock,  particularly  in  rotary  territory. 

"Rock,  Gas  Rock,  Chalk  Rock,  Sand  Rock,  Sandstone,  Shell, 
Shell  Rock,  Flinty  Rock,  Limestone,  Lignite. — ^When  the  rotary 
driller  strikes  anything  hard  and  does  not  know  what  it  is,  he  puts 
down  rock.  If  this  hard  substance  is  a  concretion  near  the  sur- 
face, it  is  a  rock  just  the  same  as  the  most  consolidated  formations 
are  deeper  down.  The  cable-tool  driller  has  a  much  better  gen- 
eral knowledge  and  a  .much  better  chance  to  get  samples  and 
hunts  for  some  name  to  apply  to  the  formation. 

''A  gas  rock  is  any  rock  formation  containing  gas;  the  term 
is  applied  to  both  sandstone  and  limestone. 

"Sand  rock,  or  sandstone,  is  usually  recognized  by  the  rotary 
driller,  except  when  it  is  so  soft  as  to  be  classified  as  packed  sand. 
The  harder  formations  appear  in  the  overflow  in  pieces  sufficiently 
large  to  be  readily  recognized.  The  cable-tool  driller  is  able  to 
recognize  sandstone  and  all  other  hard  formations  as  he  finds 
large  formations  in  the  bailer. 

"Shell  is  a  very  misleading  term.  If  a  driller,  either  rotary  or 
cable-tool,  drills  from  a  soft  formation  into  a  hard  one  he  gives 
it  what  he  considers  its  proper  name.  If,  however,  after  drilling 
for  a  short  distance,  he  goes  back  into  a  soft  formation  again  he 


156  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

IS  liable  to  put  down  shell.  This  shell  may  be  from  a  few  inches 
to  a  foot  or  two  in  thickness,  it  means  a  thin  layer  or  shell  of  rock. 
"Shell  rock  means  a  rock  formation  containing  fossil  shells,  un- 
less the  driller  is  very  careless  or  misunderstands  the  term  shell, 
in  which  case  he  may  put  down  shell  rock,  meaning  a  thin  shell  of 
rock."  ; 

GENERAL  INSTRUCTIONS 

DRILLING  AND  FISHING  TOOLS 

When  making  specifications  for  drilling  outfits,  the  operator 
should  be  careful  that  the  sizes  of  the  joints  on  the  drilling  tools 
are  suited  to  the  inside  diameter  of  the  casing  in  which  they  are 
to  be  used ;  also  that  in  case  of  a  fishing  operation  there  may  be 
sufficient  space  between  the  casing  and  the  collar  of  a  lost  tool 
for  a  fishing  socket  to  go  over  it.  For  example,  a  2^  x  3j4  joint 
with  a  5j4-inch  diameter  box  collar  is  the  largest  size  joint  that 
may  be  used  in  6^-inch  casing,  but  for  6j4-inch  24-pound  casing, 
which  is  S.92-inches  inside  diameter,  a  5j4-inch  collar  would  not 
leave  sufficient  space  to  enable  a  socket  to  go  over  it,  therefore  it 
would  be  hazardous  to  use  the  2^  x  3^-inch  joint,  and  the  next 
size  smaller,  2j4  x  3j4  would  be  better. 

SINKER  BARS. 

Formerly  the  sinker  bar  was  considered  a  necessary  adjunct  of 
every  string  of  drilling  tools.  For  a  number  of  years,  however, 
the  sinker  has  been  little  used,  although  it  usually  is  a  part  of 
each  drilling  outfit  specification. 

The  sinker  is  sometimes  used  to  add  weight  to  the  tools  in 
drilling  exceedingly  hard  rock  or  for  drilling  in  a  hole  full  of 
water.  Also  the  sinker  sometimes  is  useful  for  lengthening  a 
string  of  tools  for  purpose  of  straightening  a  crooked  hole  or 
for  use  as  a  short  fishing  stem. 

DRILLING    IN    EXTREMELY    COLD    WEATHER 

When  drilling  in  temperatures  of  zero  or  below,  the  driller 
should  be  careful  that  his  tools  do  not  crystallize  and  break. 


WELL  LOGS  157 

After  pulling  out  and  running  the  tools  back  into  the  hole  they 
should  be  suspended  about  20  feet  off  bottom  for  at  least  10 
minutes  before  attempting  to  run  them.     This  will  permit  the 

• 

temperature  of  the  tools  to  rise  approximately  to  the  temperature 
of  the  hole.  Otherwise  the  bit,  jars  or  even  the  stem  might  snap 
like  a  pipe  stem. 

MOVING   BACK   BOILER   WHEN   DRILLING   IN 

If  the  boiler  is  not  located  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  well,  it 
is  good  practice  to  move  it  back  before  drilling  in;  otherwise, 
should  the  well  make  a  large  volume  of  gas,  there  might  be  danger 
of  its  catching  fire. 

SHUTTING  DOWN 

When  shutting  down  and  leaving  a  drilling  well,  it  is  customary 
to  place  one  of  the  tool  wrenches  over  the  open  hole  and  then  to 
rest  the  drilling  tools  on  it.  This  closes  the  hole,  prevents  objects 
from  falling  in  and  people  from  tampering  with  it. 

BELLING  CASING 

Before  beginning  to  drill  inside  drive  pipe  or  casing  the  top 
coupling  should  be  removed  and  the  pipe  belled  out  to  protect  the 
drilling  cable  from  injury  through  contact  with  threads  or  the 
top  of  the  pipe. 


CHAPTER  IV 
PISHING  POR  TOOLS  PAST  OR  LOST  IN  THE  HOLE 

Fishing  jobs,  so  called,  are  like  the  accidents  that  sometimes 
happen  in  the  best  regulated  families:  They  may  often  be  pre- 
vented by  care  and  attention,  but  they  happen  to  the  mose  capable 
driller  using  the  best  outfit  obtainable.  Fishing  is  the  bane  of  the 
drilling  contractor  and  is  the  cause  of  vexatious  delays  and 
financial  loss  in  many  drilling  operations.  Therefore  it  is  essen- 
tial to  take  every  precaution  with  drilling  tools  and  to  exercise 
care  in  drilling,  to  the  end  that  fishing  jobs  may  be  avoided  as  far 
as  possible. 

Every  drilling  outfit  should  include  several  of  the  fishing  tools 
most  generally  needed  in  fishing  for  lost  tools,  such  as  long  stroke 
jars,  rope  knife,  jar  bumper,  combination  socket,  slip  socket,  horn 
socket,  rope  spear,  etc.  Special  tools  for  any  of  the  unusual  fish- 
ing jobs  that  sometimes  occur  may  be  had  at  supply  stores  or  tool 
shops,  or  can  be  made  to  order  according  to  the  emergency  to  be 
met. 

That  the  driller  may  be  prepared  intelligently  to  fish  for  lost 
tools  it  is  essential  that  he  know  the  exact  dimensions  of  all  of  his 
tools  that  go  down  in  the  hole,  including  the  fishing  tools,  for  these 
occasionally  becomie  fast  or  lost  in  the  hole.  It  would  be  well  to 
keep  a  record  of  the  following  tool  dimensions : 

Sizes  of  Joints,  includinsr  exact  lensrth  and  desrree  of  taper  of  all  pins. 
Outside  diameter  of  neck  and  barrel  of  rope  sockets;  also  their  length, 

and  diameter  of  the  hole  at  top. 
Diameter  of  collar  of  all  boxes  and  pins. 
Diameter  and  lensrth  of  stems. 
All  bit  dimensions,  includinsr  lensrth  over  all,  width,  thickness  and  sise 

of  wrench  square. 
Diameter  and  lensrth  of  bailers  and  sand  pumps. 
Dimensions  of  under-reamer  cutters. 
Dimensions  of  all  flshinff  tools. 

158 


FISHING  ] 

Illustrating  the  principle  of  slips  used  in  many  fishing  tools.* 


FlK.  Tl.    Spear  Slip  T\g.  72.     Socket  Slips 

In  the  following  pages  are  suggestions  for  the  correct  tools  to 
use  and  methods  to  be  employed  for  various  fishii^  jobs. 

FISHING  JARS 

As  fishing  jars  are  used  with  nearly  all  other  fishing  tools,  they 
are  the  most  important  fishing  tool  the  driller  uses.  They  have  a 
longer  stroke  than  drillii^  jars,  from  24  to  48  inches,  and  they 
should  be  well  made  from  good  quality  steel,  with  carbon  content 
ranging  between  .50%  and  .60%,  for  the  work  they  must  per- 
form would  amount  to  abuse  for  any  other  tool.  Fishing  jars 
are  run  below  the  stem  instead  of  above  as  in  drilling. 

The  jars  are  used  for  jarring  up,  for  jarring  down  and  for 
jarrii^  both  ways,  according  to  the  nature  of  the  fishing  opera- 
tion, and  it  may  sometimes  be  necessary  to  run  them  for  hours  in 
the  effort  to  move  a  fast  tool. 

Jars  should  be  carefully  examined  for  cracks  or  other  defects 
before  running  them,  for  broken  jars  in  the  hole  would  add 
greatly  to  the  difhculties  of  the  fishing  operation,  to  say  the  least. 

There  is  one  important  difference  between  drilling  and  fishing: 
in  drilling  the  tools  are  loose  in  the  hole  and,  if  the  driller  has 
not  hitched  on  at  the  proper  place,  the  result  may  be  that  he  will 
drill  either  too  tight  or  too  loose,  but  the  cable  will  not  be  dam- 


160  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

aged.  Not  so  in  fishing,  however,  for  the  object  fished  for  is 
stationary  and  hitching  on  must  carefully  be  done  to  secure  the 
maximum  stroke  of  the  jars  and  to  avoid  straining  or  breaking  the 
cable.  When  the  fishing  string  has  been  rjin  to  the  top  of  the  lost 
tool  and  a  hold  secured,  the  tools  are  raised  slowly,  juntil  the  jars 
strike.  As  the  bull  ropes  can  be  thrown  oflF  only  while  the  bull 
wheels  are  in  motion  it  is  essential  that  the  cable  be  flagged,  so 
that  in  pulling  out  to  thrqw  the  ropes  the  cable  will  not  be  pulled 
up  too  tight.  A  string,  or  "flag,"  is  tied  to  the  cable  at  the  derrick 
floor  or  the  top  of  the  casing  and  the  cable  is  run  down  several 
feet,  then  quickly  pulled  out  until  the  string  clears  the  floor,  when 
the  bull  ropes  are  thrown.  The  cable  is  slacked  slightly  and  the 
screw  is  clamped  on.  The  engine  is  then  turned  over  slowly  until 
the  jar  of  the  jars  striking  is  felt  and  screw  is  let  out  or  taken  up 
until  a  satisfactory  jarring  stroke  is  secured. 

For  jarring  down  the  hitch  would  be  adjusted  after  the  jars 
strike  down  instead  of  up.  For  jarring  both  ways  the  stroke 
would  have  to  be  adjusted  by  putting  the  wrist  pin  out  in  the 
crank  sufficiently  to  cause  the  jars  to  strike  on  both  the  up  and 
the  down  stroke. 

It  is  good  practice  to  start  jarring  or  fishing,  using  a  short 
stroke,  with  the  wrist  pin  in  the  second  hole  of  the  crank,  and 
then  increase  the  crank  stroke  or  throw  as  needed. 

FISHING  FOR  A  LOST  OR  PARTED  CABLE 

If  the  cable  breaks  from  its  own  weakness  and  the  tools  are 
known  to  be  free,  the  cable  and  tools  attached  to  it  may  usually 
be  recovered  by  means  of  a  rope  spear  run  on  a  rope  socket  and 
set  of  jars,  no  stem  being  necessary.  If  the  spear  should  not 
readily  take  hold,  jarring  down  lightly  should  engage  its  prongs 
in  the  mass  of  rope  sufficiently  to  enable  both  the  cable  and  the 
tools  to  be  withdrawn. 

If  the  tools  are  found  to  be  fast  or  wedged  by  sediment,  it 
will  be  necessary  to  jar  up  until  the  hold  of  the  spear  is  loosened, 
and  the  next  operation  is  to  cut  the  rope,  if  possible,  otherwise 
it   will   have   to   be   chopped   up    into    fragments    with   a    rope 


FISHING 


161 


chopper  and  removed  with  a  mouse  trap,  a  device  similar  to  a 
bailer,  with  an  inward  opening  flat  valve  in  the  bottom.  See 
Fig.  75. 

To  cut  the  rope,  a  V,  or  hook,  rope  Itnife  and  rope  knife  jars 


Fig.  73, 

Fig.  74. 

Fig.  75. 

Fig.  76. 

Fig.  77. 

Ftg.  78, 

Rope  Spear. 

Eope  Grab. 

Rope  Kalfa 

Knife. 

Sinker. 

Jara, 

are  connected  to  a  string  of  sucker  rods  and  run  down  into  the 
lost  rope.  Next  a  rope  grab,  with  a  small  joint  and  collar  that 
will  go  down  in  the  hole  and  clear  the  rods  carrying  the  rope 
knife,  is  connected,  by  means  of  a  substitute  from  the  tool  joint 


162  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

to  the  sucker  rod  joint,  to  another  string  of  sucker  rods  and 
run  down,  being  careful  not  to  go  down  as  far  as  the  rope  knife. 
The  grab  is  entangled  in  the  rope  and  pulled  up,  to  get  a  tension 
on  it,  and  then  the  rope  knife  is  lowered  as  far  as  it  is  possible 
to  get  it  and  the  cable  is  cut. 

After  the  rope  has  been  cut,  the  knife  and  string  of  rods  are 
left  in  the  hole  until  after  the  rope  grab  and  cable  have  been 
withdrawn.  If  it  is  found,  after  the  cut  cable  is  out,  that  it  was 
not  cut  off  near  the  rope  socket,  it  may  be  necessary  to  repeat* 
the  operation  or  to  cut  up  the  remaining  rope  with  a  chopper, 
to  clean  out  the  rope  from  top  of  rope  socket,  so  that  a  fishing 
tool  will  go  over  it. 

FISHING  FOR  TOOLS  FAST  IN  THE  HOLE 

When,  in  drilling  without  jars,  the  tools  become  fast,  due 
either  to  the  bit  "muddying"  or  to  something  lodging  against  it, 
or  to  any  other  of  a  number  of  causes,  the  first  thing  usually 
attempted  is  to  run  the  bumper,  Fig.  98.  A  strain  is  taken  on 
the  cable  and  the  bumper  is  operated  as  described  on  page  169. 
If  this  should  not  loosen  them,  the  driller  usually  resorts  to 
"switching,"  so  called.  This  is  done  by  letting  out  sufficient 
screw  to  provide  slack  in  the  cable,  then  by  placing  the  wrist  pin 
out  in  the  last  hole  of  the  crank,  a  long  stroke  is  secured  with 
the  walking  beam.  By  this  process  the  tools  can  often  be  pulled 
loose.  A  direct  strain  will  sometimes  free  the  tools,  but  this  may 
result  in  parting  the  cable.  If  the  tools  cannot  be  pulled  in  this 
way,  it  becomes  necessary  to  cut  the  cable  and  fish  them  out. 
Cutting  is  done  with  a  rope  knife,  with  jars  and  swivel,  operated 
on  the  sand  line. 

CUTTING  THE  CABLE 

The  knife  used  for  Manila  cable  is  usually  the  horseshoe  type, 
Fig.  76.  The  cutting  knife  is  clamped  around  the  cable  and  the 
knife,  jars  and  sinker  are  lowered  until  the  knife  rests  on  the 
top  of  the  rope  socket.  The  line  is  then  reeled  in  until  the  slack 
is  taken  up  and,  by  means  of  alternately  releasing  the  sand  reel 


FISHING  163 

brake  and  then  setting  it,  sufficient  play  is  given  the  jars  to  fur- 
nish stroke  for  cutting  off  the  cable. 

For  cutting  wire  cable  there  are  several  improved  wire  rope 
knives  on  the  market,  of  which  Fig.  79  is  a  type. 

After  the  cable  has  been  cut  and  removed  from  the  hole,  an- 


Fig.  79.  Fig.  80,  Fig.  81. 

WIra  Rope  Knife  Slip  Socket  ComblnattoD  Socket    - 

other  rope  socket,  with  a  stem  and  a  set  of  fishing  jars  with 
twenty-four  to  thirty-six-inch  stroke,  is  connected  (the  fishii^ 
string  is  connected  with  the  stem  above  the  Jars  to  add  weight 
to  the  stroke  in  jarring)  with  either  a  slip  socket,  Fig.  80,  or  a 
combination  socket.  Fig.  81.  The  slip  socket  has  slips  similar  to 
an  inverted  U,  with  milled  teeth  on  each  proi^.  Combination 
socket  slips  are  in  three  pieces  and  bear  against  a  stiff  coil  spring 
in  the  barrel  of  the  socket.  The  principle  of  operation  is  the 
satne  with  he  th  sockets ;  i,  e.,  when  the  slips  engage  with  the  lost 
tool  and  the  fishing  tools  are  raised  or  jarred  up,  the  taper  ?n 


164  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

the  bottom  of  the  socket  causes  the  slips  to  take  a  firm  grasp, . 
and  the  harder  the  pull,  or  jar,  the  more  securely  will  the  socket 
hold.  This  outfit  is  run  down  to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  lost 
tools  and  then  lowered  very  slowly  until  the  socket  is  in  contact 
with  them.  A  gentle  strain  is  then  taken  on  the  cable  and,  if 
the  socket  has  taken  hold,  the  temper  screw  is  clamped  on  and 
jarring  up  is  begun.  If  the  tools  are  not  cemented  in  the  hole 
by  sediment  lodging  around  them  or  not  otherwise  hopelessly 
fast,  a  few  minutes  jarring  should  start  them. 

If,  after  jarring  for  a'few  hours,  the  tools  cannot  be  released, 
the  next  operation  is  to  jar  up  and  jar  down  alternately  to  break 
the  hold  of  the  fishing  socket.  If  the  hold  cannot  be  broken,  it 
will  be  necessary  again  to  cut  the  cable,  pull  out  and  string  up 
another  rope  socket,  short  stem  or  sinker,  and  a  spud,  Fig.  82, 
or  spear.  Then  by  spudding  around  the  tools  in  the  hole  it  may 
be  possible  to  loosen  them  so  that  by  repea*ting  the  fishing  opera- 
tion with  another  socket  both  strings  of  tools  may  be  recovered. 

FISHING  FOR  A  BIT  OR  A  ROPE  SOCKET 

When  a  bit  has  unscrewed,  or  the  cable  has  pulled  out  of  the 
rope  socket,  a  combination  socket.  Fig.  81,  is  the  tool  usually 
used.  This  socket  is  provided  with  two  sets  of  slips,  one  set  to 
engage  in  the  threads  of  the  pin  on  the  bit,  the  other  to  take  hold 
of  the  barrel  or  neck  of  the  rope  socket.  The  same  outfit  of 
fishing  jars,  etc.,  used  with  the  slip  socket  may  also  be  used  with 
the  combination  socket.  In  a  fishing  job  of  this  kind,  there  is 
usually  little  difficulty  in  picking  up  the  lost  tools  and  little  or 
no  jarring  is  necessary.  Sometimes,  however,  in  the  case  of  a 
lost  bit,  it  may  be  found  that  the  bit  has  fallen  over  against  the 
wall  of  the  hole  in  such  a  position  that  the  socket  will  not  go 
over  the  pin.  It  is  then  necessary  to  run  down  with  a  bit  hook,; 
Fig.  83,  to  straighten  up  the  bit  so  the  socket  will  catch  it. 

HORN  SOCKET 

The  horn  socket,  which  has  no  slips,  but  simply  takes  a  friction, 
hold,  is  often  successfully  used  to  catch  a  bit  or  other  single  tool 


that  may  be  loose  in  the  hole.  Horn  sockets  and  slip  sockets  may 
be  ■fitted  with  a  detachable  bowl,  so  that  one  socket  can  be  used  in 
two  or  more  sizes  of  hole. 

FISHING  FOR  ROPE  SOCKET  THAT  CANNOT  BE  CAUGHT 

WITH  COMBINATION  SOCKET,  SLIP  SOCKET  OR 

HORN  SOCKET 

In  rare  cases,  such  as  the  combination  socket  slips  failing  to 
hold,  or  owing  to  the  lost  tools  almost  filling  a  small  diameter 
hole,  so  that  the  other  sockets  will  not  go  over  them,  a  rope 


\ 


I^i,^:       ,,^'8- 84.  Fig.  85:  Fig.  86.  Fig.  87. 

Bit  Hook     Horn  Socket    Corriigaced   Hope  Socket'       Drive  Down 
with  Bowl         Frlrclon     Tongue  Socket  Socket 


166  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

socket  tongue  socket,  Fig.  86,  may  answer.  This  socket  has  a 
tongue,  or  spear,  with  a  slip  that  enters  the  rope  socket  neck, 
taking  hold  both  inside  and  outside  of  the  rope  socket. 

FISHING  FOR  ROPE  SOCKET  WITH  BATTERED  NECK 

If  the  top  of  a  rope  socket  has  been  battered  so  that  a  combina- 
tion socket  will  not  take  hold,  a  corrugated  friction  socket.  Fig. 
85,  xnay  catch  it.  If  not,  it  will  be  necessary  to  reduce  the  neck 
of  the  rope  socket  with  a  drive  down  socket  so  that  the  slips  in 
the  combination  socket  will  catch  it. 

After  lost  tools  have  been  freed  and  before  pulling  out,  it  is 
a  good  plan  to  fill  the  hole  for  several  hundred  feet  with  water, 
so  that,  if  the  hold  of  the  fishing  tool  should  break,  the  water  will 
cushion  the  fall  of  the  tools. 

FISHING  FOR  A  BROKEN  STEM 

If  the  pin  has  broken  off,  the  fishing  operation  is  described 
under  "Rasping"  and  "Milling  a  Pin." 

If  the  stem  breaks  through  the  round,  the  broken  part  may  be 
caught  with  a  horn  socket,  long  friction  socket  or  a  slip  socket. 

If  the  break  occurs  through  the  wrench  square,  a  horn  socket, 
long  friction  socket,  or  corrugated  friction  socket,  may  catch  and 
hold  it.  If  none  of  these  will  hold,  a  square  socket  that  will  fit 
over  the  broken  square  may  recover  it. 

A  stem  seldom  breaks  through  the  collar,  but  if  this  happens, 
a  collar  socket  should  be  used.  If  the  collar  is  so  large  that  it  al- 
most fills  the  hole,  it  may  be  possible  to  reduce  it  with  a  rasp  so 
that  a  socket  will  take  hold. 

RASPING 

For  filing  oflF  the  collar  of  a  tool  when  the  pin  has  broken  off, 
or  to  reduce  a  battered  pin  or  tool/ so  a  socket  will  catch  it,  a 
side  rasp,  or  two  wing  rasp,  is  used.  This  tool  is  what  its  name 
implies  and  is  simply  used  as  a  file  to  rasp  off  the  sides  of  the  tool 
until  a  socket  will  take  hold. 


FISHING  167 

MILLING  A  PIN 

When  a  pin  has  been  broken  oH  of  a  tool  and  the  lost  tool  is  of 
,  size  that  nearly  fills  the  diameter  of  the  hole,  so  that  no  socket 


Fig.  88.        Fig.  89.  Fig.  00.         Fig.  81.    Milling  Jack  and  Wheel    Fig.  92. 

BldeKagp    Two-wing  Collur  Socket  In    operation  Mililng 

Hasp  Tool. 

will  go  over  it,  it  can  sometimes  be  recovered  by  milling  a  new  pin 
on  it,  so  a  combination  socket  will  take  hold, 

A  milling  tool  is  connected  to  the  bottom  of  a  string  of  tubing 
and  let  down  until  the  tool  rests  on  the  top  of  the  lost  tool.  A 
milling  wheel  is  then  clamped  to  the  top  of  the  tubing  and  is 


168  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

driven  by  means  of  rope  transmission  from  the  bull  wheel  shaft. 
The  weight  of  the  column  of  tubing  forces  the  milling  tool  to 
feed  down  until  the  pin  is  cut.  The  use  of  a  milling  jack  simpli^ 
ties  a  milling  job,  for  the  jack  sustains  the  weight  and  r^^lates 
the  feed  of  the  tubing. 

IMPRESSION  BLOCK 

If  a  lost  tool  cannot  be  fished  out  it  is  a  good  plan  to  take  an 
impression  of  the  pin,  or  top  of  the  tool.  This  is  done  by  fitting 
a  block  of  wood  into  the  bowl  of  a  horn  socket  and  then  pressing 
wax  or  soap  in  the  socket  and  against  the  block.  It  is  a  good 
idea  to  drive  a  few  nails  into  the  face  of  the  block,  as  a  means  of 
holding  the  wax  or  soap.  The  socket  is  then  run  down  on  top  of 
the  lost  tool  and  the  weight  of  the  tools  allowed  to  rest  on  it.  An 
impression  in  the  soft  substance  in  the  socket  is  thus  secured. 

FISHING  FOR  BROKEN  JARS 

Broken  jars  present  several  different  kinds  of  fishing  jobs. 
When  the  upper  half  of  the  jars  is  brokeir  and  comes  out  with 
the  tools,  the  lower  half  may  be  caught  by  means  of  the  jar 
tongue  socket,  which  is  provided  with  slips  that  take  hold  of  the 
protruding  tongue  of  the  lower  jar.  A  boot  jack,  Fig.  100,  or 
latch  jackj  may  also  be  used  to  catch  the  lower  half  of  the  jars. 

If  the  tongue  of  the  lower  jar  is  broken  off,  leaving  the  two 
reins  protruding,  or  if  the  upper  part  of  jars  breaks  near  the 
head  or  crotch,  leaving  the  reins  reaching  up,  they  may  be  caught 
with  the  center  jar  socket.  If  one  rein  is  broken  off,  a  jar  rein 
socket,  or  side  jar  socket  may  take  hold. 

A  single  rein  of  a  broken  jar  may  sometimes  be  fished  out  with 
a  horn  socket  into  which  has  been  driven  a  piece  of  wood;  the 
rein  catching  between  the  wood  and  the  inside  of  the  socket 
bowl. 

If  both  lower  reins  are  broken  off  near  the  crotch,  a  slip  socket 
or  horn  socket,  is  the  tool  to  use. 


FISHING  169 

RELEASING  LOCKED  JARS 

Sometimes  jars  stick  or  "lock;"  or  a  piece  of  rock  or  other 
substance  may  lodge  against  the  rope  socket,  wedging  the  tools 
above  the  jars  so  that  it  is  impossible  to  get  a  stroke.  For  this 
fishing  job  a  jar  bumper  is  used.  This  device  is  operated  on  the 
sand  line.    It  has  a  U  shaped  bottom  which  fits  around  the  cable 


and  is  loosely  held  by  a  bolt  passing  through  it.  A  strain  is  taken 
on  the  cable,  the  bumper  is  clamped  on  it  and  lowered  until  it 
reaphes  the  rope  socket,  or  the  object  lodged  against  it;  then  it  is 
raised  10  or  12  feet  and  dropped.  A  few  blows  should  crush  the 
wed^ng  material,  or  loosen  the  jars.  The  bumper  should  not  be 
run  too  long,  for  it  might  batter  the  rope  socket  neck.  If  the 
bumper  does  not  release  the  tools,  the  cable  must  be  cut  and  a 
fishing  socket  used. 


170  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

PISHING  FOR  LOST  BAILER  OR  SAND  PUMP 

This  is  usually  a  simple  operation,  for  if  the  bail  of  the  sand 
pump  or  bailer  is  not  broken,  it  can  be  caught  with  a  latch  jack, 
or  boot  jack.  Fig.  100.  If  the  bail  is  broken  off,  a  sand  pump 
grab  may  take  hold  of  it,  or  if  the  bailer  or  pump  is  considerably 
smaller  than  the  hole,  a  horn  socket  may  catch  it.  For  a  bailer 
with  broken  bail,  and  that  nearly  fits  the  hole,  a  casing  spear  may 
be  necessary. 

In  emergencies  a  latch  jack  or  sand  pump  grab  can  be  made 
at  the  well  from  the  upper  half  of  a  set  of  jars. 

If  all  other  means  fail  to  extract  the  lost  bailer  or  sand  pump, 
it  will  have  to  be  drilled  up  and  the  pieces  mixed  with  the  sedi- 
ment and  removed  with  the  bailer,  or  sand  pump.  The  electric 
magnet  is  a  convenient  means  of  picking  up  such  drilled  up 
fragments  of  tools. 

FISHING  WHERE  JOINT   HAS  UNSCREWED 

Where  one  of  the  joints  in  the  string  of  tools  has  unscrewed 
and  the  situation  is  discovered  before  the  joint  has  been  drilled 
on  and  battered,  it  may  be  possible,  by  turning  the  tools,  to  screw 
the  joint  together,  in  the  well,  a  sufficient  number  of  threads  to 
hold  until  the  tools  can  be  pulled  out  and  the  joint  tightened.  If 
this  is  not  possible,  the  dropped  tools  can  probably  be  recovered 
with  a  combination  socket.  Should  the  pin  be  so  battered  that 
the  combination  socket  will  not  catch  it,  other  means. herein 
described  may  prove  efficacious. 

DRILLING  PAST  LOST  TOOLS 

When  it  is  impossible  to  fish  out  lost  tools,  the  only  alternative 
is  to  drill  past  them.  This  is  done  by  lowering  a  whip  stock,  at- 
tached to  a  sand  line,  until  the  bottom  of  the  whip  stock  rests 
on  the  top  of  the  lost  tools.  Drilling  is  then  resumed  in  the 
regular  way,  but  the  driller  should  be  careful  in  this  operation 
that  his  tools  do  not  slant  oflE  into  a  crooked  hole.    It  is  some- 


FISHING 


m 


times  possible  to  spud  around  the  lost  tools,  thus  making  a  recess 
in  the  wall  of  the  hole  to  receive  them,  so  that,  in  drilling  past, 

the  hole  can  be  kept  straight.    After  drilling  far  enough 

to  be  sure  the  hole  is  true,  the  tools  are  withdrawn  and 

the  whip  stock  is  pulled  out. 

If,    as    sometimes    happens,    the    whip    stock    breaks 

away  from  the  sand  line,  it  may  be  fished  out  with  a  whip 

stock  grab. 


'   ' 


■    Pig.  98.  Fig.  99.  Pig.  100. 

;Jar  Bumper  Bailer  or  Sand    Boot  Jack 

Pump  Grab 


172  DEEP  WELL  DRILUNG 

SPEARING  AROUND  FAST  TOOLS 
When  tools  become  cemented  in  the  hole  by  sediment  and  cut- 
tings settling  around  them,  or  it  they  are  covered  by  a  caving 
wall,  they  can  sometimes  be  loosened  by  spudding  or  spearing 
around  them.  For  tools  caught  in  only  a  few  feet  of  sediment 
or  cuttings,  an  8  or  10  foot  spud  may  answer,  but  where  cavings 
have  buried  them  a  long  spear  is  necessary.  The  spear  should 
be  as  loi^,  or  better,  a  few  feet  longer  than  the  total  length  of 
the  tools.  They  are  usually  50  to  65  feet  in  length.  A  spear  for 
use  in  8-inch  or  smaller  holes  is  made  of  steel  plate  1-inch  thick, 
and  formed  convex  on  the  outside  and  concave  inside,  in  width 
about  two-thirds  the  diameter  of  the  hole,  A  spear,  owing  to 
its  length,  should  be  run  slowly  and  carefully  that  it  may  not  be 
bent  or  sprung.  By  drilling  or  spudding  around  the  lost  tools, 
partly  filling  the  hole  with  water  and  occasionally  bailing  or 
pumping  out  the  sediment,  it  may  be  possible  to  clean  out  the 
hole  around  the  tools  clear  to  the  bottom.  This  should  loosen 
them  so  they  can  be  recovered  by  any  of  the  fishing  methods  here 
described. 

PISHING  FOR  CASING 


Fig.  104.  Fig.  106. 

Die  CouplinE  M.  Ac  F.  Die  NIn)le 

The  parting  of  a  string  of  casing  frequently 
presents  troublesome  fishing  jobs.  Parted  cas- 
ing can  usually  be  removed  with  either  a  bull 
dog  or  a  trip  casing  spear.  The  bull  dog  spear, 
as  its  name  implies,  takes  a  bull  dog  hold  which 
cannot  be  broken,  except  by  breaking  the  spear, 
but  in  this  case  both  the  casing  and  perhaps  part 
of  the  spear  are  left  in  the  hole.  When  parted 
Fo/^rip'^pear     casing  is  known  to  be  free  the  bull  dc^  spear  is 


FISHING  173 

suitable,  but  if  there  is  any  chance  that  the  casing  may  be  fast  in 
the  hole,  a  trip  spear  should  be  used,  for,  if  the  casing  cannot  be 
pulled,  the  slips  of  the  spear  can  be  tripped,  releasing  its  hold,  and 
it  is  then  drawn  out.  If  the  parted  casing  cannot  be  jarred  loose 
and  pulled  out,  it  may  be  possible  to  connect  the  upper  part  of  the 
string  with  that  which  has  remained  in  the  hole  by  means  of  a  case 
hardened  die  nipple,  or  coupling.  These  devices  are  screwed  on  to 
the  lower  joint  of  casing.  (When  the  coupling  is  left  on  the  top 
joint  of  the  casing  in  the  hole,  the  male  and  female  nipple  is  used, 
and  when  the  coupling  has  been  pulled  off,  the  steel  coupling  is 
used  to  make  the  connection.)  The  casing  is  then  lowered  until 
the  nipple  or  coupling,  as  the  case  may  be,  connects  with  the  lost 
casing.  It  is  almost  impossible  properly  to  engage  the  threads  of 
the  parted  casing,  but  the  steel  nipple  or  coupling,  being  hardened, 
thread  cutting  dies,  will  sometimes  cut  their  way  on  to  the  cas- 
ing, or  into  the  coupling,  so  that  the  string  of  casing  is  united. 
In  calculating  the  depth  of  thread  that  may  have  been  cut  by 
the  die,  allowance  should  be  made  for  the  taking  up  of  threads 
in  the  string  of  casing. 

FROZEN  CASING 
Frozen  is  the  term  used  by  drillers  when  casing  becomes  im- 
movable owing  to  cavings  lodging  against  it,  or  if  for  any  other 
reason  it  becomes  fast.  This  difficulty  is  often  experienced  in 
soft  formations  where  it  is  necessary  to  under-ream  the  casing 
and  carry  it  down  as  drilling  proceeds.    If  frozen  casing  cannot 


Fisr.  106.    Mills  Drive  Down*  Spear 

be  freed  by  means  of  a  trip  spear  and  long  stroke  jars,  or  by  the 
use  of  hydraulic  jacks,  it  may  be  possible  to  force  or  drive  it  down 
by  using  a  drive  down  trip  spear.  Fig.  106.  This  spear  has  slips 
similar  to  the  regular  casing  spear,  except  that  the  teeth  are  re- 
versed, so  that  they  engage  in  the  casing  on  the  downward  thrust 
of  the  spear.    It  should  be  run  with  long  stroke  jars.    Casing  that 


WEilt  DRILLING 

cannot  be  pulled  can  thus,  inhiany 
cases,  be  driven  as  far  as  it  may  be 
necessary  or  feasible  to  force  it. 

When  all  other  means  of  pulling 
frozen  ca3ing  have  failed,  a  system 
of  pulling  and  jarring,  used  with 
success  in  California  and  illustrated 
in  the  accompanying  diagram  may 
prove  efficacious.  A  mandrel  substi- 
tute is  a  specially  made  tool  having  a 
tool  box,  a  mandrel  top  somewhat 
similar  to  a  rope  socket  neck,  but 
solid,  and  between  the  neck  and  box 
a  shoulder,  threaded  to  fit  a  casing 
coupling.  The  casing  spear  is 
screwed  to  the  box  of  the  substitute, 
a  casing  coupling  is  fitted  to  the 
threaded  shoulder  and  the  coupling 
is  screwed  to  the  bottom  joint  of  the 
fishing  string  of  casing.  This  outfit 
is  lowered  until  the  spear  has  en- 
gaged in  the  frozen  casing  at  the 
point  where  the  pulling  is  to  be  at- 
tempted. Next  a  slip  socket  or  a 
combination  socket  is  strung  with 
long  stroke  fishing  jars  and  stem  with 
rope  socket,  and  the  fishing  tools  are 
lowered  and  a  hold  secured  with  the 
socket  on  the  mandrel.  Thus,  with 
the  solid  connection  provided  by  the 
spear  and  the  hold  with  the  socket, 
combined  pulling  with  hydraulic 
jacks  on  the  casing  and  jarring  with 
the  socket  exert  a  powerful  force, 
^'fackJ.*  sSfanf'MandrS  which  can  be  further  augmented  with 
Subalilute' 
•  Illustration  Irom  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin  No.  182. 


FiSHINtf  ifs 

a  second  set  of  jacks  pulliftg  on  the  frozen  Casing.  This  is  likely 
to  result  in  the  parting  of  the  casing,  hoWever. 

*  *  The  mandrel  substitute  may  also  be  used  to  pull  frozen  cas- 
ing broken  off  or  cut  off  and  left  in  the  bottom  of  the  hole.  When 
this  is  done,  the  fishing  string  of  casing  may  be  of  the  same  size 
as  the  lost  casing  and  a  short  stem  or  sinker  should  be  connected 
between  the  spear  and  the  substitute,  so  that,  if  the  top  joint  of 
the  casing  should  be  split,  the  spear  may  be  run  dowtt  far  enough 
to  secure  a  firm  hold. 

A  bull  dog  hold  of  a  casing  spear  can  usually  be  broken  by  jar- 
ring both  ways  until  the  teeth  of  the  slips  either  are  broken  or 
worn  smooth  enough  for  the  spear  to  slip  in  the  pipe. 

If  the  casing  can  neither  be  pulled  nor  driven,  it  is  possible  to 
save  that  portion  of  it  that  may  be  above  the  point  where  the 
freeze  occur^-ed.  This  can  sometimes  be  determined  by  sounding 
with  a  weight  and  line  outside  the  casing.  If  the  casing  has  been 
under-reamed  and  there  is  n<5t  sufficient  space  between  the  cas- 
ing and  wall  of  the  hole  for  sounding,  the  point  of  the  freeze  may 
be  located  by  running  a  drive  down  spear  and  testing  for  vibra- 
tion. No  vibration  will  be  felt  until  the  spear  is  above  the  freeze. 
A  casing  cutter  is  then  lowered  to  a  point  just  above  the  freeze 
and  the  casing  is  cut  and  removed. 

The  Jones  casing  cutter  is  lowered  on  tubing  to  the  point  where 
it  is  desired  to  cu^t  the  casing.  The  tubing  is  first  turned  a  half 
turn  to  the,  left  to  set  the  spi^ings  or  braces  that  hold  the  cutter  in 
position;. it  is  then  turned  to  the  right  until  the  casing  has  been 
cut.  This  cutter  has  a  mandrel  that  operates  automatically  by 
the  weight  of  the  tubing. 

The  California  style  casing  cutter  is  used  for  cutting  heavy 
California  casing.  It  is  lowered  on  tubing  to  the  point  at  which 
the  casing  is  to  be  cut,  and  the  jar  and  mandrel  are  lowered  on 
a  rope  inside  the  tubing.  The  mandrel  enters  an  opening  in  the 
cutter  and  iis  jarred  down  to  back  up  the  cutter  blocks  as  the  clit- 
ter  wheels  ciit  into  the  casing. 

••Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin  No.   182,   Casingr  Troubles  and  Fishinff 
Methods  in  oil  ^ells,  by  Thonias  Gurtin. 


176  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

To  continue  the  well,  it  is  then  necessary  to  reduce  to  the  next 
size  smaller  casing  that  will  go  down  inside  the  casing  left  in  the 
hole. 

When  conditions  pennit,  that  part  of  the  casing  above  the  bot- 


Fla.  108. 


"iMan^l  and  Jan 


torn  of  the  next  size  larger  casing  may  be  cut  off  and  recovered 
{excepting  the  water  string.)  When  this  is  done,  the  casing  that 
has  been  cut  should  either  be  belled  out  to  fit  the  next  size  or  a 
casing  adapter.  Fig,  111,  should  be  lowered  over  the  top  of  the  cut 


FISHING  177 

off  casing,  to  guide  the  tools  on  entering  it.    This  practice  is  fol- 
lowed in  California. 

Occasionally  in  diverse  ways,  casing  is  collapsed ;  by  the  pres- 
sure of  water  surrounding  it,  a  boulder  lodging  against  it,  the 
caving  in  of  the  wall  of  the  hole,  or  by  reason  of  its  own  weight. 
It  usually  can  be  swaged  out  straight  by  running  a  swage  through 
it. 


Tig.  111.     Adapter       Fig.  112.     Swage      Ftg.  lia.     Roller  Swase 

An  improved  roller  swage.  Fig.  113,  with  a  series  of  rollers 
mounted  in  it,  would  probably  swage  out  casing  that  was  badly 
collapsed  or  dented  where  the  old  style  swage  might  fail. 

A  swage  should  be  run  with  long  stroke  fishing  jars.  In  swag- 
ing out  collapsed  casing,  it  is  a  good  plan,  if  the  tools  are  availa- 
ble, first  to  run  a  sw^e  several  sizes  smaller  than  the  casing,  then 
run  the  next  lai^er  size  and  so  on  until  a  swage  fitting  the  casing 
will  go  through  it. 

If  casing  cannot  be  swaged  true,  the  only  remedy  is  to  pull  it,  if 


178  DEEP  WELL.  DRILLING 

possible,  and  remove  the  .collapsed  pieces.  If  this  cannot  be  done 
by  using  double  and  triple  snatch  blocks,  which  will  provide  5 
lines  to  increase  the. leverage  and  reduce  the  strain,  then  it  may 
be  necessary  to  employ  hydraulic  jacks.  ■  Two  100-ton  jacks 
should  be  powerful  enough  either  to  start  the  casing  or  part  it. 


Fig.    114.      PuUing   Casing  with   Hydraulic   Jacks   and   Elevators 

A  drive  pipe  or  casing  ring  with  wedges  or  slips  should  be  ^et 
to  hold  the  casing,  and  the  jacks  set,  one  on  each  side,  under  the 
ring.  After  the  casing  has  been  released,  it  can  be  pulled  in  .the 
usual  way. 

If  drive  pipe  ring  with  wedges  is  not  available,  the  jacks  may  be 
set  under  the  ears  of  the  elevators.  When  this  is  done  ^  firm 
foundation  of  heavy  timbers  should  be  provided   for  the  jacks 


FISHING 


179 


and  they  should  be  set  at  a  slight  an^e  toward  the  pipe.  (See 
Fig.  No.  114.) 

SIDETRACKING  CASING 

Occasionally,  particularly  in  the  California  fields,  operators 
have  drilled  past  and  sidetracked  casing  that  has  been  broken  off 
and  left  in  the  hole.  This  could  hardly  be  accomplished  in  hard 
formations,  however.  An  eccentric  or  enlarging  bit,  dressed  out 
on  one  side  more  than  on  the  other  could  be  used  for  this  pur- 
pose. * 

SHOOTING  CASING 

When  it  is  desired  to  pull  casing  in  the  Mid-continent  fields  it  is 
the  practice  to  shoot  it  off  with  a  charge  of  nitro-glycerin.  This 
is  done  by  lowering  on  a  length  of  squib  wire  a  casing  squib, 

fitted  with  wire  wickers  that  project  upward. 
When  the  point  in  the  casing  at  which  it  is 
desired  to  shoot  is  reached,  the  wire  is  pulled 
up,  causing  the  wickers  of  the  squib  to  engage 
in  the  coupling.  The  shot  is  exploded  by  drop- 
ping a  weight  as  described  under  Shooting, 
page  317.  The  explosion  usually  breaks  the 
coupling,  but  otherwise  does  not  injure  the 
casing  and  that  portion  of  it  above  the  shot 
can  be  recovered. 

When  it  is  desired  to  pull  casing  that  may 
be  fast  owing  to  sand  pumpings,  sediment  or 
cavings  lodging  against  it,  a  casing  splitter. 
Fig.  116,  is  sometimes  usefl.  This  tool  is 
equipped  with  a  mandrel  with  spring  and  a 
friction  loop.  The  spring  on  the  mandrel  is 
set  and  the  loop  is  pushed  up  against  the  body 
of  the  tool  before  it  enters  the  casing,  thus  preventing  the  knife 
from  cutting.  When  the  tool  has  reached  the  point  at  which  it  is 
desired  to  split,  it  is  pulled  up  a  few  inches,  causing  the  Ipop  to 
hold  or  drag  in  the  casing  sufficiently  to -trip  the  knife  or  cutter. 

^17.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin   182,  Casing:  Troubles  and  Fishingr 
Methods  in  Oil  Wells,  pp.  27-29,  by  Thomas  Curtin^ 


Fig.  115. 
CasinsT  Squib 


180  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

By  jarring  down  the  casing  is  then  split,  allowing  the  sediment  to 
flow  in  through  the  slots.    The  splitter  may  also  be  used  in  lieu 

of  a  perforator  by  cutting  shorter  slots  and  being  careful 

not  to  split  the  couplings. 

FISHING  FOR  TOOLS  IN  A  CAVING  HOLE 
When  tools  have  become  fast  owing  to  the  wall  of 
hole  caving  in  against  them,  the  ordinary  fishing  proc- 
esses may  serve  to  a^ravate  the  difficulty  by  causing 
further  caving.    In  such  cases,  a  casing  bowl  and  slips 
operated  on  a  string  of  casing  have  been  used  with  suc- 
cess.   It  is  first  necessary  to  cut  the  cable.    The  casing 
bowl  is  then  screwed  to  a  joint  of  casing  of  a  size  that 
will  go  down  the  hole  and  also  go  over  the  tools.    Addi- 
tional joints  of  casing  are  added  until  the  bowl  reaches 
the  lost  tools.    The  slips  are  then  lowered 
on  a  string  of  smaller  pipe  until  they  en- 
gage  with  the  rope  socket.    The  casing  is 
next  pulled  up  until  the  taper  in  the  bowl 
causes  the  slips  to  take  a  firm  hold.     A 
solid  connection  with  the  fast  tools  is  thus 
secured,  and  by  using  either  double  and 
'riple  blocks,  or  hydraulic  jacks,  or  both, 
ihe  casing  and  tools  may  be  released. 

The  Kessleman  Casing  Bowl,  Fig.  117, 
is  sometimes  used  for  the  purpose  of  ex- 
cluding water  from  the  casing  while  fish- 
FiB  118  ''^^"     ^*  '^  equipped  with  a  rubber  gasket 
silitte^r  around  the  bottom,  so  that  when  it  is  low- 
ered  upon   the  ,  tools,   the   gasket   makes 
water-tight  connection,  and  the  water  above  the  bowl 
can  then  be  bailed  out;  thus,  with  the  water  pressure 
removed,  making  it  easier  for  the  fishing  tools,  and 
particularly  the  jars,  to  work.  caBing  Bowl 


FISHING 


181 


FISHING     FOR     UNDER-REAHER     CUTTERS, 

PIECES   OF   STEEL   THAT   ARE   DRILLED 

UP  AND  OTHER  SHALL  OBJECTS 

The   "Helrazer"  electric  magnet   fishii^  tool   is 

O  recommended  for  picking  out 
such  small  pieces,  and  the  manu- 
facturers' circular  states  that  the 
magnet  will  lift  out  a  bit  pro- 
vided it  is  not  fast  in  the  hole. 
This  device  derives  its  Hfting 
power    from   current    furnished 

•  by  aeroplane  non  spill  storage- 

batteries,    contained    within    the 
Fi».  119.  **^ol.     It  is  operated  on  a  rope 

socket,  or  stem,  and  is  run  in  the 
hole  the  same  as  any  other  fishing 
tool.  It  is  equipped  with  a  simple 
switch  that  is  closed  by  the  im- 
pact of  the  tool  when  it  strikes 
bottom,  or  by  a  light  up-stroke 
with  the  jars.  The  batteries  may 
be  recharged  from  a  derrick 
lighting  generator. 

LIFTING   CAPACITIES    OF    HEL- 

RAZEB  BLECTBIO  MAGNET 

FISHING  TOOLS 

Size   Hole   (or,    Inches. 

4%    B  a/16    a    .  S%       814         10    1214 

lAttlne  Capuclty,   Founds. 
SOO     1000     1500     ITDO     3000     EOOO     TEOD 


Attachment 


Fie.  120. 

Magnetic  Slip 

Catcher  ^j^j^  ^^^  ^^  accomplished  by 

simply  dropping  in  the  hole  a  number  of  glass  bot- 
tles and  running  the  tools  on  them  until  the  rubber 
has  been  sufficiently  cut  to  pieces  so  that  it  can  be 
removed  with  the  bailer  or  sand  pump. 


182  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

FISHING  FOR  LOST  TEMPER  SCREW  BALLS,  SET 

'  SCREWS,  ETC.        ^ 

■     ■  ■  ■  ■      .  •      •         '  .  "     <- 

Such  small  objects  are  difficult  to  drill  up  and  may  injure  the 

bit.    They  may  be  picked  lip  by  making  a  thick  paste  of  cracked 

grain  mixed  with  water.    This  dropped  down  the  hole  will  envelop 

the  small  objects  and  the  mass  can  be  caiight  in  the  bailer.    The 

"Helrazer"  electric  magnet  tool  is  a  good  device  for  picking  up 

such  small  pieces. 

FISHING  OUT  TOOLS  AND  CASING  TOGETHER 

Occasionally  the  tools  become  lodged  in  the  casing  in  such  a 
way  that  they  cannot  be  jarred  nor  fished  out,  and  it  may  be  neces- 
sary to  remove  the  casing  and  tools.  If,  as  sometimes  happens, 
the  casing  cannot  be  started  with  elevators,  hydraulic  jacks  are 
necessary.  After  the  casing  has  been  started  and  the  first  joint 
has  been  pulled  out  and  unscrewed,  it  will  then  be  necessary  to 
"strip  it,"  as  the  drillers  say,  over  the  cable.  This  is  a  tedious 
process  and  consists  of  removing  the  cable  from  the  bull  wheel 
shaft  and  passing  it  through  each  joint  of  casing.  As  the  casing 
is  pulled,  joint  by  joint  must  thus  be  stripped,  until  the  casing 
above  the  point  where  the  tools  have  lodged  in  it  and  tools  have 

been  removed. 

.     USE  OF  ACID 

When  tools  are  stuck  in  limestone  and  they  cannot  be  spudded 
free,  they  may  sometimes  be  successfully  released  by  the  use  of 
muriatic  acid,  which  acts  upon  the  limestone  and  dissolves  it. 
Acid  will  not  be  effective  on  any  other  rock  formation  except 
limestone  or  dolomites; 

( 

V 

MISCELLANEOUS  INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  FISHING 

Fishing  for  lost  tools  should  be  done  slowly,  carefully:  and  with 
the  correct  tool  for  the  peculiar  fishing  job  undertaken. 

In  running  an jr  socket  or  fishing  tool  it  should  be  remembered 
that  there  is  a  chance  of  leaving  the.  fishing  tools  in  the  hole  on 
top  of  the   lost  tools,   thus  further   complicating   the   situation. 


FISHING  183 

Therefore  lower  the  fishing  outfit  slowly,  keeping  accurate  rec- 
ord of  the  exact  depth  at  which  the  lost  tools  are  lodged  and 
knowing  how  much  cable  to  run  out  to  reach  them.  When  ap- 
proaching the  lost  tools,  slow  down  and  feel  the  way  inch 
.by  inch  until  the  fishing  tool  lands  on  the  lost  tools.  Then 
let  out  a  little  slack  in  the  cable,  sufficient  to  allow  the  fishing  tool 
to  settle  over  the  lost  tool,  take  a  gentle  strain  to  see  if  the  tool 
has  taken  hold  and  pull  out  if  possible.  If  the  tools  cannot  be 
moved,  jar  up  a  few  strokes  and  if  this  does  not  break  the  hold 
or  move  the  tools  it  may  be  safe  to  jar  up,  using  longer  and  more 
powerful  strokes,  until  the  tools  are  released. 

If,  after  several  attempts,  the  socket  does  not  take  hold,  let 
out  slack  until  the  jars  strike,  and  then  jar  down  lightly;  this 
may  force  the  fishing  tool  over  the  lost  tools  and  cause  it  to  take 
hold. 

When  the  tools  are  free  and,  upon  pulling  out,  they  again 
lodge,  instead  of  heavily  jarring  up  on  them  in  an  effort  to  start 
them,  jar  down  and  force  them  back  a  few  feet.  Thus,  by  alter- 
nately jarring  down  and  then  up  you  may  be  able  to  get  them  out. 

When  it  is  impossible  to  make  the  slips  of  the  fishing  socket 
catch  or  hold  on  the  lost  or  broken  tool,  a  hold  can  sometimes  be 
secured  by  dropping  a  piece  of  carpet  down  the  hole  or  pack- 
ing it  into  the  fishing  socket  in  such  a  way  that  it  will  form  a  fric- 
tion contact  between  the  slips  and  the  lost  tool  when  the  socket 
goes  over  it. 


CHAPTER  V 
ROTARY  PROCESS  OF  DRILLING 

The  hydraulic  rotary  system  of  drilling  has  been  employed  for 
many  years  in  the  drilling  of  comparatively  shallow  water  wells 
through  soft  formations.  The  use  of  the  rotary  system  for  drill- 
ing  deep  oil  wells,  however,  dates  from  the  successful  drilling  of 
the  famous  Spindle  Top  gusher  near  Beaumont,  Texas,  by 
Captain  J.  F.  Lucas  in  the  year  190L  The  outfit  he  used  was 
light  and,  as  measured  by  present  standards,  very  crude,  and  the 
fact  that  he  was  able  to  finish  the  well  with  it  at  all  marked  his 
work  as  an  engineering  feat.  Indeed  it  opened  a  new  epoch  in 
deep  drilling  in  alluvial  deposits,  and  made  possible  the  develop- 
ment of  the  Gulf  Coastal  fields  of  the  United  States  and  the 
fields  of  many  foreign  countries.  The  continuous  development 
of  and  improvement  in  rotary  drilling  methods  and  equipment 
have  resulted  in  the  wide  use  of  this  system  and  it  has  superseded 
cable  tools  in  practically  every  field  where  the  formations  can 
be  penetrated  by  the  rotary  process. 

The  hydraulic  rotary  process  consists  of  rotating  a  column  of 
drill  pipe,  to  th.e  bottom  of  which  is  attached  a  rotary  drilling 
bit,  and,  during  the  operation,  circulating  through  the  pipe  a 
current  of  mud  laden  fluid,  under  pressure,  by  means  of  special 
slush  pumps.  The  circulation  of  the  mud  fluid  performs  the 
three-fold  service  of  washing  up  the  cuttings  outside  the  drill 
pipe ;  plastering  up  the  wall  of  the  hole,  thus  preventing  caving, 
and  by  the  mudding  process  (elsewhere  described)  sealing  up 
water  and  gas  bearing  formations,  preventing  the  escape  of  these 
elements,  when  desired. 

The  hole  is  drilled  by  the  cable  process  by  the  rising  and 
falling  of  the  tools,  pounding  and  fracturing  the  rock ;  the  rotary 
process  drills  the  hole  by  the  bit  rubbing  or  boring  into  the  forma- 
tion, aided  by  the  circulating  fluid.    Fewer  strings  of  casing  are 

184 


ROTARY  DRILLING 


187 


required  with  the  rotary  process  of  drilling  than  with  the  cable 
tool  method,  the  mudding  of  the  walls  serving  the  purpose,  to  a 
certain  extent,  of  casing. 

SPECIFICATION  OF  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

GULF  COAST  ROTARY  RIG— 112  FT.  DERRICK 

WITH  24-FOOT  BASE.    (Refer  to  Fig.  121.) 

Pieces,  Size,  Inches    Lenffth,  Feet. 

2  Engrine  Mud  SiUs 16  z  16  16 

2  Bngrine  Pony  SiHs 14  z  14  10 

1  Engrine    Block    : 18  x  24  12 

4  Side    Sills    C 10  z  10  26 

6  Derrick    Sills    Q 8  z  10  24 

2  Casingr    Sills    H 8  z  10  26 

2  Foundation   Sills  K 8x10  26 

6  Corner  Sills  D  and  Blocking •  8  z  10  16 

1  Bumper   J    8  z  10  12 

2  Gin   Poles   L. 4  x     6  14 

38  Derrick  Floor,  Girts,  Top,  etc 2  x  12  24 

32  Girts    and    Doublers 2  x  12  20 

34  Derrick    Corners 2  z  12  16 

20  Starting:  Less,  Girts,  Top,  etc t 2  z  10  18 

66  Less,  Doublers  and  Girts 2  x  10  16 

8  Girts 2  X  10  14 

8  First  Braces   2  z  8  24 

16  Second  and  Third  Braces 2  z  8  22 

12  A  Braces,   Top,   etc 2  z  8  20 

41  Legrs,    etc 2  z  8  16 

14  Braces 2z  6  20 

16  Braces     2  z  6  18 

8  Braces     2  x  6  16 

16  Braces     2  z  6  14 

8  Braces 2  z  6  12 

14  Ladder    2  x  4  16 

8  Top  Braces 1  x  6  16 

10  Ladder   Strips    1  x  4  16 

50  Boards     1  x  12  16 

4  20-inch  Derrick  Pulleys. 
100  Lbs.  30d  Nails. 
200  Lbs.  20d  Nails. 
25  Lbs.  lOd  Nails. 

4    %-inch  X  24-inch  Mch.  Bolts  with  Washers. 

2   %-inch  X  11-foot  D.  E.  Bolts  with  Washers. 

Extra  or  Wind  Girts  and  Braces 

6  Outside  Girts    2 

4  Outside  Girts    2 

4  Outside  Girts    2 

4  Outside  Girts    2 

8  Outside   Braces    2 

8  Outside   Braces    2 

16  Outside   Braces    2 

8  Outside  Braces    2 

For  deep  rotary  drilling,  derricks  106  to  130  feet  in  height 
are  used,  thus  providing  space  for  handling  "stands,"  so-called, 
of  drill  pipe  consisting  of  four  or  five  joints  instead  of  three. 
This  enables  the  driller  to  run  in  and  pull  out  the  drill  pipe  and 
drill  the  hole  in  much  less  time. 


X  12 

22 

X  12 

20 

X  12 

18 

X  12 

14 

X  .8 

28 

X  8 

24 

z  8 

22 

X  8 

20 

188  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


SPECIFICATION  OF  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 
CALIFORNIA  ROTARY  RIG— 106  FT.  DERRICK 

WITH  24.FOOT  BASE. 

Pieces  Size,  Inches     Lengrth,  Feet 

2  Engrine  Mud  Sills 16  x  16  16 

2  Engine   Pony  Sills 14  x  14  12 

1  Engine    Block    24  x  24  14 

2  Side  Sills    12  x  12  26 

8  Derrick    Sills    10  x  12  24 

2  Casingr.  Sills    / 14  x  14  24 

5  Corner  Sills   and  Blocking 12x12  20 

2  Bumpers  and  Gin  Poles 12x12  14 

2  Blocking     8  x  10  20 

2  Dead   Men    6  x     6  20 

6  Pump   Foundation 6  x     6  18 

3  Outside  Drill  Pipe  and  Crown  Railing 4x4  14 

20  Derrick    Foundation 3  x  12  18     . 

52  Girts,  Derrick  and  Pump   House  Floor  and 

Doublers     2x12  24 

4.  Girts    ; 2  X  12  22 

4  Girts     2  X  12  20 

16  Girts  and  Outside  Drill  Pipe  Platform 2  x  12  18 

40  Doublers,  Girts  and  Top 2x12  16 

8  Outside  Drill  Pipe  Platform  and  Top 2  x  12  14 

4  Starting   Legs    2  x  10  26 

4  Short  Starting  Legs 2  x  10  18 

42  Derrick   Legs 2x10  16 

4  Outside   Drill   Pipe   Platform 2  x     8  16 

8  Braces 2  x     6  24 

16  Braces     2  x     6  22 

8  Braces 2  x     6  20 

20  Braces  and  Outside  Drill  Pipe  Platform....   2x6  18 

2  Crown    Railing    , 2  x     6  16 

34  Ladder,  and  to  cut  up 2x     4  16 

20  Girts     , 1%   X  12  16 

8  Braces     1%  x     6  16 

16  Braces     1%   x     6  14 

16  Braces 1  %   x     6  12 

40  Ladder   Strips,   etc 1x6  16 

50  Boards     1  x  12  16 

1  Steel  Crown  Block  with  5  Pulleys. 
100  Pounds  30d  Nails. 

250  Pounds  20d  Nails. 
25  Pounds  lOd  Nails. 
4   %-inch  X  24-inch  Mch.  Bolts  with  Washers. 

2  %-inch  X  11-foot  D.  E.  Bolts  with  Washers. 

'Add  for   reinforcing  corners: 

«f  6  X     6  12 

24  6  X     6  16 

Add  for  outside  or  wind  braces: 

4  Outside  Girts    2  x  12  24 

8  Outside  Girts    2  x  12  22 

4  Outside  Girts    2  x  12  18 

4  Outside    Girts     2x12  14 

8  Outside   Braces    2  x     8  28 

8  Outside   Braces    2  x     8  24 

16  Outside   Braces 2  x     8  22 

8  Outside   Braces    2  x     8  20 

8  Outside   Braces    2  x     8  16 


ROTARY  DRILLING 


189 


p5-0-i 


Lxiddar  Side 


Orow  WorKjt  S'6e 


Pomp  Sid** 


WMiNaiOX 


a 


Pig-.  122.     Diagrram  of  Carnegrie  86-Foot  Structural  Steel  Rotary  Derrick. 

The  Carnegrie  Steel  Co.  makes  this  derrick  in  five  si«es,  59  feet,  72  feet, 

80  feet,  86  feet  and  106  feet  in  heigrht. 

Refer  to  pages  375-377  for  safe  working  loads  for  derricks. 


DEEP  WELL  DRILUNG 


ROTARY  DRILLING 


192  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

RIG  . 

The  rig  for  rotary  drilling  consists  of  a  derrick  and  the  neces- 
sary rotary  machinery,  no  bull  wheels  and  walking  beam  being 
required.  The  sand  reel  is  not  used  for  there  is  no  means  of 
operating  it.  The  sand  line  is  spooled  on  the  draw  works  drum, 
sometimes  being  wound  over  the  casing  or  drilling  line.  A  steel 
crown  block  is  usually  used. 

Erecting  the  derrick,  refer  to  Fig.  121. 

If  the  ground  where  the  derrick  is  to  be  built  is  not  level  the 
pump  side  should  face  toward  the  downward  slope  to  secure  the 
advantage  of  the  drainage  for  the  slush  trench,  see  Fig.  156. 

The  derrick  corners,  consisting  of  two  courses  of  2  x  12-inch 
boards,  eight  feet  in  length,  are  first  laid.  Half  way  between 
each  corner  foiir  pieces  of  2  x  12-inch  boards  three  feet  in 
length  are  spaced  one  foot  apart.  The  comer  sills  D,  and  the 
short  side  sills*  are  placed  on  these  2  x  12-inch  footings.  Next 
the  casing  sills  and  derrick  side  sills  are  put  in  place.  The 
engine  mud  sills  are  set  so  the  ends  will  abut  against  the  side 
sill,  the  engine  pony  sills  are  placed  on  the  mud  sills,  and  the 
engine  block  mounted  on  them.  The  engine  block  and  sills  are 
framed  and  keyed  as  shown  in  Fig.  149. 

In  placing. the  side  sills  a  margin  of  two  and  one  quarter  inches 
should  be  left  between  the  end  of  one  sill  and  the  sill  on  which 
it  rests  at  each  corner  to  provide  a  shoulder  or  base  for  the  end 
of  the  leg  timbers. 

Description  of  the  erection  of  a  standard  derrick  on  page  47 
will  answer  also  for  the  rotary  derrick.  The  derrick  floor  sills 
are  next  placed  and  the  derrick  floor  and  engine  walk  are  laid. 

Some  rotary  derricks  are  built  with  the'  floor  extended  four  feet, 
so  the  pumps  can  be  installed  outside  the  derrick.  When  this  is 
done,  the  two  derrick  side  sills  should  be  four  feet  longer,  see  Fig.  123. 

One  or  more  platforms  must  be  provided  in  the  upper  part  of 
the  derrick  on  which  the  man  who  handles  the  elevators,  when 
pulling  out  or  running  in  drill  pipe,  may  stand.  The  112-foot 
derrick  usually  has  two  platforms,  consisting  of  three  2-inch 
planks  extending  across  the  derrick  on  the   side  opposite  the 


:ing  on  the  fifth  and 
ver  platform  is  used 
lisconnecting  the  drill 

lists  of  a  draw  works 
hain  belt  from  the  en- 
:d  by  chain  belt  from 
draw  works;  a  drill 
with  hose,  and  two 
ie  circulation.  Other 
if  drilling  line  with 
strapped   "C"   hook, 

itively  few  years  that 
been  used  for  drilling 
i,  there  has  been  con- 
n  the  character  of  the 
it  of  these  improved 
~ool  Company's  Shaft 
insisting  of  a  draw 
haft  with  bevel  gears, 
e  rotary,  driven  by  a 
'Under  engine.  The 
with  the  chain  from 
shaft  to  the  rotary, 
danger  to  the  driller, 
ution  in  well  drilling 

machinery,  see  Fig. 

127. 

RIGGING  UP 

After  the  derrick 

has    been     erected 

and  the  steel  crown 

block     with     four, 

•    five   or   six   casing 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


Compound  Bnglna  t 


Flc-  1ST.     Shaft  driven  rotary  outfit. 


ROTARY  DRILLING  195 

pulleys  (according  to  depth  of  well  and  quantity  of  drill 
pipe  or  casing  to  be  handled)  has  been  put  in  place, — ^the 
crown  block  may  be  taken  apart  and  the  several  I  beams 
and  pulleys  that  compose  it  carried  to  the  top  of  •  the  der- 
rick, one  piece  at  a  time,  and  there  re-assembled — ^the  upright 
timbers  that  carry  the  draw  works  are  fitted  to  the  derrick  sills 
and  girt,  and  the  draw  works  and  line  shaft  are  mounted  pn  them. 
The  rotary  is  then  placed  in  the  exact  center  of.  the  derrick  floor, 
a  portion  of  which  is  cut  away  so  the  rotary  skids  rest  on  the 
floor  sills.  The  engine  is  set  close  to  the  derrick  in  such  a  manner 
that  the  sprocket  wheel  on  the  end  of  the  shaft  (corresponding 
to  the  belt  pulley)  will  be  in  alignment  with  the  drive  sprocket 
on  the  draw  works  line  or  drive  shaft.  These  two  sprockets  are 
then  connected  with  forty  feet  of  steel  sprocket  chiin.  Next  the 
drive  shaft  sprockets  are  belted  to  the  high  and  lowi  speed 
sprockets  on  the  drum  shaft  by  means  of  two  steel  sprocket 
chains,  and  to  the  clutch  sprocket  on  the  rotary  with  another  steel 
chain. 

The  two  slush  pumps  are  then  set  on  one  side  of  the  derrick, 
at  a  right  angle  to  the  draw  works  (see  Fig.  123)  and  the  dis-^ 
charge  end  of  each  pump  is  connected  to  the  manifold.  The 
two  stand  pipes  are  next  set  up  in  the  derrick  and  screwed  into 
flange  unions  in  the  manifold.  A  thirty-foot  length  of  wire 
wound  rubber  hose  is  connected  by  means  of  a  special  hose 
nozzle  or  coupling  to  each  stand  pipe.  With  the  latest  improved 
water  swivels,  some  rotary  drillers  are  now  using  but  one  swivel, 
instead  of  two,  requiring  only  a  single  stand  pipe  from  the  mani- 
fold. A  suction  pipe  is  connected  to  each  pump,  and  a  foot  valve 
with  strainer  is  fitted  to  each  suction  pipe.  The  suction  pipes 
should  be  long  enough  to  extend  out  into  the  sump,  or  slush  pit, 
containing  the  mud  fluid  supply. 

Two  five  hundred-pound  gauges  should  be  connected  to  the 
manifold,  one  for  each  slush  pump,  to  register  the  pump  pres- 
sures, for  should  the  circulation  be  obstructed,  the  pressure 
would  quickly  rise  to  a  point  where  something  might  give  way. 
One  2-Qt.  Sight  Feed  lubricator  should  be  connected  to  upright 


196 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


steam  line  leading  from  the  boiler  to  horizontal  line  over  pumps. 
Sometimes  two  boilers  are  used  with  rotary  outfits,  one  to  run 
the  engine,  the  other  to  supply  steam  for  the  slush  pumps,  the 


2*'X20'PIPe 


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2VX6-NIPPLE- 


WC3K=TV 


P=c:?-2V0  0  GATE  VAO/t 


3*I.B.&ATC  VALVE 


i'tLL 


3/.  2^  SWCDGtNlPPLL 
J"  CART  UNION 


\     XJ'*—  3X4-NIPPLE. 
\        ^4>3'BUSHINC-    • 

1— PUMP 
/  a-TTi      ^      DART  UNION 


|to-2'i;^0N  c 


DERRICK       FLOOR 


FOOT  VALVE 


Figr.  128.     Diagram  of  manifold  and  suction  connections  of  slush  pumps. 


water  supply  pump  and  the  lighting  generator.  To  insure  a  con- 
stant water  supply,  for  the  boilers  and  for  drilling  purposes, 
a  boiler  feed  steam  pump  should  be  included  with  every  rotary 
outfit.    .'  ' 

The  boiler  is  set  up  about  100  feet  from  and  usually  on  the 


ROTARY  DRILLING  197 

side  of  the  derrick  opposite  the  engine  and  if  oil  or  gas  fuel  is 
used,  the  fuel  supply  connections  are  made.  Water  and  steam 
conections  are  then  made  between  the  boiler,  engine,  pumps  and 
turbine  generator.  The  derrick  is  then  wired  for  electric  lights. 
The  lighting  consists  of  a  series  of  lamps  strung  around  the 
first  girt  to  light  the  derrick  floor,  lamps  above  the  platforms 
for  the  man  in  the  derrick  at  the  fifth  and  ninth  girts,  lamps  on 
the  crown  block  and,  if  needed,  a  lamp  at  the  boiler.    The  engine 


Fig,  129.     Slush  Pump. 

reverse  lever  and  the  throttle  telegraph  wheel  are  mounted  in  the 
derrick  at  places  convenient  to  the  driller's  reach. 

A  ,sump  or  slush  pit  with  adjoining  settling  pit  for  the  mud 
mixture  with  connecting  trenches  from  the  drill  hole  are  dug 
and  diked  up,  refer  to  Fig.  156. 

The  drilling  crew  consists  ol  five  men  for  each  of  the  two 
tours  or  shifts;  the  driller,  the  tool  dresser  and  fireman,  the 
man  who  works  up  in  the  derrick  and  two  men  for  general  work, 
such  as  helping  on  the  derrick  floor,  mixing  the  mud,  repairing, 


198  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

The  drilling  line  is  spooled  on  the  drum  shaft  and  reeved 
through  the  four  sheave  traveling  block  and  over  the  casing 
pulleys.  The  usual  practice  in  stringing  the  drillii^  line  is  to 
place  the  block  on  the  derrick  floor  and  loop  the  line  around  each 
of  the  sheaves,'  allowing  the  loop  from  each  sheave  to  extend 
from  the  block  about  10  feet   from  the  hecket,  or  upper  end. 


Fig,  130.     Double  brake,  two-speed  draw  workH. 

The  block  is  then  fastened  to  the  cat  line  and  carried  up  through 
the  derrick  into  working  position.  The  pulleys  are  removed 
from  the  crown  block,  and  one  loop  of  the  drilling  line  at  a  time 
is  passed  between  the  beams  of  the  crown  block  and  over  the 
pulleys,  which  are  then  replaced  in  the  crown  block.  A  strapped 
"C"  hook  is  engaged  in  the  shackle  of  the  block  and  the  bail  of 
the  swivel.  Next  the  swivel  is  screwed  to  the  upper  sub  of  the 
drill  stem;  a  sub  is  screwed  to  the  lower  end  of  the  drill  stem, 
and  a  drilling  bit,  conforming  to  the  size  of  the  hole  it  is  desired 


ROTARY  DRILLING  199 

to  drill,  is  screwed  into  the  sub.  One  of  the  lengths  of  hose  from 
the  manifold  is  connected  to  the  swivel  and  the  outfit  is  then  hoisted 
in  the  derrick  and  is  let  down  through  the  opening  in  the  rotary 
table.  The  rotary  driver  is  fitted  around  the  stem  or  the  grip- 
ping rings  are  adjusted  to  it,  depending  upon  the  type  of  rotary 
used,  and  the  outfit  is  ready  to  commence  drilling.  Next  a  quan- 
tity of  clay  and  water  is  mixed  in  the  slush  pit  to  the  consistency 
of  a  thin  mortar  to  provide  mud-laden  fluid  for  drilling.  (For 
more  detailed  information  regarding  mud  fluid  refer  to  pages 
236-248.) 

The  engine  is  started ;  the  clutch  on  the  drive  shaft  is  engaged, 
and  the  rotary  table  turns,  rotating  the  stem  and  bit.  The  slush 
pump  is  then  started;  the  gate  valve  in  the  manifold  is  opened 
and  the  stream  of  mud  flows  through  the  drill  stem.  When  the 
drill  stem  has  drilled  its  length,  the  rotary  is  stopped,  the  hoisting 
drum  clutch  is  engaged  and  the  stem  is  hoisted  through  the 
rotary  table  opening,  and,  if  a  flat  top  rotary  is  used,  the  driving 
device  is  pulled  up,  as  the  stem  comes  out,  and  removed.  Next 
the  bit  is  unscrewed  from  the  stem  and  a  drill  collar  is  connected 
to  the  bit.  The  block  and  "C"  hook  are  removed  from  the  swivel 
and  engaged  in  the  links  of  the  elevators,  with  which  a  length  of 
drill  pipe  is  hoisted  and  set  in  between  the  sub  on  the  stem  and 
the  drill  collar  on  the  bit.  The  outfit  is  again  lowered  through 
the  opening  in  the  rotary  table  and  drilling  is  resumed.  As  drill- 
ing proceeds  and  hole  is  made  to  the  extent  of  the  length  of  the 
drill  stem,  the  operation  of  pulling  out  and  adding  a  joint  of  drill 
pipe  is  repeated.  A  set  of  slips  that  grip  and  support  the  pipe  left 
in  the  hole  is  fitted  in  the  opening  in  the  rotary  table,  the  rotary 
and  slips  serving  the  same  purpose  as  the  spider  and  slips  used 
in  cable  drilling.  Drilling  tool  taper  joints  are  often  used  to 
connect  each  third  or  fourth  length  of  drill  pipe  to  prevent  the 
wearing  or  loosening  of  the  pipe  threads  and  to  avoid  the  difficulty 
occasioned  by  freezing  of  the  pipe  threads.  The  Hughes  Tool 
Joint,  Fig'.  131,  is  a  recent  improvement  over  the  ordinary  tool 
joint,  for  the  threads  are  flattened,  thus  minimizing  the  danger  of 
freezing  or  "hooking." 


DEEP-  WELL.DRH.UNG 

;   The  accompanying  illustration  of  the  interior  ■ 
of  a  derrick  shows  the  operation  of  "breaking, 
joiitv"  or  unscrewing;  the  joints  of  6-inch  drill 
;pipe,  using  special  breaking  out  tongs  for  the. 
■purpose. 

Tool  joints  are  used  with  the  taper  pjn  on  the 

.  bottom  of  the  joint  of  drill  pipe  and  the  box  on 
the  lopi  thus  conforming  to  the  thread  and. coup- 
ling ends  of  the  pipe. 

*  When  unscrewing,  or  "breaking,"  the  joints  of 
drill  pipe  a  special  breaking  out  tongs.  Fig  132j4, 
is  used  for  the  upper  tongs.  It  is  suspended  from 
a  wire  rope  in  the  derrick  and  counterbalanced, 

.   and,  by  means  of. a  clevis   in  ihe   end  of  the 


Fig.  131.    Hi^es 
Tool  Jolut 

handle,  it  is  shackled 
with  a  piece  of  stout 
wire  rope,  to  the  cor- 
ner of  the  derrick. 
An  ordinary  chain 
tongs,  whose  handle 
engages  with  the 
breaking  out  post  pro- 
truding from 'the  ro- 
tary table,  is  used  for 
the  lower  tongs.  Thus, ' 
with  one  wrench  an- 
chored by  its  rope  to 
the  derrick  corner 
and  the  other  turned 
by   the   movement   of 


ROTAR¥  DRILLING  201: 

the  rotary  a  powerful  force  fox  .breaking  the-joints,  which  have 
been  made  exceedingly  light. by  the  rotation  of  the  pipe  in  drilling, 
is  secured. 

When  a  rotary  with  driver  and  slips  is  used  one  set  of  ele- 


vators, the  set  used  up  in  the  derrick  only,  is  required.  When 
the  rotary  equipped  with  gripping  rings  is  used,  the  lower  set  of 
elevators  is  needed  to  hold  the  pipe  and  the  elevators  are  sup- 
ported on  the  slide  tongs.  Fig.  133. 


Fig.  133.     Slide  Tongs. 

The  engine  and  rotary  are  not  used  in  setting  up  rotary  pipe 
or  tool  joints,  for  the  reason  that  the  twisting  of  the  pipe  during 
dt-illing  tends  to  tighten  thetli; 
■  The  breaking  out  process  is  not  employed  for  unscrewing  the 


202  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

rotary  bit.  It  is  started  by  striking  it  a  few  blows  with  a  sledge ; 
then  it  is  unscrewed  by  means  of  chain  tongs  pulled  by  a  Manila 
rope  from  the  cat  head. 

BREAKING  JOINTS  OP  DRILL  PIPE 
For  quickly  breaking  joints  of  drill  pipe  and  to  prevent  injury 
to  the  threads,  drillers  sometimes  bring  the  dead  end  of  the  drill- 
ing line,  after  it  has  been  reeved  over  the  pulleys  in  the  crown 
block  and  the  three  sheaves  in  the  traveling  block,  down  to  a 
comer  of  the  derrick  and  make  it  fast  around  a  sill.  To  the 
dead  line  at  a  point  about  twenty  feet  above  the  derrick  floor,  a 
short  piece  of  rope  is  attached  with  a  counter-weight  at  the  der- 
rick end  sufficiently  heavy  to  balance  the  weight  of  the  one  or 
more  joints  of  drill  pipe  that  are  unscrewed.  Thus  the  weight 
lifts  the  pipe  out  of  the  coupling  the  moment  the  last  thread  is 
unscrewed  and  prevents  the  threads  from  riding  around  in  the 
top  of  the  coupling.  The  Wigle  Spring  Casing  Hook  has  recently 
come  into  use  for  this  purpose j  the  spring  performing  the  func- 
tion of  the  counter-weight. 

When  drilling  gumbo  or  soft  material,  the  rotary  bit  does  not 
readily  become  dulled  and  it  may  drill  for  twelve  hours  or  more, 
but  in  drilling  harder  shales  and  sandstones,  the  bit  must  be 
changed  frequently.  When  the  drill  pipe  is  withdrawn,  it  is 
unscrewed  at  the  tool  joints  and  the  "stands,"  each  consisting  of 
three  or  more  lengths  of  pipe,  are  stood  on  the  pump  side  of  the 
derrick.  As  the  pipe  comes  from  the  hole  a  stream  of  clear 
water  should  be  played  on  it  to  wash  off  mud  and  cuttings. 

When  it  is  desired  to  verify  a  suspected  strike  of  oil  or  gas, 
it  is  necessary  to  set  the  casing,  bail  out  the  mud  filled  hole!  and 
perhaps  wash  it  out  with  clear  water.*  For  bailing,  the  sand  line 
is  wound  on  the  draw  works  drum  and  carried  over  the  sand 
line  pulley.  The  hole  may  be  bailed  out  with  a  long  bailer, 
usually  40  feet  in  length,  in  the  ordinary  way,  or  the  fluid  may 
more  quickly  be  removed  by  plugging  the  hole  in  the  bit  and 
running  in  the  string  of  drill  pipe,  thus,  by  displacement,  expell- 

*  For  description  of  method  of  washlngr  the  hole  and  the  oil  sand 
in  wells  drilled  by  the  rotary  system*  refer  to  page  862. 


ROTARY  DRILUNG  203 

ing  most  of  the  fluid  from  the  hole.    The  fluid  then  remaining  in 
the  hole,  however,  must  be  bailed  out. 

Washing  the  sand  is  accomplished  by  circulating  clear  water 
with  the  slush  pump, 
refer  to  page  352. 

It  sometimes  hap- 
pens in  the  course  of 
rotary  drilling  that 
the  driller  "loses  his 
mud."  This  may 
occur  in  drilling 
through  a  cavern  or 
porous  formation  into 
which  the  mud  es- 
capes. About  all  the 
driller  can  do  in  this 
case  is  to  increase  his 
supply  of  mud,  work 
it  to  a  thicker"  con- 
sistency, and  pump  it 
into  the  hole  until  the 
aperture  is  filled,  or 
the  formation  is 
cemented  and  sealed. 

When  a  boulder  is       _,    ,^,    _  _ 


'.'.&-•<'''-   »  UI.I—.B  "" -i"—"'."  wpull  drill  pipe. 

encountered     drillers 

usually  continue  rotating  the  pipe  until  the  boulder  has  been  dis- 
lodged. If  the  boulder  is  too  large  to  be  removed,  it  may  be 
drilled  through  with  adamantine  or  with  a  Hughes  bit.  Ada- 
mantine is  a  hard,  abrasive  substance,  which,  dropped  in  the 
hole  around  the  bit,  assists  it  in  cutting  hard  rock. 

Sometimes  during  drilling  in  clayey  or  sticky  strata,  the  bit 
becomes  clewed  or  mudded.  If  this  should  happen,  raising  and 
lowering  the  column  of  drill  pipe  a  few  times  should  clear  it, 
The  drillers  call  this  operation  "spudding." 

When  drillit^  in  soft  or  caving  strata  and  it  becomes  ncces- 


5m  deep  well  drilling 

sary  for  Sny  reason  to  stop  drilling,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  raise  and 
lower,  or  spud  the  column  of  drill  pipe  occasionally  to  prevent 
ils  freezii^.  Should  it  be  necessary  to  make  repairs  to  or  shut 
down  the  draw  works,  so  that  pipe  cannot  be  spudded,  circulation 
df  the  fluid  should  be  maintained. 

Usu^ly  the  draw  works  or  hoist  is  equipped  with  two  speeds ; 
the  high  speed  is  used  for  handling  a  short  column  of  drill  pipe 
and  for,  more  quickly  hoisting  the  block  and  elevators  when  put- 
ting in  pipe,  the  low  speed  for  handling  long  strings  of  pipe, 
putting  in  casing,  etc.  For  more  speedily  handling  short  strings 
of  pipe  only  two  sheaves  of  the  block  are  employed,  and  as  the 
hole  deepens  and  the  string  of  pipe  grows  heavier,  the  third  and, 
next,  if  a  quadruple  block  is  used,  the  fourth  sheave  is  brought 
into  play.  The  strapped  C  hook  is  used  at  all  times,  but  the 
casing  hook  is  only  used  for  putting  in  and  pulling  out  drill 
pipe,  and  is  dispensed  with  for  drilling. 

For  drilling  the  soft  alluvial  formations,  the 
ordinary  rotary  or  "fishtail"  bit  is  used.  When, 
as  often  happens,  a  thin  shell  of  harder  forma- 
tion is  encountered,  it  may  be  penetrated  by 
dropping  in  the  hole  a  little  adamantine,  which, 
ground  into  the  rock  by  the  rotating  bit,  assists 
in  cutting  it. 

For  drilling  alternating  soft  formations  and 
hard  shale  or  sandstone,  the  Hughes  rotary 
rock  drill  bits  are  recommended.  These 
bits  will  cut  limestone,  although  it  clogs  the 
cutters;  but  where  thick  strata  of  limestone 
occur,  interbedded  with  softer  formations,  the 
combination  rotary  and  cable  tool  outfit  is  more 
suitable. 

The  Hughes  reaming  cone  bit.  Fig.  136,  is 
recommended  by  the  manufacturer  for  drilling 
hard  rock;  It  is  stated  that  it  will  drill  from  12  inches  to  25  feet 
per  hour,  depending  on  the  character  of  the  rock,  and  one  set  of 
cones  will  make  from  5  to  200  feet  of  hole.    The  results  obtained 


■■ROi^ARY'DRfLIitbrC??  '205 

:  ^tom  this  tool  will  depeftd  upon'  the  skill  of  the 
driller  for;,  to  attain  the- best  performarice,  it 
should  "be  run  at  a  speed  and  with  a  pressure 
suited  to  the  formation  being  drilled.  (See 
table  of  limits  of  weight  bits  should  carry.) 


Hughes  bit  cones 
have  a  tendency  to 
wear  so  they  may 
soon  become  off 
gauge  and  it  is  to 
keep  the  hole  out 
to  full  size  that  the 
upper  reaming  cone 
is  provided.  These 
bits  are  equipped 
with  a  lubricating 
attachment  for 
feeding  oil  to  the 
cones  as  an  aid  to 
drilling. 

Sectional  cut. 
Fig.  137,  shows  the 
convex  seat  cut  by 
the  bit,  thus  guid- 
ing it  and  keeping 
the  hole  straight. 


206 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


DRILLING  WEIGHTS  RECOMMENDED  FOR  HUGHES  BITS. 

EXPERIENCE  HAS  PROVEN  THAT  THE  FOLLOWING 

WEIGHTS    GIVE    GOOD    DRILLING    RESULTS    ON 

VARIOUS   SIZED    BITS: 


SixeBit. 

Wt.  on  Bit, 

Sbe  Bit. 

Wt.  on  Bit» 

Inches 

Pounds 

Inches 

Pounds 

2H 

2.870 

7H 

8.650 

2H 

3.480 

7H 

9.270 

3H 

4.700 

7H 

9.560 

4H 

5.910 

8K 

10:300 

5H 

6.670 

9 

11.000 

SH 

7.140 

9H 

12.000 

6H 

7.900 

USE  LESS  WEIGHT  AND  MORE  SPEED  FOR  EXTREMELY 

HARD  FORMATIONS 

This  table   is  based  upon  full   limit  of  weigrht.     Caution   is  advised 
in   exceeding  weights   sriven   in   above   table. 

The  Fair's  or  the  side  gate  types  of  elevators  are  quite  gen- 
erally used  for  rotary  drilling,  for  the 
reason  that  the  pulling  and  running  in 
of  drill  pipe  consumes  much  time,  and 
elevators  must  be  put  on,  taken  off  01 
adjusted  as  rapidly  as  possible. 

The  man  up  in  the  derrick  can 
quickly  put  on  or  take  off  Fair's  or 
side  gate  elevators,  but  the  other  types 
have  to  be  adjusted  to  the  pipe,  which 
requires  more  time. 

There  are  several  improved  side  gate 
elevators  now  on  the  market,  such  as 
the  Lucey  Company's  Rex  Elevator, 
which  can  be  quickly  opened  or  closed. 

Wells  drilled  with  a  rotary  are  some- 
times drilled  into  an  oil  producing  for- 
mation without  warning.  It  is  best  to 
be  prepared,  therefore,  and  an  extra 
heavy  gate  valve,  several  nipples  and  a 
tee  with  plugs  to  fit  tfie  casing  used 
Piic.  188.    Rex  Side  Gate     should  be  kept  On  hand  ready  for  use  in 

Elevators  with  Ions  Hnks      .«  ^  «„^^x  ^r  j  j       n  r     -i 

for  rotary  drilling.         ^^^  ^^ent  Of  a  sudden  flow  of  Oil  or  gas. 


ROTARY  DRILLING  ZO 

FISHING 
Lost  Bit.— 

The  usual  practice  in  rotary  drilling  when  a  bit  is  lost  is 

simply  to  drill  past  it  and  make  no  effort  to  recover 

it.  Perhaps  the  simplest  method  to  recover  a  lost  bit 
would  be  by  means  of  the  recently  invented  electric 
magnet. 

Lost  or  Parted  Drill  Pipe.— 
Pipe  left  in  the  hole  can  usually  be 
fished  out  with  a  washdown  spear, 
which  is  run  on  a  string  of  drill  pipe. 
This  spear  is  equipped  with  a  bit  for 
cutting  mud  or  cavings  that  have 
lodged  above  and  in  the  pipe.  When 
drill  pipe  has  parted  at  the  tool  joint, 
a  steel  tap  with  a  taper  thread  to  en- 
gage in  the  box  of  the  joint  is  run 
on  drill  pipe  to  recover  it. 

Lost  or  Parted  Casing. — 
Either  a  washdown  spear,  as  above 
described,  or  an  overshot  is  used. 
The  overshot  is  a  device  that  goes 
over  the  lost  casing  or  drill  pipe  and 
it  is  fitted  with  spring  latches  to  en- 
gage under  the  coupling  of  the  pipe. 
Pig,  140.  If  the  drill  pipe  or  the  casing  can- 

OTerehot.  jj^^  y^  recovered  with  a  spear  or  over- 

shot, drillers  usually  force  it  over  into  the  wall  of  the 
hole  and  drill  past  it  or,  as  they  say,  "sidetrack  it." 

FiK.  139.  Frozen  Casing  or  Drill  Pipe. — 

down  Frozen  pipe  is   released  by  rotating  a  column  of 

pipe  of  large  enough  diameter  to  go  down  over  the 
couplings  of  the  frozen  pipe.  To  the  bottom  of  this  pipe  is 
attached  a  rotary  cutting  shoe.  Fig.  141. 


208  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

When  the  pipe  has  been  releas^  both  strings  are  pulled  to- 
gether.   Circulation  must  be  kept  up  during  this  process. 
Cones  Dropped  from  a 
Hughes  Bit.—    '      . 
Either   a   basket  ..icage   or   an 
electric     magnet     -fishing  ^  tool 
should  pick  them  up. 
Cutting  the  Casing.— t 
A  string  of  drill  pipe  or  tub- 
ing, to  the. bottom  of  whicli  is 

Fig.  m.      Rolary  Shoe.  ,      ,  t-v  ^ 

attached  a  rotary  ^casing  cutter, 
is  rotated  until  the  casing  is  cut  off.  A'  mandrel  with 
jars,  Fig.  143,  is  lowered  on  a  sand  line  to  expand 
the  cutting  wheels.  , 

Most  rotary  fishing  tools  are  used  with  a 
column  of  drill  pipe  and  circulation  is  main- 
tained to  prevent  the  hole  from  caving. 

Cementing  the  Casing. — 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  casing  set  in  soft 
formations  may  not  hold,  or  that  gas  or  oil 
might  break  out  around  it,  it  is  customary  to 
cement   the   casing   in    wells   drilled   with   a      i''8-i42. 
-,  .  .  .  Rotary 

rotary.       See     instructions     for     cementmg       casiBg 
processes,  pages  301-315.  -  '^"*'*'- 

MISCELLANEOUS    INFORMATION    REGARDING 
I  ROTARY    DRILLING. 

Fig.143,  In  formations  where  the  rotary  can  be  used,  a  well 
Mandrel  ^^y  usually  be  drilled  in  much  less  time  than  by  the 
Rotary  cable  process.  Also  as  the  circulation  of  mud  fluid 
cTttOT  ^^^'^  "P  '''^  "'*"  °^  *^^  hole,  shutting  off  water  and 
caving  strata,  fewer  strings  of  casing  are  required. 
Sometimes  when  drilling  for  oil  a  stratum  carrying  a  large 
volume  of  gas  at  high  pressure  may  be  penetrated,  causing  a 
blow  out.    This  may  usually  be  overcome  by  increasing  the  speed 


~  ROtARV  DRILLING  209 

of  the  two  pumps  and  puttmg\up  their  pressure  sufficiently  to 
mud  off  the  gas.  A  blow  out  preventer  {Fig.  144)  is  sometimes 
used  for  this  purpose. 

The  driller  should  keep  a  careful  tally  of  the  measurements  of 
each  length  of  drill  pipe  as  it  is  added  into  the  string,  making 
due  allowance  for  the  length  of  the  thread  that  is  screwed  into 
the  coupling.     This  will  enable  him  to  know  at  all  times  the 


PIk.  114.     Blowout  Preventer. 

accurate  depth  of  his  hole  and  also  to  preserve  a  correct  log  of 
the  well. 

The  man  up  in  the  derrick  should  be  protected  from  falling 
by  means  of  a  rope  tied  round  his  body  or  with  a  belt  buckled 
about  his  waist  and  attached  to  a  ring  or  snap  running  on  the 
rope  to  give  him  more  freedom  of  movement.  The  two  ends  of 
the  rope  are  tied  round  the  derrick  girts. 

Some  rotary  drillers  drill  a  shallow  well  at  a  point  midway 
and  in  front  of  the  slush  pumps,  in  which  they  rest  the  drill  stem 
when  not  in  use  or  when  waiting  to  set  in  another  joint  of  drill 
pipe.    This  is  termed  the  "rat  hole." 


210  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

PIPE  FOR  ROTARY  DRILLING. 

(From  National  Tube  Co.  Bulletins.) 

MATERIAL 

Lap-welded  Pipe  is  made  of  good  quality  soft  weldable  steel 
rolled  from  solid  ingots.  Seamless  Pipe  is  made  of  mild  basic 
open  hearth  steel  of  special  analysis  to  meet  the  requirements. 

PHYSICAL  PROPERTIES 

The  physical  properties  of  the  steel  used  in  the  manufacture  of 
this  class  of  goods  will  average : 

Tensile  Strength :    50,000  to  60,000  lbs.  per  sq.  in. 
Elastic  Limit :    Not  less  than  J4  tensile  strength. 
Elongation :    20  to  28%  in  8  inches. 
Reduction  in  Area:    Not  less  than  50%. 

When  greater  strength  is  desired,  seamless  Drill  Pipe  will  be 
made  to  special  order  from  basic  open  hearth  .30- .40  carbon  steel ; 
physical  properties  of  this  material  will  average : 

Tensile  Strength :    60,000  to  70^000  lbs.  per  sq.  in. 
Elastic  Limit :    40,000  to  50,000  lbs.  per  sq.  in. 
Elongation:    15  to  20%  in  8  inches. 
Reduction  in  Area:    45  to  55%. 

BENDING  TESTS  ON  "NATIONAL"  WELDED  PIPE. 

Sections  cut  from  the  ends  of  each  length  of  pipe  are  flattened 
in  the  direction  of  the  diameter,  to  one-third  (Vs)  of  the  outside 
diameter — the  weld  being  placed  at  45  degrees  from  the  point  of 
maximum  bend.  If  any  of  the  sections  tested  show  bad  weldings, 
laminations,  brittleness  or  any  unsoundness  another  test  piece  is 
cut  from  the  same  end ;  should  the  second  test  also  prove  defective, 
the  pipe  is  rejected. 


ROTARY  DRILLING  211 

PIPE  FOR  ROTARY  DRILLING 

INTERNAL  PRESSURE  TEST 

Each  piece  of  pipe,  welded  and  seamless,  is  subjected  to  the 
hydraulic  pressure  specified  for  that  size,  as  set  forth  in  tables  for 
Drill  Pipe. 

STRENGTH  OF  JOINT 

(a)  Pulling  Tests  on  Pipe  for  Drilling  Purposes. 

In  order  to  determine  the  strength  of  the  joint  for  this  class  of 
goods,  National  Tube  Company  made  pulling  tests  on  a  number  of 
the  different  sizes,  the  results  of  which  are  given  in  Table  A. 

It  will  be  noted  that  the  loads  given  in  this  table  are  the  actual 
average  loads  at  the  failure  of  the  joint,  and  the  averages  are 
based  on  six  tests  in  each  case.  From  these  tests  an  idea  can  be 
obtained  of  the  additional  strength  gained  by  upsetting  the  pipe  at 
the  joint. 

(b)  Torsional  Tests  on  Pipe  for  Drilling  Purposes. 

The  advantage  of  the  upset  in  "National"  Special  Upset 
Rotary  Pipe  is  plainly  evident  from  torsional  tests  on  4"  12j4  lb. 
"National"  Special  Rotary  Pipe.  In  each  test  two  lengths  of 
pipe  were  counted  together  usinr  various  **Nat'onar'  Special 
Rotary  Pipe  joints,  one  end  being  held  stationary  while  the  other 
was  rotated  until  failure  occurred. 

The  value  of  the  upset  in  strengthening  the  line  against  torsional 
strains  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  an  average  of  197,000  inch- 
pounds  was  necessary  to  cause  failure  when  pipe  was  upset  at  the 
joint,  while  an  average  of  145,000  inch-pounds  caused  failure 
with  the  same  joint  when  the  material  was  not  upset.  Moreover, 
with  the  "National"  Upset  Rotary  Pipe  the  line  did  not  fail 
at  the  joint  itself,  showing  this  to  be  the  strongest  part  of  the  line. 
(See  Table  B.) 


212 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


TABLE  A 

ROTARY  DRILL  PIPE 

LENGTH  OF  LINE  EQUIVALENT  TO  LOAD  AT  FAILURE, 
BASED  ON  ACTUAL  PULLING  TESTS 


« 


NATIONAL"  ROTARY  DRILL  PIPE 


Weight 

Approximate  Average  Load 

Length  of  Line  Equivalent 

Size 

Per  Foot 

at  Failure, 

to  Average  Load  at  Failure, 

Complete 

in  Tons 

in  Feet^ 

6 

19.507 

89 

9125 

4 

12.50 

56 

8960 

4 

15.00 

78 

10400 

4K 

15.50 

74 

9548 

4M 

18.00 

67 

7444     - 

5 

17.50 

58 

6629 

6 

23.50 

91 

7745 

6 

29.00 

118 

8138 

« 


NATIONAL"  SPECIAL  UPSET  ROTARY  PIPE 


4 
6 


12.632 
19.551 


99 
129 


15674 
13196 


TABLE  B 

TORSIONAL  TESTS  ON  4"-12i/i  LB.  "NATIONAL"  SPECIAL 
ROTARY  AND  SPECIAL  UPSET  ROTARY  PIPE 

Average   Twisting 
Moment  at  Failure 


Material 

Joint 

Inch-Pounds 

Location  of  Failure 

Lap-welded  steel  pipe 
Lap-welded  steel  pipe 

TH"*  coupling,  pipe 
not  upset 

TH"   coupling,   pipe 
upset 

145300 
197200 

At  joint  in  two  tests  out  of 
three;  in  third  test  pipe 
twisted 

No  iailure  at  Joint  in  five 
tests 

. : ■■ — r^^ 

•  This  long  coupling  is  used  in  practice  only  on  Special  Upset  Hotary 
but  was  applied  to  Special  Rotary  Pipe,  not  upset,  for  the  purpose  of 
this  test.  The  comparison  between  the  Standard  Drill  Pipe  Joint  and 
Special  Upset  Rotary  is  even  more  marked. 


.   r 


ROTARY  DRILLING 


213 


•■  »■  JL 


PIPE  FOR  ROTARY  DRII.LING 

ROTARY  DRILL  PII^E 

♦\  -  '...■■■ 

(National   Tube  Ca.) 


■» 

* 

— i-r— ■ '^ 

*■ 

r— : — S  I   ■ 

Diameters  •  - 

--hi.- 

Weight 

Threads 

Couplings 

Test 

Thick- 

Per 
.    Foot 

4 

Per 
Inch 

■ 

Pressure, 
Pounds 

Size 

.0 

"^^Ertem^l 

Intehial 

;n^s 

O.  t). 

Length 

Weight 

2K 

2.875 

2.323 

.276 

7.830 

8 

3.603 

5H 

5.888 

2000 

2H 

2.875 

2.143 

.366 

10.000 

8 

3.693 

SH 

7.316 

2500 

3 

3.500 

2.764 

.368 

12.500 

8 

4.248 

6H 

8.777 

2000 

4     - 

4.500 

4.026 

.237 

11.157 

8 

5.303 

6H 

11.768 

1500 

4 

4.500 

3.990 

.255 

11.916 

8 

5.303 

6H 

11.768 

1500 

4 

4.500 

3.962 

.269 

12.500 

8 

5.303 

6H 

11.768 

1800 

4 

4.500 

3.826 

.337 

15.000 

8 

5.303 

6H 

11.768 

2000 

4K 

5.000 

4.506 

.247 

12.933 

8 

5.803 

6H 

12.988 

1500  ' 

4K 

5.000 

4. 396 

.302 

15.500 

8 

5.803 

6H 

12.988 

1600  ' 

4K 

5.000 

4.290 

.355 

18.000 

8 

5.803 

6H 

12.988 

■  m 

5 

S.^3 

5.047 

.258 

15.094 

8 

6.  334 

IH 

16.562 

5 

5.563 

4.955 

.304 

17.500 

8 

6.334 

7H 

16.562 

1600 

5 

5.563 

4.813 

.375 

21.  oca 

8 

4.334 

7H 

16.562 

1800 

6 

6.625 

6.065 

.280 

19.507 

8 

7.396 

7H 

19.561 

1500 

6 

6.625 

5, 939 

.343 

23.500 

.    -  8 

7.396 

7H- 

19.S61 

1500 

6 

6.625 

5.761 

.432 

29.000 

8 

7.396 

.    7H 

19.561 

1800 

SPECIAL  UPSET  ROTARY  PIPE 

(National    Tube    Co.) 
8   Threads   per   Inch. 


Diameters 

Weight 

Upset 

Couplings 

Test 

Thick- 
ness 

Per 
Foot 

Pres- 

Size 

Inside 

sure 

External 

Internal 

Length 

Diameter 

Diameter 

Length 

Weight 

in  Lbs. 

2^/i 

2.875 

2.323 

.276 

7.841 

3K 

l"/i6 

3.564 

6H 

6.743 

2000 

2^ 

2.875 

2.143 

.366 

10.000 

3K 

IH 

3.678 

6H 

7.844 

2500 

3 

3.500 

2.900 

.300 

10.486 

3K 

2K 

4.248 

6H 

8.777 

2000 

4 

4.500 

3.958 

.271 

12.632 

4 

.3K 

5.256 

7H- 

14. 296 

.1800  . 

4 

4.500 

3.826 

.337 

15.323 

4 

3H 

5.256 

7H 

14. 296 

2000 

5 

5.563 

4.975 

.294 

17.000 

4K 

4K 

6.303 

8H 

18.472 

1600 

5 

5.563 

4.859 

.352 

^0.000 

4K 

4^/Je 

6.303 

8H 

18.472 

1900 

6 

6.625 

6.065 

.280 

19.551 

4K 

SH 

7.350 

8H 

22.994 

1500- 

6 

6.625 

5.761 

.432 

28.948 

J : r      ,• 

4K 

s% 

7.350 

8H 

22.994 

1800 

The!  permisnibUs  variation  in  weight  is  5  per  cent  Ckbove  utid '5  pe^ 
cent  bejow.  ,      ,  ,  .    .      »:  .    .i.     -      i 

Taper  of  threads  is  ^4 -inch  diameter  per  foot  length  for  all  sizes.        , 


214 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


PIPE  FOR  ROTARY  DRILLING 
SEAMLESS  INTERIOR  UPSET  DRILL  PIPE 

(National    Tube   Co.) 


Diameters 

Weight 

Per 

Foot 

Upset 

Couplings 

Test 

Sixe 

Thick- 
ness 

Pres- 

• 

Inside 

sure 

External 

Internal 

Length 

Diameter 

Diameter 

Length 

Weight 

in  Lbs. 

•2 

2.375 

2.000 

.1875 

4.477 

3 

1»V6 

2.892 

SH 

3.503 

2500 

2K 

2.875 

2.469 

.203 

6.002 

3K 

2V6 

3.564 

6H 

6.743 

2200 

2H 

2.875 

2.323 

.276 

7.841 

3K 

l"/<i 

3.564 

6H 

6.743 

2500 

3 

3.500 

3.063 

.2187 

7.939 

3K 

2"^ 

4.248 

6H 

8.777 

1800. 

3>4 

4.000 

3.500 

.250 

10.366 

3K 

3Vi 

4.771 

7H 

12.060 

2000 

4 

4.500 

4.000 

.250 

11.756 

4 

3».i 

5.256 

7H 

14.296 

1800 

4 

4.500 

3.958 

.271 

12.632 

4 

W 

5.256 

7H 

14.296 

1900 

4 

4.500 

3.826 

.337 

15.323 

4 

ZH 

5.256 

7H 

14. 296 

2200 

4M 

5.000 

4.500 

.250 

13.130 

4 

4li 

5.756 

7H 

15.787 

1700 

S 

5.563 

4.975 

.294 

17.000 

4K 

4H 

6.303 

8H 

18.472 

170Q 

5 

5.563 

4.859 

.352 

20.000 

4K 

4vfi 

6.303 

8H 

18.472 

2000 

6 

6.625 

6.065 

.280 

19.551 

4K 

5H 

7.350 

8H 

22.994 

1600 

6 

6.625 

5.761 

• 

.432 

28.948 

4M 

s% 

7.350 

8H 

22.994 

2000 

*  2-inch  10  threads  per  inch;  largrer  sizes  8  threads. 
The  permissible  variation  in  weigrht  is  5  per  cent  above  and  5  per  cent 
below. 

Taper  of  threads  is  %  inch  diameter  per  foot  lengrth  for  all  sizes. 

NECESSARY    PRECAUTIONS    IN    HANDLING    AND 
ASSEMBLING  PIPE  FOR  DRILLING  PURPOSES 

(From   The   National    Tube   Co.) 

Considerable  care  should  always  be  observed  in  the  handling  of 
Pipe  for  drilling  purposes  so  as  to  get  the  best  service,  save  time 
and  expense,  and  increase  the  life  of  the  pipe.  For  these  reasons 
the  following  suggestions  are  made : 

First — Before  Drill  Pipe  is  screwed  together,  the  threads  both 
on  the  pipe  and  in  the  coupling  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned,  all 
sand  and  grit  entirely  removed  and  a  good  application  of  heavy 
oil  or  grease  (mixed  with  graphite),  applied  to  both.  This  will 
make  the  joints  screw  and  unscrew  easily. 

Second — ^When  screwing  the  pipe  into  the  coupling,  be  sure 
that  it  is  properly  screwed  up  before  lowering  into  the  well.  Do 
not  expect  the  rotary  machine  to  screw  up  the  joint  after  it  has 
been  lowered. 

Third — ^When  placing  a  section  of  pipe  in  the  coupling  do  not 
let  the  section  drop  into  the  coupling.  Place  it  in  lightly  so  that 
the  weight  of  the  pipe  will  not  injure  or  turn  over  the  first  thread. 
When  inserting  the  end  of  the  pipe  into  the  coupling,  if  it  does  not 


ROTARY  DRILLING  215 

enter  easily  and  rotate  freely  it  is  not  properly  engaged,  and 
should  be  taken  out  and  re-entered. 

Inserting  the  pipe  crookedly  and  straightening  it  up  frequently 
breaks  off  a  portion  of  the  end  of  the  threads,  which  going  down 
with  the  pipe  causes  galling,  and  frequently  spoils  the  joint.  If 
the  first  threads  are  turned  over  they  will  be  ground  into  the  re- 
maining threads  as  the  joint  is  screwed  up.  This  will  cause  much 
difficulty  in  unscrewing  the  joint,  and  will  ruin  the  thread  on  the 
pipe  and  in  the  coupling. 

Fourth — ^When  Drill  Pipe  is  being  pulled  out  of  the  hole  and 
the  joints  unscrewed,  the  weight  of  the  section  being  taken  off 
should  be  carried  on  the  hoisting  lines.  This  can  be  accomplished 
by  attaching  a  weight  (a  trifle  heavier  than  the  pipe  being  un- 
screwed) to  the  dead  end  of  the  line.  As  the  section  is  unscrewed 
the  weight  is  not  carried  by  the  threads. 

Fifth — Whenever  a  string  of  Drill  Pipe  is  pulled  out  of  a  hole 
it  should  be  washed  off  with  clean  water  as  it  is  drawn  out,  to 
remove  all  mud  or  sand,  so  that  the  thread  will  be  clean  when  the 
pipe  is  standing  in  the  derrick. 

Pipe  should  always  be  placed  on  boards  higher  than  the  general 
level  of  the  derrick  floor. 

Sixth — Do  not  hammer  the  coupling  very  hard.  Use  a  small 
hammer  and  tap  lightly  all  around  the  coupling  before  starting 
to  unscrew.  Too  much  or  too  hard  hammering  will  injure  the 
threads,  expand  the  coupling,  and  allow  the  ends  of  the  pipe  to 
creep  until  they  come  together. 

SPECIFICATION  OF  A  TEXAS  AND  LOUISIANA  ROTARY 

DRILLING  OUTFIT  FOR  DRILLING  TO  A  DEPTH  OF  3,000 

FEET  AND  FOR  HANDLING  NOT   LARGER  THAN 

16-INCH  O.  D.  CASING. 

Standard  Rotary  Derrick,  112  feet  higrh  with  2  x  8-inch  Legrs,  doubled 
with  2  X  10-inch,  with  Steel  Crown  Block  and  six  Sheaves,  no  Bull 
Wheels,  Band  Wheel  or  Walking  Beam. 

1  40  H.  P.  Fire  Box  Boiler  with  Grate  Bars  and  Stack. 
1  CC  Penberthy  Injector. 

1  12  X  12  Steam  Bngine  with  2Vi-inch  Throttle  and  Lubricator. 
1  Sprocket  Wheel. 

1  19-inch  Improved  Rotary,  with  bushingr  and  1  set  each  4  and  6-inch 
Slips,  and  Driver  for   5Vi-inch  Drill  Stem,  also  Qrippin^r  Device 
complete. 
1  Double  Brake  Two  Speed  Draw  Works  with  3  Oak  uprigrhts. 


216  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

SPECIFICATION  OF  A  TEXAS  AND  LOUISIANA  ROTARY 

DRILLING  OUTFIT  FOR  DRILLING  TO  A  DEPTH  OF  3,000 

FEET  AND  FOR  HANDLING   NOT   LARGER  THAN 

16-INCH  O.  D.  CASING. 

80  Feet  Steel  Sprocket  Roller  Chai.n.  .  . 

30  Feet  Steel  Sprocket  Roller  Chain. 

2  4-inch  Water  Swivels. 

2  10  X  6  X  12   Slush  Pumps.  ,  . 

16x4x6  -Boiler .  Feed  Pump. 

1  No.  268  Myers  L.-  D.  Pump  with  Handle. 

1  Set  6-inch  Breaking  Out  Tongs  for  Tool  Joints.    .         ^^ 

1  Set  4-inch  Breaking  Out  Tongs. 

1  40-inch  Triple  or  Quadruple  Drilling  Block. 

1   5-inch  Drilling  Hook. 
.    1  3% -inch  Strapped  C  H-ook  .  .       • 

1   %-inch  X  1,050-foot  Wire  Drilling  Line. 
"    1   %-inch  X  3,000-f6ot  Wire  Sand  Line.  ..  .      • 

12  Each   %-inch  and   %-inch  Wire  Rope  Clips. 

1  5%-inch  X  28-foot  Round  Fluted  Drill  Stem. 

1  Upper  Sub  for  5% -inch  Round  Drill  Stem. 

1  Lower  Male    and   Female  "Sub   for   5 %-inch    Round    Drill   Stem   and 
6-inch  Pipe. 

1  6-inch  Connection  for  same.  .  ./         . 

1  6-inch  Rotary  Casing  Shoe. 
.  1  6-inch  Overshot.  /       "  • 

1  4-inch  Overshot. 

1  4-inch  Bull   Dog  Spear   or  Wash   Down   Trip   Spear. 

1  3-inch  Bull   Dog  Spear   or   Wash   Down    Trip   Spear. 

2  Pes.    2-inch  x  30-foot  WW  Drilling  Hose. 
4  2-inch  Hose  Clamps. 

2  2-inch  Hose  Nozzles. 

1  Set  3-inch  Fair's  Mgt.   Pattern   or  Lucey  Rex  ELevators  with   Long 

Bails. 
1  Set   4-inch  Fair's  Mgt.   Pattern   or  Lucey  Rex  Elevators  with  Long 

Bails. 
1  Set  6-inch   Fair's  Mgt.  Pattern   or  Lucey  Rex  Elevators  with  Long 

Bails. 
1  Set.  8-inch  Fair's  Mgt.   Pattern   Elevators   with   Regular  Bails.- 
1  Set  10-inch  Fair's  Mgt.  Pattern  Elevators  with  Regular  Bails 

1  Set  12% -inch  Fair'q  Mgt,  Pattern  Elevators  with  Regular  Bails. 

2  No.  15  Vulcan  Chain  Tongs. 
2  No.  14  Vulcan  Chain  Tongs. 
2  No.  13  Vulcan  Chain  Tongs. 
2  No.  12  Vulcan  Chain  Tongs. 

2  Extra  Sets  Chains  for  each  Tongs. 
2  Extra  Sets  Jaws  for  each  Tongs. 
1  5-inch  X  25-foot  bailer. 

Necessary  amount  of  Rotary  Drill  Pipe  to  drill  to  required  depth. 
Suggested:  1,500  feet  6-inch  Drill  Pipe,  3,000  feet  4-inch  Drill  Pipe. 
Necessary  Tool  Joints  for  Drill  Pipe  to  drill  to  required  depth.     One 
tool  joint  is  used  between  every  third  or  fourth  joint  of  pipe. 

1  3  X  3  X  15-inch  Forged  Steel  Drill  Collar. 

1  4  X  4  X  18-inch  Forged  Steel  Drill  Collar. 
1,  6  3^  4  X  18-inch  Forged  Steel  Drill  Collar. 

2  6  X  4-inch  Forged  Steel  Bushings. 

1  4  X  3-inch   HydrauHc   Swaged  Nipple. 

2  15  X  4-inch  Shank  Fishtail  Drill  Bits. 

2  10  X  4-inch  Shank  Fishtail  Drill  Bits.    ' 
4     8  X  4-inch  Shank  Fishtail  Drill  Bits. 
4     6  X  4-inch  Shank  Fishtail  Drill  Bits. 
4     6  X  3-inch  Shank  Fishtail  Drill  Bits. 

300  Feet  1  %-inch  Manila  Rope  for  Cat  Line. 

1  10-Pound   Sucker   Rod   Hook. 

1  10-inch  Drop  Link  Snatch  Block. 

1  1  X  4-ply  X  50-foot  Water  Hose  with  Connections. 


T  r 


:»j-:  ;  nsi 


ROTARY  DRILLING 


217 


SPECIFICATION  OF  A  TEXAS  AND  LOUISIANA  ROTARY 
DRILLING  OUTFIlr  FOR  DRILLING  TO  A  DEPTH  OF  3^000 
FEET  AND  FOR  HANDLING  NOT   LARGER  THAN 
v3*ATOH   i^       16-INCH  CD.  <CASiIfG*>t_Ctfhtlfl<WRi: .  r  ■-W. 


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1  I!*uel  Tank: 

ITvrbfeie  Gener^tdr  wllB- Ligrhting  Outfit. 

1  2-Quart  Steam  Elngrine  Lubcicator  for  Slush  Pumps. 


<.. 


Blacksmith    Outfit,    Tools    and 
Supplies.  . 

1  No.  3  Star  feteam  Blower. 
iSaO-Pound  Anvil.         '    .. 
1  Forge   for   Blacksmith.  Outfit. 
1  Sack  Blacksmith  Coal. 

1  Emery  Wheel,;  ia-M6h^'*  -    ' 
60  Fire  Brick.'  '    ''  '  '     -?' 

2  14-P6\ila«  Croi^?*;  Pefti   Sled&es. 
4  SredgeHamm^f  Handles. 

1  2% -inch  Sql  Flatter.  ^ 

1   % -inch  Top  Fuller. 
1  1%-inch  Set  Hammer. 

1  1%-inch  Hot  Cutting  Chisel. 
2^  14-inch 'HR  Bast.  JFiles. 

e  14-inch  Flat  Bast.  FUes. 

2  %-inch  Hand  Cold  Chisels. 

2  %-inch  Hand  Punches. 

1   %-ineh  Diamond,  Pt.  Chisel. 
1  2-inch  Socket  Firmer  Chisel. 

3  1  X  36-inch     Irwins     SC     Ship 

Augers. 
1  Auger  Handle. 
6"  Auger  Bits,   %  to  1-lnoh. 

1  100-foot  Metallic  Tape. 

2  20-pound  Crow  Bars. 

1  EIaohf'10>lnch  and  15-inch  Coes 
Wrench. 

1  Each  18-inch,  24-inch  and  36- 
inch   Trimo   Wrench. 

1  Set  Bolt  Dies,  %  to  2  inches. 

1  N6.  lA  Toledo  Stock  and  Dies. 

1  No.  25  Toledo  Stock  and  Dies. 

1  No.  1  Barnes  Pipe  Cutter. 

1  No.  2  Barnes  Pipe  Cutter. 

1  No.  3  Barnes  Pipe  Cutter. 

1  No.  4  Barnes.  Pipe  Cutter. 

2  Extra  Cutter  Wheels  for  each 

Pipe  Cutter. 
1  Combination    Pipe   Vise,    %    to 
4  inches. 
150  Feet  Telegraph  Wire. 
1  Gem  Oil  Burner. 

1  3-inch  Freeman's  Flue  Cleaner. 

4  Long  Handled  R.  P.  Shovels. 

2  6-foot  CC  Saws  and  Handles. 
10  Pounds  Hand  Hole  Gaskets. 

10  Pounds   Red   Eye   Sheet   Pack- 
ing. 
10  Pounds  Loose  Hemp  Packing. 
10  Pounds    %-inch    Sq.    Hydraulic 

PackincT 
10  Gallons  Engine  Oil. 
10  Gallons  Cylinder  Oil. 
1  Bbl.  Torch  or  Burning  Oil. 
1  Long  Spout  Steel  Oil  Can. 

1  26-inch  7-pt.  Hand  SaW. 

2  Single  Bit  Axes.  ^ 
1  Derrick  Hatchet. 


1  2-foot  Steel  Square. 

1  Level. 

1  Claw  Hammer.      . 

1  Ratchet  Bit  Brace.       „,    . 

1  Pr.   12-lnch  O.  ;^.   Calipers. 

1  Wheelbarro^m    .        ,. 

1  Hacksaw  wiit^  ~12^inch  Blades. 
25  Pounds  White  Waste. 

20  Feet    »4-iiM?h    Black    Pipe    for 

Flue   Cleaner. 
20  Feet     H-inch    Black.  .Pipe    for 

Engine    Reverse. 

2  Derrick  LamjpFs. 

5  Founds  Lamp  Wick'. 
10  Pounds  White  Lead. 

10  Pounds  Dixons  Graphite. 

1  Wire  Thread  Brush. 
20  Pounds  Babbitt. 

1  Babbitt  Ladle. 

Fittings      for      Connecting      Pump 
Manifold,    Pumps,    Engine   and 
..Boiler 

•    (Texas- Type) 

Steam     Line     to     Engine     and 
Pumps. 

10   2-inch  Mall.  Ells.   . 

6  2-inch  Mall.  Tees 

3  2-inch  Brass  Globe  Valves. 

7  2-inch  x  6-inch  Nipples. 

4  2-inch  C.f;  Plugs,     a^. 

3  2-inch  C  L  Flange  Unions. 

2  2-inch  Couplings. 

Injector. 

1  2H-inch      X      2-inch      Swaged 
Nipple. 

4  1  %-inch  X  4-inch  Nipples. 
6  1-inch  X  4-inch  Nipples. 

1  2-inch  Mall.  Tee. 

1   1  %-inch  Mall.  EU. 

6  1-inch  Mall.  Ells. 

1  1  %-inch  X  1-inch  Reducer. 

1  2  X  1-inch   Bushing. 

1   1-inch  Iron  Cock. 

3  1-inch  Brass  Globe  Valves. 

1  1  %-inch  X  1% -inch  Bushing. 

Water  Pump.     -     ^ 

1  2-inch  Tee. 

1  2-inch  X  1-inch  Bushing. 

4  1-inch  X  4-inch  Nipples. 

2  1-incfa  Mall.  Ells. 
1-inch  Kewanee  Union. 
1  1-inch  Iron  Cock.   . 

1  1-inch  Brass  Globe  Valve. 
1  2-inch  X  6-inch  Nipple. 

3  2-inch  Mall.  Ells. 

1   2-inch  Mall.  Te.e.=   ■''    - 

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218 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


SPECIFICATION  OF  A  TEXAS  AND  LOUISIANA  ROTARY 

DRILLING  OUTFIT  FOR  DRILLING  TO  A  DEPTH  OF  3,000 

FEET  AND  FOR  HANDLING  NOT   LARGER  THAN 

16-INCH  O.  D.  CASING.— Concluded. 


1  2-irich  Flange  Union. 
4  2-inch  x  6-inch  Nipples. 
1  2-inch  Plug:. 
1  1^-inch  Mall.  Ell. 
1  1%-inch  X  6-inch  Nipple. 
1  iS-inch  X  6-foot  Pipe. 

<  2-inch  X  6-inch  Nipples. 

3  2-inch  Mall.  Ells. 
1  2-inch  Mall.  Tee. 

1  2-inch  Flange  Union. 

1  2-inch  Plug. 

1  2-inch  Brass  Check  Valve. 

1  3  X  2-inch  Bushing. 

Slush  Pumps. 

4  6-inch  X  10-inch  Nipples. 

2  6-inch  C.  I.  Blls. 

2  6-inch  Flange  Unions. 
2  6-inch  C.  I.  Foot  Valves. 

2  Pes.  6-inch  Pipe  full  length. 

To  connect  Turbine  Generator 
and   Steam  Blower. 
6  H-inch  Kewanee  Lip  Unions. 

<  H-inch  X  4-inch  Nipples. 

<  %-inch  Mall.  Blls. 

3  %-inch  Mall.  Tees. 

3  %-inch    Jenkins    Brass    Globe 
Valves. 


Slush  ^mp  Manifold 

2  20-fo€^  lengths  2-inch  Pipe. 
4  2H-ili^ch  Mall.  Ells. 

4  2-ihCh   Mall.   Ells. 

3  2  Vi -inch  Mall.  Tees. 

2  4  X  2^-inch  Cast  Iron  Bushing. 
2  2-inch  Flange  Unions. 
2  2Vi-inch  Flange  Unions. 
2-inch  X  10-inch  Nipples. 
4-inch  Nipples. 
6-inch  Nipples. 
X  4-inch  Nipples. 
X  10-inch   Nipples. 
X      2-inch      Swaged 


2 

2  2-inch  X 

2  2-inch  X 

10  2Vi-inch 

2  2Vi-inch 

3  2Vi-inch 


Nipples. 

1  2-inch   Iron   Cock. 

2  2-inch     I.     B.     Quick     Opening 

Gate  Valves. 

2  2H-^1ni$i¥     I.     B.     B.     M.     Gate 
Valves. 

1  5-inch       500-pound    .  Pressure 
Gauge. 

300  Feet  2-inch  Black  Pipe. 
200  Feet  i-1nch  Bl'^ok  Pine. 
100  Feet  1^-inch  Black  Pipe. 


SPECIFICATION  OF  CALIFORNIA  EXTRA  HEAVY 
ROTARY  DRILLING  OUTFIT. 

FOR  DRILLING  TO  A  DEPTH  OF  5,000  FEET 

Note:     This  outfit  is  suitable  for  export  to  foreign  countries. 

Standard  Derrick.   106   or  112   feet  high,   with   2  x  10-inch  Legs,   doubled 
with  2  X  12-inch,  no  Bull  Wheels,  Band  Wheel  or  Walking  Beam. 

1  Structural   Steel  Crown   Block  with   5   Pulleys. 

2  50    H.    P.    Oil    Country   Boilers    complete    with    Smoke    Stack    (un- 

mounted). 

2  C.  C.  Penberthy  Injectors. 

1  No.  268  Myers  L.  D.  Pump  with  Handle. 

1   14  X  14-lnch   (50  H.  P.)  Stripped  Steam  Bngine  with  Sprocket  and 
Heavy  Rotary  Ply  Wheel. 

1  California  Type  Double  Brake,  Two  Speed  Draw  Works,  including 
Oak   Uprights,  Drive   Shaft,   Drum   Shaft  and  Brake  Shaft  Com- 
plete. 
65  Feet  Sprocket  Chain  for  Draw  Works. 
40  Feet   Sprocket   Chain    for  Rotary. 

1  23-inch   California   Type    Rotary   with    Flat   Top,    Bushing,    Driver 
and  Slips,  or  with  Bushing  and  Gripping  Device. 

1  6-inch   Square   Drill   Stem   with   Subs   to   connect   with   Swivel   and 

Drill  Pipe. 

2  12  X  6%   X  14-inch   California  Type   Slush  Pumps. 

2  Lengths  Wire  Wound  Rotary  Hose,  2Vi-inch  x  30  feet. 

2  2^ -inch  Rotary  Hose  Couplings. 

4  2^ -inch  Rotary  Hose  Clamps. 

2  6-inch  Heavy  Water  Swivels. 

1  40-inch  Quadruple  Rotary  Drilling  Block. 

1  4 H -inch  Strapped  C  Hook. 

1  8-inch  Wigle  Spring  Casing  Hook. 


ROTARY  DRILLING  219 

SPECIFICATION  OF  CALIFORNIA  EXTRA  HEAVY 
ROTARY  DRILLING  OUTFIT.— Continued. 

1  15-pound  Sucker  Rod  Hook  for  Cat  Line. 
1200  Feet  1-inch  6  x  19  Wire  Drillingr  Line. 
6000  Feet  9/16-inch  6x7  Wire  Bailing  or  Sand  Line. 
6  1-inch  Wire  Rope  Clips. 
6  9/16-inch  Wire  Rope  Clips. 
1  Set  4-inch  Fair's  Manninerton  or  Lucey  Rex  Extra  Heavy  Elevators 

with  Longr  Links. 
1  Set  6-inch  Fair's  Mannington  or  Lucey  Rex  Extra  Heavy  Elevators 

with  Long:  Links. 
1  Set  6%,  8%,  10,  12%.  15 Vi -inch  L  D.  and  20-inch  O.  D.  Extra  Heavy 

Elevators  with   Regrular  Leng^th  Links. 

Note:     If  size  of  casing:  Is  chang:ed  or  other  than   American   Collar 
Casing:  is  used,  specifications  will  necessarily  have  to  be  changred. 

2  Pair  Each  No.   33 Vi,  34,  35  and  16  Vulcan  Chain  Tongs. 

2  Type  CX  Dunn  Tong:s  with  Bushing:8  for  8%   and  6^ -inch  Casingr, 

6-inch  Drill  Pipe  and  7% -inch  Tool  Joints. 
1  Type  A  Dunn  Tongrs  with  Bushing:  for  12% -inch  Casing. 

1  Each   4   and   6-inch   Slide   Tong:s. 

Necessary  quantity  of  Rotary  Drill  Pipe  to  drill  to  required  depth. 
Necessary  Tool  Joints  for  Drill  Pipe  to  drill  to  required  depth.     One 
Tool  Joint  is  used  between  every  third  or  fourth  joint  of  pipe. 

2  6  X  4-inch  Swivel  Bu8hing:s. 

1  10-inch  10-Thread  by  6-inch  8-Thread  Steel  Swag:ed  Nipple. 

2  4  X  72-inch  Drill  Collars,  4-inch  Pipe  Thread  Box  x  3%   x  4% -inch 

Tool  Joint  Box. 
2  6  X  72-inch  Drill  Collars,  6-inch  Pipe  Thread  Box  x  5  x  6-inch  Tool 

Joint  Box. 
1  Each  6,  8%,  10  and  12% -inch  Rotary  Shoes. 

1  Each  6%  X  14  X  %-inch.  8%  x  16  x  1-inch,  10  x  16  x  114-inch,  12%   x 

16  X  1%-inch  and  15%   x  16  x  1^4 -inch  Plow  Steel  Casing:  Shoes. 

2  22-inch    Rotary   Bits,    5  x  6-inch    Taper    Joint. 
6  18-inch    Rotary    Bits,    5  x  6-inch    Taper    Joint. 

12  14-inch    Rojtary   Bits,    5  x  6-inch    Taper    Joint. 
10  12% -inch  Rotary  Bits,  5  x  6-inch  Taper  Joint. 

6  9% -inch  Rotary  Bits,  3%   x  4% -inch  Taper  Joint. 

4  7% -inch  Rotary  Bits,  3%   x  4% -inch  Taper  Joint. 

Note:     Specification  for  Bits  will  have  to  be  chang:ed  if  other  than 
American  Collar  Casing  is  used. 

1  4-inch  Wash  Down  Spear  with  Trip. 

1  6-inch  Wash  Down  Spear  with  Trip. 

1  12% -inch  Overshot  to  run  on  10-inch  Casing:,  to  catch   6-inch  Pipe. 

1  10-inch  Overshot  to  run  on  8% -inch  Casing*,  to  catch  6-inch  Pipe. 

1     8% -inch  Overshot  to  run  on     6-inch  Pipe,  to  catch  4-inch  Pipe. 

1  4-inch  Male  and  Female  Case  Hardened  Nipple. 

1  6-inch  Male  and  Female  Case  Hardened  Nipple. 

1  4-inch  Tool  Joint  Fishing  Tap. 

1  6-inch  Tool  Joint  Fishing  Tap. 

300  Ffeet  1%-inch  Manila  Rope  for  Cat  Head  Line. 

2  Lengths    1%-inch  x  25-foot,    4-Ply    Rubber    Hose    with    Couplings, 

Clamps   and  Nozzle   for  washing  derrick   floor  and   machinery. 

1  Blow  Out  Preventer. 

2  2-Quart  Lubricators  for  Slush  Pump. 

1  Turbine  Generator  with  lighting  Outfit. 
Blacksmith  and  Derrick  Tools. 
1  No.  11  Portable  Forge. 
1  No.  4  Star  Blower. 
1  300-Pound  Anvil. 
1  12-inch  Emery  Wheel. 
1  %  X  20-inch  C.  L.   Blacksmiths'   Tongs. 
1  1     X  20-inch   C  L.   Blacksmiths'   Tongs. 
1  %  X  20-inch   S.   L.   Blacksmiths'  Tongs. 
1  1     X  20-inch  S.  L.   Blacksmiths'   Tongs. 
1  %  X  20-inch  Single  Pick  Up  Tongs. 
1  1     X  20-inch  Single  Pickup  Tongs. 


220 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


SPECIFICATION  OF  CALIFORNIA  EXTRA  HEAVY 
ROTARY  DRILLING  OUTFIT.— Continued. 


2  14-Pound  Sledgres  with  Handles. 
6  36-incfa  Hickory  Sledgre  Handles. 
2  No.  4  B.  P.  Hammers. 
6  Cold  Chisels,  4   1-inch,   2 

1%-inch. 
2  Cape  Chisels. 
2  Hot  SpliUin?  Chisels  with 

Handles. 
2  Hardies,   %-inch. 
2  Hardies,   %-inch. 
2  Flatters,  1%-inch. 
2  Pullers,    %-inch. 

1  2% -Pound  Punch. 

2  Pinch  Point  Crdw  Bars. 

1  Pair  12-inch  O.  S.  Calipers. 
1  10-inch  Coes  Wrench. 

1  10-inch   Adjustable   Hack   Saw 

Frame. 

12  10-inch  Hack  Saw  Blades. 

2  14-inch  Half     Round     Bastard 

Files. 

2  12-inch  Half     Qound     Bastard 
Files. 

2  12-inch  Flat  Bastard  Files 

1  15-inch  BriiTSS  Scr^w  Wrench. 

2  18-inch  Trimo  Pipe  Wrenches. 
2  24-inch  Trimo  Pipe  Wrenches. 

1  36-inch  Trimo  Pipe  Wrench. 

4  LongT'    Handle      Round      Point 
Shovels. 

2  Mud  Mixing-  Hoes. 

1  100  Foot  Metallic   Tape! 
1  No.  7  Hand  Saw. 
1  24-inch      No.      9      Plain      Steel 
Square. 

1  24-inch  No.  9  Plain  Level. 
1  Single  Bit  Axe  and  Handle. 

1  Derrick  Hatchet. 

2  Derrick  Brooms. 

1  No.  3  Combination  Pipe  Vise. 
1  No.   1  Barnes   Pipe  Cutter. 
1  No.  2  Barnes  Pipe  Cutter. 
1  No.  4  Barnes  Pipe  Cutter 
1  No.  1  Toledo  Adjustable  Stock, 

1   to   2  inches. 
1  No.  25  Toledo  Adjustable  Stock, 

21^    to    6-inches. 
1  No.   7  Little  Giant  Screw  Plate 

with    Dies   and    Taps. 
1  Common  Derrick  Crane,  6x1- 

inch  arm. 
1   I'ton        Moore        Anti-Friction 

Chain   Hoist. 
1  Wire  Thread  Brush. 
1  No.  2  Sheet  Iron  Tool  Box. 
1  Each    1%,    1^    and    2-inch   Nut 

Augers. 

1  Pratts  Auger  Handle. 

2  1  X  36-inch   Irwin's   S.    C.   Ship 

Augers. 
6  Auger  Bits,   %  to  1-inch. 

1  Ratchet  Bit  Brace. 

2  C.  C.  Saws  and  Handles. 


Miscellaneous. 

150  Feet  Wire  Telegraph  Cord 
20  Feet     %-inch     Pipe    for    Flue 

Cleaner. 
20  Feet   %-inch  Pipe  for  Reverse 

Lever. 

10  Pounds  Lamp  Wick. 

4  Derrick  Lamps. 

5  1-Pound   Cans  Re^  Lead. 

5  5-Pound  Cans  White  Lead. 

5  5-Pound  Cans  Dixon  Graphite. 
12  Feet      %-inch     Straight     Link 

Chain. 

1  10-inch  Drop  Link  Steel 
Snatch  Block. 

1  12%   Rock  Drill  Bit  Complete. 

1  Drill  Collar  for  above. 

1  Extra  set  of  Cones  for  above. 

1  9 %-inch  Rock  Drill  Bit  Com- 
plete. 

1  Drill  Collar  for  above. 

1  Extra  set  of  Cones  for  above. 
10  Gallons  Bit  Lubricating  Oil. 
10  Gallons  Engine  Oil. 
10  Gallons  Cylinder  Oil. 

1  Barrel  Torch  or  Burning  Oil. 
50  Fire    Brick. 

1  Wheelbarrow. 

2  Galvd.  Iron  Pailfl. 

1  3-inch  Flue  Cleaner. 

1  3-inch      Dudgeon      Type     Flue 

Expander. 

2  Gem  Oil  Burners. 

6  Extra  Wheels  each  for  Nos.  1, 

2,  and  4  Barnes  Pipe  Cutters. 
1  Set     Slips     for     4-inch     Wash 
Down   Spear. 

1  Set     Slips     for     6-inch     Wash 

Down   Spear. 

2  Extra     Lengths     Wire     Wound 

Rotary   Hose,    2 %-inch  x   30 
feet. 

2  Extra      Sets      2 %-inch      Hose 

Couplings   and    Clamps. 
10  Pounds  Hand  Hole  Gaskets. 
80  Feet     Extra     Sprocket     Chain, 

for   Draw   Works. 
25  Feet     Extra     Sprocket     Chain, 

for  Rotary. 

3  B.  P.  Hammer  Handles. - 

2  Single  Bit  Axe  H9,ndles. 

3  Hatchet  Handles. 

10  Pounds  Red  Sheet  Packing; 
10  Pounds  Loose  Hemp  "Packing. 
10  .Pounds     %-inch     Square     Hy- 
draulic? Packing. 

'5  Pounds     %-inch.  S<iuare    Pure 

Gum  Packing. 
20  Pounds  Babbitt. 

1  Babbitt  Ladle. 

1  1 -Quart  Railroad  Oiler. 

1   %-Pint  Gem  Oiler. 

1   %-inch  Belt  Punch. 


ROTARY  DRILLING 


221 


SPECIFICATION  OP  CALIFORNIA  EXTRA  HEAVY 
ROTARY  DRILLING  OUTFIT.— Continued. 


25  Pounds  White  Waste. 

12  5-inch  Hay  Fork  Pulleys. 

Note:  Tapes,  Squares  and 
Tools  with  markingrs  shown  in  feet 
and  inches  should  be  ordered  to 
conform  to  units  of  measurement 
in  the  country  to  which  material 
is  to  be  shipped. 

Fitting^s  for  Connecting:  Pump 
Manifold,  Pumps,  Engrine  and 
Boilers. 

Steam  Line  from  Boilers  to  En- 
gine and  Pump^ (3-inch  Main  Line). 

7  3-inch  Mall.  Iron  Tees. 

1  2Vi-inch  Mall.  Iron  ^ee. 

1  2-inch  Mall.  Iron  Tee. 

1  3 -inch   Mall.    Iron    Ell. 

1  2% -inch  Mall.  Iron  EH. 

2  2-inch  Mall.  Iron  Ells. 

5  3-inch  x  8-inch  Nipples. 

4  2%-inch  x  8-inch  Nipples. 

6  2-inch  x  6-inch  Nipples. 

1  3-inch      X      2% -inch      Swaged 

Nipple. 
4  3-inch       x       2-inch       Swaged 
Nipples. 

3  3-inch   Flange   Unions. 

2  2% -inch  Flange  Unions. 

1  2-inch  Flange   Union. 

2  3-inch  Couplings. 
1  2% -inch  Coupling. 

3  3-inch  Plugs. 

1  2-inch  Plug. 

3  2-inch  I.  B.  Globe  Valves. 

2  2% -inch  I.  B.  Globe  Valves. 


Injector    and    Fittings    for    3 
Boilers. 


3 
9 

18 
3 
3 

18 
3 


2-inch  X  6-inch  Nipples. 
1%-inch  X  4-inch  Nipples. 
1-inch  X  4-inch  Nipples. 
2-inch  Mall.  Iron  Tees. 
1%-inch  Mall.  Iron  Ells. 
1-inch  Mall.  Iron  Ells. 
1%-inch  X  1%-inch  Mall.   Iron 

Bushings. 
3  1^-inch  X  1-inch     Mall.      Iron 

Reducers. 
2  X  1-inch  Bushings. 
1-inch   Iron    Cocks. 
1%-inch  Globe  Vajives. 
1-inch   Globe  Valves. 
1%-inch  Check  Valves. 


3 
3 
3 

9 
3 


Water  Pump. 

1  2-inch  Mall.  Iron  Tee. 

2  1-inch  Mall.  Iron  Ells. 
1  2-inch  X  6-inch  Nipple. 

4   1-inch   X   4-inch  Nipples. 
1   2-inch  X  1-inch    Bushing. 
1  1-inch  Iron  Cock. 
1  1-inch  Brass  Globe  Valve. 
1   1-inch  Kewanee  Union. 
1   1%-inch  X  6-inch  Nipple. 


1  1%-inch  X  6-foot  Pipe. 
6  2-inch  x  6-inch  Nipples. 
3   2-inch  Mall.  Iron  Ells. 
1  1%-inch  Mall.  Iron  Ell. 
1  2-inch  Mall.  Iron  Tee. 
1  2-inch  Flange  Union. 
1  2-inch  Plug. 
1  2-inch  Brass  Check  Valve. 
1   3  X  2-inch  Bushing. 

3  2-inch  Mall.  Iron  Ells. 
1  2-inch  Mall.  Iron  Tee. 
1  2-inch  Flange  Union. 

4  2-inch  x  6-inch  Nipples. 

1  2-inch  Plug: 
Slush  Pumps. 

.  4  8-inch  x  12-inch  Nipples. 

2  8 -inch  C.  L  Ells*. 

2  8-inch  C.  I.  Foot  *Valves. 

2  Pes.   8-inch  Pipe  full  length. 

2  8-inch  Flange  Unions. 

To  connect  Turbine  Generator 
and  Steam  Blower. 

5  %-inch   Kewanee   Lip   Unions. 

6  Ms -inch  x  4-inch  Nipples. 
6   i^-inch   Malleable  Ells. 

3  %-inch  Malleable  Tees. 

3  ^-inch    Jenkins    Brass    Globe 

Valves. 

Slush  Pump  Manifold. 

2  20-foot  lengths' 2% -incrf  Pipe. 

4  2^ -inch  Mall.  Ells. 

2  2^ -inch  x  10-inc1i  Nipples. 
4  3 -inch  Mall.  Iron 'Ells. 

3  3-inch   Mall.   Iron '^ Tees. 

2  6  X  3-inch  Cast  Ir^n  Bushings 
2  2^ -inch  Flange  Ui^ions. 
2  3-inch  Flange  Unions. 
2  2%   X  4-inch  Nipples. 
2  2% -inch  x  6-inch,  Nipples. 
10  3  X  4-inch  Nipples. 
2  3  X  10-inch  Nipples. 

1  -3  X  2-inch  Swaged  Nipple. 

2  3  X  2% -inch  Swaged  Nipples. 

1  2-inch  Iron  Cock. 

2  21^ -inch    I.    B.    Cjuick    Opening 

Gate  Valve. 
2  3 -inch  I.  B.B.  M.'  Gate  Valves. 

1  5-inch  500-Pouna  Pressure 

Gauge. 
200  Feet  1-inch  Pipe. 
200  Feet   1%-inch   Pipe. 
200  Feet  2-inch  Pipe. 
300  Feet  3-inch   Pipe. 

For  an  outfit  to  be  shipped  to 
foreign  countries  or  to  remote 
points  far  from  base  of  supplies 
the  following  repair  parts  are 
recommended: 

For  Boilers. 

2  Steam  Gauges. 

1  Pop  Safety  Valve. 
6  Water  Gauges. 


222 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


SPECIFICATION  OF  CALIFORNIA  EXTRA  HEAVY 
ROTARY  DRILLING  OUTFIT.— Concluded. 


1  Set  Grate  Bars. 
8  Hand  Hole  Plates  Complete. 
8  Soft  Plugs. 

1  1^-inch  Brass  Check  Valve. 
10  Pounds  Guy  Wire,  No.  9. 

For   Engrine. 

1  Crank  Shaft. 

4  Connecting:  Rod  Brasses, 

Crank  End. 
4  Connecting:  Hod  Brasses,  Cross 

head  End. 
4  Piston  Glands. 
4  Steam  Chest  Glands. 

2  Throttle     Valve      Yokes      with 

Glands   and   Nuts. 
2  Throttle  Valve  Stems. 
2  Throttle  Valve  Stem  Lock  Nuts. 
4  Throttle  Valve  Valves. 
4  Throttle  Valve  Valve  Seats. 
4  Throttle  Valve  Glands. 
1  Connecting:   Rod    Strap,   Crank 

End. 

1  Connecting:   Rod   Strap,   Cross- 

head  End. 

2  Connecting:  Rod  Keys. 
1  Crosshead. 

I  Balance  Valve  Complete. 

1  Valve  Stem  with  Nuts. 

2  Sets  Steam  Piston  Ring:s. 

1  Steam  Piston  Rod. 

2  Eccentric  Rods  with  Bushing:8. 
1  Eccentric   Complete   with   Hub 

and  Ring:8. 
1  Link  Complete. 

1  Eng:ine  Sprocket  Wheel. 

For  Draw  Works. 

2  Set  Brake  Band  Liners. 
1  Set  Drum   Shaft  Boxes. 
1  Set  Drive  Shaft  Boxes. 
1  Drill  Drive  Clutch. 

1  Drill  Drive  Clutch  Dog:. 

1  Drive  Shaft  Clutch. 

2  Sets  Keys. 

1  Low  Speed  Drum  Shaft  Clutch. 
1  Drum  Clutch  Dog. 
1  Hig:h   Speed  Drum  Shaft  Clutch. 
1  Complete  Set  Sprockets. 

For  Rotary. 

1  Set  Journal  Boxes. 

2  Pinions. 

1  Pinion  Shaft. 

2  Pinion  Shaft  Clutches. 
2  Piniorf  Clutch  Straps. 

1  Pinion  Clutch  Shifting:  Lever. 

1  Shifting:  Lever  Ping:er. 

2  Liners   for  Cone  Bearing:. 
17  Roller  Cones. 

1  Locking:  Collar. 

1  Locking:  Pawl. 

2  Sprockets. 

2  Pinion    Clutch    Collars. 
2  Grip  Ring:  Shafts. 


2  Gripping:  Screws. 

2  Each  R.  H.  and  L.  H.  Adjust- 
ing: Screws. 

4  Each '  Adjusting:  Sleeve  Nuts 
and  Washers. 

4  Adjusting:  Drive  Locking:  Pins. 

1  Driving:  Post. 

1  Set  Slips  or  Dies  for  each  size 

drill  pipe. 

2  Sets  Keys. 

For  Slush  Pumps. 
75  Assorted  Studs  and  Nuts. 
10  Pounds  Assorted  Gaskets. 

1  Steam  Inlet  Flang:e. 

2  Stuffing  Box  -Glands. 
2  Valve  Stem  Forks. 

2  Valve  Sten/  Link  Pins  and 
Washers. 

2  Rocker  Shaft  Bushing:s. 
4  Crossheads. 
6  Piston   Rod  Glands. 
12  Assorted  Piston  Rod  Nuts. 
4  Long:  Rbcker  Arms. 
4  Short  "Rocker  Arms. 
4  Shafts'^for  Long:  Rocker  Arms 
4  Shafts 'for  Short  Rocker  Arms. 
8  Keys  for  Rocker  Shaft. 
2  Water  Cylinder  Heads. 
2  Steam  Cylinder  Heads. 
2  Steam  Piston  Heads. 
4  Steam  Piston  Ring:s. 

1  Steam  Slide  Valve  and  Stem. 

2  Suction   Flanges. 

2  Discha'rg:e  Flanges. 

6  Water  Cylinder  Liners. 
6  Water  Piston  Heads. 
6  Water  Piston  Followers. 
8  Water  End  Piston  Rods. 

3  Steam  End  Piston  Rods. 
16  Water  Valve  Seats. 

8  Water  Valve  Springs. 
8  Water  Valves. 
32  Water  Valve  Gaskets. 

4  Water  Valve  Clamps. 

4  Rocker  Arm  Shaft  Wrist  Pins 
4  Rocker  Arm  Rollers  and  Pins. 
Supply  of  5/16  and  %-inch 
Square  Garlock  Packing,  %- 
inch  Square  Hydraulic  Pack- 
ing and  %-inch  Pure  Gum 
Packing. 
1  Complete  Set  Gland  Bolts  and 
Nuts. 

For  Water  Swivels. 

1  Hose  Stem. 

2  Complete  Roller  Bearings. 

1  Hose  Nozzle. 

2  Stuffing  Box  Glands 

2  Drill  Pipe  Couplings. 
25  Pounds     %-ihch    Square    Flax 
Packing. 

4  Friction  Washers. 

1  Bushing. 

2  Gaskets  for  Hose  Nozzle. 


CHAPTER  VI 

COMBINATION  CABLE  AND  ROTARY  SYSTEM  OP 

DRILLING 

This  system  is  successfully  employed  in  drilling  formations  that 
are  alternately  hard  and  soft,  or  in  penetrating  soft  or  alluvial 
surface  formations  with  the  rotary  equipment  and  finishing  the 
well  in  the  harder  formations  at  depth  with  the  cable  tools. 

The  equipment  used  is  the  same  as  that  for  cable  and  for  rotary 
drilling,  the  outfit  being  a  combination  of  the  two,  but  eliminating 
parts  that  might  be  duplicated  in  the  two  outfits. 

The  derrick  and  rig  are  the  standard  cable  rig,  except  that  the 
derrick  should  be  106  feet  high,  with  the  addition  of  a  rotary 
engine  block  abutting  the  side  sill  and  at  a  right  angle  from  the 
standard  engine  block  (see  Fig.  145),  and  the  derrick  sills  and 
floor  extended  to  provide  a  slush  pump  platform  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  derrick  from  the  rotary  engine  block.  (Refer  to 
directions  for  erecting  standard  derricks,  pages  46-48,  and  for 
rotary  derricks,  page  192.) 

Directions  for  rigging  up  standard  rigs  and  rotary  rigs  (refer 
to  pages  97-100,  193-197),  may  also  be  followed  for  rigging  up 
the  combination  rig,  with  the  exception  that  the  draw  works  is  set 
up  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  rig  from  the  slush  pumps,  instead  of 
at  a  right  angle  from  the  pumps,  as  in  the  rotary  rig.  The  reason 
for  this  is  that,  with  the  combination  rig,  two  opposite  sides  of  the 
derrick  are  occupied  by  the  calf  wheels  and  walking  beam  on  the 
one  side  and  the  bull  wheels  on  the  other. 


223 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


FlK.   145.     Side  elevation   and  ground  plan  of  106-fooI  California  Com- 
bination Rotary  and  Cable  DrtlllnE  RlK  with  extra  wind  braces,  showlnK 
machinery  Installed  readr  for  drilllnB. 


COMBINATION  SYSTEM  OF  DRILLING 


g° 

o< 

PS  H 
HO 
M  « 


3? 


38 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


COMBINATION  SYSTEM  OF  DRILLING 


L    Stanil&rd    dnd 


230  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

DIAGRAM     OF     CALIFORNIA     106-FOOT     COMBINATION 
STANDARD  AND  NOTARY  DERRICK 


Ttg.  leo.     Cellar-side  Elevatlan. 


FlK.   151.     Cellar-End  Elevation. 


COMBINATION  SYSTEM  OF  DRILLING  231 

SPECIFICATION  OF  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 
CALIFORNIA      COM?  IN  ATjtDN      STANDARD      AND- 
ROTARY  RIG,  DERRICK  106  FEET  HIGH 
WITH  24-FOOT  BASE. 

Pieces                     Oregon  Pine'       ...                    Size,  InciieQ  Length,  Feet 

1  Walking    Beani '.'. ... .  :'. . . .  :i4  x  14  x'  14  x  30       *^"  26 

1  En silijiy Block'   .-. .  . . .  :. . . . ;  .  ^ . . . .  . :  .24  x:.24           ^  ■             9 

1  Rotary    Engine    Block    24  i^  24  14 

1  Sampson   Post    : . . ... .... : .  .1 :..::..  18  X  16  '  16 

1  Main   Sill    •.  ...16  x  16  32 

1  Sub.  Sill 16x16,.         .'  20 

1  Tail  Sill  and  Sand  JTeel  Post 16  x  16  18 

4  Mud  Sills    ^.  .....;/.  .16  X  16       -   ^  *  liB 

1  Nose   Sill    ;.:-...;.^...V.*.  .16  x  16  -          ^-16 

1  Jack  Post    .:.;.  r' 16  X  16  16 

2  Engine    Mud    Sills.;.:.: 16x16             ~  1'4    "'■ 

4  Engine    Pony    Sills...... ..-V...16  x  16-     -  '                   7 

1  Knuckle    Post ......*..  ..16  x  16  't 

6  Derrick    Foundation    . ; ; 16x16  4 

3  Derrick  Cellar  or  Pit... 16  x  16  14 

1  Derrick    Cellar    or    Pit.. 16x16  16 

1  Back    Brake 16x16  6 

2  Mud  Sills  for  Rotary  Engine  Block.  .16  x  16  16 

2  Pony  Sills  for  Rotary  Engine  Block.  14  x  14  12 

3  Derrick  Blocking 14  x  14  10 

2  Casing   Sills 14  x  14  18 

4  Bull  Wheel  and  Calf  Wheel  Posts..  14  x  14  12 
4  Bumpers  and  Gin  Pole 12  x  12  7 

2  Derrick    Side    Sills :• 12x12  26 

8  Derrick    Sills    10x12  2* 

1  He£).d    Board      10x12  24 

3  Casing   Rack   and   Blocking 8  x  10  20 

1  Crane 8  x     8  -20 

3  Crown  Block   (not  needed  with  steel 

Crown  Block)        . : .' ;.....    6  x  16  1> 

2  Sampson    Post    Braces 6  x     8^  16 

1  Headache    Post    . . ; 6  x     8  14 

1  Sand    Reel    Lever 6  x  '   6  x  16  •  .  14     • 

12  Derrick  Cellar  or  Pit 6  x     6  20 

6  Stringers  for  Walk  and  Roof.......    6x6  22 

4  Stringers  for  Walk    . . . ;- 6  x     6  8 

2  Jack    Post    Braces 6  x     6  "  18 

3  Bull    Wheel    and     Calf    Wheel     Post 

Braces 6  x     6  16 

2  Dead   Men 6  x     6  20 

Add  For  Reinforcing  Corners: 

4  6x6  12 
24                                                                                    6x6  16 

1  B\;inting  Pole    4  x     6  30 

8  Snort     Braces,     Roof     Stringers     and 

Keys  and  J.  P.  Bunting  Pole ..4x6  16 

3  Epgine    House    Studding 4x4  18 

1  Calf   Wheel    Brace ; 4  x     4  18 

4  Engine   House   Sills 4x     4  16 

3  Outside     Drill     Pipe     Platform     and 

Crown   Block   Railing 4  x     4  14 

6  Under  Mud   Sills 3  x  12  22 

2  Under  Mud  Sills  (Engine  House) 3  x  12  20 

5tDerrick  Foundation    (Redwood) 3x^2  20 

20tDerrick  Foundation   (Redwood) 3  x  12  18 

t  Drawing  of  106-foot  Derrick  shows  both  concrete  piers  and  wood 
footings.  If  concrete  is  used  the  wood  footings  are  unnecessary.  They 
are  shown  in  drawing  to  illustrate  method  of  building  footings  when 
derrick  is  not  on  concrete.  Concrete  piers  8  feet  square  at  base  and 
2  feet,  square  at  top  are  usiially  sufficiently  strong. 


232 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


SPECIFICATION  OF  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

CALIFORNIA      COMBINATION      STANDARD      AND 

ROTARY    RIG,    DERRICK    106    FEET    HIGH 

WITH  24-FOOT  BASE  (Continued). 


Pieces  Oreffon  Pine  Sise,  Inches        Length.  Feet 

52  Qirts    (4),    Derrick    (24)    and    Pump 

House  Floor  (8)  and  Doublers  (16).   2  x  12  24 

4  Girts     ^ 2x12  22 

72  Walk,  Cellar  and  Girts 2  x  12  20 

20  Band  Wheel  Surface  (one  side) 2x12  20 

16  Girts  and  Outside  Drill  Pipe  Platform  2  x  12  18 
40  Doublers   (32),  Water  Table   (4)  and 

Girts    (4)    2x12  16 

12  Calf  Wheel  Core 2  x  12  16 

8  Outside  Drill  Pipe  Platform  and  Top  2  x  12  14 

4  Starting:   Legrs    2  x  10  -       26 

4  Short   Starting:  Leg:s 2x10  18 

42  Derrick  Leg:s    2  x  10  16 

8  Belt  House,  Forg:e  House  String:ers  ..2x8  20 

11  Belt   House   and   Outside    Drill    Pipe 

Platform     2  x     8  16 

6  Belt  House   String:ers ,...   2x6  26 

8  Braces     2  x     6  24 

16  Braces     2  x     6  22 

8  Braces     2  x     6  20 

20  Braces  and  Outside  Drill  Pipe  Plat- 
form        2  X     6  18 

6  Belt  House  and  Bull  Wheel  Spools..   2x6  16 
8  Entwine     House     and     Crown     Block 

Railing:     2  x     6  16 

6  Enf?ine   House  Rafters 2  x     4  20 

8  Outside  Drill  Pipe  Platform 2x4  18 

52  Eng:ine  and  Belt  House,  Ladder,  to 

cut  up  and  Crown  Block  Railing:..    2x4  16 

5  Belt   House    2  x     4  12 

160  Girts,      Eng:ine     House      Floor      and 

Boards     l%x  12  16 

8  Braces   l%x     6  16 

16  Braces     1  %x     6  14 

16  Braces     l%x     6  12 

30  Belt  House  Floor  and  Derrick  Roof.   1  x  12  20 

10  Roof    Boards     1  x  12  24 

12  Roof  Boards   1  x  12  22 

75  Roof  Boards    1  x  12  18 

45  Roof  Boards  and  Top 1x12  14 

60  Housing  and  Boards 1  x  12  12 

40  Ladder   Strips,   Roof   Battens,    etc...    1  x     6  16 

32  Keys     2%x  4—4  x     4  x  22 

Hardwood 

1  Bull  Wheel  Shaft 16  x  16  16 

1  Calf    Wheel    Shaft 16x16  6 

1  Pitman     6  x     6  x     6x12  12 

1  Top  of  Crown  Block 5x6  16 

1  Top  of  Crown  Block ■. 5x6  14 

1  Top  of  Beam  and  Dog: 3  x  14  16 

If  Outside  or  Wind  Braces  are  used,  add  the  following:: 

4  Outside   Girts 2  x  12  24 

8  Outside   Girts 2x12  22 

4  Outside    Girts , .  2  x  12  18 

4  Outside  Girts 2x12  14 

8  Outside   Braces    2  x     8  28 

8  Outside   Braces    2  x     8  24 

16  Outside   Braces    2  x     8  22 


COMBINATION  SYSTEM  OF  DRILLING 


233 


SPECIFICATION  OF  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

CALIFORNIA      COMBINATION      STANDARD      AND 

ROTARY    RIG,    DERRICK    106    FEET    HIGH 

WITH  24-FOOT  BASE  (Continued). 

Pieces  Oregon  Pine  Size.  Inches  Length,  Feet 

8  Outside   Braces 2  x     8  20 

8  Outside  Braces    2  x    8  16 

Drawing  shows  derrick  on  concrete  corners  with  16  x  16  x  IV^-foot 
posts  between  sills  and  concrete.  If  concrete  is  not  used,  add  the 
following: 

26  Footings    (Redwood)     3  x     12  20 

If  galvanized  corrugated  iron  is  used  for  housing,  deduct  boards  as 
follows: 

120  Pieces  1%   x  12  x  16  feet,  60  1  x  12  x  18  feet,  60  1  x  12  x  12  feet. 

Add  26  gauge  corrugated  iron: 
126  sheets  26"  x  10  feet,  75  sheets  26''  x  8  feet. 

Ideal  Type  Rig  and  Calf  Iron  Outfits. 

6-inch  shaft  7% -inch  shaft 

1  Shaft    with    Crank,    Writs    Pin,    2 

each  Collars  and  Keys 7  6/12  feet  8  2/12  f^et 

1  Pair  Flanges  with  Keys  and  Bolts. 
1  Set    Center    Irons    Complete    with 
Bolts. 

1  Stirrup 2% -inch  3-inch 

2  Bull  Wheel  Gudgeons   with  Bands 

and  Bolts. 

1  36-inch  Crown  Pulley. 

1   24-inch  Sand  Line  Pulley. 

1  28-foot    Brake    Band 7-inch  8-inch 

1  Brake    Staple 7-inch  8-inoh 

1  Brake  Lever    7-inch  8-inch  • 

1  Jack  Post  Box.  Closed. 

•1  Jack  Post  Plate 2"  x  6"  x  22"  2"       x  8"  x  30" 

4  Turnbuckle    Rods     1%"  x  8  6/12'  1%"  x  10     8/12' 

2  Jack  Post  Rods 1%"  x  8  4/12'  r       x     9  10/12' 

2  Bye  Bolts,  %   x  22  inches. 

2  D.  E.  Bolts,   %-inch  x  9  6/12  feet. 
1  D.  E.  Bolt,   %-inch  x  8  feet. 
1  7-foot  Sprocket  Tug  Rim  with  Bolts. 
1  42-inch  Sprocket  Wheel. 
1  Sprocket  Clutch   with   Straps  and 
Keys. 

1  Clutch  Lever  with  Bolts. 

1  30-inch    Flanged    Calf    Wheel    Gud- 

greon  with  Band  and  Bolts. 
1  16-inch  Calf  Wheel  Gudgeons   with 

Band  and  Bolts. 
1  Calf  Wheel  Box. 

1  28-foot  Brake  Band 6-inch  7-inch 

1  Brake  Lever    6-inch  7-inch 

1  Brake   Staple    6-inch  7-inch 

4  22-Inch   Casing  Line   Pulleys. 

2  Calf  Wheel  Box  Eye  Bolts 1%"  x  4-feet 

2.  Calf  Wheel   Post   Rods 2"       x     7  10/12' 

1  Calf  Wheel  Box  D.  E.  Bolt 1%   x  26-inches 

55  Feet  No.  1030  Sprocket  Chain. 
1  Sand       Reel       with       Steel       Plate 

Flansres     5-lnch  Shaft 

1  Dbl.     Friction     Sand     Reel     with 

Swing  Lever   Attachment f-inch  Shaft 

*2  with  7%-inch  outfit. 


.-  k 


234 


DEEP  WELL  DRILUNG 


SPECIFICATION  OF  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

CALIFORNIA    COMBINATION    STANDARD    AND 

ROTARY  RIG,  DERRICK  106  FEET  HIGH 

WITH  24-FOOT  BASE  (Continued). 


si'y' 


Woodwork,  Double  Tujpr. 

66  1-inoh  x  8-inch  Plain  Cants  for  11-foot  Band  Wheel. 

8  3-irich  X  8-inch  Plain  Cants  for  7-foot  Tug  Pulley.  -.-       - 

16  3-inch  x  8-inch  Grooved  Cants  for  7-foot  Tug  Pulley. 
24  1-inch  x  8-inch  Plain  Cants  for  7-foot  Tug:  Pulley. 

8  3-inch  x  8-inch  Plain  Cants  for  8-foot  Bull  Wheels. 
16  3-inch  x  8-inch  Grooved  Cants  for  8-foot  Bull  Wheels. 
80  1-inch  x  8-inch  Plain  Cants  for  8-foot  Bull  Wheels. 
32  Lineal  Feet  1%-inch  Round  O.  P.  for  Bull  Wheel  Pins. 

4  Pes.  3-inch  x  12-inch  x  18-foot  Select  O.  P.  surfaced  4S.  to  2%  x  11- 
inches  for  Bull  Wheel  Arms. 

8  3-inch  x  8-inch  Plain  Cants  for  7% -foot  Calf  Wheels. 
40  1-inch  x  8-inch  Plain  Cants  for  7% -foot  Calf  Wheels. 

2  Pes.  3 -inch  x  12-inch  x  1 6-foot  Select  O.  P.  surfaced  ,4S.  to  2%   x  14.- 
inches  for  Calf  Wheel  Arms.  it 

Nails,  Bolts  and  Washers.  >    ..  ^  ,        " 

100  Pounds  60D  Nails. 
200  Pounds  30D  Nails. 
200  Pounds  ^OD  Nails. 
100  Pounds  16D  Nails. 
100  Pounds  lOD  Nails. 


•*.*i>'.t 


*-i  • 


Machine   Bolts 

24 

% 

X  la-inch 

70 

% 

X  14-inch 

24 

% 

x,..16->irtch 

45 

% 

X  18-inch 

8 

% 

X  20-inch 

6 

% 

X  24-inch 

4 

% 

X  26-inch  - 

2 

% 

X  28-inch 

4 

% 

X  34-inch 

10 

1 

X  30-inch 

t 

i 


1  1%-inch  X  15  6/12-foot  Dbl.  End.l  Derrick.' 
4    %   X  28-inch  Dbl.  End. 

Washers. 

200  Pounds   %-inch   Cast. 
25  Pounds   %-inch   Wrought. 
30  Pounds  1-inch  Wrought. 

2  Pounds  1  %-inch  Wrought. 
50  Pounds  Babbitt. 

3  Pairs  6-inch  Strap  Hinges. 

750  Feet   %-inch  Galvanized  Guy  Wire. 

Exact.  Length  to  Cut  Girts  and  Braces. 

First  Girts   22  feet,  2  inches. 
Second  Girts  20  feet,  9%  inches. 
Third  Girts  19  feet,  4%    inches. 
Fourth  Girts  17  feet.   11%    inches. 
Fifth  Girts   16  feet,  '6%    Inches.    ' 
Sixth  Girts  15  feet.  2  inches. 

Seventh  Girts  13  feet,  9%_-Jnohes. 

Eighth  Girts   12  feet,   4%    inches.  .^,         ^u 

Ninth  Girts  10  feet,  11%   inches.  .: 

Ten<h;smrts  ^^feet.  6%  inches. 

Eleventh  Girts  8  feet,  2  inches. 

Twelfth  Girts  6  feet,  9%  inches. 

First  Braces  23  feet. 

Second  Braces  21  feet,  9  inches. 


Where.,  Used 

Band  Wheeland  Calf  Wheel. 

Derrick. 

Derrick. 

Foundation. 

Band.  Wheel. 

Foundation. 

Foundation. 

Foundation. 

Foundation. 

Derrick. 


Az 


aj»'3::.J. 
-::>-- r»_l    'Sici'^ 


JUO    .-^ons-ifV   Jr:vr 


4 


COMBINATION  SYSTEM  OF  DRILLING  23S 

SPECIFICATION  OF  MATERIAL  REQUIRED  TO  BUILD  A 

CALIFORNIA      COMBINATION      STANDARD      AND 

ROTARY    RIG,    DERRICK    106    FEET    HIGH 

WITH  24-FOOT  BASE  (Concluded). 

Third  Braces  20  feet,  5  inches. 

Fourth  Braces  19  feet. 

Fifth  Braces  17  feet,  8  inches.  ■.      -   ^  -  " 

Sixth  Braces  16  feet,  6  inches.  .  r  . 

Seventh  Braces   15   feet,   1-inch. 

Sig-hth  Braces  13  feet,  10  inches. 

Ninth  Braces  12  feet,  8  inches. 

iTen^h  Braces  11  feet,  6  inches. 

eleventh  Braces  10  feet,  3  inches. 

SPECIFICATIONS      FOR      COMBINATION      CABLE      AND 
'  ROTARY  DRILLING  OUTFITS. 

Such  an  outfit  would  consist  of  a  combination  of  any  one  of  the 
comjilete  cable  outfits  and  rotary  outfits,  as  specified  on  pages 

80-96,  215:222,  with  the  exception  of  the  following  equipment, 

-«'*■  ■  -  ■■••».. 

which  would  be  duplicated  in  combining  the  two  outfits : 

1  Rotary  Derrick. 

r  Boiler.  , 

• '.    .. 

1   Sand  Line.  .   . 

'rhe  several  sizes  of  casing  elevators  only  (not  th,e  drill  pipe 
elevators). 

I  Casing  or  Drilling  Hook. 

The  several  sizes  of  bailers  included  \vith  the  rotary  outfit. 

1  Turbine  Generator. 

All  of  the  blacksmith  and  miscellaneous  tools  and  supplies 
duplicated  in  combining  the  two  outfits. 

Note:  Two  engrinea  are  required  with  a  comhination  outfit,  one  tp 
operatB  the  cable  tools  and  the  other  'to  drive  the  draw  works  and 
rotary. 


•  i% .. 


'■     ■;•       vir   i  'i  :l5•^     It    ■  ^^'>- 


? 


CHAPTER  VII 

DRILLING  BY  THE  HYDRAULIC  CIRCULATING 
SYSTEM.*    USE  OP  MUD  LADEN  FLUID 

Combining,  in  a  measure,  the  advantages  of  the  cable  and  the 
rotary  systems  of  drilling,  the  hydraulic  circulating  system  is 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  drilling  of  soft  and  caving  formations, 
such  as  loose  sand,  boulders,  etc.,  or  alternating  hard  and  soft 
formations,  where  a  complete  combination  cable  and  rotary  outfit 
may  not  be  needed.  Also  by  means  of  the  circulating  system  it  is 
possible  to  carry  casing  of  large  size  to  exceptional  depths.  In 
one  instance  10-inch  casing  was  carried  to  a  depth  of  3,336  feet 
in  122  days  time.  For  this  depth  three  or  more  strings  of  casing 
are  usually  required ;  the  saving  in  expense  for  casing  is,  there- 
fore, apparent. 

By  means  of  a  circulating  casing  head,  water  impregnated  with 
clay,  otherwise  known  as  mud  laden  fluid,  is  forced  by  slush 
pumps  down  inside  the  casing,  during  drilling  with  the  cable 
tools,  returning  between  the  casing  and  the  wall  of  the  hole  and 
carrying  with  it  the  cuttings  and  also  any  caving  material  that 
otherwise  would  tend  to  lodge  against  the  casing  and  "freeze"  it. 
Other  advantages  of  this  system  are  that  caves  and  water  and 
gas-bearing  strata  may  be  sealed  off  by  the  mud-laden  fluid  while 
drilling  through  them;  and  the  casing  is  at  all  times  maintained 
free  to  follow  the  drilling  tools. 

•  References:  U.  S.  Department  of  the  Interior,  Bureau  of  Mines 
technical  papers: 

No.  66  Mud  Laden  Fluid  Applied  to  Well  Drilllnir,  by  J.  A.  Pollard 
and  A.  G.  Heggem. 

No.  68  Drilling  Wells  in  Oklahoma  by  the  Mud  Laden  Fluid  Method, 
by  A.  G.  Heggem  and  J.  A.  Pollard. 

No.  134  The  Use  of  Mud  Laden  Fluid  in  Oil  and  Gas  Wells,  by  J.  O. 
Lewis  and  Wm.  F.  McMurray. 

No.  163  Methods  of  Shutting  Off  Water  in  Oil  and  Gas  Wells,  by 
F.  B.  Tough. 

Oil    Well    Supply    Co.     Circular,     Hydraulic    Circulating    System. 

236 


HYDRAULIC  CIRCULATING  SYSTE 

H.  B.  Pearson,  Superintendent  of  the 
Canadian  Western  Natural  Gas,  Light,  Heat 
and  Power  Co.,  reports  that  two  strings  of 
casing,  10-inch  and  8j4-inch,  collapsed  to- 
gether in  a  well  he  was  drilling  in  Alberta, 
Canada.  Ordinarily  this  would  result  in  the 
loss  of  the  hole  and  of  most  of  the  casing, 
but  by  employing  the  circulating  system  he 
recovered  both  strings  of  casing  and  saved 
the  hole. 

Before  building  the  derrick,  sump  holes 
should  be  dug  on  the  side  of  the  derrick 
location   and   the   earth    removed   may   be 
placed  as  a  foundation  for  the  engine  and 
belt  houses.     These  sump  holes  should  be         I 
three  in  number  and  should  be  about  four        ^ 
feet  deep  by  twelve  feet  wide  and  twenty-        | 
four  feet  long.     They  should  be  connected        = 
by  a  sluice  box  provided  with  a  gate  to  con- 
trol the  flow  from  the  two  outside  sumps  to 
the  inner  one.    Diagram  {Fig.  156)  shows 
only  two  sumps  of  small  size,  but  the  sump 
capacity  can  be  varied  according  to  quantity 
of  mud  fluid  required. 

Heavy  corner  foundations  should  be  laid 
for  the  derrick  and  the  derrick  mud  sills 
should  be  about  five  feet  above  the  ground, 
giving,  in  effect,  a  ten-foot  cellar. 

The  derrick  should  be  at  least  88  feet 
high,  with  20-foot  base.  The  floor  should 
be  extended  6  feet  on  the  ladder  side  to 
provide  room  for  the  pumps.  The  crown 
block  should  carry  not  less  than  four  casing 
pulleys.  Six-inch  Ideal  chain  driven  rig 
irons  and  calf  wheel  equipment  are  best  for 
this  purpose. 


238  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

'■■         .1         "'■''    .     "     ■■■ 

The'j^mp  suction  should  be  connected  to  the  c^tral  sump, 

while  the  circulation  returns  should  connect  to  one  outside  ^ump, 
*  and   a   trough   under 

the  derrick  floor 
should  convey  the 
sand  pumpings  to  the 
other  outside  sump, 
thus  permitting  ■  the 
driller  at  all  times  to 
select  the  most  suit- 
able mud  for  circula- 
tion.    A  cellar  about 

FlK.    154.      Interior  View    of   Derrick.  ^O"""  ^^^t  ^^^  ^^^  ^ix 

feet  square  should  be 
dug  in  the  center  of 
the  derrick  location 
and  a  joint  of  eight- 
inch  pipe  should  be 
laid  to  drain  from  the 
bottom  of  the  cellar 
to  the  sump  hole. 
This  drain  pipe  is 
recommended  in  pref- 
erence to  a  ditch  for 
Fig.   IBS.     Interior  View  of  Derrick. 

it  does  not  cut  away 

or  interfere  with  the  stability  of  the  derrick  foundation. 

In  addition  to  the  regular  calf  wheel  rig,  the  circulating  outfit 
consists  of  two  pumps  suitable  for  handling  mud  fluid,  and  a  cir- 
culating head  with  hose  connections  to  the  pumps. 

It  is  desirable  to  use  two  pumps  in  order  that  the  circulation  of 
fluid  may  not  be  interrupted  by  the  necessity  of  stopping  to  repack 
or  otherwise  adjust  them. 

The  most  suitable  pump  is  one  made  especially  for  this  service, 
a  heavy  slush  pump,  having  steam  cylinder  not  less  than  10  inches 
in  diameter  and  12-inch  stroke. 

The  circulating  head  is  a  special  casing  head  with  a  water 


HYDRAULIC  CIRCULATING  SYSTEM 


239 


inlet,  closed  at  the  tc^  with  a  qtrick  deta^able  oil  saver.     (See 
Fig.  No.  157.) 

Connect?on  from  the  pumps  to  the  circulating  head  is  made  by 


DERRICK  FLOOR 
Wdl 


Figr.  156.     Diagram  of  Sumps  and  Troughs  for  Mud  Fluid. 

means  of  special  hydraulic  hose,  2^4  or  3  inches  in  diameter  and 
reinforced  to  withstand  collapsing  under  a  vacuum,  as  well  as  to 
safely  carry  the  maximum  pressure  delivered  by  the  pumps. 


240  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

After  the  surface  casing  is  set,  the  hole  should  be  drilled  dry  as 
far  as  possible,  as  this  is  the  most  rapid  method  of  drilling  and 
should  be  used  wherever  possible. 

If  gas  is  encountered  in  sufficient  quantities  to  interfere  with 
drilling,  the  hole  may  be  filled  with  mud-laden 
fluid  and  by  drilling  and  bailing,  the  hole  may 
be  carried  down  until  the  presence  of  gas  or 
caving  walls  makes  further  progress  hazard- 
ous, when  casing  may  be  inserted  to  five  or 
six  feet  from  the  bottom  and  hung  on  ele- 
vators, or  preferably  a  "spider,"  and  the  cir- 
culating head  set  up  and  connected  to  the 
pumps. 

Mud-laden  fluid  is  pumped  down  the  inside 
of  the  casing  and,  returning  on  the  outside, 
brings  up  all  material  loosened  by  the  bit  until 
the  tools  are  so  far  below  the  casing  that  the 
drillings  will  not  mix  with  the  circulating  fiuid. 
The  tools  are  then  withdrawn  and  the  drillings 

M  removed  with  the  bailer. 

At  intervals,  the  hole  is  enlarged  by  under- 
reaming  and  joints  of  casing  added. 
Cifcuiating'lnad,'  Sometimes  the  cuttings  and  fluid  returning 

to  the  surface  between  the  casing  and  the  walls 
of  the  well  may  not  be  of  sufficient  volume  to  fill  the  space  and  the 
flow  will  take  a  course  on  one  side  of  the  casing,  leaving  the  cut- 
tings to  settle  and  pack  on  the  other  side  if  the  casing  is  not  moved 
frequently.  The  passage  of  the  mud  fluid  may  be  free  and  there 
may  be  no  increase  in  the. pump  pressure,  but  the  casing  will  be 
found  to  be  stuck  and  in  some  cases  impossible  to  move.  If  this 
occurs,  the  casing  can  usually  be  started  by  driving  a  few  inches. 
If  this  does  not  free  it,  the  customary  methods  of  moving  casing 
by  jarring,  the  use  of  spears,  jacks,  etc.,  should  be  employed  just 
as  if  there  was  no  mud  fluid  in  the  hole. 

All  this  can  be  prevented  by  moving  the  casing  as  occasion 
requires,  and  then  the  mud  fluid  will  rise  uniformly  on  all  sides 


USE  OF  MUD  LADEN  FLUID  241 

of  the  casing  and  the  cuttings  will  have  no  chance  to  pack.  In 
some  cases  it  may  be  necessary  to  move  the  <:asing  every  thirty 
minutes. 

Once  circulation  has  been  started,  it  should  be  maintained 
until  the  pipe  is  landed.  Intermittent  circulation  frequently 
results  in  trouble. 

The  operator  should  closely  watch  the  mud-laden  fluid  to  be 
sure  that: 

It  is  a  neat  mixture  of  fine  clay  and  fresh  water.  Salt  water 
may  be  used,  but  it  will  not  support  the  clay  which  rapidly  settles 
out  in  the  sump  hole  and  requires  much  agitation  to  prevent  the 
fluid  from  becoming  too  thin. 

It  is  plastering  the  walls  of  the  well  and  preventing  the  escape 
of  gas  or  intrusion  of  salt  water. 

It  is  returning  in  the  same  volume  that  is  delivered  to  the  well. 

If  the  mud-laden  fluid  is  too  thin,  it  will  not  only  wash  away 
the  walls  and  cause  caving,  but  may  be  lost  in  porous  formations 
and  allow  the  gas  to  blow  out. 

If  the  fluid  is  too  thick,  it  will  retard  the  action  of  the  tools 
and  may  even  cause  the  casing  to  stick  or  "freeze." 

If  gas  or  salt  water  is  encountered  in  such  volume  as  to  inter- 
fere with  good  circulation,  the  outlet  of  the  return  fluid  should 
be  closed  and  mud  pumped  into  the  weil  until  the  troublesome 
stratum  is  completely  sealed  off  by  the  clay  thus  forced  into  it. 

While  the  circulating  system  has  given  good  results  in  many 
wells,  it  is  not  equally  well  adapted  to  all  fields  and  a  careful 
consideration  of  drilling  conditions  should  be  given  before  it 
is  adopted. 

USE  OF  MUD  LADEN  FLUID 

SHUTTING  OFF  GAS  IN  WELLS  BY  MUD-LADEN  FLUID 
•  SYSTEM* 

"Mud-laden  fluid  may  be  used  to  shut  off  water  or  gas  and 
permit   deeper  drilling  without  the   necessity  of   reducing  the 

*  Extracts  from  artlc^Ie  by  Alfred  O.  'Hegr&rem  in  National  Supply  Co. 
cataloerue. 


242  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

diameter  of  the  hole  by  casing,  and  the  gas  and  water  may  be 
cased  off  by  a  single  string  of  casing  without  danger  of  watbr 
entering  the  gas  sand. 

The  inner  string  of  casing  should  be  anchored  to  prevent  blow- 
ing out  by  gas  pressure  and  the  top  should  be  equipped  with  a 
suitable  valve  that  will  permit  the  tools  to  readily  pass  through 
when  open.  The  Control  Casing  Head  is  best  suited  for  thiS' 
service  as  it  may  be  closed  without  withdrawing  the  tools,  for 
it  sometimes  happens  that  the  gas  pressure  is  so  great  and  the 
flow  so  strong,  that  it  is  unsafe  to  remove  the  tools  until  the 
gas  has  been  "killed." 

The  careful  operator  will  place  an  oil  saver  on  the  control 
casing  head  as  soon  as  gas  is  encountered  and  connect  otie  or 
more  joints  of  lead  line  to  the  side  outlet  of  the  casing  head  to 
conduct  the  gas  to  a  place  of  safety  away  from  the  rig.  This 
permits  the  driller  to  remain  at  his  post  and  continue  drilling 
without  danger  or  inconvenience. 

When  the  gas  sand  has  been  drilled  through  or  when  the 
volume  of  gas  is  so  great  as  to  interfere  with  drilling,  a  "lubri- 
cator" may  be  set  up  in  one  corner  of  the  derrick  and  connected 
to  the  lead  line  or  to  the  side  outlet  of  the  casing  head,  and  mud- 
laden  fluid  "lubricated"  into  the  well  without  withdrawing  the 
tools,  although  the  operation  would  be  the  same  if  the  tools  were 
withdrawn. 

The  "Lubricator"  (Fig.  158)  consists  of  one  or  two  joints  of 
pipe  or  casing,  preferably  two  joints  of  10-inch.  The  top  is 
reduced  by  a  swaged  nipple  to  a  two  or  three-inch  connection 
from  which  a  corresponding  size  line  of  pipe  is  carried  down  to 
the  derrick  floor  and  closed  with  a  valve. 

The  bottom  of  the  "lubricator"  should  be  higher  than  the 
casing  head  and  closed  with  a  "tee"  set  "bull  head"  across  it 
This  "tee"  should  be  not  less  than  5  3/16-inch  and  is  betteg  if 
the  same  size  as  the  lead  line.  One  outlet  connects  to  the  side 
outlet  of  the  casing  head  and  is  fitted  with  a  gate  valve,  while  the 
other  outlet  connects  to  the  pump  discharge  and  has  both  a  gate 
valve  and  a  check  valve.    These  latter  valves  should  be  about 


USE  OF  MUD  LADEN  FLUID 


the  size  of  the  pump  dis- 
chai^.  The  gate  valve  is  only 
required  as  a  protection  to  the 
pump  in  case  the  check  valve 
should  fail  to  operate,  and  is 
normally  left  wide  open. 

The  valve  on  the  casing 
head  is  closed  and  the  valve 
on  the  down  pipe  from  the 
top  of  the  lubricator  is  opened. 
The  pump  is  started  and  the 
mud-laden  fluid  is  forced  into 
the  lubricator  until  it  shows  at 
the  outlet  of  the  down  pipe, 
when  the  outlet  valve  is  closed 
and  the  pump  automatically 
stops.  The  valve  on  the  cas- 
ing head  is  then  opened  and 
whatever  gas  pressure  is  in 
the  well  will  be  communicated 
to  the  "lubricator,"  and,  owing 
to  its  great  weight,  the  mud- 
laden  fluid  will  flow  into  the 
well  much  the  same  as  cylinder 
oil  flows  from  a  lubricator 
into  the  steam  chest  of  a 
drilling  engine.  When  the 
lubricator  is  empty,  as  is  indi- 
cated by  a  clear  ringing  sound 
when  struck  lightly,  the  valve 
on  the  casing  head  is  dosed 
and  the  outlet  valve  is  opened. 

The  gas  which  was  dis- 
placed by  the  mud-laden  fluid 
together  with  the  mud  that  is 
in  the  down  pipe  will  escape 


244  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

through  the  outlet  valve  and  the  pump  will  at  once  start  and  again 
fill  the  "lubricator"  with  mud-laden  fluid.  This  process  is  re- 
peated until  the  well  is  filled. 

If  the  discharge  pressure  of  the  pump  is  greater  than  the  gas 
pressure  in  the  well,  the  mud-laden  fluid  will  be  pumped  directly 
in  as  soon  as  the  valve  is  opened.  The  outlet  valve  should  be 
opened  slightly  to  allow  gas  to  escape  while  the  mud-laden  fluid 
is  being  pumped  in  direct,  but  not  enough  to  allow  the  mud  to 
blow  out. 

In  some  wells  the  pressure  of  the  gas  is  greater  than  the  pres- 
sure of  the  column  of  mud-laden  fluid  and  it  is  then  necessary 
to  continue  pumping  until  no  more  fluid  can  be  forced  into  the 
well. 

After  the  well  has  been  "killed,"  drilling  may  be  resumed 
without  disconnecting  any  of  the  fittings  and  all  danger  of  a 
blow  out  can  be  averted. 

The  following  suggestions  will  be  helpful : 

Set  each  string  of  casing  with  a  secure  and  water  tight  seat. 

Keep  the  hole  clean  by  frequent  bailing. 

Maintain  the  hole  full  of  mud-laden  fluid. 

Do  not  attempt  to  drill  out  more  than  one  screw  nor  more  than 
1J4  hours  without  bailing. 

If  formation  is  "cavey"  use  smaller  size  bailer  and  run  slowly 
in  pulling  out. 

Case  as  soon  as  gas  sand  is  passed  and  bail  out  mud-laden  fluid 
from  inside  of  casing  and  proceed  with  drilling  in  a  dry  hole. 

lA  removing  mud-laden  fluid,  bail  slowly  from  the  top  and 
watch  that  the  fluid  does  not  break  in  from  outside.  Do  not 
swab. 

Do  not  close  outlet  valve  until  "lubricator"  is  filled,  as  will  be 
indicated  by  the  mud  showing  at  outlet.  If  "lubricator"  is  not 
fully  filled  when  the  valve  next  to  the  casing  head  is  opened,  the 
pressure  of  the  gas  may  force  the  fluid  violently  against  the  top 
of  the  lubricator  causing  a  "water  hammer"  sufficient  to  break 
the  connection." 


.,  :  :  USE  OF  MUD  LADEN  FLUID  24S 

DESCRIPTION  OF  MUD-LADEN  FLUID.»* 

"Some  oil  workers  have  thought  'mud-laden  fluid'  implies  the 
use  of  any  of  the  drillings  from  the  well,  but  this  is  not  the  case, 
for  if  the  cbarise  materials  in  the  drillings,  such  as  sand,  lime- 
stone fragments,  etc.,  are  left  in  the  fluid  they  will  settle  and 
are  likely  to  pack  around  the  tools  or  the  casing  and  cause  serious 
troubles,  specific  instances  of  which  ^ase-  described  in  Bureau  of 
Mines  Technical  Paper  68.  The  fine,  sticky  clays  that  are  in 
many  localities  termed  'gumbo'  are  well  suited  for  the  purpose,' 
but  clay  or  shale  from  other  formations  may  be  used,  provided  it 
is  separated  from  the  sand  and  other  coarse  materials  and  only 
the  part  that  will  remain  suspended  in  water  is  used.  It  is 
possible  to  use  drillings  from  almost  any  formation  (containing 
clay  or  shale  after  proper  treatment  by  settling. 

CONSISTENCY  OF  FLUID  TO  BE  USED, 
"The  consistency  of  the  fluid  should  be  varied  according  to  the 
conditions  for  which  it  is  to  be  employed.  Most  frequently  mix- 
tures with  a  specific  gravity  of  1.05  to  1.15  are  used  in  drilling — 
that  is,  5  to  15  per  cent  heavier  than  water.  When  the  fluid  is 
not  used  to  drill  in,  thicker  fluid  is  often  employed,  which  has 
the  advantages  of  greater  weight  and  of  clogging  up  the  pores 
more  readily.  Experieiicejwpmi  enables  the*  operator  to-judge-the 
consistency  of  fluid  required  for  practical  uses. 

"The  operator  who  is  unfamiliar  with  the  use  of  mud-laden 
fluid  is  likely  to  use  it  too  thin.  This  has  been  the  cause  of  much 
trouble  in  Oklahoma.  Such  fluid  acts  like  clear  water.  It  will 
not  clog  the  pores  of  the  sand  readily  and  hence  will  be  forced, 
into  them  for  considerable  distances,  and  in  some  mstances 
near-by  wells  have  been  affected.  It  is  also  likely  to  cause  caving 
and  is  injurious  to  the  sand,  or  it  may  not  have  sufficient  weight 
to  overcome  high-pressure  gas.  The  only  limit  to  the  thickness 
of  the  fluid  which  it  is  possible  to  employ  is  whether  or  not  it 
can  be  handled  by  the  pumps,  but  it  must  be  a  fluid  and  not  a 
pasty  clay. 

"An  idea  of  the  consistency  ordinarily  required  can  be  obtained 

*  From  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Technical  Paper  No.  134,  by  Jamep  O. 
Lewis  and  Wm.  F.  McMurray. 


246  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

by  comparing  the  action  of  a  stream  of  clear  water  with  that  of  a 
stream  of  sand  pumj^ings  or  muddy  water  running  in  a  ditch. 
The  sand  pumpings  contain  clayey  material  which  is  deposited  on 
the  walls  and  especially  the  bottom  of  the  ditch,  where  it  forms 
an  ever-thickening  protective  coating,  whereas  clear  water  cuts 
away  the  sides  and  bottom  of  the  ditch  and  may  cause  it  to  cave. 
Between  clear  water  and  water  containing  more  mud  than  it  can 
hold  in  suspension,  it  is  possible  to  find  a  mixture  of  clay  and 
water  that  will  deposit  particles  of  clay  as  a  fine  protective  coat- 
ing, while  the  rest  of  the  clay  remains  in  suspension  and  passes 
through  the  ditch. 

SETTLING  OP  MUD  PLUID. 

"An  important  consideration  and  one  that  has  raised  numerous 
inquiries  is  the  amount  of  settling  which  a  mud  fluid  will  under- 
gp.  lit  is  a  well-known  property  of  clays  and  similar  colloidal 
materials  that  they  will  remain  in  suspension  indefinitely.  One 
sample  of  mud  fluid  has  been  standing  for  three  years  without 
appreciable  settling  and  has  not  solidified.  Numerous  experi- 
ments conducted  on  short  columns  of  fluid  have  shown  that  it 
will  settle  rapidly  for  a  few  hours,  after  which  the  rate  of 
settling  is  very  slow,  and  after  a  few  days  is  practically  nil. 
There  is  a  surprising. difference  in  what  the  maximtmi  density 
may  be.  Of  six  samples  collected*  from  oil  wells  in  southern 
California  and  allowed  to  settle  two  months,  the  variation  was 
10  to  30  per  cent  excess  in  weight  over  that  of  clear  water.  In 
each  case  the  settled  part  was  still  fluid  and  not  very  viscous. 
It  was  also  found  that  the  final  density  in  a  short  column  of  fluid 
is  governed  largely  by  the  original  density.  For  instance,  two 
fluids  were  prepared  by  mixing  the  same  kind  of  material  in 
different  proportions  with  water,  pne  haying  a  density  5  per 
cent  greater  than  water  and  the  other  a  density  15  per  cent 
grea^ter  than  water.  The  first  settled  to  a  much  lighter  consist- 
ency than  the  second. 

"When  the  fltiid  .settles  in  a  short  tube  it  separates  into  clear 
qr  turbid  water  at  the  top  rand  mud  fluid  at  the  bottom.  The 
specific  gravity  of  the  fluid  at  the  bottom  varies  in  the  manner  out- 


USE  OF  MUD  LADEN  FLUID  247 

lined  above.  The  proportion  of  water  to  that  of  the  fluid  which 
settled  out  depends  principally  on  the  specific  gravity  of  the 
original  mud  fluid,  and  the  lighter  the  original  fluid  the  greater  is 
the  proportion  of  water  to  the  settled  fluid  in  the  bottom  of  the 
tube.  Although  the  settling  takes  place  quickly  in  a  short  tube, 
the  same  rate  of  settling  applied  to  a  long  column  of  fluid  in  a  well 
means  that  it  takes  a  very  long  time  for  it  to  settle,  and  in  fact 
there  is  reason  to  suspect  thiglt  behind  the  casing  complete  settling 
does  not  take  place  even  after  long  periods  of  time. 

ACTION  OF  MUD  FLUID  ON  POROUS  FORMATIONS. 

"The  action  of  mud-laden  fluid  in  a  sand  or  other  porous  forma- 
tion can  be  likened  to  the  action  of  muddy  water  going  through 
a  filter.  In  any  filter  that  has  been  used  for  some  time  it  will 
be  found  that  most  of  the  sediment  from  the  water  has  been 
deposited  on  the  surface  of  the  filter,  but  some  of  it  has  entered 
the  filter,  the  proportion  diminishing  with  the  distance  pene- 
trated. The  distance  to  which  mud  from  the  fluid  in  the  well 
will  penetrate  a  porous  formation  depends  partly  on  the  combined 
pressure  produced  by  the  column  of  fluid  and  the  pump,  and 
partly  on  the  consistency  of  the  fluid  and  the  porosity  of  the 
formation.  At  first  the  fluid  will  enter  the  formation,  but  finally 
the  mud  will  clog  the  pores  and  no  more  water  will  go  through. 
Ordinarily,  if  a  thick  fluid  is  used  on  the  sands  encountered  in 
the  well,  it  will  not  penetrate  to  any  great  distance  even  under 
high  pressure,  but  if  the  fluid  is  too  thin  it  may  not  clog  the 
pores  readily  and  will  act  more  like  clear  water,  which  may  enter 
a  sand  indefinitely.  Occasionally  a  very  coarse  sand,  a  fissured 
formation,  or  a  porous  limestone  is  found  into  which  even  thick 
fluid  may  penetrate  for  some  distance. 

"When  no  more  fluid  will  enter  the  sand  or  porous  formation 
a  barrier  or  plug  that  is  impervious  to  oil,  gas,  or  water  has  been 
formed  within  the  sand  surrounding  the  hole.  This  plug  is  held 
in  place  partly  by  the  resistance  to  movement  of  the  mud  de- 
posited in  the  pores  of  the  formation,  but  principally  by  the 
excess  of  pressure  prbduced  by  the  column  of  fluid  in  the  hole. 
If  the  column  of  fluid  is  removed  the  pressure  within  the  sand 


24S  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

will  usually  force  out  the  mud,  and  the  oil,  gas,  or  water  wiB 
enter  the  hole  again;  but  as  long  as  a  sufficient  column  of  fluid 
remains  in  the  hole  the  contents  of  the  sealed  formation  can  not 
enter  the  hole.  It  is  believed  that  the  efficiency  in  sealing  off  the 
porous  formations  in  a  well  depends  more  upon  the  mud  forced 
into  the  pores  of  the  formation  and  retained  by  the  weight  of 
the  column  of  fluid  than  upon  the  mud  plastered  on  the  walls 
of  the  hole,  although  the  mud  coating  probably  aids  in  protecting 
the  walls  from  caving. 

"When  a  well  has  been  treated  with  mud  fluid  the  contents  of 
each  formation  is  confined  to  its  original  stratum,  so  that  there 
can  be  no  movement  of  oil,  water,  or  gas  either  from  the  sands 
into  the  well,  from  the  well  into  the  sands,  or  from  one  sand  into 
another.  Thus  waste  and  intermingling  are  prevented,  corrosive 
waters  can  not  reach  and  attack  the  casing,  and  the  Strata  are 
entirely  sealed  off  from  each  other  as  they  were  before  the  well 
was  drilled. 

"Mud  fluid,  besides  preventing  caving,  as  stated  above,  is  also 
an  aid  in  keeping  loose  sands  from  entering  the  hole.  The  fluid 
clogs  up  all  pores  or  crevices,  and  makes  a  solid  wall  which  the 
weight  of  the  fluid  in  the  hole  will  hold  up.  Furthermore,  the 
mud  which  has  entered  the  formations,  or  is  plastered  on  the 
walls,  protects  them  from  contact  with  air  and  water,  which 
would  cause  slaking  and  caving.  The  fluid  is  especially  helpful 
in  drilling  through  a  loose  sand  that  otherwise  would  run  into 
the  hole  and  make  drilling  difficult. 

"The  mud-laden  fluid  may  be  prepared  f rofh  clay  obtained  from 
surface  deposits  or  from  material  derived  from  drillings.  Ordi- 
narily there  will  be  enough  clayey  or  shaley  material  in  the  for- 
mations encountered  in  the  well  to  provide  all  the  fluid  necessary. 
This  has  been  found  true  both  in  drilling  with  rotary  tools  and 
with  cable  tools.  Drillings  from  sandstones  and  limestones 
should  not  be  allowed  to  enter  the  slush  pit.  Thie  mud  fluid 
can  be  mixed  and  prepared  in  a  few  hours  by  ordinary  unskilled 
labor  whenever  it  is  desired. 

"Settling  out  sand,  limestone  cuttings,  etc.,  in  order  to  avoid 
freezing  of  casing  and  of  tools,  is  important." 


CHAPTER  VIII 

CASING  METHODS— CASING  USED  IN  VARIOUS 
FIELDS  —  COLLAPSING  PRESSURES  —  SAFE 
LENGTHS  OF  STRING— CASING  EQUIPMENT. 

Casing  (steel  or  iron  pipe,  usually  with  finer,  or  more, 
threads  per  inch  than  those  used  on  ordinary  pipe)  is  used 
ill  nearly  all  oil  and  gas  wells  for  the  following  purposes : 

Shutting  off  water. 

Casing  off  running  sand  and  caving  formations. 

Passing  through  caverns  and  workable  coal  measures  and 

.    mines. 

Shutting  off  intermediate  oil  or  gas  beistring  strata  when  it 
is  desired  to  drill  deeper, 

"Oil  string",  for  casing  through  caving  oil  sands. 

The  shutting  off  of  water  is  the  chief  and  the  most  impor- 
tant purpose  for  which  casing  is  used.  The  process  consists 
of  setting  a  string  of  casing  in  an  impervious  formation, 
preferably  shale,  at  a  point  in  the  well  below  the  lowest  water 
bearing  formation  and  above  the  oil  or  gas  bearing  sand,  the 
object  being  to  exclude  the  water  from  the  productive  sands. 

The  water  in  the  stratified  rocks  presents  many  problems 
to  the  oil  and  gas  operator,  is  the  cause  of  much  expense 
in  drilling,  and  when  careless  or  unintelligent  methods  of 
shutting  it  off  are  employed,  may  be  a  menace  not  only  to 
his  own  property,  but  to  the  properties  of  his  neighbors. 
Refer  to  Fig.  159.  . 

In  the  early  days  of  oil  and  gas  development  of  the  Eastern 
fields,  scant  attention  was  given  to  the  casing  of  the  well, 
perhaps  largely  for  the  reason  that  the  problem  in  those  fields 
was  Gpmparatively  simple.  The  rock  formations  stood  up 
and  usually  there  were  thick  beds  of  hard  impervious  shale 
below^  water  bearing  formations  to  provide  a  tight  seat  for 
the  casing.  ^  The  casing  was  simply  lowered  in  the  reduced 

249 


250  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

hole  provided  for  itj  perhaps  driven  a  few  inches  to  set  it,  and 
a  few  shovelsful  of  sand  pumpings  poured  down  outside  to 
pack  it. 

Casing  shoes  and  packers  were  not  used  and  collapsing 
pressures  were  considered  only  in  a  rule  of  thumb  way.  If 
the  casing  collapsed  the  operator  put  in  another  string,  of 
heavier  weight  if  he  could  secure  it.  Unquestionably  many 
strings  of  casing  have  been  put  in  wells  in  the  fields  of 
Eastern  United  States  where  the  collapsing  safety  factor  was 
much  less  than  two  and  in  some  cases  it  was  little  more  than 
one — that  is  practically  nil. 

The  lighter  weights  of  casing  that  served  the  purpose  in 
the  Appalachian  fields  were  found  totally  inadequate  for  the 
long  strings  needed  in  the  fields  of  California.  Pipe  manu- 
facturers, to  meet  these  requirements,  began  making  better 
and  heavier  casing,  until  today  we  have  6j4-inch  casing,  for 
example,  in  varying  weights  of  from  twelve  pounds  to  twenty- 
eight  pounds  per  foot,  the  excess  weight  all  being  added  to  the 
inside,  thus  reducing  the  inside  diameter  of  the  heavier 
weights.  This  adds  somewhat  to  the  driller's  problems  when 
putting  in  smaller  strings  of  casing  within  a  next  size  larger 
or  in  running  fishing  tools. 

The  heavy  California  weights  of  casing  have  become  stand- 
ard in  the  fields  of  Wyoming,  North  Texas  and  in  foreign 
fields. 

Perhaps  the  first  attempt  to  pack  casing  that  could  not 
be  made  tight  was  by  means  of  the  seed  bag,  a  cotton  bag  of 
flaxseed  or  small  grains  which,  when  saturated  with  water, 
would  expand  and  seal  the  bottom  of  the  casing. 

The  several  types  of  packer  next  were  developed  and  they 
have  come  into  general  use  in  the  fields  where  the  rock  forma- 
tions are  sufficiently  hard  to  provide  a  firm  support  for  the 
packer  and  where  caving  will  not  defeat  its  purpose.  Now 
it  is  the  custom  in  the  fields  of  Kansas  and  Oklahoma  to 
use  a  heavy  casing  shoe  on  the  bottom  of  each  of  the  outside 
strings  of  casing  and  a  bottom  hole  packer  or  anchor  packer 


251 


j 


■4 


^'875'  10' 


Zone 


26m'  5)4« 


CASING  METHODS 

on  the  inside,  or  water  string.  For  more  detailed  description 
of  the  use  of  packers,  refer  to  pages  291-300. 

In  some  of  the  softer  formations  of  California,  Mid-con- 
tinent and  Gulf  Coast  fields,  it  was  found  difficult  to  case  off 
gas  sands  that  were  passed  through  in  drilling  to  lower 
depths  for  oil,  and,  after  many  hundred  millions  of  feet  of 
gas  had  been  allowed  to  waste,  the  mud-laden  fluid  process, 
adapted  from  rotary  drilling,  was  developed  for  mudding  off 
gas  sands  to  conserve  the  gas.*  In  these  same  fields  the 
use  of  cement  is  becoming  more  general  for  thoroughly  seal- 
ing the  water  string  of  casing  from  the  encroachment  of 
water  on  the  oil  sands.f 

More  attention  has  been  given  to  the  problems  of  casing 
of  wells  and  to  the  conservation  of  oil  and  gas  by  correct 
well  engineering  methods  by  engineers  and  by  the  U.  S. 
Bureau  of  Mines,  and  more  has  been  written  on  these  sub- 
jects than  on  any  other  phase  of  well  drilling  technology. 
To  treat  these  subjects  in  an  exhaustive  manner,  covering 
the  different  conditions  in  all  of  the  oil  and  gas  fields  of 
this  country  would  require  a  volume.  The  writer  has,  in 
the  foflbSving  pages,  attempted  briefly  to  outline  the  methods 
and  equipment  employed  in  the  casing  of  wells  and  the  exclu- 
sion of  water  from  oil  and  gas  sands  in  the  principal  fields 
of  the  United  States- 

The  casing  of  wells  in  the  Appalachian  fields  and  in  the 
shallower  wells  of  the  Kansas,  Oklahoma  and  Wyoming 
fields  is  comparatively  a  simple  matter.  In  these  developed 
fields  and  where  the  formations  are  regular  and  the  driller 
knows  what  to  expect,  it  is  necessary  only  to  know  the 
formation  above  the  producing  horizon  where  the  lowest 
"break"  or  water  bearing  formation  occurs  and,  in  the  next 
impervious  stratum  below  that  point,  the  casing  is  Sf&t-i  In 
Northern  Ohio,  for  example,  only  one  string  of  casing,  usually 

*  Refer  to  use  of  mud-laden  fluid,  pages  241-248. 

t  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin  No.  163,  Methods  of  Shutting  Off 
Water  in  Oil  and  Gas  Wells,  by  B.  F.  Tough. 


2£4  DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 

400  to  500  feet  syi  6j^-inch,  is  necessary  and  it  is  set  just 

below   the   Findlay   break.     The   casing  used   in   the   early 

development  of  this  field  was  Sj^-inch  ten-pound,  somewhat 

light,  and  as  the  wells  became  older  the  casing  in  many  of 

them  rusted  through,  admitting  water  to  the  Trenton  rock, 

the  oil  producing  formation.     Two  methods  were 

employed  to  shut  off  this  water:  where  the  hole 

was  open  outside  the  casing,  many  of  these  wells 

were  cemented  by  the  simple  process  of  pouring 

cement  down  between  the  eight-inch  hole  and  the 

casing;  the  other  method  was  to  set  a  second  string 

of  4j4-inch  casing  with  a  packer  extending  below 

the  leaky  casing.     The  packer  used  for  this  was 

usually  the  Heinz  cup  packer  (Fig.  160),  a  simple 

device  consisting  of  a  tube,  the  size  of  the  inside 

Fis  160        casing,  to  which  was  fitted  two  leather  cups,  that 

Halm  Cup     packed  in  the  outside  casing  or  the  wall  of  the  hole 

^'"''"-        below  it. 

Owing  to  the  hardness  of  the  formations  in  the  Eastern 
fields,  casing  shoes  are  little  used  and  packers  are  usually 
employed  only  when  the  casing  cannot  be  made  tight.  Usu- 
ally the  casing  is  simply  set  in  a  hard  shale  and  some  sand 
pumping  poured  in  outside  of  it  as  packing  material.  In 
the  fields  of  West  Virginia  where  long  strings  of  casing  are 
often  necessary  packers  are  more  generally  used  than  in  the 
other  parts  of  the  Appalachian  fields.  In  West  Virginia,  for 
the  purpose  of  shutting  off  water  or  caving  formations  just 
above  the  deep  producing  sands,  long  liner  strings  of  casing 
3,000  feet  or  more,  usually  S  3/16-inch,  are  sometimes 
necessary. 

For  much  of  the  drilling  in  Oklahoma,  two  strings  of  casing 
only  are  needed,  a  short  string  of  8j^-inch  and  a  string  of  6^- 
inch,  usually  17-pound,  which  is  used  as  the  water  or  caving 
string  and  is  set  a  short  distance  above  the  producing  forma- 
tion. In  the  Gushing,  Ponca,  Garber  and  some  parts  of  the 
Csage,  defep  sand  fields  of  Oklahoma,  mfldi  more  casing  is 


CASING  METHODS  255 

required,  including  larger  sizes  and  longer  and  heavier  strings. 
In  the  field  of  Eldorado,  Kansas,. the  combination  of  sizes  is 
ISj^-inch,  I2y2,  10,  8J4>  65^ -inch  down  to  the  liner  string 
5  3/16-inch. 

In  the  fields  of  North  Texas  large  quantities  of  casing  are 
used.  Many  of  the  wells  are  commenced  with  20-inch  O.  D. 
drive  pipe  and  then,  one  within  the  other,  lSj4,  12j4,  10,  8J4> 
6J4  and  in  some  cases  a  liner  string  of  454-inch  are  used. 

The  caving  Cretaceous  formations  in  the  Wyoming  fields 
also  require  much  casing.  In  the  Big  Muddy  and  Lance 
Creek  fields  the  wells  are  commenced  with  iS^^-inch  and 
finished  with  around  3,500  feet  of  6^-inch  26  or  28-pound 
casing. 

In  the -fields  of  California,  the  sizes  and  quantities  of  casing 
are  many  and  varied.  Several  sizes  of  casing  used  in  these 
fields,  for  example,  9^  and  75^-inch,  are  used  in  no  other 
fields  in  the  United  States.  In  these  fields  also  stove  pipe 
casing  is  sometimes  used  in  lieu  of  drive  pipe  or  the  regular 
casing  for  the  first  or  outside  string.  The  quantities  used 
range  from  a  few  hundred  feet  of  two  sizes  in  some  of  the 
shallow  wells  to  a  combination  consisting  of  1,000  feet  15j4- 
inch,  2,000  feet  12j4-inch,  2,500  feet  10-inch,  3,500  feet  8}4- 
inch,  4,000  feet  6j4-inch,  and,  in  emergencies,  4,200.  feet  or 
more  of  454-inch. 

Each  oil  field  has  its  own  peculiar  requirements  of  casing. 
In  the  more  than  100  oil  fields  of  the  United  States  there  are 
as  many  different  combinations  of'  sizes  and  length  of  string. 
In  some  fields  where  oil  is  produced  from  two  or  more  sands, 
usually  a  different  specification  is  used  in  drilling  to  each  of 
the  several  sands.  To  record  all  of  these  specifications  would 
require  a  small  volume,  and  such  a  book  has  been  published 
by  the  Oil  Well  Supply  Co.*  In  the  following  pages  is  a 
selection  of  a  number  of  typical  specifications  for  casing  as 
used  in  different  fields  of  the  United  States,  Canadk  and 
M^icp: 

♦"Useful  Information— Pipe,"  Oil  Well  Supply  Co.,  Pittsburgh^  Pa. 


2S6 


DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 


PENNSYLVANIA 


Waihington* 

Average  depth  of  wells,  2,9SD  ft 

525  ft.  10    -inch  35-15. 
1^0  ft.    8}j(-inch  24-lb. 
1,600  ft.    6«-inch  17-lb.  / 
2,600  ft.  5  3/16-inch  13-lb.  or  17-lb. 


Batler^ 

Average  depth  of  wells,  1,200  to 
2.000  feet. 

20  to    60  ft.  8}j(-inch  17-lb. 
500  to  700  ft.  6K-inch  13-lb. 

If  water  is  encountered,  it  is 
necessary  to  use  an  additional 
string  of  1,300  to  1,800  ft.  of 
5-inch  10-lb. 

OHIO 
Northwestern  Ohio 
Average  depth  of  wells,  1,250  to 
1,500  ft. 

20  to    80  ft.  8K-inch  17-lb. 
350  to  500  ft  5^-inch  10^-lb.  or 

6^-inch  13-lb. 
Brink  Haven,  Knox  County  * 
Average  depth  of  wells,  2,975  ft 
30  ft  10-inch  32^-lb. 
700  ft    8}^-inch  24-lb. 
2,030  ft.    6H-inch  20-lb. 
2,785  ft    5  3/16-inch  17  lb. 
200  ft.    4-inch  flush  liner. 

Logan* 

Average  depth  of  wells  about 

3«b00  ft 

:  20  to       80  ft  854-inch  24-lb. 

900  to  1.100  ft  6^-inch  17-lb. 

2,800  to  3,000  ft.   5  3/16-in.   17-lb. 

200  ft.  4-inch  flush  joint  liner. 

WEST  VIRGINIA 
Sistersville  * 

Average  depth  of  wells,  1,600  to 
2^200  ft 

75  to     400  ft  10-inch  32^-lb. 
400. to  1,100  ft    8]^-inch  24-lb. 
1,400  to  2,000  ft    65^-inch  17-lb. 
Note:  In  the  shallow  wells,  6K- 

inch  13-lb  is  sometimes  used  in 

place  of  the  6^-inch. 

Note. — Specifications  designated  by  *  from  Oil  Well  Supply  Co. 
book,  "Useful  Information,  Pipe." 


Medina  Co.  Shallow 
Average  depth  of  wells,  475  ft 
20  to    40  ft  8K-inch  17-lb. 
160  to  20b  ft  6^-inch  13-lb. 
Woodsfidd* 
Berea  Grit  Sand 
Average  depth  of  wells,  2,100  ft. 
100  ft.  10-inch  32^-lb. 
845  ft    8^-inch  24-lb. 
1,500  ft    6^-inch  17-lb. 
Marietta* 
Macksborg,  Washington  Co. 
Average  depth  of  wells,  1,400  ft. 
200  ft  B^i'inch  17^  lb.  or  24-lb. 
1,300  ft  6K-in.   13-lb.   or  6f(-in. 
17-lb. 
Cow  Run,  Washington  Co.* 
Average  depth  of  wells,  400  ft. 
150  ft  854-inch  175^-lb. 
350  ft.  65i-inch  13-lb. 


Salem* 

Average  depth. of  wells,  3,000  ft 

300  ft  10-inch  3254-lb. 
1,500  ft.    85i-inch  24-lb. 
2,250  ft    6^-inch  17  or  20-lb. 
2,900  ft.    5  3/16-inch  13  or  17-lb. 


CASING  USED  IN  VARIOUS  FIELDS 


257 


WEST  VIRGINIA  (Condnded) 


Manniogton  * 

Average  depth  of  wells,  3,000  ft. 

300  ft.  10-inch  32^-lb. 
1,570  ft.  8^-mch  24-lb. 
2,365  ft.  6H-inch  17-lb. 
2300  ft.    5  3/16-inch   13-lb. 

Charleston  * 
Roane  County 
Average  depth  of  wells,  1,950  ft« 
400  ft.  10-inch  32^-lb. 
1,200  ft.    B^iAndi  24-lb. 
1300  to 
1,900  ft.    6H-inch  17-lb. 


Clarksburg  * 
2300  ft  sand 
Average  depth  of  wells,  2,800  ft 
250  ft  10-inch  32^.1b. 
1,200  ft.    8^-inch  24-lb. 
1300  ft    6^-inch  17-lb. 

In  some  cases  an  additional 
string  of  2,600  ft  of  5  3/16-inch 
13-lb.  is  used. 

Charleston  * 
Cabin  Creek  District 
Average  depth  of  wells,  2,500  ft 
40  to       60  ft  12^-in.  36^-lb. 
300  to  '  700  ft.  10-in.  32^-lb. 
1,200  to  1,400  ft.    8^-in.  24-lb. 
1,900  to  2,000  ft    6H-in.  20-lb. 


ILLINOIS 


Casey* 

Average  depth  of  wells  450  to 
600  feet 

20  to    30  ft.  10-in.  32^-lb. 
80  to  140  ft.    8^-inch  24-lb. 
350  to  400  ft.    6^-inch  13-lb. 

Occasionally  it  it  necessary  to 
finish  the  deeper  wells  with  an 
additional  string  of  350  to  400  ft 
of  5-inch  10-lb. 


Bridgeport  * 
Kirkwood  Sand 
Average  depth  of  wells,  1,650  ft. 
345  ft  12^-inch  50-lb. 
950  ft  10-inch  32^-lb. 
1,300  ft.    8K-inch  24-lb. 
1,450  ft.    6H-inch  17-lb. 
1,580  ft    5  3/16-inch  13-lb. 


KENTUCKY 


Winchester* 
Lee  County  District 
Average  depth  of  wells,  about 
950  ft. 
20  feet  8^-inch  17f^-lb. 
125  to  450  ft:  65i-inch  13-lb. 

Some  wells  located  on  the  cliffs 
are  drilled  to  a  depth  of  1,150  ft 

Note. — Specifications  designated  by  *  from  Oil  Well  Supply  Co. 
book,  "Useful  Information,  Pipe.*' 


Bowling  Green 
Scottsville 
10  to    80  ft  8Ji-inch  17-lb. 
60  to  400  ft.  6^-inch  13-lb. 
200  to  500  ft.  5    -inch   10-lb.  for 
liner  if  needed. 


258 


DEEP   WELL  DRILLING 


Chanate* 
Average  depth  of  wells,  1,100  ft. 
20  to    30  ft.  10-inch  32^-lb. 
250  to  350  ft.    8^-inch  17j4.1b. 
750  to  1,100  ft.  6^-inch  13-lb. 
Augusta  and  Eldorado 
40  ft.  20-inch  O.D.  90-lb.  Drive 

Pipe. 
120  ft.  15^-inch  70-lb.  Casing. 
900  ft.  12j4.inch  50-lb. 
1,200  ft.  10-inch  35-lb. 
1,800  ft.  8}j-inch  28-lb. 
2,400  ft.  6fi-inch  20-lb. 
2,600  ft.  5  3/16-inch  17-lb.. 

OKLAHOMA 


KANSAS 

Chautauqua,  Elgin  and  Sedan 

Fields  * 
Average  depth  of  wells,  1,600  ft. 
40  ft.  10-inch  32^-lb. 
500  ft.    8^-inch  24-lb. 
1,400  ft.    6$i-inch  17-lb. 
Paola* 
Average  depth  of  wells,  400  to 
600  ft. 

20  to    40  ft.  854-inch  1754-lb. 
300  ft.  6^-inch  13-lb. 
400  to  500  ft.  5-inch  10-lb. 


Bartlesville  District 
60  ft.  854-inch  1754-lb.    . 
1,150  to  1,250  ft.  65i-inch  13-lb. 
or  6^-inch  17-lb. 
Osage  Country 
Bartlesville  District 
750  ft.  8K-inch  24-lb. 
1,250  ft.  to 

1,900  ft.  6f6-inch  17-lb  or  20-lb. 
Tulsa* 
Glenn  Sand 
Average  depth  of  wells,  1,650  to 
1,700  ft. 

20  to    50  ft.  10  in.  3254-lb. 
250  to  300  ft.  8K-inch  24-lb. 
1,600  ft.  6H-incff  20-lb. 

Cushing  and  Quay* 
Average  depth  of  wells,  3,100  to 
3,200  ft. 
400  to     600  ft.  155^-in.  70-lb. 
900  to  1,200  ft.  125^-in.  50-lb. 
1,600  to  1,800  ft.  10-in.  40-lb. 
2,000  to  2,400  ft.    8}4-in.  28-lb. 
2,500  to  3,000  ft.    6$i-in.  24-lb. 
3,000  to  3,150  ft.    5  3/16-in.  17-lb. 


':^^s.~r;~.' ■«  •»»  if*i;"  • 


Drumright,  Oilton  and 
Shamrock  * 
Average  depth  of  wells,  2,600  to 
3.000  ft. 

40  to     400  ft.  155^-in.  70-lb. 
500  to  1,000  ft.  125^-in.  50-lb. 
1.000  to  1,600  ft.  10-in.  35-lb. 
1,100  to  1,800  ft.    %%'\n.  28-lb. 
2,500  to  2,800  ft.    6fi-in.  24-lb. 
2,700  to  3,000  ft.    5  3/16-in.  17-lb. 
Ponca  City* 
3,100  to  4,000-ft  Sand 
20  to      60  ft.  20-in.  O.  D.  90- 

Ib.  Drive  Pipe. 
500  to     750  ft.  15}4-in.  70.1b. 
1,000  to  1,500  ft.  1254-in.  50-lb. 
1,600  to  2,000  ft.  10-tn.  40-lb. 
2,400  to  2,800  ft    8K-in.  32-lb. 
3,000  to  3,700  ft.    6»i-in.  26-lb. 
500  ft.  5  3/16-in.  17.1b.  Liner. 
BlackwcU* 
3,400-ft  Sand 
60  ft.  155^-in.  70-lb. 
750  ft.  12^-in.  50rlb. 
2,200  ft.  10-in.  40-lb. 
2,800  ft.    %%'itL  32-lb. 
3,350  ft    6fi-in.  26-lb. 


CASING  USED  IN  VARIOUS  FIELDS 


259 


OKLAHOMA 

Cleveland  * 
Hominy  Field — Osage 

Average  depth  of  wells,  1,900  to 
2,100  ft. 
150  ft.  1254-inch  50-lb. 
400  ft.  lO-inch  32^.1b. 
800  ft.    854-inch  24-lb. 
1,800  ft.    6^-inch  20-lb. 
Okmulgee 
2,000-ft.  Sand 
40  ft.  10-inch  3254-lb. 
1,200  ft.    854-inch  24-lb. 
1,900  ft.    65i-inch  17-lb. 
3,000-ft  Bknd 
40  ft.  1554-inch  70-lb. 
200  ft.  1254-inch   50-15. 
1,000  ft.  10-inch  35-lb. 
2,400  ft.    854-inch  28-lb. 
2,800  ft.    6^-inch  24-lb. 
Walter* 
Average  depth  of  wells,  2,400  ft. 
300  to     500  ft.  10-in.  35-lb. 
1,200  to  1,600  ft.    iB^-in.  28-lb. 
2,100  to  2,400  ft.    6fg-in.  24-lb. 
100  to     200  ft.    5  3/16-in.  17-lb. 
inserted  joint  liner. 
(Combination  System.) 

LOUISIANA 

Shreveport-Rotary  System  2,300  ft.  6-in.  Line  Pipe. 

2,500-ft.  Sand  200-ft.  454-in.  12.47-lb.  Line  Pipe 

200  ft.  10-in.  3254-lb.  Casing.  (for  liner). 

TEXAS 


(Concluded) 

Garber 
2300-ft  Sand 
40  ft.  20-in.  90-lb.  O.  D.  Drive 

Pipe. 
600  ft.  1554rin.  70-lb.  Casing. 
1,100  ft.  12}4-in.  50-lb. 
1,400  ft.  10-in.  40  or  35-lb. 
1,850  ft.    854-in.  28  or  32.1b. 
2,150  ft.    6$i-in.  24-lb. 
Healdton* 
1,100-ft  Sand 
20  ft.  1254-in.  50-lb. 
500  to  550  ft.  lOrin.  40-lb. 
900  ft.    854-in.  28-lb.  or  32-lb. 
Healdton  * 
2,200-ft  Sand 
400  ft.  15j4-in.  70-lb. 
700  ft.  1254-in.  50-lb. 
♦1,200  to  1,300  ft.  10-in.  40-lb. 
1,800  to  1,900  ft.    85i-in.  32-lb. 
2,100  ft.  6H'in.  24-lb. 
♦  The  15^,  1254  and  10-in.  cas- 
ing is   pulled   after   the'  well   is 
drilled  in. 


♦350  to 
♦600  to 


Beaumont 
1.500-ft  Sand 
40  ft.  8-in.  25-lb.  Line  Pipe. 
1,450  ft.  6.in.  19.5-lb.  Line  Pipe. 


WichiU  FaUs  ♦ 

Average  depth  of  wells,  2,000  ft. 

Cable  Tool  System. 

100  ft.  1254-in.  365^-Ib.  or  SMh. 

750  ft.  10-in.  35  or  40.1b. 
1,000  to  1,200  ft.  854-in., 28-lb. 
1,500  to  2,000  ft  6H-in.  2()-lb. 

Note. — Specifications  designated  by  ♦  from  Oil  Well  Supply  Co. 
bool^  "Useful  Information,  Pipe." 


260 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


TEXAS  (Concluded) 
East  Colombia  Casing  used  in  the  deeper  wdOs 


Average  depth  of  wells,  3,000  to 
3,150  ft. 
600  to     800  ft.   10-tn.  32^-lb. 
Line  Pipe. 
2,750  to  2,900  ft.     6-in.    19.5-lb. 
Line  Pipe. 
Houston  District  * 
3,500-ft  Sand 
100  to     150  ft.  12-in.  45-lb.  or 
12^-in.  45-lb. 
2,100  to  2,200  ft.  8*in.  29-Ib.  Line 

Pipe. 
3,100  to  3,250  ft  6-in.  19.5-lb. 
Line  Pipe. 

WYOMING 

Rock  River  and  Medicine  Bow 
40  ft.  20-in.  O.  D.  90-lb.  Drive 

Pipe. 
100  ft.  15^-in.  70-lb. 
900  ft.  12^-in.  45-lb. 
1,700  ft.  10-in.  40-lb. 
2,300  ft;    8^-in.  28-lb. 
3,000  ft.    6f6-in.  24-lb. 
Big  Muddy 
40  ft.  20-in.  O.  D.  90-lb.  Drive 

Pipe. 
500  ft.  15^-in.  70-lb.  Casing. 
1,000  ft.  1254-in.  45-lb. 
1,600  ft.  10-in.  40-lb. 
2,000  ft.    854-in.  32-lb. 
3,000  ft.    6^-in.  26-lb. 
Lance  Creek 
100  ft.  20-in.  O.  D.  90-lb.  Drive 
Pipe. 
1,000  ft.  15j4-in.  70-lb.  Casing. 
1,500  ft.  12j4-in.  45-lb. 
2,000  ft.  10-in.  45-lb. 
3,000  ft.    8K-in.  32-lb. 


of  the  Ranger  District  in  North 
Texas: 

20  ft.  20-in.  O.  D.  90-lb.  Drive 

Pipe. 
250  ft.  15^-in.  70-ltv  Casing. 
700  ft  12ji-in.  SO-lb. 
1,500  ft.  10-in.  40-lb. 
2,000  ft    Bii'in.  28-lb. 
3,200  ft    eH'in.  24-lb. 
4,000  ft    49i-in.  15-lb. 


Salt  Creek 

100  ft  15^-in.  52-lb. 

500  ft.  12^-in.  45-lb. 

1,000  ft  10-in.  32-lb. 

1,500  ft    8}i-in.  24-lb. 

2,000  ft    6H-in.  20-lb. 

Fremont  Co. 

40  ft.  15j4-in.  52.1b. 

300  ft  12^-in.  36-lb. 

800  ft.  10-in.  32-lb. 
1,600  ft    8^-in.  24-lb. 

Lost  Soldier  and  Ferris 

100  ft  15j4-in.  52j^-lb. 

600  ft.  12^-in.  45-lb. 
1,800  ft.  10-in.  45-lb. 
2,500  ft    8K-in.  28-lb. 
3,200  ft.    6K-in.  24-lb. 
Warm  Springs,  Grass  Creek,  Elk 

Basin,  Washakie  and  Big  Horn 

Basin: 

40  to     200  ft  10-in.  32.1b. 

600  to     800  ft    8^-in.  24-lb. 
1,100  to  1,700  ft    6f6-in.  17-lb. 


3,700  ft    65i-in.  26-lb. 

Note.— Specifications  designated  by  *  from  Oil  Wdl  Supply  Co. 
book,  "Useful  Information,  Pipe." 


CASING  USED  IN  VARIOUS  FIELDS 


261 


MONTANA 

Average  depth,  3,500  to  4,000  ft.      1,200  ft.  12>5.in.  45-lb. 
60  ft.  20-in.  O.  D.  90-lb.  Drive      2,000  ft.  10-in.  40-lb. 
Pipe.  3,000  ft.    8K-in.  32.1b. 

300  ft.  ISji-in.  70.1b.  Casing.  3,500  to  4,000  ft  6j<.in.  26-Ib. 

CALIFORNIA 


Los  Angeles 
Montebello  Field 
Cable  Tool  System— 4,000-ft  sand 
1,000  ft.  15^-in.  70.1b. 
2,000  ft.  12^.in.  50-lb. 
2,500  ft  lO-in.  SO-lb. 
3,500  ft    8^-in.  36.1b. 
4,000  ft    6^.in.  26  or  28-lb. 

Brea 
3,700  ft— Rotary  System 
200  ft.  20.in.  110.1b.  Screw  Cas- 
ing or 
200  ft.  20-in.  Stove  Pipe  Casing. 
3,000  ft.  lO-in.  45.1b.  Casing. 
3,500  ft.  8Ji-in.  32.1b.  or  36.1b. 
Casing. 
3,700  ft-^able  System. 
1,000  ft.  15^.in.  70-lb. 
1,800  ft  12j4.in.  45  or  S0.1b. 
2,500  ft  10.in.  40  or  45-lb. 
3,500  ft    8^-in.  32  or  36-lb. 
4,000  ft.  6%''m.  26  or  28.1b. 

Maricopa 
Cable  Tool  System— 1,400-ft  sand 

350  ft.  1254.in.  40-lb. 
1,000  ft  10.in.  40.1b. 
1,350  ft    8^-in.  28.1b. 
Combination  System— 4,100.ft 

sand 
250  ft  1554-in.  70-lb.  or  16.in. 
Stove  Pipe  Casing. 
3,000  ft.  10.in.  45.1b. 
3,400  ft.    8^.in.  36.1b. 
3,900  ft.    6}i'in,  26.1b.  or  28.1b. 
4,100  ft.  4^.in.  15.1b. 


Bakersfield 
Kern  River  Field 

650  ft  ll^.in.  3154-ib. 
900  ft    9H.in.  33-lb. 
1,160  ft    7^.in.  20-lb. 
Coalinga 
Shallow  Cable  System 
500  ft.  lO-in.  40-lb. 
1,000  ft    8^-in.  28Tlb. 
1,500  ft    6K-in.  20-lb. 
or 

500  ft  UJi-in.  31  ^-Ib. 
1,000  ft  9^.in.  22fi.lb. 
1,500  ft.    7«.in.  16-lb. 

4,000  ft— Rotary  System 
3,500  to  4,000  ft.  10-in.  45.1b. 
4,000  ft  8^-in.  36-lb. 
McKittrick 
Cable  Tool  System— 4,400-ft  sand 

750  ft  1254.in.  40.1b. 
3,500  ft.  lO-in.  45-lb. 
3.900  ft.    854-in.  36.1b. 
4,400  ft    6^.in.  28-lb. 

Orcatt 
3,^  ft— Cable  System 
1,250  ft.  12^.in.  40  or  45-lb. 
2,000  ft.  lO-in.  40  or  45.1b. 
2,500  ft    8H-in.  32  or  36.1b. 
3,000  to  3,500  ft.  6ji-in.  26-lb. 

44S00  ft.  sand 
1,250  ft.  12^-in.  45.1b. 
2,000  ft.  lO-in.  40-lb. 
2,500  to  3,500  ft.  8K-in.  32  or  36- 
lb. 
3,000  to  4,200  ft.  6^'in.  26-lb. 
4,000  to  4.200  ft  4Ji.in.  15.1b. 


262 


DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 


CANADA 


Tiltary,  Ontario 

85  to  170  ft.  10-in.  32-lb. 
220  to  300  ft    854-in.  17j4-lb. 
740  to  900  ft.  654-in.  13-lb. 
Viking  and  Okotoks,  AlbarU 
ISO  ft.  18-in.  O.  D.  8Mb.  Drive 
Pipe. 
700  ft.  14-in.  O.  D.  56-lb.   Drive 

Pipe. 
1»600  ft.  10-in.  40-lb.  Casing. 
2,000  ft.    85^-in.  32-lb.  Casing. 
2,250  ft.    6^-in.  24-lb.  Casing. 


90  to 

280  to 

1.190  to 

2,700  to 


60  ft. 

650  ft. 

I.IOO  ft. 

1,250  ft. 

1,900  ft. 


Dover,  Ontario 

100  ft.  1254-in.  50-lb. 
300  ft.  10-in.  32.1b. 
1,210  ft.    854.in.  24-lb. 
2,880  ft.    6H-in.  24-lb. 

River,  Alberta 
20-in.  O.  D.  90-lb.  Drive 

Pipe. 
1554-in.  70-lb.  Casing. 
10-in.  40-lb. 
8^-in.  28-lb. 
654-in.  20-lb. 


MEXICO 


Panuco  Field 

Average  depth  of  wells,  2,000  ft. 

Cable  Tool  System 
200  ft.  12^-in.  40  or  45-lb. 
850  ft.  lO-in.  40  or  45-lb. 
1,600  ft.    S^i'in.  32  or  36  lb. 


Topila  Field 
Average  depth  of  wells,  2,250  ft 

Cable  Tool  System 
100  ft.  1554-in.  70.1b. 
400  ft  12j4-in.  45  or  50-lb. 
900  ft.  10.in.  40  or  45-lb. 
2,150  ft    8K-in.  32  or  36.1b. 


Some  of  the  specifications  here  given  include  very  long 
strings  of  certain  weights  of  casing  which,  in  the  writer's 
opinion,  exceed  the  limits  of  safety  in  accordance  with  tables 
on  pages  266-269.  It  is  common  practice  in  several  fields  to 
use  these  specifications,  however,  and  the  information  is  re- 
corded without  the  writer's  recommendation  that  these  speci- 
fications may  be  applicable  to  other  districts  where  conditions 
are  different 


COLLAPSING   PRESSURES  26$ 

COLLAPSING  PRESSURES 

The  selection  of  the  weight  of  casing  to  be  used  depends 
upon  the  drilling  conditions  which  vary  in  different  fields.  It 
is  always  good  practice  to  assume  that  the  water  to  be  cased 
off  rises  to  the  surface  and  to  use  casing  of  sufficient  weight 
to  withstand  collapsing  pressure  of  a  water  column  equal  to 
the  length  of  the  string  of  casing  and  preserve  a  safety  factor 
of  not  less  than  two  (see  tables  of  collapsing  pressures,  pages 
266-269).  Also  in  casing  off  caving  strata  where  the  hole  may 
be  dry,  it  is  difficult  to  estimate  the  crushing  or  collapsing 
force  exerted  against  the  casing  by  the  caving  material. 

In  a  well  where  several  long  strings  of  casing  are  necessary 
and  an  inside  string  extended  only  a  few  hundred  feet  below 
the  net  size  larger  in  a  dry  hole,  it  might  be  safe  to  use  a 
lighter  weight  of  casing  for  that  part  of  the  string  above  the 
bottom  of  the  next  larger  size.  Or  in  a  well  where  the  water 
should  rise  only  half  way  or  less,  the  entire  string  of  casing 
could  be  of  a  lighter  weight  than  where  the  water  rose  to 
the  surface.  However,  in  using  casing  of  a  weight  lighter 
than  shown  in  the  collapsing  pressure  tables,  the  strain  on 
the  casing  due  to  its  own  weight  must  be  taken  into  account. 
The  operator  will  have  to  consider  all  phases  of  the  situation 
and  choose  a  weight  of  casing  that  will  afford  a  sufficient 
factor  of  safety  to  safeguard  both  the  casing  and  the  well. 

Prof.  R.  T.  Stewart,  Dean  of  the  Mechanical  Engineering 
Department  of  the  University  of  Pittsburgh,  was  authorized 
to  plan  and  direct  a  series  of  experiments  for  the  purpose  of 
supplying  reliable  information  on  the  behavior  of  wrought 
tubes  when  subjected  to  fluid  collapsing  pressure.*  The  work 
was  carried  out  at  the  National  Department  of  National  Tube 
Co.,  at  McKeesport,  Pa.,t  occupying  the  time  of  from  one 

♦  Stewart,  R.  T. — Collapsing  pressure  of  Bessemer  steel  lap  welded 
tuhes,  3  to  10  inches  in  diameter:  Trans.  Am.  Soc.  Mech.  Eng.,  May, 
1906,  pp.  730-822. 

t  National  Tube  Co.  Book  of  Standards. 


264  DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 

to  six  men  continuously  for  a  period  of  four  years.    Quoting 
from  Prof.  Stewart's  report: 

"Results  of  Research. — The  principal  conclusions  to  be 
drawn  from  the  results  of  the  present  research  may  be  briefly 
stated  as  follows : 

1.  The  length  of  tube,  between  transverse  joints  tending  to 
hold  it  to  a  circular  form,  has  no  practical  influence  upon  the 
collapsing  pressure  of  a  commercial  lap-welded  steel  tube  so 
long  as  this  length  is  not  less  than  about  six  diameters  of 
tube. 

2.  The  formulas,  as  based  upon  the  present  research,  ifor 
the  collapsing  pressures  of  modem  lap-welded  Bessemer  steel 
tubes,  are  as  follows : 

P  equals  86,670  -g 1,386. (B) 

P  equals  50,210,000  (-T^-)* ......(G) 

Where  P  ==  collapsing  pressure,  pounds  per  square  inch. 
D  =  outside  diameter  of  tube  in  inches, 
t  =  thickness  of  wall  in  inches. 

Formula  B  is  for  values  of  P  greater  than  581  pounds  per 
square  inch,  or  for  values  of  t/D  greater  than  0.023,  while 
formula  G  is  for  values  less  than  these. 

These  formulas,  while  strictly  correct  for  tubes  that  are 
20  feet  in  length  between  transverse  joints  tending  to  hold 
them  to  a  circular  form,  are,  at  the  same  time,  substantially 
correct  for  all  lengths. greater  than  about  six  diameters.  They 
have  been  tested  for  seven  sizes,  ranging  from  3  to  10  inches 
outside  diameter,  in  all  obtainable  commercial  thicknesses  of 
wall,  and  are  known  to  be  correct  for  this  range." 

"Not  one  of  the  several  hundred  tubes  tested  failed  at  a 
pressure  lower  than  42  per  cent,  less  than  the  probable  col- 
lapsing  pressure,  while  0.5  per  cent,  of  the  number  ot  tubes 
failed  at  37  per  cent,  and  2  per  cent,  at  25  per  cent,  less  than 
that  pressure.  In  other  words,  with  an  actual  factor  of  safety 
of  1.75,  *  *  *  not  one  of  the  tubes  tested  would  have 
failed. 


'.^ 


COLLAPSING    PRESSURES  265 

"It  would  appear  that : 

1.  For  the  most  favorable  practical  conditions,  namely, 
when  the  tube  is  subjected  only  to  stress  due  to  fluid  pressure 
and  only  the  most  trivial  loss  could  result  from  its  failure,  a 
factor  of  safety  of  3  would  appear  sufficient. 

2.  When  only  a  moderate  amount  of  loss  could  result  from 
failure,  use  a  factor  of  4. 

"These  recommendations  by  Stewart  are  absolutely  sound 
engineering  and  if  a  safety  factor  of  3  were  used  in  pil-well 
work  some  costly  redrilling  jobs  or  collapsed  casing,"  causing 
long  jfishing  jobs,  might  be  avoided."* 

From  the  writer's  experience  he  is  satisfied  that  many 
operators  exceed  the  limits  of  safety  m  putting  in  long  strings 
of  casing  and  he  has  known  not  one  but  many  instances  of 
strings  of  casing  having  been  used  where  the  factor  of  safety 
was  much  less  than  two. 

Based  on  Prof,  Stewart's  formula  and  the  tables  of  col- 
lapsing pressures  shown  in  the  National  Tube  Company's 
Book  of  Standards,  the  writer  has  calculated  the  collapsing 
pressures  and  the  safe  length  of  column  for  well  casing  of 
the  several  kinds  made  by  National  Tube  Company,  with 
factors  of  safety  of  two,  of  three  and  of  four,  as  shown  in  the 
tables  on  the  following  pages. 

Example  of  application  of  these  tables :  Assume  that  it  is 
necessary  to  put  in  a  string  of  3,000  feet  of  65^-inch  casing 
and  a  factor  of  safety  of  3  is  desired.  Referring  to  tables  we 
find  that  no  weight  of  standard  casing  will  answer  for  this 
service,  so  it  will  be  necessary  to  use  California  D.  B.  X. 
Casing,  dj^inch,  30-pound,  whose  safe  limit  with  safety  factor 
of  3  is  2,965  feet. 

*  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Balletin  No.  163,  Methods  of  Shutting  Off 
Water  in  Oil  and  Gas  Wells,  by  B.  F.  Tough. 


266  DEEP   WELL  DRILLING 

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268  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

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270  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

It  is  difficult  to  formulate  any  rules  for  the  size,  kind  or 
quantity  of  casing  that  should  be  used  in  any  new  field,  and 
indeed,  conditions  are  sometimes  met  in  developed  fields  that 
necessitate  the  changing  of  the  usual  combinations  of  casing 
for  that  locality  or  adding  an  additional  string  of  casing.  In 
fields  where,  the  formations  stand  up,  and  a  stratum  carrying 
water  should  be  encountered  below  the  point  where  the  casing 
had  been  set,  it  is  customary  to  pull  the  casing  and  ream  the 
hole  down  past  the  lower  water  and  reset  the  casing.  In 
drilling  soft  or  caving  formations,  where  it  is  necessary  to 
underream  the  casing  and  carry  it  down,  a  point  usually  is 
reached  where  it  is  difficult  or  impracticable  to  carry  the 
casing  further,  or  the  formation  might  cave  against  it,  freezing 
it.  Thus  it  becomes  necessary  in  deep  wells  to  use  string 
after  string  of  casing  until  the  well  is  completed. 

In  a  developed  field  or  in  one  where  several  wells  have  been 
drilled  it  can  usually  be  determined  how  many  strings  of 
casing  are  required,  also  the  size  and  the  approximate  length 
of  each  string.  In  a  new  territory  or  for  a  wildcat  well,  so 
called,  the  casing  becomes  a  serious  problem.  It  is  wise, 
therefore,  when  drilling  in  unknown  formations  or  in  unde- 
veloped territory  to  commence  the  well  with  at  least  one 
size  larger  drive  pipe  or  casing  than  may  seem  necessary. 
Thus,  if  an  extra  string  of  casing  should  be  required,  it  would 
still  be  possible  to  complete  the  well  with  the  size  casing 
it  was  originally  intended  to  use.  On  the  other  hand,  if  after 
putting  in  the  last  or  smallest  size  casing  a  cave  or  vein  of 
water  should  necessitate  a  smaller  size,  it  might  be  difficult 
to  secure  the  smaller  casing;  it  is  certain  drilling  would  be 
slow  in  the  restricted  hole,  and  it  might  be  impossible  to 
complete  the  well  at  all. 

The  following  table  may  be  helpful  in  determining  the  sizes 
•of  casing  that  should  be  used : 


CASING  METHODS 


271 


Sizes  of 

Casing 

Under  Known 

Conditions 

Suggested 
Combination 
for  Unknown 

Conditions' 
10 

Sizes  of 
Casing 
.  Under  Known 
Conditions 

Suggested 
Combination 
for  Unknown 

Conditions 

15^ 

8 

B'A 

i2y2 

i2y2 

6H  or  6J4 

6H 

10 

10 

5  3/16 

8^ 

8J4 

6H  or  6J4 

6H 

5  3/16 

■ 

12J4 

20O.D. 

10 

10 

15J4 

isy2 

8M 

SH 

12J4 

i2y2 

65^  or  6j4 

6H 

10 

10 

5  3/16 

8J4 

8M 

• 

6H 

6J4 

4H 

COMBINATIONS  OF  DRIVE  PIPE  AND  CASING 

Of  late  years,  to  meet  the  demand  for  casing  of  sufficient 
strength  to  withstand  the  strains  of  under  reaming  and  re- 
peated pulling,  manufacturers  have  made  heavier  and  still 
heavier  casing.  As  this  extra  weight  is  added  to  the  inside  of 
the  casing — the  outside  diameter  always  remaining  the  same — 
the  consequent  reduction  of  inside  diameter  must  be  taken 
into  account  when  calculating  the  diiferent  sizes  of  casing 
to  be  put  down  one  within  the  other  in  one  well.  For  examr 
pie,  65^-inch  casing  is  usually  used  as  the  next  size  inside 
8j4-inch  regular  24  or  28-pound  casing,  but  as  the  inside 
diameter  of  8j4-inch  38-pound  California  D.  B.  X.  casing  is 
7.775  inches,  and  the  outside  diameter  of  the  coupling  on  65^- 
inch  casing  is  7.698  inches,  it  is  obvious  that  it  would  be 
unwise  to  use  it  inside  the  8j4-inch,  consequently  it  has  be- 
come customary  in  California  to  use  6j4-inch  casing  as  the 
next  size  inside  the  8j4-iiich.  The  chart  showing  dimensions 
of  casing  on  page  272  will  be  useful  as  a  guide  to  the  correct 
sizes  of  casing  to  use. 


272  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Inserted  joint  casing  never  has  been  popular  with  operators 
in  the  United  States,  although  it  is  extensively  used  in  foreign 
fields.  The  advantage  in  using  inserted  joint  casing  is  that, 
due  to  the  absence  of  couplings,  the  sizes  will  fit  more  closely 
one  within  the  other  and  it  is  possible  to  use  one  or  more 
additional  strings  of  casing  within  the  limits  of  sizes  provided 
by  the  coupled  casing.  The  disadvantages  are  the  difficulty 
of  handling  it  and  of  securing  it  promptly,  for  usually  it  must 
be  made  to  order.  Elevators  cannot  be  used  for  putting 
in  inserted  joint  casing,  for  it  would  be  liable  to  pull  through 
the  elevator.  A  spider  with  slips  is  used  to  hold  it  and  a 
casing  swivel,  a  device  made  of  a  casing  nipple  and  a  swivel, 
is  used  in  lieu  of  the  upper  elevator.  The  operation  of  the 
swivel  is,  of  course,  much  slower  than  the  elevator,  for  the 
swivel  must  be  screwed  securely  into  each  joint  and  then 
unscrewed. 

It  has  become  the  custom  in  the  fields  of  the  Gulf  Coast, 
where  the  rotary  is  exclusively  used  for  drilling,  to  use  line 
pipe  for  casing.  Six-inch  line  pipe,  threaded  8  threads  per 
inch,  is  used  as  the  inside  string.  This  may  have  developed 
from  the  use  of  drill  pipe,  which  is  the  same  size  and  has  the 
same  threads  as  the  line  pipe.  Also  the  elevators,  tongs  and 
fittings  used  about  the  well  will  fit  both  kinds  of  pipe. 

For  putting  in  casing  more  men  are  required  than  the  two 
men,  the  driller  and  tool  dresser,  who  comprise  the  drilling 
crew.  For  short  strings  or  small  size  casing,  contractors  some- 
times arrange  for  both  the  day  and  night  crews,  four  men, 
to  work  together  during  the  day  putting  in  the  casing.  For 
long  and  heavy  strings  of  casing  seven  men  are  sometimes 
employed,  the  driller  to  operate  the  rig;  the  tool  dresser  to 
maintain  steam,  assist  on  the  derrick  floor,  etc. ;  one  man,  the 
"stabber,"  who  stands  on  the  end  of  the  walking  beam  to 
guide  the  joint  of  casing  as  it  is  started  in  the  coupling  to 
prevent  cross  threading;  two  men  to  handle  the  tongs,  spider 
and  elevators  on  the  derrick  floor,  and  two  men  to  handle  the 
casing  from  where  it  is  piled  into  the  derrick. 


II, 

to 
le 
to 
to 
cf 
kc 


I  CASING   METHODS  275 

In  the'deep  fields  of  OkliJionia,  Texas  and  Wyoming,  it  b 
customary  to  have  casing  crews,  equipped  for  the  work,  put 
in  the  long  strings  of  casing.  These  crews  consist  of  about 
five  men  and  they  do  all  the  work  incident  to  handling  the 
casing,  except  operating  the  boiler  and  engine,  which  is  done 
by  the  driller  and  tool  dresser. 

USE  OF  SPIDERS  AND  SUPS 

When  under  reaming  or  handling  long  strings  of  casing, 
it  is  good  practice  to  use,  instead  of  the  lower  elevator,  a 
spider  and  slips.  This  device  will  catch  and  hold  the  casing 
if  it  should  slip  or  if  a  coupling  should  break  or  pull  off. 
When  putting  in  casing  two  men  pull  up  and  release  the  slips, 
so  the  casing  will  pass  through  them.  For  convenience  in 
handling  the  slips,  each  half  of  the  set  is  wired  together  so 
that  each  man  can  pull  up  one-half  of  the  slips  when  lowering 
the  casing. 


SLIPS 

Fir  1*2- 

For  handling  long  strings  of  casing,  even  thou^  under 
reaming  may  not  be  necessary,  it  is  a  good  idea  to  equip  the 
rig  with  calf  wheels.  It  is  really  unsafe  to  use  the  fast  moving 
bull  wheels  for  putting  in  long  strings  of  casing.  The  calf 
wheels  run  much  more  slowly,  they  are  designed  for  han- 
dling casing  and  are  much  better  adapted  for  handling  long 
and  heavy  strings  of  casing  than  the  bull  wheels. 


276  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

The  more  lines  used  in  handling  casing,  the  slower  is  fbe 
operation,  therefore  some  contractors  use  only  two  sheaves 
<tf  the  triple  block  and  a  light  hook  for  putting  in  the  first 
few  hundred  feet,  and  when  the  limit  of  safety  is  reached  they 
string  the  third  sheave  and  change  to  the  heavier  hook.  It  is 
customary  in  Texas,  for  the  purpose  of  speeding  up  the  cas- 
ing operation,  to  fasten  the  dead  end  of  the  casing  line  to 
the  calf  wheel  shaft,  thus  pulling  on  both  ends  of  the  line. 
After  2,000  feet  of  6J4-i»ch  casing  have  been  put  in,  however, 
it  is  safer  to  attach  the  end  of  the  line  to  the  becket  on  the 
block. 

STRINOINO  OF  CASING  BLOCKS* 

There  are  several  methods  of  stringing 
blocks  for  handling  long  strings  of  casing. 
The  method  most  generally  approved  is  shown 
in  Figure  163.  This  method,  it  will  be  noted, 
is  for  the  use  of  seven  lines,  but  if  only  five 
lines  are  desired,  pulleys  3  and  6  may  be  left 
unstrung,  thus  giving  five  lines. 

A  common  error  in  stringing  casing  blocks 
is  to  bring  the  line  direct  from  the  calf  wheel 
shaft  to  the  initial  pulley  without  the  re- 
versal noted  in  "a"  and  "b"  over  pulley  1. 
Without  the  reversal,  the  blocks  are  not  in 
alignment  with  the  hole,  and  the  "starting" 
of  pipe  is  made  difficult.  This  causes  a  loss 
of  time  in  handling  casing  and  may  even 
result  in  a  joint  of  pipe  being  screwed  in  cross 

MBtho^otBidngingt^''^^'^^'''  ^'t'^  '^^  inevitable  result— a  parted 
cBsinK  blocks     String  of  Casing. 
Before  screwing  the  joints  of  casing  together,  both  the 

thread  and  the  coupling  should  be  carefully  cleaned  with  a 

*  From  U.  S.  Bnreau  of  Mines  Bulletin  No.  182,  "Casing  Troubles 
and  Fishing  Methods  in  Oil  Wells,"  by  Thomas  Curtin. 


CASING    METHODS 


278  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

wire  thread  brush,  and  it  is  well  to  treat  them  with  a  mixture 
of  white  lead  and  tallow.  Each  thread  should  be  screwed  up 
as  far  as  it  will  go  to  be  sure  the  joint  is  tight.  Joints  are 
sometimes  set  up  by  power,  using  a  jerk  line  from  the  band 
wheel  crank  to  the  handle  of  the  tongs  or  pole.    See  Fig.  164. 

When  putting  in  casing,  it  is  advisable  to  screw  up  the 
coupling  on  the  mill  end  of  each  joint  to  be  sure  it  is  tight 
Long  strings  of  casing  have  been  dropped  due  to  a  loose 
coupling  stripping  off. 

After  the  casing  has  been  set  and  the  hole  bailed  dry,  a 
casing  tester  should  be  lowered  and  allowed  to  remain  for 
an  hour  to  determine  if  the  casing  is  tight.  Should  there 
be  a  leak,  the  tester  is  drawn  up  and  allowed  to  remain  at 
different  points  in  the  casing  until  the.  leak  is  found.  The 
casing  should  then  be  pulled  and  the  joint  screwed  tight  if 
possible,  otherwise  another  piece  of  casing  should  be  sub- 
stituted. 

PUTTING  IN  CASING  WITH  A  ROTARY  OUTFIT     \ 

A  rotary  outfit  is  always  prepared  for  putting  in  casing, 
for  the  reason  that  the  casing  can  be  handled  with  the  same 
line,  block,  elevators,  etc.,  that  are  used  in  drilling.  If  the 
rotary  is  equipped  with  slips  of  a  size  that  will  fit  the 
casing,  they  may  be  used  in  lieu  of  the  lower  elevator. 
The  casing  is  usually  set  up  by  engine  power,  utilizing  the 
cat  head  on  the  draw  works  drive  shaft.  A  Manila  rope  is 
attached  to  the  end  of  the  casing  tongs  and  several  turns 
taken  around  the  cat  head.  The  stroke  is  secured  by  alter- 
nately pulling  in  the  slack  of  the  line  and  looping  it  around 
the  cat  head. 

If  cavings  or  other  obstruction  should  impede  the  lowering 
of  the  casing,  it  is  spudded  up  and  down  and  turned  with 
the  tongs  until  it  is  freed.  When  the  casing  has  been  landed 
on  bottom,  it  is  sometimes  spudded  a  few  times  to  work  it 
into  a  good  tight  seat. 


CASING    METHODS  279 

Should  it  be  necessary  to  pull  the  casing,  it  is  unjoiiite<i 
in  "stands"  of  three  or  more  joints,  the  same  as  drill  pipe, 
and  then  stood  in  the  derrick,  thus  much  time  is  saved  in 
replacing  it- 

In  the  Gulf  Coast  fields  a  liner  is  usually  set  from  the 
bottom  of  the  casing  to  the  bottom  of  the  well.  That  part 
of  the  liner  which  passes  through  the  producing  sand  is 
perforated  to  admit  the  oil.  In  some  wells  a  screen  is  used 
instead  of  the  perforated  part  of  the  liner  to  exclude  the 
floating  sand.  The  liner  is  sometimes  set  with  a  lead  seal  to 
provide  a  tight  connection  with  the  bottom  of  the  casing. 
Refer  to  chapter,  Finishing  the  Well. 

It  is  the  practice  in  putting  in  long  strings  of  casing  in  the 
fields  of  North  Texas  and  of  Wyoming  to  land  the  casing  on 
bottom  and  then  take  a  strain  on  it  to  take  out  the  slack,  as 
the  drillers  say.  A  string  of  3,000  feet  of  casing  can 'be 
pulled  up  IS  inches  at  the  top  before  it  clears  the  bottom. 
The  casing  is  then  hung  on  a  heavy  casing  clamp  which  rests 


Fig.  lEE.    CaBlng  Clamp 

on  the  next  larger  size  or,  if  it  is  intended  to  puU  one  or  more 
of  the  strings,  the  clamp  should  have  ears  long  enough  to 
rest  on  the  next  larger  size  that  is  left  in  the  hole.  The 
casing  then  gradually  settles  to  a  permanent  seat  and  the 
great  strain  of  its  own  weight  is  distributed  between  the 
clamp  at  the  top  and  the  seat  on  bottom.  Some  operators  use 
clamps  on  every  string  of  casing,  thus  putting  upon  the  larger 
sizes  and  shorter  strings,  part  of  the  weight  of  the  inside 
heavier  strings. 


280  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

It  sometimes  is  feasible  to  pull  out  one  or  more  of  the 
outside  strings  of  casing  after  the  inside  or,  water  string  has 
been  permanently  set  or  cemented,  thereby  effecting  a  con- 
siderable saving  in  the  cost  of  casing,  and,  as  under  present 
conditions  when  there  is  a  shortage  of  casing,  facilitating 
further  operations.  For  example,  in  the  Ranger,  Texas,  field, 
the  15j^,  12j4  and  lO-inch  casing  is  sometimes  pulled,  leaving 
only  the  8J4  and  6J4-inch  strings  in  the  well, 

.  PERFORATING  THE  CASING 

Sometimes  in  the  drilling  of  an  oil  or  gas  well  a 
stratum  containing  a  paying  quantity  of  gas  or  oil 
may  be  encountered  at  a  shallower  depth  than  that 
at  which  the  well  is  intended  to  be  finished.  Fre- 
quently this  gas  or  oil  is  cased  or  packed  or  mudded 
off  and  recovered  by  drilling  a  shallower  well  close 
to  the  deep  well. 

However,  it  may  be  possible  to  save  the  gas  or 
the  oil  by  the  process  of  perforating  the  casing, 
which  will  admit  it  to  the  well.  For  this  purpose 
the  tool  shown  in  the  illustration  is  used. 

The  tool  is  equipped  with  a  brace  or  spring,  which 

fits  the  casing.     When  the  tool  has  been  lowered  to 

the  point  where  it  is  desired  to  begin  perforating,  the 

perforator  is  set  in  the  casing  by  pulling  up  on  the 

tools,  which  trips  the  brace,  so  it  will  support  the 

tool  in  the  casing,  while  jarring.     The  perforating 

Big.  166  '^  then  done  by  jarring  down.    The  perforator  is  then 

Caaing   pulled  up  a  foot  or  more  and  the  operation  repeated 

and   so   on   until   sufficient   perforations   have   been 

made  to  cover  the  oil  producing  sands. 

In  the  fields  of  California  it  is  common  practice  to  finish 
the  well  with  an  oil  string  of  easing,  passing  through  oil 
sands  that  have  a  tendency  to  cave,  and  then  to  perforate  the 
casing.     Several  casing  perforators  have  been  developed  for 


CASING    METHODS  281 

this  work;  mcluding^  single  knife,  double  knife- and  revolving 
star-sHaped  wheel  cutter  types.  This  subject  is  further  dis- 
cussed in  the  chapter,  "Finishing  the  Well,"  and  it  has  been 
fully  coveredin  a  recent  publication  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of 
Mines,*  "  ' 

CASINO  SHOES 

It  is  customary  in  the  deep  helds  of  California,  Wvorning 
and  Mid-continent  territory  to  use  a  casing,  shoe,  similar  :to 
drive  shoe  (Fig.  36),  on  the  bottom  of  each  string  of  casing. 
The  shoe  serves  a  double  purpose.  It  provides, a.  sleeve  or 
socket  in  which  the  lower  joint  of  casing  rests,  thus  protecting 
and  supporting  it.  The  bottom  of  the  shoe  is  about  twice  the 
thickness  of  the  casing  and  beveled,  so  that  it  works  itself 
into  a  much  better  seat  in  the  formation  than  could  be  secured 
with  the  unprotected 
casing.:   .  ■  ,■.  ,  . 

;  Occasionally  difficul- 
ty has  been  experienced 
■  by  a  casing  shoe  catch- 
ing/and  hanging  up  in  ', 
the  .- coupling  of  the-] 
next  larger  size.  To 
prevent  this,  a  •  shoe 
guide,    Figure    167,    is 


USE  OF  THE  BULL  HITCH  FOR  PULLING  CASING 

Pulling  a  string  of  casing  that  is  fast  in  the  hole  is  a  dif- 
ficult and  sometimes  dangerous  operation,  for  it  is  impossible 
to  know  how  severe  a  strain  is  put  upon  the  rig  and  casing 
outfit. 

•  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Technical  Paper  No.  247,  Perforated  Casing 
and  Screen  Pipe  in  Oil  Wells,  by  E.  W.  Wagy. 


282  DEEP   WELt   BfWfcLING 

A  drawing  was  prepared  by  The  National  Supply  Co.  (Fig. 
168),  as  a  suggestion  for  a  special  outfit  for  using  the  bull 
hitch,  which  consists  of  two  40-ft.  shear  poles  with  a  special 
stirrup  at  the  top,  two  special  3-inch  links  to  engage  with  the 
wings  of  the  spider,  special  SO-icch  single  bull  block,  and  a 
thimble  to  fasten  the  end  of  the  bull  line  to  engage  the  casing 
hook.  This  outfit  contemplates  the  use  of  four  casing  pulleys 
and  a  quadruple  traveling  block,  bttt  the  dead  end  of  the  casing 
line,  instead  of  being  fastened  in  the  becket  of  the  traveling 
block  is  made  fast  around  one  of  the  beams  of  the  crown 
block. 

As  18  X  18  X  40-ft.  timbers  would  be  almost  impossible  to 
secure,  except  through  special  order  to  the  mill,  the  operator 
might  be  able  to  use  two  32-ft.  main  sills  for  shear  poles, 
which  should  give  sufficient  clearance  to  pull  one  20-ft.  joint 
of  pipe. 

A  bull  hitch  can  be  rigged  without  the  use  of  shear  poles 
by  placing  an  18  x  18  square  timber  under  the  end  of  the 
walking  beam,  supported  on  an  extra  sill.  The  beam  is  let 
down  until  it  rests  on  both  the  headache  post  and  the  extra 
timber.  An  endless  wire  deadline  is  then  looped  on  the  end 
of  the  beam,  on  which  should  be  spiked  a  piece  of  hard  wood 
to\  protect  it  from  the  cutting  of  the  line.  The  deadline  is 
then  snatched  into  double  block  on  the  elevators  and  the  end, 
or  loop,  is  hooked  into  the  casing  hook  on  the  traveling  block, 
similar  to  the  manner  in  which  the  spool  and  bull  line  are 
hooked  in  the  accompanying  illustration.  By  this  means  part 
of  the  pull  is  borne  directly  by  the  anchored  walking  beam 
and  the  two  posts. 

By  the  use  of  the  walking  beam  it  would  be  impossible  to 
clear  a  full  20-ft.  joint  of  casing  unless  the  derrick  is  equipped 
with  a  cellar  at  least  ten  feet  deep.  In  most  cases,  however, 
the  bull  hitch  is  used,  not  for  pulling  the  casing,  but  for 
simply  starting  it  when  it  is  fast,  after  which  it  can  be  pulled 
in  the  regular  way. 


GVSING   METHODS 


284  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

TRUEING  UP  THE  bERRICK 

Before  attempling  a  hard  pull  on  casing  or  putting  in  a 
long  and  heavy  string,  a  rig  builder  should  be  called  to 
examine  the  derrick.  It  may  be  found  to  be  out  of  plumb, 
or  one  of  the  legs  might  be  weak.  Such  a  derrick  should  be 
corrected  before  subjecting  it  to  a  severe  strain. 

CASING  EQpiPMENT 

The  outfit  for  putting  in  casing  should  be  carefully  selected 
and  of  sufficient  strength  to  handle  safety  the  weight  of  the 
casing  to  be  used.  Particular- attention  should  be  given  to 
the  elevators.  For  short  strings  of  casing  the  regular  pattern 
elevators  will  answer,  but  for  long  strings  the  extra  heavy 
Mannington   pattern   elevators    shcmld   be   used.      For   long 


CASING    EQUIPMENT 


Yig.  174 

O.  W.  3.  Co.  Double 

Gate  Elevalora 

strings  of  'cfising  the  Scott 
type  of  elevators  are  the 
safer,  for  the  reason  that 
'When  the  links  are  drawn  up 
in  use  they  keep  the  latch 
securely  closed.  For  ex- 
tremely long  and  heavy 
strings  of  casing  Wilson  Ex- 
tra Heavy  Spring  Latch  Ele- 
vators (Fig.  171),  or  Oil  Well 
Supply  Co.  Double  Gate  El^-^. . 
vators  (Fig.  174),  or  Lucey 
Company  Rex  Side  Gate  Ele- 
vators (Fig,  138)  are  recom- 


286  DEEP    WELL   DRILLING 

mended.    Elevators  should  be  carefully  examined  to  be  sure 
they  are  not  too  loose  from  wear.     When  a  long  string  of 


SPECIFICATIONS  FOR  CASING  OUTFITS 

For   not   more   than    500   feet   13-pouiid    casing   or   equal 
weight : 
•300  feet  fS-inch  6  x  19  Sleel  Wire  Casing  Line. 

1  20  or  2Z-inch  Single  Steel  Block— 2  lines. 

1   IH-inch  Casing  Hook. 

1  Set  Fair's  Malleable  Iron  Elevators  for  each  size. 

1  Casing  Pole  with  rope  sHng  and  Neverslip  Grip. 

*  For  putting  in  light  strings  of  casing  the  drilling  cable  is  often 
used  in  lieu  of  a  casing  line. 


!  CASING  EQUIPMENT  287 

SPECIFICATIONS  FOR  CASING  OUTFITS  (Continaed)       ^ 

For  not  more   than  750  feet   IS-pound   casing  or  equal 

weight : 
300  feet  ^-inch  6  x  19  Steel  Wire  Casing  Line. 
1  24-inch  Single  Steel  Block — 2  lines. 
1  2^-inch  Casing  Hook. 

1  Set' Fair's  Regular  Wrought  Iron  Elevators  for  each  size. 
1  Casing  Pole  with  rope  sling  and  Neverslip  Grip. 

For  not  more  than  1^00  feet  13-pound  casing  or  equal 
weight:  .:    r^tii 

450  feet  5^-inch  6x19  Steel  Wire  Casing  Line. 
1  24-inch  Single   Casing   Block) 
1  24-inch  Double  Casing  Block)  *  "'^**- 
1  ^-inch  40-foot  Endless  Wire  Dead  Line. 
1  3-inch  Casing  Hook. 

1  Set  Fair's  Regular  Wrought*  Iron  Elevators  for  each  size. 
1  Casing  Pole  with  rope  sling  and  Neverslip  Grip. 

For  not  more  than   1,500  feet  17-pound  casing  or  equal 

weight : 

450  feet  ^-inch  6x19  Steel  Wire  Casing  Line. 
1  26-inch   Single   Casing   Block) 
1  26-inch  Double  .Casing  Block)    ^  ^'**^^' 
1  1-inch  40- foot  Endless  Wire  Dead  Line. 
1  3^-inch  Casing  Hook. 

1  Set  Fair's  Regular  Wrought  Iron  Elevators  for  each  size. 
1  Casing  Pole  with  rope  sling  and  Neverslip  Grip. 

For  not  more  than  2,000  feet  17-pound  casing  or  equal 

weight : 
600  feet  94-inch  6  x  19  Steel  Wire  Casing  Line. 
1  26-inch  Double  Casing  Block)  ^  i:„gc 
1  26-inch  Triple   Casing  Block) 
1  1^-inch  40-foot  Endless  Wire  Dead  Line. 
1  4-inch  Casing  Hook. 

1  Set  Scott's  Extra  Heavy  Elevators  for  each  size. 
1  Casing  Pole  with  rope  sling  and  Neverslip  Grip. 
1  Chain  Tongs. 

For  not  more  than  2,300  feet  20-pound  casing  or  equal 

weight : 
600  feet  ^-inch  6x19  Steel  Wire  Casing  Line. 


288  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

SPECIFICATIONS  FOR  CASING  OUTFITS  (Continued) 

1  28-inch  Double  Casing  Block) 
1  28-inch   Triple   Casing  Block)  ^  "^^®- 
1  154-inch  by  40-foot  Endless  Wire  Dead  Line. 
1  454-inch  Casing  Hook. 

1  Set  Scott's  Extra  Heavy  Elevators  for  each  size. 
1  Casing  Pole  with  rope  sling  and  Neverslip  Grip. 
1  Chain  Tongs. 
For  not  more  than  2,500  feet  24-pound   casing  or  equal 

weight : 
600  feet  1-inch  6  x  19  Steel  Wire  Casing  Line. 
1  32-inch  Double  Casing  Block) 
1  32-inch  Triple  Casing  Block)  ^  ""^^• 
1  l]^-inch  by  40-foot  Endless  Wire  Dead  Line. 
1  5-inch  Casing  Hook. 
1  Set  Wilson,  Dunn,  Union  Single  Link,  or  Oil  Well  Supply  Co.  or 

Lucey  Side  Gate  Elevators  fbr  each  size. 
1  Casing  Pole  with  rope  sling  and  Neverslip  Grip. 
1  Dunn  or  Guiberson  Tongs. 

For  not  more  than  3,000  feet  26-pound   casing  or  equal 
weight :  * 

800  feet   1-inch  6  x  19  Steel  Wire   Casing   Line. 
1  32-inch  Triple  Casing  Block  ) 

1  Calf  Wheel  Outfit  with  4  Casing  Pulleys)  '  ^^"^^ 
1  5^-inch  Casing  Hook. 
1  Set  Wilson  or  Dunn  Extra  Heavy,  Union  Single  Link  or  Oil 

Well  Supply  Co.  or  Lucey  Side  Gate  Elevators. 
1  Casing  Pole  with  rope  sling  and  Neverslip  Grip. 
1  Dunn  or  Guiberson  Tongs. 
1  Spider  with  slips  for  all  sizes  of  casing  used. 
For  not   more  than   3,500  feet  28-pound  casing  or  equal 
weight :  * 

800  feet  1^-inch  6x19  Steel- Wire  Casing  Line.  « 
1  36-inch  Triple  Casing  Block  )        .        • 

1  Calf  Wheel  Outfit  with  4  Casing  Pulleys)  '^  ^^"^^• 
1  6j^-inch  Casing  Hook. 
1  Set  Wilson  or  Dunn  Extra  Heavy,  Union  Single  Link,  Oil  Well 

Supply  Co.  or  Lucey  Side  Gate  Elevators  for  each  size. 
1  Casing  Pole  with  rope  sling  and  NeVerslip  Grip.    ''    '   "* 
1  Dunn  or  Guiberson  Tongs. 
1 -Spider  with  slips  for  all  sizes  of  casing  us«d.     -' 


CASING   EQUIPMENT    .   \^  289 

SPECIFICATIONS  FOR  CASING  OUTI^^  (Concluded) 

For  not  more  than  4,000  feet  30-pouii^>:asin|;.-or  equal 
weight:  *  "-^ ' 

1000  feet  IJ^-inch  6x19  Steel  Wire  Casing  Line. 

1  36-inch  Quadruple  Casing  Block  or  1  each  Single  and) 

Triple  Blocks  ^  o  r 

1  Calf  Wheel  Outfit  with  4  Casing  Pulleys  and  using)  ^  "°^^- 

also  the  Crown  Pulley  ) 

1  754-inch  Casing  Hook. 
1  Set  Wilson  or  Dunn  Extra  Heavy,  Union  Single  Link,  or  Oil 

Well  Supply  Co.  or  Lucey  Side  Gate  Elevators  for  each  size. 
1' Casing  Pole  with  rope  sling  and  Neverslip  Grip. 
1  Dunn  or  Guiberson  Tongs.  / 

1  Spider  with  slips  for  all  sizes  of  casing  used. 

For  not  more  than  4,000  feet  43-pound  casing  or  equal 
weight :  * 

1000  feet  l^-inch  6x19  Steel  Wire  Casing  Line. 

1  40-inch  Quadruple  Casing  Block  or  1  each  Single  and) 

Triple  Blocks  ) 

1  Calf  Wheel  Outfit  with  4  Casing  Pulleys  and  using)  ^  ^^"^^• 

also  the  Crown  Pulley  ) 

1  854-inch  Casing  Hook. 
1  Set  Wilson  or  Dunn  Extra  Heavy,  Union  Single  Link,  or  Oil 

Well  Supply  Co.  or  Lucey  Side  Gate  Elevators  for  each  size. 
1  Casing  Pole  with  rope  sling  and  Neverslip  Grip. 
1  Dunn  or  Guiberson  Tongs. 
1  Spider  w^ith  slips  for  all  sizes  of  casing  used. 

NOTE. — The  length  of  the  Casing  Lines  in  these  specifications  is 
based  on  the  height  of  a  standard  derrick,  84  feet.  If  a  rotary  or 
combination  derrick  is  used,  the  length  of  the  casing  line  will  have 
to  be  increased  by  the  difference  between  84  feet  and  the  height  of 
the  derrick  used  times  the  number  of  lines  in  the  derrick. 

For  example:  a  114-foot  derrick,  600-foot  line,  7  lines:  difference 
in  height  of  derricks  30  feet  times  7  equals  210  feet,  to  be  added  to 
600-foot  line — line  should  be  850  feet  long. 

♦With  rotary  drilling  outfits  no  casing  line  is  required,  the  casing 
being  put  in  with  the  drilling  line.  The  spider  with  slips  is  seldom 
used  with  rotary- outfits. 


DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 


Brandon  Power  Caalnc  Machine. 

The  Brandon  Power  Casing  Machine,  manufactured  by 
A.  H.  BrandoQ  &  Co.,  Toledo,  Ohio,  is  a  new  device  for  elimi- 
nating hand  labor  in  screwing  casing. 

The  outfit  encircles  the  casing  by  means  of  a  gate  opening 
gear.  It  is  equipped  with  a  4  H.  P.  steam  engine  and  high 
and  low  speeds.  It  swings  from  a  hinged  mounting  on  the 
headache  post  and  can  be  moved  clear  of  the  well  when  not 
in  use. 

The  manufacturer's  circular  states  that  the  outfit  is  de- 
signed to  enable  the  drilling  crew  to  put  in  long  strings  of 
casing  without  the  aid  of  a  casing  crew. 


CHAPTER  IX 
THE  USE  OF  PACKERS  ♦ 

A  packer  is  a  device  used  in  connection  with  a  string  of 
casing  or  tubing,  to  close  or  "pack  off"  the  space  between  the 
-wall  of  the  hole  and  the  casing,  or  between  the  inside  and  the 
next  larger  size  string  of  pipe,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing 
the  passage  of  either  gas  or  fluid  between  the  wall  of  the 
hole  and  the  casing,  or  between  the  two  strings  of  pipe  beyond 
the  point  at  which  the  packer  is  set. 

The  purposes  for  which  packers  are  most  commonly  used 
are  the  following: 

1.  To  shut  off  water  in  a  drilling  well: 

(a)  To  give  a  dry  hole  in  which  to  drill; 

(b)  To  protect  intermediate  oil  or  gas  bearing  strata. 

2.  To  shut  off  water  in  a  completed  well  to  exclude  it 
from  the  oil  or  gas  producing  formation. 

3.  In  a  gas  well,  to  confine  the  gas;  prevent  its  escaping 
between  the  wall  of  the  hole  and  the  outside  of  the 
casing,  or  to  pack  the  space  between  the  casing  and  the 
tubing,  to  force  the  gas  to  pass  through  the  tubing. 

4.  In  an  oil  well  having  considerable  fluid  and  compara- 
tively light  gas  pressure,  to  confine  the  gas,  so  that  it 
may  accumulate  sufficient  pressure  to  cause  the  well  to 
flow  its  production. 

5.  To  shut  off  a  cave. 

The  conditions  met  with  and  obstacles  to  be  overcome  in 
accomplishing  these  several  purposes  are  materially  different, 
and  have  necessitated  the  devising  of  various  types  of  packers, 
each  especially  adapted  to  effect  the  particular  result  desired. 

1-a.  It  frequently  happens  that  in  drilling  a  well  for  oil  or 
gas,  a  stratum  is  penetrated  which  contains  water  in  con- 
siderable quantity.     If  the  volume  of  water  encountered  is 

*  From  information  furnished  by  Larkin  Packer  Co.,  Bartlesville, 
Okla. 

291 


292  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

too  great  to  be  readily  exhausted  by  the  use  of  the  bailer, 

it  is  necessary  that  it  be  shut  off — this  for  two  reasons:  first, 

that   its  presence  in  the  hole  renders  the  operation   of  the 

drilling  tools  slow  and  ineffective,  and  second,  if  water  is 

allowed  to  stand  in  the  hole  for  any  considerable  length  of 

time,  it  may  cause  the  wall  of  the  hole  to  disintegrate  and  to 

fall  in  or  "cave."    To  remedy  this,  the  hole  is  drilled  on  down 

through  the  stratum  containing  the  water  into  an  impervious 

stratum  below,  and  a  string  of  casing  is 

then  put  in  and  landed  on  the  bottom  of  the 

hole,  with  a  packer  to  prevent  the   water 

forcing  its  way  around  the  bottom  of  the 

casing. 

For  this  purpose,  what  is  known  as  a 
"Bottom  Hole  Packer"  (Fig.  177)  is  gener- 
ally used.  This  packer  has  an  inside  pipe, 
usually  the  same  size  as  the  casing  which 
is  used  in  the  well,  turned  true  in  a  lathe, 
and  the  upper  end  threaded  to  fit  a  coupling, 
by  which  it  Is  connected  with  the  casing 
abo\e,  and  the  lower  end  has  a  shoulder 
which  prevents  it  from  pulling  through  the 
outside  shell.  The  outside  shell,  or  lower 
part  of  this  packer,  is  a  heavy  steel  cylinder, 
usually  ^  inch  smaller  than  the  hole  in 
which  it  is  used,  and  large  enough  inside 
Fie-  1"  ^o  allow  passage  of  the  inside  pipe.     The 

Bouom  Hole  Packer  lower  part  of  this  pipe  is  fitted  with  a  rein- 
forcing shoe,  which  rests  on  the  bottom  of  the  hole. 

The  inside  pipe,  or  upper  part  of  the  packer,  and  this  shell, 
or  lower  part  of  the  packer,  are  connected  by  means  of  a 
"middle,"  which  screws  into  the  shell  and  slides  over  the 
inside  pipe.  A  rubber  cylinder,  usually  about  16  inches  long, 
which  fits  the  inside  pipe  snugly,  and  is  about  ^  inch  less  in 
diameter  than  the  hole  in  which  it  is  used,  is  interposed 
between  the  collar  on  the  inside  pipe  and  the  "middle." 


THE   USE    OF   PACKERS 


293 


When  the  packer  rests  on  the  bottom  of  the  hole  the 
weight  of  the  casing  above  causes  the  outside  shell  and  inside 
pipe  or  upper  part  of  the  packer  to  telescope,  thus  compress- 
ing the  rubber  cylinder  and  forcing  it  out  against  the  wall 
of  the  hole,  completely  closing  or  packing  off  the  space  be- 
tween the  casing  and  the  wall  of  the  well.  This  arrests  the 
passage  of  the  water  below  this  point,  provided  the  packer 
has  been  set  in  a  proper  formation.  Too  much  stress  cannot 
be  put  on  the  fact  that  the  packer  must  be  set  at  a  point  where 
there  is  a  good,  hard  wall,  and  a  formation  that  is  impervious 
to  gas  or  fluid. 

1-b.  It  frequently  happens  that  it  is  desirablje  to  drill  a 
well  to  a  given  depth  in  order  to  reach  the  formation  in  which 
the  principal  production  in  the  locality  is  found,  and  that 
before  reaching  this  depth,  a  formation  is  penetrated  which 
contains  oil  and  gas.     Both  the  interest  of  the  well  owner 

and  the  local  statutes  generally  require  that 
such  a  formation  must  be  protected  from 
water  coming  both  from  above  and  from 
below. 

This  situation  frequently  requires  that  as 
many  as  three  packers  be  set  on  a  single 
string  of  casing:  One  on  the  bottom  of  the 
string  of  pipe,  to  give  a  dry  hole  in  which 
to  drill  deeper,  or  to  prevent  the  water  from 
reaching  the  main  producing  formation  be- 
low ;  one  immediately  below  the  intermediate 
producing  stratum  to  prevent  the  water  from 
reaching  it  from  below,  and  one  immediately 
above  the  intermediate  producing  stratum,  to 
prevent  the  water  from  reaching  it  from 
above. 

» 

For  the  bottom  of  these  three  packers,  the 

Bottom  Hole  Packer  above  described  could 

Fig.  178  be    used.      When    such    a   packer   has    been 

packer  ^nce  set,  however,  it  cannot  be  lifted  from 


»«fc»g^»  *A_ 


294  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

the  bottom  without  destroying  the  rubber,  and  it  would  be 
impossible  to  set  three  such  packers  at  the  same  time.     For 
the  second  of  these  packers,  what  is  known  as  a  Disc  Anchor 
Packer  {Fig.  178)  is  used.    This  packer  is  of  the  same  general 
construction  as  the  Bottom  Hole  Packer  described  above,  ex- 
cept that  instead  of  a  shoe  on  the  bottom  of  the  outside  shell, 
the  lower  end  of  this  shell  is  swaged  and  threaded  to  screw 
into  the  casing  below,  and  a  hinged  "disc"  is 
provided  between  the  upper  and  lower  tubes 
of  the  packer,  which  prevents  it  from  setting 
until  this  disc  has  been  broken,  even  though 
the   full  weight  of  the  string  of  casing  is 
allowed  to  rest  on  it. 

Owing  to  the  fact  that  this  packer  sets  as 
soon  as  the  disc  is  broken,  it  can  readily  be 
seen  that  two  disc  packers  could  not  be  used 
on  the  same  string  of  casing.  For  the  upper, 
or  third  packer,  therefore,  it  is  necessary  to 
use  a  Screw  Anchor  Packer  (Fig-  179).  The 
peculiar  feature  of  this  packer  is  that  the 
lower  end  of  the  inside  pipe  is  provided  with 
a  square  thread,  which  fits  into  a  similar 
thread  on  the  upper  end  of  the  lower  shell. 
This  thread  will  support  the  full  weight  of 
the  casing  and  prevent  the  packer  from  set- 
Fig.  179  t'"g  until  the  thread  has  been  released.  This 
Screw  Anchor     jg  Joije  by  taking  a  strain  on  the  casing,  and 

screwing  two  full  turns  to  the  right. 
The  situation  mentioned  (1-b)  above  is,  therefore,  met  by 
the  use  of  the  combination  of  the  Bottom  Hole,  Disc  Anchor 
and  Screw  Anchor  Packers.  Careful  steel  line  measurements 
must  be  taken  and  the  packers  so  spaced  in  the  string  of 
casing  that  each  will  set  at  the  exact  point  desired.  The 
casing  is  then  run  to  bottom,  and  its  full  weight  allowed  to 
rest  on  the  Bottom  Hole  Packer,  causing  it  to  set  as  above 
described,  the  disc  in  the  Disc  Anchor  and  the  square  threads 


THE   USE   OF   PACKERS  295 

in  the  Screw  Anchor  Packers  preventing  these  packers  from 
setting.  After  the  Bottom  Hole  Packer  is  properly  set,  a 
weight  is  dropped  in,  or  preferably,  the  bailer  is  run  in,  and 
the  disc  broken  in  the  Disc  Anchor  Packer,  causing  it  to  set, 
and  the  threads  are  then  released  in  the  Screw  Anchor  Packer, 
setting  it. 

2.  it  usually  is  necessary  that  wells  be  cased  above  the 
producing  formation,  for  the  double  purpose  of  preventing 
the  wall  above  from  caving  in  on  it,  and  to  prevent  the 
■water  from  above  from  reaching  the  producing  formation. 
For  the  latter  purpose  it  is  necessary  that  a  packer  be  set 
on  the  casing.  For  shutting  off  the  cave,  it  frequently  is 
desirable  to  set  the  casing  as  close  as  possible  to  the  top  of 
the  producing  formation.  The  point  at  which  the  casing  is 
to  be  set  is  determined,  and  the  hole  is  reduced  at  this  level, 
from  which  a  hole  of  smaller  diameter  is  drilled  into  the  pro- 
ducing formation.  This  leaves  a  shoulder  on  which  the  casing 
or  packer  will  rest.  If  the  point  at  which  the  casing  is  set 
is  suitable  for  setting  a  packer,  the  Bottom  Hole  Packer  above 
described  can  be  used  for  this  purpose.  It  very  frequently 
happens,  however,  that  in  order  to  find  a  suitable  formation 
in  which  to  set  the  packer  it  is  necessary  to  set  it  at  a  point 
considerably  higher  in  the  hole  than  where  the  casing  is  set. 
It  then  becomes  necessary  to  use  what  is  known  as  the 
"Special  Anchor"  packer.  This  packer  is  practically  the  same 
in  construction  as  the  Bottom  Hole  packer,  except^  that  the 
bottom  of  the  outside  shell  is  swaged  and  threaded  to  screw 
into  the  casing  below. 

3.  When  a  gas  well  is  shut  in  and  the  gas  confined,  the 
accumulated  pressure  becomes  so  great  that  the  gas  may 
force  its  way  out  between  the  outside  of  the  casing  and  the 
wall  of  the  well,  unless  this  space  is  thoroughly  packed  off. 

To  successfully  pack  off  high  pressure  gas  wells  it  usually 
is  necessary  to  secure  a  much  greater  bearing  of  the  rubber 
against  the  wall  than  is  required  for  the  packing  off  of  fluid, 
as  above  described,  and  for  this  purpose  what  is  known  as 


DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 


Conical  Sleeve  Hook  Wall  Disc  Wall   Packer 

Anchor  Packer  Pumping  Packer 

the  Conical  Sleeve  Anchor  Packer  (Fig.  180) 

is   generally   used.     This  packer  has  a   long 

tapering    sleeve   above    the    rubber,    of   such 

diameter  as  to  enlarge  the  rubber  to  the  full 

size  of  the  hole  before  the  weight  of  the  casing 

or  tubing  rests  on  it.    It  gives  a  much  greater 

bearing  on  the  wall   than  any  other  packer,   dibc  cave  Pacimr 

and  is  especially  adapted  for  high  pressure  gas  wells. 

4.  It  frequently  happens  that  an  oil  well  which  has  con- 
siderable fluid,  and  only  a  light  gas  pressure,  can  be  made 
to  flow  its  production  by  packing  off  the  space  between  the 
casing  or  wall  of  the  well  and  the  tubing,  thus  confining  the 
gas  to  such  extent  that  it  accumulates  pressure  sufficient  to 
cause  the  well  to  flow.  For  this  purpose  what  is  known 
as  a  Special  Gas  or  Anchor  Packer  is  used.     This  packer  is 


THE   USE   OF   PACKERS  297 

practically  the  same  in  principle  as  the  Anchor  packer  above 
described,  but  is  let  in  and  set  on  the  tubing  instead  of  the 
casing.  Sometimes  «uch  a  well,  in  addition  to  having  the 
gas  pressure  increased,  has  to  be  agitated  by  occasional 
pumping  to  make  it  flow.  For  this  purpose  a  Hook  Wall 
Pumping  Packer  (Fig.  181)  is  used.  This  packer  is  let  in  on 
the  tubing,  and  can  be  set  at  any  point  in  the  casing  or  hole 
with  the  working  barrel  below.  The  packer  is  provided  with 
slips,  which,  when  released,  engage  the  wall  of  the  well  or 
casing,  and  support  the  weight  of  the  tubing,  which  in  turn 
compresses  the  rubber  cylinder,  pressing  it  out  against  the 
wall  trf  the  well  or  casing.  This  effectually  packs  off  the 
gas  and  prevents  its  escape  -between  the  tubing  and  the 
casing.  The  gas,  thus  confined,  accumulates  pressure  and, 
when  the  well  is  pumped  through  the  packer,  will  quite  fre- 
quently cause  the  well  to  flow  its  production  when  other- 
wise it  would  not  have  sufficient  pressure  to  do  so. 

It  is  always  desirable  to  drill  as  large  a  hole  as  possible 
into  the  oil  producing  formation.  For  this  reason,  in  the 
shallow  sand  districts  particularly,  where,  in  the  process  of 
drilling,  water  is  not  encountered  in  sufficient  quantities  to 
require  that  it  be  shut  off  for  drilling  purposes,  a  hole  is 
sometimes  drilled  having  the  same  diameter  from  the  top  on 
into  the  producing  formation,  the  hole  not  being  reduced 
above  the  producing  formation  to  form  a  shoulder  on  which 
to  set  casing.  It  then  becomes  necessary,  in  order  to  shut 
oflF  whatever  water  may  be  coming  from  above,  to  run  in  a 
string  of  casing  and  set  a  packer  without  having  either  a 
shoulder  or  an  anchor  below  to  support  the  weight  of  the 
casing.  For  this  purpose,  what  is  known  as  a  Disc  Wall 
Packer  is  generally  used  (Fig.  182). 

This  packer  consists  of  a  section  of  pipe  the  same  size  as 
the  casing  used,  which  is  turned  off  for  about  one-half  its 
length.  Over  this  a  steel  cylinder  slides,  which  is  taperedypn 
the  outside  for  about  one-half  its  length.  Above  this  is  the 
rubber  cylinder  which  encircles  jthe  pipe,  and  above  the  rubber 


•:\ 


298  PEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

is  a  coupling,  by  which  the  packer  is  connected  to  the  casing 
above.  Below  the  tapered  cylinder,  or  cone,  is  placed  a  pair 
of  slips  or  wedges,  which  are  held  in  place  by  a  cast  iron 
disc,  which  passes  through  the  pipe-  A  tempered  coil  spring 
also  surrounds  the  pipe  and  is  compressed  between  the  slips 
and  a  bottom  collar.  The  packer  is  lowered  on  the  casing 
to  the  proper  place  in  the  hole,  after  which  a  weight  is 
dropped,  or  the  bailer  is  run,  to  break  the  disc.  This  releases 
the  tention  on  the  spring,  forcing  the  slips  up  on  the  cone, 
causing  them  to  engage  the  wall  of  the  well,  thus  stopping 
the  travel  of  the  cone.  The  weight  of  the  casing-  is  then 
supported  by  the  slips,  and  in  turn  compresses  the  rubber 
cylinder,  expanding  it  against  the  wall,  thus  sealing  the  space 
between  the  wall  and  the  casing,  and  preventing  the  passage 
of  water  below  the  bottom  of  the  casing. 

The  Disc  Cave  Packer  (Fig.  183)  is  used  in  lieu  of  an 
additional  string  of  casing  to  shut  off  a  caving  formation  or 
a  cavern.  Sufficient  casing  to  cover  the  cave,  of  a  size  that 
will  go  down  through  the  casing  in  the  hole,  is  attached  to 
the  bottom  of  the  cave  packer.  The  bottom  ring  is  screwed 
to  the  lower  end  of  the  smaller  casing  to  serve  as  a  shoe  to 
protect  it.  The  letting  in  tool  is  fitted  to  the  upper  connec- 
tion of  the  packer  and,  by  means  of  a  string  of  tubing  screwed 
to  the  letting  in  tool,  the  outfit  is  lowered  to  the  point  in 
the  hole  where  the  packer  will  be  just  above  the  cave  and 
the  casing  will  extend  far  enough  to  cover  and  shut  it  off. 
The  letting  in  tool,  which  has  a  left  hand  thread,  is  then  un- 
screwed and  withdrawn  and  the  packer  is  set  by  dropping 
a  weight  or  lowering  the  tools  to  break  the  disc. 

The  packer  with  rubber  used  in  the  hard  formations  will 
not  answer  for  shutting  off  water  in  the  unconsolidated  sands 
and  gravels  of  the  Gulf  Coast  and  the  California  fields ;  indeed, 
packers  are  little  used  in  these  fields  and  the  casing  is  usually 
cemented.  If,  as  sometimes  happens,  a  cementing  operation 
should  fail  to  shut  off  the  water  or  a  lower  water  bearing 
formation  should  be  encountered  after  the  casing  is  set,  the 


THE    USE    OF    PACKERS  299 

canvas  or  "bootleg"  pacl;er  (Fig.  184)  usually  is  used.    This 
packer  has  a  canvas  covering,  which,  when  the  liner  is  set  on 
bottom,  is  compressed,  forcing  the  canvas  out   against  the 
wall  of  the  hole.     The  cavings  settle  on  top  of  the  packer 
f  and    usually    assist    in 
shutting  out  the  water. 
When  the  canvas  pack- 
er   is     employed,     the 
liner  should  extend  to 
the  surface,  or  a  lead 
seal  or  another  packer 
should  be  used  to  pack 
the  space  between  the 
casing   and    the    liner. 
See  illustration.* 

In  California  a  unique 
packer  has  been  de- 
'  vised  and  successfully 
used  by  Mr.  C.  W. 
Stone  of  Maricopa.t  He 
cut  old  bull  ropes  into 
3S-foot  lengths  and  un- 
laid them.  The  bottom 
joint  of  casing  with  the 
shoe  screwed  on  was 
stood  in  the  derrick, 
the  shoe  end  up.  Next 
the  strands  of  rope 
were  doubled  and  the 
looped  ends  securely 
wired  to  the  casing 
next  the  shoe  until  the 
mat  of  hemp  was  flush 
»From  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin  No.  163.  Methods  of  Shut- 
ting Off  Water  in  Oil  and  Gas  Wells,  by  F.  B.  Tough. 

tU.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin  No.  163.  Methods  of  Shutting  Ofl 
Water  in  Oil  and  Gas  Wells,  p.  62,  by  F.  B.  Tough. 


Boot-leg  Packer 


300  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

with  the  outside  of  the  shoe,  and  completely  encircled  the  cas- 
ing; it  was  then  tied  every  three  feet  with  soft  rope.  When 
the  packer  entered  the  well,  as  the  bottom  joint  of  casing, 
the  rope  ties  were  cut  one  by  one,  allowing  the  hemp  to 
spread  out  into  any  enlargement  of  the  hole.  After  the  casing 
was  set,  the  movement  of  the  water  past  the  packer  matted 
down  the  mass  of  hemp  fibres  into  an  effective  packer,  shut- 
ting off  the  water. 


^..^ 


CHAPTER  X 

CEMENTING  CASING— SHUTTING  OFF  BOTTOM 

WATER 

The  difficulties  encountered  by  operators  in  the  fields  of 
Californial  and  the  Gulf  Coast  in  setting  Casing  in  soft  forma- 
tions to  shut  off  water  and  caving  strata  and  to  prevent  gas 
and  oil  from  blowing  out  have  led  to  the.  development  of 
various  methods  of  cementing  the  casing.  Packers  usually 
do  not  give  satisfactory  results  in  these  fields,  and  the  only 
way  to  set  casing  securely  and  to  prevent  damage,  not  only  to 
the  well  in  which  the  casing  is  set^  but  to  adjoining  wells  and 
properties,  is  to  cement  the  casing  around  the  bottom  and 
as  far  up  around  it  as  may  be  necessary  to  make  it  perfectly 
tight.  The  methods  most  generally  employed  in  cementing 
are  described  in  the  following  pages, 

PERKINS  PROCESS  FOR  CEMENTING  CASING 

One  of  the  most  successful  methods  of  cementing  casing  is 
the  process  invented  by  A.  A.  Perkins  and  used  by  the  Per- 
kins Oil  Well  Cementing  Company,  Los  Angeles,  California. 
Following  is  a  brief  description  of  this  process : 

Water  can  be  shut  off  equally  as  well  above  or  below  the 
oil  sand.  To  illustrate  the  method  employed,  we  will  sup- 
pose a  well  has  been  drilled  in  which  a  string  of  ISj^-inch 
casing  was  landed  at  a  depth  of  1,8CX3  feet.  At  this  point 
10-inch  casing  was  put  in  and  drilling  continued  until  a  water 
stratum  was  encountered  before  reaching  the  oil-bearing  sand. 
It  was  decided  to  land  and  cement  the  10-inch  casing  at  3,000 
feet  and  theil  to  reduce  the  hole  to  8j4  inches. 

301 


302  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 


1 


Two  duplex  steam  pumps  are  included  in  the.  Perkins 
equipment,  one  for  pressures  up  to  500  pounds  and  the  other 
for  pressures  up  to  1,000  pounds.  The  former  is  the  service 
pump  for  pumping  water  and  cement,  while  the  latter  is 
an  emergency  pump  for  starting  circulation  and  is  also  used 
where  an  excess  of  pressure  is  necessary  to  force  the  cement 
into  place. 

Two  packers  are  turned  out  of  wood  and  made  in  various 
sizes,  according  to  the  diameter  of  the  casing  used.  The 
upper  packer,  No.  5,  refer  to  Fig.  185,  has  two  rubber  discs 
and  a  leather  cup  that  fit  the  casing  very  closely,  and  its  \ 

first  position  is  on  top  of  the  upper  plunger.  No.  3,  in  the  j 

circulating  head.  The  lower  packer.  No.  4,  has  a  rubber  disc 
at  each  end  and  its  first  position  is  between  the  center  and 
lower  plungers.  No.  2  and  No.  1,  of  the  circulating  head. 
(This  circulating  head  is  not  the  head  used  in  the  hydraulic 
circulating  system,  but  is  special  equipment  used  by  the 
Perkins  Co.) 

Discharge  line  from  manifold  is  connected  directly  to  the 
pipe  below  circulating  head  and  is  fitted  with  a  cock  which  is 
lettered  "A."  A  riser  is  connected  to  line  in  front  of  cock 
"A,"  which  also  has  a  cock  lettered  "B."  Connections  are 
made  from  this  riser  into  the  circulating  head,  one  between 
upper  and  center  plungers  with  a  cock  lettered  "C"  and  one 
into  top  of  circulating  head  with  cock  lettered  *'D."  With 
the  entire  cementing  outfit  ready  for  operation,  cock  "A"  is 
opened  and  the  high  pressure  pump  started  in  order  to  get 
circulation  by  drawing  the  water  from  suction  pit  and  forcing 
it  through  the  10-inch  casing  and  up  between  this  casing  and 
the  wall  of  the  well. 

While  circulation  is  being  obtained,  about  7  tons  of  hy- 
draulic cement  should  be  dumped  into  the  mixing  tanks  (refer 
to  diagram  Fig.  186)  and  worked  with  water  to  such  a  consist- 
ency that  it  can  easily  be  handled  by  the  pumps.  The  mixing 
process  is  facilitated  by  the  use  of  a  stream  of  water  from  a 
^-inch  nozzle  under  150  pounds  pressure.     The  amount  of 


CEMENTING   CASING 


305 


O 
O 

xn 

\^ 


* 


s 

S    ^ 

« 


306  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

cement  necessary  differs  according  to  the  size  of  the  pipe  or 
casing  to  be  cemented,  and  also  the  distance  at  which  it  is 
to  be  landed  below  the  next  larger  size  casing. 

The  cubical  contents  of  the  entire  length  of  lO-inch  casing 
should  be  calculated  so  that,. by  measuring  the  amount  of 
water  pumped  through  a  meter  into  it,  the  location  of  the 
charge  of  cement  can  be  determined  at  any  time. 

Cock  "A"  is  now  closed,  cocks  "B"  aild  "C"  opened,  and 
the  cement  mixture  turned  into  the  suction  pit,  from  where 
the  pumps  pick  it  up  and  deliver  it  on  top  of  lower  packer. 
The  withdrawing  of  lower  and  center  plungers  allows  this 
packer  to  start  down  the  hole,  acting  as  a  plug  between  the 
water  below  it  and  the  cement  above.  The  water  will  flow 
up  around  the  outside  of  the  casing  the  same  as  when  circu- 
lation has  been  obtained.  When  all  the  cement  has  been 
pumped  through  cock  *'C,"  this  cock  is  closed  and  cock  "D" 
opened  to  admit  water  which  has  passed  through  the  meas- 
uring meter  and  delivered  by  the  pumps  to  the  suction  pit. 
The  upper  plunger  is  now  removed,  allowing  the  water  pres- 
sure to  force  the  upper  packer  down  on  top  of  the  column  of 
cement.  As  this  pressure  is  maintained,  the  charge  of  cement 
continues  on  down  the  basing.  The  cement  is  entirely  pro- 
tected from  the  wiater  below  by  the  rubber  discs  on  the  lower 
packer  and  from  the  water  above  by  the  rubber  discs  and 
leather  cup  on  the  upper  packer. 

When  the  lower  packer  reaches  the  bottom,  it  drops  half 
way  out  of  the  casing  and,  as  it  is  against  a  positive  stop,  the 
increasing  pressures  from  above  turns  the  rubber  disc  so  that 
the  cement  can  flow  by  the  lower  packer  and  be  forced  up 
outside  of  the  casing.  This  continues  until  the  upper  and 
lower  packers  meet,  when  practically  all  the  cement  has  been 
forced  out  of  the  casing.    > 

When  the  upper  packer  stops,  the  increasing  water  pres- 
sure from  above  causes  the  leather  cup  to  expand,  arresting 
the  passage  of  the  water  through  to  the  cement.  This  pres- 
sure will  increase  to  sucH  an  extent  that  it 'Will,  stop  the  pump, 

'/'■■,*-  •'         '        ^,,'' 


CEMENTING   CASING  307 

indicating  to  the  operator  that  the  packers  have  come  to- 
gether. He  may  verify  the  relative  position  of  the  packers  by 
the  cubic  feet  of  water  pumped  into  the  casing.  This  dis- 
placement can  be  so  accurately  figured  and  actual  results 
checked  so  closely  with  calculated  results  that  the  time  of  the 
stopping  of  the  pump  can  be  determined  within  a  few  seconds. 

The  10-inch  casing  is  now  lowered  to  its  original  position 
on  the  bottom,  effectually  shutting  off  the  cement  outside  it 
and  completing  the  cementing  operation. 

Although  the  well  is  still  full  of  water,  it  should  be  allowed 
to  stand  in  this  condition  until  cement  has  hardened,  which 
requires  from  15  to  20  days.  Then  both  packers  and  any 
small  quantity  of  cement  that  has  remained  in  the  casing  is 
drilled  out  in  the  usual  manner  and  deeper  drilling  continued. 

TUBING  METHOD  FOR  CEMENTING  CASING 

Tubing,  usually  2-inch,  is  inserted  with  a  packer  on  the 
bottom  to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  bottom  of  the  casing.  The 
Baker  Cement  Retainer,  Fig.  187,  is  sometimes  used  instead 
of  a  packer  for  this  purpose. 

The  operator  should  first  get  circulation  before  attempting 
to  put  in  the  tubing  or  the  cement.  The  cement  is  then 
mixed  and  pumped  down  inside  the  tubing,  and  as  the  packer 
or  cement  retainer  prevents  its  passage  up  between  the  tubing 
and  the  casing,  it  is  forced  up  outside  the  casing.  Water  is 
then  pumped  down  the  tubing  to  clear  it  of  cement;  a  cock 
connected  to  the  top  of  the  string  of  tubing  is  closed  and  the 
casing  is  set  on  bottom.  Next  the  tubing  and  packer  are 
pulled  up  sufficiently  to  free  them  from  the  cement  and  clear 
water  is  circulated  between  tubing  and  casing  to  wash  out 
cement  from  the  inside  of  the  casing.  Tubing  and  packer 
are  then  withdrawn  and  the  casing  is  filled  with  water  and 
closed  at  the  top  until  the  cement  has  set. 

The  Baker  cement  retainer,  Fig.  187,  is  in  effect  a  packer 
with  slips  to  engage  in  the  casing.    It  is  used  on  tubing  as 


308  DEEP    WELL    DRILLING 

aDove  described,  except  that  the  tubing  is  unscrewed  from  a 
left  hand  thread  in  the  bottom  of  the  retainer  and  the  latter 
is  left  in  the  hole.  The  retainer  may  be  set  at  any  desired' 
point  in  the  hole  by  pulling  it  up  a  few  inches,  the  cone  caus- 
ing the  rubber  and  slips  to  expand.  Being  made  of  cast 
iron  it  is  easily  drilled  up  after  the  cement  has  set.  The 
Baker  cement  retainer  is  recommended  by  the  manufacturers 
for  other  cementing  jobs,  as  follows : 

For  cementing  casing  which  may  be  fast 
in  the  hole,  but  where  it  is  possible  to  get 
circulation. 

For  cementing  through  a  hole  or  split 
in  the  casing,  the  casing  is  bridged  below 
the  opening,  the  cement  retainer  is  set  just 
above  the  opening  and  the  cement  pumped 
in. 

For  wells  where  water  has  broken  in 
around  the  shoe  and  the  casing  is  stuck, 
the  hole  is  bridged  just  below  the  shoe, 
the  cement  retainer  is  set  as  close  to 
the  shoe  as  possible  and  the  cement 
pumped  in. 

For  wells  with  bottom  water,  the  cas- 
ing is  landed  in  the  formation  above  the 
water,  the  cement  retainer  is  set  in  the 
bottom  of  the  casing  and  the  cement  is 

pumped  in. 

In  all  of  these  operations,  any  cement 
that  may  not  have  been  pumped  through 
the  retainer,  and  remaining  in  the  hole,  should  be  bailed  out. 
In  deep  wells  where  long  strings  of  tubing  are  used,  a 
tension  should  be  taken  on  the  tubing  after  starting  to  pump 
cement  through  it,  to  take  up  expansion  caused  by  the  cement 
heating  it ;  otherwise  the  elongation  of  the  tubing  might  trip 
the  retainer. 
The  retainer  has  a  valve  in  the  bottom,  through  which  the 


CEMENTING  CASING  309 

cement  passes  out  of  the  tubing,  and  it  automatically  closes 
when  the  pressure  in  the  tubing  is  relieved,  thus  preventing 
the  cement  from  backing  up  in  the  casing. 

DUMP  BAILER  PROCESS  FOR  CEMENTING  CASING  • 

"In  cementing  a  string  of  casing  with  the  dump  bailer,  the 
liquid  cement  is  lowered  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole  with  a 
bailer  which,  as  its  name  indicates,  discharges  or  dumps  its 
load  instead  of  picking  it  up  like  the  ordinary  bailer.  By  this 
method  2  or  3  tons  of  cement  is  dumped  into  the  bottom  of 
the  well.  As  many  runs  are  made  with  the  bailer  as  may  be 
necessary  to  deposit  the  entire  quantity  of  cement  to  be  used. 
After  this  is  done,  the  casing  is  pulled  up  20  to  40  feet  off 
bottom,  or  so  that  the  shoe  will  be  above  the  cement  level. 
The  casing  is  filled  with  water  and  then  closed  at  the  top 
with  a  steel  plug,  or  other  suitable  fitting,  and  is  lowered 
firmly  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole.  There  being  no  outlet  at 
the  top  of  the  casing  for  water,  the  cement  can  not  enter  at 
the  bottom,  so  it  takes  the  only  open  course  and  rises  outside 
the  casing,  filling  the  space  between  the  casing  and  the  walls 
of  the  hole. 

There  are  several  types  of  dump  bailers  in  use;  also,  there 
are  several  ways  to  transform  an  ordinary  dart  bailer  into 
a  makeshift  dump  bailer,  but  such  makeshifts  are  unsatisfac- 
tory and  likely  to  cause  trouble.  A  satisfactory  type  of  dump 
bailer  is  the  one  shown  in  Fig.  188.  The  shell  of  this  bailer 
is  of  two  joints  of  pipe  swaged  to  connect  in  a  coupling  of 
the  same  external  diameter  as  the  joints.  As  the  bailers  vary 
in  size  according  to  the  size  of  casing  in  which  they  are  to  be 
used,  dimensions  arc  omitted  here.  The  bail  "a"  terminates 
in  a  bottle  neck  through  which  the  rod  "b"  is  free  to  slide. 
The  enlargement  at  the  lower  end  of  this  rod  is  bored  as  a 
rope  socket  to  receive  the  ^-inch  wire  dump  line  "c."  The 
rod  is  provided  with  a  latch  "d,"  in  general  design  similar 

*After  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin  No.  163  by  F.  B.  Tough. 


310 


DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 


^ 

d 


to  that  on  the  shaft  of  an  old-fashioned 
umbrella.  The  upper  end  of  the  rod  is 
threaded  to  screw  into  the  bottom  of  a  tool 
joint.  This  joint  connects  with  the  box  of 
the  rope  socket  so  that  the  dump  bailer 
miay  be  run  on  the  drilling  line.  Riveted 
to  the  bottom  of  the  bailer  is  an  annular 
steel  valve  seat.  The  valve  "e"  is  of  steel 
and  in  the  form  of  a  truncated  cone.  Df 
course,  a  ball  would  do  the  work  as  well  as 
the  cone.  The  wire  line,  or  chain  if  pre- 
ferred, which  connects  the  rod  "b"  with  the 
cone,  must  be  babbitted,  or  otherwise  se- 
curely attached  to  both  rod  and  cone,  as  the 
entire  weight  of  the  bailer  and  contents 
must  be  carried  by  the  dump  line  or  chain. 
It  is  worth  noting  that  if  either  of  these  two 
babbitted  connections  fail,  only  the  cone,  or 
at  worst  the  cone  and  the  dump  line,  will  be 
left  in  the  hole,  as  the  shell  of  the  bailer 
will  hang  on  the  butt  of  the  rod  "b." 

When  this  bailer  is  run  to  bottom,  the  rod 
slips  down  through  the  bottle  neck  in  the 
bail,  thus  throwing  about  3  feet  of  slack  in 
the  connecting  cable.  When  the  bailer  is 
lifted  again  the  latch  engages  with  the  bail 
and  the  entire  device  is  brought  to  the  sur- 
face with  the  valve  dangling  about  3  feet 
below  the  valve  seat.  There  is  thus  no  pos- 
sibility of  the  bailer  not  discharging  its  con- 
tents. In  running  such  a  bailer  in  a  hole 
full  of  fluid  it  tends  to  float  if  lowered  too 
rapidly.  The  latch  will  then  trip  the  bailer 
and  discharge  the  contents.  Such  an  acci- 
Fig.  188  dent  is  particularly  apt  to 

Dump  Bailer  occur  when  the  fluid  level 

Mines)  ^s  several  hundred  feet  be- 


CEMENTING  CASING  311 

low  the  surface.  Such  premature  unloading  may  take  place 
without  the  driller's  knowledge  and  go  undetected  until  the 
job  is  found  to  be  unsuccessful.  All  this  trouble  will  be 
avoided  by  care  in  lowering  the  bailer  slowly  enough,  allow- 
ing no  slack  in  the  drilling  cable. 

The  dump-bailer  method  is  frequently  used  when  a  water 
string  is  to  be  set  with  a  relatively  small  amount  of  cement, 
say,  less  than  two  tons.  The  cement  is  mixed  in  a  box  on 
the  derrick  floor  in  batches  according  to  the  capacity  of  the 
bailer.  After  cement  has  been  wet,  it  should  not  be  held 
over  for  the  next  batch.  Surplus  cement,  after  the  bailer  has 
been  filled,  should  be  discarded.  A  convenient  rule  is  to  figure 
that  each  sack  of  cement  when  mixed  will  occupy  1.15  cubic 
feet. 

The  bailer  latch  is  set  and  the  bailer  hung  in  the  hole  with 
the  shell  seated  on  the  cone  valve  "e"  so  that  the  top  of  the 
shell  comes  level  with  the  floor  and  under  a  spout  or  swing 
pipe  leading  from  the  cement  box.  The  bailer  is  then  loaded 
and  run  to  bottom  in  the  manner  descfibed.  It  is  advisable 
to  have  a  bailer  large  enough  so  that  the  period  from  the 
time  the  first  batch  of  cement  is  wet  until  the  job  is  com- 
pleted will  not  exceed  two  hours.  It  is  important  to  have 
enough  men  with  hoes  at  work  to  insure  that  the  mixing  of 
each  batch  is  commenced  as  soon  as  the  last  of  the  preceding 
batch  has  left  the  mixing  box,  and  that  the  mixed  cement 
will  not  have  to  be  kept  waiting  for  the  bailer.  Frequently, 
while  a  driller  and  tool  dresser  are  lowering  and  dumping 
a  bailer,  pulling  out  and  resetting  the  latch  and  getting  the 
bailer  in  position  for  the  next  charge  of  cement,  the  other 
men  get  the  cement  ready  to  pour. 

During  cementing,  the  hole  should  be  kept  full  of  water,  if 
possible.  After  all  the  cement  has  been  dumped,  the  casing 
is  filled  with  water  and  set,  as  described.  The  well  should 
be  left  undisturbed  at  least  24  hours  before  the  pressure  within 
the  casing  is  released.  After  this  time  it  is  advisable  to 
stretch  the  casing  as  much  as  experience  has  shown  is  allow- 


312  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

able.  The  casing  is  then  hung  on  clamps  in  this  position  so 
that  it  is  held  both  at  the  top  and  the  bottom ;  otherwise  the 
pipe  tends  to  bend  from  its  own  weight." 

•An  improved  and  simplified  dump  bailer  has  recently  been 
introduced  by  the  Baker  Casing  Shoe  Company  of  Coalinga, 
California.  It  consists  of  a  bailer  top  and  bottom  with  casing 
threads  to  permit  elongating  by  the  addition  of  one  or  more 
joints  of  casing.  It  has  no  chains,  springs  or  plungers  and 
operates  by  a  sliding  sleeve  in  the  bottom  which,  when 
the  bailer  reaches  the  bottom  of  the  hole,  is  forced  upward 
on  the  body,  tripping  a  valve  which  dumps  the  load.  A  vent 
in  the  bottom  of  the  sleeve  prevents  premature  tripping  by 
the  fluid  resistance  exerted '  against  the  valve  disc. 

For   cementing   by   the   dump   bailer   method,   the   Baker 
cement  plug.  Fig,  189,  is  a  device  sometimes  used  for  closing 
the  bottom  of  the  casing.     It  is  made  of  thin  cast  iron  and 
fitted  with  a  disc  of  canvas  for  packing.     It  is  tied  with  a 
piece  of  soft  rope  to  the  bailer  and  lowered  to  the  bottom 
out  of  the  casing.    A  valve  permits  its  passage  through  fluid. 
It  is  then  drawn  back  into  the  casing  shoe  where  the  canvas 
wedges  it,  and  the  rope  tie  is  broken  by  a  sharp  pull.    When 
the  casing  is  lowered,  the  cement  is  forced  up  outside  by  dis- 
placement, the  plug  preventing  any  cement  from  backing  up 
in  the  casing.    The  plug  is  drilled  up  after  the  cement  has  set. 
For  quantity  of  cement  required 
to   fill   various   sizes   of   hole   one 
foot,  refer  to  table  of  contents  of 
pipe  on  the  next  page. 

It  is  difficult  to  estimate  the 
height  to  which  cement  will  rise 
outside  of  casing,  owing  to  the 
variations  of  the  hole  and  the 
quantity  of  cement  absorbed  by  or 
pumped  into  the  formation.  Fol- 
lowing, however,  is  the  theoretical 


CEMENTING  CASING  313 

a  true  and  impervious  wall  for  a  space  of  one  inch  around  the 
outside  of  the  casing  (the  hole  2  inches  larger  in  diameter 
than  the  outside  of  the  casing). 

Theoretical  height  to  which  one  gallon  of  cement  will  rise 
outside  casing  in  a  hole  2  inches  larger  in  diameter : 


Size  Casing, 

Height, 

Size  Casing, 

Height, 

Inches 

Inches 

Inches 

Inches 

4>4 

13.37 

m 

7.35 

4/2 

12.79 

9H 

6.69 

AH 

12;26 

10 

6.25 

5 

11.76 

lOH 

6.13 

5  3/16 

11.31 

11^ 

5.65 

5H 

10.5 

12 

5.S5 

(>% 

9.64 

12^ 

5.25 

6^ 

9.19 

13J4 

4.91 

7% 

8.17 

i4y2 

4.6 

8J4 

7.64 

15J4 

4.34 

CEMENTING  CASING  IN  THE  GULF  COAST  FIELDS 

The  two-plug  process  is  usually  used.  Circulation  should 
first  be  secured  to  wash  out  all  cuttings,  water  or  oil.  The 
equipment  consists  of  a  mixing  box  about  six  by  eight  feet 
and  12  to  18  inches  deep,  with  an  outlet  at  one  end  to  pour 
the  cement,  two  wood  plugs,  and  sufficient  mortar  hoes, 
shovels  and  pails  for  the  men — usually  six — ^who  mix  the 
cement.  The  cement  should  be  mixed  in  batches  of  8  to  10 
aacks  of  cement  and  the  necessary  water.  For  cementing 
6-inch  casing  40  to  50  sacks  of  cement  are  used  and  it  is  mixed 
neat  with  water,  sand  seldom  being  used.  The  mixture  of 
one  sack  of  cement  with  water  will  fill  a  space  of  1.15  cubic 
feet. 

Some  operators  first  run  the  two  plugs  through  each  joint 
of  casing,  to  be  sure  there  may  be  nothing  in  the  casing  to 
obstruct  the  passage  of  the  plugs. 

Two  wood  plugs,  the  upper  12  inches  long  and  the  lower 
24  inches  long,  are  cut  of  a  diameter  to  fit  loosely  in  the 


314  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

casing.  Sometimes  a  piece  of  wood,  2x4  inches,  3  feet  long, 
is  nailed  to  the  bottom  of  the  upper  plug;  Some  drillers  nail 
a  piece  of  rubber  belt  to  the  top  of  the  upper  plug;  others 
place  several  cement  sacks  on  top  of  it  as  packing. 

The  operator  first  makes  sure  that  he  has  good  circulation, 
then  he  plugs  the  holes  in  the  rotary  bit  and  runs  the  drill 
pipe  in  the  casing  to  displace  the  mud  fluid  for  a  distance  of 
about  5CX)  feet  to  make  room  for  the  cement.  The  drill  pipe 
is  withdrawn  and  the  first  plug  is  introduced  in  the  casing. 
The  cement  is  then  prepared  in  the  mixing  box  on  the  derrick 
floor  and  it  is  poured  in  on  top- of  the  plug.  The  upper  plug 
is  then  put  in  following  the  cement  and  the  sacks  are  packed 
down  on  it.  The  casing  is  raised  about  12  inches  off  bottom, 
and  connections  made  with  the  swivel.  The  pumps  are 
started  and  the  plugs  and  cement  are  forced  down  the  casing. 
When  the  upper  plug  has  reached  bottom,  the  pumps  should 
stall.  The  casing  is  then  lowered  to  bottom  and  rotated  a 
few  turns  to  insure  equal  distribution  of  the  cement  around 
it,  and  to  overcome  tendency  of  the  cement  to  channel.  By 
calculating  the  capacity  per  stroke  and  speed  of  pumps  and 
the  fluid  content  of  the  string  of  casing,  the  time  required  for 
the  upper  plug  to  reach  the  bottom  may  be  determined, 
otherwise  it  is  advisable  to  run  the  drill  pipe  to  the  bottom 
of  the  casing  to  be  sure  the  upper  plug  has  not  lodged  in  the 
casing  off  bottom.  After  8  or  10  days,  the  plugs  are  drilled 
up,  the  hole  bailed  out  and  the  shut  off  is  tested. 

For  more  detailed  information  on  cementing  wells  drilled  by  the 
rotary  method,  refer  to  Lucey  Mfg.  Co.  No.  8  catalogue,  pages  291  to 
301,  Cementing  Oil  and  Gas  Wells,  by  I.  N.  Knapp. 

TESTING  A  WATER  SHUT-OFF  • 

"Whenever  the  character  of  the  formations  and  methods  of 
drilling  will  permit,  the  driller  should  observe  and  note  in  the 
log  book  any  peculiar  characteristics  of  water  encountered, 
such  as  freshness  or  salinity  and  sulphur  content,  also  the 

*  From  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin  No.  163,  Methods  of  Shut- 
ting off  water  in  oil  and  gas  wells,  by  F.  B.  Tough. 


>' ' 


CEMENTING  CASING  315 

natural  level  of  the  water  in  the  hole,  and  whether  there  is 
any  change  in  water  level  when  various  sands  are  encoun- 
tered. 

After  the  cementing  has  been  done  and  the  time  allowed  for 
setting  has  elapsed,  the  effectiveness  of  this  work  must  be 
tested.  The  mere  fact  that  the  job  has  been  done  in  a  work- 
manlike manner  and  by  approved  methods  does  not  fulfill 
an  operator's  obligation  to  himself,  his  neighbor,  or  society 
in  general.  The  test  consists  of  two  phases.  In  the  first 
phase  the  water  is  bailed  out,  leaving  a  dry  hole,  or,  at  least, 
the  water  should  be  lowered  sufficiently  below  the  natural 
water  level  of  the  locality  to  create  a  reasonable  external 
pressure  on  the  casing — 1,000  to  2,000  feet  is  usually  suffi- 
cient. The  well  is  then  allowed  to  stand  8  to  24  hours,  or 
more.  This  part  of  the  test  is  made  before  any  residual 
cement  has  been  drilled  out  of  the  casing,  and  is  for  the  pur- 
pose of  demonstrating  that  there  is  no  leak  of  any  kind  in 
the  pipe  itself.  In  the  second  phase  of  the  test  the  residual 
cement  is  drilled  out  and  a  few  feet  of  new  hole  is  drilled 
ahead  of  the  casing.  Unless  there  is  danger  of  a  gas  blow  out 
or  some  other  weighty  consideration  is  adverse,  all  the  fluid 
should  be  bailed  otrt  of  the  well  and  the  hole  allowed  to  stand 
12  to  24  hours.  If  the  test  shows  that  the  cementing  job  is 
not  satisfactory,  corrective  measures  must  be  taken.  If  the 
second  part  of  the  test  shows  that  the  water  is  not  shut  off, 
effort  must  be  made  to  determine  whether  the  water  is  com- 
ing around  the  shoe  or  through  a  leak  in  the  pipe  itself.  If 
the  water  is  coming  through  a  leak  in  the  pipe  and  not  around 
the  shoe,  drilling  may  be  continued  and  the  well  completed  in 
the  usual  way.  After  the  inner  or  oil  string  has  been  set,  it 
may  be  cut  off  somewhere  between  the  shoe  of  the  water 
string  and  the  leak,  and  the  upper  part  pulled  out  and  set 
back  on  top  of  the  lower  section,  with  a  packer  between  the 
two  sections,  thus  preventing  the  water  from  entering  the  oil 
sands  by  way  of  the  hole  in  the  water  string.  The  packing 
should  be  of  more  permanent  material  than  rubber." 


316  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

SHUTTING  OFF  BOTTOM  WATER 

Bottom  water,  so  called,  is  sometimes  encountered  in  nearly 
all  of  the  oil  fields  of  the  United  States.  Sometimes  the 
water  is  in  a  separate  sand  from  the  oil-producing  sand  with 
a  thin  stratum  of  shale  between;  in  many  fields,  particularly 
those  of  Eastern  and  Mid-continent  territory,  the  oil  and 
water  occur  in  the  same  sand.  Thus,  if  the  operator  is  not 
careful  in  drilling  in  the  oil  sand,  he  may  penetrate  into  the 
water.  Bottom  water  has  been  a  source  of  much  difficulty 
and  loss  to  the  oil  producer  and,  when  not  properly  or  intelli- 
gently handled,  it  may  be  the  cause  of  the  loss  of  a  well  or 
of  serious  damage  to  an  entire  locality.  The  producer  is 
naturally  desirous  of  drilling  his  well  as  far  into  the  oil-pro- 
ducing formation  as  possible  and  in  so  doing  he  frequently 
drills  into  the  water. 

Various  methods  and  devices  have  been  employed,  some 
very  successfully,  in  combating  water,  and  the  subject 
is  admirably  covered  in  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin 
No.  163.* 

In  the  following  pages  methods  of  shutting  off  bottom 
water  are  discussed. 

McDonald  Process  for  Cementing  OCF  Bottom  Water  in  Oil 

and  Gas  Wells.* 

"The  McDonald  process  was  developed  by  W.  W.  McDon- 
ald, of  Robinson,  111.  This  process  is  especially  useful  in  a 
well  that  has  been  drilled  or  shot  into  bottom  water,  or 
where  water  has  encroached  on  and  claimed  the  lower  part 
of  an  oil  sand  as  depletion  has  progressed.  It  is  particularly 
valuable  in  a  shot  hole,  because  its  effectiveness  is  in  no  way 
impaired  by  an}'^  irregularity  in  the  shape  of  the  hole,  nor  by 
crevices  or  fissures. 

*  Methods  of  Shutting  Off  Water  in  Oil  and  Gas  Wells,  Bulletin 
No.  163,  By  F.  B.  Tough. 


SHUTTING  OFF  BOTTOM   WATER  317 

For  successful  operation  of  the  process,  it  is  essential  that 

the  water  sand  take  water  when  the  level  in  the  well  is  raised 

above  the  natural  level  of  the  water  to  be  shut  off.     These 

conditions  are  typical  of 

g  the  underlying  water  in 

the  Illinois  pools. 

Figure  190  shows  a 
cross-section  of  a  well 
being  cemented  by  the 
McDonald  process.  Two- 
inch  tubing  is  lowered 
into  the  well  until  the 
bottom  end  is  2  to  4  feet 
above  the  plane  of  con- 
tact between  the  oil  and 
water  -  bearing  part  of 
the  sand.  This  distance 
is  designated  "a"  in  Fig, 
190.  Determination  of 
the  exact  situation  of 
this  plane  may  be  diffi- 
cult or  even  impossible. 
If  the  well  has  been  shot 
into  water,  this  difficulty 
is  obviously  simplified. 
In  any  event  the  opera- 
tor estimates  the  posi- 
tion of  the  plane,  taking 
care  to  keep  on  the  safe 
side  the  first  time,  and 
preferring  to  make  a  low 
rather  than  a  high  esti- 
mate. If  insufficient  ce- 
ment is  used,  more  may  be  added  at  any  time;  but  if  the  oil- 
bearing  part  of  the  sand  be  entirely  or  partly  plugged  off 
with  cement,  the  damage  to  the  well  may  be  difficult  to  repair. 


318  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

Tubing  is  commonly  inserted  with  a  wooden  plug  in  the 
bottom  to  exclude  oil.  The  plug  may  be  knocked  out  either 
by  exerting  pressure  on  the  column  of  water  in  the  tubing 
or  by  running  in  a  couple  of  sucker  rods  on  a  line. 

If  necessary,  the  tubing  may  be  set  over  to  one  side  of  the 
hole  to  aflford  room  for  the  float  that  is  run  on  a  steel  meas- 
uring line.  After  the  plug  has  been  knocked  out  of  the  tubing 
and  the  natural  fluid  level  of  the  hole  measured,  water,  prefer- 
ably fresh,  is  run  or  pumped  into  the  tubing  through  the  con- 
nection shown  at  "b"  (Fig.  190).  This  water  will  run  away 
into  the  water  sand.  As  the  water  runs  down  the  tubing, 
dry  cement  is  sprinkled  into  the  2  to  6-inch  swage  nipple, 
jyerving  as  a  funnel,  on  top  of  the  tubing.  The  cement  is 
put  in  slowly,  a  handful  at  a  time,  at  such  a  rate  that  one 
sack  of  cement  will  be  placed  per  hour.  Ordinarily  two  to 
four  sacks  of  cement  is  sufficient  for  the  job.  Water  is,  of 
course,  kept  continually  running  down  the  tubing  as  the 
cement  is  added. 

As  the  water  runs  away  into  the  sand,  the  cement  particles 
are  caught  in  the  interstices  between  the  grains.  The  action 
.  is  identical  with  that  of  a  sand  filter.  As  the  voids  become 
more  and  more  clogged  with  cement,  greater  and  greater 
pressure  is  required  to  force  the  water  into  the  sand.  Con- 
sequently the  fluid  level  in  the  hole  is  correspondingly  raised. 
When  the  level  has  reached  about  SCO  feet  above  normal,  no 
more  cement  is  put  in,  and  the  flow  of  water  is  maintained 
only  long  enough  to  flush  all  cement  out  of  the  tubing.  This 
done,  it  may  be  advisable  to  pull  out  a  joint  or  two  of  tubing 
to  preclude  any  possibility  of  the  cement  setting  around  the 
bottom  of  the  string. 

The  water  level  is  then  allowed  to  settle  back  to  a  point 
IS  or  20  feet  above  the  normal  for  the  hole.  The  object  is 
to  obtain  a  close  balance  between  the  fluid  pressures  on  either 
side  of  the  cement  with  a  slight  advantage  in  favor  of  the 
internal  pressure  as  a  precaution  against  any  tendency  there 
may  be  of  the  underground  water  forcing  the  cement  back 


SHUTTING  OFF  BOTTOM  WATER  319 

mto  the  hole  or  causing  sufficient  agitation  to  keep  it  frcKn 
setting.  .  This  status  is  maintained  for  about  24  hours  by 
keeping  a  man  at  the  well  who  runs  in  water  in  order  to 
maintain  the  fluid  level.  Then  the  cement  is  allowed  tO'set 
for.  a  week  or  10  days  and  the  job  is  tested  by  pumping.  If 
not  enough  cement  has  been  used,  the  entire  operation  may 
be  repeated  as  often  as  may  be  necessary  to  extend  the  plug 
up  to  the  desired  point  in  the  hole.  A  time-saving  variation 
is  to  run  a  small  bob  on  a  measuring  line  inside  the  tubing.as 
soon  as  the  cement  Jias  set  firmly  enough  that  its  level  may 
be  detected  with  the  bob  and  line.  Then  if  insufficient  cement 
has  been  used,  more  may  be  added  without  further  delay. 

In  this  process  the  cement  fills  the  interstitial  spaces  and 
crevices  in  the, water  sand  for  some  distance  from  the  hole, 
in  addition  to  forming  a  solid  plug  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
hole.  The  process  has  marked  advantages  over  merely  filling 
the  bottom  of  the  hole  with  liquid  cement. 

Question  may  arise  as  to  why  the  cement  does  not  enter 
and  collect  in  the  pores  of  the  oil-bearing  parts  of  the  sand, 
clogging  them  also.  The  explanation  lies  partly  in  the  rela- 
tive specific  gravities  of  the  water,  cement,  and  oil,  but  chiefly 
in  all  probability  in  the  immiscibility  of  water  and  oil,  which 
naturally  repel  each  other.  Whatever  the  reason  may  be, 
the  fact  that  the  cement-bearing  water  selects  the  water- 
bearing part  of  the  sand  has  been  so  thoroughly  established 
for  the  Illinois  conditions  by  Mr.  McDonald's  work  that  this 
phase  of  the  problem  need  not  deter  a  prospective  user  of 
the  process.  This  statement  applies  only  when  the  operator 
takes  precautions  to  avoid  the  use  of  too  much  cement,  which 
would,  of  course,  plug  off  the  oil  as  well  as  the  water. 

After  the  cement  has  set  on  such  a  job,  to  pump  the  water 
Qut  of  the  oil  sand  and  bring  the  oil  back  into  the  well  may 
require  several  days,  or  a  week." 


320  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

Method  of  Using  the  Guiberson-Crowell  Bottom  Water  Plug 

A  unique  device  has  recently  been  invented  for  shutting 
off  bottom  water,  the  Guiberson  Crowell  bottom  water  plug. 
*!the  makers  of  this  plug  state  that  the  operator  may  drill 
into  the  water  without  fear  of  damage  to  his  well  or  to  sur- 
rounding properties  if  he  uses  the  plug,  Figure  19L 

The  spirals  are  made  of  boiler  plate  steel,  fastened  to  the 
core  stem  on  top  by  the  top  plate.  They  are  stretched  into 
position  with  powerful  tension,  and  held  by  a  wooden  dowel 
driven  through  the  nipple  or  anchor  on  the  bottom.  When 
the  spirals  are  flat  their  diameter  is  much  larger  than  when 
stretched  into  position,  as  shown.  The  small  grooves  turned 
in  the  anchor  are  recesses  for  latch. 

The  plug  is  snugly  packed  with  oakum  saturated  with 
freshly  mixed  neat  cement.  This  packing  is  held  in  place  by 
running  small  wires  up  and  down  the  plug  through  small 
holes -bored  in  the  periphery  of  the  spirals  for  that  purpose. 
Sufficient  anchor  pipe  is  screwed  to  the  bottom  of  the  plug 
to  support  it  at  the  exact  point  in  the  hole  where  it  is  desired 
to  shut  off  the  water.  The  plug  is  then  suspended  from  the 
bottom  of  a  string  of  tools  and  slowly  lowered  into  the 
well. 

When  the  plug  is  placed  in  position  in  the  well  and  tapped 
a  few  blows  with  the  tool&,  the  small  wooden  dowel  is  broken, 
the  core  descends  through  the  nipple  or  anchor  on  the  bottom, 
and  the  recesses  are  engaged  by  the  "latch,"  which  thus 
holds  the  core  down;  the  spirals  collapse  and  attempt  to 
expand  to  their  original  diameter.  Being  sharp  or  bevel 
edged,  they  take  a  biting  hold  in  the  wall.  The  packing, 
which  has  been  placed  between  the  spirals  before  lowering 
the  plug  in  the  well,  is  squeezed  and  jammed  tightly  against 
the  walls  of  the  well,  and  against  the  core  of  the  plug,  and 
fills  every  crack  or  recess  which  it  can  reach.  Bottom  water 
cannot  be  shut  off  unless  there  are  firm  walls  to  which  a  plug 
can  be  made  to  adhere. 


SHUTTING  OFF  BOTTOM  WATER 


Fig.  191 

Culberson  Crowell 

Plug 

Some  operators  saturate  the  oakum  with  melted  pitch  and 
others  use  tar.  If  the  temperature  of  the  water  is  such  that 
these  mixtures  will  remain  plastic  until  the  plug  is  set,  ttiere 
is  no  objection  to  them- 

It  is  best  to  fill  the  bottom  of  the  hole  with  freshly  mixed 
neat  cement,  dumped  in  from  a  bailer  just  before  running. the 
plug.  The  plug  will  then  be  immersed  in  cement,  and  v/^en 
expanded,  will  prevent  escape  of  gas  or  water  from  below, 
thus  giving  the  cement  opportunity  to  set  into  a  solid  plug 
from  the  bottom  of  the  well  to  the  top  of  the  bottom  water 
plug.  ' 

Limit  Plug 

As  shown  in  Fig.  193,  this  plug  consists  of  an  upperj.col- 
lapsible  shell  capped  with  lead  and  a  wood  mandrel  -  shpd 
with  iron.  When  driven  together  they  form  a  seal  which 
usually  is  effective  in  shutting  off  water.  Where  the  water 
flow  is  very  heavy  a  lock,  milled  similar  to  a  socket  slipi  is 
set  on  top  of  plug  to  engage  in  wall  of  hole  and  hold  the 


122  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

S 
plug  in  place.    For  extreme  pressure  a  leaa  plug  is 
sometimes  driven  on  top  oi  the  limit  plug,  the  limit 
plug  forming  a  secure  base  for  the  lead. 

Directions  for  setting:  Drop  some  brokfcn  stone 
in  hole  and  run  the  tools  on  it  to  secure  a  firm 
fqimdation.  Connect  up  the  tools  by  placing  the 
jars  between  the  stem  and  the  bit.  Loop  several 
strands  of  hay  wire  through  staple  in  top  of  plug, 
up  along  water  courses  of  bit  and  through-lhe  jars, 
so  the  tongue  of  jars  will  cut  the  wire  in  process  of 
driving  plug.  Run  the  plug  slowly  when  entering 
reduced  holes  or  through  caving  formations  and 
shot  holes.  When  plug  is  set  pound  it  down  with 
the  tools,  using  a  drilling  motion,  until  the  plug  is 
driven  solidly  together  and  the  lead  cap  is  swaged 
out  to  the  wall  of  hole. 

.SS™.  I-^'i  P'°e»  "  Lea*  Wool 

In  the  Eastern  and  Mid-continent  fields  lead 
plugs  of  various  kinds  and  lead  wood  have  success- 
fully been  used  for  shutting  off  bottom  water. 
These  devices  will  not,  however,  make  an  effective 
water  shut-off  in  soft  or  caving  formations  or  in 
much  shattered  shot  holes. 

The  Solid,  lead  plug  is  lowered  to  the  bottom  of 
the  hole  and  pounded  with  the  tools  until  the  lead 
has  been  sufficiently  calked  into  the  recesses  of  the 
hole  to  shut  off  the  water.    When  a  lead  plug  with 
steel  mandrel   (Fig,  194)   is  used,  the  plug  is  ex- 
panded to  the  full  diameter  of  the  hole  by  driving 
down  the  mandrel  with  the  driUing  tools,  using  a 
flat  bottom  bit.     Directions   for  setting*  the  limit 
plug  may  be  followed  when  setting  lead  plugs. 
F^7^»4         Lead  wool  is  placed  in  the  hole  in  smalt  bundles, 
*^»^^»«  each  being  tamped  down  with  the  tools  before  the 
Mandrel    next  is  put  in.  ^ 


'  'I  ,• 


CHAPTER  XI 
SHOOTING  WELLS   ;  ' 

It  is  the  general  practice  to  torpedo,  or  shoot,  wells  drilled  in 
hard  or  close  formations  to  break, up  or. fracture  the  rock,  with 
the  object  of  increasing  the  oil  production.  Nitro-glycerin,  per- 
haps the  most  powerful  explosive  in  general  use,  is  usually  em- 
ployed for  this  purpose  and  the  work  is  done  by  torpedo  com- 
panies or  shooters  familiar  with  the  work  and  equipped  for  it. 
It  has  been  found  that  shooting  the  soft  Tertiary  and  Cretaceous 
formations  of  the  Gulf  Coast  and  California  does  not  sufficiently 
increase  the  production  to  pay  for  the  expense,  so  it  is  not  cus- 
tomary to  shoot  the  softer  formations.  The  wells  in  the  harder 
Cretaceous  rocks  of  Wyoming,  however,  are  shot  with  very  good 
results  and  it  is  the  practice  to  shoot  most  of  the  wells  in  that 
field. 

Frequently  large  natural  or  gusher  wells,  after  their  produc- 
tion has  declined,  are  shot,  resulting  in  an  increase  of  produc- 
tion; also  wells  have  been  shot  the  second  and  third  time  with 
good  results. 

Formerly  dry  holes  and  wells  showing  only  a  trace,  of  oil 
were  abandoned  as  worthless.  Now,  however,  due  to  the  exces- 
sive cost  of  drilling,  and  to  the  high  price  of  oil,  many  operators 
make  it  a  practice  to  shoot  the  dry  holes  in  the  hope  of  convert- 
ing a  total  loss  into  a  paying  proposition.  The  shooting  of  dry 
holes  in  the  fields  of  North  Texas  has  met  with  unusual  success, 
many  dry  holes  having  been  shot  into  wells  whose  initial  pro- 
duction was  1,000  barrels  per  day  or  more. 

It  is  not  customary  to  shoot  gas  wells;  however  the  practice 
of  shooting  dry  holes  in  North  Texas,  which  often  converts 
them  into  paying  oil  wells  would  indicate  that  there  might  be  a 
chance,  in  a  gas  field,  to  shoot  a  dry  hole  into  a  profitable  gas 
well. 

323 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


FlE.    196.     ShootlnK  An  Oil   Well. 

Nitro-glycerin  CsHs  (NOa)!  is  the  product  of  chemical  reac- 
tion obtained  by  treating  glycerin  with  a  mixture  of  3  parts  of 
nitric  and  5  parts  of  sulphuric  acid.  The  process  of  manu- 
facture is  to  place  the  mixed  acid  in  a  nitrator,  or  other  water 
jacketed  or  cooled  vessel,  and  to  introduce  the  glycerin  slowly 
in  a  small  stream,  the  while  maintaining  a  constant  stirring. 

A  thermometer  is  kept  immersed  in  the  mixture  and,  should 


SHOOTING  WELLS  325 

the  temperature  rise  to  120**  F,  the  supply  of  glycerin  is  reduced, 
or  cut  off,  until  the  temperature  falls,  when  the  operation  is 
resumed.  When  the  glycerin  has  been  thoroughly  nitrated,  re- 
quiring 15  to  20  minutes,  and  using  about  7  parts  of  acid  to  one 
of  glycerin,  the  batch  is  dumped  into  a  drowning  tank  of  cold 
water.  It  is  then  drawn  off  into  a  wash  tank  equipped  with 
paddles  and  is  washed  for  about-  one  hour  .with  warm  water 
to  free  all  unabsorb^d  acids  (about  70%  of  the  mixture,  mostly 
acid,  is  drained  off  into  an  acid  pond,  becoming  a  waste  product). 
The  nitro-glycerin  is  then  drawn  off  into  10-quart  cans  and 
stored  ready  for  use. 

It  is  essential  that  nitro-glycerin  be  thoroughly  washed,  other- 
wise the  presence  of  unabsorbed  acid  is  a  menace.  Improperly 
washed  nitro-glycerin,  known  as  "bad  stock,"  has  been  the  cause 
of  disastrous  explosions. 

Nitro-glycerin  begins  to  decompose  at  140°  F  and  explodes  at 
from  360**  to  424**  F.* 

It  freezes  at  from  43°  to  46°  F. 

Well  shooters  thaw  frozen .  nitro-glycerin  by  immersing  the 
cans  in  warm  water,  after  first  drawing  the  corks.  Nitro- 
glycerin contracts  or  expands  about  1/12  of  its  volume  from 
frozen  to  thawed  state,  or  vice  versa,  therefore  cans  never  should 
be  filled,  but  sufficient  space  should  be  left  to  provide  for  ex- 
pansion. 

Before  cans  containing  nitro-glycerin  are  loaded  in  vehicles 
for  transportation,  they  should  carefully  be  examined  for  leaks, 
and  no  can  showing  the  slightest  leak  should  be  transported. 
Explosions  have  been  caused  by  nitro-glycerin  leaking  into  the 
springs  or  running  gear  of  wagon  or  automobile. 

The  shooter's  first  operation  in  shooting  a  well  is  to  consult 
the  log  of  the  well,  or  to  ascertain  from  the  driller  the  exact 
depth  of  the  hole  to  the  top  of  the  productive  formation,  the 
thickness  of  the  formation  and  the  depth  of  the  hole  or  "leg" 

*  In  a  series  of  experiments  conducted  by  U  S.  Bureau  of  Mines,  it 
'  was  found  that  In  none  of  the  tests  did  nitroglycerin  explode  at  tem- 
perature lower  than  200°  C  and  in  some  cases  as  high  as  21 8°  C=:424o  F. 
Ref.  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Technical  Paper  No.   12.     The  behaviour  of 
nitrogrlycerin  when  heated,  by  Walter  O.  Snellingr  and  C.  O.  Storm. 


326  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

below  the  productive  fonnation,  and  then  carefully  to  run  the 
measuring  line  to  verify  at  least  .the  total  depth  of  the  well,  or, 
if  an  error  has  been  made  in  the  !c^,  to  determine  the  exact 
depth. 

Sufficient  water,  if  the  hole  contains  little  or  no  fluid,  is  poured, 
or  better,  dumped  with  the  bailer  in  the  well  to  cover  the  oil 


FllltnK   a   Shall. 


SHOOTING  WELLS  327 

sand  to  a  dq>th  of  100  to  200  feet  to  tamp  the  charge  and  direct 
the  force  of  the  explosion  downward. 

Sometimes  the  operator  decides  that  he  wants  a  heavy  shot 
and  specifies  the  quantity  of  nitro-glycerin  that  is  to  be  used, 
with  the  result  that  enough  glycerin  is  put  in  to  more  than  cover 
the  productive  formation  to  be  shot.    It  is,  of  course,  futile  to 
shoot  non-productive  formations  above  or  below  the  pay  sand. 
It  is  good  practice  to  inform  the  shooter  the  diameter  of  the  hole 
and  thickness  of  the  productive  formation  and  leave  the  quantity 
of  explosive  to  be  used  to  his  judgment.    When  the  shooter  has 
established  the  exact  measurements  of  hole  and  formation  he 
selects  tin  containers,  called  shells,  of  a  diameter  that  will  easily 
go  down  the  hole  (shells  are  usually  about  1  inch  smaller  than 
the  diameter  of  the  hole,  with  capacities  of  10,  20  and  30  quarts), 
and,  to  the  bottom  of  the  first,  or  lower,  shell  he  connects  sufficient 
tin  tubing,  l}^  inches  in  diameter,  called  anchor,  to  extend  from 
the  bottom  of  the  hole  up  to  the  bottom  of  the  productive  forma- 
tion.    He  then  fills  the  first  shell  with  nitro-glycerin,  pouring  it 
from  the   10-quart  cans  he  carries  in  his  wagon  or  auto,  and 
lowers  it  carefully  to  the  bottom.    On  top  of  this  shell  and  anchor 
he  deposits  enough  more  shells  to  fill  the  hole  to  the  top  of  the 
productive   formation.     When,  as  often  occurs,  the  productive 
formation  is  interbedded  with  one  or  more  shale  breaks  or  other 
barren  strata,  the  shells  are  so  spaced  by  means  of  loaded  anchor 
(common  anchor  tubing  filled  with  nitro-glycerin)  that  the  shells 
containing  the  explosive  cover  each  of  the  oil  bearing  sands,  and 
the  anchor   bridges   the  space  occupied  by  the  non-productive 
formations. 

A  pail  of  water  is  poured  over  each  shell  after  filling  to  wash 
off  any  nitro-glycerin  that  may  have  splashed,  and  to  wet  the  cas- 
ing to  reduce  the  friction  of  the  shell  in  it. 

The  shells  and  anchor  are  lowered  on  a  J^-inch  diameter 
Manila  torpedo  line,  tarred.  The  linepasses  over  a  pulley  tied  to 
the  drilling  stem  or  bailer,  see  Fig.  197.  It  is  wound  on  an  iron 
reel  with  brake  and  handle,  which  usually  is  clamped  to  the  engine 
fly  wheel  to  secure  power  for  operating.    A  specially  made  hook 


i-m^ 


328  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

that  will  readily  unhook  from  the  bail  of  the  shell  when  the 
line  is  slacked  is  used. 

In  shooting  wells  where  the  casing  is  set  close  to  the  oil 
sand  the  tamping  water  should  not  reach  the  casing,  other- 
wise the  casing  should  be  raised  a  few  hundred  feet,  or  the 
explosion  might  damage  it. 

There  are  various  methods  of  exploding  the  shot.  In  the 
fields  of  Pennsylvania  and  Ohio,  where  the  rock  formations 
stand  up,  the  "go  devil,"  so  called,  usually  serves  the  pur- 
pose. This  is  simply  a  cast  iron  weight  dropped  in  the 
well  which,  when  it  strikes  the  firing  head  and  detonating 
cap  fixed  to  the  top  of  the  upper  shell,  explodes  the  shot. 

It  is  the  general  practice  in  the  Mid-continent  and 
Wyoming  fields  to  explode  the  shot  by  means  of  one  of  the 
several  types  of  squib  or,  in  caving  wells  where  the  casing 
is  pulled,  by  the  use  of  electric  wire  and  a  battery,  called  an 
electric  shot.  The  squib  is  a  small  tin  shell  containing  a 
small  quantity  of  dynamite  or  nitro-glycerin  and  exploded 
by  methods  described  in  following  paragraphs. 

The  jack  squib  is  the  one  most  generally  used.  It  con- 
sists of  a  tin  shell,  2  inches  in  diameter  and  3  to  5  feet  in 
length,  reinforced  on  the  outside,  and  with  an  inner  tube, 
in  which  is  placed  one-half  pint  of  nitro-glycerin  or  a  stick 
of  dynamite.  Several  feet  of  waterproof  fuse  are  wrapped 
around  the  glycerin  tube  and  connected  with  a  fulminate 
of  mercury  cap  fitted  near  the  bottom.  The  space  between 
the  tube  and  fuse  and  the  shell  is  then  packed  with  sand. 
(See  Fig.  198.)  The  sand  serves  the  double  purpose  of. 
weighting  the  jack  and  absorbing  any  nitro-glycerin  that 
might  leak  out  of  the  tube.  The  end  of  the  fuse  projecting 
at  the  top  is  then  lighted  and  the  "jack"  is  dropped  in  the 
hole.  Should  it  fail  to  explode,  a  second  jack  is  dropped 
or  a  bumper  squib  is  used.  The  length  of  fuse  used  de- 
pends on  the  depth  of  the  well  and  whether  it  is  dry  or 
filled  with  water  or  oil.  Two  feet  would  answer  for  a  dry 
Jack  Squib,  hole,  while  a  well  full  of  oil  might  require  ten  feet. 


V-.-;- 

>!  .■ 


SHOOTING  WELLS 

The  line  squib  is  a  short  tin  shell  about  15  inches  long 
with  a  wire  loop  in  the  bottom  for  attaching  a  sash  weight  I 
to  carry  it  down.  It  is  equipped  with  a  firing  head  and 
three  piece  pin,  to  which  are  fitted  three  per- 
cussion caps,  so  that  if  one  cap  should  fait, 
another  might  explode  (see  Fig.  199).  It  is 
lowered  on  a  length  of  squib  wire  until  it  rests 
on  the  top  shell  of  the  charge,  when  a  light 
tension  is  taken  on  the  wire  to  take  up  slack. 
Then  a  nipple  or  short  piece  of  pipe  is  dropped 
over  the  wire,  which,  striking  the  firing  head 
explodes  the  charge.  Some  shooters  pour 
about  a  barrel  of  water  down  the  hole  just 
ahead  of  the  weight,  to  absorb  the  shock  of 
its  impact  when  it  reaches  the  fluid  in  the  hole, 
and  to  prevent  cutting  off  the  wire  at  that 
point. 

The  bumper  squib  consists  of  an  upper  tube 
2  inches  in  diameter  and  4J^  feet  long,  con- 
Unlsq^b.  netted  by  three  wires  soldered  to  a  lower  shell 
similar  to  a  line  squib,  and  fitted  with  a  firing 
head  and  pins.  The  bail  at  the  top  is  looped,  through 
which  the  end  of  the  squib  wire  is  passed  and  attached  to  a 
sash  weight.  Another  sash  weight  is  attached  to  the  bot- 
tom of  the  squib  to  weight  it  and  carry  it  down.  Sufficient 
nitro-glycerin  is  poured  into  the  squib  to  fill  it  up  over  the 
detonating  caps  fitted  on  the  firing  pins.  The  outfit  is  then 
lowered  to  the  top  of  the  charge,  and  a  quick  slacking  away 
on  the  squib  wire  causes  the  upper  sash  weight  to  drop  and 
to  strike  the  firing  head,  exploding  the  squib.  The  disad- 
vantage of  the  bumper  squib  is  that,  should  it  lodge  in  the 
casing,  the  weight  might  strike  the  firing  head  and  ex- 
plode it. 

The  squib  wire  is  wound  on  a  smaller  iron  reel  and  is 
passed  over  the  same  pulley,  tied  to  the  stem,  that  is  used 
for  the  torpedo  line,  ^ 


330  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

The  electric  shot,  so  called,  requires  an  electric  wire  and  special 
squib.  The  electric  shot  is  used  in  wells  drilled  through  caving 
material,  or  where  it  may  be  necessary  to  pull  the  casing  before 
exploding  the  shot.  The  shells  containing  the  nitro-glycerin  are 
placed  in  the  well  in  the  usual  way.  An  electric  squib  is  then 
lowered  on  a  length  of  No.  14,  16  or  18  duplex  insulated  copper 
wire  to  the  top  of  the  charge.  The  squib  is  about  16  inches  loi^ 
with  a  bail,  to  which  the  electric  wire  is  tied  with  a  piece  of  rope, 
leaving  sufficient  wire  below  the  bail  to  extend  to  the  cap.  The 
squib  has  an  inner  tube  into  which  enough  nitro-glycerin  is 
poured  to  fill  it  up  to  the  fulminating  cap  with  which  it  is  fitted. 
The  two  ends  of  the  wire  are  connected  to  a  Y  shaped  platinum 
fuse  and  inserted  in  the  tube  of  the  cap.  The  squib  is  then 
packed  with  sand  to  absorb  any  possible  leakage  and  is  weighted 
with  a  sash  weight  and  lowered. 

All  wire  connections  made  for  an  electric  shot  should  be  care- 
fully taped. 

When  the  casing  is  pulled,  and  the  joints,  one  at  a  time,  are 
stripped  over  the  wire,  if  the  walls  of  the  hole  should  cave  the 
wire  will  maintain  a  connection  to  the  surface.  The  charge,  is 
then  exploded  by  means  of  a  hand  operated  battery,  generating 
an  electric  current  which  melts  the  platinum  in  the  cap,  detonating 
it.  If  cavings  should  break  the  wire,  it  will  be  necessary  to  clean 
out  the  hole  with  drilling  tools  sufficiently  to  explode  the  shot 
with  one  of  the  other  types  of  squib  here  described.  Should 
these  means  fail,  it  may  be  possible  to  explode  the  charge  by 
lowering  a  string  of  tubing,  to  the  bottom  of  which  is  attached  a 
pointed  wood  plug.  The  weight  of  the  tubing  will  sometimes 
force  it  down  through  the  cavings,  otherwise  it  may  have 
to  be  turned  with  the  tongs.  When  the  tubing  has  reached 
the  charge  the  plug  is  washed  out  by  pouring  water  into 
it.  An  electric  squib  is  then  lowered  on  another  length 
of  insulated  wire,  the  tubing  is  stripped  over  the  wire  and 
the  charge  is  exploded  with  the  battery.  A  simpler  method 
that  has  proved  efficacious  is  to  clean  out  the  cavings  to 
within  a  few  feet  of  the  charge  and  then  dump  about  ten  quarts 


.f  ' 


SHOOTING  WELLS  331 

«■• 
of  nitro-glycerin..  After  waiting  until  the  glycerin  has  had  time 

to  seep  through  the  cavings,  the  charge  is  exploded  by  dropping  a 

jack  squib. 

The  dump  shot  sometimes  is  used  in  wells  having  a  small  body 
of  producing  sand  and  where  no  leg  has  been  drilled  below  it 
This  is  for  the  purpose  of  filling  all  the  space  in  the  hole  with 
explosive.  A  dump  shell  perforated  at  the  bottom  and  with  a 
plunger  valve  is  used  to  put  in  the  nitro-glycerin  and  to  dump  it. 

Usually  wells  are  shot  by  experienced  well  shooters,  equipped 
for  the  work,  but  it  might  sometimes  be  desired  to  use  explosives 
in  a  well  in  a  new  field  or  at  a  place  a  long  distance  from  a  supply 
of  nitro-glycerin.  Solidified  nitro-glycerin  or  dynamite  is  some- 
times used  for  this  purpose  by  drillers  or  other  parties  not 
familiar  with  well  shooting.  They  should,  however,  be  very  care- 
ful in  the  measurement  of  the  hole  and  be  certain  that  the  shot 
is  placed  so  that  its  explosion  will  fracture  the  oil  bearing  forma- 
tion. Neither  .of  these  explosives  is  as  effective  as  nitro-glycerin, 
however. 

Owing  to  difficulty  of  exploding  shots  in  the  deep  wells  of 
North  Texas  with  the  various  types  of  squib  usually  used,  a 
squib  which  proved  efficacious  has  recently  been  improvised  by  a 
combination  of  an  ordinary  jack  squib  and  a  joint  of  anchor 
tubing  in  place  of  the  glycerin  tube.  A  stick  of  dynamite  is 
placed  in  the  bottom  of  the  anchor,  a  hole  is  punched  in  the 
anchor  about  six  feet  from  the  bottom  and  two  lengths  of  fuse 
with  caps  are  inserted  in  the  hole  and  pushed  down  until  they 
reach  the  dynamite.  The  anchor  tube  is  then  fitted  into  the 
jack  and  packed  with  sand.  The  advantages  claimed  for  this 
jack  are  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  wrap  the  fuse  around  the  tube ; 
there  are  two  fuses,  so  that  if  one  fails,  the  other  may  explode 
the  shot,  and  the  weight  of  the  sand  assists  in  sinking  the  jack. 


332 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


CAPACITIES  OF  NITRO-GLYCERIN  SHELLS 


31  feet  6  inchet . 

20  feet  linch... 

13  feet  9  inches. 

10  feet  2  inches. 

7  feet  11  inches. 

6  feet  4  inches . 

5  feet  8  inches. 

5  feet  5  inches . 

5  feet  2  inches. 

4  feet  9  inches . 

4  feet  4  inches . 

3  feet  8  inches . 

3  feet  4  inches . 

3  feet 


TOTAL  LENGTH  OF  2  TO  10  20-QUART 
NITRO-GLYCERIN  SHELLS 
Figured  to  the  nearest  half  foot 


Number  of  Shells 


3     I     4     I     5     I     6     I     7     I     8     I     9      I    10 


ToUl  Length  of  Shells 


94K 

126 

1S7K 

189 

220yi 

252 

283M 

60M 

80K 

lOOM 

120K 

140K 

160^ 

181 

41 

55 

69 

82  K 

96K 

110 

124 

30>^ 

40K 

51 

61 

71 

81K 

9iyi 

24 

31 J4 

39K 

47K 

SSH 

63K 

71K 

19 

2SJ4 

31  >^ 

38 

44K 

50K 

57 

17 

22K 

28K 

34 

39M 

45  >4 

51 

16M 

21H 

27 

32  H 

38 

43K 

49 

ISK 

20K 

26 

31 

36 

41 K 

46M 

14K 

19 

24 

2SJ4 

33K 

38 

43 

13 

17K 

21K 

26 

soyi 

34H 

39 

11 

14K 

18>^ 

22 

25  K 

29K 

33 

10 

13>^ 

16K 

20 

2$H 

26>i 

30 

9 

12 

15 

18 

21 

24 

27 

315 
201 

137K 

loiyi 

79 

63M 
56}4 
54 

SIH 
4TH 

36>i 

33K 
30 


Example:  To  find  number  of  shells  required  to  shoot  fifty 
feet  of  sand  in  a  65/8-inch  hole,  b/  table,  either  ten  5-inch  or 
fourteen  6-inch. 


MISCELLANEOUS  INSTRUCTIONS. 

Flagging  the  Line.  —  The  shooter  should  keep  a  permanent 
"flag"  in  his  torpedo  line  about  150  feet  from  the  hook  on  the  end, 
also  it  is  good  practice  to  flag  the  line  to  indicate  the  fluid  level 
in  the  well  and  the  depth  of  the  lower  or  first  shell.  He  should 
also  measure  the  depth  of  the  last  shell  to  be  sure  it  has  been 
correctly  placed. 

Careful  watching  of  the  flags  on  the  line  may  prevent  accidental 
explosions,  which,  at  the  surface,  would  endanger  life  and 
property  and  in  the  hole  might  ruin  the  well  or  at  least  defeat  the 
object  of  the  shot.  When  withdrawing  the  line  from  the  hole  and 
the  lower  flag  appears,  it  is  good  practice  to  stop  reeling  with  the 
engine  and  reel  in  the  remainder  of  the  line  by  hand,  thus  if 
the  shell  should  not  have  unhooked  and  was  being  drawn  up 
there  would  be  no  danger  of  hoisting  it  into  the  pulley.  This 
actually  is  what  happened  at  a  well  in  North  Texas.  The  shooter 
had  either  neglected  to  flag  the  line  or  the  flag  had  pulled  out 


SHOOTING  WELLS  333 

and  he  reeled  with  the  engine  until  the  shell  reached  the  surface 
and  struck  the  pulley,  exploding  and  wrecking  the  well.  The 
flag  to  mark  the  depth  of  the  first  shell  is  to  guide  the  shooter 
in  lowering  subsequent  shells,  that  he  may  be  careful  not  to  allow 
the  shell  being  lowered  to  strike  those  already  placed.  The  best 
method  of  flagging  is  to  open  the  strands  of  the  line  and  insert 
a  short  piece  of  a  strand. 

When  shooting  a  well  that  flows  periodically  a  funnel  with  an 
oflFset  should  be  used,  so  pouring  may  be  done  away  from  the 
well  mouth,  or  better,  the  shells  filled  before  being  placed  in  the 
well  by  lowering  them  in  the  cellar^  or  below  the  derrick  floor. 
The  time  between  flows  is  carefully  noted  and  the  shells  are 
lowered  during  the  interim.  If  the  well  is  equipped  with  a  con- 
trol casing  head,  it  may  be  closed  after  each  shell  has  been  placed. 
It  is  good  practice  to  swab  a  flowing  well  before  attempting  to 
shoot  it. 

Sometimes  shells  lodge  in  the  casing  or  in  the  wall  of  the  hole. 
They  may  often  be  pushed  down  with  the  bailer.  When  this 
is  done  a  block  of  wood  should  be  fitted  around  the  bailer  dart. 
If  the  shell  cannot  be  moved,  it  must  be  fished  out  with  a  grab 
that  shooters  use  for  the  purpose.  It  is  safer  first  to  bleed  the 
shell  and  allow  the  contents  to  drain  out  before  attempting  to 
pull  it,  but  this,  of  course,  involves  the  loss  of  the  explosive. 
Bleeding  is  accomplished  by  lowering  on  the  sand  line  a  pointed 
steel  spear  weighted  by  a  polished  rod  or  other  weight.  After 
the  shell  has  been  removed,  the  tools  or  the  bailer  should  be  run 
to  bottom  to  clear  the  obstruction,  should  there  be  one. 

When  shells  of  small  diameter  are  used  in  a  large  diameter  hole, 
each  shell  should  be  fitted  with  a  funnel  shaped  anchor  tip  of  a 
diameter  that  will  prevent  the  upper  shells  from  crowding  down 
beside  the  lower  ones. 

Shells  have  a  double  bottom,  the  lower  one  cone  shaped,  taper- 
ing to  a  diameter  that  will  fit  in  the  anchor  tubing.  This 
cone,  being  empty,  is  sometimes  collapsed  by  the  fluid  pressure, 
causing  the  upper  bottom  to  break  and  the  explosive  to  escape. 
To  prevent  this,  a  small  hol^  should  be  punched  with  an  awl  just 


/f'T( 


334  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

bdow  the  upper  bottom,  which  will  allow  the  fluid  to  displace 
the  air  in  the  cone. 

A  nitro-glycerin  factory  should  be  kept  clean  and  all  nitro- 
glycerin that  may  have  leaked  or  splashed  over  the  floors  should 
be  carefully  washed  off  with  warm  water.  No  glass  is  used  in 
the  windows  and  they  should  be  shaded  to  prevent  the  sun  from 
shining  in,  for  the  sun's  rays  sometimes  cause  fires. 

The  cocks  or  taps  through  which  the  nitro-glycerin  is  drawn 
off  should  be  made  of  a  frictionless  substance,  such  as  earthen- 
ware. 

It  is  good  practice  to  can  nitro-glycerin  while  it  is  hot,  for 
during  the  cooling  process  its  volume  will  shrink  sufficiently  to 
create  a  vacuum  that  will  draw  in  the  corks  tightly  and  over- 
come the  tendency  of  the  can  to  bulge  when  filled.  Should  the 
explosive  be  placed  in  the  cans  cold  a  rise  in  the  temperature 
might  cause  the  contents  of  the  can  to  expand,  resulting  in  either 
the  forcing  of  the  corks  and  consequent  leakage  or  a  possible 
explosion. 

SPONTANEOUS     EXPLOSION     OF     NITRO-GLYCERIN     IN 

WELLS  IN  NORTH  TEXAS. 

That  nitro-glycerin,  when  left  in  the  deep  wells  in  the  Ranger, 
Texas,  oil  fields,  would  explode  spontaneously  was  an  accidental 
discovery.  In  this  field  it  is  often  necessary  to  pull  the  casing 
and  explode  the  shot  electrically,  using  insulated  wire  reaching 
from  the  surface  to  the  charge  of  nitro-glycerin.  Occasionally, 
due  to  caving  of  the  strata,  the  wire  connection  was  broken  and 
it  was  impossible  to  explode  the  charge  except  after  cleaning 
out  the  cavings  covering  the  charge,  a  dangerous  operation  at 
best.  It  was  found  that  nitro-glycerin,  thus  buried,  usually 
would  explode.  The  time  required  for  such  explosions  ranged 
from  one  hour  and  fifteen  minutes  in  one  instance  to  over  one 
hundred  hours,  but  the  average  time  is  seventy-two  hours.  There 
has  been  much  discussion  regarding  the  probable  cause  of  these 
explosions,  for  similar  conditions  have  not  been  observed  in 
any  of  the  other  deep  fields.    Internal  heat,  chemical  action  of 


SHOOTING  WELLS  335 

the  fluid  in  the  well  and  acid  that  may  be  left  in  the  nitro-glycerin, 
and  the  heating  tendency  of  pyrites,  which  is  present  in  some  of 
the  formations,  are  all  given  as  the  possible  cause  of  these  explo- 
sions. The  matter  has  been  the  subject  of  an  investigation  by  the 
TJ.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines,  whose  report*  is  very  interesting.  It  is 
now  the  custom  of  well  shooters  in  that  field,  with  the  consent  of 
the  well  owner,  to  make  no  effort  to  explode  the  shot  in  wells 
that  cave  or  where  the  casing  must  be  pulled  or  raised,  but  to 
place  the  explosive  in  the  well  and  leave  it  to  explode  spontane- 
ously. A  watchman  is  usually  left  at  the  well.  The  operator  is 
saved  the  tedious  work  of  stripping  the  casing  over  the  wire  and 
the  results  of  such  shots  seem  to  be  as  effective  as  when  the 
charge  has  been  exploded  in  the  usual  way. 

*  Notes  on  spontaneous  explosions  of  nitro-grlycerin  in  oil  and  eras 
'wrells,  Stephens,  Palo  Pinto  and  Young:  Counties,  North  Texas,  by  R.  E. 
Collom    (Petroleum  Technologrist)   Bureau   of  Mines. 


CHAPTER  XII 

FINISHING  THE  WELL 

Finishing  and  Shutting  in  Oil  Wells,  Pumping  Equipment, 

Setting  Screens  and  Liners,  Washing  Wells, 

Shutting  in  Gas  Wells 

FINISHING  AND   SHUTTING   IN   OIL   WELLS   WHERE 

FORMATIONS  STAND  UP 

All  wells  should  be  drilled  in  slowly  and  carefully.  If  the 
producing  formation  is  known  to  contain  no  water,  it  may 
be  safe  to  drill  out  each  screw  before  pulling  out  and  bailing 
and  examining  the  sand.  In  a -sand  carrying  bottom  water 
or  in  a  test  well  it  is  best  to  withdraw  the  tools  and  bail  out 
every  one  to  three  feet.  At  the  first  sign  of  bottom  water, 
drilling  should  be  stopped.  When  conditions  permit  it  is 
good  practice  to  drill  ten  to  fifty  feet  of  pocket,  or  leg,  below 
the  producing  formation.  This  serves  the  dual  purpose  of  a 
receptacle  in  which  the  oil  and  also  floating  sand  and  cavings 
may  collect,  and  prevents  the  latter  from  filling  in  and  cover- 
ing the  producing  formation.  The  top  joint  of  casing  which 
usually  is  belled,  should  be  removed  and  a  casing  nipple  and 
casing  head  substituted  before  drilling  in,  so  that  in  the 
event  of  a  sudden  flow  of  oil  or  gas  the  operator  may  be 
prepared  to  connect  the  well  to  a  tank  or  to  close  in  the  gas. 

Occasionally  a  well  is  drilled  into  a  strong  flow  of  oil  and, 
if  the  operator  is  unprepared,  much  oil  may  be  lost.  A  device 
known  as  the  Control  Casing  Head  has  come  into  general 
use  in  Mid-continent  territory  which  prevents  this  waste.  It 
really  is  a  casing  head  and  gate  valve  combined  (see  Fig.  201) 

336 


FINISHING   THE   WELL 


and  is  so  designed  that  the 
well  may  be  shut  in  en- 
tirely, or  permitted  to  flow 
in  such  reduced  volume 
that  the  production  can  be 
cared  for  without  loss  or 
waste.  A  notch  in  the 
valve  receives  and  closes 
around  the  drilling  line, 
making  a  tight  joint. 

When  drilling  in  wells  in 
a  partially  developed  field 
where  gusher  wells  are  not 
common,  but  where  the 
well  might  flow,  one  of  the 
several  types  of  oil  saver 
should  be  used.  The  oil 
saver  (Fig.  202)  is  a  device 
that  fits  in  the  top  of  the 
casing  head  with  a  plunger 
in  which  the  drilling  cable 
is  confined,  or  a  stuffing 
box  through  which  it  may 
pass,  thus  partially,  at 
least,  closing  in  the  well 
while  drilling  progresses. 


SHUTTING  IN  AN  OIL  WELL 


Where  the  producing  formation  stands  -up  a  flowing  well 
may  be  shut  ig  the  casing  by  means  of  a  gate  valve  or  by 
simply  closing  the  top  of  the  casing  head  with  a  solid  top 
or  a  plug  and  permitting  the  well  to  flow  through  the  side 
outlets,  to  which  lead  lines  to  the  tank,  equipped  with  stop 
cocks,  are  connected. 

When  the  pressure  and  volume  have  diminished  so  the 


338  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

well  will  no  longer  flow  through  the  casing,  tubing,  usually 
2  inches  in  diameter,  with  a  packer  at  the  bottom  is  put  in. 
The  oil,  thus  confined  to  the  smaller  tubing,  may  continue  to 
flow.    When  the  well  will  no  longer  flow  through  the  tubing, 
it   must  be  put  to  pumping.     Swabbing  and  agitating  are 
sometimes  effective  in  causing  wells  to  resume  flowing.    The 
swab  (Fig.  203)  is  a  device  fitted  with  a  check  valve  and  a 
rubber  that  approximates  the  diameter  of  the  cas- 
ing.    It  is  operated  on  drilling  tools  and,  as  its 
name  implies,  is  run  to  the  bottom  of  the  well  and 
withdrawn,  swabbing  but  the  oil  in  the  well  and 
creating  a  suction  that  may  cause  it  to  flow  for  a 
short  time. 

Agitating  is  done  by  ninning  the  drilling  tools 
or  lowering  a  polished  rod  or  other  weight  on  the 
sand  line  and  raising  and  lowering  it,  which  may 
cause  the  well  to  flow. 

In  California  operators  sometimes  raise  and  lower 
the  oil  string  of  casing  as  a  means  of  agitating. 

In  the  Mid-continent  fields  the  "squibbing,"  so 

called,  of  wells  that  have  ceased  flowing  is  often 

done.     This  consists  of  shooting  the  well  with  a 

small    quantity    of    nitro-giycerin    when    it    stops 

flowing  and  repeating  the  process  until  the  well 

fails  to  respond  further,  when  it  is  put  to  pumping. 

Fig.  203  The  pumping  of  deep  wells  whose  production  is 

Swab.        jjQ^  settled  is  usually  done  with  a  separate  power 

unit  for  each  well,  usually  a  gas  engine.     Shallow  wells  and 

sometimes  deep  wells  whose  production  is  small  are  connected 

to  a  central  power  plant,  operated  with  a  gas  engine.     A 

pumping  jack  is  placed  over  each  well  and  these  are  operated 

by  pull  rods  radiating  from  the  power  to  the  several  wells, 

refer  to  Fig.  204. 


PUMPING   EQUIPMENT 


\ 


I 


^ 


Pis.  104. — Dlagrani  o(  Central  Power  Plant  (or  PumiriiiB  a  Group 
of  Wells.  Ehowlng  Eccentric  Power.  Oae  Engine,  PuH  Roda 
and  Pumping  Jack  at  each  well. 


340 


DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 


PUMPING  EQUIPMENT 


^per  yb^e 


infdarrsl 


\hif^e 


•  t 


f  4 

»  i 

•  4 


i^eJPipe 


Anchor^ 


Fig.  206. 
Diagram  of  Pumping  Outfit 


A  pumping  outfit 
(Fig.  205)  for  a  well  to 
be  pumped  by  means  of 
the  walking  beam  of 
the  derrick  consists  of 
the  following : 

Adjuster,  fitting  in 
the  temper  screw  slot 
of  the  beam,  used  to 
grip  and  to  adjust  the 
length  of  stroke  of  the 
polished  rod. 

Adjuster  board  used 
as  a  top  bearing  for  the 
cross-head  of  the  ad- 
juster. 

Tee  bolt  to  bolt  the 
adjuster  board  to  the 
beam. 

Grip  pipe  to  connect 
the  adjuster  grip  with 
the  cross-head. 

Polished  rod,  or 
plunger,  connecting  be- 
tween adjuster  and 
sucker  rods. 

Stuffing  box,  used  at 
top  of  well  as  a  gland 
through  which  polished 
rod  works. 

Valve  rod,  connect- 
ing between  sucker 
rods  and  upper  or 
working  valve. 


PUMPING   EQUIPMENT  341 

Upper  or  working  ball  valve. 

Lower  or  standing  ball  valve. 

Working  barrel  or  cylinder. 

Perforated  pipe,  connected  to  bottom  of  working  barrel. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  tubing,  usually  .  nches  in  diam* 
eter  and  steel  sucker  or  pump  rods,  ^  or  11/16  inches  in 
diameter,  sufficient  to  reach  to  the  bottom  of  the  well  are 
required. 

The  tools  for  putting  in  and  connecting  the  outfit  are  eleva- 
tors, tubing  block  and  hook  and  2-inch  and  25^-inch  Crumbie 
tongs  for  the  tubing;  elevators,  hook  and  wrench  for  the 
sucker  rods,  and  ordinary  chain  tongs  or  pipe  wrenches  for 
the  remainder  of  the  outfit. 

For  a  well  to  be  connected  with  a  central  power  plant  the 
equipment  used  in  pumping  a  single  well,  except  the  engine, 
adjuster,  adjuster  board,  tee  bolt  and  grip  pipe  would  be  re- 
quired and,  in  addition,  a  pumping  jack  and  sufficient  pull, 
or  surface,  rods  to  connect  the  well  with  the  power. 

When  it  may  be  necessary  to  pump  a  large  volume  of  salt 
water  with  the  oil,  2j4  or  3-inch  tubing,  J^-i^ich  or  %-inch 
steel  sucker  rods,  or  2j4-inch  wood  rods  and  pumping  outfit 
of  sizes  to  conform  are  used.  Sometimes  for  this  purpose 
2-inch  tubing  with  a  10  or  12-foot  working  barrel,  affording 
a  corresponding  long  stroke,  is  used  instead  of  the  larger  size 

tubing  and  the  short  stroke. 

<  • 

WIRE  ROPE  FOR  PUMPING 

Wire  rope,  instead  of  sucker  rods,  is  used  in  some  fields, 
particularly  for  very  deep  wells.  Many  wells  in  the  deep 
fields  of  Ohio,  West  Virginia,  Oklahoma  and  Klansas  are  suc- 
cessfully pumped  with  wire  rope. 

Advantages :  Much  time  is  saved  in  pulling,  for  it  requires 
but  a  few  miiiutes  to  pull  out  or  replace  a  wire  pumping  line, 
spooling  it  on  the  bull  wheel  shaft,  as  compared  with  the 
several  hours  required  to  pull  out  and  replace  a  long  string 
of  sucker  rods.    There  are  no  joints  to  unscrew.    The  snap, 


342  DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 

or  whip,  sometimes  given  to  sucker  rods  in  the  pumping 
motion  tends  to  buckle  and  break  them,  while  the  wire  rope, 
due  to  its  flexibility,  would  not  be  so  liable  to  breakage.  A 
wire  cable,  after  it  has  been  used  to  the  limit,  of  safety  in 
drilling,  can  be  employed  for  the  lighter  pumping  duty,  thus 
utilizing  equipment  that  otherwise  would  have  to  be  dis- 
carded. 

Disadvantages:  The  wire  rope  frays  from  wear  and  the 
wires  break,  therefore  the  life  of  a  wire  rope  used  for  pump- 
ing is  not  so  long  as  that  of  the  sucker  rods.  Difficulty  is 
sometimes  experienced  with  wire  rope  in  pumping  heavy  oil 
or  in  wells  that  paraffine,  for  the  rope  does  not  "drop"  as 
readily  as  the  rods. 

Coarse  laid  wire  rope,  composed  of  six  strands  of  seven 
wires  each,  is  used  for  pumping.  The  rope  is  leaded  into  a 
socket  that  connects  with  the  upper  valve,  and  several  weights 
or  sinkers  are  used  to  g^ve  the  rope  the  necssary  drop  on 
the  down  stroke.  A  temper  screw  or  other  hanger  device 
that  provides  for  quick  adjustment  of  the  rope  is  necessary 
instead  of  the  adjuster  used  with  sucker  rods.  A  special 
stuffing  box  and  oil  saver  combined  is  used  at  the  top  of  the 
well  in  place  of  the  stuffing  box  used  with  a  polished  rod- 
The  remainder  of  the  pumping  outfit  is  the  same  as  that  used 
with  sucker  rods. 

Electric  power  as  a  means  for  pumping  oil  wells  has  been 
slow  of  development,  largely  due  to  the  remoteness  of  most 
oil  properties  from  a  power  supply.  Some  of  the  larger  pro- 
ducing companies  have  during  recent  years  experimented 
with  electric  power  with  good  results.  Now  many  companies 
are  installing  power  plants  at  favorable  points  to  serve  a 
group  of  properties. 

In  the  oil  fields  of  Kansas  and  California  large  power  com- 
panies have  installed  power  lines  to  serve  the  oil  fields. 

In  addition  to  the'  power  plant  the  equipment  used  in 
pumping  consists  of  a  motor  at  each  well,  usually  of  the 
two-speed  induction  type. 


PUMPING   EQUIPMENT  343 

ELECTRICAL  PUMPING  EQUIPMENT 

During  the  past  few  years  electricity  has  been  used  in  in- 
creasing degree  for  pumping  particularly  in  the  fields  of  Cali- 
fornia. Both  the  Westinghouse  Company  and  the  General 
Electric  Company  manufacture  electrical  equipment  especially 
designed  for  deep  well  pumping.  It  is,  of  course,  more  con- 
venient to  use  electricity  for  pumping  when  a  power  supply 
is  readily  available,  biit  some  of  the  larger  operating  com- 
panies have  installed  their  own  power  plants  when  a  suffi- 
cient number  of  wells  could  be  pumped  in  one  locality  to  ' 
justify  the  investment.  It  is  claimed  that  electricity  is  a 
much  more  economical  power  than  steam  and  also  gas,  where 
another  market  may  exist  for  the  gas.  Electrical  equipment 
is  said  to  impart  a  smoother  motion  in  pumping,  with  a 
resulting  freedom  from  breakdowns,  etc..  No  water  being 
required  (as  for  circulation  in  a  gas  engine),  there  is  no 
danger  of  freezing  in  cold  weather.  Also,  it  is  claimed,  elec- 
trical equipment  is  safer  to  operate;  fbr  example,  the  liability 
of  injury  to  men  in  starting  gas  engines  is  eliminated. 

This  subject  has  been  ably  discussed  in  a  paper  by  Mr. 
W.  G.  Taylor,  Engineer,  General  Electric  Co.,*  in  which  he 
draws  comparisons  of  costs  for  electric  power,  steam  and  gas 
power ;  shows  how  overhead  expense  can  be  reduced  and  more 
efficient  results  of  operation  secured  by  the  use  of  electrical 
equipment. 

Several  classes  of  equipment  are  used  for  varying  service 
as  follows: 

For  wells  pumped  from  the  beam  a  25-10  to  50-20  H.  P. 
two-speed,  variable  speed  motor,  according  to  depth  of  well, 
with  countershaft,  transformer  and  control  apparatus  (Fig. 
206).  This  outfit  has  one  speed  for  pumping  and  a  higher 
speed  for  pulling  or  bailing.  A  30-15  H.  P.  motor  is  the  size 
commonly  used  for  wells  not  deeper  than  3,500  feet. 

♦Tjic  operation  of  oil  wells  by  electric  power,  by  W.  G.  Taylor, 
General  Electric  Review,  May,  1919. 


DEEP    WELL    DRILLING 


I  Band  Wheel  PiunplnK  Power 


PUMPING   EQUIPMENT  345 

A  variation  of  this  equipment  is  sometimes  ti'^d  by  placing  ^ 
a  smaller  single  speed,  variable  speed  motor  at  eadh'  well  for 
pumping  only,  and  then  mounting  on  a  wagon  of  motor  truck 
a  high  speed  motor  or  motor  driven  hoist  vi^iich  may  be  trans- 
ported from  well  to  well  for  pulling  tubing  and  rods. 

For  pumping  a  number  of  wells  from  a  central  power  plant, 
any  of  the  several  types  of  pumping  power  may  be  operated 
by  motor,  using  the  standard  squirrel  cage  type  of  motor, 
transformer,  controller,  etc.  With  this  outfit  a  countershaft 
equipped  with  a  friction  clutch  is  recommended  to  relieve 
the  motor  of  heavy  starting  duty,  engaging  the  clutch  only 
after  the  motor  has  beeh  brought  up  to  full,  speed.  Refer  to 
Fig.  207.  With  this  equipment  the  portable  motor,  described 
above,  or  a  pulling  machine,  is  required  for  pulling  tubing  and 
rods. 

The  controllers  used  with  pumping  motors  are  equipped 
with  a  telegraph  wheel  so  that  the  outfit  can  be  operated 
from  the  headache  post  of  the  derrick,  the  same  as  a  steam 
engine. 

The  walking  beam  of  motor  driven  rigs  should  be  counter- 
balanced to  equalize  the  strain  of  the  up  and  down  stroke  df 
the  rods  and  to  promote  smooth  running  of  the  outfit. 

Well  pumping  operations  require  around  60  to  120  kilowatt 
hours  per  day  for  each  well. 

FINISHING  AND  SHUTTING  IN  OIL  WELLS  WHERE  THE 
PRODUCING  FORMATIONS  ARE  SOFT  AND  CAVING 

In  the  fields  of  California,  where  the  producing  sands  often 
are  soft  and  caving,  means  must  be  employed  to  exclude  the 
running  sand  from  the  well ;  otherwise  it  would  soon  fill  up 
over  the  producing  formation  and  greatly  restrict  production 
or  obstruct  the  flow  of  oil  into  the  well,  necessitating  its  aban- 
donment or  frequent  cleaning  out.  To  overcome  this,  Cali- 
fornia operators  use  an  "oil  string"  of  casing,  so  called,  which 
extends  to  the  bottom  of  the  well  and  the  lower  joints  that 
pass  through  the  producing  formation  are  perforated  to  admit 


346  DEEP  WELL    DRILLING 

the  oil,  or  one  of  several  types  of  screen  is  used  to  cover 
the  producing  formation.  In  wells  where  it  may  be  imprac- 
ticable to  pull  the  oil  string  or  where  the  formation  caves,  the 
casing  must  first  be  carried  to  the  bottom  and  afterward  per- 
forated with  perforating  devices  specially  made  for  the  pur- 
pose. When  the  formation  stands  up  sufficiently  to  permit 
the  drilling  in  of  the  well,  the  casing  may  be  perforated  in  a 
shop  before  it  is  put  in  the  well.  This  insures  a  better  job 
with  the  holes  properly  spaced  and  drilled.  For  illustration 
of  perforator  and  description  of  perforating  process  refer  to 
page  280. 

SETTING  SHOP  PERFORATED  CASING 

There  are  several  methods.  The  simplest  way  is  to  pull 
the  oil  string,  screw  on  the  joints  of  perforated  pipe  and  lower 
it  to  bottom.  When  it  is  impracticable  to  pull  the  oil  string, 
perforated  pipe  or  liner  of  an  outside  diameter  that  will  go 
down  inside  of  it  may  be  used  and  it  may  be  run  in  with  the 
tools,  using  a  hook  or  other  means  of  freeing  the  tools  from 
the  liner.  When  a  liner  of  this  kind  is  used,  an  adapter, 
swaged  nipple  or  other  packing  device  that  will  closely  fit 
the  inside  of  the  casing  should  be  attached  to  the  upper  end 
of  the  liner.  The  oil  string  is  then  pulled  up  until  the  bottom 
is  a  few  feet  below  the  top  of  the  liner  and  is  hung  on  clamps. 

When  the  drilling  conditions,  depth  to  the  producing  forma- 
tion, etc.,  are  known,  the  perforated  casing  is  sometimes 
added  to  the  oil  string  before  the  well  is  drilled  in.  This 
should  not  be  attempted  in  a  new  field  or  a  test  well,  how- 
ever. 

USE  OF  SCREENS 

Screens,  or  strainers,  are  quite  generally  used  in  the  Gulf 
Coast  fields  and  in  California  in  wells  where  the  sand  runs  in 
through  the  perforated  casing  faster  than  it  can  be  pumped 
out,  and  in  wells  pumping  a  large  vx)lume  of  water  carrying 
floating  sand  with  the  oil.  Screens  also  are  used  where  the 
producing  formation  is  interbedded  with  breaks  of  shale  or 
clay.    With  these  conditions,  if  the  sand  is  permitted  to  run 


SHUTTING  IN  OIL  WELLS  347 

into  the  well  too  rapidly  the  shale  or  clay  may  cave  and  lodge 
against  the  perforated  casing,  closing  the  holes.* 

There  are  several  kinds  of  screen  of  which  the  Layne  and 
Bowler,  Figures  208-B  and  C,  and  the  McEvoy,  Fig.  208-A, 
are  good  types.  The  Layne  and  Bowler  wire  screen  is  a 
perforated  steel  tube  wrapped  with  brass  wire  whose  cross 
section  is  in  the  shape  of  a  keystone.  It  is  wrapped  with 
the  wide  side  out,  thus  the  opening  is  very  narrow  at  the 
surface  but  widening  toward  the  tube.  The  object  is  to  pre- 
vent grains  of  sand  that  get  through  the  opening  from  clog- 
ging the  screen. 

The  Layne  and  Bowler  screen  with  "skrutite"  buttons  is  a 
recently  improved  button  screen.  These  buttons  are  made 
with  horizontal  slots,  in  both  the  keystone  and  the  shutter 
types,  refer  to  Fig.  208.  The  buttons  are  threaded  and 
screwed  into  holes  tapped  in  the  pipe  and  both  the  outside 
and  inside  surfaces  are  flush  with  the  pipe.  It  is  claimed 
that  these  buttons  do  not  loosen  and  fall  out  of  the  pipe. 

The  McEvoy  screen  is  of  the  button  type;  small  slotted 
brass  discs  are  inserted  in  the  pipe  under  a  pressure  of  1,000 
pounds  per^uare  inch.  These  discs  have  vert icaL openings 
instead  of  the  horizontal  slots  of  the  wire  wrapped  screens. 
The  discs  are  flush  with  the  outside  of  the  pipe  and  there  are 
no  wire  wrappings  that  might  be  damaged  while  putting  it 
in  the  well. 

METHOD  OF  SETTING  SCREENS 

In  wells  drilled  by  the  rotary  process  the  screen  is  some- 
times screwed  to  the  bottom  joint  of  casing  before  it  is  put  in. 
The  method  of  setting  a  screen  in  a  rotary  drilled  well  is 
described  in  following  paragraphs.  A  method  used  for  set- 
ting a  screen  in  wells  drilled  with  a  cable  outfit  is  ably  de- 
scribed in  Bureau  of  Mines  Technical  Paper  No.  247,*  pages 
32-33,  as  follows: 

"The  screen  is  used  as  a  liner  and  must  be  small  enough  in 
outside  diameter  to  pass  within  the  casing  carried  through  the 

♦U.    S.    Bureau   of   Mines   Technical    Paper.  No.    247,    Perforated 
Casing  and  Screen  Pipe  in  Oil  Wells,  by  E.  W.  Wagy. 


DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 


oil  sand,  llie  screen  is  usually  plugged  at  the  bottom  with 
a  swaged  nipple  or  wooden  plug.  On  top  is  placed  a  plain 
joint  fitted  with  a  plain  casing  shoe,  upside  down  and  replac- 


Bcreen.  Keyatone  t 
screen,  shutter  type. 
Keystone  type. 


SCREENS  AND   LINERS 


349 


irig  the  top  collar.  This  serves  as  an  adapter.  The  adapter  is 
threaded  with  a  left  hand  thread  on  top,  into  which  the 
swaged  nipple  is  screwed.  This  liner  is  then  lowered  inside 
the  drilling  string  of  casing  by  means  of  a  string  of  tubing. 
When  bottom  has  been  reached,  the  outside  casing  is  pulled 
up  to  the  solid  joint  on  top  of  the  screen,  allowance  being 
made  for  whatever  lap  is  desired.  Ail  allowance  of  10  to  12 
feet  can  be  made  for  any  discrepancies  in  taking  measure- 
ments. Then  the  left  hand  swaged  nipple  is  Screwed  out  and 
the  tubing  removed.  It  is' important  that 'this 'work  should 
be  left  until  the  casing  has  been  pulled  up  to  the  proper  place, 
to  make  certain  that  the  screen  liner  is  not  moving  with  the 
outside  casing  as  the  tubing  is  pulled.  .  Also;  sloughing  of 
the  walls  of  the  hole  around  the  liner  tends  to  prevent  its 
rotating  when  an  effort  is  made  to  back  off  the  left-hand 
nipple."  '        . 

USE  OF  HEAVIN^G  PLUG 

In  the  CaHfornia'  fields  the  casing  is 
usually  carried  down  and  landed  on  a 
shell  or  shale  formation  just  above  the 
oil  sand  when  possible."^  Sometimes, 
however,  in  a  new  field  or  w^here  an 
unexpected  oil  sand  is  encountered, 
the  overlying  shell  or  shale  may  have 
been  drilled  through.  If  the  sand  be 
soft,  it  may  be  difficult  to  seat  the 
casing  in  it  or  to  prevent  the  sand  from 
heaving  up  inside  the  casing.  In  such 
case  a  heaving  plug,  so  called  (see 
Fig.  209),  having  four  slips  with  teeth 
that  engage  in  the  casing  on  an  up- 
ward thrust,  is  lowered  to  the  bottom 
of  the  casing  and  the  slips  are  set 
to  hold  it  there,  thus  preventing  the  heaving  sand  from  rising 
in  the  casing.  The  casing  is  then  perforated  to  admit  "the  oil. 
The  heaving  plug,  which  is  made  of  cast  iron,  can  easily  be 
drilled  out. 


Fig.  209. 
Heaving  Plug. 


350  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

FINISHING  AND  SHUTTING  IN  OIL  WELLS  DRILLED  BY 
THE  HYDRAULIC  ROTARY  SYSTEM  IN  THE  GULP 
COAST  FIELDS 

Finishing  wells  drilled  by  the  rotary  process,  using  mud 
fluid,  is  a  more  difficult  operation  than  where  cable  tools  are 
used  and  requires  the  close  attention  of  the  driller  to  the 
formations  penetrated.  This  is  particularly  true  of  wells 
drilled  in  new  territory  where  the  depth  to  the  producing  for- 
mation may  be  unknown.  The  mud  fluid  under  pump  pressure 
has  a  tendency  to  "mud  off"  an  oil  or  gas  producing  forma- 
tion before  its  paying  possibilities  may  be  discovered  by  the 
driller.  Unquestionably  many  wells  have  been  drilled  and 
abandoned  as  dry  in  the  Gulf  Coast  fields  which,  by  a  more 
careful  drilling  and  testing  of  the  formation,  might  have 
proved  profitable. 

It  now  is  customary,  when  drilling  at  a  depth  where  a  pro- 
ducing formation  may  be  expected  or  when  a  change  in  forma- 
tion occurs,  to  withdraw  the  drill  pipe  and  substitute  for  the 
bit  a  core  barrel.  This  device  is  made  from  a  piece  of  3-inch 
pipe  about  4  feet  long  and  with  teeth  similar  to  those  in  a 
rotary  shoe.  A  hole  is  drilled  near  the  top  to  allow  passage 
of  the  mud  fluid  out  of  the  drill  pipe.  The  core  barrel  is 
connected  to  the  drill  pipe,  if  the  pipe  is  of  larger  diameter, 
by  means  of  a  hydraulic  (extra  heavy)  swaged  nipple.  When 
the  pipe  is  rotated  a  core  of  the  formation  passed  through  is 
caught  in  the  barrel,  and  any  showing  of  oil  or  gas  is  readily 
detected.  This  method  of  testing  a  formation  is  far  better 
than  the  old  hit  or  miss  practice  of  examining  the  slush 
trench  for  showings  of  oil  or  cuttings  from  promising  forma- 
tions, which,  if  found,  could  have  originated  at  a  level  fifty 
feet  above  where  the  bit  might  then  be  working. 

Unless  the  thickness  of  the  producing  formation  and  other 
conditions  are  known,  the  driller,  upon  entering  a  promising 
sand,  should  drill  slowly  and  carefully,  closely  watching  the 
slush  trench  for  showings  of  oil  and  of  salt  water.  Should 
the    latter   be    encountered,    drilling    should,    of    course,    be 


FINISHING  ROTARY  DRILLED,  WELLS  351 

Stopped.  It  is  best  to  drill  into  or  through 
the  sand  with  a  core  barrel,  afterward  finishing 
the  hole  with  the  bit. 

Two   methods   are    employed   in   the    Gulf 
Coast  fields  to  protect  the  well  from  filling 
up  over  the  productive  formation  with  cavings 
and  to  exclude  running  sand  from  the  oil.    In 
Texas   wire  wrapped  screens  with   apertures 
of  varying  size,  according  to  the  character  of 
the  sand,  refer  to  Fig.  208, 
and  long  enough  to  cover  the 
Setting  Tw  (or  Producing  formation  are  used 
Layne  Packer,     in  connection  with  sufficient 
pipe    or    liner,    called    blank 
pipe,   to   extend   up   into  the  casing.     This 
blank    pipe   usually    is    made    tight    in    the 
casing   by   means   of   a   lead    seal   or   other 
packing    device.      The    Layne   and    Bowler 
cone    lead    and    canvas    collapsible    packer. 
Fig.  211,  is  extensively  used   for  this   pur- 
pose.      Where     two     or     more     productive 
strata   are   interbedded   with   non-producing 
formations,  a  screen  is  set  opposite  each  oil 
sand,  with  a  length  of  blank  pipe  connecting 
the  screens. 

In  the  fields  of  North  Louisiana  screens 
are  little  used.  Instead,  perforated  liners, 
similar  to  the  perforated  casing  of  California, 
are  employed.  The  Louisiana  laws  require 
that  the  casing  in  all  oil  and  gas  wells  be  | 
cemented,  therefore,  as  the  tendency  for 
water  or  cavings  to  run  in  around  the  casing 
is  minimized,  the  liner  is  sometimes  set  with- 
out a  seal  to  the  casing.  It  is,  of  course,  safer 
to  use  the  seal.     It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  ^^'b-  ^^i- 

State  of  Texas  will  enact  a  law  requiring  the  packer. 


3S2 
Drill 

»6+ti 


WOAhl 


Blank 


DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 


Boclcl 
NippU 


Fig.  ill 
Wmahlnc  Wall 
ftnd  SaltInK  8«sl 


cementing  of  casing  in  the 
soft  formations  of  the  Coastal 
fields.  While  the  delay  in 
waiting  for  the  cement  to  set 
is  expensive,  yet  the  cement- 
ing of  casing  in  the  soft  for- 
mations of  the  Gulf  Coast 
fields  is  necessary  to  .protect 
the  producing  areas  from  en- 
croaching water  and  to  con- 
serve the  natural  gas. 

In  wells  where  mud  fluid 
has  been  used  it  is  necessary 
to  clear  the  hole  of  mud  fluid 
and  sediment  so  the  screen  or 
liner  may  be  set  on  bottom 
and  to  wash  the  mud  from  the 
screen  and  the  producing  for- 
mation with  clear  water,  to 
insure  unrestricted  flow  of 
the  oil  or  gas  from  the  pro- 
■  ductive  stratum  into  the  well, 
^  For  carrying  the  water  to 
i  the  bottom  of  the  screen,  so  it 
will  circulate  outside  of  it,  a 
wash  pipe,  wood  wash  plug 
and  a  back  pressure  valve  are 
used,  refer  to  Fig.  212. 

A  nipple  and  wash  blade  or 
rotary  bit  are  attached  to  the 
bottom  of  the  screen  to  assist 
in  clearing  the  mud  out  of  the 
bottom  of  the  hole  and  to  pre- 
vent the  screen  from  turning 
when  backing  off  the  pipe 
u^ed  in  setting.  A  back  pres- 
sure valve  is  screwed  in  the 
lower  coupling  of  the  screen 


FINISHING  ROTARY  DRILLED  WELLS  353 

to  hold  back  heaving  sands  and  to  prevent  the  well  from 
flowing  through  the  wash  pipe  during  the  setting  operation. 
A  wood  wash  plug  is  placed  on  top  of  the  back  pressure  valve 
and  the  wash  pipe,  usually  2-inch,  is  set  in  a  recess  in  the 
wash  plug.  Sufficient  liner  or  blank  pipe,  usually  4j4-inch 
drill  pipe,  to  extend  up  into  the  casing  is  connected  to  the 
top  coupling  of  the  screen,  and  joints  of  wash  pipe  are  added 
according  to  the  length  of  the  blank  pipe  used.  If  a  Layne 
and  Bowler  lead  seal  and  canvas  packer  is  used  the  expanding 
dogs  of  the  setting  tool  (Fig.  210)  are  compressed  and  the 
tool  is  screwed  into  the  left-hand  thread  in  the  upper  barrel  of 
the  packer.  The  lower  thread  of  the  setting  tool  is  screwed 
into  the  upper  coupling  of  the  wash  pipe  and  the  packer  is 
screwed  on  the  blank  pipe  or  liner.  The  drill  pipe  used  in  the 
setting  and  washing  operation  is  attached  to  the  top  coupling 
of  the  setting  tool  and  the  outfit  is  ready  to  run.  Joints  of  drill 
pipe  are  added  until  the  screen  reaches  bottom.  Meanwhile 
circulation  of  thinned  mud  fluid  iS  maintained.  Clear  water 
is  then  circulated  until  the  producing  formation  and  the  screen 
have  been  cleared  of  mud.  The  drill  pipe  is  then  turned  to  the 
right  until  it  has  backed  off  with  the  setting  tool  from  the 
packer.  The  pipe  is  raised  sufficiently  for  the  setting  tool 
to  clear  the  packer,  expanding  the  dogs,  which  then  bear  on 
the  top  of  the  packer  (refer  to  Fig.  212).  The  weight  of 
the  drill  pipe  is  allowed  to  rest  on  the  packer  until  the  lead 
has  expanded  and  the  canvas  has  collapsed  sufficiently  to 
telescope  the  packer  fourteen  inches,  which  usually  makes 
an  effective  seal  between  the  blank  pipe  and  the  casing.  The 
drill  pipe  is  then  withdrawn,  bringing  with  it  the  setting  tool 
and  the  wash  pipe,  completing  the  operation.  The  ratchet 
threads  on  the  barrel  and  sleeve  of  the  Layne  packer  tend  to 
lock  it  in  its  collapsed  position,  thus  resisting  heavy  gas 
pressure. 

The  liners  used  in  the  fields  of  Louisiana  are  usually  4J4- 
inch  drill  pipe  or  other  pipe  or  casing  whose  couplings  will 
go  down  inside  the  6-iDch  casing.  That  part  of  the  liner 
which  passes  through  the  productive  formation  is  perforated 
with  J^-inch  diameter  holes>  drilled  about  two  inches  apart. 


354  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

before  it  is  placed  in  the  well.  The  liner  should  extend  sev- 
eral feet  up  into  the  casing  and  it  is  set  open  or  with  a  seal 

according  to  local  conditions.  When  it  is 
set  with  a  seal,  the  same  method  is  em- 
ployed as  in  setting  a  screen. 

When  the  liner  is  left  open,  no  seal, 

Layne  &  Bowler  Steel  packer  nor  setting  tool  is  required.    The 
Wash  Ring.  wash  pipe  is  fitted  in  the  bottom  of  the 

liner  with  back  pressure  valve  and  wash  plug,  the  same  as 
when  a  screen  is  used.  The  top  of  the  liner  has  a  right  and 
left  hand  coupling  and  the  drill  pipe  used  for  setting  is  con- 
nected to  it  with  a  right  and  left  thread  nipple.  A  steel  wash 
and  pulling  ring  (Fig.  212J4),  to  prevent  fluid  from  passing 
around  outside  of  and  to  serve  as  a  means  of  pulling  the  wash 
pipe,  is  fitted  under  top  coupling  of  wash  pipe  and  in  the 
coupling  connecting  the  right  and  left  nipple.  After  the  liner 
has  been  set  and  the  well  washed,  the  drill  pipe  is  backed 
off  and  withdrawn,  the  steel  ring  catching  under  the  coupling 
of  the  wash  pipe,  lifting  it  out  with  the  drill  pipe. 

And  after  the  well  has  been  washed  the  mud  and  water  in 
the  hole  will  have  to  be  bailed  down  until  the  gas  pressure 
will  flow  out  the  remainder. 

When  the  wells  cease  to  flow,  they  are  put  to  pumping, 
using  pumping  outfits  as  described  for  cable  drilled  wells. 
The  rotary  rig,  however,  must  be  equipped  with  walking 
beam  for  pumping  and  bull  wheels  for  handling  the  tubing 
and  sucker  rods.  Gas,  oil  or  steam  engines  are  used  to  furnish 
power. 

In  wells  having  a  large  volume  of  gas  at  high  pressure, 
there  is  danger  of  a  gas  blow-out  while  attempting  to  set 
a  screen  or  liner.  To  prevent  this,  circulation  of  mud  fluid 
must  be  maintained  at  intervals  between  lowering  stands  of 
drill  pipe.  Most  drillers  use  thick  mud  fluid  for  this  purpose, 
but  at  least  one  driller  found  he  secured  better  results  with 
thinned  fluid.  His  theory  is  that  the  thick  fluid  oflFered  such 
resistance  to  the  gas  that  it  gathered  a  head  sufficient  to 
cause  a  blow-'out,  while  the  thin  fluid  afforded  the  gas  a 
chance  to  escape,  thus  relieving  its  pressure.    Few  people  who 


FINISHING  ROTARY  DRILLED  WELLS  355 

have  not  visited  the  Gulf  Coast  fields  understand  the  terrific 
power  of  the  gas  in  many  of  these  wells.  The  accompanying 
illustration  is  a  photograph  of  a  2,000-foot  column  of  3'inch 
7,93-pound  drill  pipe  blown  out  of  the  Humble  Oil  &  Refining 
Company's  Dew  No.  2  well  in  the  Blue  Ridge  field,  near 
Houston,  Texas.  The  remarkable  feature  of  this  blow-out 
was  that  the  National  seamless  drill  pipe  twisted  and  spiraled 
over  an  acre  of  ground  without  a  single  break  in  the  pipe 
or  the  couplings. 

FINISHING  WELLS   DRILLED  BY  THE  HYDRAULIC 

ROTARY  SYSTEM  IN  THE  CALIFORNIA  FIELDS 
In  the  California  fields  the  screen  or  perforated  pipe  usually 
is  set  on  the  oil  string  of  casing,  no  liner  being  used.  In 
wells  having  suflUcient  gas  pressure  the  screen  may  sometimes 
be  simply  run  to  the  bottom,  the  force  of  the  gas  clearing 
the  well  and  the  screen  of  mud-laden  fluid.     In  wells  having 


DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

A— Wapji  pipe.   ,     I 
C— C(sl^«.        '         ■-"•'"    •  -"      "■  ''     ■  ' 
,    .C-G— Ws^  pipe  Cdupline*.'  .    ■  -      , 

■    B-1 — Serein' "cCTiplirigi  -i.-  -.. 

F — Scraen.  r 

H— Wash   plug"  ,  , 

J— BEfck  -prBHSlire  valve. 
K— NlpDle. 
L,— Rotary  shoe. 

a  low  or  a  very  hiig;h  g4s  pres- 
sure, however,  the  Wash  pipe 
method "'  employed  ih  ■  the  'Gulf 
Coast  fields  is  followed  with  va- 
riations.   When  the  oil  string;  of 

■  -■  casing  is  to  be  left  in  the  well  a 
^vtTod  wash  ring  (D)  is  used  to 

"L  pack  the  *ash  pipe  (A)  in  the 
casing  to  prevent  fluid  from 
passing  around  and  outside  it 
(refer  to  Fig.  214).  When  the 
screen  has  been  set  and  the  well 
washed,  the  wash  pipe  is  with- 
drawn by  lowering  a  string  of 
tubing  to  connect  with  it,  or  by 
means  of  a  tubing  spear.  It 
sometimes  is  necessary  to  circu- 
late water  during  the  operation 
of  removing  the  wash  pipe  to 
clear  sand  or  mud  out  of  the 
strainer  or  to  free  the  wash  pipe 
from  sand  "packed  around  it. 
For  this  purpose  a  string  of  pipe 
instead  of  a  spear  would  .have 
to  be  used: 

When  conditions  make  recov- 
ery   of   part   of   the    oil    string 
WMh^L*aen.biy.  feasible,  the  operatioo  woyjd  be 

(Bureau  of  Mines)  as    described    for    setting    the 


FINISHING  ROTARY  DRILLED  WELLS  357 

screen  and  blank  pipe  with  a  packer  or  lead 
seal  in  the  Gulf  Coast  field,  when  a  seal  is 
used.  Sufficient  of  the  oil  string  would  be 
left  in  the  well  attached  to  the  strainer  to 
extend  up  into  the  next  size  larger  casing  to 
serve  as  liner  or  blank  pipe. 

When  no  seal  is  used  the  method  of  setting 
would  be  similar  to.  that  employed  in  Louisi- 
ana for  setting  a  liner,  with  this  difference : 
instead  of  a  right  and  left  thread  coupling  an 
adapter.  Fig.  Ill,  threaded  with  right  and  left 
threads,  is  used  as  the  top  coupling,  for  that 
part  of  the  oil  string  which  is  left  in  the  well 
as  liner.  A  right  and  left  thread  nipple  and 
steel  wash  and  pulling  ring  would  be  used  for 
backing  off  the  part  of  the  casings  to  be 
recovered  and  for  pulling  the  wash  pipe.* 

The  Canfield  babbitt  wash  ring  and  steel 
wash  plug  are  described  in  U.  S.  Bureau  of 
Mines  Technical  paper  247,  pages  37-40,'  as 
follows : 

"The  wash  ring  (D)  shown  in  Figure  214 
is  of  wood.  Such  a  ring  has  often  served  the 
purpose  well,  but  there  have  been  a  number 
of  instances  where  it  has  failed.  The  water 
used  in  washing  out  the  mud  leaked  by  the 
wash  ring  to  such  an  extent  that  not  enough 
pressure  could  be  maintained  at  the  bottom 
of  the  hole  to  wash  it  so  the  pipe  could  be 
landed.  Sometimes  such  a  high  pump  pres- 
sure had  to  be  used  in  washing  that  the 
wooden  ring  could  not  withstand  the  pressure 
and  ultimately  failed. 

"In  order  to  do  away  with  this  element  of 

Fig.  215.  ^^^^'    ^^^*    Wallace   Canfield   has   devised   a 

Canfield  Wash  Ring  wash  ring  made  of  babbitt.     The  assembled 

and    Steel    Wash        ♦  U.  S.   Bureau  of  Mines  Technical   Paper  247, 

Plug   (Bureau  of   Perforated  Casing  and  Screen  Pipe  in  Oil  Wells'. 

Mines).  by  E.  W.  Wagy. 


358  DEEP  WELL    DRILLING 

ring  is  shown  in  the  diagram  (Fig.  215).  For  convenience  in 
placing  this  wash  ring,  nipples  are  put  in  the  w?ish  pipe  to 
bring  it  near  the  top  of  a  joint  of  casing.  A  piece  of  babbitt, 
E,  is  molded  to  fit  the  casing  in  use.  The  upper  part  of  the 
babbitt  cylinder  is  turned  off  enough  to  permit  ^-inch  hy- 
draulic packing  to  be  inserted  between  it  and  the  casing. 
The  lower  part  is  drilled  out  in  the  center  to  fit  the 
wash  pipe  coupling  (F).  A  nipple  (D)  is  then  screwed 
into  this  coupling  and  J4"iiich  hydraulic  packing  is  wrapped 
around  the  nipple  for  five  or  six  inches.  The  babbitt 
cylinder  (E)  is  then  placed  over  the  nipple  (D)  resting  on 
the  packing.  The  space  around  the  outside  of  the  cylinder 
is  filled  with  packing  and  a  gland  (C)  of  babbitt  is  set  over 
this  packing.  A  steel  nut  (B)  is  screwed  onto  the  nipple  (D) 
and  drawn  down  tightly.  In  this  manner  the  packing  is  com- 
pressed and  a  tight  joint  is  made  between  the  casing  and  the 
outside  of  the  ring  and  also  between  the  wash  pipe  and  the 
inside  of  the  wash  ring. 

"The  ring  is  made  of  babbitt  in  order  that  it  may  have 
the  required  strength  and  also  be  soft  enough  to  be  worked 
past  any  rough  or  irregular  places  in  the  casing  when  it  is 
removed.  In  order  to  do  away  with  the  swabbing  effect  of 
this  ring  when  it  is  being  pulled  out,  a  short  nipple  (A),  with 
54-inch  holes  drilled  in  it,  is  screwed  into  the  coupling  (I). 
A  coupling  is  also  screwed  onto  this  perforated  nipple  to 
facilitate  screwing  on  the  pulling  string. 

"In  the  Canfield  method,  the  back  pressure  valve  (J,  Fig. 
214)  is  also  omitted.  This  valve  has  sometimes  given  trouble 
by  getting  stuck,  the  pump  pressure  being  unable  to  loosen 
it  again.     *     *     * 

"In  some  wells  the  gas  pressure  is  great  enough  to  unseat 
the  wash  pipe  and  start  the  fluid  rushing  through  the  bottom 
plug.  In  a  short  time  a  channel  is  cut  in  the  wood  and  when 
the  wash  pipe  is  again  in  place  the  fluid,  instead  of  going 
out  through  the  lower  end  of  the  casing,  circulates  around  the 
bottom  of  the  wash  pipe  and  up  the  inside  of  the  casing. 


FINISHING  WELLS  359 

This  trouble  was  avoided  by  substituting  for  the  bottom 
wooden  plug  an  iron  ring  two  and  one-half  or  three  inches 
thick,  shown  at  (J)  in  Figure  215.  This  ring  is  threaded 
and  screwed  into  the  coupling  on  top  of  the  rotary  bit.  An 
annular,  conical-shaped  hole  is  drilled  through  the  center  of 
the  ring,  and  the  bottom  coupling  of  the  wash  pipe  (H)  is 
turned  to  fit  this  opening.  As  metal  is  much  more  resistant 
than  wood,  channeling  with  its  detrimental  results  is  avoided." 

MISCELLANEOUS  NOTES 

Occasionally,  in  the  fields  of  Oklahoma,  a  well  is  finished 
with  several  hundred  feet  of  open  hole  between  the  bottom  of 
the  casing  and  the  top  of  the  producing  formation.  If  the 
formations  below  the  casing  should  be  caving  it  is  good  prac- 
tice to  set  a  liner  of  smaller  size  casing  to  bridge  the  space 
between  the  casing  and  the  top  of  the  oil  sand. 

In  the  North  Texas  field  the  flow  line  is  sometimes  fitted 
with  three  outlets,  each  equipped  with  a  gate  valve,  one  lead- 
ing to  the  flow  tank,  another  leading  to  the  stock  tank,  and 
the  third  turned  into  the  sump.  The  flow  tanks  in  this  field 
usually  are  equipped  with  a  vent  flue,  to  allow  the  gas  to 
escape,  consisting  of  a  joint  of  eight-inch  casing,  or  four 
boards  nailed  together  into  a  long  square  box.  Separating 
devices,  such  as  the  Smith  separator,  a  specially  fitted  tank, 
are  used  to  trap  and  save  the  gas  produced  with  the  oil.  Thus 
gas  that  would  otherwise  be  wasted  is  conserved  for  fuel  and 
used  in  operating  the  property. 

Mr.  H.  A.  Melat,  general  manager  of  the  Gulf  Production 
Company,  once  successfully  bridged  temporarily  a  well  drilled 
by  the  rotary  system,  which  commenced  flowing  oil  before 
the  casing  had  been  set  and  cemented.  He  cut  a  plug  from  a 
tree  and  left  the  stumps  of  branches  protruding,  placed  it  in 
the  well  with  a  number  of  cement  sacks  on  top  of  it  and 
pumped  it  down  with  thick  mud  fluid.  After  the  casing  was 
set  the  bridge  was  drilled  up. 

In  the  Gulf  Coast  field,  when  gusher  wells  are  expected,  the 


360  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

•  -■••■-■»»■ 

.  derrick,  is  mountecj  on  extra  blocks  or -=&ills  to  provide  space 
for  connecting  a  gate  valve  and  cross  to  the  casing,  below 
the  derrick  ftoor.  Then,  should  the  well  "come  in/'  it  can  be 
controlled. 

Xhis  book  is  a  treatise  on  well  drilling  methods  and  the 
author  makes  no  attempt  to  treat  in  an  exhaustive  manner 
the  different,  rnethods  and  appliances  used  to  combat  floating 
sand,  gas,  water  and  other  difficulties  met  in  pumping  oil 
wells  and  in  operating  oil  properties/  These  phases  of  the 
oiKbusiness,  have  received  more  attentk)n  by  engineers  and 

,  others  and  much  mor?  has  been  written  with  reference  to 
^{lem  thai^  upon  well  drilling  methods  and^problems.  Refer- 
ences* are  here  given  to  books  and  papers  on  these  subjects.* 

7  SHUTTING  IN  GAS  WELLS 

If  the  well  has  a  large  volume  of  gas  at  high  pressure,  it 

•may  be  closed  by  anchoring  the  casing  and  fitting  a   high 
».*■■■ 
♦Oil   Production   Methods,   by   Paul   M.   Paine   and   B.   K.   Stroud. 

American  Oil  Industry,  by  Bacon  &  Hamor. 

U.  S.  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletins,  as  follows: 

Technical    Paper   70,    Methods   of   Oil   Recovery   in   California,    by 
Ralph  Arnold  and  V.  R.  Garfias. 

bulletin  177,  The  decline  and  ultimate  production  of  oil  wells  with 
notes  on  the  valuation  of  oil  properties,  by  C.  H.  Beal. 

Technical  paper  42,  The  prevention  of  waste  of  oil  and  gas  from 
flowing  wells  in  California,  by  Ralph  Arnold  and  V.  R.  Garfias. 

Technical  paper  45,  Waste  of  oil  and  gas  in  Mid-Continent  fields, 
by  R.  S.  Blatchley. 

Technical  paper  209,  Traps  for  saving  gas  at  oil  wells,  by  W.   R. 
Hamilton. 

Bulletin  148,  Methods  of  increasing  the  recovery  from  oil  sands,  by 
J.  O.  Lewis. 

Technical   paper   51,    Possible    causes   of   decline   of   oil   wells    and 
suggested  methods  of  prolonging  yield  by  L.  G.  Huntley. 

Technical  paper  72,  Problems  of  the  petroleum  industry,  by  T.  C. 
Allen. 

Technical  paper  130,  Underground  wastes  in  oil  and  gas  fields  and 
methods  of  prevention,  by  W.  F.  McMurray  and  J.  O.  Lewis. 

Technical  paper  247,  Perforated  casing  and  screen  pipe  in  oil  wells, 
by  E.  W.  Wagy. 


SHUTTING    IN    GAS  WELLS 


Flfc  217 
Diagram    ot    well    Closed    In    and 
Anchored  to  Store  tlie  Gta  In  th» 
ProducinK  Formation. 
(From.  Handbook  ol  Natural  Qas,  bf  H.  P.  WeBtcott,  Matiic  Metal  Worki) 


Tig   216 

Dtasrani    of    Well    Closed    in    a 

Anchored   to   produce  Gus 


362  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

pressure  gate  valve  to  the  top.  If,  however,  the  casing  has 
not  been  cemented  or  is  not  securely  set  with  a  packer,  there 
is  always  danger  of  the  gas  escaping  around  the  casing.  It 
is  always  best  to  tube  a  gas  well  of  average  volume  and  use 
a  packer  at  the  top  of  the  gas  sand.  This  confines  the  gas 
to  the  stratum  in  which  it  is  found  and  in  the  tubing. 

There  are  two  methods  of  anchoring  the  tubing.  When 
the  volume  of  gas  is  not  large,  and  in  shallow  wells  where 
the  pressures  are  low,  the  tubing  is  usually  anchored  with 
clamps  to  the  casing  or  drive  pipe  (refer  to  Fig.  216).  For 
deep  wells  with  a  large  volume  of  gas  at  greater  pressure 
(the  gas  pressure  usually  corresponds  to  water  pressure  at 
depth,  0.434  pounds  per  foot)  it  is  safe  to  anchor  the  tubing 
to  the  casing,  provided  there  is  a  long  and  heavy  string  of 
casing  in  the  well  that  wull  serve  as  an  anchoring  medium. 

Where  there  may  be  no  such  long  string  of  casing,  it  is 
safer  to  anchor  the  tubing  in  a  big  "gasser"  to  sills  bolted  to 
dead  men  buried  in  the  ground,  using  long  anchor  bolts  ex- 
tending from  the  tubing  clamps  down  through  the  sills.  An- 
other effective  method  is  to  dig  two  trenches  four  to  six  feet 
deep,  extending  about  20  feet  from  either  side  of  the  well, 
each  trench  to  be  widened  near  the  well  sufficiently  to  provide 
a  space  about  six  feet  square.  A  joint  of  casing  is  set  in  each 
trench  and  anchor  bolts  with  an  eye  that  will  slip  over  the 
casing  are  engaged  with  the  tubing  clamps.  Concrete  is  then 
mixed  and  poured  over  the  casing  and  around  the  bolts  in 
the  enlarged  part  of  the  trench  and  the  earth  replaced  in  the 
trench. 

The  shutting  in  of  gas  wells  of  large  volume  and  high 
pressure  drilled  in  hard  rock  formations,  or  in  soft  formations 
where  the  casing  has  been  set  and  cemented,  is  not  a  difficult 
matter.  When  a  heavy  volume  of  gas  is  struck  in  a  well 
drilled  by  the  rotary  system  before  casing  has  been  set,  the 
result  is  sometimes  a  disastrous  blow-out.  Such  wells  have 
created  veritable  craters  that  have  swallowed  the  rig  and 
machinery.     The  remedy  is  to  mud  oflF  the  gas,  if  possible. 


SHUTTING    IN    GAS    WELLS 


PiK.  31S. 

IjOulBiana  Gas  Well  Shut  li 

tH«trlc  Metal  Works) 


364  DEEP   WELL   DRILLW^V' 

until  casing  can  be  set  and  cemented,  when  the  well  is  cleared 
of  mud  fluid  by  methods  elsewhere  described,  gate  valves  are 
screwed  to  the  top  of  the  casing  and  the  casing  anchored  so 
the  gas  may  be  confined.  Interesting  accounts  of.  the  cap- 
ping of  big  gas  wells  and  the  extinguishing  of  burning  wcjls 
accompanied  by  illustrations  will  be  found  in  "Hand  Book  of 
Natural  Gas"  by  Henry  P.  Westcott.*  Illustration  (Fig.  218> 
is  of  a  gas  well  in  the  Louisiana  field  closed  in  with  stuffing 
box  casing  head,  otherwise  known  as  a  "Bradenhead,"  master 
gate  valve,  outlet  gate  valves  and  anchor  clamps. 

♦"Hand  Book  of  Natural  Gas,"  published  by  Metric  Metal  Works, 
Erie,  Pa. 


::  a-w 


t-v.  •  .:    '  ^..  -  -^ 


CHAPTER  XIII 

COST  OF  DRILLING  WELLS  IN  VARIOUS 

LOCALITIES 

Many  factors  enter  into  well  drilling  costs,  such  as  the 
local  competition  or  the  lack  of  it  among  rig  and  drilling 
contractors,  the  distance  of  the  field  from  railway  facilities 
with  consequent  high  or  moderate  teaming  expense,  the 
character  of  the  formations  to  be  drilled,  etc.  The  following 
cost  estimates  for  several  fields  were  compiled  dariilig'  a  period 
of  high  prices  and  of  active  development  work  (the  year  1920) 
and  they  may  appear  high  as  compared  with  the  costs  of  a 
few  years  previous  and  the  costs  that  may  prevail  m  the 
future.  They  are,  however,  the  costs  that  were  current  at 
the  time  this  was  written  and  are  believed  to  be  reliable 
as  a  basis  for  estimates.  Some  cost  figures  of  previous  years 
are  given  for  the  purpose  of  comparison. 

COMPARISON  OF  COST  OF  COMPLETED  DERRICKS 
AS  OF  THE  YEARS  1914  AND  1920 

1914  1920 

74-foot  Derrick  with  45^-in.  Rig  Irons  in  Penn- 
sylvania, West  Virginia  and  Ohio. $825.00        $1,850100 

74-foot  Derrick  with  45^-in.  Rig  Irons  in  Okla- 
homa         950.00         2,150.00 

82-foot  Derrick  with  5-in.  Rig  and  Calf  Irons 

in  Oklahoma  1,250.00  2,700.00 

84-foot  Heavy  Derrick  with  6-in.   Ideal   Chain 

Driven  Rig  and  Calf  Irons  in  North  Tepcas.      .........       .^;  4,500.00. 

84-foot  Heavy  Derrick  with  6-in.  Ideal  Chain 
Driven  Rig  arid  Calf  Irons  'iri  California. 
Weight,  100,000  lbs 1,750.00         4,0()0.00 


^ 


366  DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 

COST  OF  DERRICKS  (Concluded) 

1914  1920 

106-foot  Heavy  Combination  Standard  and  Ro- 
tary Derrick,  with  6-in.  Ideal  Chain  Driven 
Rig  and  Calf  Irons  in  California.  Weight, 
128,000  lbs 1,975.00         4,550.00 

114-foot  Heavy  Combination  Standard  and  Ro- 
tary Derrick  with  Concrete  Corners,  Iron 
Bull  and  Calf  Wheel  Shafts  and  6-in.  Ideal 
Chain  Driven  Rig  and  Calf  Irons.    Weight, 

136,000  lbs.  in  California 2,250.00        5,500.00 

82-foot  Derrick  with  6-in.   Ideal  Chain  Driven 

Rig  and  Calf  Irons,  in  Wyoming 4,500.00 

84-foot  Gulf  Coast  Rotary  Derrick 300.00  650.00 

112-foot  Gulf  Coast  Rotary  Derrick 400.00  850.00 

CONTRACT  COST  OF  DRILLING  PER  FOOT  OF  HOLE 

DRILLED— 1920 

Northern   Ohio $1.25  to  $1.50  Kansas     and     Okla- 

Central  Ohio $2.00  homa,  shallow $2.50  to  $3.50 

Pennsylvania  and  W.  Texas  (Ranger)  deep.$5.00  to  $6.00 

Virginia   $1.50  to  $2.50  Wyoming,  deep $5.00  to  10.00 

Kentucky,  shallow. .  .$4.00*              Wyoming,  shallow. .  .$3.50  to  $6.00 
Kansas     and     Okla-  fCalifornia $5.25  to  $6.50 

homa,  deep $2.00  to  $3.00  Louisiana — See  below. 

Drilling  costs  in  1914  were  approximately  one-half  the  above 
figures. 

Contracts  are  taken  for  a  completed  well  in  the  Louisiana  field 
at  from  $18,000  to  $25,000,  according  to  depth.  This  includes  rotary 
derrick,  casing  and  drilling.  If  well  is  to  be  pumped,  the  derrick 
must  be  standardized  and  pumping  equipment  installed  at  an  extra 
cost  of  approximately  $4,000. 

♦  The  operator  furnishes  fuel  and  water. 

t  In  California  little  drilling  is  done  by  contract.  Most  of  the 
operators  buy  the  drilling  outfits  and  do  their  own  drilling.  These 
figures  are  for  contracts  to  land  the  water  string  of  casing  only. 
Finishing  the  well  is  at  a  rate  per  day  or  the  operator  undertakes 
the  work. 

Note:  For  costs  of  drilling  outfits  refer  to  specifications  of  drilling 
outfits,  pages  80-96. 


COST    OF   DRILLING   WELLS  367 

TYPICAL   EXAMPLES  OF  THE  COST  OF  DRILLING  AND 

EQUIPPING  OIL  WELLS,  YEAR  1920 
West  Virginia  3,000-ft  WeU 

Derrick  complete  $1,850.00 

Drilling  3,000  ft @  $2.50  7,500.00 

250  ft.  10-in.  35-lb.  casing @    L93  482.50 

1,500  ft.  8J4-in.  24-ib.  casing @    1.33  1,995.00 

2,250  ft.  6H-in.  17-lb.  casing @      .92^  2,086.87 

2,800  ft.  5  3/16-in.  casing @      .91^  2.569.00 

Shooting  100  quarts @    3.00  300.00 

3,000  ft.  2-in.  tubing  with  sucker  rods  and  pumping  outfit...  975.00 

Gas  engine  and  setting,  belt,  etc 1,750.00 

Tanks  and  tank  house 750.00 

Gas,  water  and  oil  lines,  fittings  and  other  equipment 450.00 

Labor,  teaming,  etc.    (estimated) 1,000.00 

$21,707.37 
Kentucky,  Bowling  Green-ScottsTille  450-ft.  Well 

Drilling  450  ft @  $4.00  $1,800.00 

Fuel  and  water,  estimated 600.00 

40  ft.  8i/4-in.  17-lb.  casing @  $1.12  44.80 

400  ft.  654-in.  13-lb.  casing @      .77y2  310.00 

Shooting  40  quarts 164.00 

450  ft.  2-in.  tubing,  sucker  rods,  pumping  outfit,  jack,  fittings, 

etc. 275.00 

Proportionate  cost  of  gas  engine,  power,  tanks,  buildings, 
gas,  water  and  oil  lines,  fittings,  labor,  etc.,  for  power 

plant  pumping  six  wells;  for  each  well 600.00 

Labor,  teaming,  etc.  (estimated) 200.00 

$3  993.80 
Oklahoma  (Osage)  2,000-ft.  Well 

Derrick  complete  $2,150.00 

Drilling  2,000  ft @  $2.50  5,000.00 

150  ft.  10-in.  35-lb.  casing @    2.14  321.00 

750  ft.  8]^-in.  24-lb.  casing @    1.47  1,102.50 

1,800  ft.  6H-in.  20-lb.  casing @    1.21  2,178.00 

Shooting  60  quarts 160.00 

2,000  ft.  2-in.  tubing  with  sucker  rods,  pull  rods,  pumping 

outfit,  jack  ,etc 875.00 

Proportionate  cost  of  gas  engine,  power,  belt,  buildings,  fit- 
tings for  power  plant  pumping  six  wells,  tanks  and  tank 

house,  labor,  etc. ;  for  each  well 700.00 

Gas,  water  and  oil  lines,  fittings  and  other  equipment 400.00 

Labor,  teaming,  etc.  (estimated) 850.00 

$13,736.50 


368  .  DEEP   WELL  DRILLING 

Oklahoxna,  Dnimright-Qiiay  3,000^ft  Well 

Derrick  complete    $2,700.00 

Drilling  3,000  ft @  $3.00  9,000.00 

200  ft.  15}^-in.  70-lb.  casing @    5.32  1,064.00 

700  ft.  12j4-in.  50-lb.  casing .@    3.31  2,317.00 

1,200  ft.  10-in.  40-lb.  casing @    2.45  2,740.00 

1,500  ft.  8^i-in.  28-lb.  casing ; @     1.74  2,610.00 

2.500  ft.  6^-in.  24-lb.  casing @    1.43  3,575.00 

2,900  ft.  5  3/16-in.  17-lb.  casing @     1.02  2,958.00 

Shooting  100  quarts @    2.50  250.00 

3,000  ft.  2-in.  4}^-lb.  tubing  with  sucker  rods  and  pumping 

outfit 1,350.00 

Gas  engine  and  setting,  belt,  etc ; ^ . .  2,000.00 

'  Tanks  and  tank  house « 1,000.00 

Gas,  water  and  oil  lines,  fittings  and  other  equipment 500.00 

Labor,^  teaming,  jetc.  (estimated) . ....... . . . . , 1,750.00 


$33,814.00 

Texas,  Ranger-Breckenridge  3,500-ft.  Well 

Derrick  complete $4,500.00 

Drilling  3,500  ft @  $5.00  17,500.00 

20  ft.  20-in.  O.  D.  90-lb.  drive  pipe @    7.47  149.40 

250  ft.  \Sy2-in.  70-lb.  casing @    5.32  1,330.00 

700  ft.  I2y2-\n.  50-lb.  casing @    3.41  2,387.00 

1,500  ft.  10-in.  40-lb.  casing @    2.63  3,945.00 

2,000  ft.  8^-in.  28-lb.  casing @     1.80  3,600.00 

3,000  ft.  6^-in.  24-lb.  casing @     1.49  4,470.00 

3,500  ft.  4^-irf.  15-lb.  casing. . ; @      .93^  3,263.75 

Shooting  200  quarts @    4.00  800.00 

Tanks  and  tank  houses 1,500.00 

Gas,  water  and  oil  lines,  fittings  and  other  equipment 1,000.00 

Labor,  teaming,  etc.  (estimated) 2,800.00 


$47,245.15 


Note:   This   estimate   is   based   on   a  flowing   well   and   pumping 
machinery  is  not  included. 


COST    OF    DRILLING   WELLS  369 

Wyoming,  Rock  River-Lost  Soldier,  3,000-ft.  Well 

Derrick  complete $4,500.00 

Drilling  3,000  ft @  $7.00  21,000.00 

40  ft.  20-in.  O.  D.  90-lb.  drive  pipe @    7.81  312.40 

100  ft.  15j4-in.  70-lb.  casing. ." @    5.58  558.00 

750  ft.  121^-in.  45-lb,  casing ^. @    3.23,  2,422.50 

1,750  ft.  10-in.  40-lb.  casing. @    2.78  4,865.00 

2,400  ft.  8>i-in.  28-lb.  casing : .  ^ ,  @     1.90  4,560.00 

3.000  ft.  654-in.  24-lb.  casing .@     1.57  4,710.00 

Shooting  80 -quarts'. . . . .  .ir;  .'*.  L > .; .- @    5.00  400.00 

3,000    ft.    2-in.    4^-lb.    tubing    with    sucker    rods,    pumping 

outfit,  etc 1,450.00 

Gas  engine  and  setting,  belt,  etc.  .i 2,500.00 

Tanks  and  tank  house. i ,  .^.r. 1,500.00 

Gas,  water  and  oil  lines,  fittin*gs,>  aiid  other  equipment 1,000.00 

Labor,  teaming,  etc.  (estimated) . ..». 3,500.00 


$53,277.90 
California^  Brea-Mqntebello,  4,000-ft.  Well 

Derrick  complete  .  .1 ..... .  .•■  i . ,,. $4,550.00 

Drilling  4,000  ft.  (estimated) ,  .\ 26,000.00 

1,000  ft.  15^-in.  70nb.  caslfl^? .  /. . .  r?.  .\ @  $6.09  6,090.00 

1,800  ft.  12i/4-in.  50.1b.  casing.....'.'... @    3.96  7,128.00 

2,500  ft.  lO-in.  45-lb.  casing . . . .  .'.^ @    3.45  8,625.00 

3,500  ft.  8i/i-in.  36-lb.  casing. . .  :>. .' @    2.69  9,415.00 

4,000  ft.  6^i-in.  28-lb.  casing .- @    2.02  8,080.00 

Tanks  and  tank  houses . . .' 2,000.00 

Gas,  water  and  oil  lines,  fittings  and  other  equipment 1,000.(X) 

Labor,  teaming,  etc.  (estimated) 4,000.00 


$76,888.00 
Note:    This    estimate    is    based    on    a   flowing   well    and    pumping 
machinery  is  not  included. 

COSTS  OF  WELL  SHOOTING 
March  1,  1921      • 
In  Ohio,  Illinois  and  Indiana 

5  quarts  or  less . $37.00        50  quarts $157.50 

10  quarts  ,     64.00        60  quarts 178.00 

20  quarts  , 93.00        70  quarts 203.50 

30  quarts  114.50        80  quarts 229.00 

40  quarts  136.00        90 quarts 254.50 

Electric  Wire  4c  per  ft. 
loo  quarts  or  more'  $2.80  per  quart. 


■■t.i' 


370  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

In  Western  Kentucky 

10  quarts  or  less $84.00        40  quarts  ...' ,...$164.00 

20  quarts  92.00        50  quarts 180.00 

30  quarts 128.00        60  quarts  210.00 

Electric  Wire  5c  per  ft. 
60  quarts  or  more  $3.50  per  quart.     Above  prices  are  based  on 
one  day  trip  from  nearest  magazine;  a  charge  of  $35.00  will  be  made 
for  each  additional  day. 

In  Kansas  and  Northern  Oklahoma 

10  quarts  or  less $61.00        60  quarts  $160.00 

20  quarts 87.00        70  quarts  182.50 

30  quarts  105.50        80  quarts 205.00 

40  quarts 124.00        90  quarts  227.50 

30  quarts 142.50      100  quarts 250.00 

Electric  Wire  4c  per  ft. 
100  quarts  or  more  $2.50  per  quart.     Above  prices  are  based  on 
one  day  trip  from  nearest  magazine;  a  charge  of  $40  will  be  made 
for  each  additional  day.    Casing  and  tubing  shots  $61.00  and  for  each 
additional  shot  on  same  trip  $10.00. 

In  North  Texas  and  Southwestern  Oklahoma 

10  quarts  or  less. $94.00        60  quarts .$260.00 

20  quarts 113.00        70  quarts  300.00 

30  quarts 152.00        80  quarts  340.00 

40  quarts   180.00        90  quarts 380.00 

50  quarts  220.00      100  quarts  400.00 

Electric  Wire  5c  per  ft. 
100  quarts  or  more  $4.00  per  quart.     Above  prices  are  based  on 
one  day  trip  from  nearest  magazine;  a  charge  of  $40  will  be  made 
for  each  additional  day.     Casing  and  tubing  shots  $94.00. 

At  Casper  and  Thermopolis,  Wyoming 

10  quarts  or  less $130.00        60  quarts  ; . .  .$300.00 

20  quarts 175.00        70  quarts  332.00 

30  quarts  210.00        80  quarts  360.00 

40  quarts  240.00        90  quarts  382.00 

50  quarts : 275.00      100  quarts  400.00 

Electric  Wire  5c  per  ft. 
100  quarts  or  more  $4.00  per  quart.     Extra  charge  of  $40.00  per 
day  for  each  additional  day. 

These  prices  cover  the  complete  service,  including  shells,  squibs, 
squib  wire  and  other  material  used,  excepting  electric  wire,  which  is 
charged  extra.  "'        . 


CHAPTER  XIV 

STRENGTH  OF  MATERIALS 

STRESS  AND  STRAIN 
Extracts  from  Kent's  Engineers'  Pocket  Book 

I 

"Stresses  are  the  forces  which  are  applied  to  bodies  to  bring 
into  action  their  elastic  and  cohesive  properties.  These  forces 
cause  alterations  of  the  forms  of  the  bodies  upon  which  they 
act.  Strain  is  a  name  given  to  the  kind  of  alteration  pro- 
duced by  the  stresses.  The  distinction  between  stress  and 
strain,  is  not  always  observed,  one  being  used  for  the  other. 
(Wood) 

"Stresses  are  of  different  kinds,  viz. :  tensile,  compressive, 
transverse,  torsional,  and  shearing  stresses. 

"A  tensile  stress,  or  pull,  is  a  force  tending  to  elongate  a 
piece.  A  compressive  stress,  or  push,  is  a  force  tending  to 
shorten  it.  A  transverse  stress  tends  to  bend  it.  A  torsional 
stress  tends  to  twist  it.  A  shearing  stress  tends  to  force  one 
part  of  it  to  slide  over  the  adjacent  part. 

"Tensile,  compressive,  and  shearing  stresses  are  called 
simple  stresses.  Transverse  stress  is  compounded  of  tensile 
and  compressive  stresses,  and  torsional  of  tensile  and  shearing 
stresses. 


371 


372  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

TENSILE  STRENGTH  • 

"The  following  data  are  usually  obtained  in  testing  by  ten- 
sion in  a  testing-machine  a  sample  of  a  material  of  con- 
struction : 

The  load  and  the  amount  of  extension  at  the  elastic  limit. 

The  maximum  load  applied  before  rupture. 

"The  elongation  of  the  piece,  measured  between  gauge- 
marks  placed  a  stated  distance  apart  before  the  test ;  and  the 
reduction  of  area  at  the  point  of  fracture. 

'^The  load  at  the  elastic  limit  and  the.mJiximum  load  are' 
recorded  in  pounds  per  square  inch  of  the  original  area.  The 
elongation  is  recorded  as  a  percentage  of  the  stated  length 
between  the  gauge-marks,  and  the  reduction  of  area  as  a  per- 
centage of  the  original  area.  The  coefficient  of  elasticity  is 
calculated  from  the  ratio  the  extension  within  the  elastic 
limit  per  inch  of  length  bears  to  the  load  per  square  inch  pro- 
ducing that  extension. 

"Elastic  Limit. — ^The  elastic  limit  is  defined  as  that  load  at 
which  the  deformations  cease  to  be  proportional  to  the 
stresses,  or  at  which  the  rate  of  stretch  (or  other  deformation) 
begins  to  increase.  It  is  also  defined  as  the  load  at  which  a 
permanent  set  first  becomes  visible. 

"Yield-point  is  defined  as  that  point  at  which  the  rate  of 
stretch  suddenly  increases  rapidly  with  no  increase  of  the 
load." 

SAFETY  FACTORS  AND  SAFE-WORKING  FIBER  STRESSES 
(From  National  Tube  Co.  Book  of  Standards) 

"Each  member  of  a  mechanical  structure  should  be  capable 
of   resisting   the   greatest   straining   action   to  which   it  can 

♦  Author's  Note. — Tests  for  tensile  strength  are  expressed  in  pounds 
per  square  inch,  i.e.,  from  the  plane,  or  surface,  of  the  tested  material 
a  measurement  of  one  inch  at  a  right  angle.  Example:  A  piecie  of 
steel  one  inch  square  shows  tensile  strength  of  80,000  pounds,  which 
would  be  the  tensile  strength  per  square  inch  of  the  material  and 
also  the  strength  of  that  size  piece.  The  strength  of  a  piece  of  steel 
one  inch  wide  and  one-quarter  inch  thick  would  be  one-fourth  of 
80,000,  or  20,000  pounds. 


STRENGTH   OF   MATERIALS  373 

ordinarily  be  subjected  when  in  ^^e.  The  designer?  should, 
therefore,  consider  under  what  conditions  the  straining  actions 
are  greatest.  When  these  actions  are  of  variable  character, 
it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  take  into  consideration  the 
effects  of  this  variation  upon  the  endurance  of  the  material. 
For  example,  a  member  may  fail  under  a  straining  action  that 
causes  stresses  which  fluctuate,  or  which  alternate  repeatedly 
from  tension  to  compression,  when  the  same  straining  action 
would  be  successfully  resisted  under  the  conditions  of  steady 
loading. 

''Margin  of  Security. — It  is  apparent  that  the  working  load 
on  a  member  of  mechanical  structure  should  be  less  than  the 
calculated  breaking  load  for  the  member,,  in  order  to  allow 
for  inaccuracies,  deterioration,  and  probable  contingencies, 
and  thus  provide  a  margin  of  security.  It  is  customary,  there- 
fore, to  design  a  member  so  that  either  (1)  the  statical  break- 
ing load,  or  (2)  the  load  that  causes  the  most  strained  fiber 
of  the  material  to  just  reach  its  elastic  limit,  shall  be  a  num- 
ber of  times  the  working  load.  This  number  is  called  the 
safety  factor.  Thus,  in  the  first  case,  if  the  statical  breaking 
strength  were  12,000  pounds  and  the  working  load  upon  it 
2,000  pounds,  then  the  safety  factor  would  be  12,000  divided 
by  2,000,  or  6.  In  the  second  case,  if  the  statical  load  that 
causes  the  most  strained  fiber  of  the  member  to  just  reach 
the  elastic  limit  of.  the  material  were  6,000  pounds  and  the 
working  load  upon  it  2,000  pounds,  then  the  safety  factor  on 
this  basis  would  be  3. 

"The  elastic  and  ultimate  strengths  of  the  materials,  under 
static  loading  can  be  easily  obtained.  The  strength,  therefore, 
under  an  assumed  steady^ loading,  of  any  member  of  a  mechan- 
ical structure  can  ordinarily  be  calculated  with  sufficient 
accuracy.  But  the  proper  safety  factor  to  use  under  a  given 
set  of  actual  working  conditions,  involving  actions  of  a  more 
or  less  variable  or  uncertain  character,  can  be  arrived  at  in 
most  cases  only  as  the  result  of  long  experience,  or  by  tedious 
experiment." 


374  DEEP    WELL  DRILLING 

TABLE  OF  FACTORS  OF  SAFETY 

(From  Kent's  Engineers'  Pocket  Book) 

Class  of  Service  or  Materials.  Factor 

Boilers 4^-6 

Piston  and  connecting  rod  for  single-acting  engines 9-12 

Shaft  carrying  bandwheel,  fly-wheel,  or  armature 6^-9 

Mill  shafting  24 

Steel  work  in  buildings 4 

Steel  work   in   bridges 5 

Steel  work  for  small  work. 6 

Cast,  iron  wheel  rims 20 

Steel  wheel  rims 8 

Materials. 

Cast  iron  and  other  castings 4 

Wrought  iron  or  mild  steel 3 

Oil  tempered  or  nickel  steel 254 

Hardened  steel  3 

Bronze  and  brass,  rolled  or  forged 3 

Factors  of  safety  recommended  for  well  drilling  equipment : 

Derricks 6 

Wire  rope 5 

Manila  rope  5 

Casing  blocks  and  hooks 8-10 

Casing  (collapsing)  2-3 

Boilers 6 

STRUCTURAL  STEEL  DERRICKS 

Note:  The  following  data  on  steel  derricks  are  used  through  the 
courtesy  of  the  Carnegie  Steel  Co.  For  more  information  regarding 
details  of  construction,  etc.,  refer  to  Carnegie  Steel  Co.  Catalogue, 
1918. 

"Methods  of  Design. — The  loads  which  come  on  derricks 
and  drilling  rigs  are  problematical  and  cannot  be  exactly 
ascertained.  The  tables  indicate  what  the  safe  loads  should 
be,  figured  on  the  factor  of  safety  of  four  which  is  usual  in  the 
fabrication  of  steel  for  buildings.  The  yield  point  of  struc- 
tural steel  is  rather  more  than  twice  as  high  as  the  working 
unit  stresses. 


STRENGTH   OF   MATERIALS  375 

"Consequently,  the  derricks  will  sustain  safely  infrequent 
stresses  of  higher  amount  than  is  set  down  in  the  tables.  Care 
should,  however,  be  taken  not  to  load  drilling  structures 
beyond  the  tabular  safe  loads. 

"No  guy  lines  or  other  extraneous  means  of  support  are 
necessary.  All  stresses  have  been  taken  care  of  within  the 
structures.  Wind  stresses  have  been  figured  at  30  pounds 
per  square  foot  of  exposed  surface,  which  is  equivalent  to  the 
pressure  developed  by  a  storm  of  about  70  miles  per  hour 
velocity. 

"Drilling  Loadsl — The  load  over  the  crown  pulley  in  a 
Standard  or  California  derrick  is  made  up  of  the  load  on  the 
pulley,  plus  the  equivalent  downward  pull  on  the  drilling 
cable,  and  in  consequence  the  load  which  a  derrick  will  sus- 
tain figured  on  the  basis  of  the  pull  on  the  drilling  cable  is 
to  be  taken  as  one-half  of  the  tabular  safe  load. 

"In  pulling  casing,  however,  the  load  is  distributed  to  the 
crown  block  beams  by  the  two  or  four-casing  pulleys  in  a 
California  derrick  or  by  the  parting  of  lines  in  a  Standard 
derrick.  While  the  derricks  will  sustain  the  full  theoretical 
safe  loads  given,  they  will  do  so  only  when  the  loads  are 
distributed  by  the  crown  block  evenly  to  the  four  legs.  It  is 
obvious  that  if  the  entire  pull  in  drawing  casing  comes  on 
two  legs,  the  derrick  cannot  be  expected  to  stand  its  full 
theoretical  load. 

SAFE  WORKING  LOADS  ON  STEEL  DERRICKS 

"The  following  table  shows  the  theoretical  safe  loads  which 
various  grades  of  derricks  will  sustain,  computed  on  the  factor 
of  safety  of  four.  It  also  gives  the  size  and  thickness  of 
angles  used  in  the  top  section  to  which  other  panels  are  pro- 
portional. 


376 


DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 


SAFE  WORKING  LOADS  ON  STEEL  DERRICKS  (Contintted) 


Working 
Angles  in  Top       Load 


Size  and  Type 

Grade 

Section  (Inches) 

Pounds 

64  Foot  Standard 

Regular 

35^ 

1x3^ 

;xi^ 

60,000 

12  Foot 

<i 

Regular 

4 

x4 

x5/16 

92,000 

80  Foot 

<« 

Regular 

4 

x4 

x5/16 

92,000 

80  Foot 

<i 

Extra  Regular 

4 

x4 

xfi 

110,000 

80  Foot 

u 

Super  Regular 

4 

x4 

x7/16 

127,000 

72  Foot  California 

Regular 

4 

x4 

x^ 

110,000 

80  Foot 

Regular 

4 

x4 

x^ 

110,000 

80  Foot 

Heavy 

6 

x6 

x^ 

223,000 

80  Foot 

Extra  Heavy 

6 

x6 

x7/16 

259,000 

86  Foot 

Heavy 

6 

x6 

x^ 

223,000 

106  Foot 

Heavy 

6 

x6 

xH 

223,000 

106  Foot 

Extra  Heavy 

6 

x6 

x7/16 

259.000 

106  Foot 

Super  Heavy 

6 

x6 

x/. 

294,000 

59  Foot 

Rotary 

Regular 

3^ 

;x3i/^ 

ixi/4 

60,000 

72  Foot 

M 

Regular 

4 

x4 

x^ 

110,000 

80  Foot 

<l 

Regular 

4 

x4 

xH 

110,000 

86  Foot 

II 

Regular 

4 

x4 

x5^ 

110,000 

106  Foot 

II 

Heavy 

6 

x6 

x5^ 

223,000 

86  Foot 

Std.  Combination           Regular 

4 

x4 

x^ 

110,000 

86  Foot 

Cal.   Combination           Regular 

4 

x4 

x^ 

110,000 

86  Foot 

(1 

Heavy 

6 

x6 

xH 

223,000 

106  Foot 

II 

Heavy 

6 

x6 

x^ 

223,000 

106  Foot 

II 

Extra  Heavy 

6 

x6 

x7/16 

259,000 

106  Foot 

<i 

Super  Heavy 

6 

x6 

^V2 

294,000 

"The  safe  load  figures  in  the  above  table  represent  the  actual 
safe  carrying  capacity  of  each  derrick,  the  legs  of  which  are 
figurdd  from  standard  steel  column  formulas  based  on  a  factor 
of  safety  of  four  on  the  ultimate  strength  of  the  steel.  These 
same  figures  expressed  in  terms  of  the  elastic  limit,  which  is 
approximately  one-half  of  the  ultimate  strength,  would  mean 
that  the  derrick  should  stand  double  the  load  shown  in  the 
above  table  before  deformation  would  take  place  in  any  of  the 
main  members." 


STRENGTH   OF  MATERIALS  377 

SAFE  WORKING  LOADS  ON  STEEL  DERRICKS  (Concluded) 

The  figures  in  the  table  may  appear  high  and  seemingly 
indicate  that  the  derricks  are  built  stronger  than  really  nepes- 
sary.  It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that,  in  addition  to 
the  actual  dead  weight  of  the  string  of  casing,  the  strain  of 
which  may  be  reduced  by  the  use  of  double  or  triple  blocks, 
there  must  be  added  to  the  working  load  an  amount  to  provide 
for  friction  in  the  string  of  casing,  w^hich,  in  some  cases,  may 
be  as  great  as  the  dead  load  itself.  These  two  factors  would 
then  represent  the  steady  pull  which  must  be  resisted  by  the 
crown  block.  Even  these  figures  do  not  take  into  account 
the  question  of  impact  or  shock  resulting  from  the  practice 
on  the  part  of  some  drillers  to  race  their  engine  up  to-  the 
load  in  order  to  release  casing  that  ma)'^  be  fast  or  frozen  in 
the  hole.  For  these  reasons  and  to  provide  for  other  unfore- 
seen contingencies,  it  is  apparent  The  Carnegie  Steel  Co. 
has  made  a  liberal  provision  for  factor  of  safety  in  the 
strength  of  their  derricks. 

SAFE  WORKING  LOADS  FOR  WOOD  DERRICKS 

The  data  worked  out  by  the  Carnegie  Steel  Co.  (see  page 
376)  for  theoretical  safe  working  loads  for  steel  derricks  may 
also  be  used  as  a  basis  for  estimating  the  safe  loads  for  wood 
derricks.  It  must  be  remembered,  however,  that  a  steel 
derrick  is  a  structure  built  throughout  of  steel,  with  all  parts 
fitted  together  to  a  scientific  plan.  The  wood  derrick,  on 
the  other  hand,  is  built  of  a  material  less  uniform  in  quality; 
it  is  subject  to  weathef  conditions,  to  faulty  or  careless  con- 
struction and  other  influences  which  make  it  difficult  to  figure 
the  stresses  it  will  withstand.  For  example,  a  derrick,  other- 
wise well  built  of  good  material,  but  with  one  leg  slightly 
shorter  than  the  others,  or  one-or  more  legs  or  braces  imper- 
pectly  placed  or  spiked,  might  fail  with  half  the  theoretical 
safe  load  it  should,  carry.  The  following  table  of  theoretical 
safe  loads  for  wood  derricks  is,  therefore,  based  on  the  as- 
sumption that  the  derrick  is  built  of  first  grade  material,  free 
from  defects,  and  well  constructed,  plumbed  and  kept  under 
careful  inspection  during  use.  ,y;, 


. » 


.  -  u,  ■"   r»  e  <^ 


378 


DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 


SAFE  WORKING  LOADS  ON  WOOD  DERRICKS  (Concluded) 

Theoretical  safe  working  loads  for  wood  derricks,  with 
factor  of  safety  of  four,  based  on  approximately  perfect  con- 
struction as  outlined  above : 

Working 

Load 

Pounds 

90,000 

90,000 


Size  and  Type 

72  Foot 
82  Foot 
82  Foot  Heavy 

82  Foot  California  with 
Steel  Crown  Block. 

106  Foot  California  Rotary 
with  Steel  Crown  Block 

106  Foot  California  Combina- 


Dimensions  of 
Legs  and  Doublers 
2x8  and  2x10 
2x8  and  2x10 
2x8  and  2x10 

Doubled 
2  X  10  and  2x12 
Doubled  and  with  Wind  Braces 

2xiaaiMl2xl2 
Doubled  and  with' Wind  Braces 
2xl2and2xl4 


150,000 
225,000 
225,000 


tion  Heavy  with  Steel         Doubled  and  witir  Wind  Braces    265,000 

Crown  Block. 

Note:  A  basis  for  comparison  of  these  working  loads  for  wood 

derricks  with  the  working  loads  for  steel  derricks  may  be  reached 

by  the  simple  process  of  computing  the  area  of  the  leg  members  and 

the  ultimate  strength  of  the  material. 

Example : 

106- foot  steel  derrick  with  legs  of  6-in.  x  6-in.  x  54-in.  angles; 
6x6x5^  angle  =  end  section  surface  6  +  554  =  11^4  X  ^  = 
5.75  square  inches  area.  Taking  ultimate  tensile  strength  of  steel 
64,000  pounds  per  square  inch  X  5.75  equals  368,000  pounds. 

106-foot  wood  derrick  with  legs  2  x  12  in.  and  doubled  with 
2x14  in.;  12  in.  +  14  in.  =  26  in.  X  (2  in.  doubled  =  4  in.)  = 
104  square  inches  area  of  end  section  surface.  Taking  average 
ultimate  tensile  and  compressive  strength  of  hemlock,  6,400 
pounds  per  square  inch  X  104  inches  =  665,600  pounds.  (See 
table  of  strength  of  steel  and  wood,  pages  385,  390.) 

This  would  be  the  ultimate  or  breaking  strength  of  the 
material  in  one  leg  of  the  derrick  and  is  not  correct  for  the 
derrick  itself,  which  consists  of  four  legs,  trussed  by  means  of 
the  girts  and  braces.  The  actual  breaking  strain  of  the 
derrick  would  be  greater  than  the  strength  of  one  leg  member, 
but  such  a  calculation  would  have  to  take  account  of  the 
height,  bottom  measurement  and  character  of  construction  of 
the  bracing  members  of  the  derrick. 

From  these  figures  it  is  apparent  that  the  working  loads 
stated  for  wood  derricks  are  reasonably  safe. 


STRENGTH  OF  MATERIALS  379 

SAFE  WORKING  LOADS  FOR  CASING  EQUIPMENT 
California  Pattern  Iron  Casing  Blocks* 

Note:   Capacity  based   on  bearing  pressure  of  3,000  pounds   per 
square  inch.     Factor  of  safety— 4. 
Size 


Block 

Capacity 

in  Tons 

Inches 

Single 

Double 

Triple 

Quadruple 

20 

10 

20 

30 

•  • 

22 

11 

21 

32 

24 

12 

24 

36 

•  • 

26 

13 

26 

40 

53 

28 

15 

31 

46 

•  • 

30 

18 

36 

54 

72 

32 

18 

36 

54 

72 

36 

•  t 

•  • 

57 

n 

40 

•  • 

•   • 

65 

%(> 

♦  Figures  furnished  by  The  National  Supply  Co. 

SAFE  WORKING  LOAD  FOR  CASING  HOOKS 

Based  on  a  unit  fiber  stress  of  12,000  pounds  per  square 

inch.     Factor  of  safety  of  4,  ultimate  strength  of  material 

(wrought  iron)  48,000  pounds  per  square  inch : 

Diam.  of  Hook         Working  Load    Diam.  of  Hook  Working  Load 

Inches  Pounds  Inches  Pounds 

1^  .-    ASm  3}4   26,000 

IH   5,000  4       35,000 

1^   6,500  AVx   47,000 

2      9,000  5       58,000 

254   10,000  554   78,000 

25^    13,000  6       90,000 

2^  15,000     654  100,000 

3   ; 20,000     IVi   133,000 

354  23,000     8   150,000 

TO    CALCULATE   THE   SAFE    COMBINATION    OF   CASING 
BLOCKS  AND  CASING  LINE  FOR  CERTAIN  LOADS 

Example:  To  handle  a  string  of  750  feet  of  13-pound  casing, 
equals  9,750  pounds:  20  or  22-inch  single  block  having  capac- 
ity of  ten  tons;  ^-inch  casing  line,  working  load  3.5  tons, 
equals  7,000  pounds,  divided  into  9,750  pounds,  equals  1.4 
times  capacity  of  one  line  or  .7  capacity  of  two  lines,  there- 
fore a  single  block  and  two  lines  would  be  safe. 


380  DEEP  WELL   DRIL-L-ING    - 

SAFE  WORKING  LOADS  FOR  CASING  EQUIPMENT 

(Concluded) 

To  handle  3,0C0  feet  of  26-pound  casing,  equals  78,000 
pounds.:  32-inch  triple  block,  54  tons  capacity  and  four  casing 
pulleys;  %-inch  casing  line,  working  load  4.6  tons,  equals 
9,200  pounds,  divided  into  78,000  pounds,  equals  8.5  times 
capacity  of  one  line.  As  a  triple  block  and  four  casing  pulleys 
provide  for  7  lines  we  must  increase  the  ^number  of  lines  or 
the  size  of  the  rope.  1-inch  line  has  capacity  of  6  tons,  equals 
12,000  pounds,  divided  into  78,000  pounds,  equals  6.5  times 
capacity  of  one  line,  therefore  a  1-inch  line  is  the  cofilsct  and 
safe  size  for  this  load. 

PROPERTIES  OP  STEEL  WIRE 
From  Catalogue  of  John  A.  Roebling's  Sons  Co.  * 


No. 

Area, 

Breaking  strain 

Weight 

in  pounds 

Roebling 

Diam., 

square 

100,000  lbs.  per 

Per 

Per 

Gauge. 

inches. 

inches. 

sq.  in. 

If  ,000  ft. 

mile. 

0 

.307 

.074023 

7,402 

248.7 

1,313 

1 

.283 

.062902 

6,290 

211.4 

1,116 

2.i.,. 

.263 

.054325 

5,433 

182.5 

964 

3 

.244 

.046760 

4,676 

157.1 

830 

4 

.225 

.039761 

3,976 

133.6 

705 

5 

.207 

.033654 

3,365 

113.1 

597 

6 

.192 

.028953 

2,895 

97.3 

514 

7 

.177 

.024606 

2,461 

82.7 

437 

8 

.162 

.020612 

2,061 

69.3 

366 

9 

.148 

.017203 

1,720 

57.8 

305 

10 

.135 

.014314 

1,431 

48.1 

254 

11 

.120 

.011310 

1,131 

38.0 

201 

12 

.105 

.008659 

866 

29.1 

154 

13 

.092  - 

.006648 

665 

22.3 

118 

14 

.080 

.005027 

503 

1 

16.9  . 

89,2 

15 

.072 

.004071 

407 

13.7 

72.2 

16 

.063 

.003^117 

312 

10.5 

55.3 

17 

.054 

.002290 

229 

'  7.70 

40.6 

18 

.047 

.001735 

174 

'  5.83 

30.8 

19 

.041 

.001320 

132 

4.44 

23.4 

20 

.035 

,000962 

96   :,.. 

,  3.23 

17.1 

21 

.032  ' 

.000804 

80 

2.70 

14.3 

22 

.028 

.000616 

62 

2.07 

10.9 

23 

.025 

.000491 

49 

1.65 

8.71 

24 

.023 

.000415 

42 

1.40 

7.37 

STRENGTH   OF   MATERIALS 


381 


SHEET  STEEL 

The  above  diameters  of  wire  are  the  thickness  of  sheet  steel 
or  ?ron  of  the  same  gauge.  '^^     ?  }^i    ■^,. 

WIRE  ROPE 
From  Catalogue  of  John  A.  Roebling's  Sons  Co. 

DRILLING  LINES 

Composed  of  6  Strands  and  a  Hemp  Center,  7  Wires  to  the  Strand 


Standard  Cast  Steel 


II        Extra  Strong 
II  Cast  Steel 


OQ 


m 
1 


H 

11/16 
H 


ft  V  9.S 


354 
3 

2 


ft?V. 

<l 

2 

1.58 

1.20 

.89 

.75 

.62 


<0  c 


OQ 

a 


ftw  o   - 


37 

31 

24 

18.6 

15.4' 

13 


to      5 
«        c 

^  3 

piOft 

7.4    - 

6.2 

4.8 

3.7 

3.1 

2.6 


OQ 

< 

43 

35 

28 

21 

16.7 

14.5 


c 

u 
o 

09 

c 

load 
tons 
2000 

OS 

8.6 

7. 

5.6 

4.2 

3.3 

2.9 


DRILLING  LINES  AND  CASING  LINES 

Composed  of  6  Strands  and  a  Hemp  Center,  19  Wires  to  the  Strand 


Extra  Strong 

Standard  Cast  Steel 

• 

Cast  Steel 

ter 
ches. 

O    1 

H  a  «  ® 

jcimate 
:ht  per 
pounds. 

g^     § 

.5  si's  o 

orking 
in 
of 
pounds. 

oximate 
ength  in 
IS  of 
0  pounds. 

'orking 
in 
of 
pounds. 

«c 

oSg£ 

o5-S 

O  ©  »0 

^•O  »0 

t^'O  030 

E"^ 

b  >-  ^  « 

^^  S  2 

»4  ^  Co 

--»  oj  --© 

u  u  £<=> 

aj  oi  CO 

c    C 

p-r  £  c 

<*  Jr  o 

ftti  OO 

«£  o  oo 

Ri3  oo 

*  O  CO, 

.s 

fto  <u.a 

gBQ+jC^l 

't-.S-MN 

SOQ-OJ 

•^SiSfi' 

5 

<< 

< 

<J 

.< 

m 

l'/4 

4 

2.45 

47 

9.4 

53 

10.61^ 

IH 

3^ 

2.00 

38 

7.6 

43 

8^   ' 

1 

3 

1.58 

30 

6. 

34 

6.8 

?< 

2V4 

1.20 

23 

4.6 

26 

5.2 

?4 

2Va 

.89 

17.5 

3.5 

20.2 

4.04 

H 

2 

.62 

12.5 

2.5 

14 

2.8 

382 


DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 


SAND  LINES 

Composed  of  6  Strands  and  a  Hemp  Center,  7  Wires  to  the  Strand 

Cast  Steel 


H 
11/16 

H 
9/16 


5i 


2J4 
2J< 
2 


fell 

.89 
.75 
.62 
.50 


2e    9 


BD 

c 


18.6 
15.4 
13 
10 


o£  oS. 


3.7 
3.1 
2.6 
2. 


BD 

E-= 


j4 

7/16 


I 

6'Sc  . 


1'/^ 
IK 


n 

c 


•s  2  ^  -n  5P  o  S 

^ O  O    ShCO 

<        < 


.39 
.30 
.22 


7.7 
5.5 
4.6 


c 

X 

o— 

03 


•a 

e 

Sea 


1.5 
1.1 
.92 


MANILA  ROPE 

Table  of  breaking  strains  of  Manila  rope  as  established  by 
the  United  States  Bureau  of  Standards : 

4  strand 
Net  weigrht       Breakiner 
per  ft  rope      Strength 
lbs.  lbs. 


S   Stntnil 

Circum- 

Net Weight 

Breaking 

Diameter 

ference 

per  ft.  rope 

Strength 

inches 

Inches 

lbs. 

lbs. 

Va 

^ 

.0196 

700 

a 

I'A 

.0408 

1,450 

^ 

VA 

.0735 

2,450 

H 

2 

.1307 

4,000 

Va 

2% 

.1617 

4,900 

H 

2Va 

.2205 

7,000 

1 

3 

.2645 

8,200 

VA 

3J4 

.3528 

11,000 

m 

3^ 

.4115 

12,500 

m 

4»/i 

.5290 

16,000 

VA 

AVi- 

.5879 

17,500 

\H 

5 

.7348 

21,500 

m 

5/3 

.8818 

25,500 

2 

6 

1.059 

30,000 

2'/i 

7 

1.441 

38,500 

2^ 

7/. 

1.646 

43,500 

2H 

8 

1.881 

49,000 

2H 

8^/^ 

2.107 

55,000 

3 

9 

2.381 

61,000 

.0783 

2.326 

.1395 

3,800 

.1730 

4,655 

.2359 

6,650 

.2833 

7,790 

.3773 

10,450 

.4401 

•  11,875 

.5659 

15,200 

.6288 

16,625 

.7865 

20,425 

.9433 

24,225 

1.132 

28,500 

1.540 

36,575 

1.761 

41,325 

2.013 

46,550 

2.254 

52,250 

2.548 

57,950 

MANILA  HAWSER  LAID  DRILLING  CABLES 

The  United  States  Bureau  of  Standards  has  published  no 
report  of  breaking  strains  of  hawser  laid  cables,  but  the 
Columbian  Rope  Company  estimates  that  the  breaking  strain 
of  hawser  laid  rope  is  65%  to  70%  *  of  the  breaking  strain  of 
3-strand  rope. 


STRENGTH   OF  MATERIALS 


383 


MANILA  HAWSER  LAID  DRILLING  CABLES  •  (Concluded) 


Approximate 

Approximate 

Net  Weight        Breaking 

Net  Weight 

Breaking 

Diameter 

per  foot           Strength 

Diameter 

per  foot 

Strength 

inches 

lbs.                     lbs. 

inches 

lbs. 

lbs. 

1/2 

.75               11,700 

2% 

1.63 

24,200 

19/16 

.86               13,000 

2y4 

1.80 

25,700 

1« 

.95               14,350 

2/a 

2.08 

29,000 

1^ 

1.20               17.000 

2H 

2.34 

32,700 

VA 

1.31  .             18,500 

27A 

2.60 

36,700 

2 

1.42               20,000 

3 

2.95 

40,700 

STRENGTH  AND  \ 

VEIGHT 

OF  BELTS 

• 

(From  Kent's  Engii 

aeers'  Pocket  Book) 

Tensile  Strength 

Weight 

per  sq.  in. 

per  cu.  in. 

Pounds 

Pounds 

Single  Leather   3,248  to  4,824            

Double  Leather 2,160  to  3,572            

Cotton,  Solid  Woven 5,648  to  8,869            

Cotton.  Folded,  Stitched 4,570  to  7,750  .026  to  .05 

Flax,  Solid  Woven 9,946            

Flax,  Folded,  Stitched 6,389            

Hair,  Solid,  Woven 3,852  to  5,159            

Rubber  4,271  to  4,343  .045 

LIFE  OF  WOOD 

The  natural  length  of  life  of  wood  and  its  resistance  to 
decay  vary  with  the  kind  of  wood  and  the  conditions  under 
which  it  is  used.  In  general,  woods  may  be  clasised  as  long- 
lived,  medium-lived  and  short-lived,  as  indicated  below. 

Long-lived :  Cypress,  redwood,  red  cedar,  white  cedar,  osage 
orange,  catalpa. 

Medium-lived:  White  oak,  slippery  elm,  black  walnut, 
hickory,  longlcaf  pine,  tamarack,  Douglas  fir. 

♦  The  breaking  strain  of  rope  has  only  an  indirect  bearing  upon  the 
quality  of  it.  The  looser  the  lay,  the  higher  is  the  breaking  strain, 
because  Manila  fibre  is  quite  strong  along  its  length,  but  is  com- 
paratively weak  across  the  grain.  Consequently  the  tighter  the  rope 
is  twisted  together,  the  nearer  a  right  angle  does  the  stress  occur  in 
the  complete  rope  and  this  accounts  for  a  four  strand  rope  being 
less  strong  in  tensile  strength  than  a  three-strand. 

Cable  laid  rope  has  a  lower  tensile  strength  than  either  three  or 
four  strand  because  the  fibres  in  the  rope  are  twisted  back  and  forth 
several  times  and  in  some  parts  of  the  rope  there  are  stresses 
directly  across  the  grain  of  the  fibre. 

COLUMBIAN  ROPE  CO. 


384  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

LIFE  OF  WOOD  (Concluded) 

Short-lived:  Red-oak,  red  gum,  beech,  elm,  spruce,  short 
leaf  pine,  hemlock. 

MECHANICAL  PROPERTIES  OF  WOODS  GROWN  IN  THE 

UNITED  STATES 

(Note:  Extracts  from  Bulletin  No.  556,  by  J.  A.  Newlin  and  Thomas 
R.  C.  Wilson,  of  the  Forest  Service,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture.) 

•  Explanation  of  tables  shown  on  following  page. 

"The  data  in  these  tables  are  based  upon  about  130,000  tests. 
Small  clear  specimens  are  used,  2  inches  by  2  inches  in  cross 
section.  Bending  specimens  are  30  inches  long;  others 
shorter,  depending  upon  the  kind  of  test. 

"Ail'  dry  is  the  nontial  condition  with  respect  to  moisture, 
of  wood  exposed  to  the  air,  although  this  condition  may  have 
been  obtained  by  artificial  means. 

"Elastic  limit:  the  point  where  the  distortion  ceases  to  be  in 
proportion  to  the  load. 

"Fiber  stress  at  elastic  limit:  the  greatest  stress  the  timber 
will  take  under  a  given  load  and  immediately  return  to  its 
former  position. 

"Modulus  of  rupture  is  the  computed  fiber  stress  in  the 
outermost  fibers  of  a  beam  at  the  maximum  load  and  is  a 
measure  of  the  ability  of  a  beam  to  support  a  slowly  applied 
load  for  a  very  short  time. 

"The  modulus  of  elasticity  is  a  measure  of  stiffness  or  rigid- 
ity of  a  material.  In  the  case  of  a  beam,  modulus  of  elasticity 
is  a  measure  of  its  resistance  to  deflection. 

"In  the  static  bending  test  a  •  2  x  2  x  30-inch  beam  is  sup- 
ported over  a  28-inch  span.  Loading  is  applied  to  its  center 
and  at  a  constant  rate  of  deflection  until  the  beam  fails. 

"The  maximum  crushing  strength  is  the  maximum  ability 
of  a  short  block  to  sustain  a  slowly  applied  load. 

"Shearing  strength  parallel  to  the  grain  is  a  measure  of  the 
ability  of  timber  to  resist  slipping  of  one  part  upon  another 
along  the  grain." 


STRENGTH   OF  MATERIALS 


385 


MECHANICAL  PROPERTIES  OF  WOODS  GROWN  IN  THE 

UNITED  STATES 

Tested  in  Air-Dry  Condition 


Common        Weight 

Static  Bending 

Fiber  stress  Modulusof  Modulus  of 

Maximum 
crushing 

Shearing 
strength 

Name 

per 

at  elastic 

runture 

elasticity 

strength 

parallel 

cu.  ft. 

limit  (lbs. 

(lbs. 

(1.000  lbs. 

(lbs. 

grain  (lbs. 

Hardwoods —  lbs. 

per  sq.  in.) 

per  sq.  in.) 

per  sq.  in.) 

persq.  in.) 

per  sq.  in.) 

Ash.    black 

34 

8.300 

13,900 

1.680 

6,890 

1,730 

Ash,    Oregon... 

39 

8.000 

14.500 

1.430 

7.100 

2.090 

Ash,    white 

40 

10.200 

16.800 

1.810 

8.190 

2.110 

Basswood    

26 

7.300 

10,200 

1,680 

6.980 

1.240 

Beech    

44 

9.000 

16.000 

1.680 

7.400 

1.970 

Birch,    paper. . . 

38 

11.400 

16.000 

1.810 

9.470 

1.680 

Birch,  yellow... 

44 

12.300 

18.900 

2.200 

9.760 

1,880 

Butternut    

26 

7.300 

9.300 

1.260 

6.680 

1,360 

Chestnut    

30 

7.400 

9.700 

1,330 

6.620 

1.160 

Cottonwood    . . . 

28 

8.600 

11.400 

1,640 

7.830 

1.120 

Elm.    slippery. . 

37 

9.400 

14.900 

1,670 

7.800 

1.810 

Elm,  white 

33 

9.200- 

14.600  -  . 

1.490 

6.850 

1.740 

Gum,  blue 

54 

14.400 

20.600* 

2.600 

13.900 

2.060 

Hickory,  big 

shell  bark   .... 

48 

9,800 

20,600 

2,040 

9.710 

2.430 

Hickory. 

bitternut    .... 

46 

10.300 

18,800 

1.880 

10.600 

2.060 

Hickory,   pignut  63 

12.700 

22.500 

2,410 

10.640 

2,450 

Hickory, 

- 

shagbark  .... 
Laurel. 

60 

11,900 

22.600 

2,290 

10.700 

2.840 

mountain... . 

47 

10,900 

13.200 

1.410 

7.120 

•  •  •  ■ 

I/>cust,    black.. 

48 

.     13,800 

20.700 

2,090 

10,880 

2.710 

Maple,  sugar. . . 

43 

10,400 

15.800 

1.820 

8.570 

2,460 

Oak,    burr 

46 

7,000 

10,900 

1.060 

6.640 

1,920 

Oak,    red 

44 

8.600 

14.200 

1.870 

7,370 

1,760 

Oak,  white 

48 

8;300 

15.200 

1,780 

7,610 

2.090 

Poplar,    yellow. 

27 

8,400 

11.800 

1,610 

7,480 

1.170 

Sycnmore    

34 

7.600 

11.300 

1.510 

6.280 

1.460 

Wrlnut.   blnck.. 

37 

14.600 

17.900 

1.820 

10,660 

1.480 

Willow,   black.. 

26 

6.600 

7,600 

830 

5,030 

1.340 

Conifers — 

- 

Cedar,  western 

red   

22 

6,100 

8,800 

1.260 

6,320 

920 

Cedar,    white. . . 

22 

5,100 

6.700 

810 

4,140 

900 

Cypress,    yellow  28 

9.000 

12.800 

1.430 

8.080 

1,120 

Douglas  flr 

34 

10.600 

14,000 

2.210 

10,680 

1,270 

Hemlock,   east'n 

28 

7,200 

9,700 

1.300 

7,060 

1.160 

Hemlock,   westn 

28 

8,000 

10.800 

1.520 

7.910 

1.170 

Larch,  western. 

36 

10.100 

13,500 

1.830 

9.640 

1,630 

Pine,  .lack 

29 

6.500 

9.700 

1.400 

7.770 

1.330 

Pine,  lodgepole. 

28 

9,000 

ai.50O 

1,460 

7,300 

980 

Pine,   longleaf . . 

42 

11,800 

16,700 

2.200 

10.880 

1,640 

Pine,   Norway.. 

34 

9.200 

12,300 

1.790 

7.080 

1,260 

Pine,   pitch 

35 

7.800 

12.400 

1.500 

7,600 

.  1,670 

Pine,    shortleaf. 

38 

9,200 

13.900 

1.970 

8.660 

1.390 

Pine,  western 

white 

29 

7,900 

11,600 

1.690 

7.840 

690 

Pine,  western 

' 

.  f     *      •  •■ 

yellow  

28 

0.900 

9.800 

1,340 

5.990 

1.160 

Pine,  white 

27 

7.000 

9,600 

1.420 

6.360 

1.070 

Spruce,  red 

28 

7,400 

10.800 

1,650 

6.380 

1.160. 

Spruce,    white. . 

28 

5,900 

9.200 

1.390 

6,020 

970 

Tamarack   

37 

8,400 

12.000 

1.680 

7.590 

1.370 

386 

DEEP   WELL   ] 

DRILLING 

RECTANGULAR  WOODEN  BEAMS— ONE  INCH  THICK 

Maximum  Safe  Loads  and  Spans 

, 

Depth 

Dougrlas  Fir 

Spruce 

White  Oak       Yellow  Pine 

White  Pine 

of 

Max. 

Max. 

Max. 

Max. 

Max. 

Max.     Max. 

Max. 

Max. 

Max. 

Beam 

Load, 

Span, 

Load, 

Span, 

Load, 

Span.    Load. 

Span. 

Load. 

Span. 

inches 

Lbs. 

Ft. 

Lbs. 

Ft. 

Lbs. 

Ft.        Lbs. 

Ft 

Lbs. 

Ft. 

2 

293 

2.8 

187 

2.9 

293 

2.3         320 

2.8 

187 

2.8 

4 

587 

5.6 

373 

5.8 

587 

4.7          640 

5.5 

373 

5.6 

6 

880 

8.4 

560 

8.7 

880 

7.0          960 

8.3 

560 

8.4 

8 

1173 

11.2 

747 

116 

1173 

9.3        1280 

11. 

747 

11.2 

10 

1467 

14.0 

933 

14.6 

1467 

11.6        1600 

13.8 

933 

14.0 

12 

1760 

16.7 

1120 

17.5 

1760 

13.9        1920 

16.5 

1120 

16.7 

14 

2053 

19.5 

1307 

20.4 

2053 

16.3        2240 

19.3 

1307 

19.6 

16 

2347 

22.3 

1493 

23.3 

2347 

18.6        2560 

22. 

1493 

22.3 

18 

2640 

25.1 

1680 

26.2 

2640 

20.9        2880 

24.8 

1680 

26.1 

20 

2933 

27.9 

1867 

29.1 

2933 

23.2        3200 

27.6 

1867 

27.9 

Note:  To  find  the  safe  load  for  beams  of  greater  thickness  than 
one  inch  multiply  the  figures  for  safe  load  by  the  thickness  in  inches 
of  the  beam.  Example:  The  safe  load  of  a  spruce  beam  6x  12  inches 
would  be  6  times  1,120  pounds,  equals  6,720  pounds,  safe  load. 

SAFE  LOADS  FOR  SQUARE  WOODEN  COLUMNS  IN  UNITS 

OF  1,000  POUNDS 

(From  Marks  Handbook) 

(Based  on  safe  end  bearing  compression  of  1,000  lbs.  per  sq.  in.) 
Unbraced 
lengrth  Size  of  Column  m  inches 

in  feet        4x4  6x6  8x8         10x10       12x12       14x14       16x16. 


4 

16. e 

•  •  •  ■ 

•  •  •  • 

'  •    •    •    • 

•  •  •  • 

•  •  •  • 

•  •  •   • 

6 

11.2            S6.0 

•  •  •  • 

•    •    •    • 

•  •  •   • 

•   ■  •  • 

•  •  •  • 

8 

9.6            \ 

26.4 

•  •  •  • 

•    •   •   • 

•  •  •  • 

•  •  •  • 

•  •  •  • 

10 

8.0            \ 

24.0 

64.0 

•    •   •    • 

•  •  •  • 

•  •  •  • 

•  •  •   • 

12 

6.4           : 

21.6 

44.8 

100.0 

•  •  •  • 

•  ■  •  • 

"  •  •  •   • 

14 

4.8            19.2 

41.6 

72.0 

144.0 

•   •  •  ■ 

■  •  •  • 

16 

■ 

L6.8 

38.4 

68.0 

105.6 

196.0 

■   ■  •   • 

18. 

.*.*;;      14.4 

35.2 

64.0 

100.8 

145.6 

250.0 

20 

12.0 

32.0 

60.0 

96.0 

140.0 

192.0 

22 

9.6 

28.8 

56.0 

91.2 

134.4 

185.6 

24 

25.6 

52.0 

86.4 

128.8 

179.2 

26 

22.4 

48.0 

81.6 

123.2 

172.8 

28 

19.2 

44.0 

76.8 

117.6 

166.4 

30 

•  •  •  • 

40.0 

72.0 

112.0 

160.0 

32 

•  •  •  • 

36.0 

67.2 

106.4 

163.6 

34 

•  •  •  • 

32.0 

62.4 

100.8 

147.2 

36 

•   •  •   a 

•  •  •  • 

57.6 

96.2 

140.8 

38 

•    •   ■    • 

•  ■  •   • 

62.8 

89.6 

134.4 

40 

•   •   •   • 

•  «  •  • 

48.0 

84.0 

128.0 

HOLDING  POWER  OF  NAILS  IN  VARIOUS  WOODS 

(From  Kent) 
Tests  at  Watertown  Arsenal  on  different  sizes  of  nails  from 
8d  to  60d,  reduced  to  holding  power  per  square  inch  of  surface 
in  wood,  gave  average  results,  in  pounds,  as  follows : 

Cut  Nails  Wire  Nails 

White  Pine 405  167 

Yellow  Pine  662  318 

White  Oak   1,216  940 

Chestnut 683 


STRENGTH   OF  MATERIALS 


387 


HOLDING  POWER  OF  BOLTS  IN  WHITE  PINE 

(From  Kent) 

Pounds 

Average  of  all  plain  1-inch  bolts, 8,224 

Average  of  all  plain  bolts,  ^  to  1^-inch 7,805 

Average  of  all  bolts 8,383 

STRENGTH  OF  BOLTS 
(From  Marks  Handbook) 

Safe  Working 
Load  Based 

Tensile  Strength        Shearing  Strength on  Ultimate 

^  at  12,500  Full  Bolt       Bottom  of  Thread        Strength 

^   Bolt  lbs.  per  sq.  in.  at  7,500  at  7.600  65,000  Class  A 

Diameter^      Bottom  of  Thread    lbs.  per  sq.  in.      lbs.  per  sq.  in.        Bolt  Material 
inches  lbs.  lbs.  lbs.  lbs.  per  sq.  in. 

Va  340  .             380  200  186 

5/16  570  580  340      '  .    .  322 

H  850  830  ^                510  488 

7/16  1,170  1,130  700  675 

'   5^  •  1,570  1,470  940  915 

9/16  2,030  1,860  =              1,220  1.186 

H  2,520  =               2,300  1,510  1,480 

^  3,770  r               3,310  2,270  2,240 

%  5,240  4.510  3,150  3,140 

1  6,890  5,890  4,130  4,120 

11/^  8,660  7,450  5,200  5,180 

m  11,120  '               9/200  6,670  6,730 

-  la^  13,180  11,140  '             .7,910  7,940 

\y2  16,170  13,250  9.700  9,800 

:  IH  :  -  18,940  15,550  11.360  11,500 

IH  21.800  18.040  13.080  13.200 

\%  25,610  20.^10  15,370  15.600 

2  28,750  23,560  17,250  17,400 

FOUNDATIONS 


Bearing    Power    of    Soils. — Ira    O.    Baker,    "Treatise    on 
Masonrv  Construction." 


Kind    of    Material 


Bearing  Power  in 
Tons  per  Square  Foot 
Minimum     Maximum 


Rock — the  hardest — in  thick  layers,  in  native  bed.  200 

Rock  equal  to  best  ashlar  masonry 25 

Rock  equal  to  best  brick  masonry 15 

Rock  equal  to  poor  brick  masonry 5 

Clay  on  thick  beds,  always  dry 4 

Clay  on  thick  beds,  moderately  dry 2 

Clay,  soft   1 

Gravel  and  coarse  sand,  well  cemented 8 

Sand,  compact,  and  well  cemented 4 

Sand,  clean,  dry 2 

Quicksand,  alluvial  soils,  etc 0.5 


30 

20 

10 

6 

4 

2 

10 

6 

4 

1 


388 


DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 


INTERNAL  FLUID  PRESSURES  FOR  STANDARD  PIPB 
(From  National  Tube  Co.  Book  of  Standards) 


Based  on  Barlow's  Formula  P^=2f- 


t 


DssOutside  diameter  in  inches. 
/ssThickness  of  wall  in  inches. 


D 

P=Pressure  in  pounds  per  square  inch. 
/=Fiber  stress  in  pounds  per  square  inch. 


Ultinjate  bursting 
pressure 

Pressures  of  various  factors  of  safety 

Butt, 
weld 

Lan- 
weld 

Factor  of  safety  ^  5 

Factor  of  safety  =  6  Factor  of  safety  =8 

Sise 

Butt- 

Lap- 

Butt- 

Lap.         Butt-         Lap- 

Inches 

Fiber 

Fiber 

weld 

weld 

weld 

weld          weld          weld 

stress 

stress 

fiber 

fiber 

fiber 

fiber          fiber          fiber 

40.000 

50.000 

stress 

stress 

stress 

stress         stress         stress 

lbs.  per 

lbs.  per 

=  8000 

=  10000 

=  6667 

=  8333     = 

5000      =  6250 

sq.  in. 

sq.  tn. 

lbs.  per 

lbs.  per 

lbs.  per 

lbs.  per     Ibi 

i.  per     lbs.  per 

SQ.  in. 

sq.  in. 

sq.  in. 

sq.  tn.       SQ 

I.  in.       sq.  in. 

yi 

13432 

2686 

2230 

1679 

K 

13037 

2607 

.... 

2173 

1630 

H 

10785 

2157 

1798 

1348 

yi 

10381 

2076 

1730 

1298 

H 

8610 

1722 

.  I  . . 

1435 

1076 

1 

8091 

1618 

•    •    •    • 

1349 

1011 

IX 

6747 

8434 

1349 

1687 

1124 

1406 

843        1054 

IK 

6105 

7632 

1221 

1526 

1018 

1272 

763         954 

2 

5187 

6484 

1037 

1297 

865 

1081 

648         811 

2J4 

5649 

7061 

1130 

1412 

941 

1177 

706         883 

3 

4937 

6171 

987 

1234 

823 

1029 

617          771 

3}^ 

5650 

1130 

942 

706 

4 

5267 

1053 

878 

658 

4K 

4940 

988 

823 

618 

5 

4638 

928 

■    ■   •   •  • 

773 

580 

6 

4226 

8  5 

7(»4 

52S 

7 

3948 

790 

658 

493 

8 

3212 

642 

535 

401 

9 

3553 

711 

592 

444 

10 

2856 

571 

476 

357 

11 

3191 

638 

532 

399 

12 

2588 

518 

431 

324 

13 

2679 

536 

446 

335 

14 

2500 

500 

417 

313 

15 

2344 

469 

391 

293 

17  0.  D. 

2312 

462 

385 

289 

18  0.  D. 

2272 

454 

379 

284 

20  0.  D. 

2045 

409 

341 

256 

STRENGTH   OF  MATERIALS  389 

LINK  BELT  USED  FOR  DRIVING  ROTARY  DRILLING 

EQUIPMENT 

No.  SS  40  Steel :  Pitch  3.075  inches,  39  links  per  10  feet. 
Ultimate  gtrength  25,000  pounds  per  square  inch. 
Safe  working  load  at  speed  of  500  feet  per  minute  2,085 
pounds  per  square  inch. 

No.  SS  124  Steel :  Pitch  4.063  inches,  30  links  per  10  feet. 
Ultimate  strength  52,000  pounds  per  square  inch. 
Safe  working  load  at  speed  of  500  feet  per  minute  4,333 
pounds  per  square  inch. 

No.  103  Malleable-Iron :  Pitch  3.075  inches,  39  links  per  10  ft. 
Ultimate  strength  9,600  pounds  per  square  inch. 
Safe  working  load  at  speed  of  500  feet  per  minute  800 
pounds  per  square  inch. 

Rule  for  estimating  safe  working  load  for  link  belt: 

For  a  speed  of  300  feet  per  minute,  divide  ultimate  strength 
by  8. 
For  a  speed  of  400  feet  divide  by  10. 
For  a  speed  of  500  feet  divide  by  12. 
For  a  speed  of  600  feet  divide  by  16. 
For  a  speed  of  700  feet  divide  by  20. 

Note:  The  link  belt,  or  sprocket  chain  used  with  rotary  outfit  is 
usually  operated  at  high  speeds,  higher  than  the  nfanufacturers'  limit 
of  700  feet  per  minute,  so  the  above  figures  for  safe  working  loads 
on  rotary  machinery  should  be  reduced  according  to  the  speed  at 
which  the  chain  is  run. 

To  obtain  the  horsepower  of  link  belt,  multiply  the  safe 
working  strength  by  the  number  of  feet  of  travel  per  minute 

and  divide  the  result  by  33,000. 

*  .  "*       • 

Example:  Safe  working  load  of  No.  SS  40  steel  link  belt  is  2,065 
pounds  at  speed  of  700  ft.,  equals  2,085  times  700,  divided  by  33,000, 
equals  44.2  H.P. 


390  DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 

GENERAL  STRENGTH  VALUES 
(From  Mark's  Handbook) 

General  Strength  Values. — The  following  tables  exhibit  the 
general  range  of  values  to  be  expected  in  various  materials 
when  subjected  to  various  kinds  of  loading. 

TENSILE  STRENGTH  OF  IRON  AND  STEEL  ♦ 

(Range  of  Averages) 

Ultimate  Elastic  Yield 

Specific        Strength,  Limit,  Point, 

Material.  Gravity     lb.  per  sq.  in.       lb.  per  sq.  in.       lb.  per  sq.  in. 

Cast  Iron 7.207 

Gray  iron 15,000-18,000  5,000-  6,000 

Better  grade 20,000-30,000  10,000-24,000  • 

Malleable  cast  iron 25,000-48,000  12,000-22,000    12,500-19,000 

Wrought    iron 7.78  42,000-52,000  21,000-26,000    28,000-34,000 

Steel- 
Soft  (C.-0.08-0.15).    7.833  50,000-60,000  25,000-30,000 
Medium  (C.-0.15-0.30)  60,000-70.000  30,000-35,000    37.000-44,000 
Hard(C.-0.30up)  70,000-80,000  35,000-40,000    38,000-45,000 

Steel  castings 7.917 

Soft   60,000-72,000  30,000-35,000    40,000-46,000 

Medium    72,000-78,000  36,000-39,000 

Hard   78,000  up  39,000  up 

Steel  forgings   75,000-90,000  37,000-45,000 

Spring  steel — 

Tempered    130,000-200,000  110,000-170,000 

Nickel  steel*-^ 

Forging  (annealed)     80,000  40,000 

(oil-tempered)   .      ....  98,000  75,000 

Vanadium  steel — 

Annealed 54,000-96,000  27,000-48,000 

Oil-tempered 125,000-232,000  100,000-180,000 

TENSILE  STRENGTH  OF  MISCELLANEOUS  MATERIAL 

Tensile  Tensile 

Strength,  Strength, 

Material  lb.  per  sq.  in  Material  lb.  per  sq.  in. 

Brass,  red 40,000  Cement   350 

Brass,  yellow 20,000  Limestone    670 

Copper 30,000  Slate 12,000 

Lead 2,000  Marble 5,200 

Zinc   3,500 

*  Other  Strength  Functions. — Compressive  strength  of  cast  iron  = 

1.6  times  T.  S.  (Tensile  Strength).    Compressive  strength  of  wrought 

iron  and  steel  to  be  taken  as  the  yield  point.     Shearing  strength  of 

cast  iron  =:  1.10  times  T.  S.;  of  wrought  iron  ^  0.85  times  T.  S.;  of 

hard  and  soft  steels  =  0.75  times  T.  S.    Bending  strength  or  modulus 

of  rupture  of  cast  iron  =  2  times  T.  S.;  of  wrought  iron  =  T.  S.;  o£ 

steel,  to  be  taken  as  the  yield  point. 


CHAPTER  XV 

GENERAL  INFORMATION 

PRODUCING  OIL  WELLS  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES 

OCTOBER  31,  1920 


Note. — ^These  data  were  compiled  by  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey 
from  reports  of  pipe  line  companies.  As  some  of  these  companies 
do  not  maintain  lists  of  wells,  part  of  the  data  is  approximated. 

Approximate  Approximate 

number  or  production 

State                                                   producing  oil  wells  per  well  per  day 

♦California 9,490  32.3  bbls. 

Colorado   70  4.1 

Illinois 16,800  1.7 

Indiana 2,400  1.1 

Kansas 15,700  7.4 

Kentucky    7,800  3.2 

Louisiana — 

Northern    2,560  31.7 

Coastal    140  34.6 

Total  Louisiana 2,700  31.8 

New  York 14,040  0.2 

Ohio- 
Central  and  Eastern 18,500  0.8 

Northwestern   21,100  0.3 

Total  Ohio   39,600  0.5 

Oklahoma  50,700  6.0 

Pennsylvania   67,700  0.3 

TexaS"~~ 

Central  and  Northern . .     9,400  22.9 

Coastal 1,700  49.7 

Total  Texas   11,100  27.0 

West  Virginia  19,500  1,1 

Wyoming  and  Montana 1,000  55.9 

Total  258,600  Average    4.98 

^Reported  by  the  Standard  Oil  Company  and  the  Independent  Producers' 
Asrency. 

391 


392  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

WORLD'S  PRODUCTION  OF  PETROLEUM  IN  1919 

(Compiled  by  G.  B.  Richardson,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey) 

Barrels  of  Percentage 

42  U.S.  Metric  Cubic         of  Total 

Country                                 gallons  Tons  Meters      by  Volume 

United  States  ......  a377,719,000  52,099,000  60,051,000        69 

Mexico    b  87,073,000  bl2,964,000  bl3,843,000        16 

c  Russia 25,498,000  d  3,477,000  4,053,000          5 

Dutch  East  Indies..       15,428,000  c  2,143,000  2,453,000          3 

India f    8,735,000  1,164,000  1,388,000          2 

Rumania   6,614,000  g     920,000  1,051,000          1 

Persia  6.412,000  h     875,000  1,019,000          1 

Poland  (Galicia)...        6,054,000  i     829,000  963,000          1 

Peru k    2,616,000  j     349,000  416,000) 

Japan   k    2,175,000  290,000  346,000) 

Trinidad    m    1,841,000  256,000  293,000) 

Egypt  1,501,100  n     231,100  239,000) 

Argentina   1,183,000  172,000  p     188,000) 

Venezuela   425,000  q       65,000  68,000) 

Alsace 344,000  r       47,000  55,000)        2 

Canada s       241,000  32,000  38,000) 

Germany  234,000  t        33,000  37,000) 

Italy   35,000  u         4,850  5,500) 

Algeria 5,000  v           800  800) 

England w           1,900  250  300) 

X  Other  countries  . .           750,000  110,000  119,000) 

Total  544,885,000  76,062,000  86,626,600      100 


(a)  Preliminary  figures.  Metric  tons  based  on  specific  gravity  of  0.8837. 

(b)  Boletin  del  Petroleo. 

(c)  Petroleum  Times  (London)  credits  Russia  with  34,284,000  barrels. 

(d)  Oil  News   (London).     Barrels    based  on  specific  gravity  of  0.859. 

(e)  Bureau  of  Mines,  Dutch  East  Indies.  Barrels  based  on  specific  gravity 
of  0.8761. 

(f)  Reported  in  Imperial  gallons  by  Geological  Survey  of  India.  Metric 
tons  bnsed  on  specific  gravity  of  0.8403. 

(g)  Moniteur  du  petroleu  roumain.  Barrels  based  on  specific  gravity  of 
0.8766. 

(h)  Reported  by  American  consul-general  at  London.  Barrels  based  on 
specific  gravity  of  0.86. 

(i)  Legation  of  Poland.     Barrels  bnsed  on  specific  gravity  of  0.86. 

(j)  Informaciones  y  memorias  de  la  Sociedad  de  ingenieros  del  Pera 
Barrels  bnsed  on  specific  gravity  of  0.8403. 

(k)  Preliminary  figures  reported  in  koku  by  Oriental  Economist  Yearbook. 
Metric  tons  based  on  specific  gravity  of  0.8403. 

(m)  Reported  in  Imperial  gallons  by  Trinidad  Dept.  Mines.  Metric  tons 
based  on  specific  gravity  of  0.8766. 

(n)  Reported  by  American  consul-general  at  London.  Barrels  based  on 
specific  gravity  of  0.97. 

(p)  Comodoro  Rivadavia  oil  fields.  Report  to  Minister  of  Agriculture. 
Metric  tons  based  on  specific  gravity  of  0.9174. 

(q)  Boletin  del  Ministerio  de  fomento,  vol.  1.  No.  1.  Barrels  based  oo 
specific  gravity  of  0.959. 

(r)  Bulletin  Soc.  de  I'industrie  minerale,  6th  ser.,  vol.  17.  p.  141.  Barrels 
based  on  specific  gravity  of  0.89. 

(s)  Preliminary  report,  Canada  Dept.  Mines.  Metric  tons  based  on  specific 
gravity  of  0.8403. 

(t)  Private  statistics  through  Consular  Ofldce,  State  Dept  Barrels  based  on 
specific  gravity  of  0.89. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  393 

WORLD'S  PRODUCTION  OF  PETROLEUM  IN  1919  (Concluded) 

(u)  Economista  d'ltalia.     Quoted  by  Economic  Review.     Barrels  based  on 
specific  cavity  of  0.876. 

(V)  Algerian  Bureau  of  Mines.    Quoted  in  Commerce  Repts.    Barrels  based 
on  specific  gravity  of  0.98. 

(w)  Reported  by  American  consul-general  at  London.    Figures  furnished  by 
H.  M.  Petroleum  Executive.    Metric  tons  based  on  specific  gravity  of  0.828. 
(X)  Estimated. 

DEEPEST  WELLS  IN  THE  WORLD 
There  have  been  four  very  deep  wells  drilled,  the  first  in 
Czuchow,  Germany,  to  a  depth  of  7,349  feet.  The  other  wells 
have  all  been  drilled  in  the  United  States,  one  by  the  Peoples 
Natural  Gas  Co.,  of  Pittsburgh,  on  the  Geary  farm,  near 
McDonald,  Pa.,  to  a  depth  of  7,248  feet,  and  two  by  the  Hope 
Natural  Gas  Co.,  also  of  Pittsburgh.  The  first  of  the  Hope 
wells  was  drilled  on  the  Mary  Goff  farm,  eight  miles  north 
of  Clarksburg,  W.  Va.,  and  reached  a  depth  of  7,386  feet,  thus 
breaking  all  records  for  deep  drilling  up  to  that  time,  March 
4,  1918.  The  second  well  was  drilled  on  the  I.  H.  Lake  farm, 
six  miles  southeast  of  Fairmount,  W..  Va.,  reaching  a  depth 
of  7,579  feet,  June  18th,  1919,  where  further  progress  was 
stopped  by  a  serious  fishing  job.  This  is  the  deepest  well  in 
the  world  and  the  Hope  Company  will  doubtless  hold  the 
honor  for  a  long  time. 

In  the  following  pages  is  complete  log  of  the  well  to  the 
depth  it  has  reached,  7,579  feet,  together  with  a  description 
of  the  rig  and  drilling  outfit  used. 

THE  DEEPEST  WELL  IN  THE  WORLD 
Drilled  by  the  Hope  Natural  Gas  Co. 
Well  4304  I.  H.  Lake 
Located  on  the  I.  H.  Lake  farm,  six  and  one-half  miles  south- 
east of  Fairmount  and  two  miles  south  of  Samaria,  W.  Va. 

Drilling  was  commenced  August  5,  1916,  and  on  June  18, 
1919,  the  well  had  reached  a  depth  of  7,579  feet,  exceeding  by 
193  feet  the  depth  of  well  No.  4190,  M.  O.  GofF,  which,  until 
that  time,  had  been  known  as  "the  world's  deepest  well." 

Approximately  325  days  were  spent  in  actual  drilling,  the 
well  having  been  shut  down  for  about  1  year  and  10  months, 
the  longest  period  being  1  year  and  1  month,  while  waiting 


DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 

THE  DEEPEST  WELL  IN  THE  WORLD 
Hope  Natural  Gas  Co.  L  H.  Lake 


FUl.  Ut.-^mvatratlon  fumlthed  by  Oil  Well  Supply  Co. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION 


395 


THE  DEEPEST  WELL  IN  THE  WORLD   (Continued) 

for  a  cable,  which  was  difficult  to  secure,  due  to  conditions 
arising  from  the  war. 

The  last  known  sand  found  was  the  Gordon  at  a  depth  of 
1,474  to  1,495  feet. 

No  oil  or  gas  was  found. 

After  drilling  to  a  depth  of  6,720  feet,  the  heavy  machinery 
and  tools  from  the  Goff  well  were  moved  in  and  drilling 
continued. 


RECORD 

Formation  Top  Bottom 

First  Salt 175  190 

Second  Salt   265  290 

Little  Lime 585  605 

Pencil  Cave  605  620 

Big  Lime 620  679 

Big  Injun   679  843 

Squaw    848  872 

Berca    1,000  1,025 

Gantz   1,115  1,135 

Fifty  Foot 1,225  1,270 

Thirty  Foot  1,273  1,340 

Gordon  Stray 1,448  1,470 

Gordon    1,474  1,495 

Sand   1,670  1,680 

Sand   1,695  1,705 

Sand   1,715  1,752 

Sand   1.755  1,810 

Gritty  Lime   1,890  1,950 

Sand   2,045  2,050 

Lime 2,115  2,125 

Sand   2,625  2,645 

Lime 2,700  2,800 

Slate  2,800  2,840 

Sand   2,840  2,865 

Lime 2,890  2,900 

Sand   2,940  2,975 

Sand 3,420  3,428 

Slate  Shells   3,428  3,750 

Slate 4,105 

Lime  Shells  4,230  4.300 

Sand   4.300  4,305 

Lime 4,305  4,360 

Slate 4,360  4,400 

Lime 4,400  4,420 

Slate  4,420  4,460 

Dark  Sand 4,475  4,480 


Remarks 


Gas  found  at  820 


December  23, 1916 


396 


DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 


THE  DEEPEST  WELL  IN  THE  WORLD   (Continued) 


Formation  Top 

Lime  Slate 4,480 

Slate  Shells   4,600 

White   Slate  5,520 

Blue  Lirrie   5,545 

Gray  Slate   5,553 

White  Lime  5,564 

White  Slate  5,588 

White  Lime  5,595 

White  Slate 5,624 

Gray  Slate   5,632 

White  Lime  5,640 

Gray  Slate   5,644 

Lime  shells   5,660 

Gray  Slate   5,665 

Blue  Lime    5,674 

White  Slate  5,710 

Lime  shells    5,722 

Gray  Slate   5,733 

White  Slate 5,738 

White  Lime  5,749 

White  ^lale 5,782 

White  Lime 5,786 

Gritty    Lime    5,833 

Gray  Slate   5.836 

Blue   Lime    5,839 

White  Slate   5,841 

Gritty  Lime 5.843 

Gray   Slate 5,870 

Gray  Lime   5,874 

Gray    Lime    5,908 

White  Lime 5,915 

White  Slate 5.937 

White  Lime   5,940 

Gray  Slate   5,950 

Blue   Sand    5,957 

Light    Slate    5,960 

Gray  Slate    6,002 

Lime  6,007 

Gray  Slate   6,009 

Blue   Lime    6.015 

White  Slate   6,024 

Black   Slate    6,035 

Lime  Shells  6,044 

Blue  Lime 6,060 

White  Slate  6,080 

White  Slate   6,120 

White  Lime .  6,125 

White  Slate  .  6,157 

White  Lime 6,168 

White  Slate  6,183 

White  Lime 6,224 


Bottom 

Remarks 

4,600 

January  6, 1917 

5,520 

■   , 

5,545    . 

July  20, 1917 

r. 

5,553 

5,564 

- 

5,588 

5,595 

5,624 

5,632 

5,640 

5,644 

•  ^  •) 

5,660 

5,665 

5,674 

5,710 

5,722 

5,733 

5,738 

■ 

5.749 

July  27, 1917 

5,782 

5,786 

5,833 

5,836 

5,839 

5,841 

5,843 

. 

-^O 

5,870 

5,874 

5,908 

5,915 

5,937 

•■    L 

5,940 

1  ;. 

5,950 

•  • 

5,957 

i  ' 

5,960 

■* 

5,962 

« 

6,007 

6,009 

6,015 

6,024 

6.035 

6,044 

6,060 

6.080 

6,085 

6,125 

August  24;  1917 

6,157 

6,168 

■fill.. 

-A183 

6,224 

.. 

) 

6,252 

GENERAL  INFORMATION 
THE  DEEPEST  WELL  IN  THE  WORLD   (Continued) 


397 


Formation  Top 

Gritty  Lime  6,252 

Dark  Slate  6,261 

Lime  Shells  6,263 

Black  Slate    6,307 

Whi!e  Lime  6,317 

Black  Slate    6,350 

Lime  Shells  6,357 

Black  Slate    6,360 

Black   Slate    6,363 

White  Lime  6,395 

Black   Slate    6,408 

White  Lime 6,414 

Black  Slate    6,437 

Lime  Shells   6.460 

Black  Slate   6,462 

Lime  Shells 6,475 

Black  Slate    6,495 

Black  Lime   6,500 

Black   Slate 6,505 

Lime  Shells  6,512 

Black  Slate 6,521 

Lime  Shells 6,528 

Black  Slate    6,531 

Gritty  Lime  6,538 

Black   Slate    6,542 

Lime  Shells  6.569 

Black  Slate    6,571 

Black  Lime   6,575 

Gray  Slate 6,637 

White  Lime  6,643 

Gray  Slate    6,676 

White  Lime  6,695 

Gray  Slate   6,700 

Black  Slate 6,720 

Black  Lime    6,738 

Black  Slate  and 

Gritty  Lime   6,750 

Black  Slate    6,780 

Black  Slate    6,800 

Black  Slate    6,820 

Black  Shells 6,833 

Black   Slate   6,836 

Black  Lime   6,884 

Black  Slate    6,892 

Black  Lime   6,897 

Black  Slate    6,902 

Black  Lime   6,908 

Slate  6,910 


Bottom 

6,261 
6,263 
6,307 
6,317 
6,350 
6,357 
6,360 
6.363 

'  6,395 
6.4C8 
6,414 
6,437 
6,460 

.6,462 
6,475 
6,495 
6,500 
6,505 
6,512 

,  6,521 
6,528 
6,531 
.6,538 

.6,542 
6,569 
6,571 

.  6,575 
6,637 
6,643 
6,676 
6,695 

.  6,700 
6.720 
6,738 


6,750 

6,780 
6,800 
6,820 
6,833 
6,836 
6,884 
6,892 
6,897 
6,902 
6,908 
6,910 
6,922 


Remarks 


August  31, 1917 


September  7, 1917 


September  14, 1917 
Shut  down  1  yr.  1  rao.  for 
cable.      Drilling    re- 
sumed Oct.  31,  1918. 


November  7, 1918 


398 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


THE  DEEPEST  WELL  IN  THE  WORLD   (Continued) 


Formation  Top  Bottom 

Lime 6,922  6,925 

Slate  6,925  6,944 

Lime 6,944  6,949 

Black  Slate    6,949  6,955 

Dark  Lime  6,955  6,965 

Hard  Sand  6,965  6,975 

Slate  6,975  6,976 

Gritty  Lime   6,976  7,018 

Hard  Sand  7,018  7,037 

Slate  and  Sand  Shells.  7,037  7,058 

Slate   7,058  7,080 

Hard  Lime 7,080  7,090 

Slate  7,090  7.094 

Gritty  Lime  7,094  7,110 

Lime  7,110  7.120 

Slate  7,120  7,122 

Very  Hard  Lime 7, 1 22  7, 1 58 

Hard  Gritty  Lime 7,158  7,160 

Hard  Gritty  Lime 7,160  7.185 

Gritty  Lime  1  7,185  7,210 

White  Lime 7,210  7,216 

Black  Lime   7,230  7,234 

Hard  Black  Lime 7,234  7,244 

Soft  Black  Lime 7.244  7,278 

Hard  Light  Sand 7,278  7,308 

Gritty  Lime  7,308  7,312 

Hard  Sand  7,312  7,328 

Black  Lime   7,328  7,340 

Gray    Lime    7,340  7,350 

Black  Slate    7.350  7,390 

Lime  and  Slate 7,390  7,404 

Slate  and  Lime  Shells.  7,404  7,409 

Black  Lime   7,409  7,420 

Black  Slate    7.420  7.442 

Slate  and  Shell 7,442  7.460 

Hard   Lime    7.460  7,466 

Slate  7.466  7,470 

Lime 7.470  7.472 

Slate  and  Shell 7.472  7.486 

Unrecorded    7.486  7,579 

Total  depth 7,579 


Remarks 


December,  26, 1918 


February  7, 1919 


Marfch  27, 1919 


April  11, 1919 


May  5, 1919 


June  18,1919 


SIZE  OF  HOLE 


13  inches  in  diameter  to  depth  of  310  feet. 
10  inches  in  diameter  from  310  feet  to  630  feet. 
8^  inches  in  diameter  from  630  feet  to  2,118  feet. 
6^  inches  in  diameter  from  2.118  feet  to  7,579  feet. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  399 

THE  DEEPEST  WELL  IN  THE  WORLD   (Continued) 

CASINO 

310  feet  of  10-inch  casing. 

630  feet  of  8^-inch  casing,  set  in  Big  Lime. 

2,118  feet  of  6^-inch  casing,  set  in  Limestone. 

RIO 

Standard  (wood),  84  feet  in  height  with  20-foot  base.  Afte^  drilling 
to  a  depth  of  5,145  feet,  rig  was  reinforced.  A  heavier  sand  reel, 
with  4^-inch  shaft,  was  installed  when  a  depth  of  5,505  feet  was 
reached. 

Rig  was  again  repaired,  installing  a  new  bull  wheel  with  24-inch 
shaft  and  a  triple  tug;  with  one  10-inch  and  one  12-inch  brake  wheel. 
Three  sets  of  bull  wheels  have  been  used. 

Band  wheel,  12  feet  in  diameter  with  18-inch  face  and  triple  tug. 

Crown  pulley,  7-inch  steel  shaft.    Weight,  1,200  pounds. 

454-inch  standard  rig  irons  were  used  to  a  depth  of  5,145  feet  and 
were  then  replaced  by  a  special  heavy  rig  iron  shaft  7^4  inches. 

Weight  of  band  wheel  irons,  8,600  pounds.  These  irons  have  been 
in  use  since  the  well  was  commenced. 

At  6,720  feet,  sand  reel  was  replaced  with  a  heavier  reel  with  6-inch 
steel  shaft  and  16-inch  friction  brake  wheel. 

All  work  of  erecting  and  repairing  rig  has  been  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Mr.  Geo.  H.  Stanfield,  of  Clarksburg,  W.  Va.,  Superintendent 
of  Rig  Building  for  the  Hope  Natural  Gas  Company. 

BOILERS 

One  25  H.  P.  Acme,  used  from  top  of  hole  to  5,105  feet. 

One  25  H.  P.  Acme,  coupled  with  the  first  at  5,105  feet,  the  two 
being  used  to  depth  of  7,100  feet. 

One  25  H.  P.  Brennan,  installed  at  7,100  feet,  and  the  three  boilers 
used  to  the  present  depth. 

ENGINES 

One  12x12,  30  H.  P.  B.  &  S.  used  from  top  of  hole  to  5,145  feet. 

One  14  X  14,  50  H.  P.  Ajax  replaced  the  B.  &  S.  engine  at  5,145  feet 
and  used  to  depth  of  6,720  feet. 

One  16  X  16,  70  H.  P.  Oil  Well  Supply  Co.  replaced  the  Ajax  at  6,720 
feet  and  has  been  used  to  the  present  depth. 

CABLES 
One  second-hand  Manila,  2^"x700',  drilled  to  150  feet. 
One  second-hand  Manila  2^"  x  1,800',  drilled  to  1,500  feet. 
One  new  Manila  2^"  x  2,800',  drilled  to  3,100  feet. 


400  DEEP  WELL^  DRILLING 

THE  DEEPEST  WELL  IN  THE  \YPRLD  (Cpncludcd) 

One  new  Wire  ^''x4,000',  drilled  to  3,900  feet. 

One  new  Wire  5^"  x  4,000',  spliced  to  first  wire  line,  drilled  to  5,145 
feet. 

One  new  Wire  l"x  7,000',  drilled  to  6,700  feet. 

One  new  Wire  rx  4,000'  and  four  ^"x  4,000'  spliced  together  and 
later  spliced  to  l"x  4,000',  drilled  to  7,158  feet. 

One  new  Wire  1"  x  7,000',  to  which  was  spliced  %"  wire  line,  drilled 
to  present  depth  and  still  in  use. 

TOOLS 

Drilled  to  2,118  feet  with  string  of  tools  containing  stem  35  feet 
in  length  and  5^^  inches  in  diameter. 

Drilled  from  2,118  feet  to  5,145  feet  with  string  of  tools  containing 
stem  45  feet  in  length  and  .4%  inches  in  diameter. 

Drilled  from  5,145  feet  to  present  depth  with  string,  of  tools  con- 
taining stem  38  feet  in  length  and  4^  inches  in  diameter. 

DRILLERS 

A.  L.  Rawlins,  driller,  from  6,720  feet  to  present  depth. 

J.  C.  McCreight,  driller,  from  6,720  feet  to  7,068  feet. 

T.  J.  O'Connor,  driller,  from  5,145  feet  to  6,720  feet. 

Harley  Hall,  driller,  from  5,145  feet  to  6,720  feet. 

On  June  18,  1919,  the  well  had  reached  a  total  depth  of  7,579  feet, 
at  which  depth  the  tools  stuck  in  the  hole  and  cable  parted,  leaving 
tools  and  4,000  feet  of  cable  in  the  hole.  Work  has  been  discon- 
tinued. 

FORM  OF  DRILLING  CONTRACT 

This  Agreement,  Made  this day  of , 

A.  D.  19 ,  between of 

part of  the  first  part,  and 

part of  the  second  part. 

Witnesseth:  That  said  part of  the.  first  part  hath  covenanted 

and  agreed   with   said  part of  the   second  part, 

successors  and  assigns,  that  said  part of  the  first  part  will  drill 

for  said  part of  the  second  part  a  certain  well  for  the  purpose 

of  obtaining  petroleum   oil   or   natural   gas,   to   be   known   as   Well 

No .'.on  the  farm  of 

Section Town Range ......  i 

Township .County .1 

The  material,  machinery  and  appliances  necessary  for  drilling  and 
completing  said  well  shall  be  furnished,  and  the  work  of  drilling  the 
same  shall  be  done,  in  the  manner  hereinafter  specified,  viz.: 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  401 

FORM  OF  DRILLING.  CONTRACT  (Continued) 

A   complete    carpenter's   rig   of   good   quality    (including   wooden 

conductor),  to  be  furnished  by  the  part of  the .,•••... 

part  (and  al)  repairs  on  same  while  the  well  is  being  drilled,  shall  be 
made  by  and  at  the  expense  of  said  part of  the part.) 

All  casing  to  be  furnished,  by  part of  the part. 

Boiler,  engine,  belt,  bull  rope,  .$leam  and  water  pipe  and  connec- 
tions to  be  furnished  at  the  well  by  part of  the .part. 

The  expense  of  fitting  up  and  connecting  same  to  be  borne  by 
part...  .,.of  the part. 

Fuel   to   be  furnished  at   the   expense   of   the   part of  the 

^.i part.  ♦ 

Water  to  be  furnished  at  the  expense  of  the  part of  the 

part.  < 

Oil  saver  and  steel  measuring  line  at  expense  of.  the  part of 

the. part. 

All  machinery,  material  and  appliances  furnished  by  said  part. ..... 

of  the  second  part,  shall,  at  the  completion  or  abandonment  of  said 

well  be   returned  to   said  part of  the  second  part   in  as   good 

condition  as  when  received  by  said  part of  the  first  part,  ordi- 
nary wear  and  action  of  the  elements  alone  excepted.  ,.    . 

The  said  part of  the  first  part  further  agrees  to  pay  all  ex-, 

penses  and  furnish  everything  necessary  to  drijl  and  complete  said 
well  except  the  articles  and  appliances  herein  specifically  mentioned 
to  be  furnished  by  the  part of  the  second  part. 

The  said  well,  unless  sooner  abandoned  by  direction  of  the.  party 
of  the  second  part,  is  to  be  drilled ; .-.  .>/ 

the  consideration  for  which  shall  be per  foot. 

All  fresh  water  shall  be  cased  off  with  casing  of  a  diameter  of  not 

less    than inches,    and    all    salt    water    cased    off   with 

casing  of  a  diameter  of  not  less  than inches. 

When  the  said  well  approaches   the  oil  or  gas  bearing  sand,  the 

part of  the  first  part  shall   notify   the  part of  the   second 

part,  or ...agent  in  charge  of  the  farm  or  lease,  and  there- 
upon any  further  drilling  and  casing  into  or  through  the  sand  shall 

be, as  requested  by  the  said  part of  the  second  part,  or 

agents  in  charge  of  the  farm  or  lease,  but  the  work  in  connection 
therewith  shall  be  done  by  and  under  the  direction  and  at  the  risk 
of  the  part of  the  first  part. 

If  oil  or  gas  is  found  in  sufficient  quantities  to  endanger  the  rig, 
material  or  equipment,  part of  the  first  part  shall  assume  the 


402  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

FORM  OP  DRILLING  CONTRACT  (Contiimed) 

risk  thereof  and  remove  at own  expense  the   fires   and 

boilers  to  a  safe  distance  from  the  well.    All  pipe  and  fittings  made 

necessary  by  such  removal  shall  be  furnished  by  said  part of 

the part. 

When  completed,  unless  prevented  by  too  great  a  volume  of  gas 
or  oil,  the  well  shall  be  thoroughly  "bailed"  and  "sand  pumped"  by 

the  said  part of  the  first  part  until  all  drillings  and  sediment 

are  removed  therefrom  and  the  well  thoroughly  cleaned. 

The  part of  the  first  part  shall  carefully  examine  the  rig,  all 

machinery,   casing   and   other   appliances    to   be    furnished    for   said 

well  by  the  part of  the  second  part,  and  if  any  defect  be  found 

therein,sufficient  to  make  the  use  of  such  rig,  machinery,  casing  or 

other  appliances  .unsafe,   shall   immediately  notify   the  part of 

the  second  part  of  such  defect  or  defects,  and  the  part of  the 

second  part  shall  at  once  replace  the  article  so  found  defective,  with 

a  good  and  safe  one ;  but  if  the  part of  the  first  part  shall  not 

make  such  examination,  or  shall  not  report  any  defects  in  said  rig, 

machinery,   casing   or   other   appliances shall   be 

deemed  to  have  assumed  all  risks  and  all  responsibility  for  any 
mishap  which  may  occur  in  the  drilling  of  said  well,  by  reason  of  a 
failure  in  such  rig,  machinery,  casing  or  other  appliance. 

No  part  of  the  contract  price  above  mentioned  shall  in  any  event 
be  paid  until  said  well  shall  be  completed  to  the  depth  above  required, 

and  delivered  to  the  part of  the  second  part,  in  thoroughly  good 

order,  free  and  clear  of  all  obstruction 


The  part of  the  first  part  agree to  begin  the  drilling  of 

the  said  well  within days  from 

and  prosecute  the  work  actively  and  continuously  (Sunday  excepted) 
to  completion. 

IT  IS  FURTHER  AGREED,  That  time  shall  be  of  the  essence  of 

this  contract,  and  in  case  the  part of  the  first  part  shall  neglect 

or  discontinue  the  work  of  drilling  said  well  for  the  space  of 

days,  such  neglect  or  discontinuance  shall  of  itself  be  a  forfeiture  of 

all  rights  and  claims  of  the  part of  the   first  part  under  this 

agreement  without  any  notice   or  demand  by   the  part of  the 

second  part.     The  part...... of  the  second  part  shall  have  the  right 

at  any  time  after  such  forfeiture  to  take  possession  of  said  well  and 
discontinue   the   drilling   thereof,   and   at   its   pleasure,   dismantle  or 

abandon  the  same  without  liability  to  the  part of  the  first  part 

for  any  portion  of  the  contract  price  above  mentioned.    The  part. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  403 

FORM  OF  DRILLING  CONTRACT  (Candaded) 

of  the  second  part  shall  also  have  the  right  at  any  time  after  such 

forfeiture  as  above  mentioned,  if so  elect to  take 

possession  of  said  well  and  all  the  ropes,  tools  and  appliances  thereat 

of  the  part of  the  first  part,  and  drill  said  well  to  completion. 

In  case shall  succeed  in  completing  said  well,  the  cost  of 

such  completion  without  any  allowance  to  said  part of  the  first 

part  for  the  use  of  said  ropes,  tools  and  appliances,  shall  be  deducted 
from  the  contract  price  above  mentioned,  and  the  balance  if  any, 

paid  to  the  part of  the  first  part;  but  if  said  part of  the 

second  part  should  not  succeed  in  completing  said  well, 

shall  not  be  liable  to  the   part of  the   first  part  in  any  sum 

whatever  and  shall  return  said  tools,  ropes  and  appliances  to  the 

part of  the  first  part  in  as  good  order  as  when  received,  natural 

wear  and  tear  and  accidental  loss  or  breakage  excepted. 

After  the  drilling  of  the  well,  should  the  part of  the  second 

part  desire  to   torpedo  and  clean  out  after  the  torpedo,   the   first 

part agree to  work  at dollars  per  day  of 

hours. 

All  risk  and  damage  to  tools,  derrick  or  equipment  shall  be  assumed 

by  the  part of  the  first  part  at  all  times  until  all  work  to  be 

done  under  this  contract  is  fully  and  finally  completed  and  the  well 
is  accepted  as  completed  by  the  part of  the  second  part. 

FORM  OF  OIL  OR  GAS  LEASE 

THIS  LEASE,  Made  this day  of ,  A.  D. 

19.. .  .by  and  between 

of  the  County  of and  State  of 

of  the  first  part,  and 

of  the  second  part, 

WITNESSETH:  That  the  said  part of  the  first  part,  in  con- 
sideration of  $ in  hand  paid,  the  receipt  of  which  is 

hereby  acknowledged,  and  the  stipulations,  rents  and  covenants  here- 
inafter contained,  on  the  part  of  the  said  party  of  the  second  part, 
his  executors,  administrators  and  assigns,  to  be  paid,  kept  and  per- 
formed, have  granted,  demised  and  let  unto  the  said  party  of  the 
second  part,  his  executors,  administrators  and  assigns,  for  the  sole 
and  only  purpose  of  drilling  and  operating  for  Petroleum  Oil  or  Gas 

for  the   term  of years,  or  as  long  thereafter  as 

Oil  or   Gas  is  found  in  paying  quantities,  all  that  certain  tract  of 

land  situated  in Township 

County,  State  of being  the 


404  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

FORM  OF  OIL  AND  GAS  LEASE  (Continned) 


Containing acres,  more  or  less ; 

excepting  and  reserving  therefrom acres 

around  the  buildings  on  said  premises,  upon  which  there  shall  be  no 
wells  drilled;  the  boundaries  of  which  shall  be  designated  and  fixed 
by  the  part of  the  first  part. 

The  said  second  party  hereby  agrees,  in  consideration  of  the  said 

lease  of  the  above  described  premises,  to  give  said  first  part 

royalty  share of  all  the  oil  or  mineral  produced  and  saved  from 

said  premises,  except  for  operating  purposes  on  the  premises,  deliv- 
ered in  tanks  or  pipe  lines  to  the  credit  of  first  part And 

further  agrees  to  give  $ per  annum  for  the  gas  from 

each  and  every  well  drilled  on  the  above  described  premises,  in  case 
the  gas  be  found  in  quantity  to  transport  off  the  above-  described 
premises,  and  convey  to  market.  The  said  second  party  not  to  un- 
necessarily disturb  growing  crops  thereon,  or  the  fences. 

Said  second  party  has  the  right,  which  is  hereby  granted  him,  to 
enter  upon  the  above  described  premises  at  any  time  for  the  purpose 
of  mining  or  excavating,  and  the  right  of  way  to  and  from  the  place 
of  mining  or  excavating,  and  the  right  to  lay  pipe  lines  for  the 
purposes  of  conveying  or  conducting  water,  steam,  gas,  or  oil  over 
and  across  said  premises,  and  also  the  right  to  remove  at  any  time 
any  or  all  machinery,  oil  well  supplies  or  appurtenances  of  any  kind 
belonging  to  the  said  second  party. 


The  party  of  the  second  part  agrees  to  commence  one  well. 


from  the  date  hereof  (unavoidable  accidents  and  delays  excepted), 
and  in  case  of  failure  to  commence  one  well  within  such  time,  the 
party   of  the   second  part   hereby   agrees   to   pay   thereafter  to  the 

part of  the  first  part  for  any  future  delay,  the  sum  of 

dollars  per  annum  as  a  rental  on  the  same  thereafter  until  a  well  is 
commenced  or  the  premises  abandoned,  payable  at ; 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  405 

FORM  OF  OIL  AND  GAS  LEASE  (Concluded) 

and  the  part of  the  first  part  hereby  agree to  accept  such 

sum  as  full  consideration  and  payment  for  such  yearly  delay  until 
one  well  shall  be  commenced,  and  a  failure  to  commence  one  well 
or  to  make  any  of  such  payments  within  such  time  and  such  place  as 
above  mentioned,  renders  this  lease  null  and  void,  and  neither  party 
hereto  shall  be  held  to  any  accrued  liability,  otherwise  to  be  and 
remain  in  full  force  and  virtue. 

It  is  understood  by  and  between  the  parties  to  this  agreement  that 
all  conditions  between  the  parties  hereto  shall  extend  to  their  heirs, 
executors  and  assigns. 

IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  We,  the  said  parties  of  the  first  and 
second  part,  have  hereto  set  our  hands  the  day  and  year  first  above 
written. 

Signed  and  acknowledged  in 

presence  of  


LIFE  OF  WELL  DRILLING  EQUIPMENT 

Tables  showing  number  of  wells  different  pieces  of  ma- 
chinery, tools  and  other  equipment  may  be  expected  to  drill. 

These  tables  may  indicate  the  point  in  the  life  of  equipment 
at  which  it  may  be  unsafe  longer  to  use  it. 

In  the  first  column  are  estimates  for  soft  formations  found 
in  California,  Wyoming  and  Alberta,  Canada  (Tertiary  and 
Cretaceous).^ 

In  the  second  column  are  estimates  for  the  harder  forma- 
tions of  Kansas,  Oklahoma  and  North  Texas  (Carboniferous). 

In  the  third  column  are  estimates  for  the  hard  formations  of 
Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  West  Virginia,  Illinois  and  Kentucky 
(Devonian,  Silurian,  etc.) 


406 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


LIFE  OP  WELL  DRILLING  EQUIPMENT  (Contiiitted) 

Stated  in  terms  of  the  number  of  feet  drilled. 


Kansas, 

Oklahoma, 

North  Texas. 


Deep 
15.000 
20,000 
50,000 
10,000 


Shallow 

50,000 

100.000 

20,000 


1/3 


10,000 
12,000 
15,000 
75,000 


2 
2.000 

5 

50,000 

15,000 

4,000 

2,500 

40,000 

10,000 

8,000 
10,000 
15,000 
75,000 


10 

75,000 

20,000 

5,000 

3,000 

50,000 

12,000 

8,000 

20,666 

100,000 


12,500   25,000 


20,000 
75,000 
75,000 
40,000 
60,000 
30,000 
50,000 
60,000 


40,000 
100,000 
100,000 
50,000 
75,000 
40,000 
60,000 
75,000 


50,000 
50,000 
75,000 
50,000 
50,000 
75,000 
75,000 
50,000 
50,000 


50,000 

80,666 

50,000 
50.000 
75,000 
75.000 
50,000 
50,000 


Penn.,  Ohio 

W.  Va.,  minoii 

and  Kentucky 


Deep 
20,000 
40,000 
75,000 
10,000 


Shallow 

50,000 

100.000 

15,000 


California. 

Wyoming. 

Alberta,  Can. 

♦Rig  Irons 20,000 

tBoilcr    20.000 

Engine    50,000 

Belt    6,000 

Manila  Cable, 

Per  foot  of  cable  2 

Wire  Cable, 

Per  foot  of  cable  2 

Bull  Rope 2,000 

Sand  Line, 

Per  foot  of  line. .  3 

Temper  Screw  ....  75,000 

Rope  Sockets   10,000 

Jars-Short  Stroke  .  4,000 

Jars-Long  Stroke..  2,500 

tStems    50,000 

Bits,  9H-inch 

and  larger  12,000 

Bits,  8^-inch 
and  smaller 

Under  Reamers  . . . 
{Bailers 

Tool  Wrenches   . . , 

Barrett  Jack  less 

Rack    15,000 

Rack  for  Barrett 

Jack   25,000 

Swivel  Tool  wrench  100,000 

Derrick  Crane    ....  75,000 

Chain  Hoist   40,000 

Elevators   60,000 

Casing  Line   20,000 

Casing  Blocks   ....  50,000 

Casing  Hooks 60,000 

Drive  Heads 

Drive  Clamps 

Casing   Tongs    ....  50,000 

Spider  and  Slips...  50,000 

Anvil   75,000 

Steam   Blower   50,000 

Turbine  Generator.  50,000 

Measuring  Line  . . .  75,000 

Bit  Ram  75,000 

Boiler  Feed  Pump.  50,000 

Injector    50,000 

*  BAg  Irons :  In  some  of  the  deep  fields  of  Oklahoma  a  set  of  rig  irons  will 
drill  not  more  than  two  wells,  while  in  other  localities  one  set  may  drill  ten 
or  more  wells. 


1/2 

2,500 

4 
75,000 
12,500 

3,000 

2,000 
30,000 

12,000 

10,000 

•  •  •  •  • 

18,000 
75,000 


3 
3,500 

5 

75,000 

12,500 

4,000 

2,500 

50,000 

15,000 

12,000 

20,666 
100,000 


12,500      25,000 


20,000 
100,000 


40,000 
100,000 


75,000    100,000 


50.000 
75,000 
40,000 
50,000 
60,000 
20,000 
20,000 
50,000 


60,000 
100,000 
50,000 
60,000 
75,000 


50.000 


75.000 
50.000 
50.000 
75.000 
75,000 
50,000 
50,000 


80,000 
50,000 


75,000 

50.666 

50,000 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  407 

LIFE  OF  WELL  DRILLING  EQUIPMENT  (Concluded) 

t  Boiler :  The  life  of  a  boiler  depends  on  the  character  of  the  water  avail- 
able. A  boiler  that  would  drill  ten  to  twenty  wells  in  West  Virginia  might 
not  complete  one  well  in  Wyoming  where  alkaline  water  is  used. 

t  Stems:  The  life  of  stems  may  be  extended  to  the  point  of  crystallization 
by  renewing  the  boxes  and  pins  when  worn  out. 

S  Bailers :  The  valve  of  a  bailer  may  batter  or  wear  out  on  one  well.  Th« 
figures  in  this  table  contemplate  the  renewal  of  the  valve  when  necessary. 

DRILLING  TOOL  TAPER  JOINTS 
Measurement  of  Taper  Pins  and  Smallest  Size  Hole  in 
Which  Each  Size  Joint  Should  Be  Used. — The  large  diameter, 
or  diameter  at  the  base  of  the  thread,  is  the  basis  of  measure- 
ment for  taper  pins.  This  measurement  is  taken  with  a 
caliper  at  the  bottom  of  the  thread  at  a  point  three  quarters 
of  an  inch  from  the  shoulder  of  the  collar.  On  this  basis 
standard  sizes  of  the  I.  &  H.  joints  are  as  follows: 

Smallest  Length  Diameter 

Size  Hole  Size  Joint,  Diameter  Pin,        Pin,       Size  Square,*    Collar, 

Inches  Inches  Inches  Inches  Inches  Ifiches 

4  l^x2^-8Thd.  2  9/32  3^  2^  3H 

4  15^x2^-7Thd.  2  11/32  3^  2Vs  3^ 

4}^  l^x2^-8Thd.      •    2^  3^  2^  3^ 

4^  2x3  2  23/32  4  SVa  4H 

Sy2  21/4x334  2  59/64  4  3^^  45^ 

6  2/3x31/4  3  3/16  4  4  5 

.654  2Hx3.>4  3  15/32  4^  4  5% 

6^  3x4  3  21/32  5  4^  6 

7^  354  x4K  3  29/32  5  5  654    . 

7H  35^x4^/4  4  5/16  5  5  654 

854  4x5  4  25/32  554  5^  7 

9  41/4x5^  5  15/64  6^  55^  754 

Note. — Special    length    pins    are    sometimes    used;     for    example, 

2^  X  3^-inch  pin,  7  inches  long.     Box  collars  are  54  to  ^  inch  larger 

in  diameter  than  pin  collars. 

The  standard  taper  is  usually  stated  as  24  degrees,  but  this 
is  not  technically  correct.  It  is  24  graduation  marks  on  a 
Gleason  lathe.  Tool  makers  prove  their  joint  taper  by  placing 
a  square  on  the  taper  pin  and  a  bevel  protractor  on  the  collar. 
When  the  blade  of  the  protractor  lines  up.  with  the  square 
the  taper  should  register  7  degrees  on  the  bevel  protractor. 

I 

•  Dimensions   of   joints   used   in   California    differ   slightly   from    the   above. 

Exceptions  are  as  follows: 

Size  of  Joint,    inches 2x3        2^x31/4         3x4      .  3^4  x  4^         4  x  S 

Size  square,  inches 3^  4%  6  6 

Diameter    collar,    inches 4*4       *  6%  6%         .... 


408 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


TESTING  NATURAL  GAS  FOR  GASOLINE  CONTENT  • 

Geo.  A.  Burrel  and  G.  G.  Oberfell,  Chemical  Engineers, 

Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

"The  principle  of  this  method  for  testing  natural  gas  for 
gasoline  content  consists  in  absorbing  the  vagors  in  a  solid 
absorbing  medium  such  as  charcoal,  and  subsequently  recov- 
ering the  gasoline  by  distillation.  The  method  possesses 
several  distinct  advantages : 

1.  The  method  is  accurate'  and  rapid,  the  time  consumed  in 
absorbing  the  gasoline  vapors  from  casing-head  gas  in  a  test 
by  the  charcoal  absorption  method  being  about  10  minutes. 

2.  The  apparatus  is  simple  to  construct,  easy  to  operate, 
and  is  readily  portable,  outfit  containing  equipment  necessary 
for  thirteen  tests  weighing  22  pounds. 


JktJamlttfm 


'?.. 


I         nirprettyrt 


I 


'«< 


era 


I 


3 
^     Y 


^ — r 


i 


f 


1 


'f- 


"j:J 


H\ 


^ 


JKiTOf 


T 


^5* 


x^BorroM 


PLAN  JfCTtON  A'A 

Fig.   220. 

♦  From  Natural  Gas  and  Gasoline  Journal,  Dec,  1919. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  409 

TESTING  NATURAL  GAS  FOR  GASOLINE  CONTENT 

(Continued) 

3.  The  method  give?  information  both  as  to  yield  and  grav- 
ity of  gasoline,  and  is  applicable  to  both  lean  and  rich  natural 
gas. 

4.  Pressure  is  not  required  for  absorption  of  the  gasoline 
vapors. 

"The  equipment  as  shown  in  diagram  is  intended  for  test- 
ing gas  wells  for  flow  of  gas  and  for  making  the  absorption 
tests  of  the  gas  for  gasoline.  The  receptacle  (E)  may  serve 
either  as  a  sample  container  or  as  an  absorber.  After  absorp- 
tion of  gasoline  vapors  from  a  measured  volume  of  natural 
^as  in  the  field  the  charcoal  containing  the  absorbed  vapors 
is  sent  to  the  laboratory  for  distillation  to  determine  the 
gasoline  content  of  the  gas  as  described  below. 

EQUIPMENT  CASE  FOR  FIELD  TESTS 

Compartment  A  holds  dry  test  meter.  « 

Compartment  B  holds  "U"  tube. 

Compartment  C  holds  orifice  meter. 

Compartment  D  (13)  holds  receptacles  for  samples. 

Shellac  all  parts. 

Equip  lid  with  hinges  and  hooks. 

See  sketch  for  arrangement  of  strap  handle. 

"Approximately  250  c.c.  of  about  8  to  14  mesh  charcoal  of 
high  absorption  value  should  be  used.  The  absorber  is  filled 
with  the  material  to  within  about  2  cm.  from  the  top. 

"The  apparatus  is  arranged  so  that  the  gas  at  about  atmos- 
pheric pressure  is  passed  first  through  calcium  chloride,  then 
through  a  dry  meter  to  which  a  manometer  is  attached,  and 
then  through  the  charcoal. 

"The  dry  meter  was  arranged  with  a  manometer  so  that  the 
pressure  of  the  metered  gas  could  be  obtained.  The  tem- 
perature of  the  gas  was  taken  by  means  of  a  thermometer 
placed  at  the  inlet  to  the  dry  meter. 

"The  distillation  apparatus  and  the  method  for  the  deter- 
mination of  the  gravity  of  the  distillate  are  essentially  the 


410  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

TESTING  NATURAL  GAS  FOR  GASOLINE  CONTENT 

(Concluded) 

same  as  those  used  in  tests  of  this  nature.  A  small  Tycos 
hydrometer  may  be  used  for  gravity  determination.  By  using 
a  salt  water  ice  bath  around  condenser  and  tube  or  by  passing 
vapors  not  condensed  by  an  ice  water  mixture  through  a  tube 
surrounded  by  a  carbon-dioxide-acetone  bath,  the  sum  of  con- 
densates recovered  will  generally  run  higher  than  90°  Be. 
The  yield  for  different  gravities  may  then  be  determined  from 
weathering  losses  on  combined  condensates  of  duplicate  tests. 

"The  most  satisfactory  methods  so  far  tried  of  removing 
gasoline  from  the  charcoal  are  distilling  in  the  presence  of 
straw  oil  (petroleum  distillate  about  30°  Be.)  or  in  the  pres- 
ence of  glycerine.  The  advantage  of  using  glycerine  is  two- 
fold: first,  the  charcoal  can  be  regenerated  easily  by  washing 
with  water,  and  second,  gasoline  is  not  appreciably  soluble  in 
glycerine  or  glycerine-water  solutions. 

"Tests  were  made  of  natural  gas  for  gasoline  content.  In 
Table  1  are  presented  the  results  of  tests  with  charcoal  as 
the  absorbing  medium  and  results  of  comparative  tests  with 
the  portable  oil  absorber.*  These  results  show  that  the  two 
methods  compare  favorably,  the  yield  by  the  portable  oil  ab- 
sorber being  about  6  per  cent,  low.  Comparison  is  also  made 
with  plant  production  for  the  days  during  which  the  tests 
were  made." 

TABLE   1 

Comparison  of  Oil  Absorption  Method  and  Charcoal  Absorp- 
tion Method  in  Tests  of  Natural  Gas  for  Gasoline  Content. 

Oil  Absorption  Method 

•         Charcoal  Absorp- Portable 

tion  Method    Absorber  Plant  Yield 

Number  of  tests  averaged 4  2  2  days'  product 

Source  of  gas.  Inlet  to  gasoline  plant. 

i}^oline  recovered,  Be.  60° 

F./60°  F 90.2  90.4  .   88.6 

Gasoline  yield,  pts.  M.  cu.  ft.  gas  1.76              1.65  L55 

Gasoline  yield,  per  cent.t 100.00  93.8  88.1 

•Extraction  of  Gasoline  from  Natural  Gas  by  Absorption  Methods  by 
G.  A.  Burrell,  P.  M.  Biddison  and  G.  G.  Oberfell,  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin. 
120  (1917). 

t  Calculated  from  charcoal  absorption  method  as  giving  100%  jrield. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION 


411 


TABLES  SHOWING  DEPTHS,  WEIGHT  OF  TOOLS  AND 
LENGTH  OF  STROKE  FOR  WHICH  WIRE  DRILLING 
CABLES  ARE  RECOMMENDED  ♦ 


(<« 


'These  tables  have  not  taken  into  account  unusually  sticky 
formations  or  formations  that  require  excesgive  under-ream- 
ing, but  are  based  on  the  average  of  oil  fields  and  are  the 
results  shown  by  actual  drilling." 

Dimensions  in  Feet 
For  ^-inch  Cables 

Weight  of  Tools                     18  in.              24  in.               30  in.  32  in.  36  In. 

in  Pounds                        Stroke           Stroke            Stroke  Stroke  Stroke 

2,000 7,314     ■       4,999            3,714  3,391  2,857 

2,500 6.787            4,642            3,100  3,035  2,500 

3,000 6,428            4,285            3,000  2,678  2,142 

3,500....; 6,072            3,930            2,643  2,322  1,786 

4,000 5,628            3,570          '  2,286  2,071  1,428 

4,500 5,272            3,214           .1,928  1,694  1,072 

5,000 4,914           2,857            1,571  1,338  '       714 

For  5:4-inch  Cables 

Weight  of  Tools                    18  in.              24  in.               30  in.  32  in.  36  in. 

in  Pounds                         Stroke           Stroke            Stroke  Stroke  Stroke 

2,000 8,333            5,833            4,333  3,957  3,333 

2,500 7,917            5,416           3,917  3,541  2,917 

3,000 7,500            5,000            3,500  3,125  2,500 

3,500 7,084            4,585            3,084  2,709  2,084 

4,000 6,567           4,166           2,667  2,393  1,667 

4,500 6,151            3,750            2,250  1,977  1,251 

5,000 5,734            3,333            1,833  1,561  834 

For  1-inch  Cables 

Weight  of  Tools                                           24  in.               30  in.  32  in.  36  in. 

in  Pounds                                               Stroke            Stroke  Stroke  Stroke 

2,000 6,329            4,810  4,430  3,797 

2,500 6,013            4,493  4,114  3,481 

3,000 V •. . . .    5,696            4,177  .  3,697  3,164 

3,500 5,380  •         3,860  3,381  2,848 

4,000 5,063            3,544  3,064  2,531 

4,500 4,747            3,227  2,748  2,225 

5,000 4,430            2,911  .    2,431  1,908 

Note. — The  above   tables  are  used  through  the  courtesy  of  Upson 
Walton  Co.  and  are  for  their  Dreadnaut  Wire  Cables. 


412  DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  SPLICING  WIRE  ROPE 

Note. — The    instructions   and   illustrations   on   this   and    succeeding 
pages  were  furnished  by  John  A.  Roebling's  Sons  Co. 

1 — T-shuped  splicing 

pina. 
2 — Round  spllclns  ptn>. 
3 — Taper  apik«. 
4— Knife. 
6— Wire  cut  (era. 
6 — Wood   mallels. 
T — Hemp  rope,  spliced 

endlesa. 
8— Hickory  stick. 

Fls.   221. — Tools  used   for  stjlidng. 

Measure  back  from  the  ends  which  are  to  be  spliced  a  dis- 
tance of  ten  feet  for  regular  lay  ropes  and  twenty  feet  for  lang 
lay  ropes.     With  smaller  ropes  this  length  may  be  slightly 
decreased,  and  with  those  larger  than  one  inch  an  additional 
allowance  is  advisable.    At  these  points  place  three  servings 
of  wire  firmly  around  the  rope  to  prevent  the  strands  from 
untwisting  further  back.     Kow  unlay  three  alternate  strands 
at  each  end  back  to  these  binding  wires.    It  is  important  that 
the  strands  should  be  alternate,  that  is,  if  we' assume  them 
numbered  in  regu- 
lar order  from  No. 
1   to  No.  6,  either 
strands    Nos.    1,    3 
and  5  or  Nos.  2,  4 
and  6  should  be  im- 
laid.  Fig.  222  shows 
the  rope  after  three 
strands   have   been 
unlaid. 

Cut  off  at  each 
end  of  the  rope  the 
three  strands  which  fib.  2t3. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  413 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  SPLICING  WIRE  ROPE  (Continued) 

have  just  been  un- 
laid, as  indicated  in 
Fig.  223. 

Separate  the  re- 
maining  three 
strands  at  each  end 
back  to  the  point 
where  the  other 
strands  were  cut 
off.  This  will  make 
each  of  the  two 
ends    of    the    rope 

have  three  strands  ^' 

separated  from  each  other  for  a  distance  of  ten  feet  for  regular 
lay  ropes  and  twenty  feet  for  lang  lay  ropes.  The  hemp 
core  should  be  cut  off  at  each  end  as  shown  in  Fig.  224. 

Bring  the  two  ends  of  the  rope  thus  prepared  face  to  face, 
50  that  the  corresponding  strands  for  each  end  interlock  regu- 
larly with  each  other  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  in  which 
the  fingers  will  interlock  when  those  of  one  hand  are  pushed 
between  those  of  the  other.  Each  of  these  strands  must  be 
laid  into  the  rope  as  illustrated  on  the  following  pages.  Tem- 
porary bindings  of  wire  should  be  made  around  the  strands 
where  they  interlock  to  hold  them  in  position  for  the  subse- 
quent operations. 

Unlay  any  one 
strand  "A"  and  fol- 
low up  with  strand 
"No.  1"  from  the 
other  end,  laying  it 
tightly  in  the  open 
groove  left  by  the 
unwinding  of  "A," 
making  the  twist  of 
;■  the     strand     agree 

'  exactly  with  the  lay 

Fi*.  tt*.  of  the  open  groove. 


4  DEEP   WELL  DRILLFNG 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  SPLICING  WIRE  ROPE  (Contitnicd) 

When  all  but  a 
short  end  of  "No. 
1"  has  been  laid 
in,  the  strand  "A" 
should  be  cut  off, 
leaving  an  end 
equal  in  length  to 
"No.  1."  This 
length  should  be, 
for  a  one-inch  di- 
ameter  about 

^^-  ''^  twelve  inches  for 

regular  lay  ropes, 
and  twenty-four 
inches  for lang  lay 
ropes.  For  a 
smaller  rope  this  , 
m.iy  be  slightly 
decreased  and  for 
a  larger  diameter 
an  increased 
length  is  desir- 
able. 

FiB-  228.  Unlay     another 

strand  in  the  same 
manner  that  "A" 
was  unlaid,  and 
follow  up  as  was 
done  with  strand 
"No.  1,"  stopping, 
however,  back  of 
the  ends  of  "A" 
I  and  "No.  1."  The 
unlaid  strand 
I       should  be  cut  off 

-,_  M,  as   "A"   was    cut, 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  * 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  SPLICING  WIRE  ROPE  (Continued) 

leaving  two  short 
ends  equal  in 
length  to  those  of 
"A"  and  "No.  1." 

The  distance  be- 
tween the  points, 
where  the  ends 
project  should  be 
about  two  feet  for 
regular  lay  ropes 
and  four  feet  for 

,  ,  T-L  F'S-   228. 

langlay  ropes.  The 
illustration  shows 
the  rope  after  the 
three  strands  on 
one  side  of  the 
joint  have  been 
laid  in  the  man- 
ner described. 
There  now  remain 
the  three  strands 
on  the  other  side, 
which     must     be 

laid   in    the  same  ^«-  "''■ 

Way. 

When  all  six 
strands  have  been 
laid  in  as  directed, 
the  splice  will  ap- 
pear as  indicated 
in  Fig.  228.  There 
will  now  be  six 
places  at  which 
the  ends  of  the 
strands  extend  ten 
inches  beyond  the  vig.  aso. 


41*  DEEP   WELL  DRILLING 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  SPLICING  WIRE  ROPE  (Continued) 

rope.'  These  ends 
must  be  secured 
without  increas- 
ing the  rope's  di- 
ameter, as  shown 
on  the  following 
pages. 

Place  the  rope 
in  a  vise  at  one  of 
the  points  where 
the  ends  extend. 

PlE.  2>1  ^i"'l       3       Sf^'^'"* 

piece    of    hemp 
rope  around  the  wire  rope,  about  fifteen  inches  back  of  the 
vise,  so  as  to  make  a  sling,  and  insert  stick  in  loop.     Pull  the 
end  of  the  stick  so  that  the  wire  rope  will  be  untwisted  be- 
tween the  vise  and  the  stick. 
.  The  rope  may,  by  means  of  the  stick,  be  untwisted  suffi- 
ciently to  insert  the  point  of  the  spike  under  two  strands. 
Use  the  pin  to  force  the  hemp  core  into  such  a  position  that 
it  may  be  reached  by  the  knife  and  cut.     It  will  be  noticed 
that  the  end  of  the  strand  which  is  to  be  laid  in  has  been  bent 
back  toward  tlie   vise,     .-^s-  this  end   must  follow  the  twist 
of  the  rope  and  occupy  the  space  left  vacant'by  the  removal 
of    the    hemp    core, 
the  end  itself  should 
have  some  tendency 
to  twist  in  the  prop- 
er  direction.      Bend- 
ing the  end  back  and 
giving  it  one  twist  in 
the  direction  of  the 
twist  of  the  rope  will 
impart  thistendency. 
After     the     hemp 
core  has  been  cut  it  ^^  ^^^ 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  417 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  SPLICING  WIRE  ROPE  (Concluded) 
should  be  removed 
for  a  distance  equal 
to  the  length  of  the 
projecting  end  of 
strand.  Move  spike 
along  the  rope  with 
one  hand  while  the 
other  removes  the 
hemp  core.  The 
spike  should  be  un- 
der two  strands  of 
the  rope  as  shown 
in  Fig.  231.  ™-  "*• 

Insert  spike  so  that  it  will  be  over  the  projecting  end  and 
under  the  next  two  strands  of  the  rope.  Pull  the  spike  toward 
yourself.  This  will  cause  it  to  travel  along  the  rope,  leaving 
an  opening  in  front.  While  one  hand  is  moving  the  spike,  the 
other  should  lay  end  of  strand  in  the  opening,  see  Fig.  232. 

The  plate  shows  the  rope  after  the  end  of  one  strand  has 
been  laid.  Strand  "A"  must  be  laid  in  the  same  manner 
but  in  the  opposite  direction.  Tuck  strand  "A','  in  back 
of  strand  "No.  I"  by  placing  spike  oVer  strand  "A"  and 
under  strands  "No.  2"  and  "No.  3,"  Proceed  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  with  strand  "No.  1 ,"  Bend  and  twist  strand  "A"  similar 
to  strand  "No.  1." 

After  an  end  has 
been    laid,    cut   off 
projecting    end     of 
I  hempcoreand 

hammer  down  any 
inequalities  with 
the  wooden  mal- 
lets. When  all  the 
strands  have  been 
laid  in  rope  as  de- 
scribed the  splice  is 
*■  complete. 


418  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

INSTRUCTIONS   FOR   CARE   OP   AND    PROPER   METHODS 
OF  HANDLING  WIRE  ROPE 
s  furnished  by  John  A.  Roebling's  Sons  Co. 


^^ 


-J? 


you  pull  (h6  I'ope  otT  over  the 
'  (he  reel.  MANY  ROPES  ARE 
D  IN  THIS  WAY. 


{.  2S6.— When  you  1 
e  illustrated,  mid  Jit 
(rom  the  coil  you  « 


THE    RESULT   IS  f 


Fls.  23T,— Pull  (I 


acrev  eRect*. 


J8. — Hun  coll  Hlons  (he  ground 
rope  will  be  stmlKht  hb  I[  wsb 
eliiR  colled  lor  ahtpment.  There 
o  corkscrew  effect  If  you  do  thit. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  419 

CLAMPING  WIRE  ROPE  WITH  CLIPS 

Wire  rope  clips,  or  clamps,  are  frequently  used  as  an  end 
connection  for  a  sling.  They  are  not  as  dependable  as  a 
spliced  thimble  connection  and  will  develop  from  75  to  90 
per  cent,  of  the  rope  strength,  depending  on  the  manner  of 
attaching.  From  two  to  five  clips  should  be  used  and  the 
flat  side  or  body  of  clip  should  be  placed  on  the  live  end  of 
the  rope  with  the  U  bolt  on  the  dead  or  tail  end.  This  method 
of  attaching  prevents  the  U  bolt  from  crushing  the  live  end 
of  the  rope  and  gives  higher  efficiency. 

STRAIN  CAUSED  BY  RUNNING  WITH  SLACK  LINE 

Experiments  made  by  putting  a  dynamometer  between  the 
cable  and  its  load  have  shown  that  a  load  raised  suddenly 
with  only  2]/^  inches  of  slack  in  the  cable  puts  a  strain  on 
the  rope  39  per  cent,  greater  than  the  weight  of  the  load, 
while  with  12  inches  of  slack  the  rope  stress  was  triple  that 
caused  by  picking  up  the  same  weight  slowly  with  a  taut 
cable.  The  obvious  conclusion  that,  where  a  line  is  slack,  th^ 
load  should  not  be  raised  with  a  jerk,  unless  the  chief  aim 
of  the  operator  is  to  increase  the  consumption  of  wire  rope, 
applies  not  only  to  drilling,  but  also  to  driving  piles  with  a 
drop  hammer  and  to  many  other  kinds  of  construction  work. 

INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  SPLICING  MANILA  AND  WIRE 

CABLES 

First  cut  away  for  a  distance  of  ten  to  fifteen  feet  from 
the  end  of  the  wire  cable  sufficient  wires  to  reduce  the  diam- 
eter of  the  cable  to  the  diameter  of  one  strand  and  the  hemp 
center.  Next  bind  the  end  of  the  Manila  cable,  op€n  it  at  a 
point  about  twenty-five  feet  from  the  end,  and  insert  the 
reduced  end  of  the  wire  cable,  using  for  this  purpose  a  splicing 
needle  made  of  a  steel  rod  three  quarters  of  an  inch  in  diam- 
eter and  five  feet  in  length,  pointed  at  one  end.  By  means 
of  the  needle  the  Manila  cable  is  opened,  inch  by  inch,  and 
the  wire  line  is  "rolled  in,"  as  the  drillers  say.  Two  feet 
from  the  end  of  the  Manila  cable  cut  out  a  small  portion  of 


420  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING     • 

INSTRUCTIONS  FOR  SPLICING  MANILA  AND  WIRE 

CABLES  (Concluded) 

each  strand,  gradually  increasing  the  quantity  thus  eliminated, 
in  such  a  way  that  the  Manila  cable  will  taper  down  to 
slightly  larger  than  the  diameter  of  the  wire  cable.  To  finish 
the  splice,  wrap  the  end  of  the  Manila  tightly  around  the 
wire  line,  binding  the  end  with  a  piece  of  hay  wire,  and 
finishing  with  a  strand  or  3  arn  taken  froin  the  Manila  cable, 
or  a  piece  of  marline,  to  prevent  the  wire  binding  from 
chafing  off. 

This  splice  is  usually  very  effective,  for  the  Manila  will 
tighten  or  draw  around  wire  in  proportion  to  the  strain  or 
load  put  upon  the  spliced  line. 

Method  of  estimating  depth  of  a  well  by  calculating  length 
of  cable  wound  around  the  bull  wheel  shaft,"^  based  on  shaft 
14^  inches  in  diameter. 

The  following  tables  show  the  length  of  cable  in  the  first 
wrap  round  the  shaft  and  in  each  successive  layer  or  coil  up 
to  the  tenth  coil.  The  length  of  cable  would  be  found  by  add- 
ing the  figures  for  each  layer  or  coil  w^ound  on  the  shaft  and 
then  multiplying  the  sum  by  the  number  of  times  the  coils 
are  wrapped  round  the  shaft. 

Coils  or  Layers,  in  Feet 

Each 

Add. 

1st  2nd  3d   4th  5th   6th   7th   8th   9th  10th  Coilf 

2^"  Manila..  4.38  5.56  6.74  7.92  9.10  10.28  11.46  12.64  13.82  15.00  1,18 

^"Wire 3.99  4.38  4.77  5.16  5.55    5.94    6.33    6.72    7.11     7.50    .39 

K"Wire 4,02  4.48  4.94  5.40  5.86    6.32    6.78    7.24    7.70    8.16    .46 

Example:  There  are  25  wraps  of  a  ^-inch  wire  cable  round  a 
shaft  and  6  coils  or  layers;  then  thie  first  six  coils  =  3.99  +  4.38  +  4.77 
-{-  5.16  +  5.55  -f  5.94  =  29.79  X  25  =  745  feet  of  cable  on  the  shaft. 

Example:   There  are  20  wraps   of   a   ^-inch   wire  cable   round  a 

»  ■  •  •  * 

shaft  and  12  coils  or  layers;  then  the  sum  of  the  ten  coils  in  table  = 
57.45.  Eleventh  coil  =  7.50  -f  .39  =  7.89.  Twelfth  coil  =  7.50  -f-  .39 
+  .39  =  8.28.  57.45  +  7.89  -f  8.28  =  73.62,  total  length  of  12  coils,  one 
wrap  X  20  =  1,472  feet  of  cable  on  the  shaft. 

*  Adapted  from  tables  in  Practical  Geology,  by  Dorsey  Hager. 
t  The  last  column  shows  addition  for  each  coil  over  ten. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION 


421 


MINUTE  PRESSURE  OF  GAS  WELLS  * 

The  capacity  of  natural  gas  wells  may  be  approximated  by 
quickly  shutting  a  gate  or  valve  and  noting  the  pressure  on 
^  gauge  at  the  end  of  each  minute.  Usually  the  pressure  at 
the  end  of  the  first  minute  is  used  to  approximate  the  volume. 

The  following  table  gives  the  volume  in  different  sized 
tubing  in  lengths  of  100  feet,  which  is  followed  by  a  table  of 
multipliers  for  different  pressures  for  one  minute. 

Output  of  Gas  Wells,  as  Measured  by  the  Minute  Pressure.    Table 

of  Diameters  and  Cubic  Feet  in  100  Feet  of  Tubing 

r>iameter  in    Cu.  Ft.  in      Diameter  in    Cubic  Feet  in    Diameter  in    Cubic  Feet  in 
Inches  100  Feet         Inches  100  Feet  Inches  100  Feet 

1  .55  5  13.64  6H  23.94 

2  2.18  5  3/16  14.14  8  34.91 

3  4.91  SH  17.26  854  37.12 

4  8.73  6  19.63  10  54.54 
4^  9.85  6]4  21.31 

Opposite  the  Gauge  Pressures  Are  Found  the  Multipliers  for  One 
Minute.    For  the  Quantity  per  Hour  Multiply  Minutes  by  60  and 

for  24  Hours  Multiply  Minutes  by  1,440. 

Gauge,  Gauge.  Gauge,  Gauge, 

Lbs.  Multipliers       Lbs.  Multipliers  Lbs.  Multipliers  Lbs.  Multipliers 

1  .051  24  1.621  180  12.269  '    410  27.969 

2  .119  25  1.689  190  12.952  420  28.651 

3  .187  26  1.757  200  13,634  430  29.334 

4  .255  27  1.825  210  14.317  440  30.017 

5  .324  28  1.894  220  15.000  450  30.699 

6  .392  29  1.962  230  15.682  460  31.382 

7  .460  30  2.030  240  16.365  470  32.064 

8  .529  35  2.372  250  17.047  480  32.747 

9  .597  40  2.713  260  17.730  490  33.430 

10  .665  45  3.054  270  18.412  500-  34.112 

11  .733  50  3.395  280  19.095  510  34.795 

12  .802  60  4.078  290  19.778  520  35.477 

13  .870  70  4.761  300  20.460  530  36.160 

14  .938  80  5.443  310  21.143  540  36.843 

15  1.006  90  6.126  320  21.825  550  37.525 

16  1.075  100  6.808  330  22.508  560  38.208 

17  1.143  110  7.491  340  23.191  570  38.890 

18  1.211  120  8.174  350  23.873  580  39.573 

19  1.279  130  8.856  360  24.556  590  40.255 
.20  1.348  140  9.539  370  25.238  600  40.938 

21  1.416     150   10.221      380   25.921      

22  1.484     160   10.904      390   26.604      

23  1.552     170   11.587      400   27.286      

•  From  Hand  Bool<  of  Natural  Gas,  by  Henry  P.  Westcott,  Metric  Metal 
Works. 


422 


DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 


Example:  Suppose  a  well  showed  320  pounds  gauge  pressure  ir 
one  minute  in  2-inch  tubing,  depth  of  well  being  2,000  feet,  then,  by 
tables,  320  =  21.825,  2-inch  ^2.18,  and,  as  figures  are  based  on  100 
feet  of  tubing,  then  2,000  =  20.  21.825  X  2.18  X  20  =  951.57  cubic  feet 
per  minute,  57,094.2  cubic  feet  per  hour  or  1,370,261  cubic  feet  per  day. 

If  the  packer  is  set  up  from  the  bottom,  an  addition  will  have  to 
be  made.  Say  that  the  packer  was  set  up  120  feet  in  a  hole  6%  inches 
in  diameter,  then.  23.94  — 2.18  =  21.76.  21.76X1.20  =  26.112  and 
26.112  X  21.825  =  569.894.  569.894  +  951.57  previously  determined  = 
1,521.46  cubic  feet  per  minute,  or  91,287  cubic  feet  per  hour. 

This  method  only  approximates  the  value  of  wells  and  gives  results 
considerably  under  the  measurement  of  the  open  flow,  which  is  the 
proper  method  of  measuring  the  output.  Both  of  these  methods 
should  be  accompanied  by  the  maximum  rock  pressure.  The  best  well 
is  the  one  which  will  discharge  the  largest  quaulilv  of  natural  gas  at 
the  highest  pressure. 


Fig.   239. 

Improved  method  of  transferring  wire  rope  from  the  bull 
wheel,  calf  wheel  or  sand  reel  to  the  wire  rope  reel.  The 
Brandon  wire  line  spooling  attachment,  made  by  A.  H.  Bran- 
don &  Co.,  Toledo,  Ohio,  is  a  labor  saving  device.  It  consists 
of  two  special  sheaves  or  pulleys,  one  to  clamp  on  to  the  band 
wheel  crank  and  the  other  to  attach  to  the  wire  rope  reel. 
The  pulleys  are  operated  by  a  bull  rope  as  shown  in  diagram. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  423 

BELTING 

Belting,  when  used  for  well  drilling,  is  subjected  to  hard 
usage  and  sometimes  exposure  to  weather.  Rubber  and  can- 
vas belts  are  chiefly  used,  rubber  usually  being  preferred  be- 
cause it  is  impervious  to  moisture.  Solid  woven  cotton  belts 
have  also  been  used  with  success  for  well  drilling.  Belt 
tighteners  should  be  used  for  putting  on  or  taking  up  stretch 
of  belts.  The  best  grades  of  belting  obtainable  only  should 
be  used. 

*  Sag  of  Belts.  Distance  Between  Pulleys. — In  the  location 
of  shafts  that  are  to  be  connected  with  each  other  by  belts, 
care  should  be  taken  to  secure  a  proper  distance  one  from 
the  other.  This  distance  should  be  such  as  to  allow  of  a  gentle 
sag  to  the  belt  when  in  motion.  A  general  rule  may  be  stated 
thus :  Where  narrow  belts  are  to  be  run  over  small  pulleys 
15  feet  is  a  good  average,  the  belt  having  a  sag  of  1J4  to  2 
inches. 

For  larger  belts,  working  on  larger  pulleys,  a  distance  of 
20  to  25  feet  does  well,  with  a  sag  of  2j4  to  4  inches. 

For  main  belts  working  on  very  large  pulleys,  the  distance 
should  be  25  to  30  feet,  the  belts  working  well  with  a  sag 
of  4  to  5  inches. 

If  too  great  a  distance  is  attempted,  the  belt  will  have  an 
unsteady  flapping  motion,  which  will  destroy  both  the  belt  and 
machinery. 

The  pulley  should  be  a  little  wider  than  the  belt  required 
for  the  work.        . 

The  motion  of  driving  should  run  with  the  laps  of  the  belts. 

Tightening  or  guide  pulleys  should  be  applied  to  the  slack 
side  of  belts  and  near  the  smaller  pulley. 

*  To  Find  the  Length  of  Belt  Required  for  Two  Given  Pul- 
leys.— When  the  length  cannot  be  measured  directly  by  a 
tape-line,  the  following  approximate  rule  may  be  used:  Add 
the  diameter  of  the  two  pulleys  together,  divide  the  sum  by  2, 
and  multiply  the  quotient  by  3%,  and  add  the  product  to 
twice  the  distance  between  the  centers  of  the  shafts. 

*  From  Kent's  Mechanical  Engineers*  Pocket  Book. 


424  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

*  To  Find  the  Length  of  Belt  When  Closely  Rolled.— The 
sum  of  the  diameter  of  the  roll,  and  of  the  eye  in  inches,  times 
the  number  of  turns  made  by  the  belt  and  by  .1309,  equals 
length  of  belt  in  feet. 

*  To  Find  the  Approxunate  Weight  of  Belts. — ^Multiply  the 
length  of  belt,  in  feet,  by  the  width  in  inches,  and  divide  the 
product  by  13  for  single  and  8  for  double  belt. 

Rule  for  Finding  Width  of  Belt  When  Speed  of  Belt  in 
Feet  per  Minute  and  Horsepower  Wanted  Are  Given. — For 
Single  Belts :  Divide  the  speed  of  the  belt  by  800.  The  horse- 
power wanted  divided  by  this  quotient  will  give  the  width  of 
belt  required. 

For  Double  Belts:  Divide  the  speed  of  belt  in  feet  per 
minute  by  560.  Divide  the  horsepower  wanted  by  this  quo- 
tient for  the  width  of  belt  required. 

Example:  A  30  H.  P.  Steam  Engine  running  300  R.  P.  M.,  30-inch 
belt  pulley,  belt  speed  =  diameter  pulley  30*  X  3.1416  X  300  =  28,274" 
or  2,356  feet  per  minute.    2,356  -t-  800  =  2.95  .  30  H.  P.  -r-  2.95  =  10.2. 

Width  of  belt  should  be  10  or  12  inches. 

HORSEPOWER  TABLE 
Main  Belting  Company 

To  To         To         To  To  To 

Belt  Speed.  F.  P.  M.  500        1000      2000       3000         4000       6000 

Smallest  pulley  diam.       6-in.       7  in.       9-in.      11  in.      12  in. 

4  ply        H.P.    transmitted   per 

belt  in.  belt  width 0.7        1.4        2.8        4.1        5.1 

Smallest  pulley  diam.         8-in.     10-in.    12-in.      14-in.      16-in.    18-in. 

5  ply        H.P.    transmitted   per 

belt  in.  belt  width..:...     0.87      1.75      3.5        5.1        6.37      7.37 

Smallest  pulley  diam.        10-in.    12-in.    16-in.     18-in.     20-in.    24-in. 

6  ply        H.P.    transmitted   per 

belt             in.  belt  width 1.05      2.1  4.2  6.1        7.6        8.8 

Smallest  pulley  diam.  24-in.     30-in.  33-in.  36-in.  42-in. 

8  ply        H.P.    transmitted   per 

belt              in.  belt  width 2.45      4.9  7.17      8.92  10.32 

Smallest  pulley  diam.  48-in.  54-in.  60-in.  72-in. 

iO-ply      H.P.   transmitted   per 

belt             in.  belt  width 5.6  8.2  10.2  11.8 

This  table  is  based  on  an  arc  of  contact  of  180^  and  takes 
into  account  the  action  of  centrifugal  force  as  the  speed  in- 
creases. 

A  rough  rule  for  figuring  belt  horsepower  where  speeds 
are  less  than  5,000  feet  per  minute  is  to  divide  the  diameter 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  425 

of  either  pulley  in  inches  by  four,  muhiply  the  result  by  the 
r.  p.  m.  of  the  same  pulley,  which  gives  the  approximate 
speed  in  feet  per  minute,  and  divide  that  result  by  800,  which 
gives  the  horsepower  that  a  four  ply  belt  one  inch  wide  will 
transmit  at  that  speed.  Multiply  this  result  by  the  width  of 
the  belt  in  question,  remembering  that  a  six  ply  will  transmit 
lJ/2  times  as  much  as  a  four  ply,  eight  ply  l}i  times  as  much, 
ten  ply  twice  as  much,  and  twelve  ply  2j4  times  as  much. 

FUELS 

COMPARISON  OF  FUEL  VALUE  OF  DIFFERENT  COALS 

From  Kent's  Mechanical  Engineers'  Pocket  Book 

Fixed  C.  %  B.  T.  U.  per  lb. 

Penna.  anthracite  89  14,900 

West  Va.  semi-bituminous 80    to  76.5  15,950  to  15,650 

Arkansas  semi-bituminous   84    to  77  15,250  to  15,500 

Penna.  bituminous  67  15,500 

West  Va.  bituminous  67.5  to  55  15,500  to  15,000 

Eastern  Kentucky 60  15,000 

Western  Kentucky   55     to  50.5  14,400  to  13,700 

Alabama  61.5  to  59  14,800  to  14,200 

Kansas 62    to  53.5  14,800  to  14,100 

Oklahoma 56    to  51  14,600  to  13,100 

Missouri    50.5  to  47  14,300  to  12,600 

Illinois    59    to  47.5  13,700  to  12,400 

Iowa   57    to  53.5  13,600  to  12,700 

Indiana    49  13,300 

New  Mexico 50.5  to  47  12,500  to  12,300 

Wyoming    48     to  41.5  13,300  to  10,900 

Montana    48.5  12,100 

Colorado   46  11,500 " 

North  Dakota  48.5  to  42.5  10,200  to  11,400 

Texas    44.5  to  34  10,900  to  11,000 

ANALYSES  AND  CALORIFIC  VALUES  OF  AMERICAN 

FUEL  OILS 

From  Marks  Handbook 

Specific  , 

Gravity  Gravity  B.  T.  U.        Weigrht 

Field  Baume    at  15  deg.  Cent,    per  lb.      per  gal.,  lb. 

Kern  River,  Cal 14.78  0.9670  18,562  8.06 

Coalinga,  Cal 17.29  0.9505  18,720  7.92 

McKittrick,    Cal 15.83  0.9600  18,335  8.00 

Midway,  Cal 16.14  0.9580  18,565  7.98 

Sunset,  Cal 14.26  0.9705  18,419  8.09 

Beaumont,  crude   21.6  0.924  19,060  7.69 

Beaumont,  crude   21.3  0.926  19.481  7.71 

Tampico,  crude 12  to  23  18,493  7.82 


426 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


FUELS 

Oil  is  sold  by  the  barrel  of  42  gallons.  The  A.  T.  &  S.  F. 
R.  R.  Co.  found  the  evaporative  value  of  coal  and  oil  the  same 
when  the  price  of  coal  in  tons  was  three  and  a  half  times  the 
price  of  oil  in  barrels.  Most  experience  falls  within  the  limits 
of  three  to  four  and  one-half  barrels  of  oil  as  the  equivalent  of 
one  long  ton  of  coal. 

Heating  Value  of  Wood. — The  following  table  is  given  in 
several  books  of  reference,  authority  and  quality  of  coal  re- 
ferred to  not  stated. 

The  weight  of  one  cord  of  different  woods  (thoroughly 
air-dried)  is  about  as  follows : 

Lbs.  Lbs. 

Hickory  or  hard  maple. . .     4500  equal  to  1800  coal.  (Others  give  2000.) 
Beech,  red  and  black  oak.     3250 

White  oak   3850 

Poplar,  chestnut  and  elm.     2350 
The  average  pine 2000 


n 


tt 


it 


tl 


1300   " 

( 

ft 

1450.) 

1540   " 

( 

tt 

1715.) 

940  " 

( 

tl 

1050.) 

«00   " 

( 

It 

925.) 

COMPARATIVE  FUEL  VALUE  OF  COAL,  OIL  AND 

NATURAL  GAS 

pound  of  coal  will  evaporate  9  pounds  of  water  at  212**,  atmos- 
pheric pressure. 

pound  of  oil  will  evaporate  15  pounds  of  water  at  212°,  atmos- 
pheric pressure. 

pound  of  natural  gas  will  evaporate  20  pounds  of  water  at  212*, 
atmospheric  pressure. 

pound  of  coal  will  equal 10  cubic  feet  natural  gas 

2000      pounds  (1  ton)  will  equal 20,000  cubic  feet  natural  gas 

pound  of  oil  will  -equal 16  cubic  feet  natural  gas 

barrel   (42  gal.)  will  equal 4,800  cubic  feet  natural  gas 

4J^  barrels  (42  gal.)  will  equal  1  ton  of  good  coal. 

cubic  foot  natural  gas  will  evaporate  1  pound  of  water. 

cubic  foot  natural  gas  will  equal 966  British  heat  units 

1000      cubic  feet  natural  gas  will  equal....      966,000  British  heat  units 

ton  of  coal  will  equal 19,307,000  British  heat  units 

barrel  of  oil  will  equal 4,666,600  British  heat  units 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  427 

PROPERTIES  OF  l^TURAL  GAS 

B.T.U.  per  cu.  ft, 
0  deg:.  Cent,  and 
Location   of  Wells  760  mm.  pressure 

Kiefer,  Okla 1272 

Jefferson  County,   Ky 1205 

Forest  County,   Pa 1279 

Allen   County,   Kansas 1051 

Kings  County,  Cal 724 

Greybull  Field,  Wyo.... 1192 

Casinghead  gas  1427 

Caddo  Parish  Field,  La ' 1028 

Casinghead  gas  used  for  production  of  gasoline 2424 

SPECIFIC  HEAT 

Units  of  Heat. — The  mean  British  thermal  unit  (B.  T.  U.) 
is  defined  as  the  1/1<:'0  part  of  the  heat  required  to  raise  the 
temperature  of  1  lb.  of  water  from  32°  to  212°  Fahr.  This 
is  substantially  equal  to  the  heat  required  to  raise  1  lb.  of 
water  from  63°  to  64°  Fahr. 

The  mean  calorie  is  1/100  of  the  heat  required  to  raise  1  g. 
of  water  from  0°  to  1C0°  Cent.  It  is  practically  the  same  as 
the  17j^°  calorie,  that  is,  the  heat  required  to  raise  1  g.  of 
water  from  17°  to  18°  Cent.  The  15°  calorie  is  also  used 
extensively.  Because  of  the  variation  of  the  heat  capacity  of 
water,  this  is  slightly  larger  than  the  mean  or  17j/2°  calorie. 
The  present  tendency  is  toward  the  mean  calorie  (and  mean 
B.  t.  u.)  as  the  standard  heat  unit. 

In  countries  which  have  adopted  the  metric  system,  engi- 
neers employ  the  kilogram  calorie  (or  "large  calorie")  as  the 
unit  in  heat  measurements.  1  kilogram  calorie  ^=  1,000  g. 
calories  =  3.968  B.  t.  u.  (1  B.  t.  u.  =  0.252  kilogram  calorie). 

WATER 

Water  is  composed  of  two  gases,  hydrogen  and  oxygen,  in* 
the  ratio  of  two  volumes  of  the  former  to  one  of  the  latter. 
It  is  never  found  pure  in  nature,  owing  to  the  readiness  with 
which  it  absorbs  impurities  from  the  air  and  soil.  Water 
boils  under  atmospheric  pressure  (14.7  pounds  at  sea  level)  at 
212°,  passing  off  as  steam.  Its  greatest  density  is  at  39.1°  F., 
when  it  weighs  62.425  pounds  per  cubic  foot. 


428 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


WATER  FACTORS 

U.  S.  gallons 
U.  S.  gallons 
U.  S.  gallons 
U.  S.  gallons 
U.  S.  gallons 
Eng.  gals.  (Imp.) 
Eng.  gals.  (Imp.) 
Eng.  gals.  (Imp.) 
Eng.  gals.   (Imp.) 
Eng.  gals.   (Imp.) 
Cu.  ft.  water  (39.1°) 
Cu.  ft.  water  (39.1**) 
Cu.  ft.  water  (39.1°) 
Cu.  ft.  water  (39.1°) 
Cubic  foot  of  ice 
Cu.  in.  water  (39.1°) 
Cu.  in.  water  (39.1°) 
Cu.  in.  water  (39.1°) 
Cu.  in.  water  (39.1°) 
Pounds  of  water 
Pounds  of  water 
Pounds  of  water 
Pounds  of  water  . 
Tons  of  water 
Tons  of  water 
Tons  of  water 
Ounces  of  water 

A  column  of  water  1  inch  square  by  1  foot  high  weighs  0.434  pound. 

A  column  of  water  1  inch  square  by  2.31  feet  high  weighs  1  pound. 

Sea  water  is  1.6  to  1.9  heavier  than  fresh. 

One  cubic  inch  of  water  makes  approximately  1  cubic  foot  of  steam 
at  atmospheric  pressure. 

27,222  cubic  feet  of  steam  at  atmospheric  pressure  weighs  1  pound 

Atmospheric  pressure  at  sea  level  =  14.7  pounds  average. 

Height  of  mercury  cohimn  in  a  vacuum  at  sea  level  =  29.9  inches. 

"Height  Oi  water  column  in  a  vacuum  at  sea  level  =  33.9  feet. 

Friction  head  depends  on  the  speed  of  the  water  and  the  resistance 
to  its  flow;  that  is,  on  the  condition  of  the  interior  of  the  pipe,  the 
number  of  bends,  elbows,  etc.  The  friction  head  can  be  determined 
roughly  from  the  followmg  formula: 

If  L  is  the  length  of  a  pipe,  D  is  its  diameter  (both  in  feet)  and 
V  the  velocity  of  flow  of  liquid  in  feet  per  second,  the  loss  of  head 
due  to  friction,  or  the  friction  head  H  is 


X 

8.33 

— — 

pounds 

X 

0.13368 

cubic  feet 

X 

231.00 

— 

cubic  inches 

X 

0.83 

Eng.  gallons 

X 

3.78 

— 

liters 

X 

10. 

_^ 

pounds 

X 

0.16 

cubic  feet 

X 

277.274 

cubic  inches 

X 

«     1.2 

— 

U.  S.  gallons 

X 

4.537 

liters 

X 

62.425 

— - 

pounds 

X 

7.48 

• — 

U.  S.  gallons 

X 

6.232 

:i= 

Eng.   gals. 

X 

0.028 

____ 

tons 

X 

57.2 

— 

pounds 

X 

0.036024 

pounds 

X 

0.004329 

U.  S.  gallons 

X 

0.003607 

_. 

Eng.  gals. 

X 

0.576384 

ounces 

X 

27.72 

cubic  inches 

X 

0.01602 

cubic  feet 

X 

0.083 

— — 

U.  S.  gallons 

X 

0.10 

— 

Eng.   gallons 

X 

268.80 

-— 

U.  S.  gallons 

X 

224.00 

Eng.   gallons 

X 

35.90 

— 

cubic  feet. 

X 

1.735 

_^ 

cubic  inches 

H  = 


.02LV2 
64.4  D 


The  total  head  to  be  pumped  against  is  considered  equal  to  the 
sum  of  the  friction  head  and  the  actual  head. 

If  A  is  the  cross  section  in  square  feet  of  a  streanl  flowing  over  a 
dam,  V  its  velocity  in  feet  per  minute,  and  H  the  head,  or  fall  in  feet, 


then 


H.P.= 


62.4AVH 
33000 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  429 

WATER  PRESSURE 

The  pressure  of  still  water  per  square  inch  against  the  sides 
of  any  pipe  or  vessel  of  any  shape  is  due  alone  to  the  head  or 
height  of  the  surface  of  the  water  above  the  point  pressed 
upon,  and  is  equal  to  0.434  pounds  per  square  inch  for  every 
foot  of  head,  the  fluid  pressure  being  equal  in  all  directions. 
For  example :  The  pressure  in  pounds  per  square  inch  at  the 
bottom  of  well  tubing  1,000  feet  deep  and  filled  with  water 
would  be  0.434  X  1000  =  434  pounds  pressure. 

WEIGHT  OF  WATER. IN  PIPE  OF  DIFFERENT  DIAMETERS 

IN  LENGTHS  OF  ONE  FOOT 

The  following  table  will  be  found  useful  in  computing  the 
weight  of  water  in  a  string  of  pipe  or  casing  in  a  well  or  for 
calculating  the  H.  P.  to  elevate. 


lam.. 

Water 

Diam. 

.    Water 

Diam., 

Water 

Diam., 

Water 

ches 

Pounds 

Inches  pounds 

Inches 

Pounds 

Inches 

Pounds 

1 

.MOS 

4J4 

6.8946 

8 

21.790 

1354 

62.052 

154 

.5320 

5 

8.5119 

SVa 

23.174  . 

14 

66.733 

IV2 

.7661 

554 

9.3844 

9 

27.579 

15 

76.607 

2 

1.3619 

5^ 

11.257 

10 

34.048 

16 

87.162 

254 

2.1280 

6 

12.257 

11 

41.198 

17 

98.397 

3 

3.0643 

654 

13.300 

1154 

45.028 

18 

110.31 

W2 

4.1708 

654 

14.385 

12 

49.028 

19 

122.91 

4 

5.4476 

7 

16.683 

i2y2 

53.199 

20 

136.19 

454 

6.1498 

7^ 

19.152 

13 

57.540 

THEORETICAL  HORSEPOWER  NECESSARY  TO  ELEVATE 

WATER,  SIMPLE  RULE 

To  find  the  horsepower  necessary  to  elevate  water  to  a 
given  height,  multiply  the  weight  of  water  elevated  per  minute 
in  pounds  (for  weight  of  water,  see  above)  by  the  height  in 
feet  (height  is  measured  from  surface  of  water  to  highest 
point  to  which  water  is  raised),  and  divide  by  33,000,  which 
result  represents  the  necessary  horsepower.  One  horsepower 
is  equal  to  about  five  men.  It  is  estimated  that  it  requires 
approximately  one  horsepower,  including  friction,  to  raise 
sixty  gallons  of  water  per  minute  thirty-three  feet  high.  A 
liberal  allowance  (from  20  to  30  per  cent.)  should  be  made 
for  water  friction  and  loss  in  steam  cylinder. 


DEEP   WELL  DRILLING  430 

To  find  quantity  of  water  elevated  in  one  minute,  running 
at  100  feet  of  piston  speed  per  minute,  square  the  diameter 
of  the  water  cylinder  in  inches  and  multiply  by  4. 

Example:  Capacity  of  a  5-inch  cylinder  is  desired.  The 
square  of  the  diameter  (5  inches)  is  25,  which,  multiplied  by  4, 
gives  100,  the  number  of  gallons  per  minute  (approximately). 

EQUATION  OF  PIPES 
Simple  Rule 
It  ijiay  be  desired  to  know  what  number  of  pipes  of  a  given 
size  are  equal  in  carrying^  capacity*  to  one  pipe  of  a  larger 
size.  At  the  same  \elocity  of  flow  the  volume  delivered  by 
two  pipes  of  different  sizes  is  proportioned  to  the  squares  of 
their  diameters ;  thus,  one  4-inch  pipe  will  deliver  the  same 
volume  as  four  2-inch  pipes.  With  the  same  head,  however, 
the  velocity  is  less  in  the  smaller  pipe,  and  the  volume  deliv- 
ered varies  about  as  the  square  root  of  the  fifth  power  (i.e.,  as 
the  2.5  power).  The  following  table  has  been  calculated  on 
this  basis.  The  figures  opposite  the  intersection  of  any  two 
sizes  are  the  number  of  the  smaller  sized  pipes  required  to 
equal  one  of  the  larger.  Thus,  one  4-inch  pipe  is  equal  to 
5.7  2-inch  pipes. 


Diam- 

eter, 

Inches 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

8 

10 

12 

14 

16 

18 

2 

5.7 

1. 

3 

15.6 

2.8 

1. 

4 

Z2. 

5.7 

2.1 

1. 

5 

55.9 

9.9 

3.6 

1.7 

1. 

« 

6 

88.2 

15.6 

5.7 

2.8 

1.6 

1. 

7 

130. 

22.9 

8.3 

4.1 

2.3 

1.5 

8 

181. 

32. 

11.7 

5.7 

3.2 

2.1 

1. 

9 

243. 

43. 

15.6 

7.6 

4.3 

2.8 

1.3 

10 

316. 

55.9 

20.3 

9.9 

5.7 

3.6 

1.7 

1 

11 

401. 

70.9 

25.7 

12.5 

12 

4.6 

2.2 

1.3 

12 

499. 

88.2 

32. 

15.6 

8.9 

5.7 

2.8 

1.6 

1. 

13 

609. 

108. 

39.1 

19. 

10.9 

7.1 

3.4 

1.9 

1.2 

14 

733. 

130. 

47. 

22.9 

13.1 

8.3 

4.1 

2.3 

1.5 

1. 

15 

787. 

154. 

55.9 

27.2 

15.6 

9.9 

4.'8 

2.8 

1.7 

1.2 

16 

181. 

65.7 

Z2. 

18.3 

11.7 

5.7 

3.2 

2.1 

1.4 

1. 

17 

211. 

76.4 

37.2 

21.3 

13.5 

6.6 

3.8 

2.4 

1.6 

1.2 

18 

243. 

88.2 

43. 

24.6 

15.6 

l.(y 

4.3 

2.8 

1.9 

1.3 

1. 

19 

278. 

101. 

49.1 

28.1 

17.8 

8.7 

5. 

3.2 

2.1 

1.5 

1.1 

20 

316. 

115. 

55.9 

32. 

20.3 

9.9 

5.7 

3.6 

2.4 

1.7 

1.3 

GENERAL  INFORMATION  431 

Doubling  the  diameter  of  a  pipe  increases  its  capacity  four 
times.  Friction  of  liquids  in  pipes  increases  as  the  square  of 
the  velocity. 

To  find  the  diameter  of  a  pump  cylinder  to  move  a  giyen 
quantity  of  water  per  minute  (100  feet  of  piston  being  the 
standard  of  speed),  divide  the  dumber  of  gallons  by  4,  then 
extract  the  square  root,  and  the  result  will  be  the  diameter  in 
inches  of  the  pump  cylinder. 

STEAM 
(From  National  Tube  Co.  Book  of  Standards) 

"The  Temperature  of  Steam  in  contact  with  water  depends 
upon  the  pressure  under  which  it  is  generated.  At  the  ordi- 
nary atmospheric  pressure  (14.7  pounds  per  square  inch)  its 
temperature  is  212°  F.  As  the  pressure  is  increased,  as  when 
steam  is  generated  in  a  closed  vessel,  its  temperature,  and 
that  of  the  water  in  its  presence,  increases. 

"Saturated  Steam  is  steam  in  its  normal  state,  that  is,  steam 
whose  temperature  is  that  due  to  its  pressure;  by  which  is 
meant  steam  at  the  same  temperature  as  that  of  the  water 
from  which  it  was  generated  and  upon  which  it  rests. 

"Superheated  Steam  is  steam  at  a  temperature  above  that 
due  to  its  pressure. 

"Dry  Steam  is  steam  which  contains  no  moisture.  It  may 
be  either  saturated  or  superheated. 

"Wet  Steam  is  steam  containing  free  moisture  in  the  form 
of  spray  or  mist.  It  has  the  same  temperature  as  dry  satu- 
rated steam  of  the  same  pressure. 

"Water  introduced  into  superheated  steam  will  be  vaporized 
until  the  steam  becomes  saturated,  and  its  temperature  be- 
comes that  due  to  its  pressure.  Cold  water,  or  water  at  a 
lower  temperature  than  that  of  the  steam,  introduced  into 
saturated  steam,  will  condense  some  of  it,  thus  lowering  both 
the  temperature  and  pressure  of  the  rest  until  the  temperature 
again  equals  that  due  to  its  pressure. 

The  Heat-unit,  or  British  Thermal  Unit.  The  old  defini- 
tion  of  the  heat-unit   (Rankine),  viz.,   the  quantity  of  heat 


432  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

required  to  raise  the  temperature  of  1  pound  of  water  1°  F., 
at  or  near  its  temperature  of  maximum  density  (39.1°  F.),  is 
now  no  longer  used.  Peabody  defines  it  as  the  heat  required 
to  raise  a  pound  of  water  from  62°  to  63°  F.,  and  Marks  and 
Davis  as  1/180  of  the  heat  required  to  raise  1  pound  of  water 
from  32°  to  212°  F.  By  Peabody's  definition  the  heat  required 
to  raise  1  pound  of  water  from  32°  to  212°  is  180.3  instead  of 
180  units,  and  the  heat  of  vaporization  at  212°  is  %9.7  instead 
of  970.4  units. 

The  Total  Heat  of  the  Water  is  the  number  of  British 
thermal  units  needed  to  raise  one  pound  of  water  from  32°  F. 
to  the  boiling  point,  under  the  given  pressure. 

The  Latent  Heat  of  Steam  or  Heat  of  Vaporization  is  the 
number  of  British  thermal  units  required  to  convert  one 
pound  of  water,  at  the  boiling  point,  into  steam  of  the  same 
temperature. 

The  Total  Heat  of  Saturated  Steam  is  the  number  of  heat- 
units  required  to  raise  a  pound  of  water  from  32°  F.  to  the 
boiling  point,  at  the  given  pressure,  plus  the  number  required 
to  con^ert  the  water  at  that  temperature  into  steam  of  the 
same  temperature. 

STEAM  BOILERS 

Safe  Working   Pressures   in   Cylindrical   Shells   of   Boilers,   Tanks, 

Pipes,  etc.,  in  Pounds  per  Square  Inch 

(From  Kents'  Engineers'  Pocket  Book) 

Longitudinal  scams  double-riveted. 
(Calculated  from  formula  P  :=  14,000  X  thickness  -r  diameter.) 


ickness 
I6ths  of 
inch. 

Diameter  in 

Inches 

H.SS      38 

40 

42 

44 

46 

48 

50 

52 

54 

60 

66 

1     23.0 

21.9 

20.8 

19.9 

19.0 

18.2 

17.5 

16.8 

16.2 

14.6 

13.3 

2     46.1 

43.8 

41.7 

39.8 

38.0 

36.5 

35.0 

33.7 

32.4 

29.2 

26.5 

3     69.1 

65.6 

62.5 

59.7 

57.1 

54.7 

52.5 

50.5 

48.6 

43.7 

39.8 

4     92.1 

87.5 

83.3 

79.5 

76.1 

72.9 

70.0 

67.3 

64.8 

58.3 

53.0 

5  115.1 

109.4 

104.2 

99.4 

95.1 

91.1 

87.5 

84.1 

81.0 

72.9 

66.3 

6  138.2 

131.3 

125.0 

119.3 

114.1 

109.4 

105.0 

101.0 

97.2 

87.5 

79.5 

7   161.2 

153.1 

145.9 

139.2 

133.2 

127.6 

122.5 

117.8 

113.4 

102.1 

92.8 

8  184.2 

175.0 

166.7 

159.1 

152.2 

145.8 

140.0 

134.6 

129.6 

116.7 

106.1 

9  207.2 

196.9 

187.5 

179.0 

171.2 

164.1 

157.5 

151.4 

145.8 

131.2 

119.3 

10  230.3 

218.8 

208.3 

198.9 

190.2 

182.3 

175.0 

168.3 

162.0 

145.8 

132.6 

GENERAL  INFORMATION  433 

STEAM  BOILERS 

Fusible  Plugs. — The  rules  of  the  U.  S.  Supervising  Inspec- 
tors specify  Banca  tin  for  the  purpose.  Its  melting-point  is 
about  445°  F.  The  rule  says :  Every  boiler,  other  than  boilers 
of  the  water-tube  type,  shall  have  at  least  one  fusible  plug 
made  of  a  bronze  casing  filled  with  good  Banca  tin  from  end  to 
end.  Fusible  plugs,  except  as  otherwise  provided  for,  shall 
have  an  external  diameter  of  not  less  than  %-inch  pipe  tap, 
and  the  Banca  tin  shall  be  at  least  Yi  inch  in  diameter  at  the 
smallest  end  and  shall  have  a  larger  diameter  at  the  center 
or  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  plug ;  smaller  plugs  are  allowed 
for  pressures  above  150  pounds,  also  for  upright  boilers. 
FACTS  ABOUT  THE  DRILLING  BOILER 

Dome. — The  drilling  boiler  usually  has  a  large  dome  to 
furnish  a  reserve  supply  of  steam  to  be  drawn  upon  when 
pulling  tools  or  casing,  and  to  serve  that  steam  dry. 

Hand  Hole  Plates. — Owing  to  the  fact  that  drilling;  boilers 
often  use  impure  water  and  fuel,  and  that  they  quickly  be- 
come fouled,  they  should  be  fitted  with  extra  hand  holes  at 
convenient  places  for  cleaning. 

SHORT  RULES  FOR  ESTIMATING  POWER  OF  STEAM 

BOILERS 

Flue  Boiler. — Twelve  feet  of  heating  surface  will  produce 
one  horsepower.  The  heating  surface  is  two-thirds  the  sur- 
face of  the  cylinder;  also  the  entire  surface  of  all  the  flues. 

Tubular  Boiler. — Fifteen  feet  of  heating  surface  will  pro- 
duce one  horsepower.  The  heating  surface  is  two-thirds  the 
surface  of  the  cylinder;  also  the  entire  surface  of  all  the 
•tubes. 

One  nominal  horsepower  will  require  one  cubic  foot  of 
water  per  hour.    One  cubic  foot  of  water  contains  7j4  gallons. 

BOILER  AND  STEAM  FACTS 

For  all  diameters  the  transverse  pressure  in  a  boiler  tend- 
mg  to  tear  it  asunder  is  always  double  the  longitudinal  pres- 
sure. 

The  boiler  should  be  set  30  to  42  inches  above  the  fire 
grate  to  give  room  for  air  and  gases  to  mix. 


434 


DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 


BOILER  AND  STEAM  FACTS  (Concluded) 

Steam  rising  from  water  at  its  boiling  point  (212°)  has  a 
pressure  equal  to  the  atmosphere  (14.7  pounds  to  the  square 
inch). 

At  sea  level  water  boils  at  212°  Fahrenheit.  For  each 
degree  (Fah.)  less  at  which  water  boils,  estimate  the  elevation 
at  550  feet. 

Steam  pipes,  whether  for  power  or  for  heating,  shc^uld 
always  pitch  downward  from  the  boiler,  that  the  condensed 
water,  etc.,  may  have,  the  same  direction  as  the  steam. 

Globe  valves  should  alwa3^s  be  so  placed  in  steam  pipes  that 
their  stems  are  nearly  horizontal. 

APPROXIMATE  CLASSIFICATION  OF  IMPURITIES  FOUND 
IN  FEED  WATERS,  THEIR  EFFECT  AND  ORDINARY 
METHODS  OF  RELIEF 

(From  Marks'  Handbook) 
"The  following  table  gives  an  approximate  classification  of 
the  impurities  found  in  boiler-feed  water,  the  difficulties  aris- 
ing from  their  presence,  and  the  means  ordinarily  adopted  for 
the  treatment  of  the  water  to  overcome  such  effects. 

Impurity 
Sediment,   mud,  etc. 


Nnture  of 
Difficulty 

Incrustation 


Readily  soluble  salts 
Bicarbonates  of  lime, 
magnesia,  etc. 

Sulphate  of  lime 

Chloride  and  sulphate 
of  magnesium 

Acid 

Dissolved   carbonic' 
acid  and  oxygen 

Grease 


Incrustation 
Incrustation 


Incrustation 

Corrosion 

Corrosion 
Corrosion 

Corrosion 


Organic  matter 
Organic  matter 

(sewage) 
Carbonate  of  soda  in 

large  quantities 


Corrosion 
Priming 

Priming 


Ordinary  Method  of  Overcoming 
or  Relieving 

Settling  tanks,  filtration,  blow- 
ing down 

Blowing  down. 

Heating  feed.  Treatment  by  ad- 
dition of  lime  or  of  lime  and 
soda.     Barium  carbonate. 

Treatment  by  addition  of  soda. 
Barium  carbonate. 

Treatment  by  addition  of  car- 
bonate of  soda. 

Alkali. 

Heating  feed.  Keeping  air  from 
feed.  Addition  of  caustic  soda 
or  slacked  lime. 

Filter.  Iron  alum  as  coagulant. 
Neutralization  by  carbonate 
of  soda.  Use  best  hydrocar- 
bon oils. 

Filter.     Use  of  coagulant. 

Settling  tanks.  Filter  in  con- 
nection with  coagulant. 

Barium  carbonate.  New  feed 
supply.  If  from  treatment, 
change. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  435 

"Oil  as  a  Scale  Preventive. — The  introduction  of  crude  oil 
or  kerosene  into  a  boiler  has  from  time  to  time  been  used 
as  a  means  of  preventing  scale  formation  on  the  heatin^r  sur- 
faces, but  this  use  of  kerosene  or  of  crude  oil  is  not  to  be 
recommended.  While  cases  may  arise  in  which  boiler  waters 
can  be  effectively  treated  within  the  boiler  itself,  oil  is  not  the 
reagent  to  be  used.  The  distilling  off  of  the  lighter  oils 
finally  leaves  a  heavy,  gum-like  carbonaceous  deposit  on  the 
heating  surfaces,  which  will  tend  to  cause  a  burning  out  of 
the  affected  parts.  Further,  such  oils  may  contain  materials 
which  will  saponify  where  the  feed  is  sufficiently  alkaline,  and 
severe  foaming  will  result." 

STEAM  ENGINES.— DRILLING  ENGINES.— PUMPS 

The  drilling  engine  has  a  two-fold  duty  to  perform :  it 
must  operate  the  walking  beam  in  drilling,  and  the  bull 
wheels  and  calf  wheels  in  pulling  tools  and  handling  casing. 
The  efficient  drilling  engine  should  have  sufficient  power  to 
pull  the  tools  or  the  casing  and  it  must  also  be  elastic  enough 
in  operation  to  '*let  go*'  or  allow  the  tools  to  "drop"  to  fur- 
nish drilling  stroke. '  It  should  have  ample  steam  ports  and 
exhaust. 

General  Service  and  Boiler  Feed  Pumps  have  a  ratio  of 
piston  areas  of  about  2j4  to  1,  and  are  either  fitted  with 
packed  pistons  and  driven  linings,  packed  pistons  and  remov- 
able linings,  or  plunger  and  ring.  The  plungers  are  usually 
cast  iron  and  the  rings  brass.  Pumps  are  designed  for 
ISO-lb.  water  pressure.  To  find  the  size  of  pump  to  supply 
a. given  boiler,  multiply  the  boiler  horsepower  by  45,  which 
will  give  the  pounds  of  water  required  per  hour. 

*Depth  of  Suction. — Theoretically  a  perfect  pump  will  draw 
water  from  a  height  of  nearly  34  feet,  or  the  height  corre- 
sponding to  a  perfect  vacuum  (14.7  lbs.  X  2.309  =  33.95  feet)  ; 
but  since  a  perfect  vacuum  cannot  be  obtained  on  account  of 
valve  leakage,  air  contained  in  the  water,  and  the  vapor  of 
the  water  itself,  the  actual  height  is  generally  less  than  30 
feiet.    When  the  water  is  warm  the  height  to  which  it  can  be 

*  Kent's  Mechanical  Engineers*  Pocket  Book. 


436  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

PUMPS 
lifted  by  suction  decreases,  on  account  of  the  increased  pres- 
sure of  the  vapor.'  In  pumping  hot  water,  therefore,  the 
water  must  flow  into  the  pump  by  gravity.  The  following 
table  shows  the  theoretical  maximum  depth  of  suction  for 
different  temperatures,  leakage  not  considered: 


Absolute 

Vacuum 

Max. 

Absolute    Vacuum 

Max. 

Pressure  of       in 

Depth 

• 

Pressure  of       in 

Depth 

Temp.  Vapor,  Iba 

.  Inches  of 

of  Sue  • 

Temp. 

Vapor, 

lbs.  Inches  of 

of  Suc- 

Fahr. 

per  sq.  in. 

Mercury  1 

tion.  feet 

Fahr, 

per  sq. 

in.  Mercury 

tion,  feet 

102.1 

1 

27.88 

31.6 

182.9 

8 

13.63 

15.4 

126.3 

2 

25.85 

29.3 

188.3 

9 

11.60 

13.1 

141.6 

3 

23.8J 

27.0 

193.2 

10 

^     9.56 

10.8 

153.1 

4 

21.78 

24.7 

197.8 

11 

7.52 

8.5 

162.3 

5 

19.74 

22.3 

202.0 

li 

5.49 

6.2 

170.1 

6 

17.70 

20.0 

205.9 

13 

3.45 

3.9 

176.9 

7 

15.67 

17.7 

209.6 

14 

1.41 

1.6 

DEFINITIONS  OF  HORSEPOWER 

Horsepower  of  Steam  Boilers. — The  A.  S.  M.  E.  has  de- 
fined the  unit  horsepower  as  equivalent  to  34.5  pounds  of 
feed  water  per  hour  evaporated  at  temperature  of  212°  F. 
into  steam  at  the  same  .temperature.  This  is  based  on  the 
original  definition  of  the  evaporation  of  30  pounds  Oj^  water 
per  hour  at  temperature  of  100°  F.  into  dry  steam  under 
pressure  of  70  pounds  per  square  inch  above  atmosphere. 

Horsepower  of  Steam  Engines. — The  value  of  this  unit  is 
defined  as  33,000  foot-pounds  per  minute,  i.e.,  the  energy  re- 
quired to  lift  33,OCO  pounds  one  foot  in  one  minute. 

Handy  Rule  for  Estimating  the  Horsepower  of  a  Single- 
cylinder  Engine. — Square  the  diameter  and  divide  by  2.  This 
is  correct  whenever  the  product  of  the  mean  effective  pressure 
and  the  piston-speed  =  J4  of  42,017,  or,  say,  21,000,  viz.,  when 
M.E.P.  =  30  and  S  =  700;  when  M.E.P.  =  35  and  S  =  600; 
when  M.E.P.  =  38.2  and  S  =  550;  and  when  M.E.P.  =  42  and 
S  =  500.  These  conditions  correspond  to  those  of  ordinary 
practice  with  both  Corliss  engines  and  shaft-governor  high- 
speed engines  (Kent). 

Note:  This  rule  will  not  work  out  for  estimating  the  horsepower 
of  oil  country  drilling  engines.  To  find  the  horsepower  of  the  average 
drilling  engine,  square  the  diameter  of  the  cylinder  and  divide  by  5. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  437 

CONCRETE 

"Proportions  for  Different  Structures. — The  following  four 
mixtures  will  serve  as  a  rough  guide  to  the  selection  of  proper 
proportions  for  various  classes  of  work  (Taylor  and  Thomp- 
son) : 

(a)  Rich  mixture,  for  columns  and  other  structural  parts 
subjected  to  high  stresses  or  requiring  exceptional  water- 
tightness.    Proportions,  1 :  1 J4  :  3. 

(b)  Standard  mixture,  for  reinforced  floors,  beams  and 
columns,  for  arches,  for  reinforced  engine  or  machine  founda- 
tions subject  to  vibrations,  for  tanks,  sewers,  conduits,  and 
other  water-tight  work.    Proportions,  1:2:4. 

(c)  Medium  mixture,  for  ordinary  machine  foundations, 
retaining  walls,  abutments,  piers,  thin  foundation  walls,  build- 
ing walls,  ordinary  floors,  sidewalks,  and  sewers  with  heavy 
walls.    Proportions,  1 :  2j4  :  5. 

(d)  Lean  mixture,  for  unimportant  work  in  masses,  for 
heavy  walls,  for  large  foundations  supporting  a  stationary 
load,  and  for  backing  for  stone  masonry.  Proportions,  1:3: 6." 

For  cementing  casing,  mixture  of  neat  hydraulic  cement 

and  water. 

BABBITT  METAL 

The  name  "Babbitt"  is  derived  from  that  of  the  inventor 
(Isaac  Babbitt)  of  soft  metal-lined  bearings.  The  term 
"babbitting"  has  been  applied  to  the  process  of  applying  soft 
anti-friction  metals  inside  of  a  harder  shell  for  the  purpose  of 
producing  bearings.  Authorities  differ  regarding  the  pro- 
portions of  Babbitt's  original  alloy,  as  follows : 

Tin    83.3%  to  89.3% 

Copper  3.6%  to    8.3% 

Antimony    7.1%  to    8.3% 

OTHER  BEARING  METAL  FORMULAS 

Copper       Tin  Lead   Antimony   Iron 

Anti-friction  metal  %   1.60  98.13  trace 

Hard  Babbitt  %  3.70  88.90  ....        7.40      

Number  1  %  10.  65.  25 

Number  2  %  5.55  83.33  ....       11.12      

Number  3  %  10.  70.  20.  ..... 

Number  4  %  12.  80.  8 


438  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

TO  MAKE  BABBITT  RUN  FREELY 

Put  a  piec«  of  resin,  the  size  of  a  walnut,  into  the  babbitt ; 
stir  thoroughly,  then  skim.  It  makes  poor  babbitt  run  better, 
and  improves  it.  Babbitt  heated  just  hot  enough  to  light  a 
pine  stick,  will  run  in  places  with  the  resin  in,  where  without 
it,  it  would  not.  It  is  also  claimed  that  resin  will  prevent 
blowing  when  pouring  in  damp  boxes.  • 

PULLEYS 
Relations  of  the  Size  and  Speeds  of  Driving  and  Driven  Pulleys 
The  driving  pulley  is  called  the  driver,  D,  and  the  driven 
pulley  the  driven,  d.  If  the  number  of  teeth  in  gears  is  used 
instead  of  diameter,  in  these  calculations,  number  of  teeth 
must  be  substituted  wherever  diameter  occurs.  R  =  revo- 
lutions per  minute  of  driver,  r  =  revolutions  per  minute  of 
driven. 

D  =  dr-^R; 
Diam.  of  driver  =  diam.  of  driven  X  revs,  of  driven  -f-  revs, 
of  driver. 

d  — DR-f-r; 
Diam.  of  driven  =  diam.  of  driver  X  revs,  of  driver  -~  revs, 
of  driven. 

R  r-=  dr  -r-  D  ; 
Revs,  of  driver  =  revs,  of  driven  X  diam.  of  driven  -=-  diam. 
of  driver. 

r  =  DR-r-d; 
Revs,  of  driven  =  revs,  of  driver  X  diam.  of  driver  --=-  diam. 

of  driven. 
SIMPLE  RULES  FOR  CALCULATING  SPEED  OF  PULLEYS 

Problem  I. — The  diameter  of  the  driver  and  driven  being 
given,  to  find  the  number  of  revolutions  of  the  driven: 

Rule.^Multiply  the  diameter  of  the  driver  by  its  number 
of  revolutions,  and  divide  the  product  by  the  diameter  of  the 
driven ;  the  quotient  will  be  the  number  of  revolutions. 

Problem  II. — ^The  diameter  and  the  revolutions  of  the  driver 
being  given  to  find  the  diameter  of  the  driven,  that  shall  make 
any  given  number  of  revolutions  in  the  same  time: 


GENERAL  INFORMATION 


439 


RULES  FOR  CALCULATING  SPEED  OF  PULLEYS,  Conclnded. 

Rule. — Multiply  the  diameter  of  the  driver  by  its  number  of 
revolutions,  and  divide  the  product  by  the  number  of  revolu- 
tions of  the  driven;  the  quotient  will  be  its  diameter. 

Problem  III.— To  ascertain  the  size  of  the  driver; 

Rulc^Multiply  the  diameter  of  the  driven  by  the  number 
of  revolutions  you  wish  to  make,  and  divide  the  product  by 
the  revolutions  of  the  driver;  the  quotient  will  be  the  size  of 
the  driver. 

The  above  rules  are  practically  correct.  Though  owing  to 
slip,  elasticity  and  thickness  of  the  belt,  the  circumference  of 
the  driven  seldom  runs  as  fast  as  the  driver. 

Belts,  like  gears,  have  a  pitch  line,  or  a  circumference  of 

uniform  motion.    Thi?  circumference  is  within  the  thickness 

of  the  belt,  and  must  be  considered  if  pulleys  differ  greatly  in 

diameter,  and  a  required  speed  is  absolutely  necessary, 

PULLEYS  OR  BLOCKS 

(From  Kent's  Mechanical  EnEineera'  Pocket  Book) 


FlK.  S4I}. 

"P  =  Force  applied,  or  pull ;  W  =  Load  lifted,  or  resistance. 
In  the  simple  pulley  A  (Fig.  240)  the  point  P  on  the  pulling 
rope  descends  the  same  amount  that  the  load  is  lifted,  there- 
fore P  :=  W.  In  B  and  C  the  point  P  moves  twice  as  far  as 
the  load  is  lifted,  thei'efore,  W  =  2P.  In  B  and  C  there  is 
one  movable  block,  and  two  plies  of  the  rope  engage  with  it. 
In  D  there  are  three  sheaves  in  the  movable  block,  each  with 
two  plies  engaged,  or  six  in  all.     Six  plies  of  the  rope  are 


440  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

PULLEYS  OR  BLOCKS  (Continued) 

therefore  shortened  by  the  same  amount  that  the  load  is 
lifted  and  the  point  P  moves  six  times  as  far  as  the  load, 
consequently  W==6P.  In  general,  the  ratio  of  W  to  P  is 
equal  to  the  number  of  plies  of  the  rope  that  are  shortened, 
and  also  is  equal  to  the  number  of  plies  that  engage  the  lower 
block.  If  the  lower  block  has  2  sheaves  and  the  upper  3,  the 
end  of  the  rope  is  fastened  to  a  becket  in  the  top  of  the  lower 
block,  and  then  there  are  5  plies  shortened  instead  of  6,  and 
W  =  5P." 

SPECIFIC  GRAVITIES  AND  WEIGHTS  OF  MATERIALS 

Water  at  4''  C.  and  Normal  Atmospheric  Pressure 

Wt.,  Pounds 
Metals.   Alloys.   Ores —  Specific  Gravity         per  cu.  ft 

Aluminum,  cast-hammered 2.55-2.75  165 

Aluminum,  bronze , .  1!7  481 

Brass,  cast-rolled   8.4-8.7  534 

Bronze,  7.9  to  14%  Sn 7.4-8.9  509 

Copper,  cast  rolled 8.8-9.0  556 

Copper,   ore,   pyrites 4.1-4.3  262 

Gold,    cast-hammered 19.25-19.35  1205 

Iron,   cast,   pig 12  450 

Iron,  wrought   • 7.6-7.9  485 

Iron,  spiegel-eisen 7.5  468 

Iron,   f erro-silicon 6.7-7.3  437 

Iron  ore,  hematite 5.2  325 

Iron  ore,  magnetite 4.9-5.2  315 

Iron  slag 2.5-3.0  172 

-Lead   11.37  710 

Lead  ore,   galena 7.3-7.6  465 

Manganese    7.2-8.0  475 

Manganese  ore,  pyrolusite 3.7-4.6  259 

Mercury  13.6  849 

Nickel 8.9-9.2  565 

Nickel,  monel  metal 8.8-9.0  556 

Platinum,    cast-hammered 21.1-21.5  1330 

Silver,  cast-hammered 10.4-10.6  656 

Steel    7.8-7.9  490 

Tin,  cast-hammered 7.2-7.5  459 

Tin  ore,  cassiterite 6.4-7.0  418 

Zinc,  cast-rolled   6.9-7.2  440 

Zinc  ore 3.9-4.2  253 

Minerals — 

Asbestos    :...  2.1-2.8  153 

Barytes    4.50  281 

Basalt 2.7-3.2  184 

Bauxite  ' 2.55  159 

Borax    1.7-1.8  -109 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  441 

SPECIFIC  GRAVITIES  AND  WEIGHTS  OF  MATERIALS 

(Continued) 
Water  at  4°  C.  and  Normal  Atmospheric  Pressure 

Wt.,  Pounds 
Specific  Gravity         per  cu.  ft. 

Chalk    1.8-2.6  137 

Clay,    marl    1.8-2.6  137 

Dolomite  2.9  181 

Feldspar,   orthoclase 2.5-2.6  159 

Gneiss,    serpentine 2.4-2.7  159 

Granite,   syenite 2.5-3.1  175 

Greenstone,  trap 2.8-3.2  187 

Gypsum,   alabaster 2.3-2.8"  159 

Hornblende 3.0  187 

Limestone,  marble 2.5-2.8  165 

Magnesite   3.0  187 

Phosphate   rock,   apatite 3.2  200 

Porphyry   2.6-2.9  172 

Pumice,  natural 0.37-0.90  40 

Quartz,  flint   2.5-2.8  165 

Sandstone,  bluestone 2.2-2.5  147 

Shale,  slate 2.7-2.9  175 

Soapstone,  talc    2.6-2.8  169 

Stone,  Quarried,  Piled — 

Basalt,  granite,  gneiss 96 

Limestone,  marble,  quartz 95 

Sandstone   .• 82 

Shale  92 

Greenstone,  hornblende 107 

Bituminous  Substances — 

Asphaltum 1.1-1.5  81 

Coal,  anthracite 1.4-1.7  97 

Coal,  bituminous  1.2-1.5  84 

Coal,  lignite   *      1.1-1.4  78 

Coal,  peat,  turf,  dry ; .  0.65-0.85  47 

Coal,  charcoal,  pine 0.28-0.44  23 

Coal,  charcoal,  oak 0.47-0.57  33 

Coal,  coke  1.0-1.4  75 

Graphite   1.9-2.3  131 

Petroleum  0.87  54   ' 

Petroleum,  refined 0.79-0.82  50 

Petroleum,   gasoline 0.66-0.69  42 

Pitch   1.07-1.15  69 

Tar,  bituminous   1.20  75 

Coal  and  Coke,  Piled — 

Coal,  anthracite 47-58 

Coal,  bituminous,  lignite 40-54 

Coal,  peat,  turf 20-26 

Coal,  charcoal   10-14 

Coal,  coke  23-32 

Mortar  Rubble  Masonry — 

Granite,   syenite,  gneiss 2.2-2.8  155 

Limestone,  marble 2.2-26  150 

Sandstone,  bluestone 2.0-2.2  130 


442 


DEEP    WELL  DRILLING 


SPECIFIC  GRAVITIES  AND  WEIGHTS  OF  MATERIALS 

(Concluded) 

Wt,  Pounds 
Specific  Gravity         per  cu.  ft 

Dry  Rubble  Masonry — 

Granite,  syenite,  gneiss L9-2.3  130 

Limestone,  marble 1.9-2.1  125 

Sandstone,  bluestone 1.8-1.9  110 

Brick  Masonry — 

Pressed  brick  2.2-2.3  140 

Common  brick 1.8-2.0  120 

Soft  brick 1.5-1.7  100 

Concrete  Masonry — 

Cement,  stone,  sand 2.2-2.4  144 

Cement,  slag,  etc 1.9-2.3  130 

Cement,  cinder,  etc 1.5-1.7  100 

Various  Building  Materials — 

Ashes,  cinders  40-45 

Cement,  Portland,  loose 90 

Cement,  Portland,  set. 2.7-3.2  183 

Lime,  gypsum,  loose. 53-64 

Mortar,  set  1.4-1.9  103 

Slags,  bank  slag ^IH 

Slags,  machine  slag 96 

Slags,  slag  sand 49-55 

Earth,  etc.,  Excavated — 

Clay,  dry 63 

Clay,  damp,  plastic 110 

Clay  and  gravel,  dry 100 

Earth,  dry,  loose 76 

Earth,   dry,   packed 95 

Earth,  moist,  loose 78 

Earth,   moist,  packed 96 

Earth,  mud,  flowing 108 

Earth,  mud,  packed 115 

Riprap,  limestone 80-85 

Riprap,   sandstone   90 

Riprap,  shale  105 

Sand,  gravel,  dry,  loose 90-105 

Sand,  gravel,  dry,  packed 100-120 

Sand,  gravel,  dry,  wet 118-120 

MELTING  POINTS  OF  VARIOUS  SOLIDS 

These  melting  points  were  collected  by  Dr.  G.  K.  Burgess, 

of  the  Bureau  of  Standards,  Washington,  D.  C.  Those  shown 
in  CAPITALS  are  accepted  by.  the  Bureau  as  standard  at  this 
time  (1911). 

These  melting  points  were  obtained  on  the  purest  metals 

obtainable.  Lower  melting  points  may  be  expected  with 
metals  of  less  purity. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION 


443 


MELTING  POINTS  OF  VARIOUS  SOLIDS  (Concluded) 


Pahren-  Centi- 

heit  grade 

Degrees  Degrees 

ALUMINUM  1216  658 

ANTIMONY    1166  630 

Arsenic    1472  800 

Bismuth 518  270 

CADMIUM 610  821 

Calcium 1481  805 

Chromium  2741  1505 

COBALT 2714  1490 

COPPER    1981  1083 

GOLD 1945  1063 

Iridium   (?)    4172  2300 

LEAD    621  327 

Magnesium 1204  651 

Manganese  2237  1225 

MERCURY   —38  —39 

Molybdenum  (?)    ...  4532  2500 

(?)  Doubtful. 


Fahren-  Centi- 

heit  grade 

Degrees  Degrees 

NICKEL 2642  1450 

PALLADIUM 2822  1550 

Phosphorous    Ill  44 

PLATINUM    3191  1755 

POTASSIUM    144  62 

Rhodium  (?)  3452  1900 

Silicon    2588  1420 

SILVER    1762  961 

SODIUM 207  97 

Tantalum   (?)   5252  2900 

TIN 450  232 

Titanium  (?)  3362  1850 

TUNGSTEN    5432  3000 

Uranium  4352  2400 

Vanadium   (?)    3182  1750 

ZINC    786  419 


SOME  OTHER  MELTING  POINTS 


Fahren-    Centi- 
heit        grade 
Degrees  Degrees 

GLASS     1832  1000 

GLASS,  Lead  free..  2192  1200 

DELTA  METAL 1742  950 

BARIUM   CHLO- 
RIDE     1635  891 

POTASSIUM  FERRO- 

CYANIDE    1145  618 

POTASSIUM  CHLO- 
RIDE   1325  718 

SODIUM  CHLO- 
RIDE     1472  800 

CAST    IRON 2070 

WROUGHT  IRON..  2640 


Fahren- 
heit 
Degrees 

STEEL    2550 

Sulphur   [Ill 

Fusible   Metals : 

1  Tin,  2  I-.ead 361 

1  Tin,  1  Lead 304 

3  Tin,  2  Lead 275 

4  Tin,  4  Lead,  1  Bis- 
muth    263 

3  Tin.  5  Lead.  8  Bis- 
muth   212 

RUBBER   257 

PORCELAIN    2820 


Centi- 
grade 
Degrees 

(114 
(120 

183 
151 
135 

128 

100 


FREEZING  POINTS  OF  LIQUIDS  AT  ATMOSPHERIC 

PRESSURE 
Fahrenheit  Degrees 


Alcohol   (absolute) —148.0 

Ammonia   — 108.4 

Aniline    21.2 

Benzol 41.0 

Carbon  bisulphide — 171.0 

Carbon  dioxide — 1 10.2 

Chloroform    — 83.0 

Calcium  chloride  (sat. 

sol.)    -40 


Ether —180 

Glycerine    — 40 

Linseed  oil    — 4 

Rape-seed  oil 25.7 

Turpentine 14.0 

Sulphuric  acid   51.0 

Salt  (NaCl)  sol.,  sat — 0.4 

Seawater 27.5 

Toluene —148 


444  DEEP    WELL  DRILLING 

THERMOMETER  COMPARISONS 

Centigrade  to  Fahrenheit 

Temperature  Fahrenheit  =■  9/5  Temperature   Centigrade  +  32 
Examples:    Centigrade      20°  X  9/5  =  36  +  32  =  68°  Fahrenheit 

Centigrade —20°  X  9/5  =—36  +  32  =  —4°  Fahrenheit 

Fahrenheit  to  Centigrade 

Temperature  Centigrade  =  5/9  Temperature  Fahrenheit  —  32 
Examples:    Fahrenheit    50°  —  32  =  18°  X  5/9  =  10°  Centigrade 
Fahrenheit  —5°  —  32  =  —37°  X  5/9  =  —20.55°  Cent. 
Note:    — 20  and  — 5  above  mean  20  and  5  below  zero  respectively. 

Absolute  Zero. — The  value  of  the  absolute  zero  has  been 
variously  given  as  from  459.2  to  460.66  degrees  below  the 
Fahrenheit  zero.  460  degrees  is  usually  used  in  engineering 
calculations. 

MISCELLANEOUS  FACTS 

Utilizing  Gas  from  a  Drilling  Well. — Gas  can  be  utilized 
from  a  well  in  the  process  of  drilling  by  the  simple  means  of 
laying  a  2-inch  pipe  to  the  mouth  of  the  well  and  just  to  the 
edge  of  the  casing,  so  that  it  will  not  protrude  over  the  edge 
to  impede  the  passage  of  the  tools.  Connect  a  steam  jet  in 
such  a  way  that  it  will  create  a  suction  on  the  2-inch  pipe 
and  this  suction  will  draw  the  gas  from  the  well  through 
the  pipe  to  the  boiler. 

To  Save  Jars  from  Breaking. — \\'atch  for  small  checks  or 
cracks.  If  a  crack  is  noted,  chip  it  out  with  a  cold  chisel 
which  may  prexent  it  from  spreading  or  growing  larger. 

Cracks  in  Castings. — To  stop  the  progress  of  a  crack  in  a 
casting,  drill  a  small  hole  at  each  end  of  the  crack. 

The  hole  in  a  New  Era  Rope  Socket  should  always  have  a 
rounding  edge.  If  the  edge  wears  sharp,  file  it  round ;  other- 
wise it  may  crack. 


GENERAl-  INFORMATION  445 

ANALYSES  OF  STEEL  SUITABLE  FOR  USE  IN  MAKING 

DRILLING  TOOLS 

Bit  Steel Caibon—  .65%  to  75% 

Phosphorous —      Not  over  .04% 

Sulphur—  Not  over  .04% 

Manganese—        10  to  20  points  above  the  carbon 
content. 
Jar  Steel Carbon—  .50%  to  .60% 

Other  elements  same  as  bit  steel. 
Stem  Steel Carbon—  .20%  to  .30% 

Other  elements  same  as  bit  steel. 

Note:  .25%  carbon  content  is  about  correct  for  stem  steel.  Stems 
made  of  steel  lower  in  carbon  than  .20%  would  have  a  tendency  to 
bend,  while  those  made  of  steel  carrying  carbon  .30%  or  higher 
might  crack  or  break. 

WORKSHOP  FORMULAS 
(From  Waverly  Oil  Works  Co.  Book  "Wavcrly  Products") 

Tempering  Mixtures. 
Resin,  2  lbs. ;  tallow,  2  lbs. ;  pitch,  1  lb.    Melt  together  and 
dip  the  hot  steel  in  it. 

Salt,  Yz  cupful;  saltpeter,  ^  oz. ;  alum,  pulverized,  1  tea- 
spoonful  ;  soft  water,  9  gal.  Never  heat  above  a  cherry  red 
nor  draw  any  temper. 

By  melting  together  1  gal.  spermacetti  oil,  2  lbs.  tallow  and 
J4  lb.  wax,  a  mixture  is  obtained  very  convenient  for  tem- 
pering any  kind  of  steel  article  of  small  size.  Adding  1  lb. 
resin  makes  it  suitable  for  larger  articles. 

To  Temper  Steel  Very  Hard. — Water,  4  parts ;  flour,  1  part; 
salt,  2  parts;  mixed  to  a  paste.  Heat  the  steel  until  a 
coating  adheres  when  dipped  into  the  mixture ;  then  heat  to  a 
cherry  red  and  cool  in  cold  soft  water.  The  steel  will  come 
out  white  and  very  hard. 

To  Temper  Steel  on  One  Edge  Only. — Dip  the  edge  to  be 
tempered  into  hot  lead  until  the  proper  color;  then  temper  in 
ordinary  fashion. 

To  Drill  Hardened  Steel. — Cover  the  steel  with  melted 
beeswax ;  when  coated  and  cold,  make  a  hole  in  the  wax  with 
a  needle  or  other  article  the  size  of  hole  you  require,  put  a 
drop  of  strong  nitric  acid  upon  it ;  after  an  hour  rinse  off  and 
appl)*^  again ;  it  will  gradually  eat  through. 


446  DEEP    WELL  DRILLING 

WORKSHOP  FORMULAS  (Continued) 

A  mixture  of  1  ounce  of  sulphate  of  copper,  %  ounce  of^ 
alum,  ^4  teaspoonful  of  powdered  salt,  1  gill  vinegar  and  20 
drops  of  nitric  acid  will  make  a  hole  in  steel  that  is  too  hard 
to  cut  or  file  easily. 

To  Anneal  SteeL — For  small  pieces  of  steel,  take  a  piece 
of  gas  pipe  two  or  three  inches  in  diameter,  and  put  the  steel 
in  it,  first  heating  one  end  of  the  pipe,  and  drawing  it  together, 
leaving  the  other  end  open  to  look  into.  Place  in  a  charcoal 
fire  and  when  the  pieces  are  of  a  cherry  red,  cover  the  fire 
with  sawdust  and  leave  the  steel  in  over  night. 

In  Turning  Steel  or  Other  Hard  MetaL — ^Use  a  drip  com- 
posed of  petroleum  two  parts,  and  turpentine  one  part.  This 
will  insure  easy  cutting  and  perfect  tools  when  otherwise  the 
work  would  stop,  owing  to  the  breakage  of  tools  from  the 
severe  strain. 

Case  Hardening  Mixture. — 3  prussiate  of  potash,  1  sal- 
ammoniac  ;  or,  1  prussiate  of  potash,  2  sal-ammoniac,  2  bone 
dust. 

Fluxes  for  Soldering  or  Welding. — Steel. — Pulverize  to- 
gether 1  part  of  sal-ammoniac  and  10  parts  of  borax  and  fuse 
until  clear.    When  solidified,  pulverize  to  powder. 

Iron Borax 

Tinned    Iron Resin 

Copper  and  Brass Sal  Ammoniac 

Zinc Chloride  of  Zinc 

Lead Tallow  of  Resin 

Lead  and  Tin  Pipes Resin  and  Sweet  Oil 

Case  Hardening. — Place  horn,  hoof,  bone  dust,  or  shreds 
of  lea  til  er,  together  with  the  article  to  be  case  hardened,  in 
an  iron  box  subject  to  a  blood  red  heat;  then  immerse  the 
article  incOld  water. 

To  Remofve  Rust  from  Steel. — Steel  which  has  been  rusted 
can  be  cleaned  by  brushing  with  a  paste  compound  of  J4  oz. 
cj^wle  potassium,  34  oz.  castile  soap,  1  oz.  whiting,  and  water 
sufficient  to  form  a  paste.  The  steel  should  be  washed  with 
a  solution  of  >4  oz.  cyanide  potassium  in  2  oz.  water. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  447 

WORKSHOP  FORMULAS  (Continued) 

To  Preserve  Steel  from  Rust. — 1  caoutchouc,  16  turpentine. 
Dissolve  with  a  gentle  heat,  then  add  8  parts  boiled  oil.  Mix 
by  bringing  them  to  the  heat  of  boiling  water;  apply  to  the 
steel  with  a  brush,  in  the  way  of  varnish.  It  may  be  removed 
with  turpentine. 

Thread  Cutting  Compound. — 1  qt.  thread  cutting  oil,  1  qt. 
lard  oil,  ^  lb.  good  castile  soap  chips,  5  gal.  water  (hot). 
Dissolve  soap  in  the  water  and  stir  in  the  oil. 

Universal  Cement. — ^21  parts  boiled  linseed  oil,  20  parts 
gelatine  size,  15  parts  slaked  lime,  5  parts  tur-min-tine,  5  parts 
alum,  and  5  parts  acetic  acid.  Melt  the  size  in  the  acetic  acid, 
add  the  alum  and  the  slaked  lime,  then  the  turps  and  the 
boiled  oil.  Mix  the  whole  thoroughly  and  keep  in  well- 
stopped  bottles.  This,  as  the  name  implies,  is  a  cement  for 
wood,  glass,  cardboard,  porcelain,  etc. 

Iron  Cement. — ^28  lbs.  litharge,  56  lbs.  whiting,  4  lbs.  Vene- 
tian red,  10  lbs.  yellow  ochre,  and  1  lb.  finely  powdered  sugar 
of  lead.  Mix  well  together  and  pass  through  fine  sieve.  For 
use  make  into  putty  with  2  gal.  boiled  linseed  oil  for  the 
above  quantity. 

Fire  and  Water-proof  Cement. — Mix  10  parts  of  finely 
sifted  unoxidized  iron  filings  and  5  parts  of  perfectly  dry, 
pulverized  clay,  with  vinegar  spirit,  by  thoroughly  kneading 
until  the  whole  is  a  uniform  plastic  mass.  If  the  cement  thus 
made  is  used  at  once,  it  will  harden  rapidly  and  withstands 
fire  and  water. 

Cement  for  Steam  Pipes. — Litharge,  2  parts;  powdered 
slaked  lime,  1  part ;  sand,  1  part.  Mix  with  a  sufficient  quan- 
tity of  hot  linseed  oil  to  make  a  stiffs  paste  and  use  while 
warm. 

Rust  Joint  Cement  (Quickly  Setting). — 1  sal-ammoniac  in 
powder  (by  weight)  2  flour  of  sulphur,  80  iron  borings,  made 
to  a  paste  with  water. 

Rust  Joint  Cement  (Slowly  Setting).— 2  sal-ammoniac,  1 
flour  of  sulphur,  200  iron  borings.  The  latter  cement  is  the 
best  if  the  joint  is  not  required  for  immediate  use. 


448  DEEP    WELL  DRILLING 

WORSHOP  FORMULAS  (Concluded) 

Red  Lead  Cement  for  Face  Joints. — 1  of  white  lead,  1  of  red 
lead,  mixed  with  linseed  oil  to  the  proper  consistency. 

Glue  to  Resist  Moisture. — 1  lb.  of  glue  melted  in  2  quarts  of 
skim  milk. 

Fire  Extinguisher  Liquid. — 4  av.  oz.  calcium  chloride  crude, 
1  av.  oz.  sodium  chloride,  15  fl.  oz.  water.  The  resulting  solu- 
tion is  thrown  into  the  fire  by  a  hand  pump.  The  burning 
portions  become  incrusted  and  cease  to  be  combustible. 

MEASURES  OF  VOLUME 

Cubic  measure  applies  to  measurement  in  the  three  dimen- 
sions of  length,  breadth  and  depth  or  thickness.  Any  con- 
venient linear  unit  may  be  employed,  because  quantities  are 
always  expressed  in  cubes  of  fixed  linear  measurement,  as 
cubic  inch,  cubic  foot,  cubic  yard. 

SOLID  OR  CUBIC  MEASURE 

1,728  cubic  inches  =;:  1  cubic  foot 

27  cubic  feet  =  1  cubic  yard 

128  cubic  feet  =  1  cord 

24}i  cubic  feet  =  1  perch. 

A  perch  of  masonry  is  16^  feet  long,  IJ/^  feet  thick,  and  1  foot 
high  =  24^4  cubic  feet. 

Timber  measured  in  bulk  and  not  to  be  Computed  in  cubic 
feet  is  reduced  to  board  measure,  that  is,  in  terms  of  square 
feet  of  surface  by  1  inch  in  thickness. 

MENSURATION 

Circumference  of  circle  =  diameter  X  3.1416. 

Circumference  of  circle  =  radius  X  6.2832. 

Area  of  circle  =  radius2   X  3.1416. 

Area  of  circle  =  diameter2  X  .7854. 

Area  of  circle  =  circumference^  X  .0795)8. 

Area  of  circle  =  Yi  circumference  X  Vi  diameter. 

Radius  of  circle  =  circumference  X  .159155. 

Diameter  of  circle  =  circumference  X  .31831. 

Side  of  inscribed  equilateral  triangle  =  diameter  of  circle  X  .86. 

Side  of  inscribed  square  =  diameter  of  circle  X  .7071. 

Side  of  inscribed  square  =  circumference  of  circle  X  .225. 

Side  of  equal  square  =  circumference  of  circle  X  .282. 

Side  of  equal  square  =  diameter  of  circle  X  .8861. 

Surface  of  sphere  =  circumference  X  diameter. 

Surface  of  sphere  =  diameter^  X  3.1416. 

Surface  of  sphere  =  circumference^  X  .3183. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  449 

MENSURATION  (Continued) 

Volume  of  sphere  =  diameter^  X  .5236. 

Volume  of  sphere  =  radius^  X  4.1888. 

Volume  of  sphere  =  circumference^  =z  .016887. 

Side  of  inscribed  cube  =  radius  of  sphere  X  1.1547. 

Surface  of  cube  =  area  of  one  side  X  6. 

Area  of  ellipse  =  both  diameters  X  .7854. 

Area  of  triangle  =  base  X  ^  altitude. 

Volume  of  cone  or  pyramid  =  area  of  base  X  1/3  altitude. 

Area  of  parallelogram  =  base  X   altitude. 

Area  of  trapezoid  =  altitude  X  54  sum  of  parallel  sides. 

Area  of  trapezium  =  area  of  2  constituent  triangles. 

Area  of  regular  polygon  =  sum  of  its  sides  X  perpendicular  from  its 

center  to  one  of  its  sides  -r-  2. 
Surface  of  cylinder  or  prism  =  areas  of  both  ends  plus  (length   X 

circumferences). 
Contents  of  cylinder  or  prism  =  area  of  end  X  length. 
Surface  of  frustrum  of  cone  or  pyramid  =  sum  of  circumference  of 

both  ends  X  Vi  slant  height  4-  area  -of  both  ends. 
Contents  of  frustrum  of  cone  or  pyramid  =  multiply  area  of  two  ends 

and  get  square  root.    Add  the  2  areas  and  X  1/3  altitude. 
Contents  of  a  wedge  =  area  of  base  X  ^  altitude. 

MEASURE  OF  SURFACE 
A  linear  unit  squared  is  a  corresponding  square  unit  in 
determining  the  areas  of  surfaces.     The  side  of  the  square 
may  be  an  inch,  foot,  yard  or  any  other  conventient  unit. 

SUPERFICIAL  MEASURE 

144  square  inches  =  1  square  foot 

9  square  feet       =  1  square  yard 
30^  square  yards    =  1  square  rod 
160  square  rods      =  1  acre 
640  acres  =  1  square  mile 

1  rood  =  54  acre. 

With  the  exception  of  the  acre,  the  above  units  of  super- 
ficial  square  measure  are  derived  from  the  corresponding  units 
of  linear  measure. 

.    A  square  inch  is  the  area  of  a  rectangle  the  side  of  which 
is  one  inch. 

A  circular  inch  is  the  area  of  a  circle  one  inch  in  diameter — 
0.7854  square  inch. 

One  square  inch  =  1.2732  circular  inches. 

One  square  foot  =  144  square  inches  =  183.35  circular 
inches. 

Slate  and  other  roofing  is  often  reckoned  by  the  square, 
meaning  100  square  feet  of  surface. 


450  DEEP    WELL  DRILLING 

MENSURATION  (Concluded) 
Plastering  and  painting  are  commonly  reckoned  by  the 

square  yard. 

SURVEYOR'S  SQUARE  MEASURE 

625  square  links     =  1  square  rod 

16  square  rods      =  1  square  chain 

10,000  square  links     =  1  square  chain 

10  square  chains  =  1  acre 

640  acres  =  1  square  mile 

36  square  miles    =  1  township. 

An  acre  is  208.71  feet  square  =  43,560  square  feet.  This  is 
the  common  unit  of  land  measure. 

The  public  lands  of  the  United  States  are  divided  by  north 
and  south  meridianal  lines  crossed  by  others  at  right  angles 
forming  Townships  of  six  miles  square. 

Townships  are  sub-divided  into  Sections  one  mile  square. 

A  section  one  mile  square  contains  640  acres.  It  is  divided 
into  half-sections  of  320  acres;  quarter  sections  of  160  acres; 
half-quarter  sections  of  80  acres,  and  quarter-quarter  sections 
of  40  acres. 

Board  Measure  is  used  in  measuring  lumber.  The  unit  is 
1  square  foot  of  surface  by  1  inch  in  thickness,  or  1/12  of  a 
cubic  foot. 

Unless  otherwise  stated,  boards  less  than  an  inch  thick  are 
reckoned  as  if  they  were  of  that  thickness.  Boards  over  an 
inch  thick  are  reduced  to  the  inch  standard;  that  is,  for  1^- 
inch  boards  add  }/\.  to  the  surface  measure,  for  1  j4-inch  boards 
add  y2  to  the  surface  measure,  and  so  on  for  any  thickness. 
All  sawed  timber  is  measured  by  board  measure. 

1000  feet,  board  measure  =  83.33  cubic  feet. 

THE  METRIC  SYSTEM 
(Extract  from  tables  of  equivalents  published  by  the  Depart- 
ment of  Commerce  and  Labor,  Bureau  of  Standards.) 
(From  National  Tube  Co.  Book  of  Standards) 

The  fundamental  unit  of  the  metric  system  is  the  meter 
(the  unit  of  length). 

From  this  the  units  of  mass  (gram)  and  capacity  (liter) 
are  derived. 

All  other  units  are  the  decimal  subdivisions  or  multiples  of 


GENERAL  INFORMATION 


451 


THE  METRIC  SYSTEM  (Continued) 

these.  These  three  units  are  simply  related,  so  that  for  all 
practical  purposes  the  volume  of  one  kilogram  of  water  (one 
liter)  is  equal  to  one  cubic  decimeter. 

Prefixes  Meaning  Units 

Milli-  =  one- thousandth  1/1000 

Centi-  =  one  hundredth  1/100 

Deci-  =  one  tenth  1/10 

unit  =  one 

Deka-  =  ten  10/1 

Hecto-  =  one  hundred  100/1 

Kilo-  =  one  thousand  1000/1       1000. 

The   metric   terms   are   formed   by   combining   the   words 
"Meter,"  "Gram"  and  "Liter"  with  the  six  numerical  prefixes. 

Length 

,10  milli-meters  (mm)  = 
10  centi-meters  = 


.01 

.1 
1. 

10. 
100. 

Meter  for  length 

Gram  for  mass 
Liter  for  capacity 

centi-meter  (cm) 
deci-meter  (dm) 
Meter  (about  40  in.)  (m) 
deka-meter  (dkm) 
hecto-meter  (hm) 
kilo-meter  (about  5^  mile) 
(km). 

centi-gram  (eg) 

deci-gram  (dg) 

gram  (about  IS  grains)  (g) 

deka-gram  (dkg) 

hecto-gram  (hg) 

kilo-gram  (about  2  lbs.)  (kg). 

Capacity 

centi-liter  (cl) 

deci-liter  (dl) 

liter  (about  1  quart)  (1) 

deka-liter  (dkl) 

hecto-liter  (about  a  bbl.)  (hi)  * 

kilo-liter  (kl). 

Equivalents 

The  square  and  cubic  units  are  the  squares  and  cubes  of  the 
linear  units. 

The  ordinary  unit  of  land  area  is  the  Hectare  (about  2J4 
acres). 

For  ordinary  mental  comparison  it  is  convenient  to  know 
the  approximate  relations :  e.g.,  1  meter  =  40  inches ;  3  deci- 
meters =  1  foot ;  1  decimeter  =  4  inches ;  1  liter  =  1  liquid 
quart;  1  kilogram  =  2  1/5  pounds;  30  grams  =  1  avoirdupois 
ounce ;  1  metric  ton  =  1  gross  ton. 


10  deci-meters  = 

10  meters  = 

10  deka-meters  = 

10  hecto-meters  = 

Mass 

10  milli-grams  (mg)  = 

10  centi-grams  = 

10  deci-grams  = 

10  grams  = 

10  deka-grams  = 

10  hecto-grams  = 


10  milli-liters  (ml) 
10  centi-liters 
10  deci-liters 
10  liters 
10  deka-liters 
10  hecto-liters 


452  DEEP    WELL  DRILLING 

THE  METRIC  SYSTEM  (Continued) 

All  lengths,  areas  and  cubic  measures  in  the  following 
tables  are  derived  from  the  international  meter,  the  legal 
equivalent  being  1  meter  =  39.37  inches  (law  of  July  28, 
1866).  In  1893  the  United  States  Office  of  Standard  Weights 
and  Measures  was  authorized  to  derive  the  yard  from  the 
meter,  using  for  the  purpose  the  relation  legalized  in  1866, 
1  yard  equals  3600/3937  meter.  The  customary  weights  are 
likewise  referred  to  the  kilogram.  (Executive  order  approved 
April  5,  1893.)  This  action  fixed  the  values,  inasmuch  as  the 
reference  standards  are  as  perfect  and  unalterable  as  it  is 
possible  for  human  skill  to  make  them. 

All  capacities  are  based  on  the  practical  equivalent  of  1 
cubic  decimeter  equals  1  liter.  The  decimeter  is  equal  to 
3.937  inches  in  accordance  with  the  legal  equivalent  of  the 
meter  given  above.  The  gallon  referred  to  in  the  tables  is 
the  United  States  gallon  of  231  cubic  inches.  The  bushel  is 
the  United  States  bushel  of  2150.42  cubic  inches.  These  units 
must  not  be  confused  with  the  British  units  of  the  same  name, 
which  differ  from  those  used  in  the  United  States.  The 
British  gallon  is  approximately  20  per  cent,  larger,  and  the 
British  bushel  3  per  cent,  larger,  than  the  corresponding  units 
used  in  this  country. 

The  customary  weights  derived  from  the  international  kilo- 
gram are  based  on  the  value  1  avoirdupois  pound  = 
453.5924277  grams.  This  value  is  carried  out  farther  than  that 
given  in  the  law,  but  is  in  accord  with  the  latter  as  far  as  it  is 
there  given.  The  value  of  the  troy  pound  is  based  upon  the 
relation  just  mentioned,  and  also  the  equivalent  5760/7000 
avoirdupois  pound  equals  1  troy  pound. 

Length 

Centimeter  =  0.3937  inch. 

Meter  =  3.28  feet 

Meter  =  1.094  yards 

Kilometer  =  0.621  statute  mile 

Kilometer  =  0.5396  nautical  mile 

Inch  =  2.540  centimeters 

Foot  =  0.305  meter 

Yard  =  0.914  meter 

Statute  mile  =  1.61  kilometers 

Nautical  mile  =  1.853  kilometers 


GENERAL  INFORMATION 


453 


THE  METRIC  SYSTEM  (Continued) 


Square  centimeter 
Square  meter 
Square  meter 
Hectare 

Square  kilometer 
Square  inch 
Square  foot 
Square  yard 
Acre 
Square  mile 

Cubic  centimeter 
Cubic  meter 
Cubic  meter 
Cubic  inch 
Cubic  foot 
Cubic  yard 


Milliliter 

Milliliter 

Liter 

Liter 

Liter 

Dekaliter 

Hectoliter 

U.  S.  liquid  ounce 

U.  S.  apothecaries'  dram 

U.  S.  liquid  quart 

U.  S.  dry  quart 

U.  S.  liauid  gallon 

U.  S.  peck 

U.  S.  bushel 


Area 


=  0 

=  10 

=  2 

=  0 

=  6 

=  0 

=  0. 

=  0. 

=  2 

Vohime 

=  0 

=  35 

=  1. 

=  16 

=  0 

=  0 

Capacity 

=  0. 

=  0 

=  1 

=  0 

=  0. 

=  1 

=  2 

=  29 

=  3. 

=  0 

=  1 

=  3. 

=  0. 

=  0. 


.155  square  inch 
176  square  feet 
.196  square  yards 
.47  acres 
.386  square  mile 
45  square  centimeters 
1.0929  square  meter 
,836  square  meter 
405  hectare 
.59  square  kilometers 


Weight 


Gram  =15. 

Gram  =    0. 

Gram  =    0. 

Gram  =    0, 

Gram  =    0 

Kilogram  =    2. 

Kilogram  =    2. 

Metric  ton  =    0. 

Metric  ton  =     1. 

Grain  =  0. 
U.S.  apothecaries'  scruple  =  1. 
U.  S.  apothecaries'  dram    =    3 

Avoirdupois  ounce  =  28 

Troy  ounce  =  31, 

Troy-pound  =    0 

Avoirdupois  pound  =    0, 

Gross  or  long  ton  =     1. 

Short  or  net  ton  =    0, 


.0610  cubic  inch 
.3  cubic  feet 
,308  cubic  yards 
.39  cubic  centimeters 
0283  cubic  meter 
.765  cubic  meter 

0338  U.  S.  liquid  ounce 

.2705  U.  S.  apothecaries'  dram 

.057  U.  S.  liquid  quarts 

.2642  U.  S.  liquid  gallon 

908  U.  S.  dry  quart 

.135  U.  S.  pecks 

.838  U.  S.  bushels 

,57  milliliters 

70  milliliters 

.946  liter 

.101  liter 

785  liter 

881  dekaliter 

,3524  hectoliter 

.43  grains 

.772  U.S.  apothecaries'  scruple 

2572  U.  S.  apothecaries'  dram 

.0353  avoirdupois  ounce 

.03215  troy  ounce 

205  avoirdupois  pounds 

679  troy  pounds 

.984  gross  or  long  ton 

102  short  or  net  tons 

,0648  gram 

296  grams 

.89  grams 

35  grams 

,10  grams 

.373  kilogram 

4536  kilogram 

016  metric  tons 

.907  metric  ton 


454  DEEP    WELL  DRILLING 

THE  METRIC  SYSTEM  (Concluded) 
CONVENIENT  FACTORS  FOR  CONVERSION 

To  convert; 

Grain  lo  Grammes,  multiply  by .065 

Ounces  to  Grammes,  multiply  by 28.3S 

Pounds  to  Grammes,  multiply  by 453.6 

Pounds  to  Kilogrammes,  by 45 

Cwts.  to  Kilogrammes,  m                  y 4S.3S 

Tons  lo  Kilogramems,  m                y 906.3 

Grammes  to  Grains,  mull                  15.4 


Kilogrammes  lo  Ounces,  multiply  by 35J 

Kilogrammes  to  Pounds,  multiply  by 2.2 

Kilogrammes  to   Cwts,,  multiply  by 02 

Kilogrammes  to  Tons,  multiply  by 001 

Inches  to  Millimeters,  multiply  by 25.4 

Inches  to  Centimeters,  multiply  by 2.54 

Feet  to  Meters,  multiply  by 3048 

Yards  to  Meters,  multiply  by 9144 

Yards  to  Kilometers,  multiply  by 0009 

Miles  to  Kilometers,  multiply  by 1.6 

Millimeters  to  Inches,  multiply  by 04 

Centimeters  to  Inches,  multiply  by .4 

Meters  to  Feet,  multiply  by 3.3 

Meters  to  Yards,  multiply  by 1.1 

Kilometers  to  Yards,  multiply  by 1093.6 

Kilometers  to  Miles,  multiply  by .62 

1   Yard   =  0,9144   Meter.      1    Square    Meter   =    1.196   Square   Yards. 
1  Liter  =  1.760  Imperial  Pints  or  0.22  Imperial  Gallons. 
1  Liter  =  2.113  U.  S.  Pints. 

MISCELLANEOUS  FACTORS 

Inches  X  0.08333         =  feet. 

Inches  X  0.02778        =  yards. 

Inches  X  0.00001578  =  miles. 

Square  inches   X  0.00695         =  square  feet. 

Square  inches   X  0.0007716    =  square  yards. 

Cubic  inches     X  0.00058        =  cubic  feet. 

Cubic  inches     X  0.0000214     =  cubic   yards. 

Cubic  inches     X  0.004329       —  U.  S.  gallons. 

Feet  X  0.3334  =  yards. 

Feet  X  0.00019        =  miles. 

Square  feet        X        144.00  =  square  inches. 

Square  feet       X  0.1112  ^  square  yards. 

Cubic  feet         X     1728,00  =  cubic  inches. 

Cubic  feet  X  0,03704         =  cubic  yards. 

Cubic  feet         X  7.48  =  U.  S.  gallons. 

Yards  X         36,000  =  inches. 

Yards  X  3,000  =  feet. 

Yards  X  0,0005681     =  miles. 

Square  yards     X      1296.000  ^  square  inches. 

Square  yards     X  9,000  =  square  feet. 

Cubic  yards      X  466.=;6.000  =  cubic  inches. 

Cubic  yards      X         27.000  =  cubic  feet. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  455 

MISCELLANEOUS  FACTORS  (Concluded) 

Miles  X  63360.000  =  inches. 

Miles  X  5280.000  =  feet. 

Miles  X  1760.00  =  yards. 

Avoir,  oz.  X  0.0625  =  pounds. 

Avoir,  oz.  X  0.00003125  =  tons. 

Avoir,  lbs.  X  16.000  =  ounces. 

Avoir,  lbs.  X  0.001  =  hundredwt. 

Avoir,  lbs.  X  0.0005  =  tons. 

Avoir,  lbs.  =  27.681  cubic  in.  water  at  39.2°  F. 

Avoir,  tons  X  32000.00  =  ounces. 

Avoir,  tons  X  2000.00  =::  pounds. 

Watts  X  0.00134  =  horsepower. 

Horsepower  X  746.00  =  watts. 

TO  FIND  THE  CAPACITY  OF  A  TANK  IN  GALLONS 
First  step  (all  measurements  to  be  in  inches) : 

For  rectangular  tanks,  multiply  the  length  by  the  width, 
by  the  depth. 

For  cylindrical  tanks,  multiply  the  depth  by  the  square  of 
the  diameter,  by  .7854. 

For  elliptical  section  tanks,  multiply  the  length  by  the  short 
diameter,  by  the  long  diameter  by  .0339. 

Second  step. 

Divide  the  result  by  231,  which  is  the  number  of  cubic 
inches  in  one  gallon;  the  answer  is  the  capacity  of  the  tank 

in  gallons. 

Example:  To  find  capacity  of  round  tank  ten  feet  in  depth  and 
eight  feet  in  diameter:  10  feet  =  120  inches,  8  feet  ^  96  inches, 
120  X  962  X  .7854  -^  231  =  3,760  gallons. 

A  shorter  rule — square  the  diameter  in  inches  and  multiply 

by  the  length  or  h eighth  in  inches.    Multiply  by  .0034  and  the 
result  will  be  capacity  in  gallons. 

GASOLINE  OR  OIL  FIRE 

Gasoline  or  oil  fire  is  best  extinguished  with  flour,  sand  or 
earth  in  the  order  named ;  water  should  not  be  used.  If  the 
fire  be  confined  in  small  space,  ammonia  will  smother  it. 
Some  users  of  gasoline  find  it  well  to  hang  a  bottle  con- 
taining about  a  gallon  of  ammonia  from  the  top  of  the  tank 
or  room  containing  the  gasoline  or  oil,  by  a  string  or  fusible 
link,  so  that  if  the  gasoline  takes  fire  the  bottle  will  fall  and 
be  broken,  releasing  the  ammonia  and  promptly  putting  out 
the  burning  gasoline  or  oil.— From  Power  and  Transmission. 


456 


DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 


EXTINGUISHING  BURNING  OIL  OR  GAS  WELLS 

Steam  from  a  battery  of  boilers  is  usually  effective.  As 
many  as  25  boilers  have  been  set  up  around  one  well  before  a 
sufficient  volume  of  steam  could  be  directed  against  the  fire  to 
extinguish  it.  Sometimes  the  steam  is  augmented  with  a 
supply  of  mud  fluid  pumped  with  slush  pumps.  Large  sheet 
metal  hoods  have  been  successfully  used  to  snuff  out  the  blaze 
when  the  pressure  or  volume  of  the  gas  or  oil  was  not  too 
great.  Dynamite  was  used  with  success  after  other  usual 
means  failed  to  extinguish  a  large  burning  well  in  California. 
The  force  of  the  explosion  temporarily  diverted  the  flow  of 
the  well  and  snuffed  out  the  fire. 

WEIGHTS  OF  STEEL  BARS 


Round  Bars 

Square  Bars 

Round  Bars 

Square  Bars 

Thickness  or 

Weight 

Weight      • 

rhickness  or 

Weight 

Weight 

Diameter, 

per  foot 

per  foot 

Diameter, 

per  foot 

per  foot 

Inches 

Pounds 

Pounds 

Inches 

Pounds 

Pounds 

% 

0.042 

0.053 

m 

9.39 

11.95 

3/16 

0.094 

0.119 

2 

10.68 

13.60 

54 

0.167 

0.212 

2}i 

12.06 

15.35 

5/16 

0.261 

0.333 

2Va 

13.52 

17.22 

H 

0.375 

0.478 

2H 

15.07 

19.18 

7/16 

0.511 

0.651 

2V2 

16.69 

21.25 

54 

0.667 

0.850 

2H 

18.40 

23.43 

9/16 

0.845 

1.08 

2^ 

20.20 

25.71 

H 

1.04 

1.33 

2% 

22.07 

28.10 

11/16 

1.26 

1.61 

3 

24.03 

30.60 

Va 

1.50 

1.91 

W 

28.20 

35.92 

13/16 

1.76 

2.25 

354 

32.71 

41.65 

H 

2.04 

2.60 

^Va 

37.56 

47.82 

15/16 

2.35 

2.99 

4 

42.73 

54.40 

1 

2.67 

3.40 

454 

48.24 

61.41 

11/16 

3.01 

3.84 

4^/4 

54.07 

68.85 

1% 

3.38 

4.30 

m 

60.25 

76.71 

13/16 

3.77 

4.80 

5 

66.76 

85 

-  IM 

4.17 

5.31 

554 

73.60 

93.72 

15/16 

4.60 

5.86 

5/2 

80.77 

102.8 

m 

5.05 

6.43 

SVa 

88.29 

112.4 

17/16 

5.52 

7.03 

6 

96.14 

122.4 

154 

6.01 

7.65 

654 

112.8 

143.6 

19/16 

6.52 

8.30 

7 

130.9 

166.6 

m 

7.05 

8.98 

754 

150.2 

191.3 

IVa 

8.18 

10.41 

8 

171 

217.6 

GENERAL  INFORMATION  457 

RULES  FOR  OBTAINING  APPROXIMATE  WEIGHT  OF  IRON 

For  Round  Bar. — Rule :  Multiply  the  square  of  the  diameter 
in  inches  by  the  length  in  feet,  and  that  product  by  2.6.  The 
product  will  be  the  weight  in  pounds,  nearly. 

For  Square  and  Flat  Bars. — Rule:  Multiply  the  area  of 
the  end  of  the  bar  in  inches  by  the  length  in  feet,  and  that 
by  3.32.    The  product  will  be  the  weight  in  pounds,  nearly. 

Wrought  Iron,  Usually  Assumed. — A  cubic  foot  =  480  lbs. 

ELECTRICITY 

(Extracts  from  "Essentials  of.  Electricity,''  by  W.  H.  Timbie.    John 

Wiley  &  Sons,  New  York) 

Electricity  may  be  considered  to  flow  as  a  current  along  a 
conductor,  as  water  flows  through  a  pipe. 

Electric  current  is  measured  in  Amperes.  The  ampere  is 
the  quantity  of  electricity  passing  through  a  conductor  in 
one  second.  Corresponds  to  volume  of  gas  or  quantity  of 
water. 

The  pressure  which  causes  current  to  flow  is  measured  in 
Volts.  Corresponds  to  pounds  per  square  inch  with  water 
or  gas. 

Resistance  of  the  conductor  to  the  current  is  measured  in 
Ohms,  corresponds  to  friction  of  water  flowing  in  pipe. 

Ohms  law :  The  current  which  an  electric  pressure  forces 
through  a  resistance  equals  the  pressure  divided  by  the 
resistance,  =  Volts  -~  Ohms. 

Ohms  law  is  used  in  three  forms  as  follows : 

Current  or  Amperes  =  Volts  -f-  Ohms. 

Pressure  or  Volts  =  Amperes  X  Ohms. 

Resistance  or  Ohms  =  Volts  -f-  Amperes. 

When  a  pressure  of  1  volt  can  force  1  ampere  of  current 
through  a  wire,  the  resistance  of  the  wire  is  1  ohm.  If  1  volt 
can  force  only  J4  an  ampere  through  a  wire,  the  resistance  is 
2  ohms. 

Unit  of  Power  is  the  Watt,  and  denotes  the  power  used 
when  one  volt  causes  one  ampere  of  current  to  flow.    Power 


458  DEEP   WELL  DRILLING 

ELECTRICITY 

or  watts  equal  amperes  X  volts.  Example:  If  an  electric 
lamp  takes  0.5  amperes  when  used  on  a  110-volt  line,  the 
power  consumed  equals  0.5  X  HO  =  55  watts. 

Kilowatt  equals  1,000  watts.  Electric  power  is  measured 
by  the  kilowatt  hour;  equals  kilowatts  X  hours. 

Current  is  measured  by  inserting  a  low  resistance  ammeter 
into  the  line  on  the  same  principle  as  a  water  meter  is  used 
to  measure  the  volume  of  water  flowing  through  a  pipe. 

Voltage  is  measured  by  tapping  a  high  resistance  volt- 
meter across  two  points  in  the  line,  corresponding  to  the  use 
of  a  pressure  gauge  to  register  water  pressure. 

Power  is  measured  by  multiplying  the  ammeter  reading 
by  the  voltmeter  reading,  the  result  being  power  in  watts. 

Example:  A  generator  delivers  current  of  5  amperes  at 
120  volts.  In  the  circuit  is  a  resistance  of  10  volts,  and  a 
motor  which  requires  110  volts. 

The  resistance  consumes  10  volts  X  5  amperes  =  50  watts. 

The  motor  consumes  110  volts  X  5  amperes  =  550  watts. 

50  watts  +  550  watts  =  600  watts,  the  equivalent  of  5 
amperes  at  120  volts. 

Resistance  of  Wire. — A  round  wire  1/1000  inch  in  diameter 
(called  a  mil)  and  1  foot  long  is  the  unit  round  wire.  Wires 
of  larger  diameters  contain  as  many  unit  wires  as  the  square 
of  the  number  of  mils  or  thousandths  of  their  diameter,  thus 
a  wire  1/100  or  10/1000  inch  in  diameter  equals  10  X  10  = 
100  mils. 

Resistance  in  wire  is  reduced  as  the  diameter  of  the  wire 
is  increased.  Total  resistance  of  a  length  of  wire  equals  the 
resistance  of  one  foot  multiplied  by  the  length.  The  unit  of 
resistance  for  copper  wire,  1  mil  (1/1000  inch)  in  diameter 
and  1  foot  long  is  usually  taken  at  10.4  ohms.  To  find  the 
resistance  of  1  foot  of  copper  wire  5/1000  inch  in  diameter 
5  X  5  =  25  circular  mils  diameter.  The  resistance  of  1  foot 
of  5-mil  wire  would  be  10.4  -—  25  =  0.416  ohfns.  The  resist- 
ance of  1,000  feet  of  5-mil  wire  would  be  1000  X  0.416  =  416 
ohms. 


GENERAL  INFORxMATION 


459 


ELECTRICITY 
Table  of  Resistance  and  oi  Allowable  Carrsfing  Capacities  of 


Soft  Copper  Wire 

'  Capacity 

Ohms  Capacity 

Ohms  per      with 

per   with  Rub- 

B.ftS. 

Diameter 

1,000 

Rubber  In- 

B.ftS. 

Diameter 

1,000     ber  In- 

Gaiiire 

in 

Feet  at 

sulation 

Gauge 

in 

Feet  at  sulation. 

No. 

Mils 

68»F. 

Amperes* 

No. 

Mils 

68°  F.  Amperes* 

9 

114.43 

0.7908 

30 

15 

57.068 

3.179           11 

10 

101.89 

0.9972 

25 

16 

50.820 

4.009           6 

11 

90.742 

1.257 

23 

17 

45.257 

5.055           454 

12 

80.808 

1.586 

20 

18 

40.303 

6.374           3 

13 

71.961 

1.999 

18 

19 

35.890 

8.038 

14 

64.084 

2.521 

IS 

20 

31.961 

10.14 

Generator. — A  machine  driven  by  mechanical  power  for 
generating  electric  power. 

Motor. — A  machine  driven  by  electric  power  for  delivering 
mechanical  power. 

1  kilowatt  =11/3  horsepower. 

1  horsepower  =  J^  kilowatt. 

Batteries  are  of  two  kinds,  wet  and  dry. 

A  wet  cell  consists  of  a  negative  plate  of  zinc,  a  positive 
plate  of  carbon  and  wood  spacers,  immersed  in  a  solution  of 
sat-ammoniac,  contained  in  a  vulcanite  jar.  Volts  about  l.S; 
internal  resistance  1  to  4  ohms. 

A  dry  cell  consists  of  a  positive  plate  of  carbon  surrounded 
by  paste  containing  sal-ammoniac  solution,  contained  in  a 
zinc  jar  which  forms  the  negative  plate.  Volts  about  1.5; 
internal  resistance  less  than  0.1  ohm. 

The  foregoing  touches  only  the  rudiments  of  electricity.  A 
very  good  book  of  reference  and  instruction  for  practical  use 
is  "Essentials  of  Electricity,"  by  W.  H.  Timbie. 

Few  electrical  devices  are  used  in  well  drilling  practice. 
Chief  of  these  is  the  steam  turbine  generator  for  lighting  the 
derrick.  The  Moon  Manufacturing  Company  furnishes  the 
following  directions  for  the  care  and  operation  of  the  Moon 
turbine  generator: 

*  Carrying  capacities  of  wire  with  other  than  rubber  insulation  are  about 
one-third  greater  than  shown  in  table. 
The  resistance  of  iron  wire  is  about  seven  times  greater  than  copper. 


460  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

ELECTRICITY 
CARE  AND  OPERATION  OF  MOON  TURBINE  GENERATORS 

All  electrical  machinery  should  be  kept  clean,  as  oil  and 
dirt  have  a  tendency  to  break  down  insulation  and  cause 
trouble. 

Commutator  should  be  kept  clean  by  wiping  it  off  with  a 
clean  dry  cloth.  If  very  dirty,  the  cloth  may  be  dampened 
slightly  with  oil  and  applied  when  the  machine  is  running, 
afterwards  commutator  must  be  wiped  off  with  a  clean  dry 
cloth,  not  waste,  as  particles  of  the  waste  may  catch  and 
wind  around  the  shaft,  or  may  be  drawn  in  between  armature 
and  pole  pieces  and  cause  trouble. 

If  the  commutator  has  become  very  rough  and  it  is  neces- 
sary to  smooth  it,  this  can  be  done  by  using  a  strip  of  fine 
sandpaper  (not  emery  paper),  cut  the  width  of  the  commu- 
tator. Remove  brushes  and  while  machine  is  running,  hold 
sandpaper  down  at  each  end  but  do  not  press  it  down  against 
the  commutator  with  fingers,  as  this  will  have  a  tendency  to 
increase  any  low  spots  there  may  be  in  the  commutator. 
After  the  commutator  has  been  thoroughly  cleaned,  wipe  out 
brush  holders  and  reapply  brushes. 

The  commutator  is  in  its  best  condition  when  it  is  smooth 
and  has  acquired  a  dark  chocolate  color. 

The  two  dynamo  brushes,  located  opposite  one  another, 
should  be  sandpapered  to  fit  the  curvature  of  the  commu- 
tator, and  should  be  wiped  off,  and  kept  free  from  oil. 

The  tension  of  brush  springs  should  be  kept  tight  enough 
to  insure  the  brushes  making  firm  contact  with  the  commu- 
tator. 

Outfit  required  for  wiring  a  derrick  for  electric  lights : 

1  Steam  Turbine  Generator. 

500  feet  No.  14  Triple  Braid  Wire. 
30  No.  S]/2  Porcelain  Split  Knobs  with  Screws. 
12  Weatherproof  Sockets. 
12  Lamp  Guards. 
10  40  Watt  Lamps. 

2  60  Watt  Lamps. 

1  No.  4014  Double  Pole  Knife  Switch  with  two  Fuses. 
54  Pound  Friction  Tape. 


GENERAL  INFORMATION  461 

ELECTRICITY 
DIRECTIONS  FOR  WIRING 

Mount  the  generator  in  the  engine  house  and  connect  with 
steam  supply.  Connect  wires  to  positive  and  negative  ter- 
minals and  run  wires  up  wall  and  connect  switch  at  con- 
venient place.  Carry  wires  out  over  walk  and  into  derrick 
and  round  the  four  sides  of  derrick  at  the  first  girt.  Extend 
wires  up  in  one  corner  of  derrick  to  crown  block.  Connect 
lamps  to  line  as  follows :  one  in  engine  house,  one  over  walk, 
four  to  eight  strung  around  first  girt  to  light  the  derrick,  one 
on  crown  block  and  one  about  halfway  up  in  derrick.  Solder 
all  wire  connections  and  then  carefully  tape  them.  If  impos- 
sible to  solder  use  extra  care  in  taping.  For  supporting  wires 
use  the  porcelain  split  knobs. 

SIMPLE  RULES  TO  FIND  POSITIVE  AND  NEGATIVE  WIRES 

IN  A  GENERATOR 

(1)  Cut  a  potato  in  half  and  apply  half  to  the  two  wires 
about  one-half  inch  apart.  Start  generator  and  in  a  few 
minutes  the  potato  will  turn  green  round  the  positive  wire 
and  it  will  bubble  round  the  negative  wire. 

(2)  Immerse  the  two  wires  in  a  salt  solution :  the  negative 
wire  wnll  cause  bubbles. 

LUBRICATION  OF  A  DRILLING  OUTFIT 

The  following  lubricants  are  usually  used: 
Engine,  cylinder:  Cylinder  Oil,  Tallow. 

Engine,  bearings  and  working 

parts:  Engine  Oil,  Cup  Grease. 

Note:     The  drilling  engine  is  usually  equipped  with  a  two-quart 
sight  feed  lubricator  in  which  cylinder  oil  should  be  used.     For  the 
old  style  lubricator  or  tallow  cup,  tallow  will  answer. 
Boiler  Feed  Pump:  Cylinder  Oil. 

Gasoline   Engine  for  pumping 

water:  Gas  Engine  Oil. 

Star  Blower:  Engine  Oil. 

Turbine  Generator:  Cylinder  or  Valve  Oil. 

Jack  Post  Boxes:  Heavy  Grease  known  as  Jack  Post 

Grease. 


462  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

LUBRICATION  OF  A  DRILLING  OUTFIT  (Concluded) 

Crown  Block  and  Pulleys:  Engine  Oil. 

Walking  Beam  Center  Irons:  Engine  Oil. 
Calf  Wheel   and   Bull   Wheel 

Gudgeons:  Jack  Post  Grease. 

Sand  Reel:  Engine  Oil. 
Wire     Drilling    Cables,    Sand 

Lines  and  Casing  Lines:  Light  Graphite  Grease. 

Note:     Some  wire  rope  manufacturers  supply  a  special  lubricant 
for  this  purpose. 

ROTARY  OUTFIT 

Rotary  Draw  Works — Sprockets 

and  Chain:  Graphite  Grease. 

Shafts,  etc.:  Cup  Grease,  Engine  Oil. 

Swivel:  Engine  Oil. 

Tool  Joints:  Compound  of  White  Lead  and 

Tallow. 

LUBRICANTS  FOR  ROTARY  TOOL  JOINTS  AND  FOR 

CASING  THREADS  * 

The   following  formulas   for  lubricants  were   supplied  by 

E.  S.  Durward,  of  the  Shell  Oil  Co.,  Coalinga,  California. 

Formula  for  lubricant  for  rotary  tool  joints: 

Per   Cent. 

Tallow    33.4 

White  lead  ground  in  oil 23.2 

Graphite   2.9 

Cylinder  oil 40.5 

Melt  tallow,  add  white  lead,  mixing  well.     Then  add  oil,  stirring 

continually.    Then  add  graphite  and  mix  all  together. 

Formula  for  lubricant  for  casing  threads : 

Tallow Pounds  200 

White  lead  ground  in  oil Pounds  300 

Graphite Pounds    24 

Lard  oil Gallons    30 

Mix  lead  with  some  oil,  then  melt  the  tallow.     Finally  mix  every- 
thing together  and  continue  stirring  until  thoroughly  mixed. 

•  Bureau  of  Mines  Bulletin  182,  by  Thomas  Curtin. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

STATE    LAWS    RELATING    TO    DRILLING,    ABAN- 
DONING AND  PLUGGING  OIL  AND  GAS 
WELLS  AND  TO  OIL  AND  GAS 

ARKANSAS  LAWS 

An  Act  to  Conserve  Natural  Gas  Resources  of  the  State  of 

Arkansas 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of 
Arkansas : 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  people  of  the  State  of  Arkansas : 

Section  1.  In  order  to  determine  the  open  flow  volume  of 
gas  produced  by  any  well,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  State 
Gas  Inspector  or  his  duly  authorized  deputy  to  test  all  wells 
producing  gas  in  the  State  of  Arkansas,  from  which  gas  is 
being  used  or  marketed,  between  the  1st  day  of  December 
and  the  1st  day  of  January  in  each  year,  and  as  often  there- 
after as  in  his  judgment  it  may  be  necessary — for  the  purpose 
of  determining  the  open  flow  volume  and  rock  pressure  of 
said  wells.  The  State  Oil  and  Gas  Inspector  shall  be  paid  a 
fee  of  $25.00  a  day  and  his  actual  expenses  by  the  person, 
firm  or  corporation  whose  wells  are  tested  by  him  or  his 
deputy  under  the  provisions  of  this  Section. 

Section  2.  In  determining  the  open  flow  volume  and  rock 
pressure  of  said  well,  said  Gas  Inspector  shall  first  close  the 
well  for  a  period  of  five  minutes,  and  then  take  a  test,  to  deter- 
mine its  closed-in  pressure.  He  shall  then  immediately  open 
said  well  and  flow  it  for  five  minutes,  and  then  take  a  test  of 
its  open  flow  volume,  with  approved  instruments  and  devices 
in  use  for  that  purpose. 

Section  3.  Immediately  after  the  said  tests  are  made,  the 
Gas  Inspector  shall  furnish  the  person,  firm  or  corporation 
owning  or  operating  said  well  or  wells  with  a  copy  of  the 

463 


464  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

tests  made  by  him,  showing  the  amount  of  gas  which  said 
owner  or  operator  niay  take  from  each  of  said  wells  daily,  and 
shall  file  his  report  of  said  tests  with  the  county  clerk  of  the 
County  in  which  said  well  or  wells  are  situated,  showing  the 
closed-in  rock  pressure  and  open  flow  volume,  size  of  the 
tubing  with  which  said  well  or  wells  are  closed  in,  and  the 
condition  of  the  well  or  wells  at  the  time  the  test  was  made ; 
said  report  to  be  verified  by  said  Gas  Inspector  and  preserved 
by  the  County  Clerk  in  the  County  records. 

Section  4.  Before  making  said  tests,  the  Gas  Inspector 
shall  give  five  days  notice  in  writing  to  the  person,  firm  or 
corporation  owning,  operating  or  controlling  said  gas  well 
or  wells,  of  the  time  when  said  tests  will  be  made,  and  the  per- 
son, firm  or  corporation  owning,  operating  or  controlling  said 
well  or  wells,  or  any  other  person  interested  therein,  shall  have 
the  right  to  be  present  when  said  test  is  being  made,  and 
shall  afford  to  said  Gas  Inspector  every  means  and  facility 
possible  for  the  purpose  of  making  an  accurate  test  of  said 
well  or  wells,  as  provided  in  this  Act. 

Section  5.  If,  in  the  judgment  of  the  Gas  Inspector,  it  shall 
be  deemed  advisable  or  necessary  to  test  said  wells  oftener 
than  set  out  in  Section  1,  he  shall  have  the  right  to  do  so, 
and  for  the  purpose  of  making  said  tests  and  determining 
the  amount  of  gas  taken  therefrom,  he  shall  have  access  to 
all  wells  and  to  all  well  records,  and  all  companies,  con- 
tractors, drillers,  lessees  or  owners  of  the  land  upon  which 
said  well  or  wells  are  located  shall  permit  said  Gas  Inspector 
or  his  deputy  to  come  upon  any  lease  or  property  owned  or 
controlled  by  them,  and  to  inspect  any  and  all  wells  and  the 
records  of  said  wells,  and  to  have  access  at  all  times  to  all 
wells  and  to  any  and  all  records  of  said  wells  used,  owned  or 
operated  by  any  person,  firm  or  corporation  or  the  lessees  or 
owners  of  the  land  upon  which  said  wells  are  located. 

Section  6.  Uniform  rules  of  procedure  must  be  followed 
by  said  Gas  Inspector  in  making  the  tests  hereinabove  set 
out,  so  that  all  wells  tested  by  him  under  this  Act  sha.ll  be 


ARKANSAS    LAWS  465 

upon  the  same  basis  and  under  like  conditions,  to  the  end  that 
all  wells  shall  show  accurately  their  rock  pressure  a^d  volume 
as  closed  in  at  the  time  said  tests  are  made,  and  shall  be 
tested  under  similar  conditions. 

Section  7.  In  addition  to  the  annual  test  provided  for  in 
Section  1,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Gas  Inspector,  within 
ten  days  after  the  gas  from  any  well  is  being  used  or  mar- 
keted, to  make  a  test  of  said  well  as  provided  for  in  Section  2, 
and  to  make  out  and  file  his  report  of  said  test  with  the 
County  Clerk  of  the  county  in  which  said  well  is  located,  as 
provided  in  said  Section  2. 

Section  8.  When  the  gas  from  any  well  is  being  used,  the 
flow  of  production  thereof  shall  be  restrained  to  twenty  per 
cent,  of  the  potential  capacity  of  said  well ;  that  is  to  say,  in 
any  day  of  twenty-four  hours,  the  well  shall  not  be  permitted 
to  flow  or  produce  more  than  twenty  per  cent,  of  the  open 
flow  capacity  of*  said  well,  as  shown  by  the  last  test  of  said 
well  made  by  the  Gas  Inspector. 

Provided  that  whenever  the  rock  pressure  of  any  well,  when 
tested  as  provided  in  Section  2,  is  reduced  to  one  hundred 
pounds,  by  putting  gas  into  the  pipe  line  under  its  own  voli- 
tion or  pressure,  the  provisions  of  this  section  shall  not  apply. 

Section  9.  All  gas  produced  from  gas  wells  drilled  in  this 
State,  when  sold  or  used  from  said  well,  shall  be  accurately 
metered  through  proper  devices,  in  order  to  determine  the 
amount  of  gas  taken  from  said  well,  which  said  meters  shall 
be  read  at  least  once  in  every  forty-eight  hours,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  determining  the  amount  of  gas  taken  from  each  well, 
and  such  meter  readings  shall  be  subject  to  the  examination 
of  the  Gas  Inspector  or  any  other  person  interested,  for  the 
purpose  of  determining  whether  or  not  the  amount  of  gas 
being  taken  from  said  well  is  in  excess  of  twenty  per  cent 
of  the  daily  open  flow  of  the  well  as  shown  by  the  last  test 
made  of  said  well  by  the  Gas  Inspector,  provided  that  when 
the  rock  pressure  of  any  well  falls  below  one  hundred,  this 
Section  shall  not  apply. 


466  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

Section  10.  All  oil  or  gas  sands,  even  though  unproductive 
of  oil  or  gas  in  the  well  being  drilled,  if  known  to  produce 
oil  or  gas  in  any  field,  shall  be  protected  by  mudding  off  such 
known  oil  or  gas  sand  by  the  use  of  mud-laden  fluid,  or  any 
other  effective  method,  in  the  discretion  of  the  Gas  Inspector. 

Section  11.  Whenever  a  packer  or  tubing  used  to  shut  in 
the  gas  in  any  well  does  not  effectively  shut  off  the  oil,  gas 
or  water  in  the  strata  in  which  they  occurred,  said  well  shall 
be  filled  outside  of  the  tubing  from  the  packer  to  the  next 
producing  sand  with  mud-laden  fluid  of  a  maximum  density 
of  at  least  twenty-five  per  cent  and  the  well  shall  be  equipped 
with  what  is  commonly  known  as  a  Braden  Head  or  any 
other  device  that  will  prevent  the  escape  of  gas  provided  that 
if  the  next  producing  sand  is  not  profitable,  then  it  may  be 
filled  as  above  provided  to  the  top,  at  the  discretion  of  the 
Gas  Inspector. 

Section  12.  Before  any  person,  corporation '  or  contractor 
shall  commence  to  drill  a  well  for  gas  or  oil,  a  separate  slush- 
pit  or  slump-hole  shall  be  constructed  by  the  owner,  operator 
or  contractor,  for  the  reception  of  all  pumpings  or  sand-bal- 
ings  taken  from  the  well,  in  order  to  have  the  same  on  hand 
for  the  purpose  of  making  mud-laden  fluid  to  be  used  as 
provided  in  Sections  10  and  11. 

Section  13.  Any  person,  firm  or  corporation  violating  any 
of  the  provisions  of  Sections  8,  9,  10  or  11  of  this  Act  shall 
be  subject  to  a  penalty  of  not  less  than  One  Hundred  Dollars 
nor  more  than  One  Thousand  Dollars  for  the  first  conviction, 
for  violating  the  provisions  of  said  sections,  and  for  the  second 
conviction,  to  a  penalty  of  not  less  than  Two  Hundred  Dollars, 
nor  more  than  One  Thousand  Dollars,  and  for  the  third 
conviction,  to  a  penalty  of  not  less  than  Five  Hundred 
Dollars  or  imprisonment  in  the  County  Jail  for  not  less 
than  thirty  days,  or  both  such  penalty  and  imprisonment. 

The  penalties  provided  for  herein,  to  be  recovered  in  an 
action  therefor,  brought  by  the  Prosecuting  Attorney  in  the 
name  of  the  State,  together  with  a  reasonable  attorney's  fee 


ARKANSAS   LAWS  467 

for  the  Prosecuting  Attorney  to  be  fixed  by  the  Court,  and 
recovered  in  the  same  manner  and  in  the  same  action. 

The  proceeds  of  penalties  collected  shall  be  turned  in  to  the 
General  Road  fund  of  the  county  wherein  occurred,  to  be  used 
on  the  roads,  bridges  and  highways  of  said  County,  in  the 
discretion  of  the  County  Court,  and  the  attorney's  fee  shall 
be  paid  over  to  such  prosecuting  attorney. 

Section  14.  This  Act  being  necessary  for  the  immediate 
preservation  of  the  public  peace,  health  and  safety,  shall  take 
effect  and  be  in  force  and  effect  from  and  after  its  passage. 

Approved:  February  18,  1921. 

* 

CALIFORNIA  LAWS 

California  laws  relating  to  the  protection  of  natural .  re- 
sources of  petroleum  and  natural  gas  flow : 
AN  ACT  Establishing  and  creating  a  department  of  the  State 
mining  bureau  for  the  protection  of  the  natural  resources 
of    petroleum    and    gas    from    waste    and    destruction 
through  improper  operations  in  production ;  providing  for 
the  appointment  of  a  State  oil  and  gas  supervisor,  pre- 
scribing his  duties  and  power,  fixing  his  compensation; 
providing  for  the  appointment  of  deputies  and  employees, 
providing  for  their  duties  and  compensation;  providing 
for  the  inspection  of  petroleum  and  gas  wells;  requiring 
all  persons  operating  petroleum  and  gas  wells  to  make 
certain  reports ;   providing  procedure  for  arbitration   of 
department  rulings;  creating  a  fund  for  the  purposes  of 
the  act;  providing  for  assessment  of  charges  to  be  paid 
by  operators  and  providing  for  the  collection  thereof;  and 
making  an  appropriation  for  the  purposes  of  this  act. 
[Approved  June  10,  1915.    Amended  1917.    Chapter  759.] 
The  people  of  the  State  of  California  do  enact  as  follows: 
Establishment  of  Department — Appointment  of  Supervisor. 

Section  1.  A  separate  department  of  the  State  mining 
bureau  is  hereby  established  and  created  to  be  known  as  the 
department  of  petroleum  and  gas.  Such  department  shall  be 
under  the  general  jurisdiction  of  the  State  mineralogist.    He 


468  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

shall  appoint  a  supervisor  who  shall  be  a  competent  engineer 
or  geologist,  experienced  in  the  development  and  production 
of  petroleum,  and  who  shall  be  designated  the  "State  oil  and 
gas  supervisor,"  and  whose  term  of  office  shall  be  four  years 
from  and  after  the  date  of  his  appointment. 
Duties  of  Supervisor. 

Sec.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  State  oil  and  gas  super- 
visor so  to  supervise  the  drilling,  operation,  and  maintenance 
and  abandonment  of  petroleum  or  gas  wells  in  the  State  of 
California  as  to  prevent,  as  far-  as  possible,  damage  to  under- 
ground petroleum  and  gas  deposits  from  infiltrating  water  and 
other  causes  and  loss  of  petroleum  and  natural  gas. 
Orders  by  Supervisor — Agents  of  Operators. 

Sec.  8.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  supervisor  to  order  such 
test  or  remedial  work  as  in  liis  judgment  are  necessary  to 
protect  the  petroleum  and  gas  deposits  from  damage  by  under- 
ground water,  to  the  best  interests  of  the  neighboring  prop- 
erty owners  and  the  public  at  large. 

The  order  shall  be  in  written  form,  signed  by  the  super- 
visor, and  shall  be  served  upon  the  owner  of  the  well,  or  the 
local  agent  appointed  by  such  owner,  either  personally  or  by 
mailing  a  copy  of  said  order  to  the  post-office  address  given 
at  the  time  the  local  agent  is  designated,  or  if  no  such  local 
agent  has  been  designated,  by  mailing  a  copy  of  said  order  to 
the  last  known  post-office  address  of  said  owner,  or  if  the 
owner  be  unknown  by  posting  a  copy  of  said  order  in  a 
conspicuous  place  upon  the  property,  and  publishing  the  same 
in  some  newspaper  of  general  circulation  throughout  the 
countv  in  which  said  well  is  located,  once  a  week  for  two 
successive  weeks. 

Said  order  shall  specify  the  condition  sought  to  be  remedied 
and  the  work  necessary  to  protect  such  deposits  from  damage 
from  underground  waters.  For  this  purpose  each  operator  or 
owner  shall  designate  an  agent,  giving  his  post-office  address, 
who  resides  within  the  county  where  the  well  or  wells  are 
located,  upon  whom  all  orders  and  notices  provided  for  in  this 
act  may  be  served. 


CALIFORNIA    LAWS  469 

Rejection  of  Supervisor's  Orders,  and  Appeal. 

Sec.  9.  The  well  owner  or  his  local  agent  may  within  ten 
days  from  the  date  of  service  of  any  order  from  the  super- 
visor, file  with  the  supervisor  or  his  deputy  in  the  district 
where  the  property  is  located,  a  statement  that  the  super- 
visor's order  is  not  acceptable  and  that  appeal  from  said  order 
is  taken  to  the  board  of  commissioners.  Such  appeal  shall 
operate  as  a  stay  of  any  order  issued  under  or  pursuant  to 
the  provisions  of  this  act. 

Complaint,  Investigation,  and  Order. 

Sec.  11.  Upon  receipt  by  the  supervisor  or  deputy  super- 
visor of  a  written  complaint  specifically  setting  forth  the  con- 
dition complained  against,  signed  by  a  person,  firm,  corpora- 
tion, or  association  owning  land  or  operating  wells  within  a 
radius  of  1  mile  of  any  well  or  group  of  wells  complained 
against,  or  upon  the  written  complaint  specifically  setting 
forth  the  condition  complained  against,  signed  by  any  one 
of  the  board  of  commissioners  for  the  district  in  which  said 
well  or  group  of  wells  complained  against  is  situated,  the 
supervisor  must  make  an  investigation  of  said  well  or  wells 
and  render  a  written  report,  stating  the  work  required  to 
repair  the  damage  complained  of  or  stating  that  no  work  is 
required.  A  copy  of  said  order  must  be  delivered  to  the  com- 
plainant, or  if  more  than  one  each  of  said  complainants,  and 
if  the  supervisor  order  the  damage  repaired  a  copy  of  such 
order  shall  be  delivered  to  each  of  the  owners,  operators,  or 
agents  having  in  charge  the  well  or  wells  upon  which  the  work 
is  to  be  done.  Said  order  shall  contain  a  statement  of  the 
conditions  sought  to  be  remedied  or  repaired  and  a  statement 
of  the  work  required  by  the  supervisor  to  repair  such  condi- 
tion. Service  of  such  copies  shall  be  made  by  mailing  to  such 
persons  at  the  post-office  address  given. 
Testimony. 

Sec.  12.  In  any  proceeding  before  the  board  of  commis- 
sioners as  herein  provided,  or  in  any  other  proceeding  or  pro- 
ceedings   instituted   by   the   supervisor   for   the   purpose   of 


470  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

enforcing  or  carrying  out  the  provisions  of  this  act,  or  for 
the  purpose  of  holding  an  investigation  to  ascertain  the  con- 
dition of  any  well  or  wells  complained  of,  or  which  in  the 
opinion  of  the  supervisor  may  reasonably  be  presumed  to  be 
improperly  drilled,  operated,   maintained,  or  conducted,  the 
supervisor  and  the  chairman  of  the  board  of  commissioners 
<?hall  have  the  power  to  administer  oaths  and  may  apply  to  a 
judge  of  the  superior  court  of  the  State  of  California  in  and 
for  the  county  in  which  said  proceedings  or  investigation  is 
pending  for  a  subpoena  for  witnesses  to  attend  at  said  pro- 
ceeding  or    investigation.     Upon   said    application    of    said 
supervisor  or  said  chairman  of  said  board  of  commissioners 
said  judge  of  said  superior  court  must  issue  a  subpoena  direct- 
ing said  witness  to  attend  said  proceeding  or  investigation: 
Provided,  however,  That  no  person  shall  be  required  to  attend 
such  proceeding,  either  with  or  without  such  books,  papers, 
documents,    or    accounts    unless    residing    within    the    same 
county  or  within  thirty  miles  of  the  place  of  attendance.    But 
the  supervisor  or  the  chairman  of  the  board  of  commissioners 
may  in  such  case  cause  the  deposition  of  witnesses  residing 
within  or  without  the  State  to  be  taken  in  the  manner  pre- 
scribed by  law  for  like  deposition  in  civil  actions  in  superior 
courts  of  this  State,  and  to  that  end  may,  upon  application 
to  a  judge  of  the  superior  court  of  the  county  within  which 
said  proceeding  or  investigation  is  pending,  obtain  a  subpoena 
compelling  the  attendance  of  witnesses  and  the  production  of 
books,  papers,  and  documents  at  such  places  as  he  may  desig- 
nate  within  the   limits  hereinbefore   prescribed.     Witnesses 
shall  be  entitled  to  receive  the  fees  and  mileage  fixed  by 
law  in  civil  causes  payable  from  the  fund  hereinafter  created. 
In  case  of  failure  or  neglect  on  the  part  of  any  person  to 
comply  with  any  order  of  the  supervisor  as  hereinbefore  pro- 
vided, or  any  subpoena,  or  upon  the  refusal  of  any  witness  to 
testify  to  any  matter  regarding  which  he  may  lawfully  be 
interrogated,  or  upon  refusal  or  neglect  to  appear  and  attend 
at  any  proceeding  or  hearing  on  the  day  specified,  after  having 


CALIFORNIA    LAWS  471 

received  a  written  notice  of  not  less  than  ten  days  prior  to 
such  proceeding  or  hearing,  or  upon  his  failure,  refusal,  or 
neglect  to  produce  books,  papers,  or  documents  as  demanded 
in  said  order  or  subpoena  upon  such  day,  such  failure,  rfefusal, 
or  neglect  shall  constitute  a  misdemeanor,  and  each  day's 
further  failure,  refusal,  or  neglect  shall  be  and  be  deemed  to 
be  a  separate  and  distinct  offense,  and  it  is  hereby  made  the 
duty  of  the  district  attorney  of  the  county  in  which  said 
proceeding,  hearing,  or  investigation  is  to  be  held,  to  prose- 
cute all  persons  guilty  of  violating  this  section  by  continuous 
prosecution  until  such  person  appears  or  attends  or  produces 
such  books,  papers,  or  documents  or  complies  with  said  sub- 
poena or  order  of  the  supervisor  or  chairman  of  the  board  of 
commissioners. 
Final  Decision,  and  Order  by  Commissioners. 

Sec.  13.  Within  ten  days  after  hearing  the  evidence  the 
board  of  commissioners  must  make  a  written  decision  with 
respect  to  the  order  appealed  from,  and  in  case  the  same  is 
affirmed  or  modified,  shall  retain  jurisdiction  thereof  until 
such  time  as  the  work  ordered  to  be  done  by  such  order 
shall  be  finally  completed.  This  written  decision  shall  be 
served  upon  the  owner  or  his  agent  and  shall  supersede  the 
previous  order  of  the  supervisor.  In  case  no  written  decision 
be  made  by  said  board  of  commissioners  within  thirty  days 
after  the  date  of  notice  by  the  supervisor  as  provided  in 
section  ten  hereof  the  order  of  the  supervisor  shall  be  effective 
and  subject  only  to  review  by  writ  of  certiorari  from  the 
superior  court  as  provided  in  section  fourteen  hereof. 
Repair  of  Wells  by  Supervisor — Review  by  Superior  Court. 

Sec.  14.  On  or  before  thirty  days  after  the  date  of  serving 
an  order  of  the  supervisor,  provided  for  in  section  eight  hereof, 
or  in  case  of  appeal  to  the  board  of  commissioners  on  or 
before  thirty  days  after  date  of  serving  the  decision  of  the 
board,  as  provided  in  sections  twelve  and  thirteen  hereof, 
or  in  the  event  review  be  taken  of  the  order  of  the  board  of 
commissioners  within  ten  days  after  affirmance  of  such  order. 


472  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

the  owner  shall  commence  in  good  faith  the  work  ordered  and 
continue  until  completion.  If  (the  work  has  not  been  so 
commenced  and  continued  to  completion,  the  supervisor  shall 
appoint  agents  as  he  deems  necessary  who  shall  enter  the 
premises  and  perform  the  work.  Accurate  account  of  such 
expenditures  shall  be  kept  and  the  amount  paid  from  the 
fund  hereinafter  created  upon  the  warrant  of  the  State  con- 
troller. Any  amount  so  expended  shall  constitute  a  lien 
against  the  property  upon  which  the  work  is  done.  The 
decision  of  the  board  of  commissioners  in  such  case  may  be 
reviewed  by  writ  of  certiorari  from  the  superior  court  of  the 
county  in  which  the  district  is  situated  if  taken  within  ten 
days  after  the  service  of  the  order  upon  said  owner,  operator, 
or  agent  of  said  owner  or  operator  as  herein  provided,  or 
within  ten  days  after  decision  by  the  board  of  commissioners 
upon  petitions  by  the  supervisor.  Such  writ  shall  be  made 
returnable  not  later  than  ten  days  after  the  issuance  thereof 
and  shall  direct  the  district  board  of  oil  and  gas  commission- 
ers to  certify  their  record  in  the  cause  to  such  court.  On  the 
return  day  the  cause  shall  be  heard  by  the  court  unless  for 
good  cause  the  same  be  continued,  but  no  continuance  shall 
be  permitted  for  a  longer  period  than  thirty  days.  No  new 
or  additional  evidence  shall  be  introduced  in  the  court  before 
the  cause  shall  be  heard  upon  the  record  of  the  district  board 
of  oil  and  gas  commissioners.  The  review  shall  not  be 
extended  further  than  to  determine  whether  or  not 

1.  The  commission  acted  without  or  in  excess  of  its  juris- 
diction. 

2.  The  order,  decision,  or  award  was  procured  by  fraud. 

3.  The  order,  decision,  rule,  or  regulation  is  unreasonable. 

4.  The  order,  decision,  regulation,  or  award  is  clearly  un- 
supported by  the  evidence. 

If  no  review  be  taken  within  ten  days,  or  if  taken  in  case 
the  decision  of  the  board  is  affirmed,  the  lien  upon  the  prop- 
erty shall  be  enforced  in  the  same  manner  as  the  other  liens 
on  real  property  are  enforced,  and  shall  first  be  enforced 


CALIFORNIA   LAWS  473 

against  the  owner  of  the  well,  against  the  operator  and 
against  the  personal  property  and  fixtures  used  in  the  con- 
struction or  operation  thereof,  and  then  if  there  be  any  de- 
ficiency against  the  land  upon  which  the  work  is  done,  upon 
the  request  of  the  super\dsor,  the  State  controller  must  in  the 
manner  provided  in  section  forty-four  of  this  act,  bring  an 
action  for  the  enforcement  of  said  lien. 
Casing — ^Water  Shut-o£F. 

Sec.  15.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  owner  of  any  well  now 
drilled,  or  that  may  .be  drilled  in  the  State  of  California,  on 
lands  producing  or  reasonably  presumed  to  contain  petroleum 
or  gBS,  to  properly  case  such  well  or  wells  with  metal  casing, 
in  accordance  with  methods  approved  by  the  supervisor,  and 
to  use  every  effort  and  endeavor  in  accordance  with  the  most 
approved  methods  to  effectually  shut  off  all  water  overlying 
or  underlying  the  oil  or  gas-bearing  strata,  and  tp  effectually 
prevent  any  water  from  penetrating  such  oil  or  gas-bearing 
strata. 

Whenever  it  appears  to  the  supervisor  that  any  water  is 
penetrating  oil  or  gas-bearing  strata,  he  may  order  a  test  of 
water  shut-off  and  designate  a  day  upon  which  the  same 
shall  be  held.  Said  order  shall  be  in  written  form  and  served 
upon  the  owner  of  said  well  at  least  ten  days  prior  to  the 
day  designated  in  said  order  as  the  day  upon  which  said 
shut-off  test  shall  be  held.  Upon  the  receipt  of  such  order 
it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  owner  to  hold  said  test  in  the 
manner  and  at  the  time  prescribed  in  said  order. 
Abaoidonment  of  Well. 

Sec.  16.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  owner  of  any  well 
referred  tp  in  this  act,  before  abandoning  the  same,  or  before 
removing  the  rig,  derrick,  or  other  operating  structure  there- 
from, or  removing  any  portion  of  the  casing  therefrom,  to 
use  every  effort  and  endeavor  in  accordance  with  methods 
approved  by  the  supervisor,  to  shut  off  and  exclude  all  water 
from  entering  oil-bearing  strata  encountered  in  the  well. 
Before  any  well  is  abandoned  the  owner  shall  give  written 


474  DEEP    WELL    DRILLING 

notice  to  the  supervisor,  or  his  local  deputy,  of  his  intention 
to  abandon  such  well  and  of  his  intention  to  remove  the 
derrick  or  any  portion  of  the  casing  from  such  well  and  the 
date  upon  which  such  work  of  abandonment  or  removal  shall 
begin.  The  notice  shall  be  given  to  the  supervisor,  or  his  local 
deputy,  at  least  five  days  before  such  proposed  abandonment 
or  removal.  The  owner  shall  furnish  the  supervisor,  or  his 
deputy,  with  such  information  as  he  may  request  showing  the 
condition  of  the  well  and  proposed  method  of  abandonment  or 
removal.  The  supervisor,  or  his  deputy,  shall,  before  the  pro- 
posed date  of  abandonment  or  removal,  furnish  the  owner 
with  a  written  order  of  approval  of  his  proposal  or  a  written 
order  stating  what  work  will  be  necessary  before  approval,  to 
abandon  or  remove  will  be  given.  If  the  supervisor  shall  fail 
within  the  specified  time  to  give  the  owner  a  written  order 
such  failure  shall  be  considered  as  an  approval  of  the  owner's 
proposal  to  abandon  the  well,  or  to  remove  the  rig  or  casing 
therefrom. 
Commencement  of  Drilling. 

Sec.  17.  The  owner  or  operator  of  any  well  referred  to  in 
this  act  shall,  before  commencing  the  work  of  drilling  an 
oil  or  gas  well,  file  with  the  supervisor,  or  his  local  deputy, 
a  written  notice  of  intention  to  commence  drilling.  Such 
notice  shall  also  contain  the  following  information:  (1)  State- 
ment of  location  and  elevation  above  sea  level  of  the  floor 
of  the  proposed  derrick  and  drill  rig;  (2)  the  number  or  other 
designation  by  which  such  well  shall  be  known,  which  num- 
ber or  designation  shall  not  be  changed  after  filing  the  notice 
provided  for  in  this  section,  without  the  written  consent  of 
the  supervisor  being  obtained  therefor;  (3)  the  owner's  or 
operator's  estimate  of  the  depth  of  the  point  at  which  water 
will  be  shut  off,  together  with  the  method  by  which  such 
shut-off  is  intended  to  be  made  and  the  size  and  weight  of 
casing  to  be  used;  (4)  the  owner's  or  operator's  estimate  of 
the  depth  at  which  oil  or  gas-producing  sand  or  formation 
will  be  encountered. 


CALIFORNIA    LAWS  475 

After  the  completion  of  any  well  the  provisions  of  this 
section  shall  also  apply,  as  far  as  may  be,  to  the  deepening 
or  redrilling  of  any  well,  or  any  operation  involving  the 
plugging  of  any  well  or  any  operations  permanently  altering 
in  any  manner  the  casing  of  any  well :  And  provided  further. 
That  the  number  or  designation  by  which  any  well  heretofore 
drilled  has  been  known,  shall  not  be  changed  without  first 
obtaining  a  written  consent  of  the  supervisor. 
Log  of  Well— Prospect  Well. 

Sec.  18.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  owner  or  operator  of 
any  well  referred  to  in  this  act  to  keep  a  careful  and  accurate 
log  of  the  drilling  of  such  well,  such  log  to  show  the  character 
and  depth  of  the  formation  passed  through  or  encountered 
in  the  drilling  of  such  well,  and  particularly  to  show  the 
location  and  depth  of  the  water-bearing  strata,  together  with 
the  character  of  the  water  encountered  from  time  to  time 
(so  far  as  ascertained)  and  to  show  at  what  point  such  water 
was  shut  off,  if  at  all,  and  if  not,  to  so  state  in  such  log,  and 
show  completely  the  amounts,  kinds,  and  size  of  casing  used, 
and  show  the  depth  at  which  oil-bearing  strata  are  encoun- 
tered, the  depth  and  character  of  same,  and  whether  all  water 
overlying  and  underlying  such  oil-bearing  strata*  was  success- 
fully and  permanently  shut  off  so  as  to  prevent  the  percola- 
tion or  penetration  into  such  oil-bearing  strata;  such  log 
shall  be  kept  in  the  local  office  of  the  owner  or  operator,  and 
together  with  the  tour  reports  of  said  owner  or  operator, 
shall  be  subject,  during  business  hours,  to  the  inspection  of 
the  supervisor,  or  any  of  his  deputies,  or  any  of  the  com- 
missioners of  the  district,  except  in  the  Case  of  a  prospect 
well  as  hereinafter  defined.  Upon  the  completion  of  any 
well,  or  upon  the  suspension  of  operations  upon  any  well, 
for  a  period  of  six  months  if  it  be  a  prospect  well,  or  for  thirty 
days,  if  it  be  in  proven  territory,  a  copy  of  said  log  in  dupli- 
cate, and  in  such  form  as  the  supervisor  may  direct,  shall  be 
filed  within  ten  days  after  such  completion,  or  after  the 
expiration  of  said  thirty-day  period,  with  the  field  supervisor, 


476  DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 

• 

and  a  like  copy  shall  be  filed  upon  the  completion  of  any 
additional  work  in  the  deepening  of  any  such  well. 

The  State  oil  and  gas  supervisor  shall  determine  and 
designate  what  wells  are  prospect  wells  within  the  meaning 
of  this  act  and  no  reports  shall  be  required  from  such  prospect 
wells  until  six  months  after  the  completion  thereof. 

The  owner  or  operator  of  any  well  drilled  previous  to  the 
enactment  of  this  act  shall  furnish  to  the  supervisor  or  his 
deputy  a  complete  and  correct  log  in  duplicate  and  in  such  a 
form  as  the  supervisor  may  direct,  or  his  deputy,  of  such  well, 
so  far  as  may  be  possible,  together  with  a  statement  of  the 
present  condition  of  said  well. 
Test  of  Shut-off. 

Sec.  19.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  owner  or  operator  of 
any  well  referred  to  in  this  act  to  notify  the  deputy  super- 
visor of  the  time  at  which  the  owner  or  operator  shall  test 
the  shut-off  of  water  in  any  such  well.  Such  notice  shall 
be  given  at  least  five  days  before  such  test.  The  deputy 
supervisor  or  an  inspector  designated  by  the  supervisor  shall 
be  present  at  such  test  and  shall  render  a  report  in  writing 
of  the  result  thereof  to  the  supervisor,  a  duplicate  of  which 
shall  be  delivered  to  the  owner.  If  any  test  shall  be  unsatis- 
factory to  th'e  supervisor  he  shall  so  notify  the  owner  or 
operator  in  said  report  and  shall,  within  five  days  after  the 
completion  of  such  test,  order  additional  tests  of  such  work 
as  he  deems  necessary  to  properly  shut  off  the  water  in  such 
well  and  in.  such  order  shall  designate  a  day  upon  which 
the  owner  or  operator  shall  again  test  the  shut-off  of  water 
in  any  such  well,  which  day  may,  upon  the  application  of 
the  owner,  be  changed  from  time  to  time  in  the  discretion  of 
the  deputy  supervisor. 

Sections  20  to  53  inclusive  of  the  California  laws  relating 
to  oil  and  gas  wells  cover  the  production  reports  required  by 
the  State,  charges  and  assessments  on  production,  annual 
reports  of  producing  well  owners,  penalties,  etc.,  with  refer- 
ence to  the  production  of  oil  and  gas  and  which  are  omitted 
here. 


CALIFORNIA  LAWS  "^  477 

TO  PREVENT  WASTING  OP  NATURAL  GAS 

AN  ACT  Prohibiting  the  unnecessary  wasting  of  natural  gas 
into  the  atmosphere ;  providing  for  the  capping  or  other; 
wise  closing  of  wells  from  which  natural  gas  flows ;  and 
providing  penalties  for  violating  the  provisions  of  this  act. 

[Approved  March  25,  1911] 

The  people  of  the  State  of  California,  represented  in  senate 
and  assembly,  do  enact  as  follows : 

Section  1.  All  persons,  firms,  corporations,-  and  associa- 
tions are  hereby  prohibited  from  willfully  permitting  any 
natural  gas  wastefuUy  to  escape  into  the  atmosphere. 

Sec.  2.  All  persons,  firms,  corporations,  or  associations  dig- 
ging, drilling,  excavating,  constructing,  or  owning  or  con- 
trolling any  well  from  which  natural  gas  flows  shall  upon  the 
abandonment  of  such  well,  cap  or  otherwise  close  the  mouth 
of  or  entrance  to  the  same  in  such  a  manner  as  to  prevent 
the  unnecessary  or  wasteful  escape  into  the  atmosphere  of 
such  natural  gas.  And  no  person,  firm,  corporation,  or  asso- 
ciation owning  or  controlling  land  in  which  such  well  or 
wells  are  situated  shall  willfully  permit  natural  gas  flowing 
from  such  well  or  wellS  wastefully  or  unnecessarily  to  escape 
into  the  atmosphere. 

Sec.  3.  Any  person,  firm,  corporation,  or  association  who 
shall  willfully  violate  any  of  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall 
be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  upon  conviction 
thereof  shall  be  punished  by  a  fine  of  not  more  than  $1,000 
or  by  imprisonment  in  the  county  jail  for  not  more  than  one 
year,  or  by  both  such  fine  and  imprisonment. 

Sec.  4.  For  the  purposes  of  this  act  each  day  during  which 
natural  gas  shall  be  willfully  allowed  wastefully  or  uneces- 
sarily  to  escape  into  the  atmosphere  shall  be  deemed  a  sepa- 
rate and  distinct  violation  of  this  act. 

Sec.  5.  All  acts  or  parts  of  acts  in  conflict  herewith  arc 
hereby  repealed. 

Sec.  6.   This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 


478  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

LOUISIANA  LAWS 

RULES  AND  REGULATIONS 

Rules,  Regulations  and  Requirements  Governing  the 

Conservation  of  Natural  Gas  and  Crude 

Oil  or  Petroleum 

9 

Rule  1. — Waste  Prohibited. — Natural  gas  and  crude  oil  or 
petroleum  shall  not  be  produced  in  the  State  of  Louisiana  in 
such  manner  and  under  such  conditions  as  to  constitute  waste. 

Rule  2. — Waste  Defined — ^Protection. — The  term  "waste"  as 
used  herein,  in  addition  to  its  ordinary  meaning,  shall  include 
economic  waste,  underground  waste,  surface  waste,  and  waste 
incident  to  the  production  of  crude  oil  or  petroleum  in  excess 
of  transportation,  storage,  or  marketing  facilities. 

Rule  3. — Gas  to  Be  Confined — Strata  to  Be  Protected.— 
Whenever  natural  gas  in  commercial  quantities,  or  a  gas  bear- 
ing stratum  known  to  contain  natural  gas  in  such  quantities 
is  encountered  in  any  well  drilled  for  oil  or  gas  in  this  State, 
such  gas  shall  be  confined  to  its  original  stratum  until  such 
time  as  the  same  can  be  produced  and  utilized  without  waste, 
and  all  such  strata  shall  be  adequately  protected  from  infil- 
trating waters. 

Rule  4. — Approved  Methods  of  Preventing  Waste  to  Be 
Used. — All  operators,  contractors,  or  drillers,  pipe  line  com- 
panies, gas  distributing  companies,  or  individuals,  drilling 
for  or  producing  crude  oil  or  natural  gas,  or  piping  oil  or  gas 
for  any  purpose,  shall  use  every  possible  precaution  in  accord- 
ance with  the  most  approved  methods,  to  stop  and  prevent 
waste  of  oil  or  gas,  or  both,  in  drilling  and  producing  opera- 
tions, storage,  or  piping  or  distributing,  and  shall  not  waste- 
fully  utilize  oil  or  gas,  or  allow  same  to  leak  or  escape  from 
natural  reservoirs,  wells,  tanks,  containers  or  pipes. 

Rule  5. — Notice  of  Intention  to  Drill,  Deepen,  Pull,  Plug, 
or  Abandon. — Written  notice  to  drill,  deepen,  pull  or  plug  a 


LOUISIANA  LAWS  479 

well  or  wells  shall  be  given  to  the  Department  of  Conserva- 
tion, made  out  on  such  blank  or  forms  as  provided  or  desig- 
nated by  the  Department  of  Conservation  for  that  purpose. 

Rule  6. — A  Complete  and  Accurate  Log  of  Each  Well 
Drilled  or  Deepened  Required. — Oil  and  gas  operators  in 
Louisiana  shall  keep  an  accurate  and  complete  log  of  each 
and  every  well  they  drill  or  deepen,  and  furnish  the  Depart- 
ment of  Conservation  with  two  typewritten  copies  of  same, 
not  later  than  ten  days  after  the  completion  of  any  and  all 
such  work. 

Rule  7. — Plugging  Dry  and  Abandoned  Wells. — All  dry  or 
abandoned  wells  must  be  plugged  by  confining  all  oil,  gas  or 
water  in  the  strata  in  which  .they  occur  by  the  use  of  mud- 
laden  fluid,  and  in  addition  to  mud-laden  fluid,  cement  and 
plugs  may  be  used.  These  wells  must  first  be  thoroughly 
cleaned  out  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole  and  before  the  casing 
is  removed  from  the  hole,  the  hole  must  be  filled  from  the 
bottorn  to  the  top  with  mud-laden  fluid  of  maximum  density 
and  'which  shall  weigh  at  least  25  per  cent,  more  than  an 
equal  volume  of  water,, unless  the  Diepartment  of  Conservation 
directs  that  some  other  method  shall  be  used. 

Rule  8.— Proper*  Anchorage  to  Be  Laid. — Before  ariy  well 
is  begun  in  any  field  where  it  is  not  known  that  high  pressure 
does  not  exist,  proper  anchorage  shall  be  laid,  so  that  the  con- 
trol casing-head  may  be  used  on  the  two  outer  strings  of 
casing  ^t  all  times,  and  this  type  of  casing-head  shall  be  kept 
in  constant  use  unless  it  is  known  from  previous  experience 
and  operations  on  wells  adjacent  to  the  one  being  drilled 
that  high  pressure  does  not  exist  or  will  not  be  encountered 
therein. 

Rule  9. — Equipment  for  Conserving  Natural  Gas  to  Be 
Provided  Before  "Drilling  in." — In  all  proven  or  well  defined 
gas  fields,  or  where  it  can  be  reasonably  expected  that  gas  in 
commercial  quantities  will  be  encountered,  adequate  prepara- 
tion shall  be  made  for  the  conservation  of  gas  before  "drilling 
in"  any  well;  and  the  gas  sands  shall  not  be  penetrated  until 


480  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

equipment  (including  mud  pumps,  lubricators,  etc.)  for 
"mudding  in"  all  gas  strata  or  sands,  shall  have  been  pro- 
vided.   . 

Rule  10.— Separate  Slush  Pit  to  Be  Provided.— Before 
commencing  to  drill  a  well,  a  separate  slush  pit  or  sump  hole 
shall  be  constructed  by  the  owner,  operator,  or  contractor, 
for  the  reception  of  all  pumpings  from  clay  or  soft  shale 
formations  in  order  to  have  the  same  on  hand  for  the  making 
of  mud-laden  fluid. 

Rule  11.— Wells  Not  to  Be  Permitted  to  Produce  Oil  and 
Gas  from  DifiFerent  Strata. — No  well  shall  be  permitted  to 
produce  both  oil  and  gas  from  different  strata  unless  it  be 
in  such  manner  as  to  prevent  waste  of  any  character  to 
either  product.  Therefore,  if  a  stratum  should  be  encoun- 
tered bearing  gas  and  the  owner,  operator,  or  contractor 
should  go  deeper  in  search  for  either  gas  or  oil  bearing  sands, 
the  stratum  first  penetrated  and  likewise  each  and  every  sand 
in  turn,  shall  be  closed  separately,  and  if  it  is  not  wanted  for 
immediate  use,  it  shall  be  securely  shut  in  so  as  to  prevent 
waste,  either  open  or  underground. 

Rule  12. Strata  to  Be  Sealed  Off.— No  well  shall  be 

drilled  through  or  below  any  oil,  gas  or  water  stratum  without 
sealing  off  such  stratum  or  the  contents  thereof,  after  passing 
through  the  sand,  either  by  the  mud-laden  fluid  process  or  by 
casing  and  packers,  regardless  of  volume  or  thickness  of 
sand. 

Rule  13. Mud-Laden  Fluid  to  Be  Applied. — No  gis  sand 

or  stratum  upon  being  penetrated  shall  be  drilled  or  left  open, 
except  at  the  discretion  of  the  Department  of  Conservation 
without  the  application  of  mud-laden  fluid  to  prevent  the 
escape  of  gas  while  further  drilling  in  or  through  such  sand 
or  stratum. 

Rule  14. — Fresh  Water  to  Be  Protected. — Fresh  water, 
whether  above  or  below  the  surface,  shall  be  protected  from 
pollution,  whether  in  drilling  or  plugging. 

Rule  15. — ^^Gas  to  Be  Separated  from  Oil. — No  gas  found 


LOUISIANA  LAWS  481 

in  the  upper  part  of  a  level  of  sand  which  can  be  separated 
from  the  oil  in  the  lower  part  of  same  sand  or  in  a  lower 
or  different  sand  shall  be  allowed  or  used  to  flow  oil  to  the 
surface*  and  all  gas,  so  far  as  it  is  possible  to  dp  so,  shall 
be  separated  from  the  oil  and  securely  protected. 

Rule  16. — Separating  Device  to  Be  Installed  upon  Order  of 
the  Department  of  Conservation. — ^Where  oil  and  gas  are 
found  in  the  same  stratum  and  it  is  impossible  to  separate  the 
one  from  the  other,  the  operator  shall,  upon  being  so  ordered 
by  the  Department  of  Conservation,  install  a  separating 
device  of  approved  type,  which  shall  be  kept  in  place  and 
used  as  long  as  necessity  therefor  exists,  and  after  being  in- 
stalled such  device  shall  not  be  removed,  nor  the  use  thereof 
discontinued  without  the  consent  of  the  Department  of 
Conservation. 

Rule  17. — Notification  of  Fires  and  Breaks  or  Leaks  in 
Lines. — All  drillers,  operators,  pipe  line  companies  and  indi- 
viduals operating  oil  and  gas  wells  or  pipe  lines  shall  immedi- 
ately notify  the  Department  of  Conservation  by  telegraph 
or  telephone  and  by  letter  of  all  fires  which  occur  at  oil  and 
gas  wells  or  oil  tanks  owned,  operated  or  controlled  by  them 
or  on  their  property,  and  shall  immediately  report  all  tanks 
•struck  by  lightning  an*d  any  other  fires  which  destroy  crude 
oil  or  natural  gas,  and  shall  immediately  report  in  the  manner 
heretofore  described  any  breaks  or  leaks  in  the  tanks  or  pipe 
lines  from  which  oil  and  gas  are  escaping.  In  all  reports  of 
fires,  breaks,  or  leaks  in  pipes,  or  other  accidents  of  this 
nature,  the  location  of  the  well,  tank  or  line  break  shall  be 
given,  showing  location  by  quarter,  section,  township  and 
range. 

Rule  18.— Drilling  Records  to  Be  Kept  at  Well  During  the 
Process  of  Drilling. — All  operators,  contractors,  or  drillers 
shall  keep  at  each  well  accurate  records  of  the  drilling,  re- 
drilling,  deepening  of  all  wells,  showing  all  formations  drilling 
through,  casing  used  and  other  information  in  connection  with 
drilling  and  operation  of  the  property  and  any  and  all  of  its 
information  shall  be  furnished  to  the  Department  of  Con- 


482  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

servation  upon  request,  or  to  any  Conservation  Agent  of  the 
Department. 

Rule  19. — Conservation  Agents  to  Have  Access  to  All 
Wells. — Conservation  agents  of  the  Department  shall  have 
access  to  all  wells  at  any  and  all  times,  and  all  companies, 
contractors,  or  drillers  shall  permit  any  Conservation  Agent 
of  the  Department  of  Conservation  to  come  upon  any  lease 
or  property  operated  or  controlled  by  them,  and  to  inspect 
any  and  all  wells,  etc.,  provided,  that  information  so  obtained 
by  conservation  agents  shall  be  considered  official  informa- 
tion and  shall  be  reported  only  to  the  Department  of  Con- 
servation. . 

Rule  20. — Notice  to  Contractors,  Drillers  and  Others  to 
Observe  Rules. — All  contractors  and  drillers  carrying  on 
business  Or  doing  wx^rk  in  the- oil  or  gas  fields  of  the  State, 
as  well  as  lease  holders,  land  owners,  and  operators  gener- 
ally, shall  take  notice  of  any,  and  are  hereby  directed  to 
observe  and  apply  the  foregoing  rules  and  regulations;  and 
all  contractors,  drillers,  land  owners,  and  operators  will  be 
held  responsible  for  infraction  of  said  rules  and  regulations. 

Rule  21. — Three  Strings  of  Casing  to  Be  Used  in  Ouachita, 
Morehouse,  Richland  and  Union  Parishes. — In  drilling  any 
and  all  wells  in  the  above  mentioned  parishes  it  shall  be 
unlawful  for  an}'-  operator  or  operators  to  use  less  than  three 
'strings  of  casing  made  up  of  10-inch,  8-inch  and  6-inch.  The 
first  two  strings  to  exclude  the  upper  waters  and  the  6-inch 
cemented  as  near  the  gas  or  oil  sands  as  possible.  The  casing 
so  used  shall  be  cemented  and  the  cement  brought  up  on 
the  hole  outside  the  casing  so  as  to  effectually  shut  off  all 
water.  The  casing  must  be  properly  set  in  suitable  forma- 
tion and  .cemented  with  a  liberal  quantity  of  cement.  Should 
it  become  necessary  at  any  time  to  use  different  size  casing, 
other  than  the  sizes  mentioned  here,  a  special  permit  must 
be  secured  from  the  Department  of  Conservation  to  do  so. 
Any  and  all  such  requests  must  be  accompanied  by  a  full 
explanation  setting  forth  the  reasons,  etc.,  for  it.    Any  person, 


LOUISIANA   LAWS  483 

firm,  association  or  corporation  who  drills  a  well  in  the  above 
mentioned  parishes  for  either  gas  or  oil  or  for  testing  or 
relief  purposes  of  any  description  shall  adhere  strictly  to  the 
above  rule  in  the  prosecution  of  any  and  all  such  work. 

Rule  22. — Protection  of  the  Shallow  Oil  Strata  in  Claiborne 
Parish. — In  setting  6-inch  casing,  two  sacks  of  cement  to  sack 

of  sand  must  be  used  as  follows : 

Size  Outside  Sacks  of  Sacks  of 

of  diameter  cement  to  sand  to 

hole.  of  pipe.  be  used.  be  used. 

7^-inch  6.625  8.52  4.26 

8>4-inch  6.625  12.15  6.25 

9%-inch  6.625  23.54  11.77 

The  above  table  is  figured  for  a  depth  of  100  feet,  and  on 
the  assumption  that  hole  is  drilled  true  to  dimensions.  Devia- 
tions from  the  above,  caused  by  unevenness  of  hole  or  falling 
dirt,  to  be  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  driller.  Any  person, 
firm,  association  or  corporation  desirous  of  deepening  any 
shallow  well,  or  wells  that  are  now  in  or  hereafter  brought 
in,  shall  adhere  strictly  to  the  above  rule  in  the  prosecution 
of  any  and  all  such  work. 

Rule  23.— Only  25  Per  Cent,  of  Capacity  of  Gas  Wells  to 
Be  Taken. — All  operators,  companies,  associations,  corpora- 
tions, pipe  line  and  transportation  companies  are  hereby  pro- 
hibited  from  taking  more  than  25  per  cent,  of  the  daily  natural 
flow  of  any  and  all  gas  wells  within  the  limits  of  the  State 
of  Louisiana. 

Rule  24. — Flambeau  Lights  Unlawful. — It  shall  be  unlawful 
for  any  operator,  contractor,  driller,  company,  association,  or 
corporation  to  use  natural  gas  for  illuminating  purposes  in 
what  is  known  as  Flambeau  Lights,  but  nothing  herein  shall 
prohibit  the  use  of  "J^^^^o"  burners  or  other  burners  in 
glass  globes  consuming  no  more  gas  than  such  "J^mbo'^ 
burners. 

Rule  25. — Gas  to  Be  Metered. — All  gas  produced  from  na- 
ture's deposits  in  the  State  of  Louisiana  shall  be  measured 


484  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

through  properly  constructed  and  accurately  adjust^^nf^^^r  (W 
meters.  Each  producing  well  must  be  on  a  separate  iKieter  at 
all  times  and  accessible  to  any  Conservation  Agent  ^t  any 
time. 

Rule  26.— Burning  Gas  During  the  Day. — No  gas  shall  be 
used  or  burned  for  illuminating  purposes  between  the  hours 
of  eight  o'clock  A.  M.  and  five  o'clock  P.  M.  unless  tho  same 
is  regulated  by  meter. 

Rule  27. — Disposition  of  Waste  from  Wells. — No  inflam- 
mable product  from  any  oil  or  gas  well  shall  be  permitted 
to  run  into  any  tank,  pool,  or  stream  used  for  watering  live 
stock,  and  all  waste  of  oil  and  refuse  from  tanks  or  wells  must 
be  drained  into  proper  receptacles  at  a  safe  distance  from 
the  tanks,  wells,  or  buildings,  and  be  immediately  burned 
or  transported  from  the  premises,  and  in  no  case  shall  it  be 
permitted  to  flow  over  the  land.  Salt  water  shall  not  be 
allowed  to  flow  over  ♦the  surface  of  the  land. 

Rule  28. — Reports  from  Oil  and  Gas  Well  Operators  and 
Pipe  Line  Companies  Required. — The  Department  of  Con- 
servation requires  monthly  reports  on  forms  or  blanks  fur- 
nished by  or  designated  by  the  Department  of  Conservation 
to  be  filled  out  completely,  showing  their  completed  oil  and 
gas  wells  and  their  oil  and  gas  production  by  Parishes  and 
the  pipe  line  runs  by  Parishes. 

Rule  29, — It  shall  hereafter  be  unlawful  for  any  person, 
firm,  corporation,  or  association  to  commence  the  erection 
in  the  State  of  Louisiana  of  any  carbon  plant  or  plants  for 
the  manufacture  of  carbon  black  from  natural  gas  or  to  make 
any  extensions  or  enlargements  of  such  carbon  plant  or  plants 
hereafter  begun,  or  enlargements  of  existing  plants  wherein 
the  erection  of  such  enlargements  has  not  been  commenced 
prior  to  the  promulgation  hereof,  without  having  first  ob- 
tained from  the  Department  of  Conservation  of  the  State 
of  Louisiana  a  special  permit,  officially  signed. 

All  permit  applications  as  referred  to  here  must  be  accom- 
panied by  a  complete  and  accurate  copy  of  the  plans  and 
.specifications  of  the  proposed  work,  having  the  size  of  the 


LOUISIANA  LAWS  485 

plants,  number  of  houses  to  each  unit  of  each  plant,  etc., 
together  with  the  plant  location,  name  and  postoffice  address 
of  the  company  or  owner  of  such  plant  or  plants. 

All  special  permits  so  issued  by  the  Department  of  Con- 
servation automatically  expire  12  months  from  date  of  such 
permit  or  permits,  and  the  renewals  thereof  shall  be  left  to 
the  discretion  of  the  Department  of  Conservation  as  to 
whether  or  not  the  available  supply  of  natural  gas,  at  the 
time  such  application  for  permits  are  received  by  the  De- 
partment of  Conservation,  is  sufficient  to  justify  further  drain 
on  the  natural  gas  resotirces  in  the  territory  or  district  from 
which  the  gas  is  taken. 

Rule  30. — Extraction  of  Gasoline  from  Natural  Gas  Used 
by  Carbon  Plant. — Before  any  carbon  plant  or  manufacturer 
can  utilize  any  natural  gas  in  Louisiana,  known  to  contain 
gasoline  (to  make  the  extraction  therefrom  beneficial  and 
profitable),  for  making  or  manufacturing  carbon,  the  gasoline 
therein  must  be  extracted  and  saved. 

Rule  31. — Taking  Control  of  Abandoned  and  Other  Wells. — 
Any  oil  or  gas  well,  or  wells,  or  any  abandoned  well,  or  wells, 
in  the  State  of  Louisiana  that  is  not  properly  drilled,  capped, 
or  plugged  according  to  law,  or  any  oil  or  gas  well,  or  wells, 
wasting  oil  or  gas,  or  both,  in  violation  of  the  state  laws 
or  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Department  of  Conserva- 
tion, the  sqid  Department  of  Conservation  will  exercise  its 
rights,  privileges,  and  power  under  Act  No.  2S0  of  1920  in 
such  cases,  and  take  charge  and  control  of  any  and  all  such 
well,  or  wells,  with  the  view  and  purpose  of  correcting  any 
defect  or  waste  therefrom,  etc.,  that  might  be  in  violation  of 
the  state's  laws  or  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Conservation.  This  act  gives  a  lien  and  privilege  in 
favor  of  the  Department  of  Conservation,  State  of  Louisiana, 
for  all  reasonable  expenses  and  costs  incurred  by  it  or  under 
its  authority,  in  the  closing,  capping,  plugging,  or  correcting 
the  conditions  of  each  and  every  such  well,  or  wells,  and 
extending  this  lien  and  privilege  to  all  leases,  property,  equip- 


486  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

ment  and  mineral  products  therefrom  that  are  owned  by  any 
such  company,  firm,  individual,  corporation,  or  association. 

Rule  32. — Conservation  Agents  to  Assist  in  Enforcement  of 
Rules. — All  conservation  agents  of  the  Department  shall 
assist  in  the  enforcement  of  these  rules  and  shall  immediately 
notify  the  Department  of  Conservation  upon  observance  of 
any  infraction  thereof. 

Rule  33. — Additional  Rules  Will  Be  Prescribed  from  Time 
to  Time. — The  Department  of  Conservation  will  from  time  to 
time  prescribe  additional  rules,  regulations,  and  requirements 
for  the  conservation  of  crude  oil,  or  petroleum,  and  natural 
gas. 

Rule  34. — Notice  of  Intention  to  Plug.— Before  plugging 
dry  or  abandoned  well  or  wells,  advance  written  notice 
(including  a  complete  description  as  to  the  location  of  any 
such  well  or  wells,  and  the  date  and  time  of  day  (near  as 
possible),  as  to  when  the  work  will  be  done),  shall  be  given 
to  the  Department  of  Conservation  in  order  that  a  representa- 
tive of  the  Department  of  Conservation  might  be  present  to 
witness  the  plugging  or  abandonment  of  any  such  well  or 
wells  in  the  State  of  Louisiana. 

Rule  35. — Any  rule  or  regulation  or  any  part  of  any  rule,  or 
regulation  in  conflict  herewith  is  hereby  repealed. 

This  order  adopted  October  1,  1920,  and  to  be  in  full  force 
and  effect  thirty  (30)  days  thereafter. 
Extract  from  Act  250  of  1920 : 

Section  6.  Be  it  further  enacted,  etc..  That  the  Depart- 
ment of  Conservation  shall  have  the  right  to  appear  in  court,* 
through  its  chief  officer  or  other  designated  agent,  or  subordi- 
nate officer,  duly  designated  by  the  chief  officer  to  enforce 
rules  and  regulations  and  any  provision  of  this  act  by  civil 
or  criminal  process  before  any  court  in  the  State  of  Louisiana 
of  competent  jurisdiction. 

Any  corporation,  partnership,  association  or  individual  who 


LOUISIANA  LAWS  487 

shall  wilfully  violate  any  provisions  or  any  rule  or  regulation 
adopted  by  the  Department  of  Conservation,  pursuant  hereto, 
upon  conviction  thereof  by  any  court  of  competent  jurisdic- 
tion shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor  and  may  be 
fined  not  less  than  Fifty  ($50.00)  Dollars  nor  more  than 
Fifteen  Hundred  ($1,500.00)  Dollars  or  suffer  imprisonment 
for  not  more  than  fifteen  (15)  days  in  the  Parish  jail,  or  both, 
at  the  discretion  of  the  court. 

OHIO  LAWS 

Section  973.  Any  person,  firm  or  corporation  causing  to  be 
drilled  any  well  for  oil  or  gas,  or  elevator  well,  or  any  test 
well  within  the  limits  of  any  coal  producing  county  of  this 
state,  must  give  notice  in  writing  of  such  fact  to  the  chief 
inspector  of  mines,  stating  the  location  of  the  land  upon 
which  such  well  is  to  be  drilled. 

It  shall  be  the  duty  of  any  such  person,  firm  or  corporation 
to  make  or  cause  to  be  made  an  accurate  map  on  a  scale  of 
one  inch  to  400  feet,  showing  on  said  map  the  location  and 
number  of  wells,  the  property  lines  of  the  property  upon 
which  located  in  the  township,  section  and  quarter  section  in 
which  the  same  is  being  drilled,  together  with  a  measure- 
ment from  the  section  line,  and  also  from  the  quarter  section 
line,  together  with  the  sworn  statement  of  the  person,  firm 
or  corporation  making  said  map,  the  same  to  be  kept  on  file 
in  the  office  of  the  state  mining  department  and  shall  be 
open  for  inspection  by  the  public  at  all  reasonable  hours. 
The  original  map  shall  be  retained  by.  the  owner  or  surveyor 
and  one  blue  print  filed  with  the  chief  inspector  of  mines  and  • 
one  with  the  recorder  of  the  county  in  which  such  well  is 
located  within  sixty  days  after  the  passage  and  approval  of 
.  this  act,  or  after  commencing  to  drill  any  oil  or  gas  well  and 
if  drilling  is  still  continued  on  the  property  already  surveyed, 
a  complete  blue  print  shall  be  made  and  filed  at  the  end  of 
each  year. 

No  oil  or  gas  well  shall  be  drilled  nearer  than  three  hundred 
feet  to  any  opening  to  a  mine  used  as  a  means  of  ingress  or 
egress  for  the  persons  employed  therein,  or  nearer  than  one 


4«a  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

hundred  feet  to  any  building  or  inflammable  structure  con- 
nected therewith  and  actually  used  as  a  part  of  the  operating 
equipment  of  said  mine. 

In  the  event  that  a  well  being  drilled  for  oil  or  gas  pene- 
trates the  excavations  of  any  mine,  it  must  be  cased  with 
casing  of  approximately  the  same  diameter  as  the  diameter  of 
the  hole,  the  hole  to  be  drilled  thirty  feet  or  to  solid  slate  or 
rock  and  not  less  than  ten  feet  below  the  floor  of  such  mine, 
and  the  casing  shall  be  placed  in  the  following  manner :  one 
string  of  casing  shall  be  placed  at  a  point  above  the  roof  of 
said  mine  so  as  to  shut  off  all  of  the  surface  water  and  then 
the  hole  drilled  through  said  mine  and  another  string  of 
casing  put  in  and  the  bottom  of  the  second  string  of  casing, 
or  the  one  passing  through  said  mine  shall  not  be  nearer  than 
ten  feet  or  more  than  thirty  feet  from  the  floor  of  the  mine 
where  it  passes  through  the  same. 

When  any  well  which  has  been  drilled  for  oil  or  gas  is 
to  be  abandoned  and  has  passed  through  the  excavations  of 
any  coal  mine  from  which  the  mineral  coal  has  not  all  been 
removed  the  person,  firm  or  corporation  owning  said  well 
shall  leave  in  said  well  the  casing  passing  through  said  mine 
from  a  point  not  less  than  ten  feet,  nor  more  than  thirty  feet 
below  the  floor  of  said  mine  and  extending  above  the  roof 
of  said  mine  five  feet  and  a  seasoned  wooden  plug,  or  iron 
ball  shall  be  driven  to  a  point  forty  feet  below  the  floor 
of  the  mine  and  shall  then  fill  the  hc'le  and  the  casing 
left  in  with  the  cement  or  a  seasoned  wooden  plug  or  iron 
ball  shall  be  driven  on  top  of  the  same,  atul  the  hole  shaJl  then 
•be  filled  for  a  distance  of  not  less  than  twenty  feet  with 
cement.  If  any  oil  pr  gas  well  has  passed  through  a  workable 
vein  or  seam  of  coal,  it  shall  when  it  is  abandoned  be  plugged 
in  the  following  manner:  a  seasoned  wooden  plug  or  iron 
ball  shall  be  driven  to  a  point  30  feet  below  the  lowest  work- 
able seam  of  coal  and  the  hole  filled  with  cerpent  to  a  point 
20  feet  above  the  first  seam  of  coal  and  another  wooden  plug 
or  iron  ball  driven  and  the  hole  filled  for  a  distance  of  twenty 
feet  with  cement.  ■..,.'      -n       .  j    ;i 

The  property  owner  or  owners  shall  reportitto  .the  chief 


OHIO    LAWS  489 

inspector  of  mines  of  the  commencing  to  drill  of  any  well  or 
wells  for  oil  or  gas  on  his  or  their  property  and  shall  report 
at  the  end  of  each  year  thereafter,  if  drilling  is  continued,  the 
number  of  wells  drilled  on  his  or  their  property,  the  date 
drilled  and  by  whom  drilled. 

When  any  oil  or  gas  well  is  to  be  abandoned,  the  person, 
firm  or  corporation  having  drilled  or  operated  such  well  shall 
notify  the  chief  inspector  of  mines  at  least  ten  days  in  advance 
so  that  he  may  direct  one  of  his  district  inspectors  to  be 
present  at  the  time  of  abandonment. 

Section  6311.  The  owner  or  operator  of  a  well  for  the  pro- 
duction of  petroleum  oil,  natural  gas  or  mineral  water,  before 
drilling  into  the  oil  and  gas  bearing  rock  shall  incase  such 
well  with  good  and  sufficient  wrought  iron  casing,  so  that 
the  surface  or  fresh  water  from  the  lower  part  of  such  well 
will  not  penetrate  the  oil  or  gas  bearing  rock.  If  a  well  is 
drilled  through  the  first  oil  or  gas  bearing  rock  into  a  lower 
one,  it  must  be  cased  so  as  to  exclude  all  fresh  water  above 
the  last  oil  or  gas  bearing  rock  penetrated. 

Section  6312.  The  owner  or  operator  of  a  well,  constructed 
for  any  of  the  purposes  named  in  the  next  preceding  section, 
intending  to  abandon  or  cease  operating  it,  and  before  draw- 
ing the  casing  therefrom,  shall  securely  fill  such  well  with 
rock  sediment,  or  mortar  composed  of  two  parts  sand  and 
one  part  cement,  to  the  depth  of  two  hundred  feet  above  the 
top  of  the  first  oil  or  gas  bearing  rock,  so  as  to  prevent  the 
surface  or  fresh  water  from  penetrating  to  the  oil  or  gas 
bearing  rock,  arid  the  gas  and  oil  from  escaping  therefrom. 

Section  6313.  If  such  owner  or  operator  fails  to  comply, 
or  inefficiently  complies  with  the  next  preceding  section,  the 
owner  of  the  land  upon  which  such  well  is  situated  shall 
forthwith  comply  therewith.  If  all  the  persons  heretofore 
named  fail  to  so  fill,  or  inefficiently  so  fill  such  well,  any 
person,  after  written  demand  therefor  to  any  of  such  persons, 
may  enter,  take  possession  of  such  well  and  fully  comply  with 
such  section. 


490  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

Section  6314.  The  reasonable  cost  and  expense  of  so  filling 
such  well  shall  forthwith  be  paid  by  such  owner  or  operator, 
and  on  his  default,  by  the  owner  of  the  land.  The  amount 
of  such  cost  and  expense  shall  be  a  lien  upon  the  fixtures, 
machinery  and  leasehold  interest  of  the  owner  and  operator 
and  upon  the  interest  of  the  land  owner  in  the  land  upon 
which  the  well  is  situated,  and  may  be  recovered  and  enforced 
against  the  owner  or  operator  and  the  land  owner  in  the  order 
named. 

Section  6315.  A  person,  co-partnership  or  corporation,  lu 
possession  as  owner,  lessee,  agent  or  manager  of  a  well  pro- 
ducing natural  gas,  in  order  to  prevent. the  gas  wasting  by 
escape,  shall  shut  in  and  confine  the  gas  therein,  within  ten 
days  after  penetrating  the  gas  bearing  rock,  until  such  time 
as  it  is  utilized  for  light,  fuel  or  power  purposes. 

Section  6316.  The  provisions  of  the  next  preceding  sec- 
tion shall  not  apply  to  an  oil  well. 

Section  6317.  A  person,  co-partnership  or  corporation  shall 
not  use  natural  gas  for  illuminating  purposes  on  flambeau 
lights;  but  "jumbo"  burners  or  other  burners  consuming  no 
more  gas  than  such  "jumbo"  burners  may  be  so  used.  A 
person,  co-partnership  or  corporation  consuming  natural  ga& 
with  such  burners  in  the  open  air  or  in  or  around  derricks, 
shall  turn  it  off  not  later  than  eight  o'clock  in  the  morning 
of  each  day  such  lights  or  burners  are  used,  and  shall  not 
turn  on  or  relight  it  between  the  hours  of  eight  o'clock  a.m. 
and  five  o'clock  P.  M. 

Section  6318.  The  next  preceding  section  shall  not  pro- 
hibit the  burning  of  flambeau  lights  within  the  derrick  of  a 
drilling  well  or  for  lighting  the  streets  of  cities  and  villages. 

Section  6319.  A  person,  co-partnership  or  corporation  vio- 
lating any  provision  of  this  chapter  shall  be  liable  to  a  penalty 
of  one  hundred  dollars,  to  be  recovered,  with  costs  of  suit, 
in  a  civil  action  in  the  name  of  the  state  in  the  county  in 
which  the  act  was  committed  or  omitted.  Such  suit  may 
be  brought  at  the  instance  of  a  resident  of  this  state  without; 


OHIO    LAWS  491 

security  or  liability  for  costs.  Such  penalty  shall  be  paid 
one-half  into  the  school  fund  of  the  county  in  which  such 
suit  is  brought  and  one-half  to  such  person  at  whose  instance 
such  suit  was  brought. 

OKLAHOMA  LAWS 

Corporation  Commission  of  Oklahoma 

Cause  No.  2935.  Order  No.  1299. 

IN  RE 

PROPOSED  ORDER  No.  159  FOR  THE  PROMULGA- 
TION OF  ADDITIONAL  AND  SUPPLEMENTAL 
RULES  FOR  THE  CONSERVATION  OF 
OIL  AND  NATURAL  GAS. 

ORDER. 

The  Corporation  Commission  having  held  hearing  and 
investigation  pursuant  to  Proposed  Order  No.  159  and  the 
Oil  and  Natural  Gas  Conservation  Laws  of  the  State  and  in 
accordance  with  the  provisions  thereof,  having  made  its  find- 
ings of  fact,  and  being  fully  advised  in  the  premises,  it  is 
therefore  considered,  ordered  and  adjudged  that  the  following 
rules,  regulations  and  requirements  be  and  are  hereby  pre- 
scribed : 

Rule  1. — Waste  Prohibited. — Natural  gas  and  crude  oil  or 
petroleum  shall  not  be  produced  in  the  State  of  Oklahoma  in 
such  manner  and  under  such  conditions  as  to  constitute 
waste.     (Sec.  1,  Ch.  197,  S.  L.  1915;  Rule  1,  Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  2. — Waste  Defined. — The  term  "waste"  as  above  used 
in  addition  to  its  ordinary  meaning,  shall  include  (a)  escape 
of  natural  gas  in  commercial  quantities  into  the  open^  air; 
(b)  the  intentional  drowning  with  water  of  a  gas  stratum 
capable  of  producing  gas  in  commercial  quantities ;  (c)  under- 


492  DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 

ground  waste;  (d)  the  permitting  of  any  natural  gas  well 
to  wastefully  burn;  and  (e)  the  wasteful  utilization  of  such 
gas.    (Sec.  2,  Ch.  197,  S.  L.  1915;  Rule  2,  Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  3. — Gas  to  Be  Confined — Strata  to  Be  Protected. — 
Whenever  natural  gas  in  commercial  quantities  or  a  gas  bear- 
ing stratum  known  to  contain  natural  gas  in  such  quantities 
is  encountered  in  any  well  drilled  for  oil  or  gas  in  this  State, 
such  gas  shall  be  confined  to  its  original  stratum  until  such 
time  as  the  same  can  be  produced  and  utilized  without  waste, 
and  all  such  strata  shall  be  adequately  protected  from  in- 
filtrating waters.  (Sec.  3,  Ch.  197,  S.  L.  1915;  Rule  3,  Order 
No.  937.) 

Rule  4. — Commercial  Quantities  Defined. — Any  gas  stratum 
showing  a  well  defined  gas  sand  and  producing  gas  shall  be 
considered  capable  of  producing  gas  in  commercial  quantities 
and  any  gas  coming  from  such  a  stratum  or  sand  shall  be 
considered  a  commercial  quantity,  and  such  stratum  or  sand 
shall  be  protected  the  same  as  if  it  produced  gas  in  excess 
of  two  million  cubic  feet  per  day  of  twenty-four  hours.  (Sec. 
3,  Ch.  197,  S.  L.  1915;  Rule  4,  Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  5. — Gas  to  Be  Taken  Ratably. — Whenever  the  full 
production  from  any  common  source  of  supply  of  natural  gas 
in  this  State  is  in  excess  of  the  market  demands,  then  any 
person,  firm  or  corporation  having  the  right  to  drill  into 
and  produce  gas  from  any  such  common  source  of  supply, 
may  take  therefrom  only  such  proportion  of  the  natural  gas 
that  may  be  marketed  without  waste,  as  the  natural  flow  of 
the  well  or  wells  owned  or  controlled  by  any  such  person, 
firm  or  corporation  bears  to  the  total  natural  flow  of  such 
common  source  of  supply  having  due  regard  to  the  acreage 
drained  by  each  well,  so  as  to  prevent  any  such  person,  firm 
or  corporation  securing  any  unfair  proportion  of  the  gas 
therefrom;  provided,  that  the  Corporation  Commission  may 
by  proper  order,  permit  the  taking  of  a  greater  amount 
whenever  it  shall  deem  such  taking  reasonable  or  equitable. 
(Sec.  4,  Ch.  197,  S.  L.  1915;  Rule  No.  5,  Order  No.  937.) 


OKLAHOMA    LAWS  493 

Rule  12. — ^Approved  Methods  of  Preventing  Waste  to  Be 
Used. — All  operators,  contractors,  or  drillers,  pipe  line  com- 
panies, gas  distributing  companies  or  individuals,  drilling  for 
or  producing  crude  oil  or  natural  gas,  or  piping  oil  or  gas 
for  any  purpose,  shall  use  every  possible  precaution  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  most  approved  methods,  to  stop  and  pre- 
vent waste  of  oil  and  gas,  or  both,  in  drilling  and  producing 
operations,  storage,  or  in  piping  or  distributing,  and  shall  not 
wastefuUy  utilize  oil  or  gas,  or  allow  same  to  leak  or  escape 
from  natural  reservoirs,  wells,  tanks,  containers,  or  pipes. 
(See  also  Rule  28  infra.) 

Rule  13. — Notice  of  Intention  to  Drill,  Deepen  or  Plug. — 
Notice  shall  be  given  to  the  Corporation  Commission  of  the 
intention  to  drill,  deepen  or  plug  any  well  or  wells  and  of  the 
exact  location  of  each  and  every  such  well.  In  case  of  drilling, 
notice  should  be  given  at  least  five  days  prior  to  the  com- 
mencement of  drilling  operations. 

Notice,  of  intention  to  plug  must  be  accompanied  by  a 
complete  log  of  the  well,  on  forms  prescribed  by  the  Cor- 
poration Commission. 

Blanks  for  notification  and  reports  can  be  obtained  on 
application  to  the  Corporation  Commission  or  its  conservation 
agents. 

Rule  14. — ^Plugging  Dry  and  Abandoned  Wells. — (a)  Must 
Be  Plugged  Under  Supervision  of  Conservation  Ap^ent. 

All  abandoned  or  dry  wells  shall  immediately  be  plugged 
under  the  supervision  of  an  oil  and  gas  conservation  agent 
of  the  Corporation  Commission. 

(b)  Manner  of  Plugging. 

All  dry  or  abandoned  wells  must  be  plugged  by  confining 
all  oil,  gas  or  water  in  the  strata  in  which  they  occur  by  the 
use  of  mud-laden  fluid,  and  in  addition  to  mud-laden  fluid, 
cement  and  plugs  may  be  used. 

These  wells  must  first  be  thoroughly  cleaned  out  to  the 
bottom  of  the  hole  and  before  the  casing  is  removed  from 
the  hole,  the  hole  must  be  filled  fnom  the  bottom  to  the  top 


494  DEEP   WELL    DRILLING 

with  mud-laden  fluid  of  maximum  density  and  which  shall 
weigh  at  least  25  per  cent,  more  than  an  equal  volume  of 
water ;  unless  the  Commission  directs  that  some  other  method 
shall  be  used. 

(c)  Notice  of  Intention  to  Plug. 

Before  plugging  dry  and  abandoned  wells,  notice  shall  be 
given  to  the  Corporation  Commission  or  its  conservation 
agent  in  the  field  and  to  all  available  adjoining  lease  and 
property  owners,  and  representatives  of  such  lease  and  prop- 
erty owners,  may,  in  addition  to  the  oil  and  gas  conservation 
agent  of  the  Commission,  be  present  to  witness  the  plugging 
of  these  wells  if  they  so  desire,  but  plugging  shall  not  be 
delayed  because  of  failure  or  inabvlity  to  deliver  notices  to 
adjoining  lease  and  property  owners. 

Rule  15. — Log  and  Plugging  Record  to  Be  Filed  with  Com- 
mission.— The  owner  or  operator  shall,  upon  the  completion 
of  any  w^ell,  file  with  the  Corporation  Commission  a  complete 
record  or  log  of  the  same,  duly  signed  and  sworn  to,  upon 
blanks  to  be  furnished  by  the  Commission  upon  application; 
and  upon  plugging  any  well  for  any, cause  whatsoever,  a 
complete  record  of  the  plugging  thereof  shall  be  made  out 
and  duly  verified  on  blanks  to  be  furnished  by  the  Commis- 
sion.    (Rule  25,  Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  16. — Proper  Anchorage  to  Be  Laid. — Before  any  well 
is  begun  in  any  field  where  it  is  not  known  that  high  pressure 
does  not  exist,  proper  anchorage  shall  be  laid,  so  that  the 
control  casing-head  may  be  used  on  the  inner  string  of  casing 
at  all  times,  and  this  type  of  casing-head  shall  be  kept  in  con- 
stant use  unjess  it  is  known  from  previous,  experience  and 
operations  on  wells  adjacent  to  the  one  being  drilled  that 
high  pressure  does  not  exist  or  will  not  be  encountered 
therein.     (Rule  15,  Order  No.  937.)  . 

Rule  17. — Equipment  for  Conserving  Natural  Gas  Shall  Be 
Provided  Before  "Drilling  In." — In  all  proven  or  well  defined 
gas  fields,  or  where  it  can  reasonably  be  expected  that  gas 
in  commercial  quantities  will  be  encountered,  adequate  prepa- 


OKLAHOMA    LAWS  495 

ration  shall  be  made  for  the  conservation  of  gas  before 
"drilling  in"  any  well;  and  the  gas  sands  shall  not  be  pene- 
trated until  equipment  (including  mud  pumps,  lubricators, 
etc.),  for  "mudding  in"  all  gas  strata,  or  sands,  shall  have 
been  provided. 

Rule  18. — Separate  Slush  Pit  to  Be  Provided. — Before  com- 
mencing to  drill  a  well,  a  separate  slush  pit  or  sump  hole 
shall  be  constructed  by  the  owner,  operator  or  contractor  for 
the  reception  of  all  pumpings  from  clay  or  soft  shale  forma- 
tions in  order  to  have  the  same  on  hand  for  the  making  of 
mud-laden  fluid.    (Rule  14,  Order  No.  937.) 

Note. — In  order  to  avoid  freezing  casing,  operators  are 
cautioned  not  to  allow  sand  or  lime  to  be  mixed  with  clay 
or  soft  shale  pumpings. 

Rule  19.— Wells  Not  to  Be  Permitted  to  Produce  Oil  and 
Gas  from  Different  Strata. — No  well  shall  be  permitted  to 
produce  both  oil  and  gas  from  different  strata  unless  it  be  in 
such  manner  as  to  prevent  waste  of  any  character  to  either 
product.  Therefore,  if  a  stratum  should  be  encountered  bear- 
ing gas  and  the  owner,  operator,  or  contractor  should  go 
deeper  in  search  for  other  gas  or  oil  bearing  sands,  the  stratum 
first  penetrated  and  likewise  each  and  every  sand  in  turn, 
shall  be  closed  separately,  and  if  it  is  not  wanted  for  imme- 
diate use,  it  shall  be  securely  shut  in  so  as  to  prevent  waste, 
either  open  or  underground.     (Rule  16,  Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  20.— Strata  to  Be  Sealed  Off.— No  well  shall  be  drilled 
through  or  below  any  oil,  gas  or  water  stratum  without  seal- 
ing off  such  stratum  or  the  contents  thereof,  after  passing 
through  the  sand,  either  by  the  mud-laden  fluid  process  or 
by  casing  and  packers,  regardless  of  volume  or  thickness  of 
sand.    (Rule  17,  Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  21. — Mud-Laden  Fluid  to  Be  Applied. — No  gas  sand 
or  stratum  upon  being  penetrated  shall  be  drilled  or  left  open 
more  than  three  days  without  the  application  of  mud-laden 
fluid  to  prevent  the  escape  of  gas  while  further  drilling  in 
or  through  such  sand  or  stratum.  (Sec.  3,  Ch.  197,  S.  L. 
1915;  Rule  18,  Order  No.  937.) 


496  DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 

Rule  22.— Density  of  Mud  Fluid  Where  Well  Containing 
Water  Is  Drilled  Into  Oil  or  Gas  Producing  Strata. — No 

operator  shall  drill  a  well  into  an  oil  or  gas  producing  sand 
with  water  from  a  higher  formation  in  the  hole,  or  with  a 
sufficient  head  of  water  introduced  into  the  hole  to  prevent 
gas  blowing  to  the  surface.  The  well  shall  either  be  allowed 
to  blow  until  the  sand  has  been  drilled  in  or  it  shall  be  drilled 
in  under  a  head  of  fluid  consisting  of  not  less  than  25  per 
cent,  mud ;  but  in  no  case  shall  gas  be  allowed  to  blow  for  a 
longer  period  than  three  days.  Mud  fluid  used  for  protecting 
oil  and  gas  bearing  sands  in  upper  formations  while  oil  or 
gas  is  being  produced  from  deeper  formations  shall  have  a 
density  of  not  less  than  25  per  cent,  mud  and  should  contain 
not  less  than  28  per  cent.  mud. 

Rule  23. — Mud-Laden  Fluid  to  Be  Applied  in  Pulling  or 
Redeeming  Casing.— No  outside  casing  from  any  oil  or  gas 
well  in  an  unexhausted  oil  or  gas  field  shall  be  pulled  without 
first  flooding  the  well  with  mud-laden  fluid  behind  the  inside 
string  of  casing,  after  unseating  the  casing,  and  as  casing  is 
withdrawn,  well  shall  be  kept  full  to  top  with  said  mud- 
laden  fluid  and  same  shall  be  left  in  the  hole ;  and  said  mud- 
laden  fluid  shall  be  so  applied  as  to  effectively  seal  off  all 
fresh  or  salt  water  strata,  and  all  oil  or  gas  strata  not  being 
utilized.     (Rule  23,  Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  24. — ^Mud-Laden  Fluid — ^When  to  Be  Applied  to 
Completed  Wells. — ^^^hen  necessary  (or  in  any  event  when 
ordered  by  the  Corporation  Commission)  to  seal  off  any  oil, 
gas  or  water  sand,  casing  shall  be  seated  in  mud-laden  fluid; 
and  concerning  wells  already  drilled,  the  operator  shall,  upon 
the  order  of  the  Corporation  Commission,  raise  any  string 
or  strings  of  casing  and  re-set  them  in  mud-laden  fluid  when 
it  is  thought  advisable  to  do  so  in  order  to  avoid  existing 
underground  waste,  pollution  or  infiltration.  (Rule  22,  Order 
No.  937.) 

Rule  25. — Fresh  Water  to  Be  Protected. — Fresh  water, 
whether  above  or  below  the  surface,  shall  be  protected  from 


OKLAHOMA   LAWS  497 

pollution,  whether  in  drilling  or  plugging.  (Rule  14,  Order 
No.  937.) 

Rule  26. — Gas  to  Be  Separated  from  Oil.— No  gas  found 
in  the  upper  part  of  a  level  or  sand  which  can  be  separated 
from  the  oil  in  the  lower  part  of  the  same  sand  or  in  a  lower 
or  different  sand  shall  be  allowed  or  used  to  flow  oil  to  the 
surface  and  all  gas,  so  far  as  *it  is  possible  to  do  so,  shall  be 
separated  from  the  oil  and  securely  protected.  (Rule  19, 
Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  27. — Separating  Device  to  Be  Installed  Upon  Order 
of  Commission. — ^Where  oil  and  gas  are  found  in  the  same 
stratum  and  it  is  impossible  to  separate  the  one  from  the 
other,  the  operator  shall,  upon  being  so  ordered  by  the  Cor- 
poration Commission,  install  a  separating  device  of  approved 
type,  which  shall  be  kept  in  place  and  used  as  long  as  neces- 
sity therefor  exists,  and  after  being  installed,  such  device 
shall  not  be  removed  nor  the  use  thereof  discontinued  without 
the  consent  of  the  Corporation  Commission.  (Rule  20,  Order 
No.  937.) 

Rule  28.— Gas  Wells  Not  to  Produce  from  Different  Sands 
at  the  Same  Time  Through  the  Same  String  of  Casing. — No 
gas  well  shall  be  permitted  to  produce  gas  from  different 
levels,  sands  or  strata  at  the  same  time  through  the  same 
string  of  casing  (Sec.  3,  Ch.  197,  S.  L.  1915),  and  when  gas 
upon  being  found  is  not  needed  for  immediate  use,  the  same 
shall  be  confined  in  its  original  stratum  until  such  time  as 
the  same  can  be  produced  and  utilized  without  waste  (Sec.  3, 
Ch.  197,  S.  L.  1915),  and  in  confining  gas  to  its  original  place, 
the  mud-laden  fluid  process  shall  be  used  unless  the  character 
of  the  formation  involved  is  sufficiently  ascertained  and  under- 
stood to  know  that  the  casing  and  packer  method  with 
Braden-head  attachment  can  be  safely  applied  and  compe- 
tently used,  and  in  the  use  of  the  casing,  packing  and  Braden- 
head  method,  separate  strings  of  casing  shall  be  run  to  each 
sand  and  the  application  of  the  latter  method  in  preference  to 
the  former  shall  not  be  made  without  notice  to  and  consent 


498  DEEP    WELL    DRILLING 

of  the  Corporation  Commission.    (Rule  21,  Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  29. — Vacuum  Pumps  Not  to  Be  Installed  Except  upon 
Application  to  This  Commission. — The  future  installation  of 
vacuum  pumps  or  other  devices  for  the  purpose  of  putting  a 
vacuum  on  any  gas  oi:  oil  bearing  stratum  is  prohibited,  pro- 
vided that  any  operator  desiring  to  install  such  apparatus  may, 
upon  notice  to  adjacent  lease  owners  or  operators,  apply  to 
the  Commission  for  permission ;  and  in  the  matter  of  vacuum 
pumps  heretofore  installed,  the  use  of  same  is  authorized 
unless  specifically  discontinued  by  order  of  the  Commission 
upon  notice  and  hearing.     (Rule  22,  Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  30.— Shooting  of  Wells.— (a)  Wells  Not  to  Be  Shot 
into  Salt  Water. 

No  wells  shall  be^so  shot  as  to  let  in  salt  water  or  other 
foreign  substance  injurious  to  the  oil  or  gas  sand. 

(b)  Reports  to  Be  Made  to  the  Corporation  Commission. 
Reports  shall  be  made  to  the  Corporation  Commission  on 

all  wells  shot,  showing  the  condition  of  the  well  before  and 
after  shooting,  including  the  size  of  the  shot,  sand  or  sands 
shot,  production  before  and  after  shooting,  per  cent,  of  water 
in  well  before  and  after  shooting. 

(c)  Damaged  Wells  to  Be  Abandoned. 

In  case  irreparable  injury  is  done  to  the  well,  or  to  the  oil 
or  gas  sand  or  sands  by  shooting,  the  well  shall  immediately 
be  abandoned  and  plugged  as  provided  by.  Rule  No.  14  herein. 

Rule  31. — Gauge  to  Be  Taken — Repprts  to  Commission. — 
All  oil  and  gas  operators  shall  between  the  first  and  tenth  of 
each  calendar  month  take  a  gauge  of  the  volume  and  rock 
pressure  of  all  wells  producing  natural  gas,  and  shall  forth- 
with report  to  the  Corporation  Commission  on  gauge  blanks 
furnished  by  the  Commission.     (Rule  26,  Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  32. — Production  to  Be  Restrained  to  25  Per  Cent,  of 
Potential  Capacity. — When  the  gas  from  any  well  is  being 
used,  the  flow  or  production  thereof  shall  be  restrained  to  25 
per  cent,  of  the  potential  capacity  of  the  same;  that  is  to  say 
in  any  day  (24  hours)  the  well  shall  not  be  permitted  to  flow 


PENNSYLVANIA    LAWS  499 

or  produce  more  than  one-fourth  of  the  potential  capacity 
thereof  ,as  shown  by  the  last  monthly  gauge.  (Rule  29, 
Order  No.  937.) 

Rule  33. — -Notification  of  Fires  and  JBreaks  or  Leaks  in 
Lines. — All  drillers,  operators,  pipe  line  companies,  and  indi- 
viduals operating  oil  and  gas  wells  or  pipe  lines  shall  imme- 
diately notify  the  Commission  by  telegraph  or  telephone  and 
by  letter  of  all  fires  which  occur  at  oil  and  gas  wells  or  oil 
tanks  owned,  operated  or  controlled  by  them,  or  on  their 
property,  and  shall  immediately  report  all  tanks  struck  by 
lightning  and  any  other  fires  which  destroy  crude  oil  or  nat- 
.ural  gas,  and  shall  immediately  report  in  the  manner  hereto- 
fore described  any  breaks  or  leaks  in  tanks  or  pipe  lines  from 
which  oil  or  gas  is  escaping.  In  all  reports  of  fires,  breaks,  or 
leaks  in  pipes,  or  other  accidents  of  this  nature,  the  location 
of  the  well,  tank,  or  line  break  shall  be  given,  showing  loca- 
tion by  quarter,  section,  township,  and  range. 

Rule  36. — Conservation  Laws  and  Rules  of  the  Corporation 
Commission  to  Be  Complied  with  Before  Connecting  Wells 
with  Pipe  Lines. — Owners  or  operators  of  oil  or  gas  wells 
shall,  before  connecting  with  any  oil  or  gas  pipe  line,  secure 
from  the  Corporation  Commission  a  certificate  showing  com- 
pliance with  the  oil  and  gas  conservation  laws  of  the  State 
and  conservation  orders  of  the  Corporation  Commission ;  pro- 
vided that  this  rule  shall  not  prevent  temporary  connection 
with  pipe  lines  in  order  to  take  care  of  production  until  oppor- 
tunity shall  have  been  given  for  securing  such  certificate; 
provided,  further,  that  the  owners  or  operators  of  such  wells 
shall  in  a  known  or  proven  field  make  application  for  such 
certificate  in  anticipation  of  production. 

Rule  37.— Drilling  Records  to  Be  Kept  at  Wells.— All  op- 
erators, contractors,  or  drillers  shall  keep  at  each  well  accu- 
rate records  of  the  drilling,  re-drilling,  or  deepening  of  all 
wells,  showing  all  formations  drilled  through,  casing  used, 
and  other  information  in  connection  with  drilling  operation 
of  the  property  and  any  and  all  of  this  information  shall  be 


500  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

furnished  to  the  Commission  upon  request,  or  to  any  con- 
servation agent  of  the  Commission. 

Rule  38. — Conservation  Agents  to  Have  Access  to  All  Wells 
and  All  Well  Records. — Conservation  agents  of  the  Commis- 
sion shall  have  access  to  all  wells  and  to  all  well  records, 
and  all  companies,  contractors,  or  drillers  sHall  permit  any 
conservation  agent  of  the  Corporation  Commission  to  come 
upon  any  lease  or  property  operated  or  controlled  by  them, 
and  to  inspect  any  and  all  wells  and  the  records  of  said  well 
or  wells,  and  to  have  access  at  all  times  to  any  and  all  wells, 
and  any  and  all  records  of  said  wells. 

Provided,  that  information  so  obtained  by  conservation 
agents  shall  be  considered  official  information  and  shall  be 
reported  only  to  the  Corporation  Commission. 

Rule  39. — Notice  to  Contractors,  Drillers,  and  Others  to 
Observe  Rules. — All  contractors  and  drillers  carrying  on 
business  or  doing  work  in  the  oil  or  gas  fields  of  the  State, 
as  well  as  lease-holders,  land  owners,  and  operators  gener- 
ally, shall  take  notice  of  and  are  hereby  directed  to  observe 
and  apply  the  foregoing  rules  and  regulations;  and  all  con- 
tractors, drillers,  land  owners,  and  operators  will  be  held 
responsible  for  infraction  of  said  rules  and  regulations. 

Rule  40. — Conservation  Agents  to  Co-operate  with  Oil  and 
Gas  Inspectors  of  the  Department  of  the  Interior. — All  con- 
servation agents  appointed  by  the  Corporation  Commission 
shall  co-operate  with  and  invite  the  co-operation  of  the  oil 
and  gas  inspectors  of  the  United  States  Bureau  of  Mines  of 
the  Department  of  the  Interior. 

Rule  41. — Conservation  Agents  to  Assist  in  Enforcement 
of  Rules. — All  conservation  agents  of  the  Commission  shall 
assist  in  the  enforcement  of  these  rules  and  shall  immediately 
notify  the  Commission  upon  observance  of  any  infraction 
thereof. 


•> 


PENNSYLVANIA    LAWS  501 

PENNSYLVANIA  LAWS 

Section  I.  Be  it  enacted,  etc.;  That  if  any  person  shall 
wilfully  and  maliciously  injure  any  well  sunk  for  the  pro- 
duction of  oil,  or  gas,  or  water,  or  any  tank  intended  or  used 
for  the  storage  of  oil,  or  gas,  or  water,  or  any  line  of  pipe 
intended  or  used  for  the  transportation  of  oil,  or  gas,  or  water, 
or  any  machinery  connected  with  such  wells,  tanks  or  lines 
of  pipe,  he  shall  be  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  upon  being 
thereof  convicted,  shall  be  sentenced  to  pay  a  fine  not  exceed- 
ing one  thousand  dollars,  and  undergo  imprisonment,  not 
exceeding  three  years,  or  both,  or  either  at  the  discretion  of 
the  court. 

Section  2.  That  whenever  any  well  shall  have  been  put 
down  on  lands  of  any  person,  or  corporation,  for  the  purpose 
of  exploring  for  or  producing  gas,  upon  abandoning,  or  ceas- 
ing to  operate  the  same,  the  person,  or  corporation,  drilling 
or  owning  the  well,  shall,  before  drawing  the  casing,  fill  up 
the  well  with  sand,  or  rock  sediment  to  the  depth  of  at  least 
twenty  (20)  feet  above  the  gas  bearing  rock,  and  drive  a 
round  seasoned  wooden  plug,  at  least  two  feet  in  length, 
equal  in  diameter  to  the  diameter  of  the  well  below  the 
casing  to  a  point  at  least  five  feet  below  the  bottom  of  the 
casing,  and  immediately  after  the  drawing  of  the  casing,  shall 
drive  a  round  wooden  plug  into  the  well,  at  the  point  just 
below  where  the  lower  end  of  the  casing  shall  have  rested, 
which  plug  shall  be  at  least  three  feet  in  length,  tapering  in 
form,  and  to  be  of  the  same  diameter  at  the  distance*  of 
eighteen  inches  frpm  the  smaller'  end  of  the  diameter  of  the 
well  below  the  point  which  it  is  to  be  driven.  After  the  plug 
has  been  properly  driven,  there  shall  be  filled  in  on  the  top  of 
the  same,  sand  or  rock  sediment,  to  the  depth  of  at  least  five 
feet. 

Section.  3.  Any  person,  who  shall  violate  the  provisions  of 
the  preceding  section,  shall  be  liable  to  a  penalty  of  two 
hundred  ($200)  dollars,  to  be  recovered  as  debts  of  like 
amount  are  bv  law  recoverable. 


502  DEEP    WELL   DRILLING 

Section  4.  Whenever  any  person  shall  neglect,  or  refuse 
to  comply  with  the  provisions  of  this  act,  with  regard  to 
plugging  wells,  any  owner  of  lands  adjacent,  or  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  such  unplugged  well,  may  enter  and  take  posses- 
sion of  said  abandoned  well,  and  plug  the  same,  as  provided 
by  this  act,  at  the  expense  of  the  person,  or  company,  whose 
duty  it  may  have  been  to  plug  the  same. 

(Laws  of  Pennsylvania,  June  23,  1885,  P.  145.) 

Section  1.  Be  it  enacted,  etc.  That  upon  the  abandonment 
or  ceasing  to  operate  or  use  any  well  which  shall  have  been 
drilled  for  oil  or  gas,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  person  or 
persons  interested  in  such  well,  to  plug  the  same  so  as  to 
completely  shut  off  and  prevent  the  escape  of  all  water  there- 
from which  may  be  impregnated  with  salt  or  other  substances 
which  will  render  such  water  unfit  for  use  for  domestic,  steam 
making  or  manufacturing  purposes,  and  in  such  manner  as 
to  prevent  water  from  any  such  well  injuring  or  polluting 
any  spring,  water  well  or  stream  which  is  or  may  be  used 
for  the  purposes  aforesaid. 

Section  2.  Any  person  violating  the  provisions  of  this  act 
shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  misdemeanor,  and  shall  be  sen- 
tenced, upon  conviction  thereof,  to  pay  a  fine  of  not  more  than 
one  thousand  dollars,  or  to  undergo  an  imprisonment  for  a 
period  not  exceeding  six  months,  or  both,  or  either,  at  the 
discretion  of  the  court. 

Section  3.  Whenever  any  person  may  be  injured  by  neg- 
lect? or  refusal  to  comply  with  the  first  section  of  this  act,  it 
shall  be  lawful  for  such  person,  after  notice  to  the  owner  or 
lessee  of  the  premises  upon  which  such  well  is  located,  to 
enter  upon  and  fill  up  and  plug  such  well  in  the  manner 
directed  by  the  first  section  hereof,  and  thereupon  to  recover 
the  expense  thereof  from  the  person  or  persons  whose  duty  it 
was  to  plug  and  fill  up  said  well,  in  like  manner  as  debts  of 
such  amount  are  recoverable. 

(Laws  of  Pennsylvania,  May  26, 1891,  page  122.) 


TEXAS   LAWS  503 

TEXAS  LAWS 
OIL  AND  GAS  CONSERVATION  LAW 

S.  B.  No.  350.]  CHAPTER  155. 

Acts  of  Thirty-sixth  Legislature,  Regular  Session. 

An  Act  to  conserve  the  oil  and  gas  resources  of  the  State  of 
Texas. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Legislature  of  the  State  of  Texas : 

Article  1.  Natural  gas  and  crude  oil  or  petroleum  shall 
not  be  produced  in  the  State  of  Texas  in  such  manner  and 
under  such  condition  as  to  constitute  waste.  The  term 
"waste"  in  addition  to  its  ordinary  meaning  shall  include 
(a)  escape  of  natural  gas  in  commercial  quantities  into  the 
open  air  from  a  stratum  recognized  as  a  natural  gas  stratum; 
but  this  is  not  intended  to  have  application  to  gas  pockets 
in  high  points  in  strata  recognized  as  oil  strata ;  (b)  drowning 
with  water  of  a  gas  stratum  capable  of  producing  gas  in  com- 
mercial quantities;  (c)  underground  waste;  (d)  the  permit- 
ting of  any  natural  gas  well  to  wastefully  burn;  (e)  the 
wasteful  utilization  of  such  gas ;  (f)  burning  flambeau  lights, 
except  when  casing  head  gas  is  used  in  same;  provided,  not 
more  than  four  may  be  used  in  or  near  the  derrick  of  a  drilling 
well,  and  (g)  the  burning  of  gas  for  illuminating  purposes 
between  8  o'clock  A.  M.  and  5  o'clock  P.  M.,  unless  the  use  is 
regulated  by  meter. 

Article  2.  Whenever  natural  gas  in  such  quantity  or  quan- 
tities, in  a  gas  bearing  stratum  known  to  contain  natural 
gas  in  such  quantities,  is  encountered  in  any  well  drilled  for 
oil  or  gas  in  this  State,  such  gas  shall  be  confined  to  its 
original  stratum  until  such  tin;e  as  the  same  can  be  produced 
and  utilized  without  waste  and  all  such  strata  shall  be  ade- 
quately protected  from  infiltrating  waters.  All  operators, 
contractors,  or  drillers,  pipe  line  companies,  gas  distributing 


504  DEEP  WELL   DRILLING 

• 

companies  drilling  for  or  producing  crude  oil  or  natural  gas 
or  piping  oil  or  gas  for  any  purpose  shall  use  every  possible 
precaution  in  accordance  with  the  most  approved  methods  to 
stop  and  prevent  waste  of  oil  and  gas,  or  both,  in  drilling  and 
producing  operations,  storage  or  in  piping  or  distributing  and 
shall  not  wastefuUy  utilize  oil  or  gas,  or  allow  same  to  leak 
or  escape  from  natural  reservoirs,  wells,  tanks,  containers  or 
pipes. 

Article  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Railroad  Commission 
to  make  and  enforce  rules  and  regulations  for  the  conservation 
of  oil  and  gas ;  it  shall  have  authority  to  prevent  the  waste  of 
oil  and  gas  in  drilling  and  producing  operations  and  in  the 
storage,  piping  and  distribution  thereof,  and  to  make  rules 
and  regulations  for  that  purpose;  it  shall  be  its  duty  to  re- 
quire dry  or  abandoned  wells  to  be  plugged  in  such  way  as 
to  confine  oil,  gas  and  water  in  the  strata  in  which  they  are 
found  and  to  prevent  them  from  escaping  into  other  strata, 
and  to  establish  rules  and  regulations  for  that  purpose.  It  is 
empowered  to  establish  rules  and  regulations  for  the  drilling 
of  wells  and  preserving  a  record  thereof,  and  it  shall  be  its 
duty  to  require  such  wells  to  be  drilled  in  such  manner  as  to 
prevent  injury  to  the  adjoining  property,  and  to  prevent  oil 
and  gas  and  water  from  escaping  from  the  strata  in  which 
they  are  found  into  other  strata,  and  to  establish  rules  and 
regulations  therefor;  it  shall  be  its  duty  to  establish  rules 
and  regulations  for  shooting  wells  and  for  separating  oil  from 
gas ;  it  shall  have  authority  to  require  records  to  be  kept  and 
reports  made  by  oil  and  gas  drillers,  operators  and  pipe  line 
companies  and  by  its  inspectors;  it  is  authorized  to  do  all 
things  necessary  for  the  conservation  of  oil  and  gas  whether 
here  especially  enumerated  or  not,  and  to  establish  such 
other  rules  and  regulations  as  will  be  necessary  to  carry 
mto  effect  this  Act  and  to  conserve  the  oil  and  gas  resources 
of  the  State. 

Article  4.    It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  pipe  line  expert  pro- 
vided for  in  Section  11,  Chapter  30,  of  the  Acts  of  1917,  to 


TEXAS   LAWS  505 

be  the  supervisor  for  the  Railroad  Commission  in  enforcing 
its  rules  and  regulations.  The  Railroad  Commission  may 
appoint  such  deputy  supervisors  as  may  be  necessary.  It 
shall  have  the  authority  to  increase  the  salary  of  the  super- 
visor to  a  sum  not  exceeding  $5,000.00  pier  annum  and  to  fix 
the  salaries  of  the  deputies  at  not  exceeding  $3,600.00  per 
annum,  all  salaries  and  other  expenses  of  the  administra- 
tion and  enforcement  of  this  Act  shall  be  paid  out  of  the 
funds  created  in  Chapter  30  of  the  Acts  of  1917,  and  in  the 
manner  therein  provided.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  super- 
visor and  his  deputies  to  supervise  the  plugging  of  all  aban- 
doned wells  and  the  shooting  of  wells  and  to  conform  to  the 
rules  and  regulations  of  the  Railroad  Commission,  dealing 
with  the  production  and  conservation  of  oil  and  gas. 

Article  5.  Owners  or  operators  of  gas  wells  shall,  before 
connecting  with  any  oil  or  gas  pipe  lines,  secure  from  the 
Railroad  Commission  a  certificate  showing  compliance  with 
the  oil  and  gas  conservation'  laws  of  the  State  and  conserva- 
tion orders  of  the  Railroad  Commission.  Pipe  line  companies 
shall  not  connect  with  oil  or  gas  wells  until  the  owners  or 
operators  thereof  shall  furnish  certificate  from  the  Railroad 
Commission  that  the  conservation  laws  of  the  state  have 
been  complied  with,  provided  this  Act  shall  not  prevent  a 
temporary  connection  with  any  well  or  wells  in  order  to  take 
care  of  production  and  prevent  waste  until  opportunity  shall 
have  been  given  the  owner  or  operator  of  said  well  to  secure 
certificate  showing  compliance  with  the  conservation  laws  of 
the  State. 

Article  6.  It  is  hereby  made  the  duty  of  all  owners  or 
operators  of  oil  and  gas  wells  to  keep  books  showing  the 
amount  of  oil  and  gas  produced  and  disposed  of,  with  the 
price  for  which  same  was  sold,  together  with  the  receipts  from 
the  sale  or  transfer  of  leases  or  other  property  and  the  dis- 
bursements made  in  connection  with  or  for  the  benefit  of  such 
business  which  books  shall  be  kept  open  for  the  inspection 
of  the  Railroad  Commission  or  any  accredited  representative 
thereof;  and  of  any  stockholder  or  shareholder  in  said  busi- 


506  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

ness  and  any  owner  or  operator  refusing  to  comply  with  the 
provisions  of  this  article  shall  be  subject  to  the  penalties 
imposed  by  this  Act. 

Article  7.  In  addition  to  any  penalty  that  may  be  imposed 
by  the  Railroad  Commission  for  contempt,  any  firm,  person, 
corporation  or  any  officer,  agent  or  employe  thereof,  directly 
or  indirectly  violating  the  provisions  of  this  Act  or  the  orders 
or  regulations  of  the  Railroad  Commission  made  in  pursuance 
thereof,  shall  be  subject  to  a  penalty  of  not  more  than  five 
thousand  ($5,000.00)  dollars,  to  be  recovered  in  any  court  of 
competent  jurisdiction,  such  suit  to  be  brought  in  the  name 
of  the  State  of  Texas,  and  to  be  instituted  and  conducted 
by  any  county  or  district  attorney,  on  the  direction  of  the 
Railroad  Commission.  Each  day  that  such  violation  con- 
tinues shall  be  considered  a  separate  offense. 

Article  8.  This  Act  shall  be  cumulative  of  all  the  laws  of 
this  State  which  are  not  in  direct  conflict  herewith,  regulating 
the  conservation  of  oil  and  gas,  but  it  shall  repeal  all  laws 
or  parts  of  law  in  conflict  with  its  provisions. 

Article  9.  If  any  of  the  provisions  of  this  Act  shall  be  held 
unconstitutional,  or  for  any  other  reason  shall  be  held  void, 
such  holdings  shall  not  have  the  effect  to  nullify  the  remain- 
ing parts  of  this  Act,  but  the  parts  not  so  held  to  be  void 
shall  nevertheless  remain  in  full  force  and  effect. 

Article  10.  Whereas,  there  is  now  no  law  in  this  State 
regulating  corporations,  persons  or  associations  of  persons 
engaged  in  the  production  of  oil  and  gas,  and  adequately  con- 
serving these  resources,  and  whereas  great  waste  of  gas  is 
now  daily  occurring  in  the  oil  fields  of  Texas ;  now,  therefore, 
it  is  hereby  declared  that  an  emergency  exists  creating  an 
imperative  public  necessity  for  the  suspension  of  the  consti- 
tutional rule  requiring  bills  to  be  read  on  three  several  days, 
and  the  same,  is  hereby  suspended  and  this  law  shall  take 
effect  and  be  in  force  from  and  after  its  passage,  and  it  is  so 
enacted. 

Approved  March  31,  1919. 

Took  effect  June  18,  1919. 


J 


TEXAS  LAWS  507 

OIL  AND  GAS  CIRCULAR  NO.  11 

CONSERVATION  RULES  AND  REGULATIONS 

Rule  1.  Waste  Prohibited. — Natural  gas  and  crude  oil  or 
petroleum  shall  not  be  produced  in  the  State  of  Texas  in 
such  manner  and  under  such  conditions  as  to  constitute  waste. 

Rule  2.  "Waste"  Defined.— The  term  "waste"  as  above 
used,  in  addition  to  its  ordinary  meaning,  shall  include : 

(a)  Escape  of  natural  gas  in  commercial  quantities  into  the 
open  air  from  a  stratum  recognized  as  a  natural  gas  stratum ; 
but  this  is  not  intended  to  have  application  to  gas  pockets  in 
high  points  in  strata  recognized  as  oil  strata ; 

(b)  Drowning  with  water  of  a  gas  stratum  capable  of 
producing  gas  in  commercial  quantities ; 

(c)  Underground  waste ; 

(d)  The  permitting  of  any  natural  gas  to  wastefully  burn ; 

(e)  The  wasteful  utilization  of  such  gas ; 

(f)  Burning  flambeau  lights  except  when  casing  head  gas 
is  used  in  same;  provided,  not  more  than  four  may  be  used 
in  or  near  the  derrick  or  a  drilling  well,  and 

(g)  The  burning  of  gas  for  illuminating  purposes  between 
eight  o'clock  A.  M.  and  five  o'clock  P.  M.,  unless  the  use  is 
regulated  by  meter. 

Rule  3.  Gas  to  Be  Confined — Strata  to  Be  Protected. — 
Whenever  natural  gas  in  commercial  quantities,  in  a  well 
defined  gas-bearing  stratum  known  to  contain  natural  gas 
in  such  quantities,  is  encountered  in  any  well  drilled  for  oil 
or  gas  in  this  State,  such  gas  shall  be  confined  to  its  original 
stratum  until  such  time  as  the  same  can  be  produced  and 
utilized  without  waste,  and  all  such  strata  shall  be  adequately 
protected  from  infiltrating  waters.  This  rule  shall  not  apply 
to  the  Gulf  Coast  oil  fields  of  Texas;  nor  shall  this  rule,  as 
to  the  fields  in  which  it  applies,  prevent  the  drilling  deeper  in 
search  for  oil  in  any  well,  if  such  drilling  shall  be  prosecuted 
with  diligence  and  if  said  gas  be  confined  in  its  stratum  and 


508  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

protected  as  aforesaid  upon  completion  of  such  well;  but  at 
any  time  after  the  expiration  of  seven  (7)  days  from  the  pene- 
tration of  such  gas-bearing  stratum,  even  though  such  drilling 
deeper  is  being  prosecuted  with  diligence,  the  Railroad  Com- 
mission, or  its  Conservation  Agent  or  any  deputy  of  the  latter, 
may  require  such  gas-bearing  stratum  to  be  cased  off  and 
so  protected,  if  in  their  judgment  it  shall  be  reasonably  nec- 
essary and  proper  to  do  so. 

Rule  4.  Approved  Methods  of  Preventing  Waste  to  Be 
Used. — All  operators,  contractors  or  drillers,  pipe  line  com- 
panies, or  gas  distributing  companies,  drilling  for  or  produc- 
ing crude  oil  or  natural  gas,  or  piping  oil  or  gas  for  any  pur- 
pose, shall  use  every  possible  precaution  in  accordance  with 
the  most  approved  methods  to  stop  and  prevent  waste  of 
oil  and  gas,  or  both,  in  drilling  and  producing  operations, 
storage,  or  in  piping  or  distributing,  and  shall  not  wastefully 
utilize  oil  or  gas,  or  allow  same  to  leak  or  escape  from  natural 
reservoirs,  wells,  tanks,  containers  or  pipes. 

Rule  5.  "Commercial  Quantities"  Defined.  —  Any  gas 
stratum  showing  a  well  defined  gas  sand  and  producing  gas 
shall  be  considered  capable  of  producing  gas  in  commercial 
quantities,  and  any  gas  coming  from  such  a  stratum  or  sand 
shall  be  considered  a  commercial  quantity,  and  such  stratum 
or  sand  shall  be  protected  the  same  as  under  Rule  3. 

Rule  6.  Gas  to  Be  Taken  Ratably. — Whenever  the  full  pro- 
duction from  any  common  source  of  supply  of  natural  gas 
in  this  State  is  in  excess  of  the  market  demands,  then  any 
person,  firm  or  corporation  having  the  right  to  drill  into  and 
produce  gas  from  any  such  common  source  of  supply  may 
take  therefrom  only  such  proportion  of  the  natural  gas  that 
may  be  marketed  without  waste,  as  the  natural  flow  of  the 
well  or  wells  owned  or  controlled  by  any  such  person,  firm 
or  corporation  bears  to  the  total  natural  flow  of  such  common 
source  of  supply,  having  due  regard  to  the  acreage  drained 
by  each  well,  so  as  to  prevent  any  such  person,  firm  or  cor- 
poration, securing  any  unfair  proportion  of  the  gas  therefrom ; 


TEXAS  LAWS  509 

provided,  that  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas  may,  by 
proper  order,  permit  the  taking  of  a  greater  amount  whenever 
it  shall  deem  such  taking  reasonable  or  equitable. 

Rule  7.  Commission  Will  Regulate  the  Taking  of  Natural 
Gas. — The  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas  will,  as  occasion 
arises,  prescribe  rules  and  regulations  for  the  determination 
of  the  natural  flow  of  any  well  or  wells  in  this  State,  and  will 
regulate  the  taking  of  natural  gas  from  any  and  all  common 
sources  of  supply  within  the  State  so  as  to  prevent  waste, 
protect  the  interests  of  the  public  and  of  all  those  having  a 
right  to  produce  therefrom;  and  to  prevent  unreasonable  dis- 
crimination in  favor  of  one  common  source  of  supply  as 
against  another. 

Rule  8.  Gas  to  Be  Metered. — All  gas  produced  from  the 
deposits  of  this  State  when  sold  shall  be  measured  by  meter, 
and  each  gas  well,  or  the  entire  property  on  which  it  is 
located,  shall  be  equipped  with  such  meter. 

Rule  9.  Notice  of  Intention  to  Drill,  Deepen  or  -Plug. — 
Notice  shall  be  given  to  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas 
or  its  agents  of  the  intention  to  drill,  deepen  or  plug  any  well 
or  wells  and  of  the  exact  location  of  each  and  every  such  well. 
In  case  of  drilling,  notice  shall  be  given  at  least  five  (5)  days 
prior  to  the  commencement  of  drilling  operations. 

Notice  of  intention  to  plug  must  be  given  at  least  twenty- 
four  (24)  hours  prior  to  beginning  of  plugging,  and  must  be 
accompanied  by  a  complete  log  of  the  well,  on  forms  pre- 
scribed by  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas. 

Blanks  for  notification  and  reports  can  be  obtained  by 
application  to  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas  or  its  con- 
servation agent  in  the  field. 

Rule  10.  Plugging  Dry  and  Abandoned  Wells. — (a)  All 
abandoned  or  dry  wells  shall  immediately  be  plugged  ac- 
cording to  the  following  rules: 

(b)  Manner  of  Plugging. — All  dry  and  abandoned  wells 
must  be  plugged  by  confining  all  oil,  gas  or  water  in  the 
strata  in  which  they  occur,  by  the  use  of  mud-laden  fluid, 


510  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

or  by  some  other  method  approved  by  the  Commission.    In 
case  of  cable-drilling,  cement  and  plugs  may  be  used. 

(c)  Notice  of  Intention  to  Plug. — Before  plugging  dry  and 
abandoned  wells,  notice  shall  be  given  tp  the  Railroad  Com- 
mission of  Texas  or  its  conservation  agent  in  the  field,  and 
to  all  available  adjoining  lease  and  property  owners,  and 
representatives  of  such  lease  and  property  owners  may,  in 
addition  to  the  oil  and  gas  conservation  agent  of  the  Com- 
mission, be  present  to  witness  the  plugging  of  these  wells 
if  they  so  desire,  but  plugging  shall  not  be  delayed  because 
of  failure  or  inability  to  deliver  notices  to  adjoining  lease  or 
property  owners. 

Rule  11.  Log  and  Plugging  Record  to  Be  Filed  with  Com- 
mission.— The  owner  or  operator  shall,  upon  the  completion 
of  any  well,  file  with  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas  a 
complete  record  or  log  of  the  same,  duly  signed  and  sworn 
to,  upon  blanks  to  be  furnished  by  the  Commission  upon 
application ;  and  upon  plugging  any  well  for  any  cause  what- 
soever, a  complete  record  of  the  plugging  thereof  shall  be 
made  out  and  duly  verified  on  blanks  to  be  furnished  by  the 
Commission. 

Rule  12.  Proper  Anchorage  to  Be  Laid. — Before  any  well 
is  begun  in  any  field  where  it  is  not  known  that  high  pressure 
does  not  exist,  proper  anchorage  shall  be  laid  so  that  the 
control  casing-head  may  be  used  on  the  inner  string  of  casing 
at  all  times,  and  this  type  of  casing-head  shall  be  kept  in  con- 
stant use  unless  it  is  known  from  previous  experience  and 
operations  on  wells  adjacent  to  the  one  being  drilled  that 
high  pressure  does  not  exist  or  will  not  be  encountered 
therein. 

Rule  13.  Equipment  for  Conserving  Natural  Gas  Shall  Be 
Provided  Before  "Drilling-in." — In  all  proven  or  well-defined 
gas  fields,  or  where  it  can  reasonably  be  expected  that  gas 
in  commercial  quantities  will  be  encountered,  adequate  prepa- 
rations shall  be  made  for  the  conservation  of  gas  before 
*'drilling-in"  any  well. 


TEXAS  LAWS  511 

Rule  14.  Separate  Slush  Pit  to  Be  Provided. — Before  com- 
mencing to  drill  a  well,  a  separate  slush  pit  or  sump  hole 
shall  be  constructed  by  the  owner,  operator  or  contractor  for 
the  reception  of  all  pumpings  from  clay  or  soft  shale  forma- 
tions in  order  to  have  the  same  on  hand  for  the  making  of 
mud-laden  fluid. 

Note. — In  order  to  avoid  freezing  casings,  operators  are 
cautioned  not  to  allow  sand  or  lime  to  be  mixed  with  clay  or 
soft  shale  pumpings. 

Rule  15.  Wells  Not  to  Be  Permitted  to  Produce  Oil  and 
Gas  from  Different  Strata. — No  wells  shall  be  permitted  to 
produce  both  oil  and  gas  from  different  strata  unless  it  be  in 
such  manner  as  to  prevent  waste  of  any  character  to  either 
product  and  in  accordance  with  Rule  3. 

Rule  16.  Strata  to  Be  Sealed  Off.— No  well  shall  be  drilled 
through  or  below  any  oil,  gas  or  water  stratum  without  seal- 
ing off  such  stratum  or  the  contents  thereof,  after  passing 
through  the  sand,  either  by  the  mud-laden  fluid  process  or  by 
casing  and  packers,  regardless  of  volume  or  thickness  of 
sand;  provided  this  rule  shall  be  subject  to  Rule  3  as  that 
rule  relates  to  natural  gas. 

Rule  17.  Density  of  Mud-Fluid  Where  Well  Containing 
Water  Is  Drilled  into  Oil  or  Gas-Producing  Strata. — No  op- 
erator shall  drill  a  well  into  a  known  oil  or  gas-producing 
sand  with  water  from  a  higher  formation  in  the  hole,  or 
with  a  sufficient  head  of  water  introduced  into  the  hole  to 
prevent  gas  blowing  to  the  surface.  The  well  shall  either 
be  allowed  to  blow  until  the  same  has  been  drilled-in  or  it 
shall  be  drilled  in  under  a  head  of  fluid  consisting,  when  nec- 
essary, of  not  less  than  25  per  cent,  mud;  but  in  no  case 
shall  gas  be  allowed  to  blow  for  a  longer  period  than  three 
(3)  days  after  completion  of  well.  Mud-laden  fluid  used  for 
protecting  oil  and  gas-bearing  sands  in  upper  formations  while 
oil  or  gas  is  being  produced  from  deeper  formations  should 
have  a  density  of  not  less  than  25  per  cent,  mud  and  should 
contain  not  less  than  28  per  cent.  mud. 


512  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

Rule  18.  Mud-Laden  Fluid  to  Be  Applied  in  Pulling  or 
Redeeming  Casing. — No  outside  casing  from  any  oil  or  gas 
well  in  an  unexhausted  oil  or  gas  field,  shall  be  pulled  with- 
out first  flooding  the  well  with  mud-laden  fluid  behind  the 
inside  string,  of  casing,  after  unseating  the  casing,  and  as 
casing  is  withdrawn,  well  shall  be  kept  full  to  top  with  said 
mud-laden  fluid  and  same  shall  be  left  in  the  hole;  and  said 
mud-laden  fluid  shall  be  so  applied  as  to  effectively  seal  off 
all  fresh  or  salt  water  strata,  and  all  oil  or  gas  strata  not 
being  utilized. 

Rule  19.  Mud-Laden  Fluid— When  to  Be  Applied  to  Com- 
pleted Wells. — When  necessary  (or  in  any  event  when  or- 
dered by  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas)  to  seal  off  any 
oil,  gas  or  water  sand,  casing  shall  be  seated  in  mud-laden 
fluid ;  and  concerning  wells  already  drilled,  the  operator  shall, 
upon  the  order  of  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas,  raise 
any  string  or  strings  of  casings  and  re-seat  them  in  mud- 
laden  fluid  when  it  is  thought  advisable  to  do  so  in  order  to 
avoid  existing  underground  waste,  pollution  or  infiltration. 

Rule  20.  Fresh  Water  to  Be  Protected. — Fresh  water, 
whether  above  or  below  the  surface,  shall  be  protected  from 
pollution,  whether  in  drilling  or  plugging. 

Rule  21.  Separating  Devices. — Where  oil  and  gas  are 
found  in  the  same  stratum  and  it  is  impossible  to  separate 
the  one  from  the  other,  the  operator  shall,  upon  being  so 
ordered  by  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas,  install  a  sepa- 
rating device  of  approved  type,  which  shall  be  kept  in  place 
and  used  as  long  as  necessity  therefor  exists,  and  after  being 
installed,  such  device  shall  not  be  removed,  nor  the  use  thereof 
discontinued,  without  the  consent  of  the  Railroad  Commis- 
sion of  Texas. 

Rule  22.  Gas  Wells  Not  to  Produce  from  Different  Sands 
at  the  Same  Time  Through  the  Same  String  of  Casing.— No 
gas  well  shall  be  permitted  to  produce  gas  from  different 
levels,  sand  or  strata  at  the  same  time  through  the  same 
string  of   casing,   and   when   gas  upon   being  found  is  not 


TEXAS  LAWS  513 

needed  for  immediate  use,  the  same  shall  be  confined  in  its 
original  stratum  until  such  time  as  the  same  can  be  produced 
and  utilized  without  waste,  and  in  confining  gas  to  its  original 
place  the  mud-laden  fluid  process  shall  be  used  unless  the 
character  of  the  formation  involved  is  sufficiently  ascertained 
and  understood  to  know  that  the  casing  and  packer  method 
with  Braden-head  attachment  can  be  safely  applied  and  com- 
petently used,  and  in  the  use  of  the  casing,  packing  and 
Braden-head  method,  separate  strings  of  casing  shall  be  run 
to  each  sand. 

Rule  23.  Shooting  of  Wells. — (a)  All  shooting  of  wells 
shall  be  under  rules  and  regulations  of  the  Railroad  Commis- 
sion of  Texas. 

(b)  Wells  Not  to  Be  Shot  into  Salt  Water.— No  well  shall 
be  so  shot  as  to  let  in  salt  water  or  other  foreign  substance 
injurious  to  the  oil  or  gas  sand. 

(c)  Reports  to  Be  Made  to  the  Railroad  Commission  of 
Texas. — Reports  shall  be  made  to  the  Railroad  Commission 
of  Texas  on  all  wells  shot,  showing  the  condition  of  the  well 
before  and  after  shooting,  including  the  size  of  the  shot,  sand 
or  sands  shot,  production  before  and  after  shooting,  per  cent, 
of  water  in  well  before  and  after  shooting. 

(d)  Damaged  Wells  to  Be  Abandoned. — In  case  irreparable 
injury  is  done  to  the  wells,  or  to  the  oil  or  gas  sand  or  sands 
by  shooting,  the  well  shall  immediately  be  abandoned  and 
plugged  as  provided  by  Rule  No.  10. 

(e)  Notice  of  Intention  to  Shoot. — Notice  of  intention  to 
shoot  must  be  given  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas,  on 
blank  form  prescribed  by  it,  at  least  two  (2)  days  prior  to 
shooting. 

Rule  24.  Gauge  to  Be  Taken — Reports  to  Commission. — 
All  oil  and  gas  operators  shall,  between  the  first  and  tenth  of 
each  month,  take  the  rock  pressure  of  all  wells  producing 
natural  gas  which  is  being  marketed,  and  shall  forthwith 
report  to  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas,  on  gauge  blanks 
furnished  by  the  Commission. 


514  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

Rule  25.  Production  of  Gas  to  Be  Restrained  to  Fifty  Per 
Cent,  of  Potential  Capacity. — When  the  gas  from  any  well  is 
being  used,  the  flow  or  production  thereof  shall  be  restrained 
to  fifty  (50)  per  cent,  of  the  potential  capacity  of  the  same; 
that  is  to  say,  m  any  day  (24  hours)  the  well  shall  not  be 
permitted  to  flow  or  produce  more  than  one-half  of  the  po- 
tential capacity  thereof  as  shown  by  the  last  monthly  gauge; 
provided,  that  this  rule  shall  not  apply  to  casing-head  gas, 
and  provided  further  that,  in  cases  of  emergency,  greater 
production  may  be  used  after  special  authority  therefor  has 
been  secured  from  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas. 

Rule  26.  Notification  of  Fires  and  Breaks  or  Leaks. — All 
drillers,  operators,  pipe  line  companies,  and  individuals  op- 
erating oil  and  gas  wells  or  pipe  lines  shall  immediately  notify 
the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas  by  letter  of  all  fires  which 
occur  at  oil  or  gas  wells  or  oil  tanks  owned,  operated,  or 
controlled  by  them  or  on  their  property,  and  shall  imme- 
diately report  all  tanks  struck  by  lightning  and  any  other 
fires  which  destroy  crude  oil  or  natural  gas,  and  shall  imme- 
diately report,  in  the  manner  heretofore  described,  any  breaks 
or  leaks  in  tanks  or  pipe  lines  from  which  oil  or  gas  is  escap- 
ing. In  all  reports  of  fires,  breaks,  or  leaks  in  pipes,  or  other 
accidents  of  this  nature,  the  location  of  the  well,  tank  or  line 
break  shall  be  given,  showing  location  by  county  and  survey. 
The  reports  provided  for  under  this  rule  shall  only  be  re- 
quired when  the  loss  by  fire,  breaks  or  leaks  or  other  acci- 
dent is  material  and  only  as  regards  losses  connected  with 
production  or  transportation  in  this  State  over  which  the 
Railroad  Commission  of  Texas  has  jurisdiction. 

Note. — Rules  27  and  28  relating  to  pipe  line  companies 
omitted. 

Rule  29.  Certificates — Showing  Compliance  with  Con- 
servation Laws  and  Rules  Prior  to  Connection. — Owners  or 
operators  of  oil  or  gas  wells  shall,  before  connecting  with 
any  oil  or  gas  pipe  line,  secure  from  the  Railroad  Commission 
of  Texas  a  certificate  showing  compliance  with  the  oil  and 


TEXAS  LAWS  515 

gas  conservation  laws  of  the  State  and  conservation  orders  of 
the  Commission;  provided  that  this  rule  shall  not  prevent 
temporary  connection  with  pipe  lines  in  order  to  take  care  of 
production  until  opportunity  shall  have  been  given  for  secur- 
ing such  certificate;  provided,  further,  that  the  owners  or 
operators  of  such  wells  shall,  in  a  known  or  proven  field,  make 
application  for  such  certificate  in  anticipation  of  production. 

Rule  30.  Drilling  Records  to  Be  Kept. — All  operators,  con- 
tractors, or  drillers  shall  keep  at  each  well,  while  drilling 
same,  accurate  records  of  the  drilling,  redrilling,  or  deepen- 
ing of  all  such  wells,  showing  all  formations  drilled  through, 
casing  used,  and  other  information  in  connection  with  drilling, 
and  operation  of  the  property,  and  any  and  all  of  this  infor- 
mation shall  be  furnished  to  the  Railroad  Commission  of 
Texas  upon  request,  or  to  any  conservation  agent  of  the  Com- 
mission. 

Rule  31.  Conservation  Agents  to  Have  Access  to  All  Wells 
and  All  Well  Records. — Conservation  agents  of  the  Railroad 
Commission  of  Texas  shall  have  access  to  all  wells  and  to 
all  well  records,  and  all  companies,  contractors,  or  drillers, 
shall  permit  any  conservation  agent  of  the  Commission  to 
come  upon  any  lease  or  property  operated  or  controlled  by 
them  and  to  inspect  any  and  all  wells  and  the  records  of 
said  well  or  wells,  and  to  have  access  at  all  times  to  any  and 
all  wells  and  any  and  all  records  of  said  wells.  Provided,  that 
information  so  obtained  by  conservation  agents  shall  be  con- 
sidered official  and  confidential  information  and  shall  be  re- 
ported only  to  Commission. 

Rule  32.  Books  to  Be  Kept — Reports  to  Be  Made. — All 
owners  and  operators  of  oil  and  gas  wells  in  this  State  shall 
keep  books  showing  accurately  the  amount  of  stock  sold  and 
unsold  and  amount  of  promotion  money  paid,  amount  of  oil 
and  gas  produced  and  disposed  of,  with  the  price  for  which 
the  same  was  sold,  together 'with  the  receipts  from  the  sale 
or  transfer  of  leases  or  other  property,  and  the  disbursements 
made  in  connection  with  or  for  the  benefit  of  such  business ; 


516  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

which  books  shall  be  kept  open  for  the  inspection  of  the 
Railroad  Commission  of  Texas  or  any  accredited  representa- 
tive thereof,  and  of  any  stockholder  or  shareholder  or  royalty 
owner  in  said  business,  and  shall  report  such  information  to 
the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas  for  its  information,  when 
required  by  the  Commission  to  do  so.  Any  person,  firm, 
partnership,  joint  stock  association,  corporation  or  other 
organization,  domestic  or  foreign,  operating  wholly  or  par- 
tially within  this  State,  acting  as  principal  or  agent  for  an- 
other, for  the  purpose  of  drilling,  owning  or  operating  any  oil 
or  gas  well,  or  owning  or  controlling  leases  of  oil  and  mineral 
rights,  or  the  transportation  of  oil  or  gas  by  pipe  line,  shall 
immediately  file  with  the  Railroad  Commission  of  Texas,  at 
Austin,  the  name  of  the  company  or  organization,  giving  the 
name  and  postoffice  address  of  the  organization,  the  plan 
under  which  it  was  organized^  and  the  names  and  postoffice 
addresses  of  the  trustee  or  trustees  thereof,  and  the  names 
and  postoffice  addresses  of  the  officers  and  directors. 

Rule  33.  Notice  to  Contractors,  Drillers  and  Others  to 
Observe  Rules. — All  contractors  and  drillers  carrying  on 
business  or  doing  work  in  the  oil  or  gas  fields  of  the  State, 
as  well  as  leaseholders,  land  owners  and  operators  generally, 
shall  take  notice  of  and  are  hereby  directed  to  observe  and 
apply  the  foregoing  rules  and  regulations ;  and  all  contractors, 
drillers,  land  owners  and  operators  will  be  held  responsible 
for  infractions  of  said  rules  and  regulations. 

Rule  34.  Conservation  Agents — Co-operation  with  Federal 
Inspectors. — All  conservation  agents  appointed  by  the  Rail- 
road Commission  of  Texas  shall  co-operate  with  and  invite 
the  co-operation  of  the  oil  and  gas  inspectors  of  the  United 
States  Bureau  of  Mines  of  the  Department  of  the  Interior. 

Rule  35.  Conservation  Agents — To  Enforce  These  Rules. — 
All  conservation  agents  appointed  by  the  Railroad  Commis- 
sion of  Texas  shall  be  governed  by,  and  are  charged  with  the 
enforcement  of,  the  law  and  these  rules  and  regulations. 


TEXAS  LAWS  517 

This  order  to  take  effect  and  be  in  force  on  and  after  July  26, 
1919,  until  amended  or  canceled  by  this  Commission. 

ALLISON  MAYFIELD,  Chairman; 
EARLE  B.  MAYFIELD, 
CLARENCE  E.  GILMORE, 
Attest :  Commissioners. 

E.  R.  McLean,  Secretary. 

Rule  37.  No  well  for  oil  or  gas  shall  hereafter  be  com- 
menced nearer  than  three  hundred  (300)  feet  to  any  other 
completed  or  drilling  well  on  the  same  or  adjoining  tract  or 
farm;  and  no  well  shall  be  drilled  nearer  than  one  hundred 
and  fifty  (150)  feet  to  any  property  line;  provided,  that  the 
Commission,  in  order  to  prevent  waste  or  to  protect  vested 
rights,  will  grant  exceptions  permitting  drilling  within 
shorter  distances  than  as  above  prescribed,  upon  application 
filed  fully  stating  the  facts,  notice  thereof  having  first  been 
given  to  all  adjacent  lessees  affected  thereby.  Rule  37  shall 
not  for  the  present  be  enforced  within  the  proven  oil  fields  of 
the  Gulf  Coast. 

Rule  38.  All  maps  or  sketches  of  any  kind  of  any  separate 
lease  or  tract  of  land,  filed  with  the  Oil  and  Gas  Department 
of  the  Railroad  Commission,  must  be  drawn  on  a  scale  of 
four  hundred  (400)  feet  to  one  inch,  unless  the  area  involved 
is  less  than  two  acres,  when  the  scale  rnust  be  forty  (40) 
feet  to  one  inch,  or  unless  the  Commission  specially  grants 
permission  that  maps  furnished  may  be  drawn  on.  another 
scale. 

Rule  39.  (1)  All  permanent  oil  tanks  or  battery  of  tanks 
must  be  surrounded  by  a  dike  or  ditch  of  at  least  the  capacity 
of  the  tank  or  batterv  of  tanks. 

(2)  No  flow  tank,  unless  it  is  entirely  buried,  or  other  oil 
tank  of  any  size,  shall  hereafter  be  placed  nearer  than  ISO 
feet  to  any  derrick,  rig,  building,  power  plant  or  boiler  of 
any  description,  except  where  topography  does  not  permit. 

(3)  No  field  working  tank  having  a  capacity  of  5,000  barrels 


518  DEEP   WELL   DRILLING 

or  more  shall  hereafter  be  built  nearer  than  200  feet  (meas- 
ured from  shell  to  shell)  to  any  other  like  tank  or  tanks. 

(4)  No  battery  of  field  storage  tanks  shall  hereafter  be 
placed  nearer  than  200  feet  to  any  other  battery. 

(5)  Printed  signs  reading  "Dangerous,  No  Smoking 
Allowed/'  or  similar  words,  shall  be  posted  in  conspicuous 
places  on  each  producing  lease  or  farm. 

(6)  All  lessees'  premises  shall  be  kept  clear  of  high  grass, 
weeds  and  combustible  trash,  within  a  radius  of  100  feet 
around  an  oil  tank,  tanks  or  producing  wells. 

(7)  Open  earthen  storage  for  merchantable  oil  is  hereafter 
prohibited,  except  when  the  Commission  grants  special  per- 
mission in  order  to  meet  an  unforeseen  emergency.  Where 
such  storage  is  now  in  use,  it  must  be  discontinued  within  a 
reasonable  time. 

(8)  Swabbing  into  open  pits  is  prohibited  except  when 
testing  a  well  or  cleaning  out  and  such  swabbing  shall  not 
continue  for  a  longer  period  than  ten  days,  without  permis- 
sion from  the  Railroad  Commission. 

(9)  All  oil  tanks,  where  there  is  a  gas  hazard,  shall  be 
well  covered  and  provided  with  adequate  gas  vents. 

(10)  No  forge  or  open  light  shall  be  placed  inside  the  der- 
rick of  a  well  showing  oil  or  gas. 

(11)  Boilers  must  be  equipped  with  steam  lines  for  fighting 
fire  and  must  not  be  set  nearer  than  100  feet  to  any  producing 
well. 

(12)  All  oil  and  gas  pipe  lines  laid  upon  or  across  a  public 
road  or  highway  must  be  buried  to  a  reasonably  safe  depth. 

(13)  Wherever  available  and  practicable,  electric  light  and 
power  shall  be  installed  in  congested  drilling  areas,  upon 
order  of  the  Commission. 

Rule  40.  Vacuum  Pumps  Prohibited. — The  use  of  vacuum 
pumps  or  other  devices  for  the  purpose  of  extracting  oil  or 
gas,  except  casing  head  gas  where  the  same  is  utilized,  from 
any  well  by  the  vacuum  process,  is  prohibited,  except  in 
depleted  or  practically  depleted  fields. 


INDEX 


519 


Abandoning   oil    and    gSM   wells,    Rtate 

laws  relating  to,  473,  474.  478.  479. 

485.  488.  489,  493.  602,  613. 
Acid,  use  of  in  fishing.  182. 
Action  of   mud   laden   fluid   on   porous 

formations,  247.  248. 
Adapter,  177.   346. 
Adding  machine,  use  of,  129. 
Adjuster,  pumping,  45,  340. 
board,  340. 
tee  bolt,  340. 
Agitating  oil  wells,  338. 
Alabama,    geological    publications    on, 

39.  40. 
Alaska,  geological  publications  on,  39. 
Alcohol,  freezing  point  of.  443. 
Ampere,  defined,  457. 
Analyses  of  steel  suitable  for  drilling 

tools,  445. 
Anchor  for  well  shooting,  326. 
Anchor  packers,  293.  294.  296. 
Anchoring  gas  wells,  361-363. 
Angles  of  bit  faces,  136.  137. 
Annealing  steel,  446. 
Anticline,   illustration.   13.   14. 
Anticlinal  theory.  8. 
Arkansas,  geological  publications  on,  40. 
laws  relating  to  oil  and  gas.  463-467. 
Arms,  bull  wheel,  45-59. 
Arms,  calf  wheel,  45-59. 

Babbitt,  to  make  run  freely.  438. 

metal,  proportions  of.  437. 
Babcock  wire  rope  socket.  117. 
Back  brake  block.  57. 

pressure  valve,  352.  356. 

twist  in  wire  cable.  119. 
Bailer,  45.  123. 

dump  for  cementing  casing,  310-312. 

fishing  for,  170. 
Bailing.   122.   123. 

rotary  well.  202,  203. 
Baker  cement  plug,  312. 

cement  retainer.  307  309. 

shoe  guide,  281. 

spudding  shoe,  130. 
Balance,  engine,  use  of,  98.  112. 
Balancing  joint  of  drill  pipe,  202. 
Band  wheel,  45.  48.  59. 

Carnegie  steel,  72. 

shaft,  44.  45. 
Barrett  jack  and  rack.  126. 
Bars,  sinker,  use  of,  156. 

steel,  weights  of,  456. 
Batteries,  459. 

Battery  for  well  shooting,  331. 
Becker,  Ge'^rge  F.,  on  Genesis  of  Petro- 
leum, 32. 
Belling  casing,  167. 
Belt.  45. 

horsepower  table,   424  425. 

length  required  for  two  given  pulleys, 
423. 

link,  horsepower  of.  389. 

link,  safe  load  for,  389. 

rule  for  finding  width,  424. 

to  find  approximate  weight  of,  424. 

to  find  length  of  when  closely  roHed. 
424. 


BelUng,  423-425. 

Belts,  distance  between  pulleys,  423. 

sag  of.  423. 
Benzol,   freezing  point  of,  443. 
Bibliography   of   oil   and  gas   geology, 

33-42. 
Bit.   45. 

cracked,   illustration   of,   142. 

fishing  for.  164. 

improperly    dressed,    illustration    of. 
142. 

properly  dressed,  illustration  of.  142. 

rotary,  fishing  for,  207. 

sidehill,  131. 
Bits.  California,  124. 

instructions  for  measuring,  124,  126. 

Mother  Hubbard,  123.  124. 

regular.   123,   124. 

rotary,  fishtail.  198,  204. 

rotary  rock.  Hughes,  203,  204. 

spudding,  123. 

Star,  124.  125. 

tempering,  143-145. 
Bit  dressing.  131-145. 

hook.  164.  165. 

ram,  136. 
Bits  out  of  gauge.  115.  139. 
Blank  pipe,  351-353. 
Block,  casing.  284. 

for  rotary  drilling.  193,  198. 

impression,  use  of.  168. 
Blo<^ing   up    derrick    to   connect    gate 

valve,  359. 
Blocks,  casing,  method  of  stringing.  276. 

casing,  safe  working  loads  for,  379. 
Blocks  or  pulleys,  mechanics  of.  439-440. 
Blower,  Star,  lubrication  of,  461. 
Blow  out  preventer,  209. 
Blow  outs,  gas.  354,  355. 
Board  measure,  450. 
Boiler,  drilling.  97. 

facts   about,    433. 

moving  back  when  drilling  in,  157. 
Boilers,  196. 

factor  of  safety  for,  374. 

horsepower  of,   436. 

horsepower  of,   rules  for  estimating. 
433. 

safe  working  pressures  in.  432. 
Boiler  and  steam  facts,  433-434. 
Bolts,  holding  power  of  in  white  pine, 
387. 

strength  of.  387. 
Boot  jack,   168,   170.   171. 
Bootleg  packer,   299. 
Bottom  hole  packer,  292. 
Bottom  wpter,  shutting  off.  316-322. 
Boulders,  drilling  through,  203. 

method  of  overcoming,  106,  107. 
Bowl,  casing,   180. 

Boxes,  jack  post,  lubrication  of,  461. 
Braces,  derrick.  45. 

derrick,  length  to  cut,  234,  235. 

wind,  derrick,  47. 
Bradenhead.  364. 
Brake  band,  45. 

lever,  45. 

staple.  45. 
Brandon  power  casing  machine,  290. 


520 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


Brass,  flux  for  soldering,  446. 

strength  of.  890. 
Breaking  out  drill  pipe  joinU,  200.  201. 

202. 
Breaking  out  tongs.  200.  201. 
Breaking  strength  of  Manila  rope,  382- 

383. 
Bridging  a  well,  359. 
Bridle  line.  103. 
British  heat  unit  or  thermal  unit,  defl- 

nition  of.  431-432. 
Bulletins,  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  33-42. 
Bull  dog  spear,  172,  173. 

hitch  for  pulling  casing,  281-283. 

ropes>   45. 

wheels,  44.  45.  59. 

wheels,  Carnegie  steel,  71. 

wheel  post  brace,  45. 

wheel  posts.  44,  45.  55. 

wheel  shaft,  44,  45,  67. 
Bumper,  engine  block,  44,  45-48. 

use  of,  162,  169,  171. 
Bumper  squib,  329. 
Burned  bit,  134. 
Burning  oil  or  gas  wells,  to  extinguish, 

456. 
Burrel,  Geo.  A.,  and  Oberfell,  G.  G..  on 
testing    natural    gas    for    gasoline 
content,  408-410. 
Butler,  Pa.,  casing  used  in.  256. 
Butler  Portable  Steam  Hammer.  136. 

Cable,  45. 

fishing  for,  160-162. 

Manila,  115.  116. 

Manila,  drilling  with,  116,  116. 

Manila,  method  of  spooling,  99. 

new  Manila,  treatment  of,  116. 

wire,  drilling  with,  116-120. 

wire  .method  of  spooling.  120. 
Cable  and   rotary  combination  system 

of  drilling,  223-235. 
Cables,  drilling,  strength  of.  381-383. 

instructions  for  splicing  Manila  and 
wire,  419-420. 

wire.   116-120. 

wire  drilling,  table  of  depths,  weight 
of  tools  and  length  of  stroke  for, 
411. 
Cable  tool  system  of  drilling,  43-157. 
Calf  rope,  45. 
Calf  wheel,  44,  45,  59. 

Carnegie  steel,  73. 

use  of,  129. 
Calf  wheel  posts,  44.  45,  55. 

rim.  44,  45. 

shaft.  44,  45.  67. 
California  Bits.  124. 

casing.  252. 

D.  B.  X.  casing,  268. 

casing  cutter,  175,  176. 

casing  used  in.  262. 

combination  standard  and  rotary  der- 
ricks,  224,  227-235. 
California,    geological    publications   on. 
38,  39,  41. 

laws  relating  to  oil  and  gas.  467-477. 

rotary  drilling  outfit,  specification  of. 
218-222. 


California  rotary  rig,  191. 

rotary  rig  specification,  188. 

State   Mining   Bureau   directions    for 
well  measurements,  147-149. 
Cambrian,  26,  30. 
Canada,  casing  used  in.  262. 

geological  publications  on,  41,  42. 

producing  formations  of.  18-27. 
Canfield    wash    ring    and    steel    wash 

plug.   357.   358. 
Cants,  band  wheel.  59. 

bull  wheel.  45.  59. 

calf  wheel.  45,  69. 

tug  wheel,  59. 
Carbon  plants,  use  of  natural  gas,  state 

laws  relating  to.  485. 
Carboniferous.  22-25.  29. 
Care  in  making  up  joints,  125,  126. 

of  wire  rope,  418. 
Carnegie     106-foot     steel     combination 

derrick,  225. 

steel  rotary  derrick,  189. 

steel  standard  derricks.  70-73. 
Carpet,  use  of  in  fishing  sockets,  183. 
Carrying  capacities  of  copper  wire,  468- 

459. 
Case  hardening,  446. 

hardening  mixture.  446. 
Casing,  belling,  157. 

California,  252. 

California  D.  B.  X.,  268. 

cutting,  208. 

collapsed,  treatment  of,  177,  178. 

collapsing  pressures  of,  263-269. 

combination  of  sizes,  one  within  the 
other,  271-273. 

driving,  107-111. 

factor  of  safety  for,  374. 

faulty  methods,  diagram,  250,  251. 

fishing  for,   172-180,   207,  208. 

frozen.  173-177.  207,  208. 

inserted  joint.  269. 

inserted  joint,  use  of.  274. 

methods  of  cementing,  208.  301-315. 

oil  string.  345.  346. 

pulling  outside  string,  280. 

putting  in  with  rotary  outfit,  278.  27J. 

s-^  I'e  lengths  of  string,  266-269. 

setting  up  with  Dunn  tongs.  277. 

shooting,  179. 

sidetracking.  179. 

standard  well,  266,  267. 

stove  pipe,  108-111. 

taking  slack  out  of  long  string.  279. 

use  of.  249-255. 

use  of  bull  hitch  for  pulling.  281-283. 
Casing  adapter.  177. 

block,  284. 

blocks,  method  of  stringing.  276. 

blocks,  safe  working  loads  for.  379. 

blocks   and   hooks,    factor   of  safety 
for,  374. 

bowl,  Kesselman,  180. 

clamp,  use  olS  279. 

crew,  274,  275. 

cutter  mandrel  and  jars,  176. 

cutters,  175.  176,  208. 

elevators.  285-286. 

equipment,  284-290. 


INDEX 


521 


Casing  head,  control,  336.  337. 

hook.  284. 

hooks,  safe  working  loads  for.  379. 

in  oil  and  gas  wells,  state  laws  relat- 
ing to.  473.  482.  483.  488.  489. 

line.  45. 
.  lines,  safe  working  loads.  381. 

machine.  Brandon  power,  290. 

methods.  249-290. 

outfits,  specifications  for.  286-289. 

perforator,  346. 

perforator,  use  of.  280.  281. 

pulley.  45.  68. 

shoes.  281. 

splitter.  180. 

squib.  179. 

swages,  177.  178. 

swivel.  274. 

tester,  use  of,  278. 

threads,  lubricant  for.  462. 

threads,  treatment  of,  278. 

tongs,  286. 

used  in  various  fields,  266-262. 
Castings,  strength  of,  390. 

to  stop  cracks  in,  444. 
Cavern,  drilling  through,  113. 
Caving  hole,  fishing  for  tools  In,  180. 

to  prevent,  114. 
Cellar,  derrick,  diagram  of,  230. 
Cement,  fire  proof,  447. 

for  steam  pipes,  447. 

iron,    447. 

red  lead  for  face  Joints,  448. 

rust  joint,  447. 

specific  gravities  and  weights  of,  442. 

strength  of,  390. 

theoretical    height    will    rise    outside 
casing,  313. 

universal,  447. 

water  proof,  447. 
Cementing  casing,  208,  301-315. 
Cement  plug.  Baker,  312. 

retainer.  Baker,  307-309. 
Center  irons,  45,  48. 

Jar  socket.  168,  169. 
Centigrade  to  Fahrenheit,  444. 
C  hook.  193,  198.  204. 
Chain,  sprocket,  rotary,  195. 
Chart  of  well  log,  150. 

showing  combinations  of  sizes  of  cas- 
ing one  within  another,  272,  273. 
Circles,  measurement  of,  448. 
Circulating,    hydraulic    system,    drilling 

by,  236-241. 
Circulating  head,  238,  240. 
Clamp,  casing,  279. 
Clamping  wire  rope  with  clips,  419. 
Clamps,  drive,  105. 

temper  screw  for  wire  line,  117. 
Cleaning  out.  122,  123. 
Coal,   oil  and  natural  gas,  comparison 

of  fuel  value,  426. 
Coal  lands,  drilling  wells  on.  state  laws 

relating  to,  487,  488. 
Coals,  comparisons  of  fuel  value,  425. 

specific  gravities  and  weights  of,  441. 
Cold  weather,  drilling  in,  156-157. 
Collapsed  casing,  treatment  of,  177,  178. 
Collapsing  pressures  of  casing,  263-269. 


Collar,  drill,  199. 

Collar  socket.  166,  167. 

Colorado,    geological    publications    on, 

36,  37. 
Colors  of  steel  for  tempering,  144. 
Combination  cable  and  rotary  derrick. 
227-230. 

interior  view,  226. 

cable  and  rotary  drilling  outfits,  spe- 
cifications for,  231-236. 

cable  and  rotary  system  of  drilling. 
223-236. 

socket,  use  of,  163,  164,  170,  174. 
Combinations  of  drive  pipe  and  casing, 

271-273. 
Compound  drilling  engine,  193,  194. 
Commutator,  care  of,  460. 
Concrete,      proportions     for     dlflTerent 

structures,  437. 
Conductor,  wood,   102. 
Cone  rotary  bits,  Hughes,  203,  204-206. 
Contract,  drilling,  form  of,  400-403. 
Control  casing  head,  242,  336,  837. 
Controllers,  345. 
Conversion  tables,  454-465. 
Copper,  flux  for  soldering,  446. 

melting  point  of,  443. 

strength  of,  390. 
Core  barrel,  350. 
Corner,  derrick,  55. 
Corrugated  friction  socket.  166.  166 

iron  required  for  drilling  rigs.  /3. 
Cost  of  derricks,   comparison   of  1914- 
1920,  365-366. 

of   drilling   and   equipping  oil   wells. 
367-369. 

of  drilling  wells  in  various  localities. 
365-370. 

of  well  shooting.  369.  370. 
Coste.  Eugene,  on  origin  of  oil.  32. 
Counter-balance.  345. 
Coupling,  die,  172,  173. 
Cracker,  drilling  cable,  117. 
Cracks  in  castings,  fo  stop,  444. 
Crane,  derrick,  45,  135. 
Crank,  band  wheel,  44,  45. 
Cretaceous,  19,  22,  28. 
Crew,  drilling,   197. 
Crew  for  putting  in  casing,  274,  275. 
Crooked  hole,  to  straighten,  113,  114, 127. 
Crown  block,  method  of  assembling.  195, 

steel,  47,  68. 

wood,  45,  47,  55. 

Crown  block  and  pulleys,  lubrication  of, 
462. 

pulley,  45,  68. 
Cubic  or  solid  measure,  448. 
Curtin.  Thos.,  on  motion  in  drilling  111 
Cutters,  casing.  175,   176,208. 

under  reamer,  tempering,  145. 
Cutting  casing,   208. 

the  cable,    162,    163. 
Cyclone  drilling  machine,  78. 

Deepening  oil  and  gas  wells,  state  laws 

relating  to,  478,  493,  509. 
Deepest  wells  in  the  world,  393-400. 
Depth  of  hole,  measuring.  146-149.  420 
Derrick,  bolted.  77. 


522 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


Derrick,  California  combination  stand- 
ard and  rotary,  specification  for, 
231-235. 

California,  diagram  of.  53,  64. 

California,  106  foot,  combination 
standard  and  rotary,  227-230. 

Carnegie  steel  106  foot  combination, 
225. 

electric  lighUng,  197,  460-461. 

interior  view  of,  277. 

rotary,  steel,  189. 

rotary,  wood,  185-186. 

standard,  with  parts  numbered,  44,  46. 

trueing  up,  284. 
Derrick  crane   outfit,    135. 

girts  and  braces,  length  to  cut,  cS. 

parts,  diagrams  of,  65-60. 

sills.  44,  45,  46. 
Derricks,  Carnegie  steel  standard.  70-73. 

cost  of.  365-366. 

factor  of  safety  for.  374. 

Neill  tubular.  74-75. 

standard,  specification  of  material 
for,  49-52,  61-65. 

standard,  wood,  43-69. 

steel,  safe  working  loads.  374-377. 

wood,  directions  for  erecting.  46-48. 

wood,  safe  working  loads,  377-378. 
Devonian,  25.  26.  29. 
Diagram  of  bull  hitch  assembly.  283. 

of  California  derrick,  63,  64. 

of  complete  rotary  rigs,  190-191. 

of  Kelly  system  of  driving  pipe,  109. 

of  106  foot  California  combination 
standard  and  rotary  derrick,  227- 
230. 

of  106  foot  Carn3gie  steel  combina- 
tion derrick,  225. 

of  106  foot  combination  cable  and 
rotary  rig  with  machinery,  224. 

of  rotary  derrick,  185,  186. 

of  outfit  for  mudding  off  gas,  243. 

of  sump  and  trough  for  mud  fiuid,  239. 

of  wood  derrick  parts,  65-60. 
Die  nipple  and  coupling,  172,  173. 
Directions  for  erecting  rotary  rig,  192, 
193. 

for  erecting  wood  derricks,  46-48. 

for  splicing  wire  rope,  412-417. 
Disc  anchor  packer,  293. 
Dome,  illustration,  13,  14. 
Dome  of  drilling  boiler,  433. 
Double  under  reamer.  128. 
Draw  works.  193,  195,  198,  204. 
Dressing  bits,  131-145. 
Drill  collar,  199. 

pipe,  199. 

pipe  blown  out  of  well  (illustration). 
354. 

pipe,  fishing  for,  207. 

stem,  rotary,  193,  199. 
Drilling.  120-121. 

cost  of.  366. 

standard  or  cable  tool  system,  43-157. 
Drilling  boiler,  facts  about,  433. 
Drilling    by    cable    system,    description 
of.  111,  112. 

by  combination  cable  and  rotary 
system,  223-233. 


Drilling  by   hydraulic   circulating  sys- 
tem, 236-241. 

by  rotary  system,  184-222. 

by  rotary  system,  description  of,  196- 
200. 

contract,  form  of,  400-403. 

engines,  98,  99,  193,  435. 

equipment,  life  of,  405-407. 

hardened  steel,  445,  446. 

in  different  formations,  112-116. 
•   in  extremely  cold  weather,  156,  167. 

line,  rotary,  198. 

machines,  78-79. 

motion  defined.  111.  112. 

oil  and  gas  wells,  state  laws  relating 
to.   463,   474,   487,   493,  505,  509. 

outfit,  lubrication  of,  461,  462. 

outfits,  cable,  specifications  of,  78-96. 

outfits,  rotary,  specifications  of,  215- 
222. 

past  lost  tools,  170. 

too  loose,  112,  115. 

too  tight.   115,   116. 

tool  taper  joints,  dimensions,  etc.,  407. 

tools,   analyses  of  steel   for  making, 
445. 

tools,  illustrations  of  complete  string, 
100. 

with  jars,   121,   122. 

with  Manila  cable,  115,  116. 

with  wire  cable,  116-120. 
Drive  clamps,  105. 

down  socket,  165,  166. 

down  spear,  107,  108,   173. 

head.  106. 

pipe.  102,  105,  107. 

shoes,  105.  106. 
Driver,  rotary,  199. 
Driving  pipe,  105-111. 
Dump  bailer  process  for  cementing  cas- 
ing, 309-312. 
Dump  shot,  331. 
Dumping  water,  116. 
Dunn  tongs,  286. 

Earth,  specific  gravity  and  weights  of. 

442. 
Elastic  limit,  372. 
Electric  lighting  derricks.  197. 

lighting  outfit  for  derricks,  460-461. 

magnet,  Helrazer,  fishing  tool,  ISl. 

magnet,  use  of  for  fishing.  170. 

squib.  330. 
Electrical  pumping  equipment.  342-345. 
Electricity,  457-461. 
Elevators.  Fairs,  206.  285. 

O.  W.  S.  Co.  double  gate,  285-286. 

Rex  side  gate.  206. 

Scott's.  285,  286. 

use  of  in  rotary  drilling.  199,  201,  206. 

Wir&on.  285,  286. 
Encroachment  of  water  on  oil  sands. 

diagram  of,  250,  251. 
Engine,  drilling.  98.  435. 

drilling,  compound.  193.  194. 

drilling,  internal  combustion.  99. 

drilling,  lubrication  of,  461. 

gasoline,  lubrication  of,  461. 
Engine  block,  44,  45-48. 


INDEX 


523 


Engines,  gas.  338,  339. 
steam,  horsepower  of,  436. 
steam,  rule  for  estimating  horsepower 
of.  436. 
Ether,  freezing  point  of,  443. 
Equation  of  pipes.  430-431. 
Explosion,    spontaneous    of    nitro-glyc- 
erin.  334,  336. 

Factors  of  safety,  372-374. 

of  safety  for  casing.  266-269. 
Fahrenheit  to  Centigrade,  <44. 
Fair's  elevators,  206,  285. 
Faults.  12. 
Feed  waters,  classification  of  impurities 

found  in  and  treatment  of,  434. 
Findlay  break.  263,  264. 
Finishing  and  shutting  in  oil  wells,  in 
California  fields.  356-359. 

in  Gulf  Coast  fields,  360-356. 

where  formations  are  soft  and  cav- 
ing. 345-359. 

where  formations  stand  up.  336-338. 
Finishing  the  well.  336-364. 
Fire,  gasoline  or  oil,  to  extinguish,  466. 
Fire  extinguisher  liquid.  448. 

for  heating  bits,  132.  134. 
Fire  proof  cement,  447. 
Fires,  gas  and  oil  well,  state  laws  re- 
lating to,  481,  499.  514. 
Fishing,    keeping    record    of    sizes    of 
tools  for,  158. 

miscellaneous    instructions,    158,    182, 
183. 

rotary,  20T,  208. 
Fishing  for  bit  or  rope  socket,  164,  166, 
166. 

for  broken  jars,  168. 

for  broken  stem,  166. 

for  casing,  172-180,  207,  208. 

for  drill  pipe,  207. 

for  Hughes  bit  cones.  208. 

for  lost  bailer  or  sand  pump.  170. 

for  lost  or  parted  cable,  160-162. 

for  rotary  bit,  207. 

for  rotary  drill  pipe,  207. 

for    temper   screw   balls,   set   screws, 
etc..  182. 

for  tools  fast  in  the  hole.  162-164. 

for  tools  fast  or  lost  in  the  hole.  168- 
183. 

for  tools  in  a  caving  hole,  180. 

for  under  reamer  cutters  and  small 
objects,  181. 

jars,  use  of,  159.  160. 

out  swab  rubber,  181. 

out  tools  and  casing  together,  182. 

where  joint  has  unscrewed,  170. 
Fishtail  rotary  bit.  204. 
Flagging  the  cable,  160. 

torpedo  line,  332. 
Flanges,  band  wheel,  44,  45. 
Flow  line,  359. 

Flow  of  oil  or  gas,  preparation  for,  206. 
Fluid,  mud  laden,  use  of,  236-248. 
Fluxes,  for  soldering  or  welding,  446. 
Footings,  derrick,  46. 
Forge  for  heating  bits.  132. 
Forgings,  strength  of,  390. 


Formations  or  sands,  chart  of,  18-27. 

Formations,  rock,   16. 

Formulas,  workshop.  445. 

Foundation,  derrick.  44,  46,  65. 

Foundations,  387. 

Fox  trip  spear,  172,  173. 

Freezing  of  rotary  pipe.  204. 

points  of  liquids,  443. 
Friction  of  liquids  in  pipe,  431. 

socket,  corrugated,  165,  166. 
Frozen  casing,  129.  130.  173-177,  207,  208. 
Fuel,  comparison  of  fuel  value  of  coals. 

425. 
Fuel  value 'Of  coal,  oil  and  natural  gas, 
426. 

oils,  analysis  and  calorific  values  of, 
426-426. 
Fuels,  426-427. 
Fusible  plugs,  433. 

Gas  and  oil  lease,  form  of.  403-405. 
Gas  and  oil,  state  laws  relating  to,  463- 

518. 
Gas.  mudding  off  or  "killing,"  242-244. 
natural,  origin  of,  30-32. 
natural,  properties  of,  427. 
natural,  testing  for  gasoline  content, 

408-410. 
oil    and    coal,    comparison    of    fuel 

values,  426. 
utilizing,  from  drilling  well,  444. 
Gas  engine.  338.  339.  344. 
Gasoline  from  natural  gas.  testing  for, 
408-410. 
or  oil  fire,  to  extinguish,  455. 
Gas  or  oil  wells,  burning,  to  extinguish, 

456. 
Gas  wells,  capacity  of  by  minute  pres- 
sure, 421-422. 
closed  in,  illustrations,  361,   363. 
gauge  reports,  state  laws  relating  to, 

498. 
restriction  of  and  regulation  of  out- 
put, state  laws  relating  to,  464.  465, 
483.  492.  498.  508,  509.  514. 
shutting  in,  360-364. 
Gauge,  bits  out  of,  115. 
Gauges  for  slush  pumps,  195. 
General  information,  391-462. 
Generator,  459. 

Moon  turbine,  care  of,  459,  460. 
Generator,  turbine,  lubrication  of,  461. 
Geological   formations  or   sands,   chart 
of,  18-27. 
terms,  28-30. 
Geology,  7-42. 
applied  to  well  drilling,  15. 
of  oil  and  gas,  bibliography,  33-42. 
Getty  screen,  348. 
Girts,   derrick,   44,   45. 

derrick,  length  to  cut.  234.  235. 
Glass,  melting  point  of.  443. 
Glue  to  resist  moisture,  formula.  448. 
Glycerine,  freezing  point  of,  443. 
Go-devil,  328. 
Grab,  rope,  161. 
sand  pump,  170,  171. 
whip  stock,  171. 
Granite,  drilling,   114. 


524 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


Grip  pipe,  adjuster.  340. 
Gudgeons,  bull  wheel,  46. 
calf  wheel,  45. 
calf  wheel  and  bull  wheel,  lubrication 

of.  462. 
Guiberson-Crowell  bottom   water   plug. 

320-321. 
Guide,  shoe.  Baker,  281. 
Gulf  Coast  rotary  rig  specification,  187. 
Guys,  derrick  ,48. 

Hand  hole  plates  of  drilling  boiler.  433. 
Hardening,  case.  445. 
Hardening  mixture,  446. 
Head,  circulating,  238,  240. 

control  casing,  386,  337. 

drive,  106. 
Headache  post,  44.  46-47. 
Heat,  427. 

of  bits  for  dressing,  134. 

of  steam,  432. 

of  water,  432. 

unit,   British,  definition  of.  431-432. 
Heating  value  of  wood,  426. 
Heaving  plug,  849. 

Heggem.  A.  G..  on  shutting  off  gas  in 
wells    by   mud-laden    fluid    system, 
241-244. 
Heinz  cup  packer,  254. 
Helrazer   electric   magnet   Ashing   tool, 

181. 
Hoist,  chain,  45,  135. 
Hole  for  standing  drill  stem.  209. 
Hollow  reamer,  use  of,  127. 
Hook,  bit,  164.  165. 

casing.  284. 
Hooks,  casing,  safe  working  loads  for. 

379. 
Hope     Natural     Gas     Company     deep 

wells,  393-400. 
Horn  socket,  use  of,  164,  165.  166,  168. 
Horsepower,  definitions  of.  436. 
Horsepower  for  belts,  424-425. 

necessary  to  elevate  water,  429,  430. 
Horseshoe  rope  knife,  use  of.  162,  163. 
Hose,  wire  wound  rotary.  195. 
Hughes  rotary  rock  bits,  203.  204-206. 

tool  joints.  199.  200. 
Hydraulic    circulating   system,    drilling 
by,  236-241. 

jacks,  use  of,  174,  178,  183. 

Idaho,  geological  publications  on,  39.  40. 
Ideal  rig  and  calf  irons,  62,  63,  66. 
Igneous  rocks,  30. 
Illinois,  casing  used  in,  257. 

geological  publications  on.  41. 
Impression  block,  use  of.  168. 
Impurities  found  in  feed  waters,  clas- 

siflcations  and  treatment  of,  434. 
Indiana,  geological  publicptions  on,  33. 
Information,  general.  391-462. 
Inserted  joint  casing.  269. 

joint  casing,  use  of.  274. 
Instructions    for    care    of    and    proper 
methods  of  handling  wire  rope,  418. 

for  Ashing.  158,  182,  183. 

for  measuring  bits,  124.   125. 

for  splicing  Manila  and  wire  cables, 
419-420. 


Interior  view  of  combination  cable  and 

rotary  derrick,  226. 
Internal   fluid   pressures   for    standard 

pipe,  388. 
Iron,  flux  for  welding,  446. 

melting  point  of,  443. 

speciflc  gravities  and  w^eights  of.  440. 

strength  of,  390. 

weight  of,  457. 
Iron  cement,  447. 

Jack,  Barrett  and  rack,  126. 

boot  or  latch,  168,  170,  171. 

milling,  167. 

pumping,  338,  339.  341. 
Jack  post  and  braces,  44-47,  -87. 

post  boxes,  44,  45. 

posts,  method  of  anchoring,  118. 
Jack  squib,  328. 

Jacks,  hydraulic,  use  of,  174,  178,  183. 
Jar  bumper,  169,  171. 

of  drilling  tools.  111,  115,  116. 

To  1*0^     4S 

drilling,  use  of,  121,   122. 

fishing  for,  168.  169. 

fishing,  use  of,  159,  160. 

long  stroke,  use  of,  108. 

rope  knife,  161. 

to  save  from  breaking,  444. 
Jerk  line,  102-104. 
Joint,  rust,  cement  for.  447. 

tool,  126. 

cement,  red  lead,  448. 
Joints,  care  in  making  up,  125,  126. 

drill  pipe,  breaking  out,  200,  201,  202. 

drilling  tool,  dimensions.  'Sic,  407. 

rotary  tool,  199,  200. 

tool,  cleaning,  102,  125. 

tool,  suitable  sizes,  156. 
Jones  casing  cutter,  175,  176. 
Jurassic,  22,  28.  ^ 

Kansas,  casing  used  in.  258. 

geological  publications  on,  34.  35. 
Kelly  system  of  driving  casing,  107-109. 
Kent  on  fuels.  425. 

on    mechanics   of   pulleys    or   blocks. 
439-440. 
Kentucky,  casing  used  in,  258. 

geological  publications  on.  33.  34. 
Kesselman  casing  bowl,  180. 
Keys,  derrick,  65. 
Kinking  of  wire  cable,  118. 
Killing  a  gas  well,  242-244. 
Kilowatt  hour,  458. 
Knapp,   Arthur,    on  rock  classification. 

149-156. 
Knives,  rope.  161,  163. 
Knuckle  post.  46,  48,  57. 
Larkin  sand  pump,  123. 
Laws  relating  to  oil  and  gas,  Arkansas. 
463-467. 

California,  467-477. 

LiOuisiana-4  78-487. 

Ohio,  487-491. 

Oklahoma,  491-500. 

Pennsylvania,  501-502. 

Texas,  503-518. 


INDEX 


525 


Layne   and    Bowler   lead    and   canvas 
packer,  351. 

screens,  347,  348. 
Lead,  flux  for  soldering,  446. 

melting  point  of.  443. 

specific  gravities  and  weights  of,  440. 

strength  of,  390. 

plug.  322. 
Lead  seal,  361. 

wool.  322. 
Lease,  oil  and  gas,  form  of.  403*406. 
Legs,  derrick,  47. 

Lewis,  J.  O.,  on  oil  recovery  methods. 
17. 

J.  O.,  and  W.  P.  McMurrny  on  use  of 
mud-laden  fluid,  245-248. 
Life  of  well  drilling  equipment,  405-407. 

of  wood,  383-384. 
Lighting    outfit,    electric,    for    derrick. 

460-461. 
Limestone,  drilling  in,  113. 

strength  of.  390. 

very  hard,  drilling,  114. 
Limit  plug.  321.  3^2. 
Line  squib.  329. 
Liner,  catfirg,  359. 
Liner  strings  of  casing,  254. 
Liners  or  screens,  346-349.  351-365. 
Link  belt,  horsepower  of,  389. 

safe  load  for,  389. 
Liquids,  freezing  point  of,  443. 
Loads,  safe  working  for  casing  equip- 
ment. 379-381. 
Loads,  safe  working  for  wood  derricks. 
377-378. 

safe  working  for  steel  derricks.  374- 
377. 
Log  of  deepest  well  in  the  world,  395-398. 

of  well.  149-156. 

of  well,   state  laws  relating  to,   476. 
479,  481,  494,  499.  610,  615. 
Losing  mud,  203. 
Louisiana,  casing  used  in,  259. 

geological  publications  on.  :{5,  Hi. 

laws  relating  to  oil  and  gas,  478-487. 
Lubricants  for   rotary   tool  joints  and 

for  casing  threads,  462. 
Lubrication  of  a  drilling  outfit,  461.  462. 
Lubricator  for  mud  fluid.  242-244. 

for  slush  pumps,  195. 
Lucey  elevators,  285. 

McDonald    process    for    cementing    off 

bottom  water,  316-319. 
McEvoy  screens,  347,  348. 
M.  &  F.  die  nipple,  172,  173. 
Machine  for  screwing  casing,  290. 
Machines,  drilling,  78-79. 
Magnet,  electric  for  fishing,  170,  181. 
Mandrel   and   Jars   for   casing  cutters, 
176. 

for  rotary  casing  cutter,  208. 

substitute,  174,  175. 
Manifold  for  slush  pumps,  195,  196. 
Manila    and    wire    cables,    instructions 
for  splicing.   419-420. 

cable,  drilling  with.  115,  116. 

rope  knife.  161. 

rope  socket.  101. 


Marble,  strength  of,  390. 
Marks  on  fuel  oils,  425. 
on   treatment   of   impurities   in    feed 
waters.  434-435. 
Materials.       specific       gravities       and 
weights  of,  440-442. 
strength  of,  371-390. 
Maul,  pipe  driving,  106,  108. 
Measure,  board  or  lumber,  450. 

surveyors'  square,  450. 
Measurement  of  surfaces.  449-450. 
Measures  by  Metric  system.  450-454. 

of  volume,  solid  or  cubic,  448. 
Measuring  the  depth  of  hole.  146-149. 
Mechanical  properties  of  woods  grown 

in  the  United  States.  384-385. 
Mechling  wire  line  clamps,  117. 
Melting  points  of  various  solids,  442-448. 
Mensuration,  448-450. 
Metal,  Babbitt  and  other  bearing,  pro- 
portions of,  437. 
fusible,  melting  points  of.  443. 
Method  of  estimating  depth  of  well  by 
calculating  length   of  cable  wound 
around  bull  wheel  shnft.  420. 
of  stringing  rotary  drilling  line  and 
pulleys,  198. 
Metric  conversion  tables,  454. 

system,  460-454. 
Mexico,  casing  used  in.  262. 

producing  formations  of,   27. 
Milling  a  pin,  167.  168. 
jack  and  wheel  in  operation,  167. 
tool.  167. 
Mills  drive  down  spear,   173. 
Minute  pressure  of  gas  wells,  421-422. 
Miscellaneous  facts,  444. 
Mississippi,   geological   publications  on. 

40. 
Monocline,  10. 

Montana,  casing  used  in,  261. 
geological  publications  on,  36,  37.  38. 
40. 
Moon   turbine  generator,   care  of.   459. 

460. 
Mother  Hubbard  bits,  123,  124. 
Motion,  drilling,  defined.  111.  112. 
Motor.  459. 

Motors,  electric  for  pumping.  342-345. 
Mouse  trap.  161. 
Moving   back   boiler   when   drilling   in. 

157. 
Mud,  mixing.  116. 
Mud  fluid,  mixing,  199. 
laden  fluid,  action  of  on  porous  for- 
mations,  247,   248. 
laden  fluid,  description  of,  245,  246. 
laden  fluid,  settling  of,  246,  247. 
laden  fluid,  use  of,  236-248. 
sills,  44,  45-48. 
Mudded  rotary  bit,  treatment,  203. 
Mudding  off  gas,  242-244. 
oft  oil   or  gas,   state  laws.   466,    480, 
495.  496.  511.  612. 

Nails,    holding    power    of    in    various 

woods,  386. 
National  portable  rig.  75-76. 
rotary  drill  pipe,  210-215. 


526 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


Natural    gas.    conservation    of,    state 

laws  relating  to.  478.  479.  485,  492. 

494.  497.  499.  503.  607.  510. 
gas,  origin  of.  30-32. 
properties  of.  427. 
Negative  wire,  simple  rules  for  finding. 

461. 
Neill  tubular  derricks.  74-75. 
New  Era  rope  socket,  101. 
New  Mexico,  geological  publications  on, 

39. 
Nipple,  M.  &  F..  Die.  172.  173. 
Nitro-glycerin.  use  of  in  well  shooting. 

323-335. 
North   Dakota,    geological   publications 

on,   39,  40. 
Nose  sill,  44,  45. 

Ohio,  casing  used  in,  256. 
geological  publications  on,  33,  34.  40. 
laws  relating  to  oil  and  gas.  487-491. 
Ohms,  defined.  457. 
Ohms  law.  457. 
Oil,  origin  of,  30-32. 
pumping,  338-345. 
Oil  and  gas.  state  laws  relating  to,  463- 
618. 
and  gas  geology,  publications  on,  33- 

42. 
and  gas  lease,  form  of,  403-405. 
as  a  scale  preventive.  435. 
Oil.  coal  and  natural  gas,  comparison 

of  fuel  value.  426. 
Oil  or  gasoline  fire,  to  extinguish,  455. 
or  gas  wells,  burning,  to  extinguish. 

456. 
sands,  porosity  and  saturation  of.  16, 

17. 
saver.  337. 

string  of  casing,  249,  345-346. 
wells  in  United  States,  391. 
wells,   shutting  in,   336-364. 
Oils,  fuel,  analysis  and  calorific  values 

of,  425-426. 
Oklahoma,  casing  used  in,  258,  259. 
geological  publications  on,  34.  35. 
laws  relating  to  oil  and  gas,  491-500. 
Ontario,  geological  publications  on.  41. 

42. 
Ordovician,  26,  29. 

Oregon,   geological  publications  on.  39. 
Origin   of  petroleum   and  natural   gas, 

30-32. 
Outfit  for  drilling  600  feet,  78. 
for  drilling  700  to  1200  feet,  79. 
for  drilling  1800  feet.  80. 
for  drilling  2500  feet.  81,  85. 
for  drilling  3000  feet  82,  83,  85.  86. 
for  drilling  4000  feet,  83,  84.  86,  87. 
for  drilling  5000  feet.  84.  85,  87,  88. 
for  drilling  7500  feet,  88-90. 
for  drilling  in  foreign  fields,  91-96. 
Outfits,    casing   specifications   for,    286- 
289. 
rotary  drilling,  specifications  for.  215- 
222. 
Overshot.  207.  208. 

O.    ^^^.    S.    Co.    double    gate   elevators, 
285. 


Packer,  bootleg,  299. 

bottom  hole.  292.  296. 

conical  sleeve  anchor,  296. 

disc  anchor.  293.  295. 

disc  cave,  296,  297. 

disc  wall,  296,  298. 

Heinz  cup.  254. 

hook  wall  pimiping.  296,  297. 

lead  and  canvas  collapsible,  351. 

made  of  joint  of  casing  and  pieces  of 
rope.   299.   300. 

screw  anchor.  294.  295. 

special  anchor,  295. 

special  gas  anchor.  296.  297. 
Packers,  use  of.  252.  291-300. 
Parkersburg  bull  wheel  and  calf  wheel 
shafts,  67. 

portable  rig,  77. 
Peg-legging  of  tools,  116,  119. 
Pennsylvania,  casing  used  in,  256. 

geological  publications  on,  33,  40. 

laws  relating  to  oil  and  gas,  501-502. 
Peoples  Natural  Gas  Co.,  deep  well,  393. 
Perforated  casing,  346. 

liners,  351-354. 

pipe,  341. 
Perforating  casing,  280,  281. 
Perkins  process  for  cementing  casing, 

301-307. 
Petroleum,  origin  of,  30-32. 

specific  gravities  and  weights  of,  441. 

production  of  world,  392-393. 
Pin,  milling,  167,  168. 
Pipe,  drill,  199. 

drill,  fishing  for.  207. 

drill,  properties  of,  210. 

drill,  tests  on,  210-212. 

drive,  102.  105.  107. 

driving.  105-111. 

internal  fiuid  pressure  for.  388. 

derricks,  Neill.  74-75. 

for  drilling  purposes,   precautions  in 
handling.  214,  215. 

for  rotary  drilling,  210-215. 

line  connections,   state  laws  relating 
to,  505. 

lines,  breaks  or  leaks  in.  state  laws 
relating  to,  481.  499.  514. 
Pipes  .equation  of,  430-431. 

friction  of  liquids  in.  431. 

steam,  cement  for,  447. 

steam,  directions  for  connecting,  434. 
Pitman.  44,  45.  55. 
Plants,  pumping,  338,  339,  344. 
Platforms  for  men  in  derricks,  192. 
Plug,  cement.  Baker.  312. 

drilling,  for  wire  cable,  120. 
Plugging  oil  and  gas  wells,  state  laws 
relating  to.   478.   486.   488.  489.  493. 
494,  501.  504.  509.  510. 
Plugs,  bottom  water.  320-322. 

fusible,   433. 
Pocket  in  oil  well,  336. 
Polished  rod,  340. 
Porosity   and   saturation   of  oil   sandi, 

16.  17. 
Porous  formations,  action  of  mud  laden 

fiuid  on.  247.  248. 
Portable  rig,  75-77. 


INDEX 


527 


Positive  wire,  simple  rules  for  flndinir. 

461. 
Powers,  pumpingr,  338,  339,  844* 

Precautions  in  handling  pipe  for  drill- 
ing: purposes,  214,  216. 
Pressure,  water,  429. 
Preventer,  blow  out,  209. 
Producing  oil   wells  in  United   States, 

391. 
Properties  of  drill  pipe,  210. 
of  naturpl  gas,  427. 
of  steel  wire.  380. 
Prosser  swivel  rope  socket,  117. 
Protection  for  man  in  derriclt,  209. 
Publications    of    oil    and    gras    geology. 

33-42. 
Pulleys,  relations  of  the  size  and  speeds 
of  driving  and  driven,  438. 
rules  for  calculating  speed  of,  438-439. 
or  blocks,  mechanics  of,  439-440. 
Pulling  casing  with  bull  hitch,  281-283. 
Pulling    casing    with    hydraulic    jacks, 
178. 
casing   with   hydraulic   jacks,    socket 

and  mandrel  substitute.  174,  176. 
frozen  casing,  173-178. 
oil  and  gas  wells,  state  law's  relating 
to,  478,  479. 
Pump,  boiler  feed,  lubrication  of,  461. 
Pump  cylinder,   to  And  diameter  of  to 
move  given  quantity  of  water,  431. 
Pumping  jack,  338,  339,  341. 
Pumping  outfit,  diagram  of,  340. 
outfit  for  wire  rope,  342. 
powers,  338,  339,  344. 
salt  water,  341. 

wells  with  electric  power,  342-346. 
with  wire  rope,  341,  342. 
Pumps,  depth  of  suction,  435-  436. 
steam,   435.  436. 
slush,  195-197. 

Quaternary,  18,  28. 

Ram,  bit,  136. 
Rasping,  166. 
Rasps,  166.  167. 
Rat  Hole,  209. 
Reamer,  hollow,  127,  128. 
Ream.ers,  under,  127,  128. 
Reaming,  131. 
Reaming  , under,  127-131. 
Releasing  locked  jars,  169. 
Resistance  of  copper  wire,  458-459. 
Rex  side  gate  elevators,  206. 
Richardson,  G.  B.,  on  World's  Produc- 
tion of  Petroleum,  392. 
Rig,  combination  cable  and  rotary,  224. 
Rig  and  outfit  used  to  drill  deepest  well 
in  the  world,  399,  400. 

irons.  Ideal,  62,  63,  66. 

irons,  standard,  51,  52. 
Rigby  oil  saver,  337. 
Rigging  up  rotary  rig.  193,  195-199. 

up  standard  rig,  97-102. 
Rigs,  portable,  75-77. 

rotary,  185-193. 

standard,  43-77. 
Riveted  or  stove  pipe  casing,  108-111. 


Rock,  bearing  power  of,  387. 

Rock  classification  in  well  logs.  149-166. 

formations.  16. 
Rocks,  specific  gravities  and  weights  of. 

441-442. 
Rods,  pull.  338.  339. 

sucker   341 
Roebling'.  John  A..  Sons  Co.,  on  splicing 

wire  rope  and  on  proper  methods 

of  handling,  412-418. 
Rooflng.  measurement  of,  449. 
Roller  swage.  177,  178. 
Rope,  factor  of  safety  for,  374. 
strain  caused  by  running  with  slack 

line.  419. 
Manila,  breaking  strength  of.  382-383. 
wire,  care  of,  120. 
wire,  clamping  with  clips,  419. 
wire,  directions  for  splicing,  412-417. 
wire,   for  pumicing,  341,  342. 
wire,    instructions    for    care    of    and 

proper  methods  of  handling,  418. 
wire,  lubrication  of,   462. 
wire,  safe  working  loads.  381,  382. 
wire  .spooling  attachment  for,  422. 
Rope  grab,  161. 
knives.  161,  163. 
knife  jars.  161. 
knife  sinker,  161. 
socket,  fishing  for,  164.  165.  166. 
socket     New    Era,    to    prevent    hole 

cracking,  444. 
socket  tongue  socket,  165,  166. 
sockets,  45.  101,  117. 
spear.  161. 
Rotary.  199. 
shaft  drive.  193,  194. 
bit,  198.  204. 
casing  cutter,  208. 
derrick,  diagram  of,  185,  186. 
drill  pipe,  212,  213. 
drilling  outfit,  lubrication  of,  462. 
drilling  outfits,  specifications  for,  216- 

222. 
outfit,   use  of   for  putting  in   casing, 

278     279. 
process  of  drilling,   184-222. 
rig   (California)   showing  machinery, 

191. 
rig,  directions  for  erecting,  192,  193. 
rig  (Texas)   showing  machinery,  190. 
shoe,   207,   208. 
tool  joints,   199.   200. 
tool  joints,  lubricant  for,  462. 
with  drilling  block,  hooks,  swivel  and 

drill  stem,  193. 
Rules  for  calculating  speed  of  pulleys, 

438  439. 
for  estimating  horsepower  of  steam 

engines,  436. 
for  estimating  power  of  steam   boil- 
ers, 433. 
Rust,  to  preserve  steel  from,  447. 

to  remove  from  steel,  446. 
Rust  joint  cement,  447. 

Safe  lengths  of  strings  of  casing,  266- 
269. 
loads  for  bolts,  387. 


528 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


Safe  loads  for  casing  blocks  and  hooks. 
379. 

loads  for  casin^r  equipment,  379-380. 

loads  for  link  belt.  389. 

loads  for  National  portable  rigs,  76. 

loads  for  Neill  tubular  derricks,  75. 

loads    for    square    wooden    columns. 
386. 

loads  for  steel  derricks,  374-377. 

loads  for  wire  rope.  381-382. 

loads  for  wood  derricks,  377-378. 

working  pressures  in  shells  of  boilers, 
tanks,  pipes,  etc.,  432. 
Safety  factors  and  safe  working  fiber 

stresses,  372-374. 
Sampson  post  and  braces,  44-48,  55. 
Sand,  running,  excluding,  345-369. 
Sands,  washing,  149. 

oil,  porosity  and  saturation  of,  16.  17. 

oil  and  gas,  chart  of,  18-27. 
Sand  line,  45. 

pump.  123. 

pump,  fishing  for,  168,  170,  171. 

pump,  use  of,  122,  123. 

pump  grab,  170,  171. 

pump  pulley,  45. 

reel,  44,  45,  48,  67. 

reel,  lubrication  of,  462. 

reel  hand  lever,  45. 

reel  lever.  44,  45,  48.  65. 

reel  sill.  44,  45. 

reel  swing  lever  irons,  69. 
Sandstone,  drilling  in,  113. 
Saturation  of  oil  sands,  16,  17. 
Saver,  oil,  337. 

Scale,  oil  as  a  preventive,  435. 
Scotts*  elevators,  285. 
Screens,  well,  346,   348,   349 
Screw,  temper,  121. 
Seal,  lead,  351. 

Seamless  interior  upset  drill  pipe,  214. 
Seed  bag,  use  of,  262. 
Separating  gas  from  oil.  359. 

gas  from  oil,  state  laws  relating  to, 
480,  481,  497. 
Setting  liners,  351-355. 

screens,  347-349. 

shop  perforated  casing,  346. 

tool  for  Layne  packer.  351-353. 
Shaft,  band  wheel.  44,  45. 
Shafts,  bull  wheel  and  calf  wheel,  67. 
Shaft  driven  rotary  outfit,  193,  194. 
Shale,  drilling  in,  112. 
Sheet  steel,  thickness  of,  381. 
Shell,  130. 

Shells  for  well  shooting,  322,  326. 
Shoe,  Baker,  130. 

casing,  129. 

rotary,  207,  208. 

spudding,  102-104. 
Shoe  guide,  use  of,  281. 
Shoes,  casing,  281. 

drive,  105,  106. 
Shooting  a  crooked  hole,  113. 

boulders,  107. 

casing,  179. 

of  wells,  state  laws  relating  to,  498, 
504,  513. 

wells.  323-335. 


Shooting  wells,  cost  pf,  369,  370. 
Shutting  down,  157. 

in  gas  wells.  360-364 

in  oil  wells,  336-359. 

off  bottom  water,  316-322. 
Sidehill  bit,  131. 
Side  jar  socket,  168.  169. 

rasps,  167. 
Sidetracking  casing,  179. 
Sills,  derrick,  44,  45. 
Silurian,  26.  29. 
Sinker  bars,  use  of.  156. 
Sinker,  rope  knife,  161. 
Slate,  drilling  in.  112. 

strength  of.  390. 
Slide  tongs,  201. 

Slip  socket,  use  of,  163,  164,  166,  168, 174. 
Slips,  rotary,  199. 
Slips  used  in  fishing  tools,   illustration 

of,  159. 
Slush  pumps,  195  197. 
smith,    George   Otis,    on   agreement   of 
structure  mapping  with  results   of 
drilling,  15. 
Socket,  center  jar,  168.  169. 

collar.   166,  167. 

combination,  use  of,  163,  164,  170,  174. 

corrugated  friction,  165,  166. 

drive  down,  165,  166. 

horn,  use  of,  164,  165.  166,  168. 

jar  rein,   168,  169. 

jar  tongue,  168,  169*. 

rope  socket  tongue,  166,  166. 

side  jar.  168,  169. 

slip,  use  of,  163,  164,  166.  168.  174. 
Sockets,  rope,  101,  117. 

rope,  directions  for  fastening  rope  in. 
101,  117. 
Soils,  bearing  power  of,  387. 
Soldering  or  welding  fluxes,  446. 
Solid  or  cubic  measure,  448. 
Solidified  nitro-glycerin,  331. 
Spear,  bull  dog,   172,  173. 

Fox  trip,  172,  173. 

Mills  drive  down,  173. 

rope,  161. 

use  of,  172. 

wash  down,  207. 
Spearing  around  fast  tools,  172. 
Special  upset  rotary  pipe.  212.  213. 
Specific  gravities  and  weights  of  mate- 
rials, 440-442. 
Specifications  for  cable  drillihg  outfits, 
78-96. 

for  California  combination  standard 
and  rotary  rig,  231-235. 

for  casing  outfits,  286-289. 

for    combination    cable    and    rotary 
drilling  outfit.  235. 

for  rotary  drilling  outfits.  215-222. 

for  rotary  rigs.  187-188. 

for  standard  derricks,  49-52.  61-65. 
Speed  of  pulleys.  438-439. 
Spheres,  measurement  of.  448-449. 
Spider,  swinging.  129. 
Spider  and  slips,  275. 

use  of,  130. 
Splicing  Manila  and  wire  cables.   419- 
420. 


INDEX 


529 


Splicing  wire  rope.  412-417. 

Splitter,  casing,  180. 

Spontaneous  explosion  of  nitro-glycerin 

in  North  Texas.  334,  386. 
Sprocket  chain,  horsepower  of.  389. 

rotary,  196. 

safe  load  for,  889. 
Spud,  use  of.  164.  166,  172. 
Spudding.  102-106. 

illustration  of,  104. 

bits.  123. 

rotary  pipe.  208.  204. 

shoe.   102-104. 
Squib,  bumper.  329. 

casing,  179. 

electric.  330. 

lack,  328. 

line,  329. 
Squibbing  wells,  338. 
Stancliffe  screen,  348. 
Standard  derrick  with  parts  numbered, 
44,  45. 

derricks,    specifications    of    material 
for,  49-62,  61-65. 

or  cable  todl  system  of  drilling.  48- 
157. 

well  casing,  266,  267. 
Stands  of  drill  pipe.  202. 
Star  bits.  124.  126. 

drilling  machine,  79. 
State  laws  relating  to   drilling,   aban- 
doning and   plugging  oil   and   gas 
wells  and  to  oil  and  gas.  463-518. 
Steam,  428. 

dry.  431. 

heat  of.  432. 

saturated,  431. 

superheated,  431. 

temperature  of.  431. 

wet,  431. 
Steam  and  boiler  facts,  433-434. 

boilers,    safe    working    pressures    in, 
432. 

engines,  435. 

hammer.   Butler  portable,   136. 

pumps,  435-436. 
Steel,  flux  for  welding,  446. 

hardened,  to  drill.  445,  446. 

melting  point  of,   443. 

specific  gravities  and  weights  of,  440. 

strength  of.  390. 

to  preserve  from  rust,  447. 

to  remove  rust  from,  446. 

to  anneal.  446. 

to  temper.  445. 

turning,  drip  for,   446. 
Steel  bars,  weights  of.  456. 

combination  standard  and  rotary  der- 
rick, 225. 

colors  at  high  temperatures.  134.  135. 

rotary  derrick.  189. 

standard  derricks.   70-73. 

suitable    for    making    drilling    tools, 
analyses.  446. 
Stem,  45,  101. 

drill,  rotary.  193.  199. 

fishing  for.  166. 
Stewart,  Prof.  R.  T.,  Formula  for  Col- 
lapsing  Pressures   of    Casing,    263- 
266. 


Sticking  of  tools,  to  prevent.  114. 

Stirrup.  46. 

Stone,  specific  gravities  and  weights  of. 

441-442. 
Stove  pipe  casing.  108-111. 
Stoving  bits.  137-141. 
Straighten  crooked  hole,  127. 
Strain  and  stress.  371. 

caused   by   running   with   slack   line, 
419. 
Strength  of  materials,  371-390. 

of  miscellaneous  material.  390. 
Stress  and  strain.  371. 
Stripping  casing  over  cable,  182. 
Stroke  drilling.  111.  115.  120. 
StuflAng  box.  340. 
Subs,  drill  stem,  198. 
Sucker  rods.  341. 
Suction  of  pumps,  theoretical  depth  of, 

485.  436. 
Sump,  rotary,  196.  197. 
Surface,  measures  of.  449.  450. 
Surveyors'  square  measure.  450. 
Sub  sill.  44.  45. 

Substitute,    mandrel.    174.    175. 
Sump  holes  for  mud  fluid.  238.  240. 
Swab.  338. 

Swabbing  oil  wells.  338. 
Swab  rubber,  fishing  out,  181. 
Swages.  177,  178. 
Swan  under  reamer.  127. 
Swing  lever  irons,  69. 
Swinging  spider.  129. 
Swivel,  casing,  274. 

rotary,  193,  195,  198. 
Swivel  rope  socket,  117. 

wrench,  45. 
Syncline,   9. 

Tail  post,  46.  57. 

Tallying  drill  pipe,  209. 

Tank,   to  find  capacity  of.  455. 

Tanks,  safe  working  pressures  in,   432. 

Telegraph  wheel,  45. 

Temper  screw,  45,  101,  121. 

screw  balls,  fishing  for,   182. 

screw  clamps  for  wire  line.  117. 

screw  for  pumping,  342. 

screw  pulleys,  45. 

steel,  445. 
Temperature  of  bits  for  dressing,  134. 
Tempering  bits.  143-145. 

mixtures,    formulas   for.   445. 

under  reamer  cutters,  145. 
Tensile  strength,  372. 
Tension  on  drilling  cable,  111,  115. 
Terrace.  10. 
Tertiary.  18,  19,  28. 
Tester,  casing,  use  of,  278. 
Testing  natural  gas  for  gasoline  con- 
tent,   408-410. 

water  shut-off,  314  315. 
Tests  on  drill  pipe,  210-212. 
Texas,  casing  used  in,  259,  260. 

geological  publications  on.  35.  36.  41. 

Texas    and    Louisiana    rotary    drilling 

outfit,   specification  of.   215-218. 

laws  relating  to  oil  and  gas,  503-618. 

rotary  rig,  190. 
Thermometer  comparisons,  444. 


530 


DEEP  WELL  DRILLING 


Thread  cuttingr  compound,  447. 
Threads,  casing,  treatment  of,  278. 

rotary  tool  joint  and  casing,  lubricant 
for,  462. 
Timbie,  W.  H..  on  electricity,  457-459. 
Tin,  melting  point  of,  443. 

specific  gravities  and  weights  of,  440. 
Tongs,  breaking  out,  200,  201. 

Dunn,  286. 

slide,  201. 
Tongue  sockets,  165,  166,  169. 
Tool,  milling,  167. 
Tool  joint,   126. 

.loints,   dimensions,   etc.,  407. 

wrench,  126. 
Tools,    drilling,    directions  for   connect- 
ing, 101. 

drilling,      illustration      of      complete 
string,  100. 
Torpedoes,   well  shooting,   323-335. 
Tough,  F.  B.,  on  cementing  casing  and 
shutting  off  water,  309-311,  314-319. 
Trap,  mouse,  161. 
Triassic,   22,   28. 
Trip  spear.  Fox,  172,   173. 
Trueing  up  the  derrick,  284. 
Tubing,  341. 

equipment,  341. 

method  for  cementing  casing,  307-309. 
Tug  pulley,  44,  45,  48. 

wheel,  calf  wheel,  44,  45. 
Turning  steel,   drip  for,   446. 
Two  wing  rasp,  167. 

Ultimate  strength,  373. 

Under  reamer  cutters,  fishing  for,  181. 

tempering,  145. 
Under  reamers,  127,  128. 
Under  reaming,  127-131. 
Union    Tool    Co.    Shaft    Drive    Rotary. 

193,  194. 
United  States,  producing  formations  of, 

18-27. 
Units  of  heat,  427,   431-432. 
Universal   cement,   447. 
Utah,    peoloericrl    publications    on,    36, 

37,   38,   39,  40. 

V  rope  knife,  use  of,  161. 

Vacuum  pumps,  state  laws  relating  to, 

498,  518. 
Valve,  back  pressure,   352,  356. 
Valve  rod,  340. 
Valves,  globe,  directions  for  connecting, 

434. 
working  barrel,  341. 
Verifying  oil  or  gas  in  rotary  well.  202. 
Volt,  defined,  457. 
Volume,  measures  of,  448. 

Wapy.  E.  W..   on  setting  screens,  347- 

349.    357-359. 
Walking  beam.   44,  45,   48,  55. 

center   irons,  lubrication  of,   462. 
Wash  blade,  352.  356.  357. 

down  spear,  207.  • 

pipe.   352.   355. 

pipe  assembly,   illustration,   366. 

plug.    352.    356. 


Wash  rings,  353,  355,  357,  358 
Washing  out  the  sand,  149. 
the  sand,   203. 
wells,  352-359. 
Washington,  geological  publications  on, 

40. 
Waste    of    naturrl    gas    and    oil,    state 
laws  relating  to.   467.   477.   478.   480, 
483,  490,  491,  492,  493,  503.  504,  606, 
507,  608. 
Water,  bottom,  shutting  off,  316-322. 
properties  of,  428. 
pumping,   341. 
shutting  off,  249,  254. 
theoretical    horsepower   necessary    to 

elevate,  429,  4.S0. 
total  heat  of,   432. 

weight  of  in  pipe  of  different  diam- 
eters, 429. 
encroachment  on  oil  sands.  250,  251. 
factors,  428. 
pressure,  429. 
proof  cement,  447. 
shut  off  in  wells,  state  laws  relating 

to,  468,  473,  476,  480. 
shut  off,   testing,   314-315. 
used  in  drilling,  116. 
Waters,   feed,   classification   of  impuri- 
ties found  in  and  treatment  of.  434. 
Watt,  defined,  457,  458. 
Weight  of  belts.  424. 
of  iron.  457. 

of  water  in  pipes  of  different  diam- 
eters   429. 
Weights,' drilling,  for  Hughes  bits.  206. 
and    specific    gravities    of    materials, 

440-442. 
by  metric  system,  450-454. 
of  steel  bars,  456. 
Welding  or  soldering  fluxes,  446. 
Well  drilling  equipment,  life  of,  405-407. 
Well  logs,  149-156. 
Well  measurements,  146-149. 
Wells,  deepest  in  the  world.  393-400. 
gas,  capacity  of  by  minute  pressure, 

421-422. 
shooting.   323-335. 
Wells  producing  oil  or  gas  from  differ- 
ent stratp.   state  laws   relating  to, 
480.  495,   497.   512. 
West  Virginia,  casing  used  in.  256,  257. 
geological  publications  on,  33,  40,  41. 
Wheel,  band,  Carnegie  steel,  72. 
bull.  Carnegie  steel.  71. 
calf,  Carneerie  steel,  73. 
Whip  stock,   170,   171. 

stock  grab,  171. 
Wigle  spring  casing  hook,  202. 
Wilson  elevators,   285. 

under  reamer,  128. 
Wire,  copper,  resistance  of,  458-469. 

properties  of,  380. 
Wire   and    Manila   cables,    instruction! 
for  splicing.   419-420. 
cable,  drilling  with,  116-120. 
drilling     cables,      table     of     depths, 
weight    of    tools    and    length    of 
stroke  for,  411. 
line  spooling  attachment,  422. 


INDEX 


531 


Wire  rope,  care  of,  120. 
rope,  clamping  with  clips,  419. 
rope,   directions  for  splicing,  412-417. 
rope,    instructions    for    care    of    and 

proper  methods  of  handling.  418. 
rope,  lubrication  of,  462. 
rope,  safe  working  loads,  381-382. 
rope  knife,  163. 
rope  sockets,  117. 
Wires,    positive    pnd    negative,    simple 

rules   for   finding,    461. 
Wiring  directions  for  lighting  derrick, 

461. 
Wood,  heating  value  of,  426. 
life  of,  383-384.  * 

derricks.  43-69.  185  188,  192,  227-230. 
grown   in   United    States,    mechanical 
properties  of,  384-385. 
Wooden    beams,   safe   loads   and   span, 
386. 


Wooden  columns,  safe  loads  for,  3S6. 

Working  barrel,  341. 

Workshop  formulas,  445. 

World's   production   of   petroleum,   392- 

393. 
Wrench,  swivel,  135. 

tool,  126. 
Wrenches,    tool,    method   of  balancing, 

99. 
Wrist  pin,  44,  45. 
Wyoming,  casing  used  in,  260. 

geological  publications  on,  36.  37,  38, 

40. 

Yield  point.  372. 

Zero,  absolute,  444. 

Zinc,  flux  for  soldering,  446. 

melting  point  of,  443. 

specific  gravities  and  weights  of,  440. 

strength  of,  390. 


yc  131 


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