The Principles and Practices of Deep By WALTER H. JEFFERY Copyright, 1921, by W. H. Jeffery. Published by W. H. JEFFERY COMPANY. Printed by OILDOM PUBLISHING COMPANY 71 J45 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 respectfully 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 curricula 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 engineering 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 general 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 337296 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. Fath and Mr. W. S. W. Kew, of the U. S. Geological Survey, Washington, 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. Brandon, 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. GEOLOGY CHAPTER I 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 hundred 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 drilling 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 essential to determine the type of drilling outfit best suited to the work. The United States Geological Survey and the Canadian Geological 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 the geological publications reporting on the region to be prospected. The 7 |