Glossary
Browse the IADC Lexicon alphabetically or by category. Get comprehensive definitions of drilling industry terms.
Stripper Well Property
Definition(s)
Stripper Well Property
“Stripper well property” means an oil or gas producing property that the taxation and revenue department assigns a single production unit number (PUN) and:- if an oil producing property, produced a daily average of less than 10 barrels of oil per eligible well per day for the preceding calendar year;
- if a gas producing property, produced a daily average of less than 60,000 cubic feet of gas per eligible well per day during the preceding calendar year; or
- if a property with wells that produce both oil and gas, produced a daily average of less than 10 barrels of oil per eligible well per day for the preceding calendar year, as determined by converting the volume of gas the well produced to barrels of oil by using a ratio of 6000 cubic feet to one barrel of oil.1
Stripping
Definition(s)
Stripping
A procedure for running or pulling pipe from the well bore with pressure in the annulus. Source: API RP 59, Recommended Practice for Well Control Operations, Second Edition, May 2006. Global StandardsStripping
Adding or removing pipe from a pressured wellbore while controlling flow from the wellbore. Source: API SPEC 16RCD, Specification for Drill Through Equipment—Rotating Control Devices, Upstream Segment, First Edition, February 2005. Global StandardsStripping
Adding or removing drill pipe into a live or pressurized well after exceeding pipe light depth. Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global StandardsStripping
“Stripping” means pulling or running pipe under pressure through a resilient sealing element and may also include the removing of rods and tubing from the well at the same time. [Mich. Admin. Code R 408 (2013)]. Source: Oil and Gas Drilling and Servicing Operations, Michigan Administrative Code R 408, February 8, 2013. RegulationsStructural Casing
Definition(s)
Structural Casing
The outer string of large-diameter, heavy-wall pipe installed in wells drilled from floating installations to resist the bending moments imposed by the marine riser and to help support the wellhead installed on the conductor casing. Source: API RP 59, Recommended Practice for Well Control Operations, Second Edition, May 2006. Global StandardsStructural Casing
The outer string of large diameter, heavy-wall pipe installed in wells drilled from floating installations to isolate very shallow sediments from subsequent drilling and to resist the bending moments imposed by the marine riser and to help support the wellhead installed on the conductor casing. Source: API RP 64, Recommended Practice for Diverter Systems Equipment and Operations, Second Edition, November 2001 (March 1, 2007). Global StandardsStructural Casing
"Structural casing" means a short string of large diameter pipe that is set by driving, jetting, or drilling to support unconsolidated shallow sediments, provide hole stability for initial drilling operations, and provide anchorage for a diverter system. Source: Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Definitions, Alaska Admin. Code tit. 20, § 25.990, December 7, 2012. RegulationsStructural Pipe Casing Strings
Definition(s)
Structural Pipe Casing Strings
Casing strings used to facilitate the drilling of the well, but not needed for pressure containment after the well has been drilled. Support unconsolidated sediments and provide hole stability for initial drilling operations, axial support for casing loads and bending loads from the subsea wellhead. Source: API RP 90, Annular Casing Pressure Management for Offshore Wells, Upstream Segment. First Edition, August 2006. Global StandardsSub-Contractor
Definition(s)
Sub-Contractor
"Sub-Contractor" means any person and/or employer (see definition of “person” and/or “employer”) who contracts to perform any part of oil and gas well drilling from contractor. Source: State of Wyoming Occupational Safety and Health Rules and Regulations for Oil and Gas Well Drilling, Revised January 8, 2013. RegulationsSubject Tract
Definition(s)
Subject Tract
“Subject tract or drilling unit” means a tract upon which a person proposes to drill, reopen, deepen, plug back, or re-work a well for producing oil and natural gas. Source: Division of Mineral Resources Management - Oil and Gas, Ohio Administrative Code, Chapter 1501:9, January 2012. RegulationsSubject Tract
“Subject tract” means a tract upon which a person proposes to drill, reopen, deepen, plug back, or rework a well for the injection of fluids. Source: Division of Mineral Resources Management - Oil and Gas, Ohio Administrative Code, Chapter 1501:9, January 2012. RegulationsSubject Tract
“Subject tract” means a tract upon which a person proposes to drill, reopen, deepen, plug back, or rework a well for the injection of saltwater. Source: Division of Mineral Resources Management - Oil and Gas, Ohio Administrative Code, Chapter 1501:9, January 2012. RegulationsSubmerged Wetland Area
Definition(s)
Submerged Wetland Area
Submerged Wetland Area―a wetland area which is normally inundated with water and where only levee material is available for mixing with waste fluids during closure of a pit. Source: Natural Resources, Office of Conservation – General Operations, Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 43, Part XIX, March 2013. RegulationsSubnormal Pressure
Definition(s)
Subnormal Pressure
"Subnormal pressure" means the formation pore pressure, proportional to depth, which is less than a hydrostatic pressure gradient of .465 psi/ft. Source: Corporation Commission, Oil and Gas Conservation, Oklahoma Administrative Code 165:10, February 2013. RegulationsSubsea Production System
Definition(s)
Subsea production system
The complete subsea production system comprises several subsystems necessary to produce hydrocarbons from one or more subsea wells and transfer them to a given processing facility located offshore (fixed, floating or subsea) or onshore, or to inject water/gas through subsea wells. Subsea production systems can range in complexity from a single satellite well with a flowline linked to a fixed platform, to several wells on a template producing and transferring via subsea processing facilities to a fixed or floating facility, or directly to an onshore installation. Source: API RP 17A, Design and Operation of Subsea Production Systems—General Requirements and Recommendations, Fourth Edition, Reaffirmed 2011. Global StandardsSubsea production system
“Subsea production system” means equipment and structures that are located on or below or buried in the seafloor for the production of oil or gas from, or for the injection of fluids into, a field under an offshore production site, and includes production risers, flow lines and associated production control systems (système de production sous-marin). Source: Canada Oil and Gas Installations Regulations, SOR/96-111, Canada, current to May 1, 2014. Regulations Source: Canada Oil and Gas Diving Regulations, SOR/88-600, February 2013. Regulations Source: Nova Scotia Offshore Certificate of Fitness Regulations, SOR/95-187, Canada, current to May 31, 2012. Regulations Source: Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Installations Regulations, SOR/95-191, Canada, current to May 31, 2012. RegulationsSubsea production system
Subsea production system In these Regulations, “drilling installation”, “drilling rig”, “drilling unit”, “drill site”, “installation”, “production installation”, “production operation”, “production site” and “subsea production system” have the same meaning as in subsection 2(1) of the Canada Oil and Gas Installations Regulations. Source: Canada Oil and Gas Drilling and Production Regulations, SOR/2009-315, February 2013. Regulations Source: Nova Scotia Offshore Petroleum Drilling and Production Regulations, SOR/2009-317, Canada, current to May 31, 2012. RegulationsSubsidence
Definition(s)
Subsidence
“Subsidence” means the lowering of the natural land surface in response to earth movements, lowering of fluid pressure, or removal of underlying supporting material by solution mining of solids. Source: Division of Mineral Resources Management - Oil and Gas, Ohio Administrative Code, Chapter 1501:9, January 2012. RegulationsSubstandard Acreage
Definition(s)
Substandard Acreage
Less acreage than the smallest amount established for standard or optional drilling units. Source: Oil and Gas Division, Texas Administrative Code, Title 16, Chapter 3, February 2013. RegulationsSubstantive Criminal Law
Definition(s)
Substantive criminal law
Substantive criminal law has the meaning given in subclause 1 (1) of Schedule 1 to the Crimes at Sea Act 2000. Source: Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage (Safety) Regulations 2009 (Select Legislative Instrument 2009 No. 382 as amended), Australia, prepared on 1 January 2012. RegulationsSubstitute Unit Well
Definition(s)
Substitute Unit Well
Substitute Unit Well―any well already drilled to, or to be drilled to, completed or recompleted in the unitized sand which in the interest of good conservation practices should be designated to take the place of and become the unit well. Source: Natural Resources, Office of Conservation – General Operations, Louisiana Administrative Code, Title 43, Part XIX, March 2013. RegulationsSubstructure
Definition(s)
Substructure
Structure on which the derrick sits. The substructure may provide space for wellhead and well control equipment. Source: API RP 54, Recommended Practice for Occupational Safety for Oil and Gas Well Drilling and Servicing Operations, Third Edition, August 1999 (2007). Global StandardsSubstructure
“Substructure” means a structure that surrounds the wellbore at the surface and provides the working area for certain employees. It may contain the rotary table. [Mich. Admin. Code R 408 (2013)]. Source: Oil and Gas Drilling and Servicing Operations, Michigan Administrative Code R 408, February 8, 2013. RegulationsSubstructure
Refer to Drill Floor Substructure. Source: API RP 64, Recommended Practice for Diverter Systems Equipment and Operations, Second Edition, November 2001 (March 1, 2007). Global StandardsSubsurface Disposal Facility
Definition(s)
Subsurface Disposal Facility
SUBSURFACE DISPOSAL FACILITY means a facility or system for disposing of water or other oil field wastes into a subsurface reservoir or reservoirs. Source: Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, Practice and Procedure, Code of Colorado Regulations, 2 CCR 404-1, February 2013. RegulationsSubsurface Water
Definition(s)
Subsurface Water
“Subsurface water” means ground water and water in the vadose zone that may become ground water or surface water in the reasonably foreseeable future or that vegetation may use. Source: Oil and Gas, New Mexico Administrative Code Title 19, Chapter 15, January 2013. RegulationsSubsurface Water
Water that flows over or is stored on the ground surface. (GEMI, 2012) . Source: Identifying and assessing water sources: Guidance document for the onshore oil and gas industry, International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA), 2014. Global StandardsSuitable Anchor
Definition(s)
Suitable Anchor
“Suitable anchor” means that it is capable of supporting at least 5,000 pounds per employee attached or shall be designed, install ed, and used as follows:- as part of a complete personal fall arrest system which maintains a safety factor of at least two (2);
- under the supervision of a qualified person.