Glossary
Browse the IADC Lexicon alphabetically or by category. Get comprehensive definitions of drilling industry terms.
Entrained Gas
Definition(s)
Entrained Gas
Formation gas entering the drilling fluid in the annulus, causing gas cut mud Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global StandardsEnergy Consumption
Definition(s)
Energy Consumption
Quantity of energy consumed and measured in hours, such as horsepower-hours and kilowatt-hours. Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global StandardsEnergy
Definition(s)
Energy
Ability to do work. Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global StandardsEmergency Shutdown Valves. (ESD)
Definition(s)
Emergency Shutdown Valves. (ESD)
Typically remotely actuated valves, preferably gate, butterfly or plug, mounted to outlet on flow cross. Valve is functioned in cases of unplanned release of well returns due to breach in flow back system. Actuated by air, hydraulics, or electrical signal over hydraulics. Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global StandardsElastomer Seals
Definition(s)
Elastomer Seals
All rubber components containing any wellbore pressure in the BOP, wellhead, casing, or separation system. Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global StandardsElevation Profile
Definition(s)
Elevation Profile
Elevation of the flow path above a datum. Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global StandardsElevation Pressure
Definition(s)
Elevation Pressure
Pressure due to weight of a fluid over a change in elevation. Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global StandardsElevation Head
Definition(s)
Elevation Head
Potential energy per unit weight of a fluid because of its elevation above a reference level. Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global StandardsEfficiency
Definition(s)
Efficiency
- ratio of the friction for a fluid moving through an ideal pipe to the friction for a fluid moving through an actual pipe
- measure of how well a pump or compressor converts shaft horsepower into pressure and flow. More specifically, efficiency is the ratio of the hydraulic horsepower delivered at the discharge to the actual horsepower supplied to the shaft.
Efficiency
Resources expended in relation to the accuracy and completeness with which users achieve goals. Source: IMO MSC.1/Circ.1512, Guideline on Software Quality Assurance and Human-Centred Design for e-navigation, 8 June 2015, International Maritime Organization. Regulatory GuidanceEffectiveness
Definition(s)
Effectiveness
Measured in terms of line or vessel balance. With stable flow rate, volume in equals volume out, and an even pack exists throughout. Source: IADC UBO / MPD Glossary, December 2011. Global StandardsEffectiveness
Measure of accuracy and completeness with which users achieve specified goals. Source: IMO MSC.1/Circ.1512, Guideline on Software Quality Assurance and Human-Centred Design for e-navigation, 8 June 2015, International Maritime Organization. Regulatory GuidanceEffectiveness
Extent to which planned activities are realized and planned results achieved. Source: ISO/IEC 27000:2014, Information technology — Security techniques — Information security management systems — Overview and vocabulary, Third Edition, January 2014. Global StandardsKick Detection Automation Software
Definition(s)
Kick Detection Automation Software
Software integrated into drilling control software or as a stand-alone installation for the express purpose of automating the detection of a well kick. Kick detection software includes:- The software itself.
- Integration of the software into the drilling control and data systems onboard the rig.
- Policies and procedures for the use of kick detection software.
Well Control Incident Reporting
Definition(s)
Well Control Incident Reporting
Sharing individual company well control incident statistical information with the industry and/or with regulators, which includes defining standard information to be shared and the format of that information, the means of gathering and distributing that information, and the safe use of that information to improve performance. Well control incident reporting includes:- Defining performance metrics for well control
- Developing a database and format for capturing data
- Determining who owns and maintains the data and the database
- Clearing legal and other obstacles to companies sharing their data
- Determining what data is reported, to whom, and how.
Sharing and Implementation of Lessons Learned
Definition(s)
Sharing and Implementation of Lessons Learned
The process of standardizing a well control event investigation, gathering and distributing lessons learned to the industry, and then implementing the lessons learned within the industry in a systematic way that enables results to be shared with others without legal risk. Sharing and implementation of lessons learned includes:- Clearing legal and other barriers to an organizations’ sharing of lessons learned
- Defining a format for lessons learned to be shared
- Creating a means of collecting and sharing lessons learned: the database, who owns it, what information is made available, how the information is shared and with whom
Process Safety Culture
Definition(s)
Process Safety Culture
Building a systemic culture of understanding process safety to promote the reduction and ultimate elimination of unplanned events. Process safety culture includes:- Defining process safety culture as it relates to the drilling industry
- Determining the elements that constitute a process safety culture
- Embedding process safety culture elements into training, policies, procedures and leadership
- Tracking process safety events and incorporating lessons learned from them.
Barrier Management
Definition(s)
Barrier Management
The ongoing process of assuring that sufficient barriers are in place to prevent the unintentional release of hydrocarbons. Barrier management includes:- The definition of a barrier to the unintentional release of hydrocarbons
- Determining the strength or effectiveness of a barrier
- Systems to determine and ensure that the appropriate number and type of barriers are in place at each stage of the well control lifecycle
- Tracking the engagement, effectiveness and integrity of barriers in place during the well lifecycle
- Determining personnel roles and responsibilities for barrier management at the wellsite.
BOP Reliability Database
Definition(s)
BOP Reliability Database
The creation of a global, centralized database of blowout preventer reliability information, the analysis of which can offer solutions to improve blowout preventer performance. A BOP reliability database includes:- Defining the BOP data to be captured
- The means of capturing, qualifying the integrity of and distributing the data
- Consensus on the ownership and management of the data and its distribution
- Clearing legal and other obstacles to sharing data
- The terms of analysis of the data to determine improvement opportunities.
Communications at the Wellsite
Definition(s)
Communications at the Wellsite
Promoting clear lines of communication, roles, decision authority, and responsibility regarding policies and procedures in a well control context at the wellsite. Communications at the wellsite include:- Defined stakeholder personnel at the wellsite: drilling contractors, operators, and vendors
- Defined and mutually agreed well control policies and procedures at the wellsite
- Defined and mutually agreed well control roles, responsibilities and decision authority among stakeholder personnel at the wellsite
- System to ensure communication of the above reaches wellsite stakeholder personnel with defined roles, responsibilities and decision authority.
- System to ensure role and responsibilities are carried out during a well control event
- Follow-up reviews to determine and implement lessons learned in communication from the well control event.
Procedural Discipline
Definition(s)
Procedural Discipline
Ensuring that personnel consistently adhere to defined well control procedures that are clear, correct and easily understandable. Ensure that personnel think before acting, and if a better way is identified, it is reviewed, vetted and approved by the author of the original procedure before a change is made. Finally, ensure that procedural discipline can be measured, recorded and reported. Procedural discipline requires:- A defined set of well control procedures that are agreed to by all stakeholders, including bridging documents between drilling contractors, operators and service providers that address well control procedures
- Training of personnel on those procedures, and periodic reinforcement of that training
- Worksite availability of procedures via printed or electronic means
- Management awareness and correction of personnel when they deviate from procedures
- Management investigation and correction of the source of procedural deviations
- Management of Change process for procedures, including updating printed or electronic procedures.
Personnel Credentialing
Definition(s)
Personnel Credentialing
Standardizing the terms on which personnel who are engaged with direct or indirect aspects of well control performance are considered competent to perform the well control-related tasks required of their position, and defining the process to credential personnel to those terms. Personnel credentialing includes or requires:- Defining personnel engaged with direct or indirect aspects of well control
- Defining the knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) required of personnel.
- Defining the terms of assessment of the KSAs for each position.
- Creating the means of credentialing individuals who successfully complete the requirements of the credential.
Scenario-Based Well Control Training
Definition(s)
Scenario-Based Well Control Training
A group or team well control training that blends human factors and technical training through a series of lectures, exercises and well control scenarios that have the team or group interact to resolve well control issues, often achieved through the use of simulators. Feedback is given to each participant to further their human factor development and technical aspects of well control performance. Scenario-based well control training includes:- Team or group-learning environment
- Human factors and technical skill training and coaching
- Well control scenarios that involve all participants, whether desktop or simulator-driven.