Wellbore

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A wellbore is a drilled hole used to enhance the extraction of oil, natural gas, or water. The wellbore, which is the hole that forms what will become a well, is used to provide greater access to natural resources.

Overview

Drill pipes attached to a drill bit are used to drill a wellbore. Operators use drilling mud to cool the drill bit and transport the cut rock back to the surface. Wellbores may be encased or open. For encased wellbores, outer tubes line a wellbore to protect soil and groundwater from any potential contamination from drilling mud or frac fluids. Casing, which can be made of cement, is also used to stabilize the wellbore. Tubes are then set inside the wellbore to extract oil or gas underground and deliver it to the surface. Pumps are generally used to force the oil and gas to surface. After oil and gas is extracted, the drill string is removed and casing is inserted and cemented into the wellbore.

The two main types of wellbore are vertical and horizontal wellbores:

• A vertical wellbore is a hole drilled straight below the surface.
• A horizontal wellbore begins as a vertical wellbore. After a vertical well is drilled, operators study where to begin drilling horizontally. The spot that is determined at a particular depth for drillers to begin horizontal drilling is known as a kickoff point. Drillers then create a horizontally curved hole to access oil or natural gas within the rock formation.

See also

• 

  Oil

• 

  Natural gas

• 

  Horizontal drilling

• 

  Glossary of energy terms

Footnotes

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