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Oil, Gas & Mining vocabulary · Drilling & Wells

Kick

Meaning in oil, gas & mining, with examples

/kɪk/nounCommon term

In oil, gas & mining, kick means: An unwanted flow of gas, oil or water from the rock into the well, which happens when the formation pressure is higher than the pressure of the mud column.

In Turkish: akışkan girişi, kuyu gelmesi, kick

How it is used

A key well control word. Warning signs include a pit gain (mud tanks filling up), increased flow and a drilling break. The crew must detect the kick, shut in the well with the BOP and 'kill the well' by pumping heavier mud. An uncontrolled kick can become a blowout.

Example sentences

  1. We took a kick at 3,100 metres and shut in the well immediately.

  2. A 10-barrel pit gain is a clear sign of a kick.

Common collocations

  • take a kick
  • detect a kick
  • kick detection
  • circulate out a kick
  • kill the well
  • blowoutAn uncontrolled release of oil, gas or water from a well after the pressure control systems fail. It can cause fires, deaths and serious pollution.
  • blowout preventer (BOP)A large stack of heavy valves fitted on top of a well that can be closed quickly to seal the well and stop oil or gas escaping during drilling.
  • drilling mudA specially mixed fluid pumped down the drill pipe and back up the hole to cool the bit, carry rock cuttings to the surface and control well pressure.
  • shut inTo close the valves on a well so that it stops flowing, for safety, repairs or a test, or because the production is not needed.

More terms: Drilling & Wells

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