As the year winds down to a close, we’ve got our mind on some fun things. For instance, have you ever had a conversation with someone outside the oil and gas industry, and they look at you like you have six eyes? It’s like you’re speaking a different language, and in a way, you are. Today we are thinking of that oilfield lingo, which can be confusing to outsiders. Let’s demystify some of that industry jargon.
Our Own Oilfield Lingo
Many industries like to come up with their own lingo, both to help explain and remember the different aspects of the field. It also helps to separate us from those who don’t understand. Some of the things we say sound pretty funny to outsiders. A few major terms include:
- Horsehead: Someone outside of the field might picture the animal, but to those of us in G&O it’s the curved guide/headpiece on the top of an oil well.
- Dog House: Not a place for canines to sleep, but rather a steel room next to the rig floor with an access door near the driller. The dog house acts as a sort of communications center, tool shed, office and meeting area for the driller and crew.
- Pig: We’re not talking about Wilbur…Otherwise known as a Pipeline Inspection Gauge (PIG), a pig on the oilfield is a pipeline cleaning tool that also measures.
- Pig Launcher: The equipment that is used to insert the pig into a pipeline.
- Pig Catcher: The equipment that is used to remove the pig after cleaning and measuring are complete.
- POOH: Not a lovable honey-loving bear. Instead, POOH is an acronym which just means Pull Out Of Hole.
- Granny Rag: It’s hard to even imagine what someone outside of the industry would think this is. We know it as a type of coating for a pipeline while in the field as opposed to a factory-applied coating.
More Gas and Oilfield Lingo
There’s also some language in our industry that is just different, but not necessarily funny. Some of this includes:
- Stub: Not a verb but a measurement. It’s the length of a small diameter distribution pipeline, going from the main line to the meter’s location or customer’s property.
- Holiday: Instead of referring to a day off, this is in reference to a hole within the protective coating of a steel pipeline.
- Jeep: No, not an all-terrain vehicle. This is just another word for a hole in the protective coating of a pipeline.
- Mud Logger: A mud logger is a technician who uses chemical analysis, microscopic examination of the cuttings and various electronic instruments to monitor mud systems for indications of hydrocarbons.
- Christmas Tree: While it brings to mind a festive visual, this is far from the ornament-clad spruce in your living room. It just refers to a collection of gauges, valves and chokes mounted on a well casing head. These are used to control production and the flow of the oil.
Get Your Equipment from Tiger General
It’s fun to talk about other things, but in our hearts and in our day-to-day, we make and sell the best oilfield equipment on the market. If you want to stay on top of the game on the fields, check out our website to learn more. And don’t forget to fill out the Tiger General Truck Inquiry Form today to get started on bringing your next piece of equipment to where it’s needed most.