Dictionary of Occupational Titles

PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION INDUSTRY

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Acidizer

Controls pumping and blending equipment to acidize, cement, or fracture gas or oil wells and permeable rock formations: Consults with SUPERINTENDENT, DRILLING AND PRODUCTION (petrol. & gas) to determine well conditions, pipe sizes, and amounts of acid, cement, or fracturing chemicals to be used. Gives directions to OIL-WELL-SERVICE-OPERATOR HELPER (petrol. & gas) to unload pipes, fittings, and chemicals, and to correct pipes between pumps and well, using handtools. Mixes acids, chemicals or dry cement according to service specified by customer. Observes meters and pressure gauges to regulate quantity and consistency of materials and to control pump pressure. May perform routine maintenance on vehicles and equipment. May be designated according to specialty as Acidizer (petrol. & gas); Acidizer, Water Well (construction); Cementer, Oil Well (petrol. & gas); Formation-Fracturing Operator (petrol. & gas).

Acidizer Helper

Assists OIL-WELL-SERVICE OPERATOR (petrol. & gas) in controlling blending and pumping equipment to treat oil or gas wells and permeable rock formations with cement, acid, or chemicals: Drives truck equipped with acid pumps, mixers and related equipment to well site. Unloads and assembles pipes and pumping equipment, using handtools. Dumps acids, cement, or other treating materials in mixer to blend solution. Opens valve as directed to admit specified amounts of solution into well. Dismantles and loads equipment on truck after treatment. May be designated according to duty performed as Acidizer Helper (petrol. & gas); Cementer Helper (petrol. & gas); Formation-Fracturing-Operator Helper (petrol. & gas).

Acoustical Logging Engineer

engineer Measures sonar, electrical, or radioactive characteristics of earth formations in oil- or gas-well boreholes to evaluate productivity of oil- or gas-bearing reservoirs, using sonic, electronic, or nuclear measuring instruments: Signals HOISTING ENGINEER (any industry) to lower instruments into well, observing oscillograph and meters on control panel to verify operating condition of instruments. Turns dials on control panel to adjust instrument for specified recording and starts recording device when instruments reach bottom of borehole. Prints copies of recorded graphs in truck darkroom [DEVELOPER (photofinishing)]. Interprets graphs for customer to indicate identity, porosity, oil- or gas-bearing content, and productivity of geological formations. Measures borehole diameters, direction of borehole, and inclination of geological strata, using microcalipers, directional indicators (clinometers), and dipmeters. May be designated according to measuring instruments used as Acoustical Logging Engineer (petrol. & gas); Nuclear Logging Engineer (petrol. & gas).

Analyst, geochemical prospecting

core analyst; laboratory tester Tests sand, shale, and other earth materials to determine petroleum and mineral content and physical characteristics: Performs routine chemical or physical tests of earth samples in field or laboratory to determine content of hydrocarbon or other minerals indicating presence of petroleum and mineral deposits. Tests core samples brought up during well drilling to determine permeability and porosity of sample, fluid content of sand and shale, salinity of drilling mud, and other conditions affecting oil well drilling operations.

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