Abandon
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| To stop work on a well that is non-productive. To plug off the well with cement
plugs and salvage all recoverable equipment. |
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Abandoned-Dry
|
| A well that does not produce oil or gas in commercial quantities. |
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Acid Rain
|
| Oxides of sulfur and nitrogen, often released as byproduct of coal combustion, combine with hydrogen ions from atmospheric moisture and oxidize during long range, high altitude movement, forming acidic (low pH) compounds which fall in rain or snow. |
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Active Solar
|
| A system in which mechanical or electrical devices are used to transform solar energy into heat for space heating or other useful products. Contrasts with passive solar. |
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Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR)
|
| A nuclear power reactor, developed mainly in the U.K. and France, using enriched uranium as fuel, carbon dioxide as coolant, and graphite as moderator. |
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Alkylation
|
| A process used extensively by the petroleum refining industry to produce very high-octane blending components for motor gasoline production by combining light olefins (primarily mixtures of propylene and butylenes) with isobutane. |
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Allocation Controls
|
| Government policy which specifies quantities of goods or services that potential customers may purchase. Occasionally used to regulate energy commodities during times of emergency. |
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Allowed Return on Common Equity
|
| Return on common equity that regulators permit utilities and pipeline companies to earn. A high allowed return on equity will permit a regulated company to earn a higher income by charging more for its products or services. |
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Alpha Particle
|
| A heavy particle produced by the radio-active decay process and consisting of two protons and two neutrons, thus carrying an elementary charge of +2. It is identical to the nucleus of a helium atom. |
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Aniline Point
|
| The lowest temperature at which equal volumes of freshly distilled aniline and a material being tested are completely miscible. |
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Annulus
|
| Space between the drill string and the well wall; casing strings; the casing
and the production tubing. |
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Anthracite
|
| A variety of coal with a high heat content (25-33 GJ/tonne). ASTM coal classification by rank: dry fixed carbon-at least 92% but less than 98%, dry volatile matter - 8% or less but more than 2% on a mineral free basis. Known as "hard coal." |
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| API Gravity |
| Gravity of crude oil or other liquid hydro-carbon, as measured by a system developed by the American Petroleum Institute. API gravity bears an inverse relationship to true specific gravity, but is more familiar than the decimal fractions which result when petroleum is described according to its specific gravity. |
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| Appraisal Well |
| A well drilled to determine the physical extent, reserves and likely production rate of a field. |
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| Arab Oil Embargo of 1973-74 |
| During the Arab-Israeli War in October 1973, Arab oil-producing nations agreed to cut off oil shipments to the United States and the Netherlands because they supported Israel. Arab producers simultaneously reduced output. In practice, the shortfall was spread among all oil-importing nations. World prices moved sharply higher. |
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| Aromatics |
| So-called because of their generally pleasant odour, aromatics consist of a basic hydrocarbon group comprising most organic chemicals thus far synthesized. The most common aromatics are benzene, toluene and xylene. The aromatics as a group form one of the three major classifications of hydrocarbons derived from crude oil: the other two are paraffins and naphthenes. |
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| Associated Gas |
| Natural gas which overlies and is in contact with crude oil in the reservoir, except where the volume of oil is small and where production of such gas does not significantly affect recovery of the crude oil. |
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| Ash |
| The incombustible solid matter in fuel. Ash content is one common measure of the quality of coal. |
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| Asphalt |
| A dark brown or black, semi-solid or solid material, of which the main constituents are petroleum bitumens. Also called pitch, asphalt is produced from the residuum of petroleum refining. |
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| Atmospheric Distillation |
| The first process in a petroleum refinery, in which crude oil is separated into fractions according to boiling point. The crude is boiled at atmospheric pressure, and the vapour rises through a distillation column. Its components (or fractions) are drawn off as they condense in the tower. Also called crude oil distillation. |
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| Atomic Energy |
| All energy, of whatever type, derived from or created by the transmutation of atoms. Also called nuclear energy. |
