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106-710: Spindletop is an oil field located in the southern portion of Beaumont , Texas , in the United States . The Spindletop dome was derived from the Louann Salt evaporite layer of the Jurassic geologic period. On January 10, 1901, a well at Spindletop struck oil ("came in"). The Spindletop gusher blew for 9 days at a rate estimated at 100,000 barrels (16,000 m) of oil per day. Gulf Oil and Texaco , now part of Chevron Corporation , were formed to develop production at Spindletop. The Spindletop discovery led

212-408: A sulphur layer, followed by more layers of limestone. On 10 January, they needed to replace the dull fishtail drill bit. While lowering the pipe down the hole, they only got to about 35 joints of pipe, or about 700 feet (210 m), before a low rumble sent mud, and then drill stem out of the hole. This was followed by silence, an explosion of more mud and gas, more silence, a flow of oil, and then

318-445: A cap rock) is a fundamental part of the trap that prevents hydrocarbons from further upward migration. A capillary seal is formed when the capillary pressure across the pore throats is greater than or equal to the buoyancy pressure of the migrating hydrocarbons. They do not allow fluids to migrate across them until their integrity is disrupted, causing them to leak. There are two types of capillary seal whose classifications are based on

424-472: A component of bad breath odor. Not all organic sulfur compounds smell unpleasant at all concentrations: the sulfur-containing monoterpenoid grapefruit mercaptan in small concentrations is the characteristic scent of grapefruit, but has a generic thiol odor at larger concentrations. Sulfur mustard , a potent vesicant , was used in World War ;I as a disabling agent. Sulfur–sulfur bonds are

530-406: A consequence, oil and natural gas are often found together. In common usage, deposits rich in oil are known as oil fields, and deposits rich in natural gas are called natural gas fields. In general, organic sediments buried in depths of 1,000 m to 6,000 m (at temperatures of 60 ° C to 150 °C) generate oil, while sediments buried deeper and at higher temperatures generate natural gas. The deeper

636-400: A depth of 445 feet (140 m), and past the 285-foot (90 m) thick quicksand formation. At a depth of 645 feet (200 m), they adopted eighteen-hour shifts for continuous operations, drilling during the day, and keeping circulation going at night, to prevent a gas blowout . In early December, they hit a pocket of coarse water sand, when they adopted another innovation, mixing mud into

742-407: A few, very large offshore drilling rigs, due to the cost and logistical difficulties in working over water. Rising gas prices in the early 21st century encouraged drillers to revisit fields that previously were not considered economically viable. For example, in 2008 McMoran Exploration passed a drilling depth of over 32,000 feet (9754 m) (the deepest test well in the history of gas production) at

848-574: A flagpole flying the Texas flag. It is located about 1.5 miles south of the museum, off West Port Arthur Road/Spur 93. The site includes a viewing platform with information placards, about a quarter-mile from the flagpole. The wellhead site is in the middle of swampland on private land and is not accessible. Directions to the park and viewing platform are available at the museum. Oil field Reservoirs are broadly classified as conventional and unconventional reservoirs. In conventional reservoirs,

954-512: A gravity higher than 45 API. Gas cycling is the process where dry gas is injected and produced along with condensed liquid. Sulphur This is an accepted version of this page Sulfur (also spelled sulphur in British English ) is a chemical element ; it has symbol S and atomic number 16. It is abundant , multivalent and nonmetallic . Under normal conditions , sulfur atoms form cyclic octatomic molecules with

1060-640: A loud roar. On January 10, 1901, at a depth of 1,139 ft (347 m), what is known as the Lucas Gusher or the Lucas Geyser blew oil over 150 feet (50 m) in the air at a rate of 100,000 barrels per day (16,000 m/d) (4,200,000 gallons). Nine days passed before the well was brought under control using a Christmas Tree devised by the Hamills. By late June, there were 13 gushers on Spindletop. These included those by David R. Beatty on 26 March,

1166-587: A major industrial product, especially in automobile tires. Because of the heat and sulfur, the process was named vulcanization , after the Roman god of the forge and volcanism . Being abundantly available in native form, sulfur was known in ancient times and is referred to in the Torah ( Genesis ). English translations of the Christian Bible commonly referred to burning sulfur as "brimstone", giving rise to

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1272-471: A result of changes in the structure of the subsurface from processes such as folding and faulting , leading to the formation of domes , anticlines , and folds. Examples of this kind of trap are an anticline trap, a fault trap, and a salt dome trap. They are more easily delineated and more prospective than their stratigraphic counterparts, with the majority of the world's petroleum reserves being found in structural traps. Stratigraphic traps are formed as

1378-435: A result of lateral and vertical variations in the thickness, texture, porosity, or lithology of the reservoir rock. Examples of this type of trap are an unconformity trap, a lens trap and a reef trap. Hydrodynamic traps are a far less common type of trap. They are caused by the differences in water pressure, that are associated with water flow, creating a tilt of the hydrocarbon-water contact. The seal (also referred to as

1484-502: A significantly higher displacement pressure such that the pressure required for tension fracturing is actually lower than the pressure required for fluid displacement—for example, in evaporites or very tight shales. The rock will fracture when the pore pressure is greater than both its minimum stress and its tensile strength then reseal when the pressure reduces and the fractures close. Unconventional (oil & gas) reservoirs are accumulations where oil and gas phases are tightly bound to

1590-416: A structural component used to stiffen rubber, similar to the disulfide bridges that rigidify proteins (see biological below). In the most common type of industrial "curing" or hardening and strengthening of natural rubber , elemental sulfur is heated with the rubber to the point that chemical reactions form disulfide bridges between isoprene units of the polymer. This process, patented in 1843, made rubber

1696-433: A tracer in hydrologic studies. Differences in the natural abundances can be used in systems where there is sufficient variation in the S of ecosystem components. Rocky Mountain lakes thought to be dominated by atmospheric sources of sulfate have been found to have measurably different S values than lakes believed to be dominated by watershed sources of sulfate. The radioactive S is formed in cosmic ray spallation of

1802-465: Is a common reagent in organic synthesis . Bromine also oxidizes sulfur to form sulfur dibromide and disulfur dibromide . Sulfur oxidizes cyanide and sulfite to give thiocyanate and thiosulfate , respectively. Sulfur reacts with many metals. Electropositive metals give polysulfide salts. Copper, zinc, and silver are attacked by sulfur; see tarnishing . Although many metal sulfides are known, most are prepared by high temperature reactions of

1908-511: Is a soft, bright-yellow solid that is odorless. It melts at 115.21 °C (239.38 °F), and boils at 444.6 °C (832.3 °F). At 95.2 °C (203.4 °F), below its melting temperature, cyclo-octasulfur begins slowly changing from α-octasulfur to the β- polymorph . The structure of the S 8 ring is virtually unchanged by this phase transition, which affects the intermolecular interactions. Cooling molten sulfur freezes at 119.6 °C (247.3 °F), as it predominantly consists of

2014-599: Is about 2 g/cm , depending on the allotrope; all of the stable allotropes are excellent electrical insulators. Sulfur sublimes more or less between 20 °C (68 °F) and 50 °C (122 °F). Sulfur is insoluble in water but soluble in carbon disulfide and, to a lesser extent, in other nonpolar organic solvents, such as benzene and toluene . Under normal conditions, sulfur hydrolyzes very slowly to mainly form hydrogen sulfide and sulfuric acid : The reaction involves adsorption of protons onto S 8 clusters, followed by disproportionation into

2120-451: Is also called brimstone , which means "burning stone". Almost all elemental sulfur is produced as a byproduct of removing sulfur-containing contaminants from natural gas and petroleum . The greatest commercial use of the element is the production of sulfuric acid for sulfate and phosphate fertilizers , and other chemical processes. Sulfur is used in matches , insecticides , and fungicides . Many sulfur compounds are odoriferous, and

2226-405: Is an area of accumulated liquid petroleum underground in multiple (potentially linked) reservoirs, trapped as it rises to impermeable rock formations. In industrial terms, an oil field implies that there is an economic benefit worthy of commercial attention. Oil fields may extend up to several hundred kilometers across the surface, meaning that extraction efforts can be large and spread out across

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2332-402: Is analogous to saying that the oil which can be extracted forms within the source rock itself, as opposed to accumulating under a cap rock. Oil sands are an example of an unconventional oil reservoir. Unconventional reservoirs and their associated unconventional oil encompass a broad spectrum of petroleum extraction and refinement techniques, as well as many different sources. Since the oil

2438-403: Is being pursued at a higher rate because of the scarcity of conventional reservoirs around the world. After the discovery of a reservoir, a petroleum engineer will seek to build a better picture of the accumulation. In a simple textbook example of a uniform reservoir, the first stage is to conduct a seismic survey to determine the possible size of the trap. Appraisal wells can be used to determine

2544-452: Is best to manage the gas cap effectively, that is, placing the oil wells such that the gas cap will not reach them until the maximum amount of oil is produced. Also a high production rate may cause the gas to migrate downward into the production interval. In this case, over time the reservoir pressure depletion is not as steep as in the case of solution-based gas drive. In this case, the oil rate will not decline as steeply but will depend also on

2650-426: Is called the stock tank oil initially in place . As a result of studying factors such as the permeability of the rock (how easily fluids can flow through the rock) and possible drive mechanisms, it is possible to estimate the recovery factor, or what proportion of oil in place can be reasonably expected to be produced. The recovery factor is commonly 30–35%, giving a value for the recoverable resources. The difficulty

2756-490: Is contained within the source rock, unconventional reservoirs require that the extracting entity function as a mining operation rather than drilling and pumping like a conventional reservoir. This has tradeoffs, with higher post-production costs associated with complete and clean extraction of oil being a factor of consideration for a company interested in pursuing a reservoir. Tailings are also left behind, increasing cleanup costs. Despite these tradeoffs, unconventional oil

2862-417: Is explained by its production in the so-called alpha-process (one of the main classes of nuclear fusion reactions) in exploding stars. Other stable sulfur isotopes are produced in the bypass processes related with Ar, and their composition depends on a type of a stellar explosion. For example, proportionally more S comes from novae than from supernovae . On the planet Earth the sulfur isotopic composition

2968-468: Is higher than the melting point of sulfur. Native sulfur is synthesized by anaerobic bacteria acting on sulfate minerals such as gypsum in salt domes . Significant deposits in salt domes occur along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico , and in evaporites in eastern Europe and western Asia. Native sulfur may be produced by geological processes alone. Fossil-based sulfur deposits from salt domes were once

3074-573: Is mildly acidic: Hydrogen sulfide gas and the hydrosulfide anion are extremely toxic to mammals, due to their inhibition of the oxygen-carrying capacity of hemoglobin and certain cytochromes in a manner analogous to cyanide and azide (see below, under precautions ). The two principal sulfur oxides are obtained by burning sulfur: Many other sulfur oxides are observed including the sulfur-rich oxides include sulfur monoxide , disulfur monoxide , disulfur dioxides, and higher oxides containing peroxo groups. Sulfur reacts with fluorine to give

3180-399: Is produced by rapid cooling of molten sulfur—for example, by pouring it into cold water. X-ray crystallography studies show that the amorphous form may have a helical structure with eight atoms per turn. The long coiled polymeric molecules make the brownish substance elastic , and in bulk it has the feel of crude rubber. This form is metastable at room temperature and gradually reverts to

3286-649: Is shared between Iran and Qatar . The second largest natural gas field is the Urengoy gas field , and the third largest is the Yamburg gas field , both in Russia . Like oil, natural gas is often found underwater in offshore gas fields such as the North Sea , Corrib Gas Field off Ireland , and near Sable Island . The technology to extract and transport offshore natural gas is different from land-based fields. It uses

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3392-413: Is that reservoirs are not uniform. They have variable porosities and permeabilities and may be compartmentalized, with fractures and faults breaking them up and complicating fluid flow. For this reason, computer modeling of economically viable reservoirs is often carried out. Geologists, geophysicists, and reservoir engineers work together to build a model that allows simulation of the flow of fluids in

3498-557: Is the 10th most common element in the universe . Sulfur, usually as sulfide, is present in many types of meteorites . Ordinary chondrites contain on average 2.1% sulfur, and carbonaceous chondrites may contain as much as 6.6%. It is normally present as troilite (FeS), but there are exceptions, with carbonaceous chondrites containing free sulfur, sulfates and other sulfur compounds. The distinctive colors of Jupiter 's volcanic moon Io are attributed to various forms of molten, solid, and gaseous sulfur. In July 2024, elemental sulfur

3604-408: Is used as a reagent to make the polymer rayon and many organosulfur compounds. Unlike carbon monoxide , carbon monosulfide is stable only as an extremely dilute gas, found between solar systems. Organosulfur compounds are responsible for some of the unpleasant odors of decaying organic matter. They are widely known as the odorant in domestic natural gas, garlic odor, and skunk spray, as well as

3710-940: Is usually necessary to drill into the Earth's crust, although surface oil seeps exist in some parts of the world, such as the La Brea Tar Pits in California and numerous seeps in Trinidad . Factors that affect the quantity of recoverable hydrocarbons in a reservoir include the fluid distribution in the reservoir, initial volumes of fluids in place, reservoir pressure, fluid and rock properties, reservoir geometry, well type, well count, well placement, development concept, and operating philosophy. Modern production includes thermal , gas injection , and chemical methods of extraction to enhance oil recovery. A virgin reservoir may be under sufficient pressure to push hydrocarbons to

3816-561: The Goose Creek Oil Field in 1908. Standard Oil , which then had a monopoly or near-monopoly on the petroleum industry in the eastern states, was prevented from moving aggressively into the new oilfield by state antitrust laws. Populist sentiment against Standard Oil was particularly strong at the time of the Spindletop discovery. In 1900, an oil-products marketing company affiliated with Standard Oil had been banned from

3922-497: The Hershey-Chase experiment . Because of the weak beta activity of S, its compounds are relatively safe as long as they are not ingested or absorbed by the body. S is created inside massive stars, at a depth where the temperature exceeds 2.5×10  K, by the fusion of one nucleus of silicon plus one nucleus of helium. As this nuclear reaction is part of the alpha process that produces elements in abundance, sulfur

4028-560: The aquatic ecosystem , which is usually a sea but might also be a river, lake, coral reef, or algal mat , the formation of an oil or gas reservoir also requires a sedimentary basin that passes through four steps: Timing is also an important consideration; it is suggested that the Ohio River Valley could have had as much oil as the Middle East at one time, but that it escaped due to a lack of traps. The North Sea , on

4134-407: The buoyancy forces driving the upward migration of hydrocarbons through a permeable rock cannot overcome the capillary forces of a sealing medium. The timing of trap formation relative to that of petroleum generation and migration is crucial to ensuring a reservoir can form. Petroleum geologists broadly classify traps into three categories that are based on their geological characteristics:

4240-408: The noble gases . Sulfur polycations, S 2+ 8 , S 2+ 4 and S 2+ 16 are produced when sulfur is reacted with oxidizing agents in a strongly acidic solution. The colored solutions produced by dissolving sulfur in oleum were first reported as early as 1804 by C. F. Bucholz, but the cause of the color and the structure of the polycations involved was only determined in

4346-473: The sulfate minerals , such as gypsum (calcium sulfate), alunite (potassium aluminium sulfate), and barite (barium sulfate). On Earth, just as upon Jupiter's moon Io, elemental sulfur occurs naturally in volcanic emissions, including emissions from hydrothermal vents . The main industrial source of sulfur has become petroleum and natural gas . Common oxidation states of sulfur range from −2 to +6. Sulfur forms stable compounds with all elements except

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4452-409: The (among others) protein keratin , found in outer skin, hair, and feathers. Sulfur is one of the core chemical elements needed for biochemical functioning and is an elemental macronutrient for all living organisms. Sulfur forms several polyatomic molecules. The best-known allotrope is octasulfur , cyclo-S 8 . The point group of cyclo-S 8 is D 4d and its dipole moment is 0 D. Octasulfur

4558-414: The 2010s, it was thought that sulfate reduction could fractionate sulfur isotopes up to 46 permil and fractionation larger than 46 permil recorded in sediments must be due to disproportionation of sulfur compounds in the sediment. This view has changed since the 2010s as experiments showed that sulfate-reducing bacteria can fractionate to 66 permil. As substrates for disproportionation are limited by

4664-535: The 3rd century, the Chinese had discovered that sulfur could be extracted from pyrite . Chinese Daoists were interested in sulfur's flammability and its reactivity with certain metals, yet its earliest practical uses were found in traditional Chinese medicine . The Wujing Zongyao of 1044 AD described various formulas for Chinese black powder , which is a mixture of potassium nitrate ( KNO 3 ), charcoal , and sulfur. Indian alchemists, practitioners of

4770-671: The Blackbeard site in the Gulf of Mexico. ExxonMobil 's drill rig there had reached 30,000 feet by 2006, without finding gas, before it abandoned the site. Crude oil is found in all oil reservoirs formed in the Earth's crust from the remains of once-living things. Evidence indicates that millions of years of heat and pressure changed the remains of microscopic plants and animals into oil and natural gas. Roy Nurmi, an interpretation adviser for Schlumberger oil field services company, described

4876-609: The Guffey Petroleum Company was formed. Yet, the deal left Lucas with only an eighth share, and Higgins with nothing. Lucas and Galey employed the Hamill brothers for the drilling, while Galey picked the well site on land leased from the Beaumont Pasture Company. This tract of land was near the top of Sour Spring Mound. The well was spudded on 27 October 1900. At 160 feet (50 m), they hit

4982-696: The Heywood Brothers Oil Company, two more from the J.M. Guffey Company, and the Higgins Oil and Fuel Company on 18 April. Then in July 1901, the Hogg -Swayne Syndicate leased 15 acres from J.M. Guffey. Spindletop was the largest gusher the world had seen and catapulted Beaumont into an oil-fueled boomtown . Beaumont's population of 10,000 tripled in 3 months and eventually rose to 50,000. Speculation led land prices to increase rapidly. By

5088-516: The United States into the oil age. Prior to Spindletop, oil was primarily used for lighting and as a lubricant. Because of the quantity of oil discovered, burning petroleum as a fuel for mass consumption suddenly became economically feasible. The frenzy of oil exploration and the economic development it generated in the state became known as the Texas oil boom . The United States soon became

5194-494: The activity of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the time of formation of the sample, or suggest the main sources of sulfur in ecosystems. However, there are ongoing discussions over the real reason for the δ S shifts, biological activity or postdeposit alteration. For example, when sulfide minerals are precipitated, isotopic equilibration among solids and liquid may cause small differences in the δ S values of co-genetic minerals. The differences between minerals can be used to estimate

5300-410: The actual capacity. Laboratory testing can determine the characteristics of the reservoir fluids, particularly the expansion factor of the oil, or how much the oil expands when brought from the high pressure and high temperature of the reservoir to a "stock tank" at the surface. With such information, it is possible to estimate how many "stock tank" barrels of oil are located in the reservoir. Such oil

5406-449: The area. In addition to extraction equipment, there may be exploratory wells probing the edges to find more reservoir area, pipelines to transport the oil elsewhere, and support facilities. Oil fields can occur anywhere that the geology of the underlying rock allows, meaning that certain fields can be far away from civilization, including at sea. Creating an operation at an oil field can be a logistically complex undertaking, as it involves

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5512-436: The atmospheric Ar . This fact may be used to verify the presence of recent (up to 1 year) atmospheric sediments in various materials. This isotope may be obtained artificially by different ways. In practice, the reaction Cl + n → S + p is used by irradiating potassium chloride with neutrons. The isotope S is used in various sulfur-containing compounds as a radioactive tracer for many biological studies, for example,

5618-600: The basis for commercial production in the United States, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Ukraine. Such sources have become of secondary commercial importance, and most are no longer worked but commercial production is still carried out in the Osiek mine in Poland. Common naturally occurring sulfur compounds include the sulfide minerals , such as pyrite (iron sulfide), cinnabar (mercury sulfide), galena (lead sulfide), sphalerite (zinc sulfide), and stibnite (antimony sulfide); and

5724-530: The chemical formula S 8 . Elemental sulfur is a bright yellow, crystalline solid at room temperature . Sulfur is the tenth most abundant element by mass in the universe and the fifth most common on Earth. Though sometimes found in pure, native form, sulfur on Earth usually occurs as sulfide and sulfate minerals . Being abundant in native form, sulfur was known in ancient times, being mentioned for its uses in ancient India , ancient Greece , China , and ancient Egypt . Historically and in literature sulfur

5830-501: The composition of reaction products. While reaction between sulfur and oxygen under normal conditions gives sulfur dioxide (oxidation state +4), formation of sulfur trioxide (oxidation state +6) requires a temperature of 400–600 °C (750–1,100 °F) and presence of a catalyst. In reactions with elements of lesser electronegativity , it reacts as an oxidant and forms sulfides, where it has oxidation state −2. Sulfur reacts with nearly all other elements except noble gases, even with

5936-558: The contract, and in 1907, created Gulf Oil . On November 14, 1925, the Yount-Lee Oil Company brought in its McFaddin No. 2 at a depth around 2,500 feet (800 m), sparking a second boom, which culminated in the field's peak production year of 1927, during which 21 million barrels (3.3 GL) were produced. Spindletop continued as a productive source of oil until about 1936. Stripper wells continue producing to this day. It

6042-451: The crystalline molecular allotrope, which is no longer elastic. This process happens over a matter of hours to days, but can be rapidly catalyzed. Sulfur has 23 known isotopes , four of which are stable: S ( 94.99% ± 0.26% ), S ( 0.75% ± 0.02% ), S ( 4.25% ± 0.24% ), and S ( 0.01% ± 0.01% ). Other than S, with a half-life of 87 days, the radioactive isotopes of sulfur have half-lives less than 3 hours. The preponderance of S

6148-416: The elements. Geoscientists also study the isotopes of metal sulfides in rocks and sediment to study environmental conditions in the Earth's past. Some of the main classes of sulfur-containing organic compounds include the following: Compounds with carbon–sulfur multiple bonds are uncommon, an exception being carbon disulfide , a volatile colorless liquid that is structurally similar to carbon dioxide. It

6254-545: The end of 1902, more than 500 companies had been formed and 285 wells were in operation. Spindletop produced 17,420,949 barrels of oil in 1902, but only half that much in 1903 as production declined. Yet Spindletop inspired wildcatting along the Gulf Coastal Plain . Significant salt dome oil fields included Sour Lake and Saratoga in 1902, Batson Prairie in 1903, the Humble oil field in 1905, and

6360-430: The equipment associated with extraction and transportation, as well as infrastructure such as roads and housing for workers. This infrastructure has to be designed with the lifespan of the oil field in mind, as production can last many years. Several companies, such as Hill International , Bechtel , Esso , Weatherford International , Schlumberger , Baker Hughes and Halliburton , have organizations that specialize in

6466-402: The gas bubbles drive the oil to the surface. The bubbles then reach critical saturation and flow together as a single gas phase. Beyond this point and below this pressure, the gas phase flows out more rapidly than the oil because of its lowered viscosity. More free gas is produced, and eventually the energy source is depleted. In some cases depending on the geology the gas may migrate to the top of

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6572-684: The globe, on land and offshore. The largest are the Ghawar Field in Saudi Arabia and the Burgan Field in Kuwait , with more than 66 to 104 billion barrels (9.5×10 m ) estimated in each. In the modern age, the location of oil fields with proven oil reserves is a key underlying factor in many geopolitical conflicts. Natural gas originates by the same geological thermal cracking process that converts kerogen to petroleum. As

6678-406: The highly reactive sulfur tetrafluoride and the highly inert sulfur hexafluoride . Whereas fluorine gives S(IV) and S(VI) compounds, chlorine gives S(II) and S(I) derivatives. Thus, sulfur dichloride , disulfur dichloride , and higher chlorosulfanes arise from the chlorination of sulfur. Sulfuryl chloride and chlorosulfuric acid are derivatives of sulfuric acid; thionyl chloride (SOCl 2 )

6784-575: The large-scale construction of the infrastructure to support oil field exploitation. The term "oilfield" can be used as a shorthand to refer to the entire petroleum industry . However, it is more accurate to divide the oil industry into three sectors: upstream ( crude oil production from wells and separation of water from oil ), midstream (pipeline and tanker transport of crude oil) and downstream ( refining of crude oil to products, marketing of refined products, and transportation to oil stations). More than 65,000 oil fields are scattered around

6890-493: The largest documented single crystal measuring 22 cm × 16 cm × 11 cm (8.7 in × 6.3 in × 4.3 in). Historically, Sicily was a major source of sulfur in the Industrial Revolution . Lakes of molten sulfur up to about 200 m (660 ft) in diameter have been found on the sea floor, associated with submarine volcanoes , at depths where the boiling point of water

6996-415: The late 1960s. S 2+ 8 is deep blue, S 2+ 4 is yellow and S 2+ 16 is red. Reduction of sulfur gives various polysulfides with the formula S x , many of which have been obtained in crystalline form. Illustrative is the production of sodium tetrasulfide : Some of these dianions dissociate to give radical anions , such as S − 3 gives the blue color of

7102-434: The liquid sections applying extra pressure. This is present in the reservoir if there is more gas than can be dissolved in the reservoir. The gas will often migrate to the crest of the structure. It is compressed on top of the oil reserve, as the oil is produced the cap helps to push the oil out. Over time the gas cap moves down and infiltrates the oil, and the well will produce more and more gas until it produces only gas. It

7208-438: The location of oil-water contact and with it the height of the oil bearing sands. Often coupled with seismic data, it is possible to estimate the volume of an oil-bearing reservoir. The next step is to use information from appraisal wells to estimate the porosity of the rock. The porosity of an oil field, or the percentage of the total volume that contains fluids rather than solid rock, is 20–35% or less. It can give information on

7314-650: The museum. The monument, erected at the wellhead in July, 1941, was moved to the Spindletop-Gladys City Museum after it became unstable due to ground subsidence. According to an article by Nedra Foster, LS in the July/August, 2000 issue of the Professional Surveyor Magazine, the monument was originally located within 4 ft of the site of the Spindletop well. Today, the wellhead is marked at Spindletop Park by

7420-403: The naturally occurring hydrocarbons, such as crude oil ( petroleum ) or natural gas , are trapped by overlying rock formations with lower permeability , while in unconventional reservoirs the rocks have high porosity and low permeability, which keeps the hydrocarbons trapped in place, therefore not requiring a cap rock . Reservoirs are found using hydrocarbon exploration methods. An oil field

7526-573: The notoriously unreactive metal iridium (yielding iridium disulfide ). Some of those reactions require elevated temperatures. Sulfur forms over 30 solid allotropes , more than any other element. Besides S 8 , several other rings are known. Removing one atom from the crown gives S 7 , which is of a deeper yellow than S 8 . HPLC analysis of "elemental sulfur" reveals an equilibrium mixture of mainly S 8 , but with S 7 and small amounts of S 6 . Larger rings have been prepared, including S 12 and S 18 . Amorphous or "plastic" sulfur

7632-438: The oil and form a secondary gas cap. Some energy may be supplied by water, gas in water, or compressed rock. These are usually minor contributions with respect to hydrocarbon expansion. By properly managing the production rates, greater benefits can be had from solution-gas drives. Secondary recovery involves the injection of gas or water to maintain reservoir pressure. The gas/oil ratio and the oil production rate are stable until

7738-724: The other hand, endured millions of years of sea level changes that successfully resulted in the formation of more than 150 oil fields. Although the process is generally the same, various environmental factors lead to the creation of a wide variety of reservoirs. Reservoirs exist anywhere from the land surface to 30,000 ft (9,000 m) below the surface and are a variety of shapes, sizes, and ages. In recent years, igneous reservoirs have become an important new field of oil exploration, especially in trachyte and basalt formations. These two types of reservoirs differ in oil content and physical properties like fracture connectivity, pore connectivity, and rock porosity . A trap forms when

7844-406: The placement of the well with respect to the gas cap. As with other drive mechanisms, water or gas injection can be used to maintain reservoir pressure. When a gas cap is coupled with water influx, the recovery mechanism can be highly efficient. Water (usually salty) may be present below the hydrocarbons. Water, as with all liquids, is compressible to a small degree. As the hydrocarbons are depleted,

7950-431: The preferential mechanism of leaking: the hydraulic seal and the membrane seal. A membrane seal will leak whenever the pressure differential across the seal exceeds the threshold displacement pressure, allowing fluids to migrate through the pore spaces in the seal. It will leak just enough to bring the pressure differential below that of the displacement pressure and will reseal. A hydraulic seal occurs in rocks that have

8056-429: The pressure. As the reservoir depletes, the pressure falls below the bubble point , and the gas comes out of solution to form a gas cap at the top. This gas cap pushes down on the liquid helping to maintain pressure. This occurs when the natural gas is in a cap below the oil. When the well is drilled the lowered pressure above means that the oil expands. As the pressure is reduced it reaches bubble point, and subsequently

8162-485: The process as follows: Plankton and algae, proteins and the life that's floating in the sea, as it dies, falls to the bottom, and these organisms are going to be the source of our oil and gas. When they're buried with the accumulating sediment and reach an adequate temperature, something above 50 to 70 °C they start to cook. This transformation, this change, changes them into the liquid hydrocarbons that move and migrate, will become our oil and gas reservoir. In addition to

8268-407: The product of sulfate reduction , the isotopic effect of disproportionation should be less than 16 permil in most sedimentary settings. In forest ecosystems, sulfate is derived mostly from the atmosphere; weathering of ore minerals and evaporites contribute some sulfur. Sulfur with a distinctive isotopic composition has been used to identify pollution sources, and enriched sulfur has been added as

8374-400: The quicksands that had stopped earlier efforts. A solution consisted of driving an eight-inch casing pipe through the sand over the next 20 days, with a four-inch "wash pipe" to flush out the sand from the bottom of the hole with water. At around 250 feet (80 m), Lucas improvised a check valve to prevent the increased gas pressure from forcing sand into the casing, enabling them to reach

8480-420: The reaction products. The second, fourth and sixth ionization energies of sulfur are 2252 kJ/mol, 4556 kJ/mol and 8495.8 kJ/mol, respectively. The composition of reaction products of sulfur with oxidants (and its oxidation state) depends on whether releasing of reaction energy overcomes these thresholds. Applying catalysts and/or supply of external energy may vary sulfur's oxidation state and

8586-491: The reduction in pressure in the reservoir allows the water to expand slightly. Although this unit expansion is minute, if the aquifer is large enough this will translate into a large increase in volume, which will push up on the hydrocarbons, maintaining pressure. With a water-drive reservoir, the decline in reservoir pressure is very slight; in some cases, the reservoir pressure may remain unchanged. The gas/oil ratio also remains stable. The oil rate will remain fairly stable until

8692-408: The reservoir pressure drops below the bubble point when critical gas saturation is reached. When the gas is exhausted, the gas/oil ratio and the oil rate drops, the reservoir pressure has been reduced, and the reservoir energy is exhausted. In reservoirs already having a gas cap (the virgin pressure is already below bubble point), the gas cap expands with the depletion of the reservoir, pushing down on

8798-409: The reservoir, leading to an improved estimate of the recoverable resources. Reserves are only the part of those recoverable resources that will be developed through identified and approved development projects. Because the evaluation of reserves has a direct impact on the company or the asset value, it usually follows a strict set of rules or guidelines. To obtain the contents of the oil reservoir, it

8904-509: The rock lapis lazuli . This reaction highlights a distinctive property of sulfur: its ability to catenate (bind to itself by formation of chains). Protonation of these polysulfide anions produces the polysulfanes , H 2 S x , where x = 2, 3, and 4. Ultimately, reduction of sulfur produces sulfide salts: The interconversion of these species is exploited in the sodium–sulfur battery . Treatment of sulfur with hydrogen gives hydrogen sulfide . When dissolved in water, hydrogen sulfide

9010-410: The rock fabric by strong capillary forces, requiring specialised measures for evaluation and extraction. Unconventional reservoirs form in completely different ways to conventional reservoirs, the main difference being that they do not have "traps". This type of reservoir can be driven in a unique way as well, as buoyancy might not be the driving force for oil and gas accumulation in such reservoirs. This

9116-719: The smells of odorized natural gas, skunk scent, bad breath , grapefruit , and garlic are due to organosulfur compounds. Hydrogen sulfide gives the characteristic odor to rotting eggs and other biological processes. Sulfur is an essential element for all life, almost always in the form of organosulfur compounds or metal sulfides. Amino acids (two proteinogenic : cysteine and methionine , and many other non-coded : cystine , taurine , etc.) and two vitamins ( biotin and thiamine ) are organosulfur compounds crucial for life. Many cofactors also contain sulfur, including glutathione , and iron–sulfur proteins . Disulfides , S–S bonds, confer mechanical strength and insolubility of

9222-410: The source, the "drier" the gas (that is, the smaller the proportion of condensates in the gas). Because both oil and natural gas are lighter than water, they tend to rise from their sources until they either seep to the surface or are trapped by a non-permeable stratigraphic trap. They can be extracted from the trap by drilling. The largest natural gas field is South Pars/Asalouyeh gas field, which

9328-403: The state for its cutthroat business practices. Although Standard built refineries in the area, it was unable to dominate the new Gulf Coast oil fields the way it had in the eastern states. As a result, a number of startup oil companies at Spindletop, such as Texaco and Gulf Oil , grew into formidable competitors to Standard Oil. Production at Spindletop began to decline rapidly after 1902, and

9434-454: The structural trap, the stratigraphic trap, and the far less common hydrodynamic trap . The trapping mechanisms for many petroleum reservoirs have characteristics from several categories and can be known as a combination trap. Traps are described as structural traps (in deformed strata such as folds and faults) or stratigraphic traps (in areas where rock types change, such as unconformities, pinch-outs and reefs). Structural traps are formed as

9540-452: The surface. As the fluids are produced, the pressure will often decline, and production will falter. The reservoir may respond to the withdrawal of fluid in a way that tends to maintain the pressure. Artificial drive methods may be necessary. This mechanism (also known as depletion drive) depends on the associated gas of the oil. The virgin reservoir may be entirely semi-liquid but will be expected to have gaseous hydrocarbons in solution due to

9646-465: The temperature of equilibration. The δ C and δ S of coexisting carbonate minerals and sulfides can be used to determine the pH and oxygen fugacity of the ore-bearing fluid during ore formation. Scientists measure the sulfur isotopes of minerals in rocks and sediments to study the redox conditions in past oceans. Sulfate-reducing bacteria in marine sediment fractionate sulfur isotopes as they take in sulfate and produce sulfide . Prior to

9752-516: The term " fire-and-brimstone " sermons , in which listeners are reminded of the fate of eternal damnation that await the unbelieving and unrepentant. It is from this part of the Bible that Hell is implied to "smell of sulfur" (likely due to its association with volcanic activity). According to the Ebers Papyrus , a sulfur ointment was used in ancient Egypt to treat granular eyelids. Sulfur

9858-552: The venture in 1896. Pattillo Higgins then teamed with Captain Anthony F. Lucas , the leading expert in the U.S. on salt-dome formations. Lucas made a lease agreement in 1899 with the Gladys City Company and a subsequent agreement with Higgins. Lucas drilled to 575 feet (180 m) before running out of money. He secured additional funding from John H. Galey, James M. Guffey , and Andrew Mellon of Pittsburgh , and

9964-407: The water begins to be produced along with the oil, the recovery rate may become uneconomical owing to the higher lifting and water disposal costs. If the natural drives are insufficient, as they very often are, then the pressure can be artificially maintained by injecting water into the aquifer or gas into the gas cap. The force of gravity will cause the oil to move downward of the gas and upward of

10070-431: The water reaches the well. In time, the water cut will increase, and the well will be watered out. The water may be present in an aquifer (but rarely one replenished with surface water ). This water gradually replaces the volume of oil and gas that is produced out of the well, given that the production rate is equivalent to the aquifer activity. That is, the aquifer is being replenished from some natural water influx. If

10176-414: The water which prevented the "heavier" water from dissipating into the sand. This drilling mud stabilized the hole, and soon they were drilling into a clay formation called gumbo. At 800 feet (240 m) they reached limestone , and on 9 December, oil started showing up in the slush pit. The oil was coming from a 35-foot (10 m) thick oil sand at a depth of 870 feet (270 m). Yet, that oil sand

10282-442: The water. If vertical permeability exists then recovery rates may be even better. These occur if the reservoir conditions allow the hydrocarbons to exist as a gas. Retrieval is a matter of gas expansion. Recovery from a closed reservoir (i.e., no water drive) is very good, especially if bottom hole pressure is reduced to a minimum (usually done with compressors at the wellhead). Any produced liquids are light-colored to colorless, with

10388-404: The wells produced only 10,000 barrels per day (1,600 m/d) by 1904. Unfortunately the developers had signed a 20-year contract to sell 25,000 barrels per day at $ 0.25 per barrel to Shell Oil . When the price climbed above $ 0.35 per barrel, the operation was stressed and Mellon who had lent money for Spindle Top's development took control of the company, won a lawsuit allowing Mellon to renege on

10494-450: The world's leading oil producer. Pattillo Higgins sought a source of natural gas for his brickyard and envisioned producing oil and gas from Sour Spring Mound, convinced it was an anticline . The eventual oil field would be called Spindletop, after a hill one mile to the east, and four miles south of Beaumont. The hill had the appearance of a spindle due to trees on its hilltop ( cimas de boneteros , "tops of spindle-trees"). The mound

10600-419: The β-S 8 molecules. Between its melting and boiling temperatures, octasulfur changes its allotrope again, turning from β-octasulfur to γ-sulfur, again accompanied by a lower density but increased viscosity due to the formation of polymers . At higher temperatures, the viscosity decreases as depolymerization occurs. Molten sulfur assumes a dark red color above 200 °C (392 °F). The density of sulfur

10706-631: Was accidentally discovered to exist on Mars after the Curiosity rover drove over and crushed a rock, revealing sulfur crystals inside it. Sulfur is the fifth most common element by mass in the Earth. Elemental sulfur can be found near hot springs and volcanic regions in many parts of the world, especially along the Pacific Ring of Fire ; such volcanic deposits are mined in Indonesia, Chile, and Japan. These deposits are polycrystalline, with

10812-552: Was determined by the Sun. Though it was assumed that the distribution of different sulfur isotopes would be more or less equal, it has been found that proportions of the two most abundant sulfur isotopes S and S varies in different samples. Assaying of the isotope ratio ( δ S ) in the samples suggests their chemical history, and with support of other methods, it allows to age-date the samples, estimate temperature of equilibrium between ore and water, determine pH and oxygen fugacity , identify

10918-497: Was famous for its gas seeps , which Higgins lit for his Baptist Sunday school class. In August 1892, George W. O'Brien, George W. Carroll, Pattillo Higgins, and J.F. Lanier formed the Gladys City Oil, Gas, and Manufacturing Company to do exploratory drilling. The company tried drilling two test wells, but ran into trouble trying to penetrate below 300 feet (90 m), encountering a quicksand -like formation . Higgins quit

11024-563: Was then mined for sulfur from the 1950s to about 1975. In 1976, Lamar University dedicated the Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum to preserve the history of the Spindletop oil gusher era in Beaumont. The museum features an oil derrick and many reconstructed Gladys City building interiors furnished with authentic artifacts from the Spindletop boomtown period. The Lucas Gusher Monument is located at

11130-418: Was too soft and fine to develop at that time, and Caroline Lucas convinced Galey to continue drilling to 1,200 feet (370 m), per contract. On Christmas Eve, they landed six-inch pipe below the sand at 880 feet (270 m), then enjoyed the holiday, returning New Year's Day. They hit another gas pocket, which forced water and mud out of the hole for ten minutes. Then, at 960 feet (290 m), they reached

11236-640: Was used for fumigation in preclassical Greece ; this is mentioned in the Odyssey . Pliny the Elder discusses sulfur in book 35 of his Natural History , saying that its best-known source is the island of Melos . He mentions its use for fumigation, medicine, and bleaching cloth. A natural form of sulfur known as shiliuhuang ( 石硫黄 ) was known in China since the 6th century BC and found in Hanzhong . By

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