Glossary
Glossary
This glossary more specifically relates to oil and gas exploration and production terms.
- Bacteria:
- Single-cell microorganism. Bacteria are neither vegetable nor animal, forming a distinct kingdom on their own.
- Bactericide:
- a substance that kills bacteria.
- Ballast tank:
- A tank intended to be filled with seawater to keep floating equipment stable.
- Barrel:
- Abbr. bar., bbl, bbl., bl. Unit of volume of crude oil (approximately 159 liters) in use in the oil industry, especially in the USA and the UK. Dates back to the days of sailing ships, when oil was shipped in casks.
- Biodiversity:
- the variety of life on Earth at all levels including species, ecosystems and genes. In its broadest meaning, the term refers to all life on Earth, but it is also used on the scale of a region, country, forest, etc.
- Bit:
- Tool used in drilling to break up rock mechanically in order to penetrate the subsoil gradually. The bit will dig a circular hole.
- Blowout preventer (BOP):
- Safety system that quickly closes a well in the course of drilling, to avoid accidental blowouts.
