Essay on Visit Ocean Star Oil & Gas Museum: Exploring Petroleum Drilling & Production

Introduction

I had the opportunity of visiting the oil and gas museum known as Ocean Star. The facility is located on Galveston Island which is less than an hour away from Houston. The experience enabled me to learn more about obtaining and transporting oils such as petroleum. The institution has different oil equipment that assists in the drilling, production, and storage of oil and natural gas. For example, spudder rigs, pressure vessels, flare systems, pneumatic devices, and engine-based generators. During the visit, there are various components of the tools that caught my interest such as drill bits, distillation trays, pilot frames, compressor, and engines.

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Drill Bits

During the visit, I saw an old spudder rig that was used about 4000 years ago. I learned that the tool was one of the first cable tool drilling techniques to be employed in the oil and gas field. The machine operates through releasing a heavy series of drilling tools into the required area. The machine employs the use of gears, power shaft, and cranks to ensure smooth and fast transportation. I learned that the equipment's structure and design allow it to save energy during the flow of oil. The equipment has various parts such as drill bit, drill stem, and cable which enables smooth drilling processes. It performs two purposes which includes retrieving oil from wells and extracting natural gas. Oil derrick pump which can also be termed as sucker rod assists the equipment in pumping oil from underground onto the surface. I got fascinated with the drill bit since it has the function of crushing rocks into small particles which allows experts to access oil and gas from underground deposits. It means that it is responsible for allowing the equipment to drill through the ground without causing damages. The museum has drill bits of different shapes and sizes such as tricone, multiple tricone, and carbide. Another tool that helps in the crushing of hard rocks and large soil particles is the downhole mud motors. The diagram below represents an example of a drill bit.

Distillation Trays

When touring the museum, I noted that there are different shapes of pressure vessels such as cylindrical and spherical. The equipment has an important role in the oil and gas field since it is where physical and chemical reactions take place. The tool also ensures the recovery of gases and oil at different boiling points hence acts as a separator. Experts prefer pressure vessels since it allows them to employ extreme conditions such as high pressure and temperature. There are different components required in a pressure vessel such as internals. I preferred distillation trays to the rest since it is responsible for the separation of fluids during refinery. I learned that there are various tray types per the flow of fluids for instance, counterflow trays. They possess features such as valves that promote the effectiveness of its function. It is important to note that there are characteristics that contribute a good distillation tray such as must be strong and stable. The diagram below represents an example of a distillation tray.

Pilot Flame

Flare systems apply in the oil and gas refining process since it allows safe disposal of waste gases. The technique employs the use of an open flame to ensure the complete combustion of the gases. Before the creation of the equipment, companies released harmful waste products into the atmosphere. The museum has an elevated flare which indicates that the fire goes upwards which undermines the occurrence of fire outbreaks. I learned that one has to wear protective clothing such as heat shields when handling a flare. It is because it ensures that a person is safe from heat radiation. There are two different types of flares which include single or multipoint. I had the opportunity of seeing the multipoint flare. It has several advantages over the single point flare. For example, it accelerates the combustion process. For the flare system to work, it comprises components such as a water seal drum which coordinate with each other. The pilot flame caught my interest since it has the duty of burning waste gases which undermines the practice of releasing toxic substances into the atmosphere. The diagram below symbolizes an example of a pilot flame.

Engine

I saw engine-driven generators that can apply in different sections such as compression and pumping. The museum hosts engine-generators which differ in terms of power ratings. It is important to note that the structure and dimension of an engine-driven generator determine the power output. There are generators can generate power through the use of an electrical motor. Experts employ the equipment to drive a pump because the device generates the required electricity. It is important to note that the key components found in a generator include engine, cooling, and fuel systems. The engine caught my attention since it is the main component of the entire system. It has the duty of providing mechanical energy which assists the system when converting into electricity. It illustrates that the equipment cannot operate without the presence of an engine just as the name suggests. I noted that the museum has large, medium and small-sized engines. The difference is that the larger ones can apply when storing gas at underground wells while small engines distribute a little number of gases. The diagram below represents an example of an engine.

Compressor

I saw different types of pneumatic devices that assist oil and gas specialists during measurement. The concept of pneumatic systems existed from the early years of 1602. Over the years, the technique developed hence the presence of different types and sizes of pneumatic devices. Experts prefer to use the equipment since it can be flexible during designing and promotes human safety. It is because the technology operates through transmitting a signal to a valve to change its position. It illustrates that the equipment has the capability of controlling activities. The main source of energy for pneumatic devices includes compressed natural gas or propane. The facility has both pneumatic controllers and pumps. The most common is the controllers which ensure the maintenance of conditions such as temperature within a system. I learned that the devices have several components which include a compressor, and different types of valves such as a check. The compressor caught my attention since it has the responsibility of compressing air and ensuring smooth flow. I also noted the compressor since it enables the pumping of air. It is important to note that institution also had hydraulic devices which employ the use of liquid instead of gas like pneumatic devices. The diagram below illustrates an example of a compressor.

Conclusion

In conclusion, my visit to the Ocean Star Museum allowed me to learn more about technologies that experts use during the production and transportation of oil and natural gas. I got educated on the common devices used in both Houston and Galveston cities. I had the opportunity of studying different equipment such as rigs and pressure vessels. I went ahead to note down the most important components within different systems. The experience ensured that I got more knowledge and skills concerning the oil and gas field. The facility is in an accessible area hence undermined the presence of limitations during the field study. The museum provided an educational tour which allowed me to ask questions and get more insights on different technologies used in the oil and gas field. The museum visit helped me to acquire knowledge of how the oil and gas sector is promoting economic growth. For example, the field encourages the expansion of manufacturers and processing industries.