EXERCISE 1 Read and translate the text, using the words after the text.

A major function of the fluid circulating system is to remove rock cuttings from the hole as drilling progresses. The drilling fluid or drilling mud consists of clay and some other materials and water. The drilling mud travels from the steel tanks to the mud pumps, from the mud pump the high pressure surface connec­tions to the drill string, through the drill string to the bit and up the annular space between the drill string and the hole to the surface, and through the contaminant removal equipment to the suction tank. The flow conduits connecting the mud pumps to the drill string include a surge chamber, a 4-6-inch heavy-walled pipe connecting the pump to the pump manifold located on the rig floor, a standpipe and rotary hose, a swivel and a kelly.

The surge chamber contains a gas in its upper portion. The surge chamber greatly dampens pressure surges developed by the pump. The standpipe and the rotary hose provide a flexible connection that permits vertical movement of the drill string. The swivel contains roller bearings to support the rotating load of the drill string.

The kelly is a pipe rectangular or hexagonal in cross-section. It allows the drill string to be rotated. Mud pits are required for holding an excess volume of drilling mud at the surface. Dry mud additives are often stored in sacks they are added manually to the suction pit using a mud-mixing hopper. On many modern rigs mud-mixing is largely automated.

The contaminant-removing equipment includes mechanical devices removing solids and gases from the mud: shale-shakers, hydrocyclons and decanting cen­trifuges.

The words to be memorized:

1. fluid – жидкость

2. drilling mud– буровой раствор

3. clay – глина

4. mud pump – буровой насос

5. mud pit/tank – емкость для бурового раствора

6. mud-mixing equipment – оборудование для приготовления раствора

7. contaminant – примесь, загрязнитель

8. swivel – вертлюг

9. kelly – ведущая труба, квадрат

10. flow conduit – трубопровод

11. surge chamber – уравнительная камера, компенсатор

12. heavy-walled – толстостенный

13. pump manifold – коллектор насоса

14. stand pipe – стояк

15. to dampen – гасить, снижать

16. pressure surge – пульсация, скачок давления

17. flexible – гибкий

18. roller bearing – роликовый подшипник

19. rotating load – нагрузка вращения

20. rectangular - прямоугольный

21. hexagonal - шестиугольный

22. cross-section – поперечное сечение, разрез

23. excess volume - избыток, избыточный объем

24. additives - добавки, присадки

25. manually - вручную

26. mud-mixing hopper – смесительная воронка

27. solids – твердые частицы

28. shale shaker - вибросито

29. hydrocyclon - гидроциклон

30. decanting centrifuge – фильтрующая центрифуга

EXERCISE 2 Answer the following questions:

1. What is a major function of the fluid-circulating system?

2. What does the drilling fluid consist of?

3. How does the drilling mud travel?

4. What components does the rig circulating system include?

5. What does the surge chamber contain?

6. What does the swivel contain?

7. What is the form and function of the Kelly?

8. What are mud pits for?

9. Is mud-mixing largely automated on many modern rigs?

10. What does the contaminant – removing equipment include?

EXERCISE 3 Find the proper Russian equivalents to the given English terms: