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3. Work on pronunciation. 3.1 Listen and repeat the words that describe different professions in oil exploration. 3.2 Read and translate the following words. Pay attention to the pronunciation.
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3. Work on pronunciation.
3. 1 Listen and repeat the words that describe different professions in oil exploration.
Geologist [dʒ ɪ ˈ ɔ lə dʒ ɪ st]
Geophysicist [ˌ dʒ iː ə ʊ ˈ fɪ zɪ sɪ st]
Geochemist [ˌ dʒ iː ə ʊ ˈ kemɪ st]
Petroleum geologist [pə ˊ trə υ lɪ ə m dʒ ɪ ˈ ɔ lə dʒ ɪ st]
Petroleum geophysicist [pə ˊ trə υ lɪ ə m ˌ dʒ iː ə ʊ ˈ fɪ zɪ sɪ st]
Petroleum geochemist [pə ˊ trə υ lɪ ə m ˌ dʒ iː ə ʊ ˈ kemɪ st]
3. 2 Read and translate the following words. Pay attention to the pronunciation.
Scientific approach, rock layer, petroleum geologist, petroleum geophysicist, petroleum geochemist, physical characteristics, magnetic properties, gravitational pull, variations in density, visual methods, geochemical methods, geophysical methods, gravimetric measuring, seismic measuring, seismic exploration, geochemical analysis, final test, oil bearing strata, geological reasoning, identification of oil reserves.
4. Read the text and translate it into Russian.
Search for Oil
Over the past 150 years, oil companies have drilled more than two million wells around the world in hopes of striking oil. In the early days of oil exploration prospectors drilled around the areas where oil seeped to the surface, trying to find the underground source of the oil. Sometimes they were lucky but often they found nothing. Many of the early wells turned out to be dry.
Drilling for oil is an extremely expensive business and has to be approached scientifically. Today, scientists use sophisticated technologies to find oil and gas under the earth’s surface. Rock structures that contain oil or gas are hidden by the sea or other rock layers, and scientists have to do a full survey of the area. This is where geologists and geophysicists are valuable.
Geologists look for special rock formations where oil and gas are often found. These can be seen from the air. Photographs are taken from planes or satellites and then examined by geologists. Afterwards, geologists on the ground collect rock samples and analyse them. Geologists look at the makeup of rocks – where they are and the formations they make.
Geophysicists use the physical characteristics of rocks – their magnetic and gravitational properties, and how sound waves travel through different kinds of rocks – to help understand the structures below the Earth’s surface. Geophysicists use mathematics and physics to create a picture of the sub-surface. They can identify types of rocks by their density and magnetic qualities. They use different equipment in their search. A gravimeter shows rock density, and a magnetometer measures magnetic fields. A magnetometer can be used in planes while flying over an area. Another method is seismic exploration, which uses sound. Shock waves are produced by explosives that are placed in a hole in the ground. These waves are reflected back and show the different kinds of rocks under the surface. Instead of explosives, a vibrator truck can be used.
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The rocks that may contain oil or gas are less dense than the others. These differences can be detected by remote sensing surveys carried out from ships that make no direct contact with the rock structures beneath the sea.
Aircrafts can also be used to measure the gravitational pull of the Earth over an area. Small differences in the gravitational pull are caused by variations in the density of the underlying rocks. Because some rocks are more magnetic than others, scientists can also measure variations in the strength of the Earth’s magnetic field.
Overall, oil deposits are detected by visual, geochemical, geological, and geophysical methods.
1. Visual methods include observations of oil seepages.
2. Geochemical methods include analysis of samples of surface water and soil for small amounts of oil and gas that show petroleum reserves. At sea, hydrocarbons can be found by equipment that is pulled along in the water.
3. Geological methods include mapping the age of rocks, their nature and types of formations present.
4. Geophysical methods include gravimetric measuring the variation in density of the earth's crust, seismic and magnetic measuring.
General survey techniques cover large areas quite quickly and easily and help to build a broad picture of the rock structures. If the results are encouraging the second stage of explorations is undertaken.
Drilling is the final test for oil bearing strata. When a possible future oil field is identified, the next step is to drill an exploratory well. Exploratory wells are sometimes called “wild cat wells” or “wild cats”. Each time a new well is drilled a well log is created. The well log is a record of the rocks and the depths at which they are found. Geologists also keep rock samples for analysis. Geologists can use information from different well logs to construct a map of the area between the wells. This process is called geological reasoning. This can help to identify where there are perhaps petroleum traps for future drilling.
(http: Oxford English for Careers: Oil and Gas 2,
//www. history. co. uk/shows/britains-oil-hunters/articles/finding-oil-and-gas)
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