INTRODUCTION
The crude oil is one of the natural resources endowed to man on earth it is a complex and solid hydrocarbons containing also traces of sulphur, nitrogen and oxygen. The crude oil originates from dead remains of small, bigoquatic plant animals and terrestrial plant which has been buried over many millions of years beneath the rock layers and as a result of continuous heaping of masses of the mud, silt and other sediments ones it and also by the active actions of bacterial and heat it is hugely formed. This vital natural resources (crude oil) in Nigeria in past decades was not known to man as a valuable substance.
Thus, the recent over demands for some petroleum fractions as sources of heat and chemical energy and also and raw material both in our homes, oil and gas industries today has continue to drive some of the oil and gas industries all over the world to develop system to reach the reservoirs beneath the earth surface.
Hence, the production of crude oil which is by drilling process is a complex and sophisticated process used in order to extract the oil in commercial quantity. This fact can never be over emphasize with the contributions of the geologist and geophysicists. The exploration of oil basin involves some geophysical techniques namely; magnetic method, gravity method and seismography. They latter which is the most important due to us ease in detecting the large oil basin is mainly used in oil exploration.
Hence, also, the drilling of oil well which commence after oil exploration and well testing involves use of a complex machine term drill rig (machine) on which also drill pipe, drill bit which aids the cutting, grinding of core formation under the surface (well) in order to reach the reservoir is attach to a drill string (long length hollow steel pipe on which drill collar is also mounted on). The drilling action by the drill bit of the drill machine and its penetration speed depends on the power supply to the machine and as well as the geological formation. The economical use of some drilling process (technique) has aid a lot in commercial crude oil production.
In Nigeria, precisely with the development in the drilling technology and oil exploration for example, in Niger-Delta areas, Kaduna and Port-Harcourt more competent, skill and unskill labourers have today gain opportunity to secure jobs in the drilling sectors of Nigeria and also some vital petroleum fractions example gasoline (petro) are now today very much available at some places at good prices.
Drilling a well to extract crude oil is a complicated process, but it is the only way to confirm the extent and existence of the oil beneath the earth crust. After initial exploration in activities sites preparation begins. The type of rig system to be used whether rotary or cable, is determined when the drilled well is completed and turned into a production facility. Capable of bringing a steady flow of oil to the surface, usually for many years, while getting the oil out of the ground may seen complicated, moving it from the point of production to the fuel consumer is just as complex. Today, there are more than 200,000 miles of oil pipeline in the U.S.
In 2000, total domestic crude oil field production averaged 5,822,000 barrels per day. The top crude oil producing states are Texas, California Louisiana etec.