Core industry knowledge shared across all oil & gas pipeline skills.
Industry Overview
The oil & gas industry operates across three primary segments:
Upstream (Exploration & Production)
Goal: Discover and extract hydrocarbons
Sub-pipelines:
- Exploration
- Appraisal
- Drilling
- Production
Midstream (Transportation & Storage)
Goal: Move and store oil/gas
Sub-pipelines:
- Pipeline transport
- LNG processing
- Storage facilities
Downstream (Refining & Distribution)
Goal: Convert raw hydrocarbons into usable products
Sub-pipelines:
- Refining
- Petrochemicals
- Distribution & retail
Role Hierarchy
Functional hierarchy (not organizational chart):
Executives
↓
Asset / Field Managers
↓
Domain Leads (Geology, Drilling, Production, Facilities)
↓
Engineers & Scientists
↓
Operators / Technicians
↓
Data & Digital (cross-cutting)
End-to-End Data Flow
Raw Data Acquisition
↓
Data Ingestion (WITSML, LAS, SCADA, etc.)
↓
Data Processing & QC
↓
Domain Interpretation (Geology, Drilling, etc.)
↓
Modeling & Simulation
↓
Decision Making
↓
Execution (Drill / Produce / Transport)
↓
Feedback Loop (real-time data)
Common Data Formats
| Format | Purpose | File Extension |
|---|---|---|
| LAS | Well log data | .las |
| SEG-Y | Seismic data | .sgy, .segy |
| WITSML | Drilling/completion data | XML |
| PRODML | Production data | XML |
| RESQML | Reservoir models | XML/EPC |
| DLIS | Well log data (binary) | .dlis |
Data Types
- Structured: Tables (production logs, drilling parameters)
- Semi-structured: LAS, WITSML, PRODML
- Unstructured: Reports, PDFs, images, core photos
- Spatial: Seismic volumes, maps, geological models
- Time-series: Sensors, SCADA, real-time drilling data
Safety Culture
Oil & gas operations prioritize safety above all else:
- HSE (Health, Safety, Environment) is non-negotiable
- "Stop work authority" - anyone can halt unsafe operations
- Risk assessments (JSA, HAZOP, HAZID) before operations
- Regulatory compliance: EPA, OSHA, BSEE (US), NPD (Norway), etc.
Key Safety Concepts
- Well control: Preventing uncontrolled hydrocarbon release
- Process safety: Managing hazardous materials and pressures
- Asset integrity: Ensuring equipment fitness-for-service
- Environmental protection: Spill prevention, emissions control
How To Use This Skill
This skill is referenced by all pipeline skills. It provides:
- Shared terminology and context
- Data format reference
- Safety culture foundation
- Role hierarchy understanding
Pipeline skills build on this foundation with domain-specific workflows.