Drainage

Schlumberger’s Oilfield Glossary defines drainage as “The process of forcing a non-wetting phase into a porous rock” and drainage area as “The reservoir area or volume drained by the well. When several wells drain the same reservoir, each drains its own drainage area, a subset of the reservoir area.”

These scientific definitions are certainly worthy, but I think that Daniel Plainview’s description will stick in my mind much longer. Plainview is the successful oilman from Upton Sinclair’s 1927 novel “Oil!” In the movie adaptation, There Will Be Blood, Plainview finds oil, becomes rich and increasingly evil.

The images of the oil industry in the early 20th Century reflect tenacity, cunning and compromise. Daniel Day-Lewis is brilliant in his portrayal of the oilman whose evil core finally surfaces in his treatment of partner-son “H.W.” and final conflict with Preacher Eli Sunday.

This is one of those movies that grabs hold of you and refuses to let go until Plainview announces that he’s finished.

The images of the early days in oil patch remind us of how far we have progressed as an industry in terms of technology (rotary drilling, blowout preventers, 3-D seismic) but how dangerous the business of finding oil remains.

This is must viewing for any student of the oil and gas industry.

My favorite movies with oil industry themes are:

Syriana (2005) – A chilling portrait of how oil companies influence global politics.
The Kingdom (2007) – The dark side of life in an oil company compound in Saudi Arabia. The introduction provides a good overview of the history of the oil industry in the Middle East.
Chinatown (1974) – Corruption and intrigue in 1930s and 40s in California’s oil fields with Fay Dunaway, John Huston and Jack Nicholson.
Giant (1956) – Mandatory viewing for those who want to become “naturalized” Texans. The movie stars Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean. The movie portrays how the oil industry transformed the Texas ranchers into the super rich of their generation.
Local Hero (1983) – Burt Lancaster is Felix Harper, CEO of Knox Oil Company, who wants to build a refinery in Scotland.
Armageddon (1998) – Bruce Willis is an offshore driller saves the world by destroying an asteroid. Enrollments in petroleum engineering schools increased after this movie.