Americans seem to have a knack for naming and renaming things. Nothing says innovative better than a catchy name, slogan or acronym. Every industry takes it upon itself to create their own lingo to describe their equipment, operations and sometimes employees. The oil and gas industry is no different.
As an intern I had to catch onto some of the lingo on the fly and surprisingly there have been multiple instances where one of these terms has induced some giggling. So I compiled a list of some of the lingo that threw me for a loop when I first started. I’ve included my original guesses for your entertainment.
Farm animals are a reoccurring theme in this industry.
Pig
My guess (n): farm animal, star of Charlotte’s Web, bacon, ribs, generally adorable pink creatures
Oil and gas translation (n): Pipeline cleaning and measuring tool
Pig Launcher
My guess (n): a person whose occupation is to release a pig during pig races at county fairs
Oil and Gas Translation (n): equipment used to insert a pig into the pipeline
Pig Catcher
My guess (n): a person whose occupation is to coral a runaway pig
Oil and Gas Translation (n): equipment used to remove the pig from the pipeline after cleaning and measuring
This video explains how a pig launcher, pig and pig catcher work to clean and measure a pipeline.
Horsehead
My guess (n): The head of the common, yet majestic farm animal, the horse
Oil and Gas Translation (n): The curved guide or head piece on the top of an oil well
Dog House
My guess (n): a figurative place where people go when they’ve made a mistake; an outdoor shelter for a domesticated dog
Oil and Gas translation (n): The steel-sided room adjacent to the rig floor, usually having an access door close to the driller‘s controls. This general-purpose shelter is a combination tool shed, office, communications center, coffee room, lunchroom and general meeting place for the driller and his crew.
POOH
My guess (character): lovable bear with a weakness for honey from the children’s series “Winnie the Pooh”
Oil and Gas Translation (v/acronym): Pull Out Of Hole
Granny Rag
My guess (n): A piece of cloth carried around by an elderly woman used a variety of ways, often as a Kleenex for small children
Oil and Gas Translation (n): Type of coating or method of coating a pipeline in the field rather than a factory applied coating.
Holiday
My guess (n): a day off from work
Oil and Gas Translation (n): hole in the protective coating of a steel pipeline
Jeep
My guess (n): a cool car that was originally designed for military use on uneven terrain
Oil and Gas Translation (n): another term for a hole in the protective coating of a pipeline
Stub
My guess (v): as in “Stubbing your toe,” painful accident; can be a weekly occurrence for clumsy people
Oil and Gas Translation (measurement): length of a small diameter distribution pipeline from the main line to the customer’s property or meter location
