This video presents a detailed and frustrated critique of the convoluted and impractical system of units used in the oil and gas industry, which the speaker argues is a significant hindrance to engineering work. The speaker explains that "oil field units" are an inconsistent amalgamation of US customary units, archaic terms, and proprietary measurements that are intentionally different for various substances and applications. Key examples of this flawed system are explored, including volume (barrels for oil, cubic feet for gas), density (colloquially termed "mud weight" and measured in pounds per gallon), power (a chaotic mix of multiple horsepower definitions, watts, and the British Thermal Unit), and permeability (the obsolete "Darcy"). The speaker concludes that this system is perpetuated by a workplace culture of gatekeeping and an aversion to academic precision, making simple calculations error-prone and contributing to an overall sense of amateurishness that was a major factor in their decision to leave the industry.
A Critical Look at the Cursed Units of the Oil and Gas Industry
00:00:01 Introduction to "Cursed" Units: The speaker introduces the topic as a long-held frustration, describing oil field units as a system that takes the complexity of US customary units and makes it "much, much worse."
00:01:23 Inconsistent Volume Measurements: The industry uses different units for different fluids. Oil is measured in barrels (BBL, for "blue barrel"), which equals 42 US gallons. Natural gas is measured in standard cubic feet (SCF). Prefixes are also confusing, with "M" used for a thousand and "MM" for a million.
00:03:57 Confusing Length and "Rig Tape": While lengths are typically in feet and inches, the speaker highlights the existence of "rig tape," a measuring tape demarcated in tenths of a foot instead of inches, which often leads to measurement errors.
00:05:08 Incorrect Terminology for Density: The industry avoids the scientific term "density," instead using the colloquial and technically incorrect term "mud weight," measured in pounds per gallon (PPG). Another arbitrary unit, API gravity, is also used.
00:06:53 The Chaos of Power and Energy Units: This is described as the biggest issue. Power generation on a platform is measured in watts (W), but rig equipment like pumps and motors is measured in horsepower (HP), which has multiple conflicting definitions. Furthermore, the British Thermal Unit (BTU) is shoehorned into mechanical energy calculations, creating a disconnect.
00:09:15 Arbitrary Conversion Factors: A formula for calculating hydraulic horsepower is shown to include an arbitrary conversion constant of 1,714, which engineers must memorize or look up in a reference book (the "little green book").
00:12:14 Obsolete Unit for Permeability: Instead of the standard SI unit (m²), the industry uses the "Darcy," an obsolete unit derived from multiple systems. The speaker suggests this is done simply because it has a name, preventing engineers from "sounding like nerds."
00:14:00 Renaming Curvature: The standard engineering concept of "radius of curvature" is renamed "dog leg severity" and is measured in degrees per 100 feet drilled.
00:14:23 A Simple Calculation Gone Wrong: A worked example shows how calculating the volume of cement needed for a well—a simple task in SI units—becomes a complex, multi-step process in oil field units, requiring conversions from inches to feet, cubic inches to gallons, and gallons to barrels.
00:16:28 A Tool for Cultural Gatekeeping: The speaker concludes that the impractical unit system was a major reason for leaving the industry, arguing it fosters an amateurish environment and is used by veterans as a form of gatekeeping to dismiss academic knowledge.