Origins of Petroleum Drilling :: physics drill oil drilling

The first step that creates sedimentary rocks is when tectonic forces push rock formations upward to produce mountains. Since this rock formation is know exposed to the surface conditions, it becomes eroded and weathered. These effects cause the rock to wear down. Due to deposition, sorting of various fragments occurs. Think of a stream that flows down a mountain. Within this stream there are many different materials that travel due to the velocity of the stream. Depending on how much distance is traveled by the river in a specific time defines its velocity. V=(change in distance)/(change in time) If the velocity is fast enough, it is able to budge big rocks as well as small rocks down the terrain. Eventually the slope becomes less and less steep, which causes the velocity of the stream to decrease. Since the velocity of the stream becomes slower as it arrives to a flat surface, it is not able to sustain a fast enough of a speed to make the heavier materials to continue with the journey. Usually at the bottom of this river, it will empty into a big body of water like the ocean. The different fragments are all submerged, yet divide into different groups. The reason for this is that there is still a river velocity that causes movement in the various fragments farther down the ocean floor. This might look years later once the river has dried out. Notice the big rocks are protruding from the water. This is either from corrosion to the rock formation next to the ocean or it is due to the rocks that came from a high velocity mountain stream. After all of these fragments arrange in their groups, lithification occurs. Lithification is the â€Å"conversion of unconsolidated sediments into sedimentary rock by compaction and cementation†(1). This compaction and cementation yields these sedimentary rocks: -Gravel turns into conglomerate -Sand turns into sandstone -Clay turns into shale -Shells turn into limestone [e]