Kelly

A square or hexagonal hollow shaft which engages at one end with the drilling table and at the other with the drill pipe.

Kelly bushing

A special device that, when fitted into the master bushing, transmits torque to the kelly and simultaneously permits vertical movement of the kelly to make a hole. It may be shaped to fit the rotary opening or have pins for transmitting torque. Also called the drive bushing. See kelly and master bushing.

Kelly joint

The stand of piping that carries the kelly.

Kelly spinner

A pneumatically operated device mounted on top of the kelly that, when actuated, causes the kelly to turn or spin. It is useful when the kelly or a joint of pipe attached to it must be spun up; that is, rotated rapidly in order to make it up.

Kerosene

A medium-Iight distillate from the oil refining process intermediate between gas oil and gaseous fuels; used for lighting and heating, and for the manufacture of fuel for jet and turbo-prop aircraft engines; sometimes spelled kerosine.

Key seating

The situation that occurs when the drill string wears a groove in the high side of a deviated well bore this can produce problems by causing the drill string to stick.

Kick

The situation that occurs when the formation pressure in a well exceeds the hydrostatic head of the mud column, thus allowing formation fluid to enter the well bore.

Killing a well

Overcoming the tendency of a well to flow naturally by filling the well bore with drilling mud of sufficiently high density.

Kimeridgian

A formation in the upper strata of the Jurassic Period that contains both source and reservoir rocks.

Knot

A division of the long line, by which the ship's speed is measured. A nautical unit of speed. One knot is one nautical mile per hour. The name is derived from the knots in the log line.

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