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A conductor Pipe is a large diameter pipe that is set into the ground to provide the initial stable structural foundation for a 
In the 
borehole
A borehole is a narrow shaft bored in the ground, either vertically or horizontally. A borehole may be constructed for many different purposes, including the extraction of water ( drilled water well and tube well), other liquids (such as petro ...
or oil well
An oil well is a drillhole boring in Earth that is designed to bring petroleum oil hydrocarbons to the surface. Usually some natural gas is released as associated petroleum gas along with the oil. A well that is designed to produce only gas ma ...
.
The Conductor pipe is the first string of casing and is the largest diameter casing to be installed in a well.
It can also be referred to as a ''drive pipe'' because it is often ''driven'' into the ground with a pile driver.
Conductor pipe is typically set, on petroleum wells, before any drilling operations are performed. It is usually set with special pile-driving or rigs, though the drilling rig
A drilling rig is an integrated system that Drilling, drills wells, such as oil or water wells, or holes for piling and other construction purposes, into the earth's subsurface. Drilling rigs can be massive structures housing equipment used to ...
is sometimes used to save time and money. Conductor pipe’s purpose is to protect shallow sands from being contaminated by drilling fluids, and to help prevent washouts (which occur near the surface due to loose and unconsolidated top soils, gravel beds, etc.).
In the offshore drilling
Offshore drilling is a mechanical process where a wellbore is drilled below the seabed. It is typically carried out in order to explore for and subsequently extract petroleum that lies in rock formations beneath the seabed. Most commonly, the te ...
industry, the conductor pipe is set in the seabed, and is a key structural foundation for the subsea wellhead
A wellhead is the component at the surface of an oil or gas well that provides the structural and pressure-containing interface for the drilling and production equipment.
The primary purpose of a wellhead is to provide the suspension point and ...
. When drilling an offshore well, a marine riser
Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean.
Marine or marines may refer to:
Ocean
* Maritime (disambiguation)
* Marine art
* Marine biology
* Marine debris
* Marine habitats
* Marine life
* Marine pollution
Military
* ...
is connected to the well, and this is subjected to large environmental forces such as current and waves which are transferred to the conductor. The forces can be large and also cyclical which can potentially cause fatigue damage to the conductor, especially in harsh environmental conditions. A Conductor tensioner unit (CTU) can be used in shallow water on jackup rig
A jackup rig or a self-elevating unit is a type of mobile platform that consists of a buoyant hull fitted with a number of movable legs, capable of raising its hull over the surface of the sea. The buoyant hull enables transportation of the unit ...
to withstand such damaging forces.
Conductors are sometimes driven into position in very soft formations with large hammers. Sometimes, they are jetted into position and at other times, a separate cheaper rig (even truck mounted) may be used to drill the hole for the conductor. Offshore, two conductors may be installed in a well. The first conductor might be driven into position and not reach a depth sufficient for installation of a BOP. Usually secondary conductors are cemented to surface.
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