Glossary - energy industry terms - Glossary

Monthly Energy Review, April, 2002

Development Well: A well drilled within the proved area of an oil or gas reservoir to the depth of a stratigraphic horizon known to be productive.

Distillate Fuel Oil: A general classification for one of the petroleum fractions produced in conventional distillation operations. Included are products known as No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 fuel oils and No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 diesel fuels. It is used primarily for space heating, on- and off-highway diesel engine fuel (including railroad engine fuel and fuel for agricultural machinery), and electric power generation.

Dry Hole: An exploratory or development well found to be incapable of producing either oil or gas in sufficient quantities to justify completion as an oil or gas well.

Dry Natural Gas Production: See Natural Gas (Dry) Production.

Electrical System Energy Losses: The amount of energy lost during generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, including plant and unaccounted-for uses.

Electricity: A form of energy characterized by the presence and motion of elementary charged particles generated by friction, induction, or chemical change.

Electricity Capacity: The maximum load of electric power, commonly expressed in kilowatts (kW) or megawatts (MW), by which generators, turbines, transformers, transmission circuits, stations, and systems are rated.

Electricity Generation: The process of producing electric energy, or the amount of electric energy produced by transforming other forms of energy, commonly expressed in kilowatthours (kWh) or megawatthours (MWh).

Electricity Generation, Gross: The total amount of electric energy produced by generating units and measured at the generating terminal in kilowatthours (kWh) or megawatthours (MWh).

Electricity Generation, Net: The amount of gross electricity generation less the electrical energy consumed at the generating station(s) for station service or auxiliaries. Note: Electricity required for pumping at pumped-storage plants is regarded as electricity for station service and is deducted from gross generation.

Electricity Sales: The amount of kilowatthours sold in a given period of time; usually grouped by classes of service, such as residential, commercial, industrial, and other. "Other" sales include sales for public street and highway lighting and other sales to public authorities, sales to railroads and railways, and interdepartmental sales.

Electric Power: The rate at which electric energy is transferred. Electric power is measured by capacity and is commonly expressed in kilowatts (kW) or megawatts (MW).

Electric Power Plant: A station containing prime movers, electric generators, and auxiliary equipment for converting mechanical, chemical, and/or fission energy into electric energy.

Electric Power Sector: An energy-consuming sector that consists of all utility and nonutility facilities and equipment used to generate, transmit, and/or distribute electricity. See Electric Utility and Nonutility Power Producer.

Electric Utility: A corporation, person, agency, authority, or other legal entity or instrumentality that owns and/or operates facilities for the generation, transmission, distribution, or sale of electric energy for use primarily by the public. Utilities provide electricity within a designated franchised service area and file forms listed in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 18, Part 141. Note: Facilities that qualify as cogenerators or small power producers under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) are not considered electric utilities. See Nonutility Power Producer.