A horizontal vent pipe extending from the wellhead a couple of feet from the rig floor to a burn pit. The blooie pipe, named for the noise, makes, vents the returns during air or gas drilling, In air drilling no mud is used, the pulverized rock from the action of the bit is brought up from the bottom of the hole by compressed air and blown through the blooie pipe into the burn pit. Should gas or oil be encountered, it too is vented to the burn pit. Should the well need to be controlled because of oil or gas in quantity and under high pressure, the well must be mudded up. Drilling mud is pumped into the hole and circulated as in conventional rotary drilling.
