If you want to invest in an oil operation, you should know when you’ll recoup your funds.gettyPeople often ask me, "How long does the drilling operation take?" It’s a good question, because if you want to invest in an oil operation, you should know when you'll recoup your funds. With that in mind, I’ve put together a basic timeline of how this process works. These things vary greatly, and there are a lot of factors that may change how long everything takes. But as a broad overview, this is a good roadmap to ...