62C-27.006. Blowout Prevention Equipment  


Effective on Wednesday, May 12, 1993
  • 1(1) Blowout preventers and related well control equipment shall be installed, used, and tested in a manner necessary to prevent blowouts. Prior to drilling below the surface casing, blowout prevention equipment shall be installed and maintained ready for use until drilling operations are completed and, in addition, an inside blowout preventer assembly (back pressure valve) and drill-string safety valve in the open position shall be maintained on the rig floor at all times while drilling operations are being conducted. Separate valves shall be maintained on the rig floor to fit all pipe in the drill string. In water operations, a Kelly cock shall be installed below the swivel, and an essentially full opening Kelly cock of such design that it can be run through the blowout preventers shall be installed at the bottom of the Kelly.

    137(2) Blowout preventers and related well-control equipment shall be pressure-tested when installed, before drilling out after each string of casing is set, not less than once each week while drilling, following repairs that require disconnecting a pressure seal in the assembly, and at such other times as prescribed by the Department. A required weekly test while drilling may be deferred up to one week to avoid unnecessary tripping of the drill string or conditions that would endanger the hole. Blowout preventer tests shall be recorded on the driller’s log.

    226(3) Ram-type blowout preventers shall be tested to the working pressure of the stack assembly or the casinghead, whichever is the lesser. Bag-type blowout preventers shall be tested up to 70 percent of the above pressure requirements.

    263(4) A bag-type blowout preventer shall be actuated on the drill pipe or drill collars once each week. Accumulators and pumps shall maintain a pressure capacity reserve at all times to provide for repeated operation of hydraulic preventers. A blowout prevention drill shall be conducted weekly for each drilling crew to insure that all equipment is operational and that crews are properly trained to carry out emergency duties. All blowout preventer tests and crew drills shall be recorded in the driller’s log.

    345(a) Before drilling below the conductor casing in non-field Type I wells, at least one remotely controlled bag-type blowout preventer and equipment for circulating the drilling fluid to the shale shaker shall be installed. To avoid formation fracturing from complete shut-in of the well, a large diameter pipe with control valves shall be installed on the conductor pipe below the blowout preventer so as to permit the diversion of hydrocarbons and other fluids.

    418(b) Before drilling below the surface casing (except in south Florida locations which drill through the Boulder Zone) the blowout prevention equipment shall include a minimum of three remotely controlled, hydraulically operated, blowout preventers with a working pressure which exceeds the maximum anticipated surface pressure, including one equipped with pipe rams, one with blind rams, and one bag-type; drilling spool with side outlets, if side outlets are not provided in the blowout preventer body, a choke manifold, a kill line, and a fill-up line. In locations in which the hole below the surface hole is drilled through the Boulder Zone, the blowout prevention equipment shall include a bag-type blowout preventer and a drilling spool with side outlet.

    535(c) Before drilling below the intermediate string the blowout prevention equipment shall include a minimum of three, or in abnormal pressure areas, four remotely controlled, hydraulically operated, blowout preventers with a working pressure which exceeds the maximum anticipated surface pressure, including at least one equipped with pipe rams, one with blind rams, and one bag-type; a drilling spool with side outlets, if side outlets are not provided in the blowout preventer body, a choke manifold, a kill line, and a fill-up line.

    617Specific Authority 619377.22 FS. 621Law Implemented 623377.22 FS. 625History–New 11-26-81, Formerly 16C-27.06, Amended 6-4-89, 5-12-93, Formerly 16C-27.006.