312 IAC 29-20-12 - Well control equipment
Authority: IC 14-10-2-4; IC 14-37-3
Affected: IC 14-37
Sec. 12.
(a) During
well drilling, completion, and workover operations, the owner or operator shall
take precautions necessary to control the well at all times using methods,
tests, and procedures as required under this section.
(b) The methods used shall be determined
taking into consideration the maximum down hole pressures that may be
encountered. All blowout prevention equipment shall be installed, operated,
tested, and maintained in accordance with recommended practices for blowout
prevention equipment systems.
(c)
Well control measures include the use of one (1) or more of the following:
(1) Water or mud-laden fluid of sufficient
weight to provide proper well control.
(2) If temporary kicks are anticipated
diverter systems or similar assemblies that divert well bore fluids away from
the rig floor shall be employed to ensure protection against loss of well
control.
(3) Well control equipment
and high pressure fittings attached to properly anchored and cemented casing
strings adequate to withstand anticipated pressures.
(d) Nothing in this section shall prohibit
the drilling of wells on air or with cable tools without the use of water or
other mudladen fluids specified in subsection (c)(1) provided other measures
are used as necessary to ensure proper well control.
(e) When well control equipment is used
during drilling operations, the owner or operator shall equip the well with
fittings necessary to circulate out formation gases or liquids. All equipment
and fittings shall be rated with normal working pressure ratings that exceed
the maximum anticipated surface pressure.
(f) The owner or operator shall perform the
following tests and procedures and note in the driller's record, whenever
blowout preventers are in use:
(1) Casing
attached to a blowout preventer with a pressure rating of greater than three
thousand (3,000) pounds per square inch shall be pressure tested after
cementing. This pressure test shall be conducted at the anticipated maximum
pressure to which the casing will be exposed for a minimum of thirty (30)
minutes with a pressure drop of no more than ten percent (10%) to fulfill this
requirement.
(2) Well control
equipment, except for blind rams, shall be functionally operated at least once
in every forty-eight (48) hour period.
(3) Blind rams shall be functionally operated
each trip out of the well bore.
(4)
The well control equipment shall be pressure tested at installation on the well
head and after any modification of any equipment or fittings associated with
the blowout preventer stack.
(g) At the conclusion of drilling and well
completion operations, the owner or operator shall equip the well with well
head assemblies to maintain surface control of the well. Each component of the
well head shall have a pressure rating equal to or greater than the maximum
anticipated pressure to which that particular component may be exposed during
the course of logging, testing, servicing, or producing the well.
Notes
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