250.515—Blowout prevention equipment.
(a)
The BOP system and system components and related well-control equipment shall be designed, used, maintained, and tested in a manner necessary to assure well control in foreseeable conditions and circumstances, including subfreezing conditions. The working pressure rating of the BOP system and BOP system components shall exceed the expected surface pressure to which they may be subjected. If the expected surface pressure exceeds the rated working pressure of the annular preventer, the lessee shall submit with Form MMS-124 or Form MMS-123, as appropriate, a well-control procedure that indicates how the annular preventer will be utilized, and the pressure limitations that will be applied during each mode of pressure control.
(b)
The minimum BOP system for well-completion operations must meet the appropriate standards from the following table:
| When | The minimum BOP stack must include |
|---|---|
| (1) The expected pressure is less than 5,000 psi, | Three BOPs consisting of an annular, one set of pipe rams, and one set of blind-shear rams. |
| (2) The expected pressure is 5,000 psi or greater or you use multiple tubing strings, | Four BOPs consisting of an annular, two sets of pipe rams, and one set of blind-shear rams. |
| (3) You handle multiple tubing strings simultaneously, | Four BOPs consisting of an annular, one set of pipe rams, one set of dual pipe rams, and one set of blind-shear rams. |
| (4) You use a tapered drill string, | At least one set of pipe rams that are capable of sealing around each size of drill string. If the expected pressure is greater than 5,000 psi, then you must have at least two sets of pipe rams that are capable of sealing around the larger size drill string. You may substitute one set of variable bore rams for two sets of pipe rams. |
| (5) You use a subsea BOP stack | The requirements in § 250.442(a) of this part. |
(1)
A hydraulic-actuating system that provides sufficient accumulator capacity to supply 1.5 times the volume necessary to close all BOP equipment units with a minimum pressure of 200 psi above the precharge pressure without assistance from a charging system. Accumulator regulators supplied by rig air and without a secondary source of pneumatic supply, must be equipped with manual overrides, or alternately, other devices provided to ensure capability of hydraulic operations if rig air is lost.
(2)
A secondary power source, independent from the primary power source, with sufficient capacity to close all BOP system components and hold them closed.
(5)
A choke line and a kill line each equipped with two full opening valves and a choke manifold. At least one of the valves on the choke line shall be remotely controlled. At least one of the valves on the kill line shall be remotely controlled, except that a check valve on the kill line in lieu of the remotely controlled valve may be installed provided that two readily accessible manual valves are in place and the check valve is placed between the manual valves and the pump. This equipment shall have a pressure rating at least equivalent to the ram preventers.
(d)
An inside BOP or a spring-loaded, back-pressure safety valve and an essentially full-opening, work-string safety valve in the open position shall be maintained on the rig floor at all times during well-completion operations. A wrench to fit the work-string safety valve shall be readily available. Proper connections shall be readily available for inserting valves in the work string.
(e)
The subsea BOP system for well-completions must meet the requirements in § 250.442 of this part.