HAR §13-183-74. Blowout-prevention equipment

(a) Blowout- prevention equipment ("BOPE") capable of shutting-in the well during any operation shall be installed on the surface casing tested and shall be maintained ready for use at all times. BOPE pressure tests may be observed by the chairperson or his designated representative on all exploratory wells prior to drilling out the shoe of the surface casing. The decision to require and observe BOPE pressure tests on other types of wells shall be made on a well-to-well basis. The chairperson shall be contacted in advance of a scheduled pressure test to allow time for travel to the well site to witness the test. BOPE installations shall include high temperature-rated packing units and ram rubbers if available and shall have a minimum working-pressure rating equal to or greater than the lesser of: (1) A pressure equal to the product of the depth of the BOPE anchor string in feet times one psi per foot; (2) A pressure equal to the rated burst pressure of the BOPE anchor string; or (3) A pressure equal to 2,000 psi. (b) The requirements for blowout-prevention equipment shall be subject to review and modification by the chairperson. The following standards serve as guidelines for preparation of minimum blowout-prevention programs: (1) No BOPE is required for known shallow, low temperature, low pressure areas where down-hole water temperatures are less than one hundred degrees Celsius at depths less that five hundred feet or where temperatures and pressures are unknown and the proposed depth of drillis less than five hundred feet. (2) CLASS 2M BOPE (API CLASS 2M-A or 2M-RE) is required for low pressure areas where known temperatures are above one hundred degrees Celsius at depths less than 2,000 feet, or where sub-surface temperatures and pressures are unknown and the proposed depth of drilling is less than 2,000 feet. Equipment shall include: (A) An annular BOPE or pipe-ram/blind-ram BOPE with minimum working-pressure ratings of 1,000 psi installed on the surface casing so that the well can be shut-in at any time; 41 (B) Hydraulic and/or manual actuating system; (C) Kelly cock; (D) A fill-up line installed above the BOPE; (E) A kill line installed below the BOPE, leading directly to the mud pumps and fitted with a valve through which cement could be pumped if necessary; and (F) A blow-down line fitted with two valves installed below the BOPE. The blow-down line shall be directed in a manner so as to permit containment of produced fluids and to minimize any safety hazard to personnel. (3) CLASS 3M BOPE (API CLASS 2M-RSRA or EQUIVALENT) is required for medium pressure areas where subsurface pressures are less than 1000 psi or where pressures are unknown and the proposed total depth of the well is greater than 2000 feet. Equipment shall include: (A) Annular BOPE and pipe-ram/blind-ram BOPE with a minimum working-pressure rating of 2,000 psi installed on the surface casing so that the well can be shut-in at any time and with a double-ram preventer having a mechanical locking device; (B) A hydraulic actuating system utilizing an accumulator of sufficient capacity and a high pressure auxiliary backup system equipped with dual controls, one at the driller's station and one at least fifty feet away from the well head; (C) Kelly cock and standpipe valve; (D) A fill-up line installed above the BOPE; (E) A kill line installed below the BOPE, leading directly to the mud pumps and fitted with a valve through which cement could be pumped if necessary; and (F) A blow-down line fitted with two valves installed below the BOPE with blow-down line directed in such a manner as to permit containment of produced fluids and to minimize any safety hazard to personnel. (4) CLASS 1A BOPE is required in areas where dry steam is known to exist and/or formation pressures are less than hydrostatic and air is used as the drilling medium. Equipment shall include: (A) A rotating-head installed at the top of the BOPE stack; (B) A pipe-ram/blind-ram BOPE, with a minimum working- pressure rating of 1,000 psi, installed below the rotating-head so that the well can be shut-in at any time; 42 (C) A banjo-box steam diversion unit installed below the double-ram BOPE, fitted with a muffler capable of lowering sound emissions to within acceptable standards; (D) A blind-ram BOPE, with a minimum working-pressure rating of 1,000 psi, installedbelow the banjo-box so that the well can be shut-in while removing the rotating-head during bit changes; (E) A gate valve required on final casing string to be cemented back to surface, with a minimum working- pressure rating of three hundred psi, installed below the blind-ram so that the well can be shut- in after the well has been completed, prior to removal of the BOPE stack; (F) All ram-type BOPE shall have a hydraulic actuating system utilizing an accumulator of sufficient capacity and a high-pressure backup system, one at the driller's station and the other at least fifty feet away from the well head; (G) Kelly cock and standpipe valves; (H) A kill line installed below the BOPE, leading directly to the mud pumps and fitted with a valve through which cement could be pumped if necessary; and (I) A blow-down line fitted with two valves installed below the BOPE. This line shall be directed so as to minimize any safety hazard to personnel. If any portion of a well is drilled using mud, Class 2M BOPE shall be installed on the surface casing so that the well can be shut-in at any time. [Eff. JUN 22 1981] (Auth: HRS §182-14) (Imp: HRS §182- 14)