Question on Blowout Preventers and Blowouts
Under normal conditions, how is a Blowout Preventer securely fastened to the wellhead?
Does the wellhead have threads on the inside or outside, and is the BOP 'screwed' on?
Or does the BOP have bolt-holes - and is the BOP bolted on?
When there is a blowout - the attachment mechanism (threads or bolts) between the wellhead and the BOP - does it ever get damaged or ruined?
(like if the top of the wellhead is blown or cut off during the blowout)
How is the BOP securely fastened, in those instances during a blowout, where the fastening mechanism may have been impaired/removed?
Thanks for any comment.
280 Views
Wow, that is awesome (great pictures too), thank you.
So it seems like it's industry practice, to always have the wellhead framed in a concrete box/square foundation, with - always - flange style piping on the wellhead?
If so, that makes a lot of sense. I watched some awesome documentaries of your industry colleagues (Red Adair, Boots & Coots, etc.), and outside of being amazed, I somehow thought wellheads were just simple pipes sticking out of the ground, with no fastening mechanism to them. (maybe it was that way 100 yrs ago?)
(I've since gotten up to speed with well casings, etc.)
Very enjoyable to find your website.
Thanks