Blowout Prevention Equipment Systems for Drilling Wells

API STANDARD 53

FOURTH EDITION, NOVEMBER 2012

Blowout Prevention Equipment Systems for Drilling Wells

Upstream Segment

API STANDARD 53

FOURTH EDITION, NOVEMBER 2012

Special Notes

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API publications are published to facilitate the broad availability of proven, sound engineering and operating practices. These publications are not intended to obviate the need for applying sound engineering judgment regarding when and where these publications should be utilized. The formulation and publication of API publications is not intended in any way to inhibit anyone from using any other practices.

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Copyright © 2012 American Petroleum Institute

Foreword

Nothing contained in any API publication is to be construed as granting any right, by implication or otherwise, for the manufacture, sale, or use of any method, apparatus, or product covered by letters patent. Neither should anything contained in the publication be construed as insuring anyone against liability for infringement of letters patent.

The term “shall,” as used in this standard, denotes a minimum requirement in order to conform to the specification.

The term “should,” as used in this standard, denotes a recommendation or that which is advised but not required in order to conform to the specification.

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Generally, API standards are reviewed and revised, reaffirmed, or withdrawn at least every five years. A one-time extension of up to two years may be added to this review cycle. Status of the publication can be ascertained from the API Standards Department, telephone (202) 682-8000. A catalog of API publications and materials is published annually by API, 1220 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005.

Suggested revisions are invited and should be submitted to the Standards Department, API, 1220 L Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005, standards@api.org.

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Contents

Page

1. Scope 1

   1. Purpose 1

   2. Well Control 1

   3. BOP Installations 1

   4. Equipment Arrangements 1

   5. Extreme High- and Low-temperature Operations 1

2. Normative References 2

3. Terms, Definitions, and Abbreviations 3

   1. Terms and Definitions 3

   2. Abbreviations 9

4. BOP Pressure Sealing Components 11

   1. General 11

   2. Flanges and Hubs 11

   3. Bolting, Flanges, and Clamps 11

   4. Ring-joint Gaskets 12

   5. External Pressure Effects on Ring-joint Gaskets 12

   6. Subsea Wellhead Connector and Wellhead Gasket 12

   7. Subsea Lower Marine Riser Package Connector and Gasket 13

   8. Subsea Choke and Kill Lines 13

   9. Wetted Elastomeric Sealing Components 13

   10. Fluid Service Conditions for Wetted Sealing Components 14

   11. Nonwetted Elastomeric Components 14

   12. Equipment Marking and Storage 14

5. Blowout Preventers for Hydrogen Sulfide Service 15

   1. Applicability 15

   2. Equipment Modifications 15

6. Surface BOP Systems 16

   1. Surface BOP Stack Arrangements 16

   2. Choke Manifolds, Choke Lines, and Kill Lines-Surface BOP Installations 18

   3. Control Systems for Surface BOP Stacks 24

   4. Auxiliary Equipment 29

   5. Maintenance and Testing-Surface BOP Systems 33

7. Subsea BOP Systems 48

   1. Subsea BOP Stack Arrangements 48

   2. Choke Manifolds, Choke Lines, and Kill Lines-Subsea BOP Installations 51

   3. Electro-hydraulic and Multiplex Control Systems for Subsea BOP Stacks 54

   4. Auxiliary Equipment for Subsea BOP Stacks 67

   5. Maintenance and Testing-Subsea BOP Systems 76

Annex A (informative) Forms 98

Annex B (normative) Failure Reporting. 103

Annex C (informative) Accumulator Precharge Calculation 104

Annex D (normative) Acoustic System Field Testing 110

Bibliography 112

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Contents

Figures

1. Example Choke Manifold Assembly for 2K and 3K Rated Working Pressure

   Page

   Service-Surface BOP Installations 20

2. Example Choke Manifold Assembly for 5K Rated Working Pressure Service-Surface

   BOP Installations 20

3. Example Choke Manifold Assembly for 10K or Greater Rated Working Pressure

   Service-Surface BOP Installations 21

4. Example Kill Line Assembly for 2K and 3K Rated Working Pressure Service-Surface

   BOP Installations 22

5. Example Kill Line Assembly for 5K and Greater Rated Working Pressure

   Service-Surface BOP Installations 23

6. Example Kill Line Assembly for 5K and Greater Rated Working Pressure

   Service-Surface BOP Installations 23

7. Example Standpipe Choke Installation 32

8. Example Illustration of Surface BOP Ram Space-out 45

9. Example Choke and Kill Manifold for Subsea Systems 52

10. Example Riser-mounted Kill and Choke Lines for Subsea BOP Installations 55

11. Example Subsea BOP Stack Illustrating Optional Locations for Choke/Kill Lines 56

12. Example Flexible Connection at the Top of Marine Riser for Choke/Kill Lines 57

13. Example Flexible Connection at the Bottom of Marine Riser for Kill/Choke Lines 58

14. Example Illustration of Subsea Ram BOP Space-out 95

1. Surface BOP Function Test Worksheet 99

2. Surface BOP Drawdown Test Worksheet 100

3. Subsea Function Test Worksheet 101

4. Subsea BOP Field Drawdown Test Worksheet 102

Tables

1. Surface BOP Pressure Designations 16

2. Pressure Test, Surface BOP Systems, Initial Test 37

3. Pressure Test, Surface BOP Systems, Subsequent Tests 38

4. Example Surface MEWSP Calculations Given Well and Equipment-specific Data 47

5. Subsea BOP Pressure Designations 48

6. Surface Testing of Secondary, Emergency, and Other Systems 82

7. Subsea Testing of Secondary, Emergency, and Other Systems 83

8. Other Systems Test 83

9. Pressure Test, Floating Rigs with Subsea BOP Stacks, Predeployment Testing 86

10. Pressure Test, Floating Rigs with Subsea BOP Stacks, Subsea Testing 87

11. Example Subsea MEWSP Calculations Given Well and Equipment-specific Data 96

vi

Introduction

This standard represents a composite of the practices employed by various operating and drilling companies in drilling operations.This standard is under the jurisdiction of the API Drilling and Production Operations Subcommittee.

The objective of this standard and the recommendations within is to assist the oil and gas industry in promoting personnel safety, public safety, integrity of the drilling equipment, and preservation of the environment for land and marine drilling operations. In the context of blowout prevention systems, this objective is best attained through a combination of equipment reliability and management of risk. This standard is published to facilitate the broad availability of proven, sound engineering and operating practices that meet the stated objective through practices that improve reliability and reduce risk to acceptable levels. This standard does not present all of the operating practices that can be employed to successfully install and operate blowout preventer systems in drilling, completions, and well testing operations. Practices set forth herein are considered acceptable for accomplishing the job as described; however, equivalent alternative installations and practices can be used to accomplish the same objectives. Individuals and organizations using this standard are cautioned that operations must comply with requirements of federal, state, or local regulations. These requirements should be reviewed to determine whether violations can occur.

The First Edition of API 53, published in February 1976, superseded API Bulletin D13, Installation and Use of Blowout Preventer Stacks and Accessory Equipment, February 1966. The Second Edition of API 53 was issued in May 1984 and the Third Edition of API 53 was issued in March 1997. This edition supersedes all previous editions of this standard.

Drilling operations are being conducted with full regard for personnel safety, public safety, and preservation of the environment in such diverse conditions as metropolitan sites, wilderness areas, ocean platforms, deepwater sites, barren deserts, wildlife refuges, and arctic ice packs. The information presented in this standard is based on this extensive and wide-ranging industry experience.

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Blowout Prevention Equipment Systems for Drilling Wells

1. Scope

   1. Purpose

      
      

      1. The purpose of this standard is to provide requirements on the installation and testing of blowout prevention equipment systems on land and marine drilling rigs (barge, platform, bottom-supported, and floating).

         
         

      2. Blowout preventer equipment systems are comprised of a combination of various components. The following components are required for operation under varying rig and well conditions:

         
         

         1. blowout preventers (BOPs);

            
            

         2. choke and kill lines;

            
            

         3. choke manifolds;

            
            

         4. control systems;

            
            

         5. auxiliary equipment.

         
         

      3. The primary functions of these systems are to confine well fluids to the wellbore, provide means to add fluid to the wellbore, and allow controlled volumes to be removed from the wellbore.

         
         

      4. Diverters, shut-in devices, and rotating head systems (rotating control devices) are not addressed in this standard (see API 64 and API 16RCD, respectively); their primary purpose is to safely divert or direct flow rather than to confine fluids to the wellbore.

1. Well Control

   
   

   Procedures and techniques for well control are not included in this standard since they are beyond the scope of equipment systems contained herein.

   
   

2. BOP Installations

   
   

   This standard contains a section pertaining to surface BOP installations followed by a section on subsea BOP installations.

   
   

3. Equipment Arrangements

   
   

   Recommended equipment arrangements as set forth in this publication are adequate to meet specified well conditions. It is recognized that other arrangements can be equally effective in addressing well requirements and achieving safety and operational efficiency.

   
   

4. Extreme High- and Low-temperature Operations

   
   

   1. Although operations are being conducted in areas of extreme high and low temperatures, a section specifically applicable to these service conditions is not included since current practice generally results in protecting the existing BOP equipment from these environments.

      
      

   2. High and low temperature values are identified in API 16A for metallic and nonmetallic parts. The use of metallic and nonmetallic components shall be verified for use in temperatures above or below those identified in API 16A.

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