New Mexico Administrative Code
Title 19 - NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILDLIFE
Chapter 14 - GEOTHERMAL POWER
Part 102 - GEOTHERMAL POWER, BLOWOUT PREVENTION EQUIPMENT
Section 19.14.102.8 - BLOWOUT PREVENTION EQUIPMENT (BOPE)
Universal Citation: 19 NM Admin Code 19.14.102.8
Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 18, September 24, 2024
The following standards are not given as final blowout prevention equipment requirements for the drilling of any geothermal resources well but are given as guidelines for the preparation of a minimum blowout prevention program for certain categories of wells.
A. Using Mud as the Drilling Fluid.
(1) API Class 2M-A or 2M-RR. For wells in
geothermal resources areas known to contain geothermal fluids at a temperature
greater than 212 degrees F. at depths less than 2,000 feet, and geothermal
exploratory wells in areas where subsurface temperatures and pressures are
unknown and the proposed depth of the well is less than 2,000 feet.
(a) An annular BOPE and a spool, fitted with
a low-pressure safety pop-off and blow-down line, installed on the conductor
pipe may be required for wells in the above categories to ensure against
possible gas blowouts during the drilling of the surface casing hole.
(b) Annular BOPE or pipe-ram/blind-ram BOPE
with minimum working-pressure ratings of 2,000 psi shall be installed on the
surface casing so that the well can be shut in at any time.
(c) Hydraulic actuating system.
(d) Kelly cock.
(e) A fill-up line installed above the
BOPE.
(f) 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.
(g) A blow-down line fitted with two valves
installed below the BOPE. The blow-down line shall be directed in such a manner
so as to permit containment of produced fluids and to minimize any safety
hazard to personnel.
(h) All lines
and fittings shall be steel and have a minimum working-pressure rating of 1,000
psi.
(i) Return mud temperatures
shall be entered into the log book after each joint of pipe is drilled down.
See Rule G-106(b) [now Subsection B of 19.14.25.8 NMAC].
(2) API Class 2M-RSRA or Eqivalent. For wells
in geothermal resources areas known to contain geothermal fluids at
temperatures greater than 212 degrees F. at depths more than 2,000 feet, and
geothermal exploratory wells in areas where subsurface temperatures and
pressures are unknown and the proposed depth of the well is more than 2,000
feet.
(a) An annular BOPE and a spool, fitted
with a low-pressure safety pop-off and blow-down line, installed on the
conductor pipe may be required to ensure against possible gas blowouts during
the drilling of the surface casing hole.
(b) Annular BOPE and pipe-ram/blind-ram BOPE
with a minimum working-pressure rating of 2,000 psi shall be installed so that
the well can be shut in at any time. The double-ram preventer shall have a
mechanical locking device.
(c) A
hydraulic actuating system utilizing an accumulator of sufficient capacity and
a high pressure auxiliary backup system. This total system shall be equipped
with dual controls; one at the driller's station and one at least 50 feet away
from the wellhead.
(d) Kelly cock
and standpipe valve.
(e) A fill-up
line installed above the BOPE.
(f)
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.
(g) A blow-down line
fitted with two valves installed below the BOPE. The blow-down line shall be
directed in such a manner so as to permit containment of produced fluids and to
minimize any safety hazard to personnel.
(h) All lines and fittings shall be steel and
have a minimum working-pressure rating of at least that of the BOPE.
(i) Return mud temperatures shall be entered
into the log book after each joint of pipe is drilled down. (See Rule
G-106(b).) [now Subsection B of 19.14.25.8 NMAC].
B. Using Air as the Drilling Fluid. API Class 2M RSRdG (with Banjo Box). For wells in geothermal resources areas where it is known that dry steam exists at depth and/or formation pressures are known to be less than hydrostatic:
(1) A rotating head installed at the top of
the BOPE stack.
(2) A
pipe-ram/blind-ram BOPE, with a minimum working-pressure rating of 2,000 psi
installed below the rotating head so that the well can be shut in at any
time.
(3) A banjo box steam
diversion unit installed below the double-ram BOPE fitted with an approved
muffler in good working condition.
(4) A blind-ram BOPE, with a minimum
working-pressure rating of 2,000 psi installed below the banjo box so that the
well can be shut in while removing the rotating head during bit
changes.
(5) A gate valve, with a
suitable minimum working-pressure rating 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.
(6) All ram-type
BOPE shall have a hydraulic actuating system utilizing an accumulator of
sufficient capacity and a high-pressure backup system.
(7) Dual control stations for hydraulic
backup system: one at the driller's station and the other at least 50 feet away
from the wellhead.
(8) Float and
standpipe valves.
(9) 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.
(10) All lines and fittings must be steel and
have a minimum working-pressure rating of 1,000 psi. Note: 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.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. New Mexico may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
