API STD 53-ed.5

Annotation of standard text API STD 53-ed.5 :

API STD 53, 5th Edition, December 2018 - Well Control Equipment Systems for Drilling Wells

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

Well control equipment systems are designed with components that provide wellbore pressure control in support of well operations. The following components may be used for operation under varying rig and well conditions:

• - BOPs (blowout preventers);
• - Choke and kill lines;
• - Choke manifolds;
• - Control systems;
• - Auxiliary equipment.

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.

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.

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

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

To the extent that this document recommends specific equipment arrangements, it is recognized that other arrangements can be equally effective in addressing well requirements and achieving safety and operational efficiency.