Editorial Note on Part 250
Editorial Note: Nomenclature changes to part 250 appear at 77 FR 50891, Aug. 22, 2012.

§ 250.1610 Blowout preventer systems and system components. ( a ) *General.* The blowout preventer (BOP) systems and system components shall be designed, installed, used, maintained, and tested to assure well control.
( b ) *BOP stacks.* The BOP stacks shall consist of an annular preventer and the number of ram-type preventers as specified under paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section. The pipe rams shall be of proper size to fit the drill pipe in use.
( c ) *Working pressure.* The working-pressure rating of any BOP shall exceed the surface pressure to which it may be anticipated to be subjected.
( d ) *BOP equipment.* All BOP systems shall be equipped and provided with the following: ( 1 ) An accumulator system that provides sufficient capacity to supply 1.5 times the volume necessary to close and hold closed all BOP equipment units with a minimum pressure of 200 psi above the precharge pressure, without assistance from a charging system. Accumulator regulators supplied by rig air that do not have a secondary source of pneumatic supply must be equipped with manual overrides or other devices alternately provided to ensure capability of hydraulic operations if rig air is lost.
( 2 ) An automatic backup to the accumulator system. The backup system shall be supplied by a power source independent from the power source to the primary accumulator system. The automatic backup system shall possess sufficient capability to close the BOP and hold it closed.
( 3 ) At least one operable remote BOP control station in addition to the one on the drilling floor. This control station shall be in a readily accessible location away from the drilling floor.
( 4 ) A drilling spool with side outlets, if side outlets are not provided in the body of the BOP stack, to provide for separate kill and choke lines.
( 5 ) A choke line and a kill line each equipped with two full-opening valves. At least one of the valves on the choke line and one valve on the kill line shall be remotely controlled, except that a check valve may be installed on the kill line in lieu of the remotely controlled valve, provided that two readily accessible manual valves are in place and the check valve is placed between the manual valve and the pump.
( 6 ) A fill-up line above the uppermost preventer.
( 7 ) A choke manifold designed with consideration of anticipated pressures to which it may be subjected, method of well control to be employed, surrounding environment, and corrosiveness, volume, and abrasiveness of fluids. The choke manifold shall also meet the following requirements: ( i ) Manifold and choke equipment subject to well and/or pump pressure shall have a rated working pressure at least as great as the rated working pressure of the ram-type BOP's or as otherwise approved by the District Manager;
( ii ) All components of the choke manifold system shall be protected from freezing by heating, draining, or filling with proper fluids; and
( iii ) When buffer tanks are installed downstream of the choke assemblies for the purpose of manifolding the bleed lines together, isolation valves shall be installed on each line.
( 8 ) Valves, pipes, flexible steel hoses, and other fittings upstream of, and including, the choke manifold with a pressure rating at least as great as the rated working pressure of the ram-type BOP's unless otherwise approved by the District Manager.
( 9 ) A wellhead assembly with a rated working pressure that exceeds the pressure to which it might be subjected.
( 10 ) The following system components: ( i ) A kelly cock (an essentially full-opening valve) installed below the swivel and a similar valve of such design that it can be run through the BOP stack installed at the bottom of the kelly. A wrench to fit each valve shall be stored in a location readily accessible to the drilling crew;
( ii ) An inside BOP and an essentially full-opening, drill-string safety valve in the open position on the rig floor at all times while drilling operations are being conducted. These valves shall be maintained on the rig floor to fit all connections that are in the drill string. A wrench to fit the drill-string safety valve shall be stored in a location readily accessible to the drilling crew;
( iii ) A safety valve available on the rig floor assembled with the proper connection to fit the casing string being run in the hole; and
( iv ) Locking devices installed on the ram-type preventers.
( e ) *BOP requirements.* Prior to drilling below cap rock casing, a BOP system shall be installed consisting of at least three remote-controlled, hydraulically operated BOP's including at least one equipped with pipe rams, one with blind rams, and one annular type.
( f ) *Tapered drill-string operations.* Prior to commencing tapered drill-string operations, the BOP stack shall be equipped with conventional and/or variable-bore pipe rams to provide either of the following: ( 1 ) One set of variable bore rams capable of sealing around both sizes in the string and one set of blind rams, or
( 2 ) One set of pipe rams capable of sealing around the larger size string, provided that blind-shear ram capability is present, and crossover subs to the larger size pipe are readily available on the rig floor.