Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, 2002 (Act No. 28 of 2002)

Regulations

Amendment Regulations to the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Regulations, 2020

Chapter 8 : Well Design and Construction

105. Blowout prevention

Purchase cart Previous page Return to chapter overview Next page

 

(1)A holder must install blowout prevention equipment that meets the current API Std 53 for blowout equipment after setting the casing to shut-off a wellhead which must be supported and secured to prevent stresses on all connections.

 

(2)A holder may be exempted from installing blowout prevention equipment as contemplated in subregulation (1) only if the holder—
(a)obtains written approval from the designated agency;
(b)shows that the conditions under which it is operating do not require the installation of blowout preventer equipment as contemplated in subregulation (1);and
(c)provides reliably operating well control equipment it intends to install in order to control kicks, prevent blowouts and to safely carry out all well operations.

 

(3)Blowout prevention equipment installed at a well that maybe subject to hydraulic fracturing must include a remote blowout prevention actuator—
(a)that is powered by a source other than rig hydraulics;
(b)that is located at least 20 meters from the well head; and
(c)that has an appropriate rated pressure equal to or greater than the induced hydraulic fracture pressure.

 

(4)Lines, valves and fittings between the blowout preventer and the remote actuator must be flame resistant and must have a working pressure rating higher than the maximum anticipated well heads surface pressure.

 

(5)Blowout prevention equipment must be in good working condition at all times.

 

(6)When blowout prevention equipment is installed, tested, or in use, a competent person must be present at the well site and that person must have a current well control certification from an accredited training programme that is acceptable to the designated agency.

 

(7)The certification referred to in subregulation (6) must be available at the well site and be provided to the designated agency upon request.

 

[Regulation 105 inserted by section 2 of Notice No. R. 466 dated 3 June 2015]