GS 110-1

Guidance for Specification 110-1

SURFACE WELLHEADS AND
CHRISTMAS TREES
December 1994

Copyright The British Petroleum Company p.l.c.

Copyright The British Petroleum Company p.l.c.

All rights reserved. The information contained in this document is
subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement or contract under
which the document was supplied to the recipient's organisation. None
of the information contained in this document shall be disclosed outside
the recipient's own organisation without the prior written permission of
Manager, Standards, BP International Limited, unless the terms of such
agreement or contract expressly allow.

BP GROUP RECOMMENDED PRACTICES AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR ENGINEERING

Issue Date
Doc. No.

GS 110-1

December 1994

Latest Amendment Date

Document Title

SURFACE WELLHEADS AND

CHRISTMAS TREES
APPLICABILITY
Regional Applicability:

International

SCOPE AND PURPOSE

This document gives specification guidance on the requirements for Surface Wellheads
and Christmas Trees. Its purpose is for the specification of fit-for-purpose Surface
Wellheads and Christmas Trees at minimum cost.

AMENDMENTS
Amd
Date
Page(s)
Description
___________________________________________________________________

CUSTODIAN

Petrochemical, Aberdeen
Issued by:-

Engineering Practices Group, BP International Limited, Research & Engineering Centre

Chertsey Road, Sunbury-on-Thames, Middlesex, TW16 7LN, UNITED KINGDOM
Tel: +44 1932 76 4067
Fax: +44 1932 76 4077
Telex: 296041

CONTENTS
Section

Page

FOREWORD .................................................................................................................. ii
1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Scope and Application ..................................................................................... 1
2. SURFACE WELLHEADS........................................................................................ 1
2.1 General ............................................................................................................ 1
2.2 Casing Hangers................................................................................................ 1
2.3 Tubing Hangers ............................................................................................... 2
2.4 Annular Seals................................................................................................... 2
2.5 Tooling............................................................................................................ 2
3. CHRISTMAS TREES............................................................................................... 3
3.1 General ............................................................................................................ 3
3.2 Valves.............................................................................................................. 3
3.3 Hydraulic Actuators......................................................................................... 4
APPENDIX A.................................................................................................................. 5
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS............................................................. 5
APPENDIX B.................................................................................................................. 6
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS ............................................................. 6

GS 110-1
SURFACE WELLHEADS AND
CHRISTMAS TREES

PAGE i

FOREWORD
Introduction to BP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering
The Introductory Volume contains a series of documents that provide an introduction to the
BP Group Recommended Practices and Specifications for Engineering (RPSEs). In
particular, the 'General Foreword' sets out the philosophy of the RPSEs. Other documents in
the Introductory Volume provide general guidance on using the RPSEs and background
information to Engineering Standards in BP. There are also recommendations for specific
definitions and requirements.
Value of this Guidance for Specification
This Guidance for Specification identifies the general requirements for the design of Surface
Wellheads and Christmas Trees.
It identifies the international standards that are applicable to Surface Wellheads and Christmas
Trees and further defines specific requirements from a range of options within the
international standards.
Application
This Guidance for Specification is intended to guide the purchaser in the use or creation of a
fit-for-purpose specification for enquiry or purchasing activity.
Text in italics is Commentary. Commentary provides background information which supports
the requirements of the Specification, and may discuss alternative options.
This document may refer to certain local, national or international regulations but the
responsibility to ensure compliance with legislation and any other statutory requirements lies
with the user. The user should adapt or supplement this document to ensure compliance for
the specific application.
Specification Ready for Application
A Specification (BP Spec 110-1) is available which may be suitable for enquiry or purchasing
without modification. It is derived from this BP Group Guidance for Specification by
retaining the technical body unaltered but omitting all commentary, omitting the data page
and inserting a modified Foreword.

GS 110-1
SURFACE WELLHEADS AND
CHRISTMAS TREES

PAGE ii

Feedback and Further Information

Users are invited to feed back any comments and to detail experiences in the application of
BP RPSE's, to assist in the process of their continuous improvement.
For feedback and further information, please contact Standards Group, BP International or
the Custodian. See Quarterly Status List for contacts.

GS 110-1
SURFACE WELLHEADS AND
CHRISTMAS TREES

PAGE iii

1.

INTRODUCTION
1.1

Scope and Application

This Specification details the technical requirements for surface
wellheads and christmas trees for offshore oil and gas production.
It is intended for use in conjunction with a functional specification and
associated data sheets and drawings which give specific project
requirements.

2.

SURFACE WELLHEADS
2.1

General

2.1.1

All surface wellhead components and assemblies shall be designed,

manufactured, tested and delivered in accordance with API 6A and
performance requirement level 2.

2.1.2

The minimum product specification level shall be PSL 3 except where

Appendix A of API 6A recommends PSL 4.

2.1.3

Surface wellheads should be of the 'split compact' design, allowing

intermediate casing hangers to be installed through the BOP system and
providing access to install a slip hanger if the casing becomes stuck.

2.1.4

Each pressure containing annulus shall have two side outlets.

2.1.5

Consideration must be given to the type and number of control lines to

be used, and acceptable methods of connecting the control line to
surface facilities shall be applied.

2.2

Casing Hangers

2.2.1

Casing hangers shall be designed to satisfy the API 6A Group 4

requirements for mandrel hangers except for emergency hangers which
shall be designed to satisfy the requirements for slip hangers.

2.2.2

Casing hangers for tieback wells shall provide at least 150 mm of

adjustment to allow for space-out errors.

2.2.3

Casing hangers for platform wells shall be designed to maximise the

flow-by area for circulating and cementing operations.

2.2.4

Casing hanger weights shall be established in relation to the type of

completion that will be run.

GS 110-1
SURFACE WELLHEADS AND
CHRISTMAS TREES

PAGE 1

2.3

Tubing Hangers

2.3.1

Tubing hangers shall be designed to satisfy the API 6A Group 5

requirements for mandrel hangers.

2.3.2

The tubing hanger shall have a machined profile for installation of a

back pressure valve.

2.3.3

A buoyancy factor of 0.87 shall be used to calculate the tubing hanging

weight.

2.4

Annular Seals

2.4.1

Annular sealing mechanisms shall provide double isolation between the

wellbore and the adjacent casing annulus.

2.4.2

The primary (upper) seal shall be a metal-to-metal seal. The secondary

(lower) seal may be elastomeric or metal-to-metal.

2.4.3

Test ports shall be provided to allow the pressure testing between the
primary and secondary annular seals.

2.5

Tooling

2.5.1

Drill pipe running tools for casing and tubing heads shall be provided
with a 4 1/2" IF 'box up' connection.

2.5.2

Full bore running tools for casing hangers shall be provided with the
same upper connection as the appropriate casing string.

2.5.3

Bore protectors shall be provided to protect all internal load shoulders

and seal areas from wear and damage during drilling and tripping
operations.

2.5.4

The minimum diameter of a bore protector shall be equal to the drift

diameter of the adjacent casing.

2.5.5

Test tools shall be provided to pressure test the wellhead, riser and
BOP system after installation of each casing string.

GS 110-1
SURFACE WELLHEADS AND
CHRISTMAS TREES

PAGE 2

3.

CHRISTMAS TREES
3.1

General

3.1.1

All christmas tree components and assemblies shall be designed,

manufactured, tested and delivered in accordance with API 6A and
performance requirement level 2.

3.1.2

The minimum product specification level shall be PSL 3 except where

Appendix A of API 6A recommends PSL 4.

3.1.3

The christmas tree configuration shall generally be as follows:Swab valve:

Active wing valve:
Kill wing valve:
Upper master valve:
Lower master valve:

3.1.4

manually operated
hydraulically operated
manually operated
hydraulically operated
manually operated

All major components shall function without major overhaul for the
period specified by the purchaser.
This period will normally be 5 years.

3.1.5

All valves and actuators shall be accessible from deck level for ease of
maintenance.

3.1.6

The christmas tree shall have lifting points to enable it to be lifted

vertically without removing the actuators. These should be suitable for
use with slings and shackles sized for a minimum safety factor of five.

3.2

Valves

3.2.1

Valves shall be full-bore gate valves capable of sealing on both

directions.

3.2.2

The minimum nominal size of the kill wing valve shall be 3 1/8" (5,000
psi) or 3 1/16" (above 5,000 psi).

3.2.3

The minimum nominal size of the swab, active wing, kill wing, upper
master and lower master valves shall be dependant on the tubing size as
follows:
Tubing Size

Valve Size

4 1/2"
5 1/2"
7"

4 1/16"
5 1/8"
6 3/8"

GS 110-1
SURFACE WELLHEADS AND
CHRISTMAS TREES

PAGE 3

3.2.4

All flowline valves shall provide metal-to-metal sealing at the gate to

seat, seat to body and body to bonnet interfaces.

3.2.5

Valves shall be designed with a metal-to-metal back seat which enables

the stem packing to be changed while the valve is under pressure.

3.2.6

The upper master valve shall be capable of cutting 0.108" slickline and
7/32" braided line under zero tension.

3.3

Hydraulic Actuators

3.3.1

The actuator shall be designed to open the valve at the specified

minimum hydraulic supply pressure.

3.3.2

In the event of a loss of operating pressure, the actuator shall fully

close the valve within 30 seconds with any wellbore pressure between
atmospheric and rated working pressure.

3.3.3

The actuator shall be designed to allow safe maintenance of all nonpressure containing components while the valve is closed against
wellbore pressure.

3.3.4

The position of the actuated valve shall be visually indicated at all

positions in the valve stroke.

3.3.5

Electrical sensors shall be fitted to remotely confirm the valve status at

each end of the stroke. These shall be BASEEFA Ex(e) approved,
certified for use in a Zone 1 area in accordance with BS 5501 and be
suitable for use in intrinsically safe circuits.

GS 110-1
SURFACE WELLHEADS AND
CHRISTMAS TREES

PAGE 4

APPENDIX A
DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Definitions
Standardised definitions may be found in the BP Group RPSEs Introductory Volume.
Abbreviations
API
BASEEFA
BOP
BS
IF

American Petroleum Institute

British Approval Service for Electrical Equipment in Flammable
Atmospheres
Blowout Preventer
British Standard
Internal Flush (a standard thread form)
The definition of additional abbreviations and technical terms used in
this document are as given in API 6A.

GS 110-1
SURFACE WELLHEADS AND
CHRISTMAS TREES

PAGE 5

APPENDIX B
LIST OF REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

A reference invokes the latest published issue or amendment unless stated otherwise.
Referenced standards may be replaced by equivalent standards that are internationally or
otherwise recognised provided that it can be shown to the satisfaction of the purchaser's
professional engineer that they meet or exceed the requirements of the referenced standards.
American
API 6A

Specification for Wellhead and Christmas Tress Equipment.

Edition (1989) including supplements 1 (1991) and 2 (1992).

16th

British Standards
BS 5501

Requirements for the Construction and Testing of Electrical Apparatus

in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres.

GS 110-1
SURFACE WELLHEADS AND
CHRISTMAS TREES

PAGE 6