A casing head is a steel flange fixed to the base of a wellhead, housing blowout preventers and surface equipment for drilling operations. It can also serve as the basis for controls and valves for oil or gas flow to processing facilities.
A casing head is part of the wellhead of an oil or gas drilling well. This wellhead represents the portion of the well that is visible from the ground, and the casing head is located at the very base of this device. Casing heads rest just above the major operating components of a well, including the drive pipe or lead pipe. They are generally fixed in place, along with the rest of the wellhead. Most of the moving components within the well system are located under the casing head.
Each casing head consists of a heavy-duty steel flange. It can be constructed from galvanized steel or special alloys to increase corrosion resistance under the often extreme conditions found on an oil field. This device is welded or bolted to the underlying drive mechanism to create a stable and permanent bond. Each of these steel flanges must be designed to accommodate extreme pressure levels and temperature ranges, common in oil and gas drilling.
The casing head on a well is primarily used to house a number of Loss Prevention Units (BOPs). Many wells include two types of BOP units, including both ram and annular designs. Blowout preventers are critical to well safety and performance. These special valves are equipped to handle extremely high pressure levels and are designed to self-regulate to adjust for pressure changes. Each of these valves can be bolted or welded to the casing head.
The liner heads also house a variety of surface equipment needed to control and regulate drilling operations. This may include monitors or special panels that measure pressure, temperature and drilling depth within the well. It also includes pressure control equipment, including blowout preventer controllers and related devices. Serving as the transition point between underground and aboveground well components, the casing head often serves as the connection between these two areas for hanging equipment, cables, and sensors.
Depending on the application, this casing device may also serve as the basis for a special set of controls and valves used to operate the well. This group is often referred to as a Christmas tree due to its resemblance to a decorated Christmas tree, with pipes and valves extending from many different angles. The Christmas tree is used to control the flow of oil or gas to a nearby processing facility and can also be used to shut off the well when production is halted or ceased.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
