A wellhead is the top of a well and serves as an attachment point for safety equipment during drilling. It provides pressure sealing and clearance for equipment in the wellbore, and a Christmas tree device controls pressure and fluid flow. Wellheads vary in size and complexity depending on location. Control panels allow remote access and maintenance can be done at the wellhead.
A wellhead is the highest point of a well. Wellheads perform a variety of functions during the drilling of a well, once it is completed and operational, and when it is closed, either temporarily or permanently. The wellhead is installed early in the process so that it can serve as the attachment point for an explosion suppression device, equipment that prevents catastrophic failure of a well, and, once completed, equipment for regulating operations wellhead can be attached to the wellhead.
The wellhead provides pressure sealing and clearance for the wellbore casing and tubing, including both permanent and temporary equipment introduced into the wellbore. When a well is completed, a pump may be attached to the wellhead or it may be fitted with a device known as a Christmas tree. The Christmas tree contains valves which are used to control the pressure within the well and to regulate the flow of fluids from the well. This device can also be used as an entry point to inject things down the well.
The term “Christmas tree” is a reference to the shape of this device, which from a distance resembles a festively decorated tree because it is usually colored for safety and heavily branched to make room for valves and pipes. The wellhead is just above the surface and can be partially buried, while the Christmas tree projects out to be accessible to technicians who need to be able to adjust it to operate the well successfully.
Wellheads can vary in size and complexity depending on well type and location. With things like underwater oil wells, for example, there are significant pressure and pollution issues that need to be addressed to make the well as safe as possible. Conversely, with something like a home water well, there are fewer safety issues and less need for very fine control.
Engineers who work with wells want to avoid situations where wells fail or other problems develop. Control panels are usually placed in core areas to provide remote access and the well can also be worked at the wellhead. When wells need to be temporarily shut down or maintained, changes can be made to the Christmas tree to address concerns about pressure differentials and other situations that could contribute to the development of workplace hazards.
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