A more complicated method for bringing a blown-out well under control involves carefully capping the well with a new blowout preventer, or "BOP." BOPs are essentially large valves on the surface ...

The report, completed in 2000, concluded that the greatest vulnerability by far on the entire blowout preventer was one of the small shuttle valves leading directly to the blind shear ram.

Designed to close off a well before a blowout occurs, a Blowout Preventer (BOP) with a rating that exceeds 10,000 psi is required on all HP/HT wells now. BOPs comprise a series of large valves on ...