Every well integrity scheme treats the wellhead as part of the secondary barrier envelope and the Christmas tree as part of the primary. That means seals, valves and body connections must be tested, monitored and maintained to defined standards for as long as the well exists. A leaking hanger seal or a valve that will not hold is an integrity anomaly, not a maintenance inconvenience.

Specification matters at the design stage. Pressure rating, temperature class, material class and product specification level are chosen from the well conditions, including hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide content, and from the service the well will see. Equipment specified for a sweet well and later used in sour service is a real and recurring problem in mature fields.

Maintenance is where surface wellheads are usually neglected. Valves are exercised infrequently, greasing is skipped, corrosion builds under insulation and at flange faces, and annulus valves seize in the position they were last left. Routine testing and maintenance programmes exist to prevent exactly that, and this course covers them alongside the engineering.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Describe wellhead functions and the installation sequence through well construction.
• Identify casing heads, spools, hangers and seal assemblies and their operation.
• Explain sealing principles and seal types used in wellheads.
• Specify pressure ratings, temperature and material classes to recognised standards.
• Identify valve types, actuators and control systems and their applications.
• Describe Christmas tree configurations for surface, platform and subsea wells.
• Plan wellhead and tree installation, pressure testing and commissioning.
• Specify routine testing, greasing and maintenance programmes.
• Manage annulus access, monitoring and valve operation.
• Diagnose wellhead and tree failure modes and plan remediation.

The course is instructor-led. Equipment is covered with cutaway drawings, photographs and manufacturer specifications, with the function of each component explained in sequence. Installation, testing and maintenance are covered through procedures and field cases, including leaks and failures and how they were diagnosed. Participants are encouraged to bring their own wellhead problems for discussion.

Organisations sending participants to this training will:

• Specify wellhead and tree equipment correctly for well conditions.
• Reduce wellhead leaks and integrity anomalies.
• Improve testing and maintenance practice on surface equipment.
• Improve annulus access and monitoring discipline.
• Support well integrity management with better equipment knowledge.

Participants will:

• Understand how wellheads and trees work component by component.
• Be able to specify equipment ratings and material classes.
• Be able to plan installation, testing and maintenance.
• Understand annulus access and valve operation.
• Be able to diagnose wellhead and tree problems.

• Drilling and completion engineers
• Well integrity engineers
• Production and operations engineers
• Maintenance and wellhead service personnel
• Field supervisors and technicians
• Well intervention engineers

Upon successful completion of this training course, delegates will be awarded an official Certificate of Completion issued by the Petroleum Engineers Association (PEA), an ISO 9001:2015 certified training organization. The certificate carries 10 Credits and formally records the total learning hours completed.

Each certificate is signed by the Course Facilitator and the CEO of the Petroleum Engineers Association, and serves as verifiable proof of professional training that delegates can present to employers and professional bodies worldwide.