When a well kicks, pressure that was held downhole suddenly has somewhere to go. A kick is an unplanned flow of formation fluid (gas, oil or water) into the wellbore, which happens when the pressure in the rock exceeds the pressure of the drilling fluid holding it back. Closing the blowout preventer (BOP) stops the well, but that pressure still must be bled off and managed safely. That is the job of Choke and Kill Manifolds: they manage well pressure, circulate out a kick, and bring the well back under control.
This post explains what Choke and Kill Manifolds are, how they work, the difference between the choke line and the kill line, manual and hydraulic designs, what goes into an INTEGRATED® manifold, and the standards behind it.dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.
In short: Choke and Kill Manifolds are sets of high-pressure valves and chokes, connected to the BOP stack, that let a drilling crew control well pressure during a kick. The choke side bleeds off pressure in a controlled way; the kill side pumps heavy kill fluid into the well. INTEGRATED Choke and Kill Manifolds are built to API 6A and API 16C, designed to meet industry requirements up to 15,000 psi, available in manual or hydraulic designs, and configured to each rig.
What Are Choke and Kill Manifolds?
Choke and Kill Manifolds are a customized arrangement of high-pressure valves and chokes that control, distribute and monitor fluid flow during well control operations. They connect to the side outlets of the BOP stack and give the crew a controlled path to divert, throttle and bleed off well fluids when the well is shut in
INTEGRATED builds these manifolds to API 6A and API 16C, in compliance with API Standard 53 for Well Control Equipment, and configures each one to the operator’s specifications rather than to a single fixed design.
How Choke and Kill Manifolds Work
The manifold has two complementary jobs, and the names describe each side:
- The choke side throttles flow to control pressure. By opening and closing the chokes and valves, the crew holds back-pressure on the well and bleeds off a kick in a controlled way while circulating it out, rather than letting pressure escape all at once.
- The kill side provides a path to pump heavy kill fluid into the well. The added hydrostatic pressure overcomes the formation pressure and brings the well back into balance.
Working together, the two sides let the crew hold pressure, circulate out the influx and kill the well without losing control of the wellbore. Instrumentation on the manifold provides the pressure readings that guide every step.
Choke Line vs. Kill Line: What Is the Difference?
Each side of the manifold is connected to the BOP stack by its own high-pressure line, and the two lines carry fluid in opposite directions:
- The choke line carries fluid out of the well, from a BOP side outlet to the choke manifold, where the chokes restrict flow to hold back-pressure while the kick is circulated out.
- The kill line carries fluid into the well, from the pumps through the kill manifold to the BOP stack, so heavy kill fluid can be pumped in when the normal circulation path cannot be used.
Put simply: the choke line takes pressure out under control, and the kill line puts weight in. Both are needed to regain control of a well.
Manual vs. Hydraulic Choke and Kill Manifolds
Choke and Kill Manifolds are either manual or hydraulic:
- Manual manifolds are operated by hand at the manifold, using manual valves and chokes.
- Hydraulic manifolds are typically used for high-pressure service and are operated through Hydraulic Control Panels, which give the crew controlled operation of chokes and valves away from the manifold itself.
INTEGRATED configures both types to the rig and the well’s pressure requirements, and choke control consoles are available on request.
Inside the INTEGRATED® Choke and Kill Manifold
An INTEGRATED Choke and Kill Manifold brings the components a well control system needs into one engineered assembly:
- Core components: high-pressure valves, chokes, connecting blocks, spool spacers, buffer chambers, flanges and instrumentation for pressure readings.
- Pressure range: designed to meet industry requirements up to 15,000 psi.
- Manual or hydraulic: manual manifolds, or high-pressure hydraulic manifolds with Hydraulic Control Panels.
- Built to your rig: customized to client specifications, and a cost-effective choice for land rigs.
- Common, interchangeable parts: most of the manifold’s valve parts are a common size, so parts can be swapped between valves and spare-parts inventory stays lean.
Part of a Complete Manifold Range
Choke and Kill Manifolds are one part of the INTEGRATED manifold range, which also includes Standpipe Manifolds, Cement Manifolds and SSV Manifolds. See the full range on the INTEGRATED Manifolds page.
Standards and Compliance
Well Control Equipment is only as dependable as the way it is built and certified. INTEGRATED Choke and Kill Manifolds use API 6A monogrammed valves and API 16C chokes, and comply with API Standard 53. INTEGRATED holds API 16C license 16C-0564, covering well control choke actuators, well control chokes, and choke and kill manifold buffer chambers.
INTEGRATED holds API 6A, API 16A, API 16AR, API 16C, API 20E, ASME U and CRN licenses, with API Q1 and ISO 9001:2015 quality management certifications. Together they give assurance that the equipment managing well pressure is designed, manufactured and tested to recognized standards. See Licenses and Certifications.
The Valves That Make the Manifoldg Text Here
Choke and Kill Manifolds are only as reliable as the valves on them. INTEGRATED API 6A gate valves are built for exactly this service: BOPs, Choke and Kill Manifolds and wellheads. See the IFC™ API 6A slab gate valve and the IFLS™ Single Seat Design gate valve.
For where the manifold sits in the wider well control picture, read our overview of INTEGRATED Blowout Preventers (BOPs), and see our Ram BOPs and Annular BOPs product pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Choke and Kill Manifolds?
Choke and Kill Manifolds are arrangements of high-pressure valves and chokes, connected to the BOP stack, that let a drilling crew control well pressure during a kick. INTEGRATED builds them to API 6A and API 16C, configured to each rig.
How do Choke and Kill Manifolds work?
The choke side throttles and bleeds off well pressure in a controlled way while a kick is circulated out; the kill side provides a path to pump heavy kill fluid into the well to overcome formation pressure and restore balance.
What is the difference between the choke line and the kill line?
The choke line carries fluid out of the well to the choke manifold so pressure can be released under control. The kill line carries heavy kill fluid into the well. They work together, not as alternative
What is the difference between manual and hydraulic Choke and Kill Manifolds?
Manual manifolds are operated by hand at the manifold. Hydraulic manifolds are typically used for high-pressure service and are operated through Hydraulic Control Panels. INTEGRATED supplies both.
What pressure rating do Choke and Kill Manifolds have?
INTEGRATED Choke and Kill Manifolds are designed to meet industry requirements up to 15,000 psi.
What standards apply to Choke and Kill Manifolds?
API 6A (valves), API 16C (chokes and choke and kill equipment) and API Standard 53 (well control equipment systems). INTEGRATED manufactures under API 16C license 16C-0564.
What components make up Choke and Kill Manifolds?
High-pressure valves, chokes, connecting blocks, spool spacers, buffer chambers, flanges and instrumentation, assembled and configured to the operator’s requirements. INTEGRATED can also supply choke control consoles.
Every well is different, and so is every manifold. INTEGRATED® builds Choke and Kill Manifolds to your rig’s specifications. Request a quote, or talk to our engineers about the right manual or hydraulic configuration for your operation.
→ See INTEGRATED Choke and Kill Manifolds: integratedwww.com/manifolds/choke-and-kill
→ Request a quote / talk to our team: integratedwww.com/contact-us
→ Email: sales@integratedwww.com