1. n. [Well Workover and Intervention]

An item of pressure-control equipment often fitted to the wellhead during well-intervention operations on live wells. Most commonly associated with coiled tubing operations, the shear-seal BOP is a ram-type preventer that performs the dual functions of shearing or cutting the tubing string and then fully closing to provide isolation or sealing of the wellbore. Shear-seal BOPs are most commonly used in offshore or high-pressure applications where an additional contingency pressure barrier is required.

Synonyms: safety head