30 CFR § 250.431 - What are the diverter design and installation requirements?

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t30/s250.431"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "30 CFR § 250.431 - What are the diverter design and installation requirements?"
title_number: 30
title_name: "Mineral Resources"
section_number: "250.431"
section_name: "What are the diverter design and installation requirements?"
chapter_name: "BUREAU OF SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "OFFSHORE"
part_number: "250"
part_name: "OIL AND GAS AND SULPHUR OPERATIONS IN THE OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "30 U.S.C. 1751, 31 U.S.C. 9701, 33 U.S.C. 1321(j)(1)(C), 43 U.S.C. 1334."
regulatory_source: "76 FR 64462, Oct. 18, 2011, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "250"
---


# 250.431 What are the diverter design and installation requirements?

You must design and install your diverter system to:

(a) Use diverter spool outlets and diverter lines that have a nominal diameter of at least 10 inches for surface wellhead configurations and at least 12 inches for floating drilling operations;

(b) Use dual diverter lines arranged to provide for downwind diversion capability;

(c) Use at least two diverter control stations. One station must be on the drilling floor. The other station must be in a readily accessible location away from the drilling floor;

(d) Use only remote-controlled valves in the diverter lines. All valves in the diverter system must be full-opening. You may not install manual or butterfly valves in any part of the diverter system;

(e) Minimize the number of turns (only one 90-degree turn allowed for each line for bottom-founded drilling units) in the diverter lines, maximize the radius of curvature of turns, and target all right angles and sharp turns;

(f) Anchor and support the entire diverter system to prevent whipping and vibration; and

(g) Protect all diverter-control instruments and lines from possible damage by thrown or falling objects.