Well head

Well head is a term used in the oil and gas industry to describe the equipment located at the top of a well. The usual equipment is a control or choke valve to control oil/gas flow and pressure and temperature gauges. Some well heads can also include equipment to operate downhole valves or may include equipment to provide artificial lift such as a beam pump, electrical submersible pump.

During the drilling phase for a well, the well head equipment is called a Christmas tree so named from the various sprouting branches which provide control and emergency valves.