wellhead

noun

well·​head ˈwel-ˌhed How to pronounce wellhead (audio)
1
: the source of a spring or a stream
2
: principal source : fountainhead
3
: the top of or a structure built over a well

Examples of wellhead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The wellhead wasn't producing but wasn't decommissioned by Shell or its new owners, Aiteo Eastern E & P. Taiwo Adebayo, Quartz, 28 Feb. 2024 Perhaps there were two different ports at the wellhead for exiting natural gas. Ian Palmer, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Petroleum storage tanks, mud pits, reserve pits and other spaces around an oil wellhead can all come with more exposure to chemicals, flammable vapors or gasses that could cause workers to suffocate. Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2024 Many aquifers are monitored at wellheads, but scientists have long supplemented these data with more approximate satellite measurements to get a rough global picture of depletion. Stephanie Pappas, Scientific American, 24 Jan. 2024 Harvard Business Review - Baggage handlers, pest-control specialists, and welders are more likely to suffer workplace injuries than those working traditionally dangerous jobs like boilermakers or wellhead pumpers. Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2023 During the Trump Administration, even federal efforts to slow down leaks, such as by tightening operations at wellheads and pumping stations, were largely abandoned. Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, 31 Oct. 2023 The Impact: Flaring, which looks like flames sprouting from wellheads, releases planet-warming carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. Krista Langlois, Outside Online, 10 Mar. 2023 Refining allows Exxon to earn money right along the fossil fuel supply chain, from the wellhead to the gas tank. Kevin Crowley, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wellhead.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wellhead was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near wellhead

Cite this Entry

“Wellhead.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wellhead. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

wellhead

noun
well·​head ˈwel-ˌhed How to pronounce wellhead (audio)
: the top of or a structure built over a well

More from Merriam-Webster on wellhead

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