Through a construction, the mouth of the well is shut off with various stop-valves, relief valves and pressure meters. With modern technique, the chances of a blowout taking place is extremely small. The drilling mud (coming from the rock formation being drilled) is also pressed out of the drilling shaft and transported to a separator. The drilling fluids are separated from this blubber for reuse.

When tracking and exploiting natural gas, there is usually a long pipe at the area with a shooting roaring flame. This is called burn-off and is necessary by these processes. The flames can reach up to 75 meters and the heat can be so intense that the bottom upon which the pipe stands must be cooled with water. In addition to the heat, the roaring flame produces light and noise disturbance. Another disadvantage to the flame is that the burning process is often not complete. It there is no wind, the burning can be up to 95% but it is not often windless and it the burning much less complete. An incomplete burning means that some of the hydrocarbons (such as methane) escapes unburned. This is bad for the environment; methane is a gas which intensifies the greenhouse effect. In addition, carbon monoxide is also released by an incomplete incineration. And because the flame is so high, there is enough time for nitrogen oxides to form. These can have an acidic effect.
In April 2000, a new method was used for burn-off, which is suppose to be better for the environment. It is the Clean Enclosed Burner (CEB). The CEB is only six meters high and the burner is enclosed. This means there is no illumination disturbance, little heat radiation to the ground and the burning is relatively quiet. The gas is always totally incinerated.