Universal Subsea Unveils Wellhead Isolation Cap

Universal Subsea has presented its patent-pending Wellhead Defender subsea isolation cap at the Rice Alliance Startup Roundup at OTC this year.

“We are pleased to have been selected by The Rice Alliance to present at this year’s OTC Startup Roundup, which showcased 40 promising emerging energy technology companies,” said Sean Thomas, Founder & General Manager, Universal Subsea Inc.

“At the seafloor, various types of corrosion and marine growth cause lost time, lost production and increased risk to the offshore E&P industry. I have witnessed these issues first hand, working for years with a major wellhead supplier and then as a Subject Matter Expert with a supermajor operator. I was determined to come up with a better subsea protector cap.

“Our Wellhead Defender subsea isolation cap is that solution, with numerous innovative features in the body design and the sealing, locking, and injection features, with 5 U.S. patents pending. Used in conjunction with our Defender Stasis isolation fluids, the Wellhead Defender subsea isolation cap effectively prevents corrosion and marine growth on critical sealing and locking features of subsea wellheads, preserving the subsea wellhead in a stasis condition. Our Tree Defender subsea isolation cap provides the samebenefits for subsea tree applications.”

The Wellhead Defender subsea isolation cap is said to be the first product of its kind. Universal Subsea said it has spent over 2000 hours analyzing, selecting, testing, and qualifying the one-piece, corrosion-proof, thermoplastic body.

In contrast, metal subsea protector caps can actually foster corrosion. Furthermore, competing subsea protector caps typically have ineffective body seals, allowing isolation fluid to quickly leak out to the ocean.

Over a 24-month development process, Universal Subsea claims it has  solved the many pitfalls of existing subsea isolation cap technology, building and qualifying a solution that could bring new confidence to offshore E&P companies and service providers.