USA: HWCG’s New Well Containment System Capable of Working in Water Depths up to 10.000 Feet

The Helix Well Containment Group (HWCG) has announced a significant enhancement to its subsea system capabilities, with the addition of a 15,000 pounds per square inch-gauge (psig) intervention capping stack designed to handle extremely high pressure, deeper wells in the deepwaters of the Gulf of Mexico. This technology would be used in the unlikely event that a deepwater well’s blowout preventer fails to operate as designed.

Importantly, the unique technical features of HWCG’s 15,000 psig intervention capping stack allow full access to the wellbore so an operator can repair the well or intervene in the mechanical condition of the well, in addition to allowing the capture and flow back of oil. Engineered by Trendsetter Engineering, Inc., the 156,000-pound capping stack features a full opening bore and dual rams. Trendsetter’s technical experts will continuously maintain the equipment at its facilities in North Houston, where it will remain on-call for immediate deployment.

“For the first time, the HWCG has technology on standby that can be used to flow back or intervene in wells that require up to 15,000 psig capability—this is a significant advancement in our well containment system,” said Roger Scheuermann, commercial director for HWCG. “HWCG’s well containment system is capable of controlling and containing the vast majority of the deepwater wells in the Gulf of Mexico. This enhancement, coupled with our ability to work in 8,000 feet of water at present and up to 10,000 feet of water later this summer, puts the HWCG on the cutting edge of well containment technology.”

Each HWCG member company has committed to a mutual aid agreement, allowing any member to draw upon the collective technical expertise, assets, technology and resources of the diverse group of operators in the event of an incident, a safeguard the offshore industry did not have prior to the Macondo incident. This capability has been tested in two mutual aid containment exercises since March, during which over 200 technical personnel from the 24 member companies and up to 30 consortium contract companies and service providers participated.

The new 15,000 psig intervention capping stack is in addition to the existing 10,000 psig capping stack. By this summer, HWCG will expand its capabilities to water depths of up to 10,000 feet. Additional system upgrades are being evaluated based on the needs of the consortium members.

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Source: businesswire, May 04, 2011;