Subsea Well Capping System Available by Year-end

07 June 2012

Oil Spill Response Ltd. (OSRL) and the Subsea Well Response Project (SWRP) are collaborating to develop a well capping system for worldwide deployment.

The integrated intervention system will be made available to the offshore industry to enhance international capabilities to respond to a subsea well control incident.

SWRP devised the system, which incorporates new subsea capping and dispersant application equipment, and will provide project management support to OSRL during construction.OSRL will procure, own, maintain, and make available the equipment.

OSRL has contracted Trendsetter Engineering to manufacture four capping stack toolboxes capable of handling various scenarios. Oceaneering AS will develop two hardware kits for subsea application of dispersant at the wellhead.

The first equipment is scheduled to be completed by end-2012, and will be ready for deployment by sea and/or air in the event of a subsea well control incident.

Next year the equipment will be moved to strategic storage locations in northern Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia/Pacific, to assist international deployment and response readiness.

Keith Lewis, project manager at SWRP, said: "SWRP sought input from industry experts and regulators of the offshore oil and gas industry whilst planning the intervention system. While we hope that this equipment will never be needed, it is critical for the industry to be prepared.”