The oil and gas industry is set to benefit from internationally deployable well capping equipment, following collaboration between Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) and the Subsea Well Response Project (SWRP).
Working closely with SWRP, OSRL is making an integrated intervention system available to the industry to enhance international capabilities to respond to a subsea well incident. SWRP planned the intervention system, which includes newly-designed subsea capping and dispersant application equipment, and will provide project management support to OSRL during the construction phase. OSRL will procure, own and maintain the equipment and make it available to subscribers.
OSRL has contracted Trendsetter Engineering to manufacture four capping stack toolboxes capable of handling a variety of scenarios. OSRL has also contracted Oceaneering AS to develop two hardware kits for the subsea application of dispersant at the wellhead.
The first equipment is due to be completed by the end of 2012 and will be ready for deployment by sea and / or air in the event of a subsea well-control incident. During 2013, the equipment will be moved to four strategic storage locations – in Northern Europe, South America, Africa and the Asia-Pacific – to further enhance international deployment and response readiness.
“Increasing the availability of capping and subsea dispersant equipment is an important step forward for improving incident response capabilities across the industry and around the world,” said Keith Lewis, project manager at SWRP .
“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.”
Archie Smith, Chief Executive Officer of OSRL , said, “Our collaboration with SWRP further enhances the expertise and specialised equipment we can offer to the industry, and we look forward to contact from interested parties. In the event of an oil spill, subscribers to this new service will have immediate access to a wide range of industry-leading resources. We have, and are committed to continuing to develop, strategic relationships that can help to achieve a highly effective global response capability.”
[mappress] Subsea World News Staff , June 07, 2012; Image: SWRP