response approach

Well Containment Solution

HWCG has developed unique solutions to well containment through sound engineering and analytics which offer solutions to capping a subsea blowout in water depths ranging from 350-ft to 10,000-ft, pressures up to 20,000-psi and temperatures up to 350°F. If a shut-in in not possible due to a loss of well integrity, then flow & capture at a combined rate of up to 130k BFPD and 220 MMSCFD can be performed while a relief well is drilled. HWCG provides its members with access to subsea dispersant injection equipment, an environmental common operating picture (eCOP), Source Control IMT responders, an emergency operations center (EOC) and a Response Portal on its Information Management Portal (IMP). Our equipment, procedures and processes are ready for immediate activation to any deepwater well control incident.

PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS

In collaboration with the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), HWCG has developed a comprehensive Regional Containment Demonstration (RCD) template which provides detailed technical procedures and clearly identified response protocols for three different foreseeable deepwater containment scenarios. The RCD template is utilized by our members to tailor their RCD for their assets prior to submittal to BSEE. HWCG also offers editable procedures for each operation involving the deployment, testing and operation of the HWCG-owned equipment, as well as other equipment or operations that may be utilized or performed during an incident.

Each year, several operating members of HWCG conduct individual well containment exercises and HWCG may conduct a sponsored member mutual aid exercise to increase coordination and improve preparedness. We strive to test the various aspects of a response and focus on response protocols and various technical missions during these exercises.

EXPERTISE

HWCG created a Deepwater Intervention Technical Committee (DITC), comprised of technical experts from each member who peer review equipment, processes and procedures proposed by HWCG or its members. Drawing from the experience of both our members and service partners, the DITC promotes the technological advancement of our response system, including recommending and prioritizing enhanced operating specifications, allowing HWCG to meet its member’s permitting obligations.

Each HWCG member has agreed to provide technical expertise to a responding member as part of its obligation under our mutual aid agreement. The mutual aid agreement allows members to draw upon the collective technical expertise, assets and resources of the entire group in the event of an incident. Discover how we utilize strategic partnerships to advance our capabilities.

EQUIPMENT

HWCG provides its members with two capping stacks - one Ram Capping Stack rated to 15,000-psi and 350°F and one Valve Capping Stack rated to 20,000-psi and 350°F which are the core components of our subsea incident response system. These capping stacks can be deployed to effectively shut-in and contain a subsea blowout. In a situation where extreme well pressure cannot be contained due to compromised wellhead or wellbore equipment, we can deploy our flow & capture system on a MODU from Helix Energy Services Group. Using the flow & capture system, hydrocarbons are collected at the source, transported via risers to a MODU, where the flow stream can be safely processed and separated into three-phases using Production Technology Services temporary processing system. The oil stream is then transferred to a storage vessel prior to being offloaded to a shuttle tanker, while the water stream is further processed and safely overboarded and the gas stream is safely flared, using the PTS large volume flareboom system.

Further, HWCG provides equipment capable of injecting subsea dispersants in a controlled manner at water depths up to 10,000 feet and, through one of our Response Providers, HWCG can provide the equipment required to monitor the water column and track the hydrocarbon stream as sea currents carry it away from the blowout well.

Learn more about our response system equipment below.

CAPABILITIES

HWCG’s existing well containment system capabilities include:

• The ability to fully operate in water depths of up to 10,000 feet
• 2 Capping Stacks capable of Shut-In: 15,000 psi and 20,000 psi
• Subsea intervention equipment with the mechanical and structural integrity to allow flow and capture operations while drilling a relief well.
• Flow & capture process rates up to 130,000 BFPD and 220 MMSCFD gas.
• Subsea dispersant injection system, consisting of mudline components that transfer the subsea dispersant from the delivery system provided by the operator directly to the source of hydrocarbons entering the water column.
• Through one of our Response Providers, HWCG also offers the ability to monitor the water column for tracking the hydrocarbon flow stream as the blowout continues.

Additional system upgrades are evaluated based on the needs of the consortium members.