Helix Well Containment Group Advances Capabilities

Consortium Unveils Capability for Deeper, Higher-Pressure Wells

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--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.

“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”

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.

About Trendsetter

Founded in 1996, Trendsetter Engineering, Inc. is a leader in contemporary subsea solutions that provides specialty subsea equipment, manufacturing and fabrication services, and Subsea Engineering Specialists to major and independent oil and gas companies across the globe. For more information, visit: http://trendsetterengineering.com/.

About Helix Well Containment Group

The Helix Well Containment Group (HWCG) is a consortium of 24 deepwater operators in the Gulf of Mexico who have come together with the common goal of expanding capabilities to quickly and comprehensively respond to a subsea spill to protect employees, communities and the environment. Bringing together the technical expertise and resources from this diverse group of operators, and building upon equipment tested and proven in the Deepwater Horizon response, the HWCG has developed a deepwater well-containment response system capable of being immediately deployed in the event of a deepwater spill. Each HWCG member company has committed to a mutual aid agreement, allowing any member to draw upon the collective technical expertise, assets and resources of the group in the event of an incident. For more information visit: www.hwcg.org.

HWCG Members

HWCG is made up of a diverse and experienced group of deepwater operators, representing 80 percent of the deepwater operators in the Gulf of Mexico and approximately half of all deepwater oil and natural gas production in the Gulf of Mexico.

Anadarko Petroleum Corporation • Apache Deepwater LLC • ATP Oil & Gas Corporation • BHP Billiton (Americas), Inc.

Century Exploration New Orleans, Inc. • Cobalt International Energy, LP • Deep Gulf Energy, LP (Deep Gulf Energy II LLC)

ENI U.S. Operating Company • Energy Resource Technology GOM Inc. • Hess Corporation

LLOG Exploration Company, LLC • Marathon Oil Company • Marubeni Oil & Gas (USA) Inc.

Murphy Exploration & Production Company – USA • Newfield Exploration Company • Nexen Petroleum USA Inc.

Noble Energy, Inc. • Plains Exploration & Production Company • Repsol E&P USA Inc.

Statoil Gulf of Mexico LLC (Statoil USA E&P, Inc.) • Stone Energy Corporation • Walter Oil & Gas Corporation

Woodside Energy (USA), Inc. • W&T Offshore, Inc. (W & T Energy VI, LLC)

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