July 25, 2012
The capping stack being tested in this exercise is a device that will be used in the event of an uncontrolled well and the failure of the Blowout Preventer (BOP) to control a well. Since the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, BSEE has implemented enhanced drilling safety regulations and is working to developed standards through new regulations to improve the reliability of BOPs. The bureau recently held a public forum pulling together experts from industry, academia, and other government agencies to discuss advancing the technology used in these systems.
Today, BSEE engineers and inspectors evaluated response preparedness and predeployment activities to include capping stack pressure tests, equipment inspections, and deployment procedures.
Click here for more information about the BOP Forum.
A BOP like this one was the subject of a BSEE-sponsored forum to discuss how to improve BOPs for undersea wells recently. The forum included experts from industry, academia, and government agencies to discuss “the next generation” of these safety devices.