May 3, 2013 - After experiencing rough weather in the area of the deepwater containment exercise, a unified command comprised of BSEE, the US Coast Guard, Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator's Office and Noble Energy decided to impose a temporary weather delay today. Current forecasts predict that it will be safe to continue operations again early Saturday morning. Once the exercise continues, the capping stack will be taken to the test location in more than 5,000 feet of water, latched to a test wellhead and pressurized. The stack is ready, loaded and secured onto the transport vessel and is awaiting deployment.

BSEE initiated the deepwater containment exercise with Noble Energy on April 30th. The deepwater containment exercise involves the mobilization and field deployment of the capping stack to the sea floor in more than 5,000 feet of water, latching it to a test wellhead and pressurizing the system. The capping stack is a critical piece of equipment that has the ability to shut off any flow of oil from a well if other shut-off systems, such as the blowout preventer (BOP) fail. Following the Deepwater Horizon tragedy, the Interior Department instituted reforms that required offshore operators to have the ability to deploy containment resources, such as a capping stack, in response to a blowout or other loss of well control.

BSEE and Noble Energy are keeping close watch on possible inclement weather that could delay deployment of the Helix Well Containment Group (HWCG) capping stack during a Containment Drill in the Gulf of Mexico Region.