May 4, 2013 - Today, a transport vessel carrying Helix's capping stack was cleared to sail towards the test location. The vessel, previously delayed by weather, left the dock at 12:20 p.m. The trip is estimated to take between 36 and 40 hours. Once at the test location, in more than 5,000 feet of water, the capping stack will be latched to a test wellhead and pressurized.
BSEE Director James Watson spoke with exercise participants today and received a briefing on the deepwater containment drill by members of the unified command.
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 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.
