Deepwater wellhead containment test deemed a success

Louisiana Department of Natural Resources Secretary Scott Angelle says his office has received a personal briefing and update from the federal government’s top offshore drilling safety regulator on the successful test of a new deepwater wellhead containment system in the Gulf of Mexico. The test proves the technology and expertise are available to respond rapidly and effectively if a deepwater wellhead must be shut down, Angelle says. “This is another step in returning confidence to the industry that it will be allowed to operate and develop the plentiful domestic energy resources available in the Gulf of Mexico. This exercise has shown us all that the U.S. oil and gas industry has responded in an unprecedented way to create the world’s most sophisticated containment response program,” reads a statement from Angelle. A simulated well-control incident was staged in 7,000 feet of water to test the capping equipment, which was built and operated by the Marine Well Containment Company. MWCC is a partnership originally formed by Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Shell following the 2010 Gulf oil spill to share in the cost of designing, constructing and operating the deepwater containment system, priced in excess of $1 billion. It was delivered, deployed and latched onto the test wellhead in just under five days. Click here to read more about the containment system, including photos and a video; and here to read more about its recent testing.