Developing Blowout Prevention Screening Tool
- In 2024 WellCTRL Engineering collaborated with AGR to complete an OESI-sponsored project on developing a Blowout Prevention Screening Tool (BPST). The purpose of the project was to create an Excel sheet-based risk assessment tool to evaluate readiness and preparedness in response to blowout incidents.
- The BPST built on the format of the WCST and added sections for evaluating relief well design, oil spill response, required source control tools and equipment, source control response structure, and competency of the response personnel.
Risk-Based Discharge
WellCTRL Engineering is contributing to the Offshore Operators Committee (OOC) work on developing a methodology to evaluate the risk of a blowout and develop a risk-based well flow rate analysis. The work constitutes developing a hazards, mitigations, and barriers bow-tie risk assessment during each phase of the drilling operation. A series of Worst-Case Discharge (WCD) analyses have been performed per OOC’s request to identify key contributing factors to WCD analysis.
Well Flow Statistics
Per HWCG’s request, WellCTRL performed a statistical analysis on a worst-case discharge (WCD) dataset located in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) to determine the current capability of flowback systems as part of source control response to blowout incidents. The study included creating a dataset of 578 WCD scenarios for wells located in the GoM in water depths between 430 ft and 9700 ft. The data was categorized into 4 sections, and for each category, statistical analysis was performed to determine 25%, 50% (mean), 75%, and 90% of potential WCDs.
Sea Water Injection Method (SWIM)
The seawater injection concept uses high-pressure and capacity pumps located on a surface vessel and a conduit from these pumps to a port on a BOP. If a blowout occurs, seawater at high rate is pumped in the BOP. If BOP seal failure is the reason for containment loss, then the seawater will overpressure the BOP and seawater will displace the hydrocarbons passing through the leak point.