BP Deepwater Horizon kit reaches UK facility
6 Oct 2010
Oil Spill Response group receives two Gulf of Mexico containment devices at Southampton centre
Southampton, UK – BP has transferred two 20-tonne subsea containment devices from the Gulf of Mexico to Oil Spill Response’s (OSRL) base in Southampton.
The transfer is part of continuing efforts to share lessons from the Macondo accident and enhance the UK’s ability to respond promptly to a subsea oil spill.
Visiting the OSRL facility, energy and climate change minister Chris Huhne welcomed “the work that the Oil Spill Prevention and Response Advisory Group (OSPRAG) is undertaking to develop equipment that could enhance industry’s ability to deal with such an incident.”
The BP oil rig disaster has raised questions about the industry’s ability to respond to a well blow-out in deep water. During its response, the containment team developed new systems to contain and capture oil leaking from the well, as well as techniques to manage hydrate formation.
According to OSRL, BP has made available the two subsea containment devices for use by OSRL, on behalf of the UK oil and gas industry and the wider region. Associated subsea cutting equipment will also be available, based at contractors’ premises in Aberdeen.
Mark McAllister, chief executive of Fairfield Energy Ltd and chairman of the UK’s OSPRAG, said the industry has already taken significant actions to improve prevention, including rig inspections and implementing new requirements on blowout preventer certification and well design.
“An important part of OSPRAG’s agenda is the development of well capping and containment capability for the UK offshore environment. A contract to this effect was awarded in July to develop designs,” said McAllister.
“In the meantime it is pleasing to see the arrival of two containment devices which both increase our knowledge of subsea containment but also give the industry additional capability which could be deployed if circumstances required,” he added.
OSPRAG is working with other international bodies and groups responding to the Gulf of Mexico incident. Work being done in the UK will help inform and complement work in other regions being co-ordinated by the Global Industry Response Group, under the direction of the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers.
Archie Smith, chief executive of OSRL said: “We hold in readiness the largest international stockpile of equipment in three different continents, maintained to the highest state of readiness and supported by our own aircraft as well as international logistics companies ready to deliver the right equipment at any time anywhere. These devices [from BP] will form an important addition to our stockpiles”.
