Offshore staff
LONDON – BG International has joined Plexus’ joint industry project (JIP) to develop a new subsea wellhead (HGSS).
This will use Plexus’ patented POS-GRIP friction-grip technology to address technical issues and challenges highlighted by regulators following the Gulf of Mexico deepwater rig incident in April 2010.
Other JIP members include Total, Maersk Oil, Shell, Wintershall, Tullow Oil, Eni, Oil States Industries, and Senergy.
Plexus is targeting completion of a prototype HGGS by the end of 2014. The wellhead is designed to be safer than existing technology, with fewer parts. It delivers instant casing hanger lock down to avoid the use of lock rings and lock down sleeves as required by conventional designs.
Its rigid metal-to-metal annular seal technology is qualified to match the standard of premium casing couplings, and will eventually incorporate annulus monitoring and bleed-off capability to address sustained casing pressure situations and diagnostic and remedial capability.
This combination will be a first for thesubsea industry, Plexus claims.
Features the JIP partners are working on include:
- 18¾-in. full bore system, rated to 15,000 psi (1,034 bar), 350°F (176.6°C)
- Upgradeable to 20,000 psi (1,379 bar), 450°F (232°C)
- 4-million lb “instant” casing hanger lockdown capacity
- Avoiding problems associated with use of lock down rings
- Annulus monitoring and bleed-off capability to address sustained casing pressure situations, with diagnostic and remedial capability
- Ability to open and reseal the casing annulus to facilitate remedial cement job procedures
- Rigid metal annular seal technology qualified to match the standards for premium casing couplings
- Meeting requirements of API 17D/ISO 13628-4, recently provided additional operator requirements, and Plexus “life cycle” testing.
09/02/2014
