Operators have always taken their impact on the environment seriously, and no more so than now, after the recent high-profile offshore spills. Tightening regulation and more stringent auditing requirements make reliable breakaway safeguards a major focus for the industry.

A self-sealing breakaway solution from SECC Oil & Gas is being used by well intervention company Helix Well Ops to cut the risk of discharge and minimize production downtime for oil and gas operators during subsea well intervention projects.

In 2009 Helix Well Ops – a division of Helix Energy Solutions Group – launched its new light well intervention vessel, the Well Enhancer, to provide well operation and decommissioning services to companies operating in the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

Designers believed there was sufficient demand in the market for a subsea system that could carry out open-water and riser-based intervention services, including coiled tubing, from a vessel. At the same time, the company set about sourcing a connector solution that would provide greater safety and environmental benefits and help improve standards for the industry.

New subsea connector technology

SECC’s approach to subsea connections includes a range of fully pressure-balanced, full-bore, self-sealing breakaways that eliminate the risk of fluid loss at the point of connection and disconnection.

SECC had recently launched its Hot Make Hot Break Connector – a dry breakaway product built on the unique pressure-balanced coupling technology of inventor and SECC Technical Director Matthew Readman.

The technology enables lines to be connected and disconnected quickly and easily via ROVs under full working pressure and at depths of 3,000 m (10,000 ft), instantly sealing each section of the line to ensure no risk of fluid spill. Using the connector means hose lines remain intact and reusable, even when disconnection occurs automatically in an emergency. Lines can be reconnected subsea by an ROV without the need for depressuring or dewatering.

The technology also was designed specifically for operations in high sea-state conditions where potential drift-off is a concern. If a vessel moves off station, the movement applies tension to the line connected by the Hot Make Hot Break. The connector automatically disconnects when a predetermined load level is reached, ensuring the safety of the vessel and its personnel while avoiding the potential damage caused by an uncontrolled disconnection or emergency guillotine device.

The Helix Well Ops light well intervention vessel, Well Enhancer, launched in 2009, has used SECC’s connectors for more than two years, providing decommissioning and pumping services for operators including BP, Talisman, and Shell.

Pushing the boundaries

Helix Well Ops wanted to create a vessel and subsea intervention system that was unrivaled in terms of speed, performance, and safety, and designing a purpose-built system from scratch allowed the company to select from the most advanced technologies on the market.

“With many years of experience providing well intervention services to oil companies, we knew exactly what we wanted to achieve and were prepared to explore new techniques to create a system that would deliver unmatched performance,” said Pete Nowell, intervention services manager at Helix Well Ops.

At the top of the company’s checklist was a connector to replace the conventional hot stabs used in the past.

“We were looking for a way to enhance connection speeds subsea in a bid to reduce production downtime and costs for our customers as well as offering a technology that could cope with high flow rates with no loss of pressure,” he explained.

“With anti-pollution safeguards high on the industry agenda, we were also seeking to prevent even minimal fluid leakage at the point of connection and disconnection and help prevent a spill in the event of an emergency.”

The Hot Make Hot Break connector offered benefits in these areas, but as a new technology its true potential was at that time unproven in practice. Helix Well Ops welcomed the prospect of partnering to develop a unique solution to meet a market need.

Installation

Two Hot Make Hot Break stab connectors were fitted to Well Ops’ light well intervention system to link the kill pump into production and annulus lines from the vessel to the subsea intervention system.

The companies took a collaborative approach to the project, recognizing the need to work closely to ensure its success and overcome any early challenges characteristic of a new and ground-breaking technology. At the start of the installation phase, the team quickly realized that the ROV was struggling to handle and align the connectors and to apply enough pressure to fully engage them.

Helix Well Ops provided video footage to illustrate the issue. SECC’s response was to design and fit alignment bars to guide the ROV into position. Technicians also installed new anti-friction seals to the stabs to help the ROV handle the connectors.

“Having the commitment and constant support of SECC’s design and engineering team meant we could work through those early issues quickly and intelligently,” Nowell said.

Technology in practice

The Well Enhancer was launched in 2009 and has been in full operation with the Hot Make Hot Break connectors for more than two years. It has provided decommissioning and pumping services to operators including BP, Shell, and Talisman.

The most tangible benefit of the technology is efficiency. It takes 15 minutes to connect and disconnect the system, which greatly reduces the time oil companies have to take wells off production, cutting costs significantly compared with traditional methods. Replacing manually operated connection technologies with a mechanical system also brings significant savings and reduces the risk to offshore personnel in case of an emergency disconnection.

The Hot Make Hot Break Connector, here fully connected to the Well Ops SIL, enables lines to be connected or disconnected in 15 minutes using an ROV under full working pressure and in water depths to 3,000 m (10,000 ft). (Images courtesy of SECC Oil & Gas)