Oslo-listed oilfield service provider Archer has launched a deepwater BOP and riser cleaning tool that uses a powerful vortex technology to remove wellbore debris.

The company said at the SPE/IADC drilling conference and exhibition in Amsterdam that its latest tool, the TornarTM Deep Water BOP Cleaner, has been designed for safe and effective blowout preventer (BOP) and riser cleaning in deep and ultra-deep water environments.

The Tornar Deep Water BOP Cleaner, it said, is an advanced vortex cleaning technology which removes wellbore debris from BOPs and marine riser cavities using a powerful vortex suction effect. The tool combines Tornar flow ports with powerful proprietary magnets to extract debris, whilst maintaining full well control and protecting the BOP.

Rolf Egil Håland, Archer’s President and Managing Director, Oiltools, said: “The accumulation of drilling debris and solids is a serious oilfield challenge, it can hinder the correct operation of the BOP and cause extensive loss of time and money. The Tornar Deep Water BOP Cleaner has been designed for use in any deep and ultra-deep water environment around the globe.

“The big issue in deep and ultra-deep water markets is the time it takes to retrieve and re-run the marine riser and BOP as this can often take several days to a couple of weeks. A major operator in Brazil recently attributed 70% of their downtime to BOP-related issues; with a rig costing more than US $1m per day such downtime becomes very expensive.”

The Tornar Deep Water BOP Cleaner is an advanced version of the company’s shallow water model, the Tornar BOP Cleaner, which was released last year.