Aker's Capping Technology to Limit Drilling Risks

Aker Solutions delivered the key subsea component for the system being developed by Marine Well Containment Company to limit environmental risks from oil and gas production in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico.

The Subsea Containment Assembly, or SCA, is designed to contain a well-control incident by connecting and creating a seal to prevent oil leaks. It can also be used in a cap-and-flow plan to direct fluid to vessels on the surface. The technology works under pressures as high as 15,000 psi.

The equipment was delivered to Marine Well Containment Company's team in Ingleside, Texas. It weighs 170 tons and consists of a stack of adapters and connectors assembled on a steel base. Aker Solutions developed the technology over three years, involving designers and engineers at the company's hub in Houston.

"This has been a collaborative effort involving ten oil companies and is a great example of how the offshore industry can pull together," said Alan Brunnen, head of Aker Solutions' subsea business. "Aker Solutions is pleased to have contributed its unique knowledge and experience in high-pressure subsea technolog