BSEE Oversees Testing of Shell’s Arctic Equipment

BSEE Alaska Region Director Mark Fesmire oversaw the testing to ensure compliance with Federal safety standards for oil and gas exploration on the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf.

The capping stack, used to contain the flow of oil in the event that all primary and backup blowout prevention equipment fails during drilling, is a key piece of Arctic oil exploration containment equipment and is required to be in position for all of Shell’s potential drilling activities in the Arctic.

During this week’s tests, BSEE personnel witnessed the deployment and maneuvering of the capping stack off the rear deck of the M/V Fennica to 150 feet of water, deeper than Shell’s current well sites in the Chukchi Sea. BSEE confirmed that the capping stack functioned properly under pressures exceeding the maximum expected pressures Shell may encounter in the Arctic. Deployment of the capping stack and stack pressure testing were completed in two separate exercises spanning two days.

BSEE said it is currently reviewing Shell’s request to drill two exploratory wells in the Chukchi Sea this summer. If BSEE approves the drilling permits, Shell would be required to maintain the capping stack in a ready-to-deploy state on the M/V Fennica, which would be available to respond to a loss of well control within 24 hours.

In addition to containment and engineering observations such as the ones conducted this week, BSEE is overseeing additional on-water oil spill response exercises and drills and on-site inspections of oil spill response equipment throughout the proposed drilling operation. BSEE will conduct a variety of equipment inspections and deployment exercises, some of which may be unannounced, to validate the tactics, logistics, resource availability and personnel proficiency specified and relied upon in the approved plans and permits.