Following the Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010, Marine Well Containment Company (MWCC) was formed to provide enhanced well containment equipment and response capabilities for operators drilling in the deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico. Today, MWCC is comprised of 10 member companies: Anadarko, Apache, BHP Billiton, BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Hess, Shell and Statoil; all member companies are part of a long-term solution committed to being continuously ready to respond to a deepwater well control incident in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. MWCC's interim containment system (ICS) – available for use since February 2011 and maintained in a state of readiness should it be needed – is the result of unprecedented industry collaboration and enhances previous response capabilities. The ICS not only represents key technological advancements in well containment for MWCC's members and industry, it also paved the way for allowing new permits to be issued after the drilling moratorium. Today, over 100 drilling permits cite the MWCC system. As part of its commitment to keep pace with its member's needs, MWCC is building on current capabilities and enhancing technology of the ICS by constructing the expanded containment system (ECS). This presentation will include an update on the containment capabilities provided by the ECS – which represents an investment of more than $1 billion by MWCC's members. The ECS can operate in depths up to 10,000 feet and has the capacity to contain up to 100,000 barrels of liquid per day (and handle up to 200 million standard cubic feet per day of gas). Delivery of the ECS has already begun in 2013. Additionally, at members' request, MWCC recently introduced a new, smaller 10k psi capping stack that was designed for deepwater installations where well casing and riser systems are closely spaced. It is the latest example of the evolution of containment technology and ongoing enhancements to the MWCC system. The creation of MWCC is an important milestone for industry, and the delivery of new equipment and services – such as the ECS – by MWCC is a direct reflection of the company's mission to be the leader in deepwater well containment in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. As the industry continues to evolve – whether through deeper water depths, greater pressures or other areas – MWCC is committed to working collaboratively and advancing technologies to keep pace with our members' needs.
