First-ever 20,000 psi deepwater well control system used in recent drillships build

A recent ultra-deepwater giant drillships build resulted in two drillships that have the first-ever 20,000 psi well control system equipped with two 20,000 psi blowout preventers.

Reel Power Marine & Energy contributed to this project with their patented innovative depth compensated accumulators (DCBs) that reduce subsea equipment weights, lower maintenance requirements and improve equipment access. As the most efficient subsea accumulator, it reduces nitrogen use and offers greater flexibility and performance at various depths.

The Accumulators are used to deliver hydraulic fluids to wellhead blowout preventers, subsea control systems, subsea trees and subsea accumulator modules. Among other functions, accumulators are used to actuate the shear rams on a subsea BOP stack. Depth Compensated Accumulators use the pressure of the ocean’s water column to boost the available subsea hydraulic pressure/volume, thereby allowing fewer number of accumulator bottles mounted on the subsea system. This allows for significant space savings and a reduction of subsea accumulator weight of over 40%.

Reel Power’s contributions for the latest capabilities of this rig will reduce the time needed to drill a deepwater well, significantly driving well costs down.

“As the most experienced manufacture in our industry we offer proven designs with a high installation base and zero field failures for almost a decade running. Helping to improve our client’s profitability by increasing capabilities and reducing well costs is what Reel Power, and our DCBs are all about,” said Joe Henry, President and CEO of Reel Power. “We manufacture and stock everything within the U.S. and offer our technical expertise for customization in any application.”