Reliability of Deepwater Subsea Blowout Preventers

Abstract

Summary Operational experience data from deepwater subsea blowout preventers (BOP's) used in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico (GOM) in 1997 and 1998 have been collected and analyzed to reveal BOP reliability problems. Results focus on rig downtime caused by BOP failures, criticality of failures in terms of ability to control a well kick, and BOP subsea test-time consumption. Results have been compared with corresponding results from previous BOP reliability studies carried out for other areas and periods. An overall conclusion is that there are no main differences in overall reliability of deepwater BOP's vs. BOP's operating in "normal" water depths, except for increased downtime caused by increased BOP handling time in deep waters.