This rapid-response system will be available to capture and contain oil in the event of a potential future underwater well blowout in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.Click image to enlarge.
Today, we announced a new rapid-response oil containment system that ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Shell plan to build for the Gulf of Mexico.
The system – involving a $1 billion initial commitment from the sponsor companies – is unprecedented in our industry. It will provide pre-engineered, constructed, and tested containment technology and equipment to be deployed within 24 hours of a spill in the Gulf.
A team of marine, subsea and construction engineers – comprised of experts from all four companies – is designing and constructing the new system, which will be available in the next six to 18 months. ExxonMobil will lead the engineering, procurement, and construction of equipment and vessels on behalf of the sponsor companies.
You can check out the detailed illustration of the new system above, but here are a few more details:
- Specially designed subsea containment equipment will be able to capture up to 100,000 barrels of oil a day initially, with potential for expansion.
- The captured oil will be sent up to vessels that can safely process, store and offload it.
- The system can be used in deepwater depths of up to 10,000 feet.
- It will stand, tested and ready, in the Gulf of Mexico to respond to the unlikely event of a future underwater blowout.
There has been a lot of discussion over the past few months about the industry’s ability to respond to an incident such as the Gulf of Mexico spill. This new rapid-response and containment system is just one of the steps ExxonMobil and others are taking to strengthen safety and security in the Gulf of Mexico, which accounts for 30 percent of U.S. oil and gas production and supports more than 170,000 American jobs.
I think Rex Tillerson says it best – if we all do our jobs properly, this new system will never be used. The experience of our industry shows that when the focus remains on safe operations and risk management, tragic incidents like the one we are witnessing in the Gulf of Mexico today should not occur.
I’ll keep you posted on the progress of this effort. You can also read more in the press release and fact sheet that the four sponsor companies issued today.
Lamar University has joined Gov. Rick Perry’s Gulf Project, a coalition of scientists, policy experts and researchers working to protect Texas’ economy and environment in the event of a disaster such as the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion. Situated on the Gulf Coast in Beaumont, LU is well-positioned and well-equipped to be a part of the response should such a situation arise off the Texas coast. With expertise in remote sensing, GPS and GIS technology in the Lamar Geospatial Center, researchers could monitor the long-term effects of a spill on wildlife, habitat, the economy and physical features of the Gulf Coast. LU’s extensive expertise in hazardous waste management and disposal, as well as monitoring beach and marsh ecosystems adds to the role it will play in the Gulf Project.
Mr. Cohen
I’m very pleased with this initiative by the oil industry. Since the Deepwater Horizon explosion, I have been pestering my legislators here in Washington state to propose a similar system, but one operated by the Federal Government at industry expense.
I strongly support the oil industry and believe that it can manage incidents respnosibly, but the Deepwater Horizon disaster was a serious blow to the credibility of the entire industry. The impact of the explosion and spill on the industry’s credibility was exacerbated by BP’s less than forthright disclosure of the volume of oil exiting the well, and further exacerbated by the disclosure of the industry’s tragicomical proposals for remediation of spills submitted in drilling permit apps.
So, while I am very pleased to see the industry take steps to address the problem, I still have a number of concerns.
First, as I’m sure you are aware, many people believe that the oil industry is super rich, and that oil industry executives spend lazy afternoons rolling in rooms full of billion dollar bills, all the while laughing meniacally. In light of this view, a $1B proposal will be treated with some derision.
Second, given the credibility problems… read more »
…piling up on the industry, it seems likely that no one will trust – for obvious reasons – information on a spill provided by the industry.
The admittedly vague proposal I made to my senators was for a Federal agency (funded by fees on permit apps or by royalties from production) to:
-conduct and control all spill response
-provide materials and personnel (booms, skimmers, submersibles etc) for spill responses
-provide reliable information to the public
-research and develop methods of containment
-provide or coordinate followup study of long term impacts, both economic and environmental.
I’m sure you’re a busy man. However, if you have time, I’d be interested in your thoughts on this proposal and how industry might respond to it.
thanks
j
We think the industry’s expertise is critical to implementing this system. However, input from state and federal governments in the design, construction and operation of the system is an important component. And while we hope this system will never be used, an incident response would be under U.S. Coast Guard command.
To address your point on costs, the initial $1 billion investment covers the construction of new subsea and modular equipment. Additional operational and maintenance costs, contracts with existing operating vessels in the Gulf of Mexico and any potential new vessels that may be constructed will significantly increase this cost commitment.
A thought to add to my previous comment:
Mr. Cohen, my hope in pushing the Federal option here is that, ultimately, with a credible system of oversight and response, more US waters could be open to drilling, thus decreasing our dependence on imports and providing more jobs to Americans.