Helix Well Ops new world depth record for subsea wireline intervention
Helix Well Ops, a wholly owned subsidiary of Houston-based Helix Energy Solutions Group Inc. (NYSE HLX), announced today that its Well Ops Asia Pacific team based in Perth, Western Australia recently set a new world depth record for subsea wireline intervention from a monohull vessel by retrieving tubing hanger plugs from two subsea wells located approximately 25 m (82 ft) apart in 392 m (1,286 ft) of water.
The record-breaking retrieval job was accomplished on the first of the two trees after both had been landed on their wellheads, Well Ops employed its Vessel Deployment System (VDS) and Subsea Intervention Device (SID) from the monohull vessel Havila Harmony to retrieve the hanger plugs on both of the trees via wireline intervention. The VDS can work over a moonpool or create an over-the-stern moonpool work area on any vessel that allows the deployment of guidelines, podlines, lubricator and subsea equipment packages. The SID is a modular subsea lubricator that enables cost-effective rigless intervention into subsea wells.
In addition to setting the new wireline intervention depth record, the team also accomplished another unique operational feat by moving its equipment from the first well to the second without recovery to the surface. This resulted in a significant time saving benefit for the client.
The job represented the 13th and 14th times Well Ops has used the VDS and SID together for plug removal. All operations were accomplished without incurring any HSE issues and within the allocated time frame set by the client.
