Electric-BOP

HMH is developing an all-electric BOP solution, with the aim of increasing reliability, reducing downtime, reducing weight, eliminating release of control fluid and increasing efficiency and functionality. Our electric control systems are being developed, so they can be used both for new BOPs and for conversion of existing BOPs.

HMH is also developing marine riserless drilling solutions and a key component to achieve this is our wear resilient rotating control device. Electric BOP can be adapted to both riser drilling and open water drilling. 

Elimination of hydraulics saves space, weight, and cost both topsides and subsea. System reliability will be drastically improved, and operation downtime caused by contaminated hydraulic fluid, seal failures, valve failures and leaking hydraulic distribution will be avoided. Non-redundant shuttle valves between electro-hydraulic pods are eliminated, and no hydraulic fluid is discharged to sea during test and operations. This saves cost and solves environmental issues.  

Electric batteries instead of hydraulic accumulators will provide large weight reduction, no stored energy loss at deep water and improved redundancy. Batteries can store energy far beyond the energy storage capacity of hydraulic accumulators. The all-electric control pods will be lighter since hydraulic components are eliminated. Time consumed for test and preparations prior to operation will be reduced. The electro-mechanical actuators and controls are easy to interface to existing BOP designs and control features.    

The core element of the riserless drilling concept is our patented rotating control device. The solution is based on the use of an exchangeable dynamic sealing element around the rotating drill pipe. The sealing sleeve rotates with the drill pipe and takes up geometrical differences between passing, rotating drill pipes and pipe joints at the same time as wear is reduced to a minimum. Grease is replaced by pressurized sea water as hydraulics media for seal pressure assistance and for actuator control. The solution will result in significant cost saving related to the vessel, such as structural construction height, drilling liquid, riser, operation time and storage requirements for riser joints.