From playing a key role in the Gulf of America, and Macondo deepwater oil spill response to end-of-life P&A work, Helix Well Ops is the global leader in rigless subsea well intervention, providing efficient, flexible, and high-quality well management services.
With more than 1,925 subsea well interventions performed globally, our project teams and offshore crews deliver unrivaled experience and real-world expertise.
Our purpose-built riserless and riser-based well intervention vessels and subsea systems can be mobilized worldwide to provide customer value throughout the well life cycle, enhancing production from deepwater and shallow water subsea wells through wireline, coiled tubing intervention, hydraulic stimulation, and dry tree intervention.
We perform these types of subsea well intervention works at project costs significantly lower than drilling rigs, with the versatility to perform both riser-based and riserless interventions.
In addition, we can also perform a variety of decommissioning operations including temporary and permanent plugging and well abandonment, pipeline abandonment services, reclamation and remediation services, wellhead removal, production tubing recovery and more.
Maximizing reserves of existing subsea fields
Deepwater Abandonment Alternatives (DAA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Helix, enables Helix to own, operate, and abandon satellite wells and subsea infrastructure located in the deepwater GOA. We offer more than well suspension services – we provide proven production enhancement services for subsea and topside wells and a highly skilled workforce for full-field decommissioning services.
DAA will acquire ownership in subsea wells and infrastructure having modest production and limited value in transactions that have a low purchase price or are acquired on assignment. Helix is a low-risk option to abandon wells and infrastructure in the deepwater Gulf of America (GOA) with a history of safe operations that have been performed by BOEM / BSEE regulations.
Helix has a proven track record in the worldwide deepwater abandonment business having worked on abandonment and suspension operations in the UK North Sea, Brazil, Australia, West African and Gulf of America. Helix has been successful in acquiring and safely operating production in the GOA, as evidenced by its experience spanning 20+ years with a prior subsidiary, Energy Resource Technology (ERT).
Helix Fast Response System
The Helix Fast Response System (HFRS) combines Helix’s unique assets, industry experience, and commitment to safety built upon lessons learned during previous offshore spill responses, including the BP Macondo spill in 2010.
Developed to rapidly respond to future spills, the HFRS integrates the capabilities of the Helix Producer I (HPI) and either the Helix Q4000 or Q5000 vessels, depending on location and availability. Unlike modular systems that take longer to deploy and remain untested for long periods, our approach uses proven, operationally ready vessels, ensuring a faster, more effective response.
The methodologies developed during the Macondo oil spill response continue to guide our spill response strategies. The HFRS is recognized as a well control resource in permit applications and remains a vital tool in managing environmental risks associated with offshore drilling and production operations in the Gulf of Mexico.
Since 2014, the Helix HFRS has been named as the spill response system of record in over 212 new drilling permits issued in the Gulf of Mexico. At full capacity, the Helix Producer I can produce 55,000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD) and 95 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas at 10,000 psi in water depths up to 10,000 feet. Additionally, the Q4000 and Q5000 vessels can deploy cofferdams to contain spills, burn off oil and gas, and, in previous operations, recover blowout preventers (BOPs). Each vessel is equipped with temporary process packages capable of handling up to 130,000 BOPD and 220 MMSCFD at 10,000 psi in water depths to 10,000 feet.
Our Intervention services
Subsea Hydraulic Well Intervention (HWI)
Including scale squeeze, well stimulation, well testing and clean-up and sand removal.
Subsea Mechanical Well Intervention (MWI)
Including Installing pump through plug in DHSV/SCSSV, Gas lift valve change-out, sand screen repair, sand consolidation, fixing tubing failure, leaking tubing or seal failure and choke change-out.
Well integrity
The ability to maintain and/or establish a well barrier during the life cycle of a well including production tubing, annulus integrity, subsea Christmas tree and wellhead integrity.
Where to next?
Riser-based
Riser-based well intervention for well enhancement, workover or abandonment operations.
Riserless
Increase your recovery rates with efficient riserless well intervention alternatives to rig-based operations.
Experience
Our experience defines us as a company. It’s the single most important edge we can share with you.