Expro has secured a contract with Chevron for the first deployment of its single shear and seal high-debris 15K ball valve assembly. The multifunctional single shear and seal mechanism will form part of a full subsea deepwater completion/intervention system being designed by Expro for the Ballymore field in about 6,600 ft of water in the Gulf of Mexico. The 3-year contract for the in-riser system is valued at over $15 million.
The mechanism is designed to answer the customer’s requirement for a versatile, single-valve subsea solution rather than the conventional double-valve system while offering the reassurance of risk reduction through an additional safety barrier.
“We are proud to offer our innovative shear and seal solution to meet the needs of this important customer in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Graham Cheyne, vice president of subsea well access for Expro. “Our technology propels the industry’s momentum towards increased automation, improving safety on the rig floor by minimizing personnel and mitigating human error, while providing an additional safety barrier. It offers operators with flexibility for their operations in both in-riser and open water subsea applications.”
Expro’s high-debris single ball system, which delivers shear and post-shear seal on a multitude of sizes of coiled tubing, slickline, and electrical cable, is a solution for both gas and liquid. It is suitable for deployment in both in-riser or open water environments.
Expro’s shear and seal valve is available in the ELSA-HP 15 ksi enhanced landing string assembly. It can be configured as a single valve, a single valve with a latch mechanism, or as a conventional subsea test tree arrangement. Expro is currently integrating the shear and seal ball system into its ELSA-HD 10 ksi equipment and open water offerings.
The $1.6 billion Ballymore is spread across four blocks within the Norphlet play, including Mississippi Canyon Block 607 where the discovery was made. The project boasts a design capacity of 75,000 BOPD and will be developed as a 3-mile subsea tieback to the existing Chevron-operated Blind Faith platform in nearby Block 696 in about 7,000 ft of water.
The project was formally sanctioned in 2022. First oil is expected in 2025.
