Universal Subsea Inc. introduces new subsea isolation cap at OTC

HOUSTON -- Sean Thomas, P.E., general manager at Universal Subsea Inc., presented the company’s business plan and patent-pending Wellhead Defender subsea isolation cap at the Rice Alliance Startup Roundup at OTC on April 30. The 2018 OTC is being held at the NRG Park from April 30 to May 3 and is the offshore industry’s premier global event.

“We are pleased to have been selected by The Rice Alliance to present at this year’s OTC Startup Roundup, which showcased 40 promising emerging energy technology companies,” said Thomas. “At the seafloor, various types of corrosion and marine growth cause lost time, lost production and increased risk to the offshore E&P industry. I have witnessed these issues first hand, working for years with a major wellhead supplier and then as a Subject Matter Expert with a supermajor operator. I was determined to come up with a better subsea protector cap. Our Wellhead Defender subsea isolation cap is that solution, with numerous innovative features in the body design and the sealing, locking, and injection features, with 5 U.S. patents pending. Used in conjunction with our Defender Stasis isolation fluids, the Wellhead Defender subsea isolation cap effectively prevents corrosion and marine growth on critical sealing and locking features of subsea wellheads, preserving the subsea wellhead in a stasis condition. Our Tree Defender subsea isolation cap provides the same benefits for subsea tree applications.”

The Wellhead Defender subsea isolation cap is the first product of its kind. Universal Subsea spent over 2,000 hrs analyzing, selecting, testing and qualifying the one-piece, corrosion-proof, thermoplastic body.

In contrast, metal subsea protector caps can actually foster corrosion. Furthermore, competing subsea protector caps typically have ineffective body seals, allowing isolation fluid to quickly leak out to the ocean.

Over a 24-month development process, Universal Subsea Inc. solved the many pitfalls of existing subsea isolation cap technology, building and qualifying a solution that will bring new confidence to offshore E&P companies and service providers alike.