Dispersion machine
This new experimental system is used to study the conditions in which subsea dispersant application is implemented on well blow-outs.
An unprecedented operating procedure
Subsea dispersant injection, i.e. the injection of dispersants directly into the wellhead, was first used during the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010. There is therefore very limited feedback on this technique.
An assessment system
In an attempt to more fully understand the conditions of subsea application of dispersants on well blow-outs, Cedre designed an experimental system in which oil, with or without dispersant, can be injected into a transparent cylindrical tank filled with seawater. In this tank, which is 120 cm high with a diameter of 40 cm, the stability of the plume obtained can be monitored. The aim is to characterise deep-water chemical dispersion, which means working at temperatures of around 5°C.