This paper presents a practical design of an ice capable TEMPSC that has been developed to the prototype design stage. Designated the Ice- Strengthened Lifeboat (ISL), it is designed to mitigate the risk of damage or loss, due to crushing by ice, during evacuation from offshore installations or vessels in ice covered waters. The ISL design combines novel hull shape features that helps escape from converging, high freeboard ice floes, with an ice-strengthened composite shell that resists the ice loads. No existing TEMPSC has solutions addressing these issues.

This paper discusses how the application of a Retrievable Inflatable Bridge Plug (RIBP) helped overcome the challenges encountered in a subsea deepwater intervention operation. The technical details of the challenges are first outlined, followed by the salient features of the RIBP that facilitated its successful use. The RIBP was used to isolate the reservoir prior to change-out of the upper completion tubing as per the intervention scope of work. The monobore completion for which the intervention was planned did not have any nipple profiles to allow for reservoir isolation using a traditional lock and plug. Therefore, through-tubing Mechanical Bridge Plug (MBP) technologies had to be considered. Only the RIBP was able to provide the functionality for the intervention operation. This RIBP technology was applied successfully to two different wells with identical scopes of work. The inflatable technology provided a robust solution to the compound challenges faced during the planned intervention operation. Since these challenges are common to the industry, especially in the deepwater subsea environment, the successful RIBP application discussed in this paper increases confidence in the future use of such technology.

This paper highlights a unique technique used to overcome the specific challenge of locking open a failed-closed surface controlled sub-surface safety valve (SCSSV) in a monobore completion without a landing nipple profile above the SCSSV. The technical details of both the problem (inability to use conventional SCSSV lock open tools) and solution are discussed, with specific focus on the solution hardware and technique applied to deliver the objectives of the intervention. Several techniques were considered and a matrix was developed to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each. The technique selected utilized wireline to install a through-tubing expandable hanger assembly in the tubing pup joint above the SCSSV, with tubular extensions to "hold open" the flapper. The internal bore of the tubular extensions served as a conduit for the conveyance of the intervention tools required to be deployed deeper into the wellbore. This technique was successfully applied to two different wells to achieve the desired results. The technique described in this paper for locking open a SCSSV is not limited to the monobore completion scenario with no available nipple profile. It is suitable for use on any SCSSV, regardless of the completion type or environment. This technique may prove to be a beneficial alternative when conventional lock open tools are not available or prove problematic in their application.