BHP Billiton Joins Marine Well Containment Co.

The Marine Well Containment Company (MWCC) announced that BHP Billiton has joined as a member.

"BHP Billiton, which has producing assets and a significant acreage position in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, has elected to join the Marine Well Containment Company," said Marty Massey, MWCC chief executive officer. "Our growing membership is taking a leadership role in improving industry response capabilities in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico."

J. Michael Yeager, chief executive of BHP Billiton Petroleum, said, "Marine Well Containment Company is an important industry effort that allows us to demonstrate that we have the necessary tools readily available to quickly respond to a subsea well control incident. While we don’t expect to ever have to use the equipment, we believe it is our responsibility to be prepared."

Other MWCC members include ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Shell, BP, Apache and Anadarko.

System equipment and services will be available to members and non-members. Non-members will be able to enter into agreements for access to the MWCC system on a per well fee basis.

The company’s interim containment system is ready for deployment today and is capable of operating in a water depth of 8,000 feet and processing up to 60,000 barrels of fluid per day. Work is also underway to expand the system to operate in a water depth of 10,000 feet and process up to 100,000 barrels of fluid per day, with components to be delivered in 2012.