API RP 17W

This recommended practice contains subsea capping stack recommended practices for designing, building, and using, as well as maintaining and testing during storage. This document focuses on:

• Recommended design parameters for subsea capping stacks;
• Guidelines for subsea capping stack operations; and
• Guidelines for storing, preserving, maintaining, and testing a subsea capping stack.

Other important elements of a complete subsea capping stack system that are addressed in this document include:

• documentation requirements;
• competencies of personnel who operate, maintain, and test subsea capping stacks;
• potential unknowns/risks that may be encountered with incident wells that impact the use of a subsea capping stack and relevant contingency procedures; and
• Example procedures for subsea capping stack assembly and testing

This document does not address procedures and equipment downstream of the capping stack. All equipment and operations downstream of the subsea capping stack are considered part of a containment system and are not within the scope of this recommended practice.