Oct 27, 2026
How real-time monitoring helped rig teams resolve BOP control system issues before they became downtime or compliance risks
Aquila Engineering's RTOC flagged four BOP control system issues during live operations: a valve functioned from the wrong panel, two hydraulic leaks, and a slow pressure decay on an inactive pod. Each was caught early, escalated clearly, and resolved with the rig team. Here's what happened and what each case teaches.
we walk through four real cases from Aquila's Real-Time Operations Center (RTOC). Each one started with a small signal in the BOP control system data: an out-of-sequence function, a fluid leak, a pressure trend that didn't look right. None of these were dramatic on their own. What mattered was spotting them in time and getting the right information to the right people onboard. We've grouped the cases into three themes: getting function testing right, tracing hydraulic leaks to their source, and keeping the backup pod ready.
BOP pressure and function testing is only as good as the sequence it follows. During a round of BOP pressure and function testing, our RTOC team noticed that the LOK valve had been functioned from the wrong control panel.
Because the team was closely tracking the BOP control system in real time, the missed function was caught as it happened. The onboard Aquila Field Service Engineer (FSE) was notified immediately, before operations had moved too far ahead.
Timing mattered here. By the time of the alert, the Yellow Pod had already been selected for shear ram testing. With the information in hand, the rig team:
Why it matters: a function performed from the wrong location may look complete, but it doesn't meet the test requirement. Catching it in real time turned what could have become a compliance risk into a quick correction.
A leak in the BOP control system rarely announces where it's coming from. Two cases from this period show how early detection and focused troubleshooting shortened the path to a fix.
LIC valve "open" circuit:
During routine monitoring, RTOC identified BOP control fluid leaking at the LIC valve "open" ROV receptacle. The Senior Subsea was notified straight away, and troubleshooting began.
By identifying the leak early and coordinating directly with the subsea team, Aquila helped prevent potential non-productive time (NPT) during critical path operations.
Upper outer choke valve:
After a set of function tests, RTOC saw an increased depletion rate and pump cycle frequency on the rig control system, consistent with a known DCU issue. The subsea team confirmed they were already aware and watching the trend.
RTOC kept analyzing the data. When the depletion rate and pump cycle behavior were confirmed as abnormal, the finding was escalated to the rig team. That fast notification let the team move straight into investigation instead of losing time chasing uncertainty.
The investigation traced the leak to the upper outer choke valve open circuit, which was preventing the valve from functioning closed. Aquila Engineering issued a Statement of Fact (SoF) for regulatory submission, allowing operations to continue with the valve held in the open position.
Why it matters: in both cases, trend data pointed the team toward the right part of the system early. Less time was spent on non-productive troubleshooting, and operations stayed compliant.
The inactive pod is easy to overlook, because nothing is running through it. But if it's ever selected, it has to perform at full capacity.
During routine monitoring, RTOC observed a slow pressure decay on the BOP manifold pilot of the Yellow Pod, the inactive pod at the time. Pilot pressure was reading 83 psi and had decayed multiple times over the previous 24 hours. The Subsea Engineer was notified via Teams, along with the onboard Aquila FSE.
Continued monitoring confirmed the trend was abnormal. The pilot had also been adjusted multiple times, so RTOC escalated to make sure the rig team understood the recurring pattern and what it could mean for pod reliability.
The rig team acted quickly, adjusting the manifold regulator and restoring Yellow Pod pilot pressure to its normal operating range.
Why it matters: a single adjustment can hide a repeating problem. Seeing the pattern over 24 hours, not just one reading, is what allowed the team to fix the cause and keep the offline pod deployment-ready.
None of these four cases began as a major event. A valve functioned from the wrong panel, a leaking receptacle, a rising pump cycle rate, a pilot pressure that kept drifting: each was a small signal in the data. What made the difference was catching it early, understanding what the trend meant, and communicating it clearly to the FSE, subsea and rig teams onboard. That combination of real-time monitoring and close coordination is how Aquila RTOC helps operators reduce NPT, stay compliant, and keep their BOP systems reliable and ready.
