We’re excited to launch Solus™, our unique high-debris single shear and seal ball valve system. Solus™ replaces the traditional two valve shear and seal functionality with just one. It changes the industry’s approach to subsea well intervention and completion with multiple benefits for subsea engineers, completions engineers, and well intervention engineers.
Ideal for in-riser and open water systems, Solus™ is the industry’s first fully NACE MR0175 compliant, fail-close, bi-directional high-debris ball valve system that can shear and seal on braided wireline, slickline, and coiled tubing for complete well control.
We know you’ll want to find out more about Solus™, so we’ve explored some of its key technical advantages that will help reduce the risks, complexities, and costs of your subsea engineering operations management.
Solus™ – the single valve shear and seal solution for subsea well control
Our 15ksi ELSA-HDSS (High Debris Shear and Seal) valve and latch is Expro’s latest advanced equipment technology to incorporate the Solus™ technology. The valve isolates the well during testing or well intervention and ensures a complete liquid and gas seal post-shear of braided wireline, slickline, or coiled tubing for complete well control.
Solus™ forms part of a subsea test tree assembly where its small footprint makes it suitable for operations on 6th and 7th generation drilling rigs that may have smaller-sized BOPs, providing more efficient operations management.
The assembly enables disconnection and reconnection above the shear and seal valve in the event of adverse weather or other operational requirements, ensuring well barriers remain below the subsea drilling BOP’s blind shear ram. The system also offers a means of disconnecting with tension on the latch.
The ball valve is classed as an API Std 17G shear and seal class and is fully validated to shear and seal (liquid and gas) on coiled tubing with the application of control pressure. It’s also validated to shear and seal braided wireline and slickline utilizing the valve’s fail-close spring pack, without application of control pressure.
Solus™ can be operated from direct hydraulic or electro-hydraulic control systems. So far, it’s been commissioned for a new in-riser completions development in the Gulf of Mexico and an open water well decommissioning campaign in the North Sea.
The seal deal
Solus™ ensures bi-directional sealing for liquids and gases even after pump-through or well kill operations. It also delivers a dual seal between the production bore and the environment.
Superior debris flexibility
Qualified with 15% solids ingress, Solus™ offers superior high debris (HD) flexibility. We’ve designed it for situations where high levels of entrained solids and aggressive media are present in completion fluids, such as in reservoir fracturing.
Reliable chemical injection, pressure, and connection
Solus™ enables chemical injection directly into the well stream via a dual sealing/backflow valve arrangement. There are two chemical injection lines with outlets above and below the ball valve.
It provides pressure-containing hydraulic conduits to control tubing hanger/tree cap running tools, tubing hangers, and downhole functions. There are 18 off-through lines for tubing hanger running tool, tubing hanger, and downhole operations.
A single electrical feed-through for downhole functions and electrical wet-mate connectors at the latch interface allows surface readout and disconnection/ re-connection at the latch interface without damaging the electrical lines or losing electrical signal.
There’s plenty more information about Solus™ in our detailed data sheet. But, keeping it simple, it’s ready to revolutionize your subsea well control.
We hosted a webinar to launch Solus™ in March 2026. You can watch the webinar here.
