If a subsea well is damaged and hydrocarbons are flowing uncontrolled, operators will first try to shut it in by closing the existing blowout preventer.
If that fails, it may decided to deploy a capping stack.
Capping stacks are designed to be able to shut in most wells.
However, in rare cases where a capping stack alone cannot stem the flow of hydrocarbons, the best option might be to use a containment system, which will allow the oil to be flowed to surface, where it can be stored and disposed of.
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