PDA

View Full Version : Oil well shut down in Gulf of Mexico




Anti Federalist
07-15-2010, 06:18 PM
Confirmed by my sources on scene as well.

Oil stops gushing from BP well for first time

By Steve Gelsi, MarketWatch

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- BP PLC on Thursday managed to stop the flow of crude from its ruptured Gulf of Mexico well for the first time since April 20, when one of its rigs exploded and set off the worst oil disaster in U.S. history.

The shutoff marked the company's first break in nearly three months, during which a relentless stream of oil spewed into Gulf waters and coastal areas following the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion that killed 11 workers.

Using a new containment cap fitted over the weekend, BP shut in the oil to test the strength of the steel casing lining the well. Seismic tests also will be conducted to detect any possible ruptures on the sea floor.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bp-will-try-to-start-test-on-blown-well-2010-07-15?dist=afterbell

ctiger2
07-15-2010, 06:21 PM
YouTube - Massive Hole Spewing Oil Miles Away From Well! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqTwrAu0suI)

Live_Free_Or_Die
07-15-2010, 07:04 PM
Looks like we are in need of a new emergency to keep America entertained and pacified.

HOLLYWOOD
07-15-2010, 07:20 PM
Jack Offs over at MSNBC are headlining.... "BP Oil Well Shut Down FOR NOW... How long will it last?" :rolleyes:

Romulus
07-15-2010, 08:20 PM
I saw Obama with a scuba mask tightening everything up. He did a fantastic job.

Cowlesy
07-15-2010, 08:23 PM
Seriously, thank goodness.

Kotin
07-15-2010, 08:24 PM
I am betting this is some kind of lie or distraction.. Hope I am wrong..

tangent4ronpaul
07-15-2010, 08:25 PM
Catch the Thad Allen briefing. The next 48 hours are critical. They will be doing seismic and sonar testing as they slowly close things down. If pressure drops, that means it sprung a leak under the sea bed - VERY BAD!

-t

Captain Bryan
07-15-2010, 10:17 PM
Cautiously optimistic about this.

TNforPaul45
07-15-2010, 10:21 PM
Confirmed by my sources on scene as well.

Oil stops gushing from BP well for first time

By Steve Gelsi, MarketWatch

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- BP PLC on Thursday managed to stop the flow of crude from its ruptured Gulf of Mexico well for the first time since April 20, when one of its rigs exploded and set off the worst oil disaster in U.S. history.

The shutoff marked the company's first break in nearly three months, during which a relentless stream of oil spewed into Gulf waters and coastal areas following the Deepwater Horizon rig explosion that killed 11 workers.

Using a new containment cap fitted over the weekend, BP shut in the oil to test the strength of the steel casing lining the well. Seismic tests also will be conducted to detect any possible ruptures on the sea floor.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/bp-will-try-to-start-test-on-blown-well-2010-07-15?dist=afterbell

You have sources on-scene at Deepwater Horizon? I guess that's what you meant. If so, very cool.

Since Obama is obviously a Deity, in stead of I AM i call him YES WE CAN. YES WE CAN went down and touched the water with his finger and the oil spill stopped. just like that. ;)

jkr
07-15-2010, 10:56 PM
yeah!
YouTube - THE BEATLES- HERE COMES THE SUN (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6tV11acSRk&feature=related)

jkr
07-15-2010, 11:45 PM
they talked aboot this mf'er in the movie Fuel from a couple a few years ago...bio von diesl!

RonwasRight
07-15-2010, 11:52 PM
YouTube - Grateful Dead 3-24-93 Here Comes Sunshine AUD +SB (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKyJm3ZUZp8)

Eventually I'm gonna figure out how to embed... eventually.

Those old guys could still hold everything together pretty well in 1993... and Jerry's solo is a scorcher.

Number19
07-16-2010, 09:03 AM
What is interesting is that this containment cap is an engineering and production marvel. It did not even exist 90 days ago. About a week after the explosion, engineers began brainstorming a new design for a containment cap to work under the extreme conditions of the blowout. Not only was the cap engineered and designed, it had to be precision tooled and manufactured, and then lowed into position around the well.

This was accomplished in 85 days.

Bruno
07-16-2010, 09:05 AM
What is interesting is that this containment cap is an engineering and production marvel. It did not even exist 90 days ago. About a week after the explosion, engineers began brainstorming a new design for a containment cap to work under the extreme conditions of the blowout. Not only was the cap engineered and designed, it had to be precision tooled and manufactured, and then lowed into position around the well.

This was accomplished in 85 days.

Bravo. They should have engineered it years ago before deep water wells were dug. Had that contaption been sitting on shore in case it was needed, they could have had in place in days, not months.

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 09:11 AM
What is interesting is that this containment cap is an engineering and production marvel. It did not even exist 90 days ago. About a week after the explosion, engineers began brainstorming a new design for a containment cap to work under the extreme conditions of the blowout. Not only was the cap engineered and designed, it had to be precision tooled and manufactured, and then lowed into position around the well.

This was accomplished in 85 days.

There have been a number of engineering feats similar to that over the course of this whole thing.

Some of them I have been lucky enough to have played a small role in.

Frustrating as hell when government "officials" say "well, we did this and we did that and we did so and so". They did shit, is what the truth is, and if it were left up to government, the whole frippin' thing would still be bogged down in committee somewhere, waiting to see what no bid contractor paid the most in campaign cash so they could get the job.

A really Herculean effort went into this and nobody will give a shit.

Too bad, you're watching one of the last few things we still do in this country, die.

Razmear
07-16-2010, 09:12 AM
What is interesting is that this containment cap is an engineering and production marvel. It did not even exist 90 days ago. About a week after the explosion, engineers began brainstorming a new design for a containment cap to work under the extreme conditions of the blowout. Not only was the cap engineered and designed, it had to be precision tooled and manufactured, and then lowed into position around the well.

This was accomplished in 85 days.

Huh???
The new cap was made with off the shelf parts and could have been deployed in the first 10 days IF BP actually had a containment plan like they said they did in order to get the permit to drill in the first place.
I give BP no credit for getting this done in 85 days when it should have been done in 10 or less.
Also, they are now stating that 6000 PSI is the pressure of the leak, not the 100,000 PSI that was being floated around. 6000PSI is a strong flow, but well within the ability of standard solutions to cap the flow.
BP wasted time with Junk Shots and other BS attempts to capture the oil before trying to cap the well. Why would they do that? Free money.
They captured about 25000 barrels a day with skimmers and suction hoses, that's over 160 million dollars of oil they picked off the surface.
But you say, they will be liable for way more than that in damages. Sure, unless they declare bankruptcy or let another oil company buy them out.
BP Deserves no praise for getting this leak plugged after 85 days.

eb

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 09:14 AM
Bravo. They should have engineered it years ago before deep water wells were dug. Had that contaption been sitting on shore in case it was needed, they could have had in place in days, not months.

A nice idea, but not executable.

Each well site is different, and there is no accounting for damage done after a massive blowout like what happened here. It had to be built to fit precisely on a pipe and tree that was damaged and out of spec from the start.

It would be like saying you should have a spare building shell standing by for every building in a city affected by frequent earthquakes.

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 09:20 AM
Huh???
The new cap was made with off the shelf parts and could have been deployed in the first 10 days IF BP actually had a containment plan like they said they did in order to get the permit to drill in the first place.
I give BP no credit for getting this done in 85 days when it should have been done in 10 or less.
Also, they are now stating that 6000 PSI is the pressure of the leak, not the 100,000 PSI that was being floated around. 6000PSI is a strong flow, but well within the ability of standard solutions to cap the flow.
BP wasted time with Junk Shots and other BS attempts to capture the oil before trying to cap the well. Why would they do that? Free money.
They captured about 25000 barrels a day with skimmers and suction hoses, that's over 160 million dollars of oil they picked off the surface.
But you say, they will be liable for way more than that in damages. Sure, unless they declare bankruptcy or let another oil company buy them out.
BP Deserves no praise for getting this leak plugged after 85 days.

eb

Oh, c'mon.

$160 million of contaminated, junk oil that might be salvagable?

VS. $100 million a day for cleanup/containment/recovery costs?

Bruno
07-16-2010, 09:32 AM
A nice idea, but not executable.

Each well site is different, and there is no accounting for damage done after a massive blowout like what happened here. It had to be built to fit precisely on a pipe and tree that was damaged and out of spec from the start.

It would be like saying you should have a spare building shell standing by for every building in a city affected by frequent earthquakes.

I see what you mean, and you have actual experience where I have none, so I am speculating. But it seems that they just bolted it right on the existing flange of the blowout preventer they built.

If they had even seriously considered worse-case scenarios before-hand, a solution would likely have taken a lot less time that this did.

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 10:04 AM
I see what you mean, and you have actual experience where I have none, so I am speculating. But it seems that they just bolted it right on the existing flange of the blowout preventer they built.

If they had even seriously considered worse-case scenarios before-hand, a solution would likely have taken a lot less time that this did.

This was worse case on top of worse case on top of worse case.

Multiple safety systems, both human and mechanical, in place to prevent a blowout like this, failed. You'd go bankrupt trying to plan for that many contingencies on each well or project.

The time delay, you can thank government, there were people who wanted to cut away the damaged riser right from the get go, but since that would have opened the well completely for a period of time, those people were shouted down. BP and government decided to leave the damaged riser in place and try all those other stops first.

While not in the decision making process at that level, that had been my opinion as well, cut the shit away, clear the well head and cap it, regardless of how much leaked once you opened the well bore.

A lot of oil for a few days is better than a little less leaking for months.

Number19
07-16-2010, 10:13 AM
Over 50,000 wells have been successfully drilled in the Gulf over the past 6 decades. That is a lot of man-years worth of experience.

Off shore drilling and production is one of the most heavily government regulated businesses in the U.S. BP fully complied with all dictated requirements.

You want them to altruistically do more? Why? Do you, in your own personal life?

coastie
07-16-2010, 10:17 AM
Oh, c'mon.

$160 million of contaminated, junk oil that might be salvagable?

VS. $100 million a day for cleanup/containment/recovery costs?

And with that, doesn't all the "good stuff" in the oil evaporate pretty quickly when exposed to air?:confused:

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 10:22 AM
Over 50,000 wells have been successfully drilled in the Gulf over the past 6 decades. That is a lot of man-years worth of experience.

Off shore drilling and production is one of the most heavily government regulated businesses in the U.S. BP fully complied with all dictated requirements.

You want them to altruistically do more? Why? Do you, in your own personal life?

None of that matters.

We're (I'm suspecting your in the business in some way or form, hence the "we") now monoliths of evil greed, skinner of puppies and stealers of baby's candy in our spare time.

Decades of work with a minimum or incidents, keeping the lights on for half a century matters not a whit.

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 10:24 AM
And with that, doesn't all the "good stuff" in the oil evaporate pretty quickly when exposed to air?:confused:

Yes, especially in that god forsaken heat in the GoM.

Most of the valuable VOCs "boil off" within hours.

Number19
07-16-2010, 10:32 AM
Another engineering marvel taking place which is getting no detailed coverage, beyond a basic report of progress, is the drilling of the relief well.

There is a legend of the industry in charge of this effort, someone as famous in his own right as Red Adair was back in his day. This man is John Wright, senior vice president of technology of Boots & Coots.

Wright is considered the world's pre-eminant "oil well assassin" and has drilled a record 40 relief wells with 40 successes. Simply put, his responsibility is to hit a 7" target under a mile of water and two miles of rock. His margin of error is 3 1/2".

There is only a small handful of people capable of performing this task and Wright is the best of this elite group.

Bruno
07-16-2010, 10:34 AM
Another engineering marvel taking place which is getting no detailed coverage, beyond a basic report of progress, is the drilling of the relief well.

There is a legend of the industry in charge of this effort, someone as famous in his own right as Red Adair was back in his day. This man is John Wright, senior vice president of technology of Boots & Coots.

Wright is considered the world's pre-eminant "oil well assassin" and has drilled a record 40 relief wells with 40 successes. Simply put, his responsibility is to hit a 7" target under a mile of water and two miles of rock. His margin of error is 3 1/2".

There is only a small handful of people capable of performing this task and Wright is the best of this elite group.

That is very good news to hear!

Number19
07-16-2010, 10:59 AM
Let me scare the bajeezes out of all you ecology freaks. 250 miles SW of Deepwater Horizon, Noble Corporation is drilling 200 miles off Texas' Padre Island for Shell Oil - in 9,650 feet of water. Or more correctly, they were, until Obama's threat of a moratorium.

Number19
07-16-2010, 11:18 AM
...I'm suspecting your in the business in some way or form...Third generation, both sides of the family. My granddad on my Mom's side of the family, worked for Gulf Oil in the East Texas oil fields not long after Spindletop, in the 20's. My granddad on my Dad's side of the family was in Dallas when the Depression hit. A brother-in-law called him and told him to come on down to South Texas - there was work in the oil fields with Humble Oil.

jmdrake
07-16-2010, 11:58 AM
Good news! Now if we can get the government to quick blocking drilling on land *cough* ANWAR *cough* or drilling closer to shore there will be less chances of 5,000 foot deep wells that are difficult to deal with. Of course that's never going to happen. :(

torchbearer
07-16-2010, 01:56 PM
just found out one of my good friends is the crane operator on one of the relief wells.

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 02:35 PM
Third generation, both sides of the family. My granddad on my Mom's side of the family, worked for Gulf Oil in the East Texas oil fields not long after Spindletop, in the 20's. My granddad on my Dad's side of the family was in Dallas when the Depression hit. A brother-in-law called him and told him to come on down to South Texas - there was work in the oil fields with Humble Oil.

That's a rich legacy, no doubt.

coastie
07-16-2010, 02:37 PM
In your opinion(AF)-do you think the relief wells will work?

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 02:38 PM
Let me scare the bajeezes out of all you ecology freaks. 250 miles SW of Deepwater Horizon, Noble Corporation is drilling 200 miles off Texas' Padre Island for Shell Oil - in 9,650 feet of water. Or more correctly, they were, until Obama's threat of a moratorium.

If you're talking about the Perdido project, you are correct, that is no more.

Shut down, most all of the rental fleet and drilling contractors have been released.

One of our vessels was working that project for the past year., they got let go a few weeks ago, and went to work for BP.

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 02:43 PM
In your opinion(AF)-do you think the relief wells will work?

Yes, and it's a really amazing feat of engineering that got them to the point of hitting that well bore the first time, which I believe they are within 50 feet or so of doing.

Once the old hole is penetrated, heavy spike mud will be pumped into the formation at the base of the well, not from top down and that will kill it dead. Once that's done, it's just a matter of cementing up the old well to seal it.

I have, like TB, a source on the DDIII who keeps me updated when I'm at home.

I also keep in touch with my vessel from time to time.

Bruno
07-16-2010, 02:47 PM
Yes, and it's a really amazing feat of engineering that got them to the point of hitting that well bore the first time, which I believe they are within 50 feet or so of doing.

Once the old hole is penetrated, heavy spike mud will be pumped into the formation at the base of the well, not from top down and that will kill it dead. Once that's done, it's just a matter of cementing up the old well to seal it.

I have, like TB, a source on the DDIII who keeps me updated when I'm at home.

I also keep in touch with my vessel from time to time.

Sorry for the probably stupid question - but when they pour down the heavy mud and/or cement mixture, what is to stop it from sliding down the original well bore and having no effect?

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 02:52 PM
Sorry for the probably stupid question - but when they pour down the heavy mud and/or cement mixture, what is to stop it from sliding down the original well bore and having no effect?

It'll be pumped in at the bottom.

The heavy mud works on hydrostatic pressure.

Imagine a straw, 3 miles long, straight up and down.

Now, full that straw with water, and try to blow it out, from the bottom. You wouldn't be able to do it.

Make that fluid heavy enough and a 9 and 7/8 inch casing full of it, 18,000 feet long, could contain tens of thousands of pounds of pressure.

That's what caused this whole mess in the first place, the well wasn't sealed right and the heavy mud was replaced with much lighter sea water before it was sealed properly.

Once it reached a certain point, a blow out was inevitable.

coastie
07-16-2010, 02:56 PM
Yes, and it's a really amazing feat of engineering that got them to the point of hitting that well bore the first time, which I believe they are within 50 feet or so of doing.

Once the old hole is penetrated, heavy spike mud will be pumped into the formation at the base of the well, not from top down and that will kill it dead. Once that's done, it's just a matter of cementing up the old well to seal it.

I have, like TB, a source on the DDIII who keeps me updated when I'm at home.

I also keep in touch with my vessel from time to time.

Awesome. Well, here's to you guys that do this dangerous and remarkably difficult work-thank you.

I was always on "your" side while I was in...too bad those are few and far between in the CG.:mad:

Bruno
07-16-2010, 02:58 PM
It'll be pumped in at the bottom.

The heavy mud works on hydrostatic pressure.

Imagine a straw, 3 miles long, straight up and down.

Now, full that straw with water, and try to blow it out, from the bottom. You wouldn't be able to do it.

Make that fluid heavy enough and a 9 and 7/8 inch casing full of it, 18,000 feet long, could contain tens of thousands of pounds of pressure.

That's what caused this whole mess in the first place, the well wasn't sealed right and the heavy mud was replaced with much lighter sea water before it was sealed properly.

Once it reached a certain point, a blow out was inevitable.

Got it! Thanks for the explanation.

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 03:07 PM
Awesome. Well, here's to you guys that do this dangerous and remarkably difficult work-thank you.

I was always on "your" side while I was in...too bad those are few and far between in the CG.:mad:

My oldest stepson was part of Uncle Sam's Confused Group from 2000 - 2005

My dad was in, oh hell, back in the early 60s, 1960 to 1964 IIRC. He sailed on the old USS Mendota for 2 of those years.

I dealt with USCG on a regular basis, running a towing and salvage business for most of the 1990s.

You guys are my favorite LEOs. :rolleyes: (LolZ at the very left handed compliment)

No, seriously, before 9/11 and all the crap that came afterward, USCG was still more in a lifesaving mode than an enforcement mode, and most of my dealings, from licensing to enforcement to inspections to working together have been positive.

coastie
07-16-2010, 03:15 PM
My oldest stepson was part of Uncle Sam's Confused Group from 2000 - 2005

My dad was in, oh hell, back in the early 60s, 1960 to 1964 IIRC. He sailed on the old USS Mendota for 2 of those years.

I dealt with USCG on a regular basis, running a towing and salvage business for most of the 1990s.

You guys are my favorite LEOs. :rolleyes: (LolZ at the very left handed compliment)

No, seriously, before 9/11 and all the crap that came afterward, USCG was still more in a lifesaving mode than an enforcement mode, and most of my dealings, from licensing to enforcement to inspections to working together have been positive.


Cool. Well, thanks again for all the insider info. Glad you had a positive experience, cant say the same as I've witnessed a lot of "un-positive" things going on while I was in.:(

I have faith in the men working on this, my area (Panama City Beach) hasn't been hit-yet. tar balls here and there, some locals say that's normal, but in the 20 yrs I've lived here, I've NEVER seen any.

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 03:22 PM
Cool. Well, thanks again for all the insider info. Glad you had a positive experience, cant say the same as I've witnessed a lot of "un-positive" things going on while I was in.:(

I have faith in the men working on this, my area (Panama City Beach) hasn't been hit-yet. tar balls here and there, some locals say that's normal, but in the 20 yrs I've lived here, I've NEVER seen any.

Post some of them sometime, if you can and feel like it.

As far as the tar balls, it's possible to run across them anywhere in the GoM.


Releases of oil from naturally occurring seeps on the Gulf of Mexico sea floor amount to over 43 million gallons each year.

140,000 metric tonnes x 7.33 to convert to barrels = 1,026,200 bbls.

1,026,200 x 42 (gallons per barrel) = 43,100,400


[N]ew technologies, particularly remote sensing techniques, have provided better means of natural seep detection and assessment. Studies in parts of the Gulf of Mexico (MacDonald et al., 1993; MacDonald, 1998; Mitchell et al., 1999), using these new technologies, have resulted in an estimated seepage rate for the entire Gulf of Mexico of 140,000 tonnes per year (range of 80,000 to 200,000 tonnes per year).

http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?re...=10388&page=70

http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=247222&highlight=million+gallons+year

coastie
07-16-2010, 03:31 PM
Post some of them sometime, if you can and feel like it.

As far as the tar balls, it's possible to run across them anywhere in the GoM.


http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=247222&highlight=million+gallons+year


I meant more along the lines of the lack of respect/understanding of the CG guys of what our (constitutional)limits were, and a big lack of respect for the public in general. A lot of these guys see it as an "us against them thing", and there's really no one "in the chain" that gives two shits, and probably dont understand it themselves.:mad:

I knew tar balls are a possibility, just saying I've never seen them around here.

I got plenty of "sea stories", another topic, another time though. I'm not "officially" out until Jul 21st, then the cap comes off;)

Anti Federalist
07-16-2010, 04:37 PM
I meant more along the lines of the lack of respect/understanding of the CG guys of what our (constitutional)limits were, and a big lack of respect for the public in general. A lot of these guys see it as an "us against them thing", and there's really no one "in the chain" that gives two shits, and probably dont understand it themselves.:mad:

I knew tar balls are a possibility, just saying I've never seen them around here.

I got plenty of "sea stories", another topic, another time though. I'm not "officially" out until Jul 21st, then the cap comes off;)

4 days and a wake up. :D

coastie
07-16-2010, 04:47 PM
ahh... memories of life on a ship:D