Gulf Coast Oil Spill

[Guba]

Captain, when it comes to undersea drilling, what I know about deepwater drilling hardware is pretty much only what I've learned since this spill occurred. I have a question and I trust your experience and expertise. I understand that most of the oil is spilling from the riser which is bent with one end lying broken on the ocean floor. If I'm not mistaken, about 15 percent is coming from the BOP or its connection to the riser.

Here's the question: Is there any way the riser can be removed from the BOP and another shutoff device (essentially another BOP or something like the "christmas tree" we see on land based blowouts) could be affixed to the existing BOP? Does that technology exist, and if it doesn't, what would it take to create it? Any perspective you could provide would be appreciated.

 

[OldNSalty]

Jezus!!!! Just watch "Who Killed The Electric Car"

The technology "IS" available we as a society are just too complacent to care because all most of us care about is sitting our fat arses on the couch and watching the newest "Lost" episodes. It is time to wake the hell up and demand more from our governing bodies and leaders! I suspect nothing will change until it is too late......Money and power rules all..... Sad but true.

Wait a freekin minute! There is a new episode of Lost coming on?!? Let me put down the dumb-bells and turn off the news.

 

[captain]

Captain, when it comes to undersea drilling, what I know about deepwater drilling hardware is pretty much only what I've learned since this spill occurred. I have a question and I trust your experience and expertise. I understand that most of the oil is spilling from the riser which is bent with one end lying broken on the ocean floor. If I'm not mistaken, about 15 percent is coming from the BOP or its connection to the riser.

Here's the question: Is there any way the riser can be removed from the BOP and another shutoff device (essentially another BOP or something like the "christmas tree" we see on land based blowouts) could be affixed to the existing BOP? Does that technology exist, and if it doesn't, what would it take to create it? Any perspective you could provide would be appreciated.

Cutting the riser off the BOP is what is being done now to install the top hat. Installing a second BOP presents a problem in fastening it to the existing BOP. I don't believe the ROV's have welding capability and trying to get a connection that could handle the well head pressure without welding may be the limiting factor although it is being considered.

This is about a week old but it is something you haven't seen on TV, at least I haven't.Why not I don't know.

Kent Wells Tech Update - 24 May 2010

 

[sschlesi]

This is about a week old but it is something you haven't seen on TV, at least I haven't.Why not I don't know.

Kent Wells Tech Update - 24 May 2010

Obviously it's not on TV because BPs credibility has been shredded. No one wants to air BPs propaganda. Plus an enraged public is much more likely to watch the news than a placated public, so why show something that might make people feel a little less angry about this situation.

I have no doubt that BP is now trying as hard as they can to stop the oil.

I'm still shocked at how such wells were allowed to be built when no one in the world is prepared to handle such an accident. Pretty much everything they have done to stop/contain the leak has NEVER been tried before.

There will be plenty of political hay to be made in beating up on oil companies in the next couple years. Hopefully it results in a system of regulation that doesn't pander to the oil companies. Emergency procedures should be documented and simulated in similarly harsh conditions before a well is drilled. It is always going to be very difficult to deal with a situation like this, but it would be MUCH less difficult if any of these techniques had been tried in similar conditions before.

I think any well in a "difficult" environment should be required to have a relief well in place before beginning oil production. Industry will whine that it costs too much, but I suspect that the cost that BP pays when this is all said and done will be more than drilling relief wells on all their "difficult" wells. And the dollar cost to BP is only going to be a small fraction of the real cost to the people and environment of the gulf and the world.

 

[captain]

Obviously it's not on TV because BPs credibility has been shredded. No one wants to air BPs propaganda. Plus an enraged public is much more likely to watch the news than a placated public, so why show something that might make people feel a little less angry about this situation.
.

Just as I said, keep the public stupid so they can be manipulated

 

[widget]

I have sort of been following this on the TV news and the WWF website, I kind of liked this article there, but there are other good ones if you do a search.

WWF - Government Relations and Policy - Reports from the Gulf

As an aside and totally unrelated to the article, the WWF director was just a few hours ago on tv saying the increase in dead oiled marine birds found on the beach is growing daily, and is now up into the high hundreds. Washed up dead marine animals / mammals are also increasing.

The sad part is they suggest this is really just the tip of the ice berg, as, obviously, not all animals affected by the oil, die and get washed up on the beach to be accounted for.

It just makes me sad, really it dos.!

 

[shoredivr]

Hmmmmm.

The Oil Drum | Lessons Left Unlearnt From 2003 Gulf of Mexico Near-Spill

 

[captain]

I'm still shocked at how such wells were allowed to be built when no one in the world is prepared to handle such an accident. Pretty much everything they have done to stop/contain the leak has NEVER been tried before.

Don't be shocked, the environmental movement shut down drilling on land and shallow water so the only place left was deep water. It is a hell of a lot easier to deal with a blowout on land or in shallow water when the BOP is above the surface and not 5000' deep. The environmental groups won't get any sympathy from me when they start crying about this, they are part of the cause. They wanted to be able to stand on the beach and not see oil rigs, well they got that and more.

 

[OldNSalty]

Don't be shocked, the environmental movement shut down drilling on land and shallow water so the only place left was deep water. It is a hell of a lot easier to deal with a blowout on land or in shallow water when the BOP is above the surface and not 5000' deep. The environmental groups won't get any sympathy from me when they start crying about this, they are part of the cause. They wanted to be able to stand on the beach and not see oil rigs, well they got that and more.

I think your logic is a little flawed (I'm not a member of any group-environmental or otherwise). I think they, the dirty stinking hippies, would like it if we didn't drill anywhere. Just because they didn't have enough influence to stop deep water drilling but have been able to stop near shore drilling does not make this in any way their fault. The oil companies (all-not just BP), the government and ultimately us the consumer are to share in the blame (but BP wins the lions share of this blame) IMO.

 

[Kingpatzer]

It is a hell of a lot easier to deal with a blowout on land or in shallow water

How long did the blowout in the Med take to shut down? That was 250' deep. Or is 250' not shallow either?