Posted on 05/25/2010 8:55:12 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
The next attempt to shut off the flow from the leaking BP well in the Gulf is still aimed to occur early Wednesday. The attempt will use the “top kill” method to try and kill the well. While I have described this in earlier posts, the Unified Command have put out a video animation of the process, and there was an earlier diagram. So I am going to use these, which are simplified explanations, with some additional comments and tie it in to more facts that came out of briefings today, to try and give a more detailed explanation. Here is the animation:
(scroll up for animation)
Before the process could begin, however, it was necessary to significantly modify the blow-out preventer (BOP) that sits on the top of the well. For those interested (its a bit like watching one of the operations on the space station) BP has assembled a short (5 minute) selection of the video footage of the various steps. When watching it, you should bear in mind that the ROV’s carrying out the different steps have to operate in a relatively crowded environment.
(Excerpt) Read more at theoildrum.com ...
couldnt they drill a hole next to it and drop a bomb down to collapse the hole?
I know I’m really late to the party (just making a fashionable entrance) but what caused the original blowout?
As long as this pressure exceeds that in the well, the net result will then be that the mud begins to push the oil and gas back down the well, and the well fills up with mud. The weight of that mud should then be enough to exert a pressure on the bottom of the well that is enough to exceed the fluid pressure in the rock and therefore stabilize the well and stop the flow of fluid out. Cement can then be pumped into the well to seal the top end. (Or with the flow stopped, another BOP can be put on the well to seal it). The main worry is that the hole in the top of the BOP is small enough to contain the additional flow volumes, and not allow the entire flow to escape upwards rather than being forced down the well. The higher flows might, in addition, if they do exit the riser, further erode the openings. This could increase the oil flow, as it lowers the resistance. (If this happened then the LMRP will be deployed).
There are, however, a number of caveats to this operation. If the pressure in the well gets too high it can cause fractures in the rock at the bottom of the well, and this can cause the mud in the well to flow into the rock, rather than sitting in the well holding the pressure against the oil pressure.
There are also concerns with the condition of the bottom of the well, and whether this will have any impact on the flow of mud back down to the well and in sealing it.
Somebody remind me again why we have to drill underwater when we have all this land in Alaska with HUGE oil reserves under it?
Oh thats right- Juan McLame told us we have to keep it “pristine” ...so we can gaze at its virginal beauty or something, I dunno.
That’s why we bought Alaska, right? so we can look at it?
Not certain, other than it’s somehow Bush’s fault.
Seriously? Nobody knows? It just kinda happened?
IIRC, a high pressure methane surge up the pipe. Somebody here will know for sure, though.
Couldn’t they just stuff Harry Ried down in the whole and be done with it?
I don’t see why they are even bothering. Every armchair petroleum engineer knows the only solution is to nuke the well.
They are not talking about being able to extract 500,000 BPD from this ONE WELL for the next decade+! That’s why!
It FARTED????
Harry’s dense enough, but doesn’t hold up well under pressure.
Blame Gaia, that flatulent bit*h...
Yes. Exactly. Next to a decorative candle floating in the tub.
This aint a party darlin
For perspective, I'm told US oil daily oil consumption is @21 million BPD, and the world uses @86 Million BPD.
or all the botox Pigosi has used in the last six months.
U.S. oil drilling regulator ignored experts' red flags on environmental risks
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