BP's Deepwater Oil Spill - the Testing Continues - and Open Thread

The Oil Drum ^ | 17 JUL 2010 | Heading Out

[profgoose]

At this morning's press briefing, Kent Wells of BP reported that pressures have now reached 6,745 psi, and are building at about 2 psi per hour. BP is estimating ultimate pressure will be around 6,800 psi. While this is not as high as originally expected, there are several reasonable explanations for this lower pressure reading, including the possibility that the well is now somewhat depleted, and therefore has lower pressure.

BP seems to be encouraged by the results. Mr. Wells said several times, "We are encouraged that we have integrity," and "We find no evidence of lack of integrity."

[justa-hairyape]

Reports on the Oil Drum are that they were trying to collect some of that gas leaking from one of the Well Head Cement Ring Bleeder Lines down at the base. They were having difficulties. They need to find out what is leaking. That is the most important piece of information they can acquire over the next 24 hours. IMHO.

[BOBTHENAILER]

A truly educated take on the pressure drop. Thanks for posting and hopefully giving the “Doomsday Drama Queens” something to think about.

[Marine_Uncle]

And that lower leak could be a good explaination why the 2psi increase has been reduced somewhat.
And that could be problematic as you are well aware. Sure strange all the feeds are off.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Interesting that all the feeds are now blacked out, except for one or two, as of the last two hours or so."

Probably because there is not much for the submersibles to do, other than a couple to monitor things. You don't keep expensive equipment like that "at depth" unless they are actively working.....too many things to go wrong.

[Wonder Warthog]

“But oil spills stop the normal process because the oil combines with sediment and it leads to an accumulation of arsenic in the water over time,” he said. “Arsenic only needs to be a 10th of a part per billion to cause problems.”

Hey, joe. Guess what keeps the OIL from combining with the SEDIMENTS. Those nasty, evil old DISPERSANTS, that's what. The dispersants keep the oil in solution and suspension, and prevent such combination. So this looks like another place where the use of dispersants was A GOOD THING.

[Marine_Uncle]

Agree. But they could have a few showing what they are doing at the seabed floor regarding the leak in one of the lower valves within the lower subsea floor casement. Then again, maybe they are doing nothing in that regards. The last statement was not meant as negative. Maybe they have to obtain a new valve or valve gasket etc., before any repair can be started.

[Mr. Lucky]

You’re referring to the Muslim-in-Chief, right?

[justa-hairyape]

ROV feeds are working fine for me. Just got back from dinner and they appear to be fine. I first go to this page below, which seems to be somewhat stable in the browser now. Then sometimes go to the BP feeds to get better resolution and open multiple large displays.

Multple BP Gulf Oil Spill Live Webcam

Skandi 1 has been parked down at the bottom of the BOP at the wellhead showing a closeup at the leaking Bleeder Line. They are playing a little trick with it however. The line they are showing is only the occasional leaker. The main leaker is the next one in the back and the angle they have obscures it. I think anyways. Skandi 2 has been showing the Three Ram Stack but not a clear image of the exit ports to determine if they stopped the test. There are 8 to 9 others online with feed.

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks JAHA. I'll give your video links a try. The link I had been using was good until tonight.

[justa-hairyape]

So that is who JAHA is. Was wondering who you were referring to yesterday.

[justa-hairyape]

Oly Rov 1 on that link, was actually Oly Rov 2 last night on the BP pages, but it is showing some weird stuff on the seafloor right now. Looks like a cow head skeleton and some weird patterns in the sea bed.

[Marine_Uncle]

J (Just) A (a) H (Hairy) A (APE) heheh. heheh. New feeds are much better then the BP site I was using. Hopefully they will get this little problem fixed soon. I hope they continue the tests for a while. Fix this leak. See if the 2psi creeps up a few psi and they exceed 7Kpsi readings.
I am convinced those original 9K readings where not a good profile of this well.

[justa-hairyape]

Anything is possible at this point. Almost like a nightmare that never ends.

[Marine_Uncle]

Perhaps once this leak is fixed and if the system holds up the bottom kill will end this mess. But I do feel really bad for all the folks that are being put out of work and simply feel left down at this point. And of course all the wildlife that have been gooed up by oil and suffer or eventually die.
And I feel sorry for us all if the goons in DC will have their way and shut down all deep water drilling off our coasts. The Saudi do plan on slowly cutting back their productions. The other ME countries could follow their lead, and figure why piss away their only resource so quickly.
With two years plus before a potential revival of energy policy could attempt to regain all the loses, we are heading deeper into the doo doo. I'll leave it go at that.

[justa-hairyape]

We have been fighting a regional war for oil for a few decades now. Kuwait, Iraq, etc.. Looks like it will only be escalating the way things are going. The irony is that if they shut down US Deep Water, then we will have Chavez, Castro and the Chinese drilling in the region. Do you think those yahoos will give us live feeds for underwater ROVs during their spills ? The future of the GOM and Caribbean Ocean regions looks bleak if that is the path we take. Also found out an interesting bit of trivia. When Mexico lost control of their GOM Ocean platform in 1979, divers finally got access to the underwater BOP, closed the valves, and blew out the BOP.

[Marine_Uncle]

It is close to my bedtime. Gotta work the next few days, early shifts. But just to add a pinch to your statements which I agree in full with. I for one always include the geopolitical issues regarding, we basically have dislodged the Russians from their former influence in the ME significantly. It is an important part of the whole equation. Sure they still have hold on Syria and Iran, but the area for so long has been extremly important regarding energy resources.
One irony regarding your statement on the chinks moving into Cuban waters to drill. They announced well over a year ago their intent to do so. And I for one made a similar statement as you just did. They could really f*** up the Keys with a few bad spills. And within the geo affect the east coast much more drastically then what was predicted from this spill. As of today it was announced a Spanish drilling company will be soon setting up shop in the Cuban waters. Forget now where I read it.
I'll be on FR for a little while longer then have to hit the sack. If I don't hear from ya, do have a great upcoming day.

[justa-hairyape]

Agree with all that.

Skandi 2 has a good view of the bottom of the BOP stack. There is an ROV there right now that no one can identify. Never shows a feed. No name. I am guessing it is the Gmans Squiddy. Might be trying to collect the gas sample.

See ya.

[Marine_Uncle]

"Gman;s Squiddy."
Very applicable. Good night.

[mojitojoe]

BS

[Wonder Warthog]

Yeah, just like all the toxicological data and real-time measurements of the actual concentrations of the various toxics and supposed-toxics are "BS". At least in your mind.

Note how all the stuff you post are completely devoid of actual DATA. Y'know the stuff that comes from actual MEASUREMENTS.