Did you question the day that they stopped showing the live feed to the gusher because the lens was dirty?
That’s been weighing on my mind...though I don’t know why. It just seemed strange.
Did we ever find out why the SWAT teams were sent?
Questions...questions...
I am ignoring all of the rest of the info....
I am simply looking to get a handle on the reservoir pressure....
Based on this Scout Ticket being authetic....
Will work on that tomorrow...
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Whoops....didn't get this posted....
Just a few comments about some things in the post.
Re: Well Pressure
« Reply #2 on May 15, 2010, 10:43pm »
Based on the 14 ppg mud that was in the hole, the the reservoir pressure would be +/- 13,000 psi. The column of oil that is being ejected would give +/ 4,000 psi HSP. The seawater at 5,000 feet would apply 2,000 psi down. So without friction calculation you could reckon on needing to contain about 7,000 psi.
The cooling effect would be minuscule so a temperature about 200 degree F could be expected. The ocean would easily chill that. Within minutes the oil would be at the water temperature.
I know nothing of all this, but it seems to be like trying to investigate aircraft accident where the black boxes have not been found or decoded. Unless and until they can get info on the aircraft’s airspeed, etc. it’s mostly speculation, some of it by those who know what they’re talking about and pretty accurate, but most of it just wild guessing. As with any complicated event there are lots and lots of things going on, some of which are OK but others which are quite distressing. Figuring out which is which takes a while, especially when the pilot is not available to help understand what happened and what was done in response.
And, like most disasters it will probably come down to a few very basic mistakes that were made, each of which compounded another error.
From what we’ve heard so far it really looks like the people doing the work cut corners and took chances. Just like pilots of crashed airplanes are determined to have done. And, just like with air disasters, it’s going to take a long time to work through all the information available and get the facts from those involved.
Unlike with aircraft accidents, there’s not a broad database of facts and figures on similar events to turn to for clues.
Notes from:
Lindsey Williams on Politics 101 w. Dan Gonzales
Topic: Gulf Oil Disaster
Background:
1970's - Russia started drilling exploratory wells 40,230 ft. deep. 310 successfull super deep wells were put into production making Russia the world's largest oil producer up to today. At this depth they found ABIOTIC OIL.
Abiotic oil is formed at the heart of the Earth. It is NOT a fossil fuel. The Russians drilled these wells on dry land; never in the ocean. Modern American Company aka British Petroleum (BP) wanted to compete with Russia.
This brings us to the current disaster... This was an accident. This was NOT an inside job.
The Oil Rig Goes Down:
BP tried drilling one of these super deep wells on an UNANCHORED drilling platform in the Gulf of Mexico. The United States Government issued BP the permits to begin their drilling operation, knowing full well the scope of the operation.
They started drilling 5000 ft below the surface of the gulf, and then another 25,000 to 30,000 ft into the earth; NOT the reported 3800 ft. They hit a strata of oil at such a pressure it burst every safety valve. They unexpectedly hit pressures beyond any human technological containment.
When a new well is put into place, two things are normally reported, but weren't:
1) Flow rate at well head (unknown or not reported)
2) Well Head Pressure (Normal Pressure: 1500 psi like Alaskan rigs)
The well head in the gulf experienced pressures at 20,000-70,000 psi! No oilman has ever seen this type of pressure at a well head.
The safety valve warped under the immense pressure and failed to contain the well. They did not replace it because they knew that no safety valve would work. Industry figures give a low figure of 4 million+ gallons (77,000 barrels) of oil A DAY leak out of the gulf deep well.
Containment:
Every attempt to stop the flow has failed. The only option they have to seal it is to drill an angled well into the existing well and send a nuclear weapon into the leak, detonate it, thus sealing the well. Prep time to make this happen is 3-4 months. However, if it fails, the nuke would rupture the strata and it will never be stopped. The oilmen are scared to resort to this tactic. It is a gamble.
The main pipe was 20 inches in diameter and 2 inches thick of steel. The materials being pushed up through that pipe contain abrasive materials. These abrasive materials have worn down the pipe to 1 inch thick and has ruptured all the way up the pipe from way under the ground, causing seepage. The plumes of oil that BP and the Government denied existing were caused by the erosion of the main pipe. Plumes of oil are seeping up through the sea bed at distances of 20 or more miles away from the main pipe. BP and the Government both now admit to the plumes' existence.
Hidden Danger:
The reddish crude oil is one thing, but the EPA report that Volatile Organic Compounds are being released into the air. The EPA tested the air in Florida this past week and report that the following toxic gasses are being released into the air from the well:
1)Hydrogen Sulfide (toxic, flammable) safe levels: 5-10 ppb tested: 1200 ppb
2)Benzene (toxic, carcinogen) safe levels:0-4 ppb tested: 3000 ppb
3)Methaline Chloride (toxic, flammable) safe levels:61 ppb tested: 3000-3400 ppb
The prevailing winds blow NW to the SE, carrying these toxic gasses over Florida. One hurricane will spread these invisible toxic gasses up the East Coast.
There is concern that a giant gas bubble is forming which could release an exponential amount of these gasses into the atmosphere. However, nobody is talking about this yet.
There is also concern that a release of pressure from the oil chamber could trigger tectonic activity. USGS have reported that around 25 small earthquakes occur around the well on a daily basis. It is certain that the tectonic plates have been affected. If more pressure is released along the N and S faults, major earthquakes could occur. It is suggested to google midplate and deepplate faultlines and see their activity.
does anyone know the inside diameter of the relief well pipe at the bottom where it is to intersect the current well?