Update on Riser Insertion Tube Tool progress

Deepwater Horizon Incident ^ | May 16, 2010 11:45:16 CST

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

ROBERT, La. - The Unified Area Command for the response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill continues to advance multiple subsea options to contain and ultimately stop the flow of oil from the MC 252 well in the Gulf of Mexico.

Overnight the Riser Insertion Tube Tool was successfully tested and inserted into the leaking riser, capturing some amounts of oil and gas. The oil was stored on board the Discoverer Enterprise drill ship 5,000 feet above on the water's surface, and natural gas was burned through a flare system on board the ship.

The test was halted temporarily when the tube was dislodged. While this is disappointing, it is not unexpected given the challenging operating environment.

Technicians have fully inspected the system and have re-inserted the tool.

The tool is fashioned from a 4-inch pipe and is inserted into the leaking riser, from which the majority of the flow is coming. While not collecting all of the leaking oil, this tool is an important step in reducing the amount of oil being released into Gulf waters.

The procedure - never attempted before at such depths - involves inserting a 5-foot length of the specifically-designed tool into the end of the existing, damaged riser from where the oil and gas is leaking. In a procedure approved by federal agencies and the Federal On Scene Coordinator, methanol will also be flowed into the riser to help prevent the formation of gas crystals, known as hydrates. Gas and oil will then flow to the surface to the Discoverer Enterprise drillship.

The Enterprise has the capability to separate the oil, gas and water mixture safely and eventually store or offload the recovered oil onto another vessel.

We will continue to provide updates as they become available.

For information about the response effort, visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.

[Bryanw92]

You’ve got a point. There won’t be any Exxon Valdez style footage of goo-coated birds flopping and twitching on black, oily beaches. So, the media is just showing the old footage and asking people to imagine the entire Gulf coast looking like that—even thought it won’t.

[True Republican Patriot]

BP is NOT only a major contributor to OBOZO HUSSEIN’S Fraudulent Campaign, but BP in addition has and had been running those blanket Advertisements on TV and in the Media touting OBOZO’S Leftwing Communist GREEN ENERGY Programs!Worth additional Tens of Millions of Dollars and no telling how much under the table Chicago Facilitaing Payments...;-(.

[Carley]

The msm kind of in a bind here. Too much emphasis on the damage and their hero gets blame for his inaction.

By now they’re all wishing this would just go away.

[Doe Eyes]

Too much emphasis on the damage and their hero gets blame for his inaction.

What damage?

I keep reading this leak is less significant than natural oil seepage.

[chooseascreennamepat]

“Here’s a question: Why don’t they put a concentric reducer, or in this case, a concentric increaser, at the end of the 4” pipe and at least make the “gathering” end larger?”

That is my question also. By using a much smaller tube, it, by my estimates, increases the pressure on the smaller tube making the likelihood of a pressure blowout greater.

[chooseascreennamepat]

“I keep reading this leak is less significant than natural oil seepage.”

But the natural sources dump significantly less per site that this one (my guess from what I have heard). But the seabed has thousands of these ‘seeps’.

[prisoner6]

That still makes the most sense to me. However it is in deep water with LOTS of pressure/ But why nhot a larger tuboe overtop, then slowly reduce the size of the outer tube?

Maybe the hydrate problem again.

[Yo-Yo]

has to accomodate pressures. think of how you would use a straw when sucking on some fluid from a container.

The combination of the oil being under pressure and being lighter than water should make the oil rise up in the outter sleeve just like flue gasses up a chimney.

[JohnBovenmyer]

Still no excuse for not having some plan ready to go on day one.

There was an official government plan ready. Burn off the spill right above the source with fire booms. It had been in place, pre-approved for instant use years ago. It was capable of handling spills larger than this, at least if weather conditions allowed it. However our brilliant federal government never got around to buying the physical fire booms required. So it deployed what it had instead, fiery rhetoric.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

I would like to hear more about the Fed's plan with Fire Booms,...including knowing what the heck they are.

[Eyes Unclouded]

Don’t put words in my mouth. Federal Government is much more to blame than BP for this disaster. The entire system failed the citizens of the gulf.

[JohnBovenmyer]

would like to hear more about the Fed's plan with Fire Booms

Check out this thread and the story to which it links.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks,...another thread of interest:

Threading the needle at the Deepwater Horizon BP oil spill site

[antivenom]

400-plus Oil Projects Illegally Approved by Salazar Without Permits to Harm Endangered Whales

SAN FRANCISCO - The Center for Biological Diversity today filed a formal notice of intent to sue Interior Secretary Ken Salazar for ignoring marine-mammal protection laws when approving offshore drilling operations in the Gulf of Mexico.

Since Salazar took office, the Department of the Interior has approved three lease sales, more than 100 seismic surveys, and more than 300 drilling operations without permits required by the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act that are designed to protect endangered whales and other marine mammals from harmful offshore oil activities.

"Under Salazar's watch, the Department of the Interior has treated the Gulf of Mexico as a sacrifice area where laws are ignored and wildlife protection takes a backseat to oil-company profits," said Miyoko Sakashita, oceans director for the Center.

LINK below

http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2010/marine-mammals-05-14-2010.html

[antivenom]

Federal Government is much more to blame than BP for this disaster. The entire system failed the citizens of the gulf.

Makes person just CLAMOR for some "good regulation" that the government has shared with is lately... SUGGESTION anyone...any ideas for a list of good federal oversight and or regulation???? SALAZAR and his "Merry Mess Makers" allowed the ball to drop...they weren't even in the room when it was tossed to them....

[Truth29]

"That is my question also. By using a much smaller tube, it, by my estimates, increases the pressure on the smaller tube making the likelihood of a pressure blowout greater."

Similar question. If the 4 inch pipe constricts the flow at the end of the riser, wouldn't it increase the pressure back at the leaking BOP and increase the flow there?

[PA Engineer]

I keep searching for some dresser couplings we used years ago. I am surprised that no thought was given prior to drilling of having a robotically installed coupler with a hot valve. Just a thought. The technology is there, but I suspect the cost for a worse case scenario was too high, or imagination for the worst case was too low.

All my experience was onshore, however the coupling and valve work should hold up well to the depths involved (and without the flames or risk of explosion). I suppose there may be robotic shortcomings.

I would be grateful to any Freepers who are familiar with current offshore drilling methods to bring me somewhat up to date. Thanks.