Posted on 05/26/2010 5:07:31 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
KENNER, La.More details emerged Wednesday about a disagreement between employees of rig operator Transocean Ltd. and oil giant BP PLC over how to begin shutting down the well just hours before it exploded in the Gulf of Mexico last month.
Testimony on Wednesday about the disagreement, in a hearing held by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Minerals Management Service, which jointly regulate offshore drilling, was likely to bring increased scrutiny to the decisions BP made aboard the rig the day of the explosion, April 20.
There was also likely to be more focus on whether Transocean should have done more to ensure proper procedures were carried out.
Douglas H. Brown, Transocean's chief mechanic on the Deepwater Horizon rig, said key representatives from both companies had a "skirmish" during an 11 a.m. meeting on April 20. Less than 11 hours later, the well had a blowout, an uncontrolled release of oil and gas, killing 11 workers.
Mr. Brown said Transocean's crew leadersincluding the rig operator's top manager, Jimmy W. Harrellstrongly objected to a decision by BP's top representative, or "company man," over how to start removing heavy drilling fluid and replacing it with lighter seawater from a riser pipe connected to the well head. Such pipes act as conduits between the rig and the wellhead at the ocean floor, and carry drilling fluid in and out of the well.
Removing heavy drilling fluid prior to temporarily sealing up a well and abandoning it is normal, but questions have emerged about whether the crew started the process without taking other precautionary measures against gas rising into the pipe.
It wasn't clear what Mr. Harrell objected to specifically about BP's instructions, but the rig's primary driller, Dewey Revette, and tool pusher, Miles Randall Ezell, both of Transocean, also disagreed with BP, Mr. Brown said.
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
Thank you, Ernest! I like to have my good friend on threads like this with me.
Be sure and find the time for the presentation,...Ken Wells is an excellent presenter....
Thanks for posting that. I wish it had gotten wider distribution when it was released.
Bookmark.
Thanks Ernest, it is the best presentation of the on going situation I’ve seen yet. The real world facts and the media reports don’t mix......sorta like oil and water.
Thanks, GOP_Lady!
That job is reserved for liberals, democrats, anti-capitalists.
Profit is a wonderful thing, providing wealth, jobs, goods and services.
I think thats worth repeating
So do I.
A very good and sensible presentation. Sure hope it works!
Bookmark
SLB BKMRK
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