Discovery of second pipe in Deepwater Horizon riser stirs debate among experts

The Times-Picayune ^ | July 9, 2010 | David Hammer

[Natural Born 54]

For the first time Friday, the Coast Guard and BP acknowledged that a mysterious second pipe, wedged next to the drill pipe in what remains of the Deepwater Horizon's riser, is fouling up the works where the well is spewing hundreds of millions of gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico.

(snip)

While Allen said he believes the second pipe fell from above, some experts have advanced another explanation. They believe poorly cemented casings -- tubes that are supposed to form solid walls down thousands of feet of the well bore -- may have been dislodged by the blast of natural gas that shot up out of the well and above the sea floor.

(snip)

The Coast Guard's acknowledgement of the two metal tubes Friday -- and a subsequent reference by BP to its plans to tie the two pipes together as the company installs a new oil collection system over the shaved-off riser -- actually comes more than a month after the Department of Energy noted the existence of two pipes using special imaging technology. At the time, BP dismissed the Energy findings as "impossible" because only one pipe in sections was used for drilling, a Tribune News Service story reported last month.

[UCANSEE2]

If you are interested in the current steps being used to SEAL the wellhead off, here is a complete ANIMATION of exactly what they are doing.

http://bp.concerts.com/gom/sealingcapinstallationanimationwithkentwells070910.htm

If you watch this video, you will end up knowing MORE about the current efforts than 99% of FREEPERS, or the General Public.

[UCANSEE2]

I dont’ think Obama has been in politics for 20 years.

[UCANSEE2]

They were dismissing the idea that the 2nd pipe came up from the well. They believe it is part of the broken pipe from above when the drilling rig sank.

It isn't TWO DIFFERENT PIPES. It is the SAME Pipe, but broken into sections. One section fell down beside the other and jammed into place. The only reason the 'ends' of the pipes (that were sticking out) are 'even' is because they were cut off by GIANT DIAGONAL CUTTERS.

[cpdiii]

If the oil is reaching the surface around the backside of the casing, wouldn’t that indicate a significant casing breach at the lowest levels? The flow path of the product has been eroding and flushing huge amounts of sedimentary soils up to the ocean bottom. Is there enough mud on the planet to effectively fill this void and choke off the flow? I appreciate your hard-earned insights on this matter

NO. It is flowing around the backside (i.e. outside of the casing) and this is a result of a bad cement job at the level of the production strata. The top of the casing most assuredly no longer has integrity. This would be at the level of the casing hanger that is just below the BOP stack.

Yes the formation will be somewhat eroded but when you consdier the flow rate is 69 barrels a minute (based on worst case estimates of 100,000 a day production) the erosion will not be that major around the casing. However, any constrictins in the BOP stack and around the casing hanger will not have any integrity. High speed sand will cut steel like butter given sufficient velocity. In effect at this moment there are no constrictions in the hole. This is basically open flow. Yes there is enough kill mud to do this. If BP hits the right zone in the production formation (and they will) they can kill the well. If the downhole casing is compromised they will need to kill it twice i.e. oustide the casing and inside the casing.

[ArmstedFragg]

Check out the Skandi One video feed. Great shot of the cap and riser uniting.
http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/incident_response/STAGING/local_assets/html/Skandi_ROV1.html

[pingman]

Thanks for the details; glad it didn’t happen on my watch!

[al baby]

not since he made his last daughter

[ArmstedFragg]

CAP ON !!!!

[SE Mom]

It APPEARS...the oil flow has stopped!!!

Shep was just showing it live on FOX.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the ping....

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The oil is flowing out of the perforation on the pipe that is now on top...to see it the middle far right of the akamai feeds shows it.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Whoops one below that...the Skandia neptune RV 2 shows it pretty clearly.

[nikos1121]

I’m quoting a BP official. If they cap the leak, all the better. But, he said the first stage would be to reduce the leak, capture more of the leaking oil, and then shut off the leak completely within the next few weeks.

HIs comnments make sense. Better to promise only what you can deliver, then deliver more than you promised.