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To: Texan Tory; CMailBag
Why not connect pipe to the well and relieve the pressure by allowing the oil rise to the surface and into waiting ships?”

It isn't a dumb question, but there is a simple answer.

BY LAW, when an OIL WELL has a BLOWOUT, it has to be capped and cannot be used for OIL PRODUCTION.

This does not mean they can't drill ANOTHER well, into the same reservoir.

BUT, they definitely are not allowed to use BUSTED UP EQUIPMENT in production.

This well is DAMAGED. The CASING below the sea floor ruptured (two months before the FIRE).

The BOP assembly is TILTED, and there were structural failures up and down the five stories tall framework and piping. The seafloor around the BASE of the BOP has been compromised.

Just because they were able to add ANOTHER BOP to the top of the OLD ONE, and get the flow temporarily stopped doesn't mean the WELLHEAD/BOP ASSEMBLY is safe. It means the opposite.

More weight has been added to the top of the whole thing, making it even more unstable. They have added anchor cables, but you can only do so much (especially when your anchors are tied to same unstable seafloor).

160 posted on 07/19/2010 9:07:06 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (The Last Boy Scout)
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To: Texan Tory; CMailBag

Imagine it this way.

A drunk driver runs into the utility pole next to your house. The pole is splintered and bent at the point where the car hit it, and the whole pole is leaning at a slight angle. There are three transformers on it which are now useless because the wires broke.

SO..... do you add three more transformers to the top of the pole, and call it good? Would you want that next to your house?

BTW, after the RELIEF WELL pumps cement in to the bottom of the well and seals it, the entire BOP assembly will be removed, and taken to the surface to be torn down to find out why the Shear ram didn’t close all the way.

Then a cap will be placed on the floormount flange (the top of the casing) where the BOP used to be mounted.


161 posted on 07/19/2010 9:15:02 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (The Last Boy Scout)
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To: UCANSEE2
The BOP assembly is TILTED

Please verify with before and after pics!
168 posted on 07/19/2010 4:11:37 PM PDT by RushingWater
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