Posted on 05/21/2010 10:34:32 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
Author’s Note: I am grateful to the many drilling and completion engineers that consulted with me on this post to arrive at plausible explanations and interpretations of what happened in the final hours on the semisubmersible drilling rig Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico. The analysis that follows is based on these discussions as well as my own 32 years of experience as a geologist working in the oil and gas industry.
It is early in the process of discovering what really happened. Because of the gravity and potential impact of this disaster on the nation and my industry, however, I wanted to provide an early and more investigative perspective than much of what has appeared in the media to date. The risk, of course, is that more information will invalidate some of what follows. I, therefore, wish to clarify that this is a fact-based interpretation of what may have happened on the Deepwater Horizon on April 20, 2010 but, in the end, it is an interpretation. - Art Berman
The blowout and oil spill on the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico was caused by a flawed well plan that did not include enough cement between the 7-inch production casing and the 9 7/8-inch protection casing. The presumed blowout preventer (BOP) failure is an important but secondary issue. Although the resulting oil spill has potentially grave environmental implications, recent efforts to limit the flow with an insertion tube have apparently been effective. Continuous efforts to slow or stop the flow include drilling two nearby relief wells that may intersect the MC 252 wellbore within 60-90 days.
(Excerpt) Read more at theoildrum.com ...
Just bought some BP @44.00 yesterday.
Hopefully Warren Buffet’s “When people hate it, I love it” pans out.
BP: bad well design; didn’t anticipate well pressure zones. Cameron BOP was ordered to BP’s design spec; design pressure exceeded by a factor of 3 min.
When the USG files criminal charges against BP, all hell could break loose.
If they are saying this, it is plausible
Perhaps they should look for evidence of a North Korean torpedo!
I’m still thinking intentional sabotage.
Does C4 work underwater? I’m just sayin’...
I’m still not convinced that this came about as an effort to stop all drilling in the Gulf. All the envirowhackos have to do now for the next 20 years is point to this.
Very early this was pointed out, but not another word about it since, Was it arranged? Or was it an act of war?
1) Lost circulation in the zone...lose mud and you'll lose cement.
2) 3000 feet of drill pipe in the bore.
3) They displaced 8k feet of mud, not just the 5k ft in the riser...severe reduction of hydrostatic pressure when there was doubt of the integrity of the final stage cement job.
If this had been a producing well than MAYBE you would have something to go on. An exploratory that should not have had anything but mud in the riser, no way.
A) An impossible amount of pressure from gas
B) A tremendous amount of pressure from a bomb
C) A tremendous amount of pressure from a torpedo
D) A tremendous amount of pressure from the Sierra Club
I just have a hard time believing that it was a conicidence that a whole bunch of big boys were on board that day. It would mean advance notice to all.....
You're governement will NEVER admit it even if it proves to be the case.
Never been on a drilling rig?
The volume is a trivial calculation and they know how much cement they pumped. On the other hand, I guess you can't see the cement when it reaches the top of the annulus since the BOP's are on the sea bed; and some cement can be lost into the formation down hole while it's being pumped.
Call me cynical, but I wouldn’t doubt it if obama wasn’t behind this is some way to justify taking over the oil companies
I’m still not convinced that this came about as an effort to stop all drilling in the Gulf. All the envirowhackos have to do now for the next 20 years is point to this.
Yes, just like the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl disasters were deliberately caused by environmentalists to shut down the nuclear power industry. These things, like nuclear power and deep sea oil drilling, are safe and not prone to disaster if they are not deliberately sabotaged by environmentalists and other enemies of America’s free-enterprise capitalist system
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