3.5 BPM is a little over 5000 BPD. It’s just a guess at any rate but whatever that rate is they need to be able to pump int the well at a higher rate for this to work. The first several hours will be the most critical and they have to be careful so as to not damage anything downhole with overpressure.
My very limited understanding of the situation agrees with your more expert one. There are a couple of POSSIBLE complicating factors:
1. The flow MAY be from the annulus (outside the casing).
AND,
2. If it IS then it MAY be flowing through the “Casing Hanger Packoff.”
3. IF this is true, it will be very difficult to “flow” mud or cement back down that “Packoff,” because ot held positive pressure in testing (it tested poorly under negative pressure).
4. If the mud goes past the leak (under the assumption that the leak is through the casing hanger packoff) it will go down the casing.
5. I believe the casing has a mechanical plug near the bottom. If so, and if the pressure of the mud pushes it out, that COULD add to the flow/pressure from the annulus.
That is a lot of POSSIBLES, and MAYBEs, and I hope they can cope with them if they should happen.
DG
no it s 2.9 million bpd. i red.