Here’s a good article from 2009 about the first of its kind deep water rig (BP). Amazing the difficult conditions and the technology required to overcome it. They are producing lots of oil with no problem at this site (Thunder Horse).
With this recent blow-out, BP and others knew the pressures, etc. but that probably did not get communicated properly. I’m not sure why they would lie about it as it was “common knowledge” in the industry, and would reach the public at some point.
What I AM amazed at, with all of the risk, time, cost and high-technology involved in these huge endeavors, and knowing that this was a problem well (for months), knowing that they had poor casing, a poor blow out preventer, etc. , and then to have the company man say “Do it, that’s what the pinchers (BOP) are for.”
“One of the most obvious challenges for BP was the location of the project (Thunder Horse Project, 2009) in ultra deepwater in a region notorious for both loop currents and the menace of hurricanes. A new generation of drilling rigs, such as the derrick rigs on the Discoverer Enterprise drillship and the PDQ had to be designed for these extremes.
The project also had to deal with reservoir temperatures up to 270º F (132° C), pressures up to 18,000 psi (124 MPa), and reservoir flow rates of up to 50,000 b/d of oil per well.”
Here’s a good article from 2009 about the first of its kind deep water rig (BP). Amazing the difficult conditions and the technology required to overcome it. They are producing lots of oil with no problem at this site (Thunder Horse).
Well, just like criminals ... a criminal company like BP, can "get away with violations" too ... for a while, and then things catch up to them ....