The containment cap on top of the Macondo blowout in the US Gulf has been pulled the the Transocean drillship Discoverer Enterprise has moved off location after a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) hit the cap.
When it bumped the cap, the ROV inadvertently closed one of the vents that regulate the amount of oil and natural gas flowing up through the system and keep pressure from building, Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen said at a press briefing in Washington.
The closure caused pressure to build in the system and hydrocarbons began bubbling up through the line that is used to inject warm water around the pipe bringing oil to the surface.
The water keeps natural gas hydrate chrystals from forming in the line and clogging it.
Discoverer Enterprise, which was flaring natural gas from the production line, moved off location after the hydrocarbons were spotted due to worries that it could ignite.
Allen said he hopes to rehook the system this afternoon and Helix Energy Solution’s service platform Q4000 continues to flare off about 10,000 barrels per day.
http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article218519.ece
Inadvertantly? BULLiSH I T E