Studies Suggest MMS knew Blowout Preventers had 'Critical' Flaws (Oil Spill)

Christian Science Monitor ^ | 6/17/2010 | Mark Clayton

[jongaltsr]

That was one of the other definations in Google’s first page.
Yes

[anglian]

Third sentence in post “Each of those four design flaws – detailed in three studies conducted for the US Minerals Management Service (MMS) during the past decade – threatened the ability of blowout preventers in deep water to function in an emergency.”

[Terry Mross]

I’m starting to believe this was a set up from the beginning with BP and BO in cahoots. Could that be why he left MMS under the rule of Bush’s appointees? So he could blame them when the time came?

[Qbert]

I think they’re referring to Microsoft Media Server (MMS). I’ve had problems with that myself. /s

[steve86]

Thanks for that!

[jongaltsr]

Thanks.
It is customary in sentence structure to place the definition in the first usage of any Abbreviation.

But then again with our educational system we don’t much abide by common practices anymore.

[Irisshlass]

Someone who doesn’t know who the MMS is, has clearly not been following the gulf disaster.

[anglian]

For those who missed: RELATED
Deepwater-Gate: Administration Modifies “Peer-Reviewed” Report After it was Reviewed by Scientists

Politics, not science drove offshore drilling ban, 40K jobs sacrificed
http://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/2010/06/11/deepwater-gate-administration-modifies-peer-reviewed-report-after-it-was-reviewed-by-scientists/

[nascarnation]

18,000 employees doesn’t sound all that small?

[JohnBrowdie]

Could that be why he left MMS under the rule of Bush’s appointees?

I doubt that obama neglected to fill all of the typical slots within the department of interior that he could. he may have been a little preoccupied creating czars of [fill in the blank], but federal job payoffs is an obama specialty.

but ultimately, it doesn't matter. he became full owner of the federal government when he took the oath of office. not to mention the fact that his administration approved deep horizon in the first place.

[UCANSEE2]

Are these used only when capping a well?

These are ALWAYS used when capping a well. By that I mean they always mount these on the wellhead. (the piece sticking up out of the ground or ocean floor). If you mean the CAP they used to put on top of the BOP where they cut the riser tube off, that is a different thing.

Once a well is producing is this still a necessary part?

A permanent part. It is the main shut-off safety valve for everything above it.

It's like the main water shut off in your basement.

[UCANSEE2]

How far did they drill down beyond the gulf floor

Somewhere between 18000 and 25000 feet. The gulf floor is about 4700 feet below the surface.

what is the wellhead pressure?

Currently, no one knows for sure as the total pressure is hard to measure with it still leaking.

[Carley]

Thanks for the information. Important to know the facts about what happened and how we go about protecting future (if there ever are any) exploration.

[Popman]

From what I have read, it seems even if the BOP did work, there still would be a leaking well as much of the piping below the BOP in the sea floor is raptured and broken from the gas pressure.

That's why the "top kill" method failed

Of course, the volume of oil leaking would be much lower

[worst-case scenario]

The Minerals Management Service (MMS) is the division of the Department of the Interior that is in charge of all the regulation and oversight with both the oil and coal industries. Great job they’ve been doing.
http://www.mms.gov/
http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/17/2025462/mms-blasted-for-lax-offshore-drilling.html

[worst-case scenario]

BP was drilling in that location because they *wanted* to, not because they were forced to be circumstance. Here are the documents they filed with the MMS explaining that safer technology and the prospect of extremely high-production wells are the main reason they are doing so much deep-water drilling.

http://www.gomr.mms.gov/homepg/offshore/deepwtr.html

If you read the docs, you’ll see what I mean. This sort of exploration was *entirely the choice of the industry.* Contrary to the “environazis made them do this” slogan, they *wanted* to drill there because it is had such huge potential profits.

[FreePaul]

Articles such as this are often written to take advantage of people’s lack of interest in doing their own research. Unless people read and understand “three studies conducted for the US Minerals Management Service” there will be incorrect statements such as shown on many posts here and on other threads.

[shield]

bfl

[FreePaul]

The blowout preventers are normally removed when drilling is completed. No one drills a well with the intention of leaving the BOP stack in place. In the case of the BP blowout they were in the process of plugging the well prior to removing the preventers.

Blowout preventers would be installed again while the well is prepared for production then removed in order to install the "Christmas Tree" for producing the well. In a producing well the valves, not anything like blowout preventers are part of the "Christmas Tree."

[Qbert]

“...they *wanted* to drill there because it is had such huge potential profits.”

And tell me exactly how “profitable” this decision has been for them now that their ultimate liability may exceed 40 Billion?