Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

BP's Deepwater Oil Spill - the Testing Continues - and Open Thread
The Oil Drum ^ | 17 JUL 2010 | Heading Out

Posted on 07/17/2010 9:52:05 AM PDT by profgoose

At this morning's press briefing, Kent Wells of BP reported that pressures have now reached 6,745 psi, and are building at about 2 psi per hour. BP is estimating ultimate pressure will be around 6,800 psi. While this is not as high as originally expected, there are several reasonable explanations for this lower pressure reading, including the possibility that the well is now somewhat depleted, and therefore has lower pressure.

BP seems to be encouraged by the results. Mr. Wells said several times, "We are encouraged that we have integrity," and "We find no evidence of lack of integrity."

(Excerpt) Read more at theoildrum.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Miscellaneous; Science
KEYWORDS: bp; deephorz; deepwaterhorizon; energy; gulfofmexico; news; offshore; oil; oilspill; peakoil
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-60 next last

1 posted on 07/17/2010 9:52:09 AM PDT by profgoose
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: profgoose
"We find no evidence of lack of integrity except at the highest levels of government."

There, fixed it.

2 posted on 07/17/2010 10:02:34 AM PDT by central_va (I won't be reconstructed, and I do not give a damn.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: profgoose
Just thinking...Someone came up with those high numbers...9000 PSI... to start with....which would also be related to the "flow" which is related to the "fine" that they're gonna get nailed for..

My best guess is that the cap was designed for the 9000 number and they're pretty happy with the true numbers.

3 posted on 07/17/2010 10:06:51 AM PDT by Sacajaweau (What)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: profgoose

He is sayong of course tht the wellisn’t leaking, not that there is any interity, either at BP or in Washington.


4 posted on 07/17/2010 10:10:47 AM PDT by Venturer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: profgoose
He is saying of course that the well isn’t leaking, not that there is any integrity, either at BP or in Washington.
5 posted on 07/17/2010 10:11:16 AM PDT by Venturer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: profgoose

6 posted on 07/17/2010 10:17:07 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (The Last Boy Scout)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: profgoose

Something nobody is talking about...the fact that oil is spewing out of that well at 100,000 barrels a day. THAT’S A LOT OF OIL! What if the Gulf at 5,000 feet below sea level has enough oil to last us for another 200 years?


7 posted on 07/17/2010 10:56:04 AM PDT by MuttTheHoople
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau; Sub-Driver; BOBTHENAILER; SunkenCiv; Marine_Uncle; onyx; NormsRevenge; Grampa Dave; ...
Just finished reading thru the OilDrum thread....lots of discussion but I like what is said on this subthread there:

Turbidites reservoirs are often "amalgumated" sands.

*************************************EXCERPT******************************************

Alaska_geo on July 17, 2010 - 1:34pm

I'm strongly suspecting that the reason the pressures are less than expected is because the Macondo well has been in communication with and draining a small compartment, rather that the entire accumulation. This reservoir is most likely composed of turbidite sands. Turbidites reservoirs are often "amalgumated" sands. That is they are deposited by a series of turbidity flows over some period of time. The sands may make one big pile, but are still individual sands. The pre-drill estimate of 50-100 million bbls is no doubt based on seismic data, which does a fair job of indicating the overall size of the sand accumulation. However, seismic is often too blunt a tool to image the individual turbidite sands that make up the whole sand accumulation.

In a compartmentalized reservoir, individual sands aren't well connected to one another. A well draining one sand may get little or no contribution from adjancent sands. In the normal oil field development and production situation a compartmentalized reservoir is a bad thing. It means more wells (hence more cost) are required to produce the field. In the present situation, compartmentalization may be a good thing. It means the last 80+ days of "production" may have drawn down the pressure in the compartment significantly from what was observed when the well was initially drilled.

8 posted on 07/17/2010 11:05:13 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach ( Support Geert Wilders)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau
Someone came up with those high numbers...9000 PSI...

You're leaving out the people who were talking about 70,000 psi. Good idea to leave them out.

9 posted on 07/17/2010 11:09:03 AM PDT by FreePaul
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: All
This mornings Audio briefing ..with Ken Wells:

BP: Audio of TechBriefing - July 17, 2010 at 7:30 am CST

10 posted on 07/17/2010 11:13:20 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach ( Support Geert Wilders)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

That is a distinct possibility and sedimentary deposits may have combined to scew the original estimate.

Still.... that was a huge a variance but, Thank God Obama and his experts stopped the leak... for now.

An exercise in pronoun selection.

Is Obama Claiming Credit for Gulf Spill Solution?

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. I wanted to give everyone a quick update on the situation in the Gulf. As we all know, a new cap was fitted over the BP oil well earlier this week. This larger more sophisticated cap was designed to give us greater control over the oil flow as we complete the relief wells that are necessary to stop the leak.

Now, our scientists and outside experts have met through the night and continue this morning to analyze the data from the well integrity test. What they’re working to determine is whether we can safely shut in the well using the new cap without creating new problems, including possibly countless new oil leaks in the sea floor.

Now BP’s scientists are the “Scientists formerly known as They”

Entire post at: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2554385/posts


11 posted on 07/17/2010 11:24:43 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Venturer

Oooooh, you so clevah, Grasshoper.

Loved your double entendre(damn spell checker)


12 posted on 07/17/2010 11:26:13 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: UCANSEE2

?


13 posted on 07/17/2010 11:27:02 AM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously... You'll never live through it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Vendome

The GIF was my way of saying, “I’m ALL EARS, WHAT’S HAPPENING?”


14 posted on 07/17/2010 11:35:37 AM PDT by UCANSEE2 (The Last Boy Scout)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: UCANSEE2

I like it.


15 posted on 07/17/2010 11:41:59 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach ( Support Geert Wilders)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Sacajaweau
"Someone came up with those high numbers...9000 PSI... to start with....which would also be related to the "flow" which is related to the "fine" that they're gonna get nailed for.."

The 9000 psi figure was from wireline downhole measurements made before the blowout.

"My best guess is that the cap was designed for the 9000 number and they're pretty happy with the true numbers."

Design max pressure for the BOP stack was 13000 psi.

16 posted on 07/17/2010 11:52:59 AM PDT by Wonder Warthog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

I can’t hear it because I need FP10. That will not install on my system. Will be looking at other sources that usually allow me to get audio/videos such as CSPAN.


17 posted on 07/17/2010 12:18:07 PM PDT by Marine_Uncle (Honor must be earned....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: profgoose

Pressure readings after 41 hours were 6,745 pounds per square inch and rising slowly, Wells said, below the 7,500 psi that would have reassured scientists the well was not leaking. ...


18 posted on 07/17/2010 2:04:31 PM PDT by Freddd (CNN is down to Three Hundred Thousand viewers. But they worked for it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vendome

What’s with the US and WE. BP you narcissist moron. You didn’t have anything to do with it you POS>


19 posted on 07/17/2010 2:20:35 PM PDT by mojitojoe (When crisis becomes opportunity, crisis becomes the goal.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

I fully expect after his little mini holiday is over we will hear about leaks from the seafloor. I hope that I’m wrong.


20 posted on 07/17/2010 2:22:09 PM PDT by mojitojoe (When crisis becomes opportunity, crisis becomes the goal.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-60 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson