Posted on 07/14/2010 10:19:51 AM PDT by tobyhill
BP's work on capping the Gulf of Mexico gusher was frozen Wednesday after the federal government raised concerns the operation could put damaging pressure on the busted well that could make the leak worse.
An administration official, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the talks with BP, said the government was acting out of "abundance of caution" and didn't want potentially dangerous pressure tests on a tighter containment cap that has been placed over the well to go ahead until BP answers questions about possible risks.
At the same time, BP on its own halted the drilling of two relief wells that are designed to be a more permanent solution to plug the well.
The delays were a stunning setback after the oil giant finally seemed to be on track following nearly three months of failed attempts to stop the spill, which has sullied beaches from Florida to Texas and decimated the multibillion dollar fishing industry.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Does anyone know how far they are from TD or who is doing the MWD?
“Hi, we’re from Fedzilla, and we’re here to FUBAR the effort to cap the leak.”
- JP
You aren’t missing anything technically but everything politically! They DO NOT want the well placed under control until AFTER they get their vote on cap and trade in the senate.
They stopped the relief well so that IF the cap cause a blow back it does not damage the relief well. They are close enough to the first well (a few feet) that if there was a rupture and the relief well was any closer they would basically be starting over.
Stopping the relief well makes sense. In fact, double checking for a potential fissure makes sense to some extent.
Just as long as they don’t get paralyzed by analysis.
One of the things one should always understand when you do a test is what criteria indicates a pass and what indicates a failure. You do not do a test just to “see what will happen” which appears to be what BP was doing.
In this case (maybe a first) I would agree with the government if they asked for more information about how the test results would be read. Personally, it seems to me that BP may not know what a good result would be and if so, not doing the test is the best option— and as you say they can keep collecting the oil — none is going into the water at this time.
The concern from BP is to understand the levels of pressure needed to ensure success when they try to kill the well from the bottom using the relief well. But right now they have the oil spill stopped. Maybe we should collect oil and let the reservoir pressure drop for a while? Isn’t this what the well was for in the first place? Well OK, huricane season is upon us, that may mean we have to take some action to stabilize things in the event of a storm. BP could be looking at this as well.
Sorry are you oilfield? That makes no sense. How would the failure of the cap effect the relief well at 13,000', and if somehow it did why could you not pump a cement plug and re drill the last few feet?
They had specific pass-fail criteria. The issue is that during top kill, some uncertainty developed about the integrity of the casing. The fear is that, because shutting in the well increases internal pressure, that situation will worsen. There’s really only two options: reduce the flow while keeping a close eye on pressure, ready to re-open at the first sign of leakage, or let it continue to flow. There is no perfect choice.
Bammy doesn’t want this fixed. The longer he can obstruct everything and keep it going, the more he is allowed to pursue his radical agenda “under the radar”.
It’s extortion — Obama will allow the leak to be plugged if Cap and Trade is passed first.
Mr. “Plug-the-hole” probably told his minions that if this test caused any problems, he would “kick their asses.” Just read between the lines of Coast Guard Thad Allen saying “The testing might benefit from further study before implementation.” That is the kind of bureaucratic comment that comes from someone who has been threatened by his boss.
They don’t need to stop the flow. They now have the capacity to collect 100%+ (80,000BPD) with the existing “top hat 10” and transfer it to 4 ships on the surface.
The only downside is a hurricane could shut it all down.
“You aren’t missing anything technically but everything politically! They DO NOT want the well placed under control until AFTER they get their vote on cap and trade in the senate.”
I don’t know about that. BP should put out a statement saying because the government won’t let them do their jobs, especially after being extorted by Obama for $20B, they are pulling up operations and the Government can fix it.
-PJ
Why do you think the relief well is being drilled so close to the gusher well? Because it is constantly testing for gusher well casing integrity as it goes deeper and deeper. Thad Allen said seismic testing was going on today. The relief well drill head must have a pinging device built in and other devices that are continually testing the gusher well
Also the best testing of the gusher well by the relief well is done when the oil is rushing out. Not with a temporary cap on. (my amateur take on the situation)
It is so close because it is going to pierce the well bore. It has not traveled the distance this close.
The relief well drill head must have a pinging device built in
No, they pull the drill string each time they check distance.
best testing of the gusher well by the relief well
The relief well isn't for testing. It is for delivering heavy mud to first balance the pressure and stop the flow, then delivery of the cement to permanently stop the flow.
Good detail...perhaps you can comment if the counter balance mud and subsiquent cementing of the damaged well shaft can be made to occur above one or both of the relief wells so that one of the new bores can become a production well for the overall oil resorvoir? Conversely, if the plug has to occur below both relief wells does anyone think this thing will ever be put into production?
The relief well isn’t for testing. It is for delivering heavy mud to first balance the pressure and stop the flow, then delivery of the cement to permanently stop the flow. >>>>>>>>>>>
Sure and it is testing too...for well casing integrity. It has been running close to the gusher well for a few weeks. 20 ft is what I read a few weeks ago
While it is technically possible to back up the relief well column, and create a new “lateral” to enter the field at a different location, I do not know if that would ever be done.
They are at the near bottom of the well. Testing the casing integrity at this point has little meaning.
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