Society of Petroleum Engineers response to Deepwater event

[W3SLK]

Frank said:

Now that they have a good interface to the well head why don't they just harvest the oil and turn it into cash and screw the pressure test.

I was wondering that exact same thing! At least you could re-coop your losses.

[KA0HCP]

Because they don't have a permanent connection.  The present cap is just slipped over and clamped down with a rubber seal which is liable to slip or blow off.   They would need to get a solid bolted steel pipe connection.

[WA1GFZ]

So they make these stupid choices on purpose. Why do it right once when you can screw up and stay in the news. The best way to keep the ocean floor from leaking is draw oil off the well and keep the pressure down. What am I missing here?

[W3SLK]

Frank said:

So they make these stupid choices on purpose. Why do it right once when you can screw up and stay in the news. The best way to keep the ocean floor from leaking is draw oil off the well and keep the pressure down. What am I missing here?

I'm you on this one Franz. I don't know what for kind of pressure rubber seals are good for but you are talking about building up 9000 PSI. That's alot of force. Granted you have about 2700 PSI pressure from the sea but still that's another 6K PSI. Plus most rubber seals are prone to attack by any petroleum based product.

[Ed/KB1HYS]

Now this is Rather ironic don't you think?  A short time ago you all were ready to nail them to a cross for Allegedly cutting corners and safety rules that caused the accident.
Now you want them to skip a safety test that even marine science types are saying is required and make sense (and by the way the Feds made sure they would do, Uncle Sam actually stopped the operation to have it reviewed by other "experts" first).
"Stupid Choices" might be what got them here in the first place. Don't you think skipping a rather crucial test of the seal/cap would be foolhardy?  After all there are going to be points in the recovery process where the flow will be shut down, like when a full ship pulls out to be replaced by an empty.
Wouldn't it be better to have it fail now while everything is still in place or would you all like to repeat this operation in a couple months time to save 48 hrs worth of testing?

I doubt the seal in question is a simple rubber compound, probably one of any number of synthetics that could live in oil 24-7-265 with a physical structure designed to take the pressure differential.

[WA1GFZ]

BP had no trouble replacing the flange so why did they select one that is a simple JS seal. Why do they seem to be so half assed? Why do they need to rasie the pressure of the well when the ocean floor could spring a leak that would be impossible to control. Why not draw oil off the well and turn it into cash rather than playing games. They could close the valves if a storm blows up and continue when it is over. 
Ed safety is the concern, so why run the pressure up and cause a bigger failure when you can harvest the oil and make money. It seems way past stupid.
Who gives a crap if the head can hold back 7000 pounds when it is less then 3000 when oil is flowing into a ship above where you can sell it for $75 a barrel. crap they could connect a new riser pipe and set up a platform above it.
Please what am I missing here.

[Ed/KB1HYS]

Well,  I haven't seen much of the design of the cap so I honestly can't say if it is half baked or not.  I can say that they had to design, build and test by trial something that had to work first time out so from that perspective the test makes sense.
Let's not forget that there will be bad weather that will force the tankers off the pipes and the cap will have to hold back the full monty while they wait out the storms, Better to know now that it'll do it, or build one that will.
Also, from what I saw on the news/net, the Feds basically made BP run the tests, after having the plan reviewed by a bunch of 'experts' (one has to wonder if they are the same 'experts' that gave the rig the safety award a short time before the accident??) the government review was what caused the day or so's delay in placing the cap.  Besides, no one down there BP, or fishermen etc can afford to have this thing pop-off again.

The cap is just a temporary fix too, the permanent fix will be when one of the reliever well plugs this one with mud.

I do believe that they are as eager as anyone else to get that thing under control and to start some sort of nearly normal operation to start recouping what must be a staggering loss.  Not to mention penalties, fines, clean up costs, and future reparations.  This spill will cost them big time.

[KB2WIG]

 " I don't know what for kind of pressure rubber seals are good for but you are talking about building up 9000 PSI."



Maybee they can buy some from Morton-Thiokol.



klc

[VK7ZL]

I doubt the seal in question is a simple rubber compound, probably one of any number of synthetics that could live in oil 24-7-265 with a physical structure designed to take the pressure differential.

It is the other 100 days that might be the problem.

[Ed/KB1HYS]

ding. ya got me.

[WA1GFZ]

Why plug a well full of oil when you can harvest it and make a pile of cash to pay off the fines. The well pipe is holding after a number of days so WTF

[ka3zlr]

This mornings new said they wanted to pump down some mud to close it. That's stupid unless there's other issues.

[WA1GFZ]

Sure would be nice to hear the truth for a change.
The latest flange looks like a big grease fitting so not impressed.

[W1RKW]

BP had no trouble replacing the flange so why did they select one that is a simple JS seal. Why do they seem to be so half assed?

Remember the Jaguar, Triumph, Spitfire and anything else that came out of GB from  years ago?  They drive on the left.  Nothing has changed.  

[ka3zlr]

Hi Bob,

I miss my old Triumph, Fight to get it running but I had some fun on mine I had that sparkle finish on mine Man it was a Chick getter.LOL

73

  Peanut

[ka3zlr]

Changing Gears again BP wants to pump Mud And Cement down the hole the Drama continues...

[WA1GFZ]

What a bunch of hey hole birds