Nobody Knows the Trouble We'll See

[Javaman]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jim-moore/nobody-knows-the-trouble_b_561796.html

(some choice tidbits from the article)

BP and Transocean, which owns the rig, has said there was a maximum working pressure of 20,000 PSI but the system was able to handle a kickback pressure from gasses of about 60,000 PSI. The breakdown of the blowout preventers can be interpreted to mean the pressure coming up from the hole exceeded 60,000 PSI. Generally, various mixtures of mud circulate up and down the drill pipe to act as lubricants and equalize pressures encountered at great depth, and this process was said to be working at the time of the accident. Does this mean it's possible, even likely, that the Deepwater Horizon encountered pressures current technologies are not equipped to handle?

>snip<

The latest plan is for a special funnel to be placed over the spout, which will then force the flow into a pumping channel. But how does a funnel get placed over the top of anything pushing at that kind of pressure?

>snip<

A well blowout in 1979 offers a bit of context; except the Deepwater Horizon horror show is already about to transcend what happened in the Bay of Campeche off the coast of Mexico. The Ixtoc 1 rig blew and began to spew crude that flowed uninterrupted for nine months. Before the well was capped, 3,000,000 barrels of crude had drifted north to Texas and the northern coast of Mexico.

>snip<

NOAA apparently believes the situation is on the verge of getting worse. A leaked memo suggests that the tangle of pipes on the ocean floor are covering and constraining two other release points. Pressure is likely to blow those loose and, according to NOAA, the gusher will increase by "orders of magnitude." In most interpretations, that phrase means a ten-fold rise in the flow, which will replicate the Ixtoc disaster in three days.

According to the non-profit, non-partisan Air and Waste Management Association, a quart of crude oil will make 150,000 gallons of water toxic to aquatic life.

(if you aren't frieghtened by this now, I don't know what it will take)

[Echo In Light]

1. K/R

[Javaman]

2. One last tidbit for those who want to "blow it up and sort it out later" types...

Also from the article...

They are drilled to intersect the main well and then concrete is forced down the holes to seal the leaking well. What do we do, if that doesn't work? Humans cannot function at 5000 feet of ocean depth and the mitigation efforts currently are being handled by robotic remotes. What is left to us as a solution other than an explosive device, which is often what is deployed during above ground blowouts? Given the pressures reported and the amount of flow, we may need a bunker-buster nuke to be placed over the wellhead. We can then begin to talk about the water pressures caused by burst at detonation and residual radiation. Is that a better or worse situation? Certainly, aquatic life in the Gulf of Mexico is doomed unless there is a reclusive genius to step forward and save us from our great failure.

[madokie]

3. I'm scared to death of it

I think they should be getting some knots tied for the wheels that are responsible for this as soon as they find them guilty.

[SammyWinstonJack]

4. ^5

I hope all who are responsible, rot in Hell! And the sooner the better!

[BeFree]

5. Pressure

The opening of the well released pent up pressure, exploding the rig.

Most likely what is happening now is that the seawater, under pressure, is filling the void left by the oil escaping. Almost if it were pumping all the oil out of the ground. In fact, they do that on many older wells - they pump water in under pressure and it forces the oil up out of the hole.

They need to plug the damned hole, two weeks ago. Why weren't they prepared to do so?

And why did they sink the rig to start with? If the rig - in effect, a floating boat - had been left floating, it would be holding up the pipe that ran down 5,000 feet. Firemen say when fighting a ship fire: #1, you don't use water, and #2, if you do use water, you do all you can to not sink the ship by filling it with water.

So... they didn't have foam for oil fires, two they sunk the ship, and three they just flat screwed up the whole thing.

[Javaman]

6. I can't even imagine the mess on the sea floor.

a mile of pipe topped by a mangled rig.

They have to sort through that mess to cap this thing.

This whole thing fits the many definitions of cluster fuck.

[Echo In Light]

7. The Wandering Midget - The Thing From The Black Reef

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-xZPmUy2l8

Very metal :evilgrin:

[BeFree]

8. 5,000 feet deep

Bad working conditions.

I'd guess they will try to break the pipe free from the ground and while they are at it grab a sample of the Halliburton concrete job.

Then lower the 'dome' over the stub.

What gets me now is that they didn't have a dome ready to go. They've used domes in other places... what? Was the dome too expensive to build an extra? And has this dome been tested? Or is this just a shot total in the dark?

Drill, baby, drill. Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!!
Well, the only one's saying that now are Dems as they shove it down the pukes puke-holes.