http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread576723/pg1* I don't know this website but have read elsewhere that the chance of the relief well working is only 50%. This engineer, he describes himself as an oil man of 30 years, discusses the difficulties. I'm sure there is more out there on this topic. I think that the masses are going to be mighty disturbed if come August we have no results. But until then the idea is going to be floated that the relief wells are a sure thing.
I think we need to be in the streets and on the phone. BP needs to throw MORE at this, another two relief wells might help. They will not do it until WE ARE IN THE STREETS, imo.
What’s really happening in the Gulf Oil Spill
SNIP
A “bottom kill” is vastly easier and is what the relief wells are about. Unfortunately for that to work the relief well must intersect an 8 ¾” diameter well bore 3 miles underground in the dark. It has been and can be done, but the deep intersection is necessary so that the enormous bottomhole reservoir pressure can be offset with heavy drilling fluid. The drilling mud will then displace the oil and gas from the bottom rather than try to force somewhere it doesn’t want to go. Once the heavy fluid balances the bottomhole pressure then cement can be put into place that once set up will end the need for the heavy fluid.
Do you know anything about plate tectonics, and fault line pressures?
Because that oil was under tremendous pressure, being balanced equally against the landmass above it, and whatnot...
So, if this thing goes TOO far, it may just "Shift" and crack the entire well bore channel....
Although, I will admit that the flow from the riser appears to be within common pumping volumes.
SNIP