How to follow precisely next fix to oil spill?

[jackmell]

Hey guys, any of you interested in following precisely the next step in BP's attempt to fix the oil leak in the Gulf?

I'd be interested in "exactly" what they're planning. However, I'm not familiar with the sub-sea design. For example, I assume there is a 20" well bore below the sea bed, followed by a very large mechanical blow-out preventer which I believe is about 40 tons and 40' tall, then this is followed by a 20" section of damaged riser pipe extending out of the blow-out preventer.

Any way to find out what exact model of blow-out preventer is down there, perhaps a schematics of the current configuration of the setup, where they plan to cut it, how they plan to cut it, and what they plan to install, where they plan to install it and finally precisely how they plan to "attach" the cap or valve?

I'm just curious. I think it would make for a very interesting 4-day story for all the mechanically-inclined guys out there if we knew more about it and I'm sure there are BP meetings right now discussing the precise plan including diagrams of everything. Is it impossible to get the details coming out of those meetings?

Edit: We've gotten some information about this that was posted in the general discussion BP; Top kill shot, watch live. Tried to delete this here but cannot. Sorry.

 

[proculation]

Obama called some nuclear physicists if you want to know...

 

[stewartcs]

Hey guys, any of you interested in following precisely the next step in BP's attempt to fix the oil leak in the Gulf?

I'd be interested in "exactly" what they're planning. However, I'm not familiar with the sub-sea design. For example, I assume there is a 20" well bore below the sea bed, followed by a very large mechanical blow-out preventer which I believe is about 40 tons and 40' tall, then this is followed by a 20" section of damaged riser pipe extending out of the blow-out preventer.

Any way to find out what exact model of blow-out preventer is down there, perhaps a schematics of the current configuration of the setup, where they plan to cut it, how they plan to cut it, and what they plan to install, where they plan to install it and finally precisely how they plan to "attach" the cap or valve?

I'm just curious. I think it would make for a very interesting 4-day story for all the mechanically-inclined guys out there if we knew more about it and I'm sure there are BP meetings right now discussing the precise plan including diagrams of everything. Is it impossible to get the details coming out of those meetings?

Edit: We've gotten some information about this that was posted in the general discussion BP; Top kill shot, watch live. Tried to delete this here but cannot. Sorry.

BP's site has video presentations of exactly what they are doing.

CS

 

[jackmell]

BP's site has video presentations of exactly what they are doing.

CS

Hello Stewart. I see you are involved in this work (I think it was you who alluded to this fact but not sure). I've seen the May 31st video. He does not explain how the LMRP is being "fastened" to the BOP.

I've been following the other thread you and the others have been discussing (Fixing the Gulf Oil Spill). I still feel you should securely fasten a valve to the top of the BOP, held open during the installation, securely attached, then closed shut. Perhaps there are engineering reasons for not doing so but if I were the U.S. president, I would insist you do this unless you can give me a very good reason for not doing so.

I hope BP is successful with the LMRP nevertheless.

 

[stewartcs]

Hello Stewart. I see you are involved in this work (I think it was you who alluded to this fact but not sure). I've seen the May 31st video. He does not explain how the LMRP is being "fastened" to the BOP.

I've been following the other thread you and the others have been discussing (Fixing the Gulf Oil Spill). I still feel you should securely fasten a valve to the top of the BOP, held open during the installation, securely attached, then closed shut. Perhaps there are engineering reasons for not doing so but if I were the U.S. president, I would insist you do this unless you can give me a very good reason for not doing so.

I hope BP is successful with the LMRP nevertheless.

There are two types of LMRP caps according to the video clip. The first one with the rubber grommet on the bottom is supposed to use its own weight (due to the drill collars attached to the device) to seal it. I believe that's what he said from my recollection of the video yesterday.

The second one is supposed to clamp onto the riser adapter spool that the bent riser is connected to at the moment (until they cut it off). Presumably they have a modified collet connector that will clamp around the flange.

Again, I'm going by what I recall from his video clip yesterday. Hope that helps.

CS

 

[blimkie.k]

Obama called some nuclear physicists if you want to know...

I heard through a co-worker this morning that Russian scientists have suggested using a nuclear explosion to cap it off, and that they have done this several times.

 

[Arizona]

I did some rough calcs and if the oil is coming out at ~5000 psi one would have to implode the well bore ~1000m below the sea floor to overcome the oil pressure at the well head. I have read the the oil pressure may be twice that or upwards of 10000 psi!?

BP could really help if they would give the public detailed information pertaining what is going on down there. Maybe some independent source can help solve the problem.

I hope that they are not trying these alternative methods so they can reuse the same well bore.

 

[blimkie.k]

Nuke used during the cold war to solve a similar issue above sea level.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpPNQoTlacU&feature=player_embedded

The nuke idea sounded pretty sketchy to me at first but with all the failed attempts this actually sounds reasonable to me now.