Will BP's Top Kill Procedure Stop the Gulf Oil Spill?

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BP is currently evaluating a "top kill" procedure to contain the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, with CEO Tony Hayward indicating a 60-70% chance of success. This method, previously successful in above-ground wells, has never been attempted at such depths. Concerns have been raised about the delays in implementing this solution, with suggestions that alternative methods could have been more effective. The discussion highlights the complexity of the situation, including the formation of methane hydrates in containment attempts and the economic and environmental ramifications of the spill. The potential long-term impact on local industries, particularly fishing and tourism, is significant, with estimates suggesting that the leak could continue for decades if not contained. The conversation reflects a mix of skepticism about BP's strategies and a desire for immediate action to mitigate the disaster's effects.
  • #181
Now according to BP, live in conference, Top Kill is not working. What. A. Shock. Good of them to get around to confirming what has been known for over a day.
 
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  • #182
[URL]http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/crying-baby-giant-eyes1.jpg[/URL]
 
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  • #184
Here's the next option:

"Under the new plan, BP would use robot submarines to cut off the damaged riser from which the oil is leaking, and then try to cap it with a containment valve. "
 
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  • #185
Chance of working bp says 99.99999% but they won't know till christmas.
 
  • #186
Ivan Seeking said:
[PLAIN]http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/crying-baby-giant-eyes1.jpg[/QUOTE]

Ivan, Thank you for this. :frown:
 
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  • #187
Ivan Seeking said:
[PLAIN]http://blogs.villagevoice.com/forkintheroad/crying-baby-giant-eyes1.jpg[/QUOTE]


Ditto.
 
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  • #188
If only Joe the Plumber had won the election...
 
  • #189
Cyrus said:
If only Joe the Plumber had won the election...

:smile:
 
  • #190
Spill, baby, spill!
 
  • #191
Cyrus said:
If only Joe the Plumber had won the election...

What we REALLY need... is the Bob The Builder, that little claymation guy has a fleet of AI tools! I just keep imagining how Bush W. would explain this to the public, how Reagan would, how Clinton would, and McCain.

W.: Keeps reading to children.
Reagan: Fails to communicate.
Clinton: Runs away for an extra special "hug" with the nearest female with a heartbeat.
McCain: Would stammer like the sad old man he is.
How about Gov. Sanford? : MIA
Obama: So... Cold...
Glenn Beck: cries
Limbaugh: Back on the hillbilly heroin
Dukakis: Seen riding a tank into the Atlantic.

I could go on. :)
 
  • #192
Idk I think bush and crew would have handled this by now. Probably with nukes.
 
  • #193
magpies said:
Idk I think bush and crew would have handled this by now. Probably with nukes.

It worked for the russians, but it could have failed. I cannot imagine the president, even bush, who would deploy a nuclear weapon in the gulf of mexico.
 
  • #194
How many times did it work for the russians? They must be pretty lucky.

What's so bad about using a nuke in the gulf? I mean they make them so they arnt extreamly radio active now... I do suppose it's a little late now that they let it spill for month's but if they could have done a nuke attempt right away would you have been for it?
 
  • #195
magpies said:
How many times did it work for the russians? They must be pretty lucky.

Once, and all things considered I'd say they did get pretty lucky. On one hand, you might fuse a portion of the well, collapse the region and achieve your goal. On the other, you could rip away the BOP and piping, kill a TON of marine life with the noise, and create fallout, literal and political.
 
  • #197
Geigerclick said:
Once, and all things considered I'd say they did get pretty lucky. On one hand, you might fuse a portion of the well, collapse the region and achieve your goal. On the other, you could rip away the BOP and piping, kill a TON of marine life with the noise, and create fallout, literal and political.

The Russians were dealing with surface gas well fires. Big difference.

http://www.livescience.com/technolo...cecom+(LiveScience.com+Science+Headline+Feed)
 
  • #199
Geigerclick said:
What we REALLY need... is the Bob The Builder, that little claymation guy has a fleet of AI tools! I just keep imagining how Bush W. would explain this to the public, how Reagan would, how Clinton would, and McCain.

W.: Keeps reading to children.
Reagan: Fails to communicate.
Clinton: Runs away for an extra special "hug" with the nearest female with a heartbeat.
McCain: Would stammer like the sad old man he is.
How about Gov. Sanford? : MIA
Obama: So... Cold...
Glenn Beck: cries
Limbaugh: Back on the hillbilly heroin
Dukakis: Seen riding a tank into the Atlantic.

I could go on. :)

:smile:
 
  • #200
I have to wonder that if BP could insert a pipe into the hole, why not insert a heavy plug - made of something dense like tungsten or depleted U, such that the pressure drop would allow pouring of mud or concrete above the plug, which would seal the hole. Admittedly, I don't know the details of the geometry of the hole.

The plug may not necessarily require a dense material, but just be heavy enough to settle into the hole. The denser the material, the smaller the plug and perhaps more manageable.
 
  • #201
Astronuc said:
I have to wonder that if BP could insert a pipe into the hole, why not insert a heavy plug - made of something dense like tungsten or depleted U, such that the pressure drop would allow pouring of mud or concrete above the plug, which would seal the hole. Admittedly, I don't know the details of the geometry of the hole.

The plug may not necessarily require a dense material, but just be heavy enough to settle into the hole. The denser the material, the smaller the plug and perhaps more manageable.

May I try to reply to that one: The pipe is damaged to start with and I suspect the oil rushing out of the pipe would make it very difficult to try to out-right plug it or put anything "closed" over it. My suspicion is that they'll do it just like the old-days: install a valve that is initially wide open to let the oil come out as they are installing it, secure the valve, then close it.

Also, I'm scrapping my initial thoughts about threading the pipe. Just install a valve with a flange (with teeth) that can then be constricted around the male end using a socket wrench.

Ok, and while I'm designing this brilliant plan, I would also make sure to have some type of blowers around the work area to blow away all the oil that will be gushing out all over the place as this is occurring so as not to occlude the work area although the subsequent induced currents might interfere with the robotics.
 
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  • #202
jackmell said:
May I try to reply to that one: The pipe is damaged to start with and I suspect the oil rushing out of the pipe would make it very difficult to try to out-right plug it or put anything "closed" over it. My suspicion is that they'll do it just like the old-days: install a valve that is initially wide open to let the oil come out as they are installing it, secure the valve, then close it.

Also, I'm scrapping my initial thoughts about threading the pipe. Just install a valve with a flange (with teeth) that can then be constricted around the male end using a socket wrench.

Ok, and while I'm designing this brilliant plan, I would also make sure to have some type of blowers around the work area to blow away all the oil that will be gushing out all over the place as this is occurring so as not to occlude the work area although the subsequent induced currents might interfere with the robotics.
Yes - I found this after I posted.
http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=9033657&contentId=7062491

The riser coming of the top of the BOP stack is damaged, so it's not possible to drop a plug in the hole. Apparently BP plants cut the pipe and attach a plug on the top.
 
  • #203
Plus, the oil pressure is something like 5000 psi; with about 2500 psi of water pressure due to depth.
 
  • #204
Astronuc said:
Yes - I found this after I posted.
http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=9033657&contentId=7062491

Outstanding! I like that plan:

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/incident_response/STAGING/local_assets/images/Containment_Contingency_Option_large.jpg


Thank for the link. :)
 
  • #205
Meanwhile, they are drilling two relief wells.

http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article215111.ece

Ostensibly, this event may inspire redesigns of deep water BOPs(?), which would be more fail proof.
 
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  • #206
Has anyone heard anything about where the rig that sank, is in relation to the well head and blowout preventer ? and does that pose any problems ?
 
  • #207
Ivan Seeking said:
Plus, the oil pressure is something like 5000 psi; with about 2500 psi of water pressure due to depth.
It's the local differential pressure that is key. What is the source of the 5000 psi value?
 
  • #208
RonL said:
Has anyone heard anything about where the rig that sank, is in relation to the well head and blowout preventer ? and does that pose any problems ?

This is purely supposition on my part, but when large things sink through nearly a mile of water, they do not sink directly downward. I would expect the remains if the rig to be some distance in the direction of the prevailing currents when it sank, so, north of the well.
 
  • #209
Astronuc said:
It's the local differential pressure that is key. What is the source of the 5000 psi value?

It is the oil equivalent of an artesian well. The effective differential pressure between the well head, and the water at depth, is supposed to be about 2500 psi.

I'm not sure about the source of pressure in the oil field itself. I think it results from the natural gas that is present.
 
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  • #210
Let me play the devil's advocate:

When they make the second cut near the top of the BOP stack, the oil flow dramatically increases 10-fold and this causes great difficulty steering the LMRP cap onto the flange of the BOP. Additionally, the increase oil flow greatly disrupts visuals in the work area.

Then what?

Here's my plan:

Rig an inverted funnel, say 10' in diameter and maybe 10' deep onto the LMRP (such that it won't interfere with the BOP) cap to guide it squarely onto the stack. Didn't see any type of device in the pictures. It should not be a solid funnel but rather a coarse screen funnel that allows a great amount of fluid to pass through it while sufficiently maintaining it's structure. If necessary, use sophisticated video equipment that can see through the oil. Also, keep the LMRP cap open while it's being installed to allow the oil to pass through.

Yeah, I realize they know way better than me. Just havin' a lil' fun. :)
 
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