Graphic: Methods That Have Been Tried to Stop the Leaking Oil
1–10 of 27 posts
Re: Graphic: Methods That Have Been Tried to Stop the Leaking Oil
#2I've always wondered why they don't just intersect the relief wells with the original well closer to the surface (don't have to drill as much).
Is there a technical reason for why they don't do that?
Re: Graphic: Methods That Have Been Tried to Stop the Leaking Oil
#3I've always wondered why they don't just intersect the relief wells with the original well closer to the surface (don't have to drill as much). Is there a technical reason for why they don't do that?
That's a good question. I assumed it was because there is a sleeve pipe that goes way down and they want to intersect below that.
I'm actually pretty amazed that they seem to be able navigate the drill well enough to hit a pipe that deep in the earth.
Re: Graphic: Methods That Have Been Tried to Stop the Leaking Oil
#4Why isn't it mandatory to drill a relief well at the same time as the main well?
Other countries have this requirement, why didn't the USA?
Since it's the only thing that really works, now and with past disasters, if we don't pass a law to make it mandatory after this, we deserve to have spills happen again and again.
Oh and BP's deepwater Atlantis has MORE safety problems than Horizon and no relief well.
Re: Graphic: Methods That Have Been Tried to Stop the Leaking Oil
#5Why isn't it mandatory to drill a relief well at the same time as the main well? Other countries have this requirement, why didn't the USA? Since it's the only thing that really works, now and with past disasters, if we don't pass a law to make it mandatory after this, we deserve to have spills happen again and again. Oh and BP's deepwater Atlantis has MORE safety problems than Horizon and no relief well.
Other counties do NOT have this requirement. That was a reddit fiction (in general if you saw it on reddit you can be pretty sure it's not true).
Re: Graphic: Methods That Have Been Tried to Stop the Leaking Oil
#6I've always wondered why they don't just intersect the relief wells with the original well closer to the surface (don't have to drill as much). Is there a technical reason for why they don't do that?
They want to do something called a "Bottom Kill" vs. a "Top Kill". So you have to be at the bottom of the well.
A top kill doesn't always work, but a bottom kill is pretty guaranteed.
The oil pushes whatever material you inject up. So you want to be at the bottom so the material fills the entire pipe.
Re: Graphic: Methods That Have Been Tried to Stop the Leaking Oil
#7My uncle (blacksmith/inventor) is pretty certain that step 1 (cutting the pipe) was a mistake, as he had a solution (which he e-mailed to BP, which of course ignored it) which involved the pipe (and a clamp).
OTOH he doesn't have data on the exact pressures and forces involved, so BP probably had far better information on which to act. (and it's far easier to be an armchair engineer!)
Re: Graphic: Methods That Have Been Tried to Stop the Leaking Oil
#8Why isn't it mandatory to drill a relief well at the same time as the main well? Other countries have this requirement, why didn't the USA? Since it's the only thing that really works, now and with past disasters, if we don't pass a law to make it mandatory after this, we deserve to have spills happen again and again. Oh and BP's deepwater Atlantis has MORE safety problems than Horizon and no relief well.
Other counties do NOT have this requirement. That was a reddit fiction (in general if you saw it on reddit you can be pretty sure it's not true). See here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1389688
Hmm, maybe I subconsciously got it from Reddit.
Well then the USA can be a pioneer again in something, mitigated greed via sane laws and requirements to prevent billions in damage and wildlife needlessly lost.
Just imagine if we get hit by ANOTHER one of these in the next decade, and here's hoping no major hurricanes this summer.
Re: Graphic: Methods That Have Been Tried to Stop the Leaking Oil
#9Why isn't it mandatory to drill a relief well at the same time as the main well? Other countries have this requirement, why didn't the USA? Since it's the only thing that really works, now and with past disasters, if we don't pass a law to make it mandatory after this, we deserve to have spills happen again and again. Oh and BP's deepwater Atlantis has MORE safety problems than Horizon and no relief well.
In Canada we have the requirement that the drilling company certify they have the capability to drill a relief well before the end of the current drilling season (and the ocean freezes over).
They do not actually have to drill such a well, just promise that they can if they have to.
Misunderstanding that rule may have lead to the confusion on reddit.
Re: Graphic: Methods That Have Been Tried to Stop the Leaking Oil
#10Earlier quoted context omitted.
Other counties do NOT have this requirement. That was a reddit fiction (in general if you saw it on reddit you can be pretty sure it's not true). See here: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1389688
Hmm, maybe I subconsciously got it from Reddit. Well then the USA can be a pioneer again in something, mitigated greed via sane laws and requirements to prevent billions in damage and wildlife needlessly lost. Just imagine if we get hit by ANOTHER one of these in the next decade, and here's hoping no major hurricanes this summer.
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