BP May have sealed up the leak

[sontek]

These report that it has been closed up:
BBC News - 'Top kill' method 'stops BP oil leak' in Gulf of Mexico
FOXNews.com - BP's 'Top Kill' Effort to Plug Oil Spill in Gulf Reportedly Working
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-oil-spill-top-kill-20100528,0,5782115.story

but the live cam that used to show the spill is no longer watching the hole... so they might just be pulling some tomfoolery

 

[sontek]

Looks like the reason the live cam isn't working is because its showing the device that is pumping mud into the hole... here is a diagram of the device: http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_int...l_assets/images/TopKill_05-16-10_1750xvar.jpg

 

[Hetland]

Link in text of story to live shot of the bop

So far, so good for 'top kill' procedure, Coast Guard admiral says - CNN.com

 

[Hetland]

This is nice too:

Meanwhile, government scientists on Thursday estimated that the oil is spewing at a rate of 12,000 to 19,000 barrels a day. Earlier estimates had put the flow at 5,000 barrels (210,000 gallons) a day.

The government had two separate teams of scientists estimate the rate of flow using two different methods, U.S. Geological Survey Director Marcia McNutt told reporters Thursday.

One team looked at the oil on the surface and came up with the estimate of 12,000 to 19,000 barrels per day. A second team used a different method and came up with a range of 12,000 to 25,000 barrels per day, McNutt said. The official estimate uses the range where the estimates overlap.

 

[mike_s]

not sure why they couldn't have tried this 30+ days ago..... before millions of gallons that will kill Louisiana marshes got released...

 

[DennisS]

not sure why they couldn't have tried this 30+ days ago..... before millions of gallons that will kill Louisiana marshes got released...

That's an expensive well, I'm sure they were trying to figure out how to salvage it and if there was a way to put it into production as well as how they were going to contain the environmental damage. Cementing it was a last resort.

 

[mike_s]

That's an expensive well, I'm sure they were trying to figure out how to salvage it and if there was a way to put it into production as well as how they were going to contain the environmental damage. Cementing it was a last resort.

yup. they were trying to be able to pump the oil out of it and profit from it instead of protecting the environment and the well being of the marshes and the local economy of fishermen and tourism.

clearly shows their priorities were profit based.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Looks like the reason the live cam isn't working is because its showing the device that is pumping mud into the hole... here is a diagram of the device: http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_int...l_assets/images/TopKill_05-16-10_1750xvar.jpg

thanks for that, I was wondering what the hell I was looking at???...

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

That's an expensive well, I'm sure they were trying to figure out how to salvage it and if there was a way to put it into production as well as how they were going to contain the environmental damage. Cementing it was a last resort.

I hope they pay for every last cent of the cleanup and damages they've caused... maybe they'll be a bit more responsible NEXT time it happens.

 

[skydiver30960]

not sure why they couldn't have tried this 30+ days ago..... before millions of gallons that will kill Louisiana marshes got released...

On one level I'm with you on this one, everybody wishes this thing could have been taken care of faster.

Here's a website I've been watching very intently, I originally got it off another thread here on SB but can't find the original post anymore:


Deepwater Horizon - Transocean Oil Rig Fire

It has some awesome insight from folks who are very close to or actually in the business.

I'm a former engineer and I am flabbergasted by the complexity of the top kill. The amount of technology and resources involved in this operation is quite staggering. PLEASE don't take that is a defense of BP: I think that as we dig deeper and deeper into the company and the culture of offshore drilling we are going to find more and more skeletons in the closet that led up to this colossal failure. Terrible mistakes were made. BUT, that being said, I am impressed by the depth of the resources on task with this top kill.

I'm speechless simply considering the size of the pumps needed to move mud and cement through a mile of hose from the surface down to the manifold and into the BOP, nevermind to override the force of the oil. Add to that the modifications needed to the BOP, getting the hoses and all equipment set up from a mile away with ROVs...

Ike aka "an awful and awe-full thing to watch"