![]() ![]() I’m going to assume, however, that when a company provides information to Congress that it is, to the best of their knowledge, correct. One of the considerable problems that arise in writing about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico comes in determining what information that is given is actually accurate. The background material below is by Heading Out.) Congressional Testimony Illustrations This is the link I have, but it is not clear how one gets to the 12 feeds. A team of scientists had released preliminary findings showing the estimated flow rate is 12,000-19,000 b/d although it possibly could be 25,000 b/d (OGJ Online, May 27, 2010).īP's spill camera is now offering 12 live feeds from ROVs. The collected oil and gas will go into a smaller pipe, which could increase back pressure and cause oil to leak out around the seal.īefore the riser was cut, federal scientists estimated the flow rate of the spill could increase 20% between the time of the cut and the time that the cap was placed. The reservoir pressure is 9,000 psi, and the pressure of oil coming through the BOP is 3,500 psi, he said. “It could be close to none, it could be some,” leaking out, he said, adding this only can be determined after the cap is placed. “Once the cap is on, there is some chance that some oil could escape,” Allen said. BP has caps available with different widths and sealing mechanisms so that it can use the cap that best fits the cut riser. Crews will place a containment cap with a rubber seal on top of the riser. The cut on the riser pipe is irregular, and the top of the riser is leaning about 10º, Allen said. "We won't know until the cap is seated and we can see how the seals are doing their job." "The question is, will the pressure of oil going up into the much smaller pipe mean that enough pressure to force the oil up and around the oil seals," says Allen. For comparison, a crocodile's bite is measured at 5,000 psi. ![]() The pressure of the water at 5,000 feet is counteracting that pressure and bringing the flow pressure at the wellhead to 3,500 psi. To combat hydrate problems this time around, BP is running methanol, which will act as a kind of antifreeze, and heated water through a hose down into the containment cap.Įmbattled oil giant BP made headway in containing the gushing Macondo well Thursday morning, severing a piece of riser pipe to make way for a "top cap" device with a garden-hose-type seal designed to siphon leaking oil to surface tankers.Ĭurrently, the well is emptying at a pressure of 9,000 pounds per square inch (psi). ![]() If the cap succeeds in capturing most of the leaking oil, BP will try a couple of other measures to minimize the amount of oil still leaking into the sea, Mr. The technician, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the work, said that robotic submersibles had to "dress up" the cut end of the pipe before the cap could be lowered. This cap would fit over the flange that attaches the riser to the blowout preventer stack, the large assembly of equipment atop the well that was supposed to seal the well in an emergency but failed to do so. A technician involved in the effort said that because the shear cut left the riser with a slight bend, a different cap would be used than the one originally planned. ![]()
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