I thought the integrity of the well was preventing them from capping the leak?

So, now it would appear they are placing a mechanism on the well head that will (hopefully) eventually cap this thing. But my understanding is the integrity of the well being compromised 'down pipe' was preventing them from capping the leak?

That was more or less the reason given for the topkill not working, yes?

And now there is evidence that a pipe is sticking out of the well head which seems to imply that damage below is very real ?

So, how are they going to be able to cap this well if the well itself is continuing to deteriorate? Or is this all an excuse to get a cap set up to capture all that oil, continuously, until the well is bled dry, or at least the pressure finally subsides.


Sorry if this thread is redundant, but i am unclear about this issue.


[edit on 11-7-2010 by justadood]

[edit on 11-7-2010 by justadood]

I think that was only if the well was plugged, but since they are still letting oil flow out into their cap and bringing it to the surface it is not technically "plugged"

Originally posted by SUICIDEHK45
I think that was only if the well was plugged, but since they are still letting oil flow out into their cap and bringing it to the surface it is not technically "plugged"

Except that they claim this new cap will slowly be able to completely shut off the flow, yes?

or am i incorrect?

Sorry if these are stupid questions, but i cant get a clear picture on this one way or another.

reply to post by justadood


I hadn't heard that, I just thought it would be able to close the vents slowly to prevent freezing. I'll try to find out

Check the live feed. I do not see any oil leaking. It looks like they are now able to pump it to surface with little or no leaking. It looks like they did it. I hope it holds.


Sorry, my bad. It is still venting oil to the sea. From the bad lighting and angle I could not see the oil at first.

Now I feel sad. I thought they had it.

[edit on 7/11/2010 by fixer1967]

They don't have it - we are in a very much wait and see situation right now. Keep an eye on the live feeds - most of the time they are not showing the oil coming up - just their new equipement with a little something done here and there. Some on ATS don't believe they will be able to cap it because of the discovering of the second pipe. Keep your fingers crossed.

The reason they stopped the top kill was because it simply didnt work.
I dont think (correct me if im wrong) that BP have ever really said that the well integraty has lead to the failure of any of the techniques used.


Also I think BP are planning on completely shuting the new valve, one of the reasons they are doing this now is because it helps the bottom kill process even more, as it more pressure against the flow eventually stopping it.

reply to post by shmo5

Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, commander of the response to the blowout and oil spill, has confirmed reports that concern about the strength of the casing led officials to stop efforts last month to plug the well from the top by injecting drilling mud and cement in a procedure called a top kill.

www.chron.com...

They knew about the second pipe when they removed the cap the first time. The new capping system has taken that second pipe into consideration and the transition spool assembly has covered both pipes.

The goal, per BP of course, is to use the three-ram stack to slowly close off the flow coming out of the top of the BOP. This closure depends entirely on the pressure being released and what that pressure causes to happen deep inside the well.

It is my thought that the relief wells will be used to capture oil if the closure is successful with the new capping system. Since there are random reports out there of methane already being discovered in RW 1, it is hard to say what will happen. If the capping system doesn't work due to the pressures, they will likely have to close the well with RWs 1 and 2, if they can.

As for problems down in the well, that's the crux of the matter, isn't it? They know there are issues and they know that closing off the flow of the well could cause devastation down at the bottom of the well, so it is a touch and go situation once the capping system is in place.

Let's all just hope for the best and pray like crazy that they can get this thing capped off and stop the flow into the ocean. Even if it boils down to them being able to capture the oil from the RWs, at this point, as long as the oil stops flowing into the gulf, and the anti-freeze stops flowing into the gulf, and the corexit stops flowing into the gulf, I am happy. Happier. Kinda ok with it.

So, if BP succeeds in stopping the leak, they will be considered "hero's."

It's no wonder they didn't want anyone else to help... so they can claim all the glory?

What about the oil leaking from the sea floor?

There's many holes leaking oil from there...

Of course BP is probably going to cap the well and claim they solved it while it still leaks everywhere underwater where there's no cameras.

They'll say it's ``normal oil leakage`` like there was before and it'll go on for years and the medias won't talk about it.


[edit on 11-7-2010 by Vitchilo]

The casing IS damaged, and it was the reason top kill failed, and the reason they initially let some of it leak when they put the first cap on. Once they put on the tighter cap to collect it all, it will cause back pressure to increase on the walls of the pipes. Basically they're taking another risk to capture more of the oil.

It gave them an excuse to leave the well gushing for a few days. Look for this to compromise the well to the point of failure.

I saw a picture late last night that made me physically ill so sick i almost had to throw up.Something so simple but they said couldn't be done.Iknew they could do it months ago and they did to.Why let all the oil spill in the water when they could have caught it.Maybe they don't have enough tankers i think to hold it.I thought please don't show this all on live feed they can't be that brave but they are.From the first video we saw it or maybe just me but i don't think i was the only one.Even if the pressure was to high we could have controlled it.The picture i saw was the rovs taken the simple bolts out.No it can't be done why now thou.They could have taken it apart put another riser or whatever with bop on it and stopped it months ago.If they couldn't because the pressure is to much it they could have been hooked up to the surface and caught the oil.Even if its leaking somewhere else all this oil and chemicals wouldn't be doing excess damage.I know it is about money too and i hope they all can spend it in good health in hell.

Originally posted by Vitchilo
What about the oil leaking from the sea floor?

There's many holes leaking oil from there...

Of course BP is probably going to cap the well and claim they solved it while it still leaks everywhere underwater where there's no cameras.

They'll say it's ``normal oil leakage`` like there was before and it'll go on for years and the medias won't talk about it.

[edit on 11-7-2010 by Vitchilo]

Unless them 'capturing' the oil and methane will continue to relieve pressure on the well, which will lessen the leakage elsewhere.

Originally posted by PayMeh
The casing IS damaged, and it was the reason top kill failed, and the reason they initially let some of it leak when they put the first cap on. Once they put on the tighter cap to collect it all, it will cause back pressure to increase on the walls of the pipes. Basically they're taking another risk to capture more of the oil.

It gave them an excuse to leave the well gushing for a few days. Look for this to compromise the well to the point of failure.

That wouldnt make much sense from BP's perspective.

I cant see how they would be interested in grabbing a few days worth of crude if it meant they lose access to the vast majority still in the well.

This is kinda like you left your car at the mechanic to fix a oil leak and
80 days later when you pick up your car he gives you a drip pan and says as long as you put this pan under your car every-time it is parked we have it contained!

[edit on 11-7-2010 by Gmoneycricket]

reply to post by justadood


Unless the well is compromised beyond the ability to capture any beyond a few days.

You have to understand this also - Public perspective is everything. The situation is likely uncontrollable and unstoppable. It's likely they are doing all this because as long as they are doing new stuff it appears they are making progress. It doesn't have to be a viable solution. They just have to make it look like they are showing an effort.

Plus if it's going to fail they're going to need a scapegoat to blame it on. They will claim they were pressured into doing these things before they felt comfortable with them and blame the massive failure on that instead of the initial incident.

The only one that ranted and raved about the casing was that idiot Matt Simmons, who as yet has repeatedly demonstrated his lack of knowledge about the subject matter to anyone that knows anything about drilling.

The top kill didn't work because the drilling mud went the path of least resistance, out of the leaking holes in the riser. It did not fail because of casing problems.

They will shut-in and measure the build up pressure up to the point of casing failure of the last cemented protection string. If it approaches the limits then they will open up to flow.

If they can retrict the flow rate it makes the relief well kill procedure alot easier. Without sending everyone to blow out school, a kill procedure generally tries to restrict the flow rate out to equal the pumpin rate of the heavy mud.

I have been bitching about why the removal of the top flange and another BOP connected wasn't done two months ago. Not having all information, I assumed there was a solid technical reason why they didn't, obviously if this works there wasn't as in the interim nothing has changed or additional information was not gathered.

If this works I really began to wonder if Rahm wasn't trying to create a crisis to full fill another agenda, because this should have been attempted the first week.

Originally posted by billyjack
The only one that ranted and raved about the casing was that idiot Matt Simmons, who as yet has repeatedly demonstrated his lack of knowledge about the subject matter to anyone that knows anything about drilling.

The top kill didn't work because the drilling mud went the path of least resistance, out of the leaking holes in the riser. It did not fail because of casing problems.

Really? then how come :

Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, commander of the response to the blowout and oil spill, has confirmed reports that concern about the strength of the casing led officials to stop efforts last month to plug the well from the top by injecting drilling mud and cement in a procedure called a top kill.

www.chron.com...

Originally posted by billyjackThey will shut-in and measure the build up pressure up to the point of casing failure of the last cemented protection string. If it approaches the limits then they will open up to flow.

If they can retrict the flow rate it makes the relief well kill procedure alot easier. Without sending everyone to blow out school, a kill procedure generally tries to restrict the flow rate out to equal the pumpin rate of the heavy mud.

I have been bitching about why the removal of the top flange and another BOP connected wasn't done two months ago. Not having all information, I assumed there was a solid technical reason why they didn't, obviously if this works there wasn't as in the interim nothing has changed or additional information was not gathered.

If this works I really began to wonder if Rahm wasn't trying to create a crisis to full fill another agenda, because this should have been attempted the first week.

Rahm Emanuel is operating an ROV?

[edit on 12-7-2010 by justadood]

[edit on 12-7-2010 by justadood]

[edit on 12-7-2010 by justadood]

BP is doing an experiment on us all.
the restrictor plug and 75 ton cap with unique relief valves & oil flow conduits is not for closing the well as an intergal unit...


what they propose to do is regulate the ammounts of seabed oil intrusion
and the ammount of well casing recovery in relation to one another.


see if they cap the well head 100% the seabed bleeds at various points... but if you properly regulate the maximum ammount that can be bled into pipelines and tankers for an undetermined ammount of time at the current velocity (23,500psi?)... then to casual observation the 'leak' [gusher] has been contained!

but on those occassions when the oil velocity is too much to unload into pipelines or tankers---then the fissures in the seabed strata will release the deepwater horizon well-head oil... making their containment area look good & pristine.

BP has strategized this oil flow partial control on mathematical and coocktail napkin 'models'... they are crossing their fingers as to the real time / real world execution of the plan.

weeks or months from now my prognostication will have been forgotten...and that is as it should be... the 9-11 and 4-20 events
were assured to undergo much evolution within the collective conscious
until a faulty narrative is chosen to become legend


[edit on 12-7-2010 by St Udio]