Offshoreonly.com - Oil spill in the gulf of Mexico

Offshoreonly.com (https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/)

- General Boating Discussion (https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/general-boating-discussion-51/)

- - Oil spill in the gulf of Mexico (https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/general-boating-discussion/233082-oil-spill-gulf-mexico.html)

Soviets were saying today that a small nuclear bomb detonated at the well head would seal it off......they say they have done this before.:eek:

Quote:

Originally Posted by DollaBill (Post 3109716)

What I cant figure out is how can ANY company be able to drill and operate one or any number of these wells without a 100% reliable plan to "plug" or stop a well that suffers an explosion etc??????????? I mean I can't comprehend this. And I'm ALL for oil exploration etc. That has nothing to do with this. It's about safety measures. I do agree we CANT under any circumstances operate these platforms without a way to seal them. Can someone explain this?? any oil guys?

Bill its my understanding(not an oil guy) that they have all of that but it was not working or disconnected.Also read today that it was a test well and they were capping it pressures in well keep rising which means it was not sealed.Yet the did nothing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Expensive Date (Post 3110037)

The fault as I read it lies with whoever gave the go ahead on removing the heavy drilling mud. But that is not helping the problem now, cutting the riser above the BOP and placing another one on top then shut down the flow. in the video I saw white with the muddy looking oil coming out the pipe if that is methane hydrate I would not want to be on top collecting it powerful very bad stuff. The robots are cool a mile down with a saw cutting pipe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by waterboy222 (Post 3110028)

If specific organisms like Bacillus cereus aren't introduced for bioremediation, that nastiness will always be around. As for "naturally" degrading after having its density manipulated to be greater than ocean water, good luck introducing any type of natural bioremediating organisms to the subsurface globs of oil.

So what's the deal with Nalco? Can they help contain the oil? Has BP contacted them or vice versa?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Expensive Date (Post 3110035)

Soviets were saying today that a small nuclear bomb detonated at the well head would seal it off......they say they have done this before.:eek:

They have done this before? Where?

Quote:

Originally Posted by TampaBeach (Post 3110135)

I think that would be a last ditch effort. I mean hell it could go the other way and blow the entire reserve to the surface and it be radio active, thats a scary thought.

That's probably what would happen with our luck...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catmando (Post 3110051)

So what's the deal with Nalco? Can they help contain the oil? Has BP contacted them or vice versa?

No, exact opposite actually. Nalco's venture in this is dispersing the oil by using a dispersant loaded with solvents, thereby causing the oil to "sink" and then degrade naturally..

as of THIS MOMENT, the only consultant allowed to offer plans to BP is Nalco. And all they are doing is supplying BP with the solvents and dispersants. They arent set up for collecting the oil or helping out in any way other than supplying the workers with the chemicals.

BUT, Nalco is owned and funded by exxon and has executives that work for both Nalco and BP, imagine that.. Even though the EPAis telling them to use less toxic dispersants (and have made viable suggestions as to the products available), BP refuses to buy from any company other than the ones they have financial interests in.. They have to make up some of their losses somehow!
Plus theyve already got cash over 410million dollars from the insurance on the loss of the horizon, yet have spent hardly ANY money on the remediation.

Quote:

From AP:
BP officials say they have decided to first try sucking oil away from the gushing Gulf well with a tube that will be inserted into the jagged pipe leaking on the seafloor.

Company spokesman Bill Salvin said BP hopes to start moving the 6-inch tube into the leaking 21-inch pipe - known as the riser - on Thursday night. The smaller tube will be surrounded by a stopper to keep oil from leaking into the sea.

The tube will then siphon the oil to a tanker at the surface.

Salvin says engineers have to first move the smaller tube past seawater that has gotten into the riser. The seawater could mix with methane to form crystals that could clog the pipe.

BP says the next option is a small containment box called a "top hat," which is already on the seafloor.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2010/05/12...#ixzz0nqfoOr00

Now, let me ask you this. If the pipe became clogged with polymer crystals and prevented the flow of oil to the ocean, what would be the harm in this? Oh, thats right, duh, then they couldnt profit from the dispersants sales to make up for the losses they get from dumping oil in the ocean.. gee

And those crystals absolutely WOULD clog the pipe. We use that SAME EXACT METHOD for sealing wells in OK and TX. Saltwater, Drilling Mud and Polymer. It make a substance that resembles crystal rock candy..It would at least pinch down the flow enough to cap it..

Here, read this and tell me you dont think theyre keepin their execs fat and happy by only using nalco products..

http://www.nytimes.com/gwire/2010/05...pil-81183.html

THAT should get the hair on the back of your neck standing up.....

Wow! and nobody is doing anything about it.:(