BP starts 'static kill' to plug Gulf of Mexico oil well

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

BP has started the "static kill" of its leaking Gulf of Mexico oil well, a step towards permanently sealing it.

Specially formulated mud will be pumped into the top of the well, pushing the oil back down into the reservoir.

After the procedure - which could last up to two-and-a-half days - the top of the well could be filled with cement.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10860238

[aquart]

1. Please work. Please, God.

[tabatha]

2. +100

[HCE SuiGeneris]

8. Adding my + 100 as well n/t

[damntexdem]

9. And it does appear to be risky.

Let's hope it's not another risk that blows up in BP's face -- not that I care about the face, but I do about the Gulf.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

3. why aren't they going through with their relief wells?

after all that drilling...

[Posteritatis]

5. Er? The article discusses the relief wells. (nt)

[eowyn_of_rohan]

11. opps. sorry - didn't read it first

will later

[backscatter712]

6. They've got them set up.

They had to clean some debris out of the well, but they're set to go.

They'll do the static kill, then depending on conditions, they'll also go in with the relief wells and pump in cement that way. It all depends on what they see on the instruments.

[Junkdrawer]

4. Isn't it important that the BOTTOM of the well be sealed with cement too?

Otherwise, we could have a permanent small leak....

[Posteritatis]

7. The article also discusses that

Come on, people.

[Junkdrawer]

10. I'm hearing mixed signals where BP is touting this as a possible "permanent" solution...

The Coast Guard seems to be insisting that the bottom kill continue, but the Coast Guard also insisted that BP resume pumping after the new cap's tests completed and BP won that argument.

We'll see...

[Baclava]

12. Static kill of BP oil well in Gulf of Mexico may last for a couple of days

Source: NOLA, The Times-Picayune

Engineers began pumping mud into the blown-out Macondo oil well in the Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday afternoon in a maneuver called the "static kill" that may permanently seal the runaway well, BP Senior Vice President Kent Wells said. Wells said it could take "a bunch of hours to a couple of days" to determine the success of the static kill.

(snips)

The static kill operation began at 3 p.m., following an "injectivity test" to determine whether the kill procedure could be carried out.If the well is successfully killed with mud, BP will have to decide whether to follow the pumping of mud with cement to permanently seal the well.

Whether or not to use cement in the static kill will depend on whether oil is contained only inside the well's casing or if it is also in the well's annulus, an outer shell. If oil is in the latter, mud from the static kill might not reach it, necessitating the use of the relief well to push cement into the well. Data collected from the static kill should tell technicians where oil is inside the well.

The relief well, which will pump mud and cement into the well at a point some 13,000 feet below the sea floor, will proceed either way.

-------------


It has begun.

Hope it holds.

Read more: http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/08/static_kill_of_macondo_well_ma.html

[flamingdem]

13. The guest on KO said he was against it and you can't know what's going on

from the pressure readings.. yikes.

[Baclava]

14. more wait and see

Leaks, delays and new plans every week have been the norm from the start.

Hold your breath





Fluid flow path to the well (BP)

[glinda]

15. Static kill of Oceans will go on forever.