Deepwater Horizon

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 01 Jun 2010, 23:43

Opinion on TOD seems to be that they're cutting away the small pipes so that the big shear tool can get at the main riser, with the drill pipe inside. If that can be cut off it takes the load off the pipe at the top of the BOP where the diamond wire cutter is positioned ready to make a clean cut.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 02 Jun 2010, 06:00

National AP - 02/06/10

NOAA research ship to search Gulf for underwater oil

With mystery swirling over how much oil may be lurking beneath the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, a research vessel leaves Wednesday on a nine-day mission: To find and study a potentially toxic stew that oceanographers fear could be catastrophic for marine life.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Thomas Jefferson, one of the most technologically advanced vessels for finding hazards on the seafloor, has been diverted from a recent trip to map the ocean floor off Galveston, Texas, to the belching Deepwater Horizon oil leak.

Article continues ...

One solitary comment to date:

Thank you BP for creating these underwater plumes. This way the oil can go with the currents much quicker and will not be interrupted by surface winds. This way your poisonous geyser can kill much more effectively all through the water column. If this mess gets into the Gulf Stream I hope it rides all the way back to Merry Old England so they can enjoy your handiwork there too.

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 02 Jun 2010, 06:03

BBC News - 02/06/10

The US government has begun criminal and civil investigations into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, Attorney General Eric Holder has announced.

Article continues ...

Cabrone · Post by **Cabrone** » 02 Jun 2010, 09:09

Aurora wrote:
National AP - 02/06/10

NOAA research ship to search Gulf for underwater oil

With mystery swirling over how much oil may be lurking beneath the surface of the Gulf of Mexico, a research vessel leaves Wednesday on a nine-day mission: To find and study a potentially toxic stew that oceanographers fear could be catastrophic for marine life.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Thomas Jefferson, one of the most technologically advanced vessels for finding hazards on the seafloor, has been diverted from a recent trip to map the ocean floor off Galveston, Texas, to the belching Deepwater Horizon oil leak.

Article continues ...
One solitary comment to date:

Thank you BP for creating these underwater plumes. This way the oil can go with the currents much quicker and will not be interrupted by surface winds. This way your poisonous geyser can kill much more effectively all through the water column. If this mess gets into the Gulf Stream I hope it rides all the way back to Merry Old England so they can enjoy your handiwork there too.

Unfortunately the 'British' in BP may turn out to be rather emotive I fear.

Maybe they should be forced to change their name to 'Polluting Money Grabbers Plc'.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 02 Jun 2010, 09:45

I'm not sure that BP are any worse than the rest of the industry - Shell in Nigeria, Exxon all over the place, and as for the state oil concerns in Russia...
Not an excuse but I guess the GoM was BP's turn to get unlucky.

(They create their own luck, of course.)

dudley · Post by **dudley** » 02 Jun 2010, 13:13

BP is Beyond Pathetic.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 02 Jun 2010, 14:52

Richard Heinberg wrote:It turns out that nearly everyone likes the idea of using less oil, but nobody wants to take the step of actually mandating a reduction in its production and consumption, because that would require us to dethrone our Holy of Holies—economic growth.

dudley · Post by **dudley** » 02 Jun 2010, 14:54

Vortex wrote:Like something from Abysss, Sphere etc ... amazing stuff!
.

That could be because James Cameron, director of The Abyss is a consultant.

The search for a way to stop the leak has extended to Hollywood, with film director James Cameron included among a group of scientists and other experts who met Tuesday with officials from the Environmental Protection Agency and other federal agencies for a brainstorming session.

The Canadian-born Cameron, director of films such as "The Abyss" and "Titanic," is considered an expert on underwater filming and remote vehicle technologies.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37463005/ns/gulf_oil_spill/

http://www.myfoxhouston.com/dpps/news/j ... fc_7864378

Kevin Costner (a hollywood star

) is flogging some sort of machine to separate petroleum from ocean water. I wonder what the EROEI of that is.

I can't wait to see the film they're going to make of this.

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 02 Jun 2010, 15:36

Wow! The big yellow bitey thing has just munched onto the riser. Now lost in clouds of black stuff.

Another bite - it's trying to squash the pipe end flat.

snow hope · Post by **snow hope** » 02 Jun 2010, 15:52

You would think they might have fitted a stop cock somewhere on that pipe!

Now the end is more conical, can they not just push a rubber pipe on the end and run the oil up to boats on the surface? I wonder why they didn't try to do this before.....

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 02 Jun 2010, 16:01

Times OnLine - 02/06/10

BP lost another £2.2 billion of value this morning after the announcement that the US would hold a criminal investigation into the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster.

The oil giant is now worth £90 billion, with its shares having fallen by a third since the explosion on April 20 that killed 11 men.

Article continues ...

biffvernon · Post by **biffvernon** » 02 Jun 2010, 16:50

snow hope wrote: can they not just push a rubber pipe on the end and run the oil up to boats on the surface? I wonder why they didn't try to do this before.....

It's the swimming down with the jubilee clip that's tricky.

There does seem to have been a lack of plan Bs for mission critical parts to all this stuff.

Pictures at http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_interne ... tream.html do make great viewing (of the watching paint dry variety).

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 02 Jun 2010, 22:37

BBC News - 02/06/10

A sheen of oil from the Gulf of Mexico spill is reportedly nearing the white sand beaches of north-west Florida.

Officials said a sheen containing thousands of tar balls had been seen nine miles (15km) from Pensacola on the Florida "panhandle".

Article continues ...

Aurora · Post by **Aurora** » 03 Jun 2010, 05:44

Matthew Simmons Reflects On Deepwater Horizon Disaster

See: http://www.portfolio.com/industry-news/ ... n-disaster

Simmons said the BP Deepwater Horizon spill may just be the event that spurs a reaction that shortens the time horizon for the switch from oil. His favored approach is the development of offshore wind turbines, but other ideas include the use of algae as a substitute for oil.

“I think it could happen within five years if we tackle this with the intensity that we reacted after Pearl Harbor,” he said. “We have to use that intensity now, and that’s the only good thing about the tragedy—it’s going to focus people on the problem.”

Cabrone · Post by **Cabrone** » 03 Jun 2010, 09:42

Aurora wrote:Matthew Simmons Reflects On Deepwater Horizon Disaster

See: http://www.portfolio.com/industry-news/ ... n-disaster

Simmons said the BP Deepwater Horizon spill may just be the event that spurs a reaction that shortens the time horizon for the switch from oil. His favored approach is the development of offshore wind turbines, but other ideas include the use of algae as a substitute for oil.

“I think it could happen within five years if we tackle this with the intensity that we reacted after Pearl Harbor,” he said. “We have to use that intensity now, and that’s the only good thing about the tragedy—it’s going to focus people on the problem.”

Yes, if this continuing disaster doesn't cause the US to seriously reflect on their oil habit then I don't know what will.

As he says hopefully this is the environmental Pearl Harbour that kick starts a sea change in US attitudes.