Wth Bp!?!?!?

[LSUguy]

For the second time since starting the top kill procedure, they've suspended it twice now... 16 hours yesterday and now since 2:30am this morning (roughly 13 hours) they've suspended it again. What is going on?

[sneakypete]

Hey LSU guy!
Here's a thought - one I never realized might happen!
If they are actually starting with 50000 barrels of mud (Kill fluid) and pumping it at 65 barrels per minute - both figures having been posted in various news sites several times, then it takes only 769 minutes (12.8 hours) before they've drained their tanks. And you just don't call a mud company and request 50000 barrels of, what, 17 pound per gallon mud by midnight tonight! It cannot be made that fast!
Here's another thought. After all this mess is over and done with, it might be quite difficult to find enough materials to build enough mud to drill another well on the entire Gulf coast! Well, not really, but they could get pretty tight!
And I also wonder how well those pumps are holding up at that posted rate.
That's moving some mud, cher!
Pete

[LSUguy]

You might very well be right on all accounts... but how is the top kill supposed to work when you've suspended it for more than half the time since you started said procedure. Not trying to nit pick, but it's blatantly obvious BP has no clue what their doing. They've allowed the oil to flow freely for over a month while they've tried to figure out what to do... but yet their an oil company who's had more than 1 well drilled... how can you be in a business where you have no clue how to stop a "worst case scenario" and have some sort of contengecy plan for said accident. We're in danger of losing our best state resources (marshes) yet people are sitting idly by and doing absolutely nothing.

[Underradar]

They have to stop pumping to check whether the well is flowing back. And to check the rate of pressure drop or pressure increase. Or to see if it will stop flowing. You can't do that while you are constantly pumping. Even the lowest roughneck on a rig would know that.


And the use of the "f" letter might offend some of the more sensitive members here. Why don't you say "What in the world, BP"? I don't know, is it proper to use the "f" letter on a family website like this?

[LA CrappieMaster]

Hey LSU guy!
Here's a thought - one I never realized might happen!
If they are actually starting with 50000 barrels of mud (Kill fluid) and pumping it at 65 barrels per minute - both figures having been posted in various news sites several times, then it takes only 769 minutes (12.8 hours) before they've drained their tanks. And you just don't call a mud company and request 50000 barrels of, what, 17 pound per gallon mud by midnight tonight! It cannot be made that fast!
Here's another thought. After all this mess is over and done with, it might be quite difficult to find enough materials to build enough mud to drill another well on the entire Gulf coast! Well, not really, but they could get pretty tight!
And I also wonder how well those pumps are holding up at that posted rate.
That's moving some mud, cher!
Pete

The 50000 barrels of mud is more than enough as per BP. Plus, they have 3 boats that are capable of pumping the mud and I think the smallest is capable of pumping between 40 - 50 barrels per minute. Here is a link that explains the top kill procedure and shows the additional plans if this fails. http://bp.concerts.com/gom/kentwells_update24052010.htm

[sneakypete]

You might very well be right on all accounts... but how is the top kill supposed to work when you've suspended it for more than half the time since you started said procedure. Not trying to nit pick, but it's blatantly obvious BP has no clue what their doing. They've allowed the oil to flow freely for over a month while they've tried to figure out what to do... but yet their an oil company who's had more than 1 well drilled... how can you be in a business where you have no clue how to stop a "worst case scenario" and have some sort of contengecy plan for said accident. We're in danger of losing our best state resources (marshes) yet people are sitting idly by and doing absolutely nothing.

Unfortunately, BP's subsea blowout is not the "worst case scenario".
(1) What if the oil/gas was sour?
(2) What if this was taking place between mid-August and mid-October?
(3) What if the Federal Government was overseeing the kill operation?
(4) What if gas backs up through the kill lines to the pumps?
Those are just four thought of things that could happen thaat would be decidedly worse. The failure of all systems to the BOP's and the riser disconnect was not a worse case scenario - it was incomprehensible.
Sort of like all four of a 747's engines simultaneously flaming out at 30000 feet.
Pete
Poop happens, cher. But you can safely bet Tiger Stadium against my back yard that NO ONE in BP's war room is sitting idly by and doing absolutely nothing.
That, I can promise!
Pete again.

[Mo'nBack]

And the use of the "f" letter might offend some of the more sensitive members here. Why don't you say "What in the world, BP"? I don't know, is it proper to use the "f" letter on a family website like this?

I totally agree with you and all I can think is that either Johnny hasn't seen this or isn't aware of what it means. I'm sure that if he realizes this he'll delete this whole stupid thread because of it. I know I would.

[docwaldo]

taken care of. i agree also. i just saw it.

mark

[docwaldo]

well, i thought i fixed it. but it is not showing up on the thread page. im gonna let johnny jump in here.

doc

[Underradar]

I don't want my little girl looking over my shoulder and asking me what that means. I guess I could just tell her it means "Well, they fried" or "What they fried". And she would say, "that makes no sense".