The good thing about the oil spill

[rudder]

The only good thing it did was to expose the level of corruption between the Govt. Agencies and big oil companies.

Kind of like exposing the level of corruption between Govt. Agencies, Govt of New Orleans, and the casinos when the levees failed. A lot of good came from that exposure.

 

[nageov3t]

risks? what? lol ru serious? it's underwater

treaties are meant to be broken when you need to break them. Iran and NK and Russia can STFU

if it didn't work, it would make the situation even worse.

 

[shangshang]

Oil spill on American soil is good. It helps America to wake the fuck up about oil dependency. I like to see a spill like this near Texas and Alaska too, since those 2 moron states love oil so much. More spills please.

 

[Exterous]

Kind of like exposing the level of corruption between Govt. Agencies, Govt of New Orleans, and the casinos when the levees failed. A lot of good came from that exposure.

Yes - the oversight of the oil wells seems to be severely lacking. It's a shame that it had to be such a horrible incident that brought this to light

since those 2 moron states love oil so much. More spills please.

As opposed to the oil free states we have?

 

[Elias824]

Oil is terrible, I think tonight im going to re-engineer my car to run on sunshine and lollipops. Also Guys we need to go out to the sea and sell some of that oil back, There is tons of it out there and now its free!

Man America is such a generous country, were even donating oil to the fish now.

 

[RedCOMET]

At least Bill Nye is getting some TV time again.

 

[Thump553]

I have never seen the general public so interested in science and engineering.

You missed the dozen years between the launching of Sputnik and the landing of man on the moon. The interest in science and science education was a whole lot higher then. But we also got saddled with such monstrocities as "New Math."

Actually this oil spill reminds me more of being involved in a bad car accident, where you just can't put it out of your mind.

 

[EndGame]

OK, capping this thing is not an easy task for sure. Everyone knows this but, as others in the industry have stated, BP has an interest in not doing so, at least not yet. At this point their liability is limited (which will most likely change) and capping it will end their problems with the leak BUT, by delaying the capping until approval for a relief well is approved they assure at least some return on their losses and investments. A relief well is the best scenario for stopping this leak but, takes time. If the well is capped and sentiment/liability/lawsuits goes against BP, as they most likely will, they may well be denied the right/approval to drill the relief well which at some point will happen.

 

[Balt]

OK, capping this thing is not an easy task for sure. Everyone knows this but, as others in the industry have stated, BP has an interest in not doing so, at least not yet. At this point their liability is limited (which will most likely change) and capping it will end their problems with the leak BUT, by delaying the capping until approval for a relief well is approved they assure at least some return on their losses and investments. A relief well is the best scenario for stopping this leak but, takes time. If the well is capped and sentiment/liability/lawsuits goes against BP, as they most likely will, they may well be denied the right/approval to drill the relief well which at some point will happen.

Eh, I don't know if I agree that BP has an incentive to let the leak continue. Their stock is getting hammered from all of this, and each new failure in stemming the leak leads to another big point drop.

 

[EndGame]

Eh, I don't know if I agree that BP has an incentive to let the leak continue. Their stock is getting hammered from all of this, and each new failure in stemming the leak leads to another big point drop.

When this field was tapped, it was said to be one of the largest ever found outside of the ME. If BP were to lose drilling rights, they would have a LOT to lose and this could concievabley happen. On the other hand, if they gain approval for relief wells prior to capping and total ending of the leak, they will have access to the field. Why do you think they have said it may take several months to totally stop the leak........

 

[PottedMeat]

When this field was tapped, it was said to be one of the largest ever found outside of the ME. If BP were to lose drilling rights, they would have a LOT to lose and this could concievabley happen. On the other hand, if they gain approval for relief wells prior to capping and total ending of the leak, they will have access to the field. Why do you think they have said it may take several months to totally stop the leak........

what does drilling relief wells have to do with having access to the field? i'd guess losing drilling rights would take months-years. could the .gov raise royalties or something?

 

[EndGame]

No, would not take "months/years". Like any permitt, it could be pulled essentially immeadiately. The way it stands now, another company could be allowed to drill relief wells or, drilling could be disallowed altogether in light of this disaster. IF they are allowed and permitts are granted for the relief wells, BP will be harvesting from these wells as long as it is productive.

 

[RedCOMET]

If the well is capped and sentiment/liability/lawsuits goes against BP, as they most likely will, they may well be denied the right/approval to drill the relief well which at some point will happen.

They are already drilling relief wells with TOI's Development Driller 2 & 3 (DD2 & DD3).

When this field was tapped, it was said to be one of the largest ever found outside of the ME. If BP were to lose drilling rights, they would have a LOT to lose and this could concievabley happen. On the other hand, if they gain approval for relief wells prior to capping and total ending of the leak, they will have access to the field. Why do you think they have said it may take several months to totally stop the leak........

Again.. they already have rigs under contract to drill the wells. The relief well is the long term fix. All the other measures taken by BP to date, were to stem the tide of the flow and to try to collect as much as possible. However they were never long term fixes.

From what it sounds like in the reports.. and from talking to friends who have worked on BP rigs in the GoM, drilling in that block for the Macondo prospect took time. I'm not sure of the degree of difficulty, but it wasn't easy.

Also, Rig operations will go as fast as they go. They are not going to rush it or do it half ass with all the scrutiny that BP and TOI are under. They are trying to hit a 10in target. Now they can do that with the advanced rotary steerable / directional drilling tech available to them. More than likely, they will drill so far, pull out of the hole and run wireline logs to confirm they are indeed on target.

edit: Now that Hurricane season has started. That will also cause delays if any major storm comes to the Gulf. Operations will be suspended and non-essentials personal will be sent in as the rigs secures the well and prepares itself for the storm. That could mean 5-15 days (or more) worth of down time per major storm that is projected to come where the rigs are located.

No, would not take "months/years". Like any permitt, it could be pulled essentially immeadiately. The way it stands now, another company could be allowed to drill relief wells or, drilling could be disallowed altogether in light of this disaster. IF they are allowed and permitts are granted for the relief wells, BP will be harvesting from these wells as long as it is productive.

Not sure of have all this works out... but BP bought the lease rights to drill in this block. They have the lease rights to drill in the area... but they still need to file a permit to drill with the MMS order to make some hole in the ground. If they were to produce hydrocarbons from the Macondo field from a previously drilled well, that would require another permit from the MMS ( a permit for completions / work over). Depending on the techniques employed and the type of of completion equipment used, it can take anywhere from 30 days to 6 months to install the necessary equipment and tie in the well to production facility or underseas pipeline.

There might be some legal issues if another company that's not a partner comes in and tries to produce the field BP may have a legal claim and it may be against the lease (ie contract) they have with the government. Also, if that were to happen, whos to say that the MMS will actually issue a permit to a competitor. Plus. BP more than likely has invested a ton of money and collected more data on the field than a competitor could amass in the same amount of time.


I'm not sure what assets / infrastructure BP has in the area.. but the quicker they start producing from the well, the quicker BP and the Gov get their money.

 

[WhipperSnapper]

I have never seen the general public so interested in science and engineering.

I suppose, but the general public's deep lack of interest in science and engineering was never a problem to begin with because in reality we don't need more than 10% of the populace to have an interest in it.

Although laypeople are unaware of it, our nation already has a huge oversupply of PhD. scientists, many of whom end up unemployed, underemployed-and-underpaid, or underemployed-and-involuntarily-out-of-field.

Contrary to popular belief, the overwhelming majority of jobs and things that need to be done in our society require almost no knowledge of science or engineering (or advanced math for that matter). Do waitresses need to be good at algebra? Do plumbers need to know about quantum mechanics? Do truck drivers need to know about structural biology? Do auto-insurance brokers need to know anything about organic chemistry? Do cashiers at an electronics store need to know anything about modern physics?

 

[EndGame]

They are already drilling relief wells with TOI's Development Driller 2 & 3 (DD2 & DD3).



Again.. they already have rigs under contract to drill the wells. The relief well is the long term fix. All the other measures taken by BP to date, were to stem the tide of the flow and to try to collect as much as possible. However they were never long term fixes.

From what it sounds like in the reports.. and from talking to friends who have worked on BP rigs in the GoM, drilling in that block for the Macondo prospect took time. I'm not sure of the degree of difficulty, but it wasn't easy.

Also, Rig operations will go as fast as they go. They are not going to rush it or do it half ass with all the scrutiny that BP and TOI are under. They are trying to hit a 10in target. Now they can do that with the advanced rotary steerable / directional drilling tech available to them. More than likely, they will drill so far, pull out of the hole and run wireline logs to confirm they are indeed on target.

edit: Now that Hurricane season has started. That will also cause delays if any major storm comes to the Gulf. Operations will be suspended and non-essentials personal will be sent in as the rigs secures the well and prepares itself for the storm. That could mean 5-15 days (or more) worth of down time per major storm that is projected to come where the rigs are located.



Not sure of have all this works out... but BP bought the lease rights to drill in this block. They have the lease rights to drill in the area... but they still need to file a permit to drill with the MMS order to make some hole in the ground. If they were to produce hydrocarbons from the Macondo field from a previously drilled well, that would require another permit from the MMS ( a permit for completions / work over). Depending on the techniques employed and the type of of completion equipment used, it can take anywhere from 30 days to 6 months to install the necessary equipment and tie in the well to production facility or underseas pipeline.

There might be some legal issues if another company that's not a partner comes in and tries to produce the field BP may have a legal claim and it may be against the lease (ie contract) they have with the government. Also, if that were to happen, whos to say that the MMS will actually issue a permit to a competitor. Plus. BP more than likely has invested a ton of money and collected more data on the field than a competitor could amass in the same amount of time.


I'm not sure what assets / infrastructure BP has in the area.. but the quicker they start producing from the well, the quicker BP and the Gov get their money.

Do you have some links or facts to back this up? Just wondering because my information and statements come from a friend whom works for Transocean and we've been discussing what he can through emails since this began.......

Just shot an email off to Scott and looked over the emails I already have. He stated in an email dated 5/26/10 that "Permits to drill relief wells have been applied for but to date, they have not been approved". Also he states that the permits and leases granted can be terminated at any time if it is determined a breach of the contract has occurred and this definately constitutes a breach in his words.

 

[RedCOMET]

Do you have some links or facts to back this up? Just wondering because my information and statements come from a friend whom works for Transocean and we've been discussing what he can through emails since this began.......

Just shot an email off to Scott and looked over the emails I already have. He stated in an email dated 5/26/10 that "Permits to drill relief wells have been applied for but to date, they have not been approved". Also he states that the permits and leases granted can be terminated at any time if it is determined a breach of the contract has occurred and this definately constitutes a breach in his words.

http://www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=92524

Tuesday, May 04, 2010

BP announced Tuesday that work has begun to drill a relief well to intercept and isolate the oil well that is spilling oil in the US Gulf of Mexico. The GSF Development Driller II semisub is drilling this second relief well. Another semisub, Development Driller III, spudded the first relief well at 3 p.m. Central Daylight Time on Sunday.

I'm not familiar with the Lease agreements and how the permits are processed.

My friend who is mud logging on one of the Development drillers.. he was told me that they are trying to "hit a 10 in target"

My other friend who works on the Deepwater Nautilus told me in a face book message:

"Trying to get our permits for completions work approved. Have some intervention work to do after that. If MMS in fact allows work at all. Lol; unrestricted-on-paper doesn't mean permit-in-hand"

Not sure of the status of their MMS paperwork.

Rig operations will take as long as they need to take..

Some of the other statements in my post are from my experiences while working offshore in Deep Water Exploration.

 

[CLite]

Although laypeople are unaware of it, our nation already has a huge oversupply of PhD. scientists, many of whom end up unemployed, underemployed-and-underpaid, or underemployed-and-involuntarily-out-of-field.

Perhaps with respect to science but there is a dramatic shortage of quality engineers at the moment. The wave of retirees from the booming days of the 60-90's with respect to massive development in the process and power industry is about to hit. There is going to be a huge gap in talent once these retirees stop working for good (many are working a decade + past retirement age). This coupled with a potential renaissance in Nuclear Engineering is leaving a lot of people scratching their hands about how to handle this.