When they sheared the riser prior to installing the LMRP cap, the video clearly shows two segments of sheared drill pipe inside the riser. How that happened is a mystery. Did the explosion break the work string into multiple segments which fell back toward the BOP?
Archive for June, 2010
Two Drill Pipe Segments Inside Sheared Riser
Posted in accidents, well control incidents, tagged accidents, blowouts, Deepwater Horizon, drilling, LMRP cap, macondo, offshore oil, oil spill, safety, well control on June 8, 2010| 1 Comment »
International Regulators’ Offshore Safety Conference, 18-20 October, Vancouver
Posted in conferences, IRF, Offshore Energy - General, Regulation, tagged international, IRF, macondo, Montara, safety, vancouver on June 8, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Vancouver, BC, Canada
The program for the International Regulators’ Offshore Safety Conference has been updated to include keynote presentations on the Montara and Macondo blowouts, and roundtable sessions that will address the lessons learned and how they should be applied by operators, contractors, and regulators. The presentations, discussions, and debates are sure to be thought provoking and informative. If you would like to participate, visit the conference website for more information.
Ramping Up
Posted in Uncategorized on June 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »
From 12:00am to 12:00pm on June 7th, a total of 7,541 barrels of oil were collected and 15 million cubic feet of natural gas was flared.
This is a significant production increase if this rate is sustained. The previous 24-hour total was 11,100 bbls of oil recovered. The gas-oil ratio (GOR) is holding at about 2000, so we’re not seeing much change in the relative gas and oil production rates. At this point, we probably want to see that GOR hold relatively steady or drop, since this effort is all about maximizing the oil flow. If the vents at the top of the cap are primarily releasing gas, leaving these vents open could actually improve oil recovery.
June 6 oil recovery: 11,100 bbls, 600 bopd increase from previous day
Posted in Uncategorized on June 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Someone Who Gets It
Posted in accidents, Norway, well control incidents, tagged accidents, blowouts, Deepwater Horizon, drilling, Gulf of Mexico, kielland, macondo, Magne Ognedal, Montara, Norway, oil spill, PSA, safety, well control on June 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Dette kan skje igjen (This could happen again)~ Magne Ognedal, Director General, Petroleum Safety Authority Norway
Magne’s quote in the Stavanger Aftenblad acknowledges that tragic accidents like the Macondo/Horizon blowout or Alexander Kielland sinking could happen again (see English translation of full article by BOE Europe Chief Odd Finnestad). Magne goes on to say:
We must appreciate there are risks associated with our petroleum activities, and in our yearly risk assessments we attempt to put in concrete terms what those inherent risks are. It is up to our national political system to determine whether this risk picture should be accepted or not.
and
We must endeavor to learn from whatever happens around the world, and if there is something that is also relevant to Norway we must apply those lessons, both regulators and industry
Industry and government officials would be wise to follow Magne’s lead and avoid “can’t happen here” statements. A few of these statements were made in the US after the Montara (Timor Sea) blowout, and we know how that worked out.
Some very experienced and capable offshore managers have had “there but for the grace of God go I” moments in the wake of this disaster. They know that this is not the time for boasting, piling-on, or schadenfreude. Like Magne, real leaders are focused on monitoring the investigations, studying the findings and recommendations, and applying the lessons as necessary to further reduce their operating risks and the risks of others who conduct offshore oil and gas operations.
Rig Losses Lead to Higher Insurance Rates
Posted in accidents, tagged aban pearl, Deepwater Horizon, insurance on June 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Aban Pearl
Global insurance broker Willis Group Holdings has revealed that the Deepwater Horizon and Aban Pearl drilling rig losses have given upstream energy insurers a record breaking monthly financial hit of $795m.
Good New York Times Op-Ed
Posted in accidents, tagged accidents, Dagmar Etkin, macondo, offshore oil, oil spill on June 7, 2010| Leave a Comment »
spill response methods
But I can tell you, based on 21 years’ experience analyzing and observing oil spills, that the best minds in the business are already doing all they can. No special techniques that would work well to clean up the oil in this situation aren’t being tried or planned. There simply are no foolproof solutions. ~ Dagmar Schmidt Etkin
link
Nice Job Jason!
Posted in accidents, well control incidents, tagged accidents, blowouts, David Dykes, Deepwater Horizon, drilling, Gulf of Mexico, Jason Mathews, John McCarroll, macondo, offshore oil, oil spill, safety, well control on June 6, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Jason Mathews
Kudos to Jason Mathews, David Dykes, John McCarroll, and their Coast Guard colleagues for their excellent work on the MMS-USCG investigation of the Macondo blowout. Catch some of the testimony on C-Span.
10,500 bbls of oil recovered on 5 June; 22 MMCF flared
Posted in accidents, well control incidents, tagged accidents, blowouts, Deepwater Horizon, drilling, Gulf of Mexico, macondo, oil spill, safety, well control on June 6, 2010| Leave a Comment »
Good news; production has ramped up nicely via the LMRP cap.
Getting a better picture of the well’s flow rate potential.
Well Cap Lowered Over Riser Stem (Update)
Posted in accidents, well control incidents, tagged accidents, blowouts, Deepwater Horizon, drilling, Gulf of Mexico, macondo, offshore oil, oil spill, safety, well control on June 4, 2010| Leave a Comment »
We won’t get a good read on the cap’s effectiveness until its placement is adjusted and oil production is stabilized. Flow to the surface may also be initiated through the choke and kill lines, which could supplement and improve the effectiveness of the cap system.
Update from Deepwater Horizon Response Facebook page:
The LMRP Cap is in place and nitrogen pressure head is slowly being reduced in the riser. Throughout the day, the vents in the cap will be closed as production begins on the surface. The goal is to ensure methane hydrates do not form in the cap.
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 