The Sum of All Fears? ....... What's really going on with the BP cap?

[marmar]

from the BBC:



....(snip)....

He said the scientists received the answers they wanted about how BP was monitoring the seabed in case of any new leaks.

The well began leaking oil into the Gulf after BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded on 20 April, killing 11 workers.

BP had hoped the cap could stay in place until relief wells stopped the leak for good.

But with pressure readings from within the well lower than expected, scientists had raised concerns that oil could be leaking into the surrounding undersea bedrock.

And in a letter to BP chief managing director Bob Dudley, Adm Allen said: "Given the current observations... including the detected seep a distance from the well and undetermined anomalies at the well head, monitoring of the seabed is of paramount importance...

"I direct you to provide me a written procedure for opening the choke valve as quickly as possible without damaging the well should hydrocarbon seepage near the wellhead be confirmed." ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-10685152

[BrklynLiberal]

1. So, we are still screwed.....as are everyone and everything that lives on, in or under the Gulf?

[DCBob]

2. Apparently the "seep" is not an immediate crisis.. its likely a natural seep..

and the new well cap is holding just fine. But of course they need to verify that to be sure.

[Urban Prairie]

3. "including the detected seep a distance from the well"

A distance?

Exactly how distant is this seep?

Since the seep is coming out from below hundreds of feet of very compressed, (due to the pressure at that depth) and muddy sediment, before there is any solid sedimentary rock, there has to be a leak or leaks located somewhere along the segmented wellbore casing, due to either erosion or poorly cemented or damaged seals. The crude oil and methane gas would need to gradually saturate the surrounding sediment as it naturally finds the most porous sediment to seep out of from the Gulf's seafloor. If the seep is some distance from the wellhead, IMO, the leak or leaks must be occurring quite far down the wellbore and may be leaking into fractured bedrock..Yikes!!

[conscious evolution]

4. Nothing.The well will be in production mode any day now.