Second Relief Well Stopped

[Junkdrawer]

BP has stopped drilling one of the relief wells to intercept the blown out Macondo bore so it can ready the rig's blowout preventer (BOP) to go on top of the crippled Macondo BOP.

Transocean boss Steve Newman told analysts today that Transocean semi-submersible rig Development Driller II had stopped drilling while BP tries a top kill to try to halt the flow of the Macondo well.

BP spokesman David Nicholas told UpstreamOnline that the rig was stopped so its BOP would be ready if needed.

"The (Developmen Driller II) has temporarily suspended drilling operations in preparation for the possible future deployment of its BOP on top of the (Macondo) BOP," he told UpstreamOnline in an email response.

"This is a possible future option for stopping flow from the well and, as throughout, we are advancing options in parallel."

BP operations boss Doug Suttles confirmed that the BOP was being prepped to be deployed but said that it had been at the ready since the beginning of the top kill operation and it was not a sign that BP thought the top kill would not work.

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http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article216214.ece

Here's what goghgoner had to say over at The Oil Drum:

BP was not going to drill the second relief well until ordered to by the government. I think that the shortage of deepwater drilling rigs must be a huge factor in the decision to use this BOP from the second relief driller. I would not imagine that taking a BOP from an operating well is possible. It seems like a mistake to me but any chance to stop this gusher quickly must be viewed by the damage of not stopping it quickly -- another two months of gushing oil and the gulf economies may be wrecked, if they are not already.

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6524#comment-632956