After Delay, BP Ready to Test New Cap

[Lone_Star_Dem]

Source: CBS

The federal government gave BP permission Wednesday to go ahead with testing its new, tighter cap over the Gulf of Mexico gusher after a daylong delay to satisfy worries about whether the work might make the leak worse.

National Incident Commander Thad Allen said at a news briefing that testing would begin later Wednesday after the plan was carefully reviewed.

"There is a tremendous sense of urgency," he said, but added that nobody wants to make "an irreversible mistake."

BP had zipped through weekend preparations and gotten the 75-ton cap in place Monday atop the well. The device is meant is to stop the oil and pump excess to ships, raising hopes the gusher could be checked. BP was getting ready to test pressure on the well by closing valves in the cap when the government intervened late Tuesday.

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/14/national/main6678546.shtml

[rzemanfl]

1. If there is an irreversible mistake to be made, I am quite

confident BP will find a way to make it.

[CLANG]

2. And it will be "quite" the mistake, would it not?

I don't trust these people really know what they're doing.

[dipsydoodle]

3. BBC News link with video

BP will proceed with a key pressure test of the blown-out Gulf of Mexico oil well, a top US official has said.

The delayed test - originally due to start on Tuesday morning - would begin late on Wednesday and could last up to 48 hours, Adm Thad Allen said.

It would give engineers valuable information on how to seal the well permanently with heavy mud, he said.

The test had been delayed so experts could review the procedure in "an overabundance of caution", he added.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us+canada-10638728

According to ticker news here in the UK on SkyTV BP had had to wait for permission to proceed. Once granted worked started immediately.

[rzemanfl]

4. "How to seal the well permanently with heavy mud?" I thought

they knew how to do that, they have been saying so for nearly three months now. Now they have to figure out HOW? WTF?

[Nihil]

6. Depends on the word "know" and who's using it.

If it's an engineer tasked with not only reducing the flow but also avoiding
further damage to a highly dynamic deteriorating system then they "know" that
they need as much accurate data as possible to produce as bombproof a plan as
possible and execute it with a degree of precision under high risk situations
rarely seen outside of Broken Arrow events.

If it's a numpty like you, then yes, of course they "know" how to do it:
pour heavy stuff on top of the messy stuff until it stops coming out of the hole.
:eyes:

[Baclava]

5. "The government estimates 1.5 million to 2.5 million gallons are leaking every day."

Subsea operational update:

• In preparation for commencement of the well integrity test, the middle ram has been closed and a leak has been detected in the choke line of the 3 ram stack. It has been isolated and will be repaired prior to starting the test.


best live video view currently: gushing like a volcano

Skandi ROV1

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/incident_response/STAGING/local_assets/html/Skandi_ROV1.html

Skandi ROV2

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/incident_response/STAGING/local_assets/html/Skandi_ROV2.html





more live feeds

http://www.drillcompfluids.com/live-video-feed-from-bp-rov/bp-rov-feeds.html

[TEXASYANKEE]

7. I am so in hopes this works.

Please let this work and may the oil stop gushing.