2 wells capped in Gulf after problems found in blowout preventers

[maddezmom]

Problems were detected in two blowout preventers on deepwater wells in the Gulf of Mexico last week, causing companies to temporarily cap the wells, officials with the companies involved confirmed to the Press-Register today.

One of the blowout preventers sat atop a well being drilled in 4,400 feet of water by Transocean Ltd., the company that was also drilling the Deepwater Horizon well now leaking in the Gulf of Mexico.

The other fail-safe device was owned by Noble Drilling Services Inc., which was working for Shell Oil in about 4,000 feet of water. That well was being drilled by Noble's Jim Thompson semi-submersible drilling rig.

Both wells were south of Louisiana.

The U.S. Minerals Management Service, which oversees drilling operations in federal waters, did not return calls seeking comment.


http://blog.al.com/live/2010/05/blowout_preventer_failures_gulf.html

[Owl]

1. Why are these blowout preventers such a bunch of crap?

[TransitJohn]

2. Because they're expensive to manufacture and are used over and over

just like any other highly specialized piece of machinery. And they work very well, how many blowouts have you ever heard of before this one?

[kenfrequed]

3. Well given that there is a colloquial term for it...

I would say that it has happened before. I didn't do an exhaustive search so I am certain there have been many more. Look up Ixtoc I.


And by the way, no amount of meandering nonsense or defense by suggesting how rare this incident could be is going to counteract legitimate safety concerns that were repeatedly put forth regarding BP.

[TransitJohn]

6. Meandering nonsense? Defense?

Did I post some? :shrug: BOPs have saved my life twice.

[no limit]

16. It didn't save these people:

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/5/25/worldupdates/2010-05-25T105346Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-487699-1&sec=Worldupdates

But I know, I'm too mean to point that out so you have a right to ignore it.

[kenfrequed]

18. So it did happen at least once before

I met your little challenge and now you're complaining and not recognizing it?

[no limit]

15. Self-delete, wrong person I replied to

[no limit]

4. How many examples do you have of them actually working?

[TransitJohn]

5. 5 that I know of.

I've been involved with drilling about 200 wells in my career, experienced 5 serious kick situations, 2 that were blowouts, and the choke and rams functioned every time.

[no limit]

7. So you know of 5. I know of atleast 2 where it didn't.

5 out of 7 doesn't seem like a very good track record when the enviroment is on the line.

[TransitJohn]

8. vs. how many tens of thousands of wells drilled world wide per year?

Seems like a good track record to me. And, if you've got a new invention, I'm sure the petroleum industry is all ears.

[no limit]

9. A good track record?

If it means we will see this type of spill every other decade then no, this is not a good track record no matter how many wells there are out there. If that's the case this type of drilling needs to stop.

Using your logic as long as we only have one nuclear meltdown at nuclear plants every 20 - 30 years that's perfectly ok. Or if only one nuclear bomb in our huge stockpile goes off accidently every few decades then that's no big deal. Give me a break.

And I don't buy that they can't come up with better technology. They are using the same shit they were using in the 70s. What technology from the 70s do you still own and use? Are you writing these messages on your commodore 64?

[TransitJohn]

10. Thanks for telling me what my logic is.

DU sucks sometimes. Sorry for bothering you with a countering opinion, and trying to share my experience. Argue with someone else about workplace and environmental safety, there won't be any meaningful interaction here, you've made that clear.

[no limit]

11. So you're taking your ball and going home without addressing what I said? Nice

The fact is to have this type of spill every other decade is simply not acceptable no matter how many offshore rigs there are.

The fact is they did nothing (or very little) to imporve this technology since the 70s. They are using the same blow out preventers and these same blow out preventers are failing causing an enviromental disaster of astronamical proportions.

[TransitJohn]

12. The fact is you're an angry person uncomfortable with other opinions, carry on n/t

n/t

[no limit]

13. I'm an anrgy person? Lol. ok. Just because you can't respond to my points don't turn it around on me

Enjoy the oil industry, hopefully it pays well.

And your opinions are fine as long as you are willing to defend them (not the case here). So yeah, carry on with points of view you can't defend.

[TransitJohn]

14. Last word nyah nyah

Oh wait, i'm sure you'll respond again. FLAME ON!!

[kenfrequed]

17. No but I will.

It is unacceptable.

There is no part of this accident that is even remotely acceptable.

Your right to make a paycheck does not negate the 'cost of doing business' that is being asserted passively by your suggestion that this accident is rare or even unique. "Have you ever heard of this happening before?" to me suggests 'this almost never happens.'

Unfortunately it only seems to have to happen once.

One event and the ecology of that body of water is disrupted forever throughout the gulf for probably a decade or more. Fishermen are screwed for ten years at least and probably longer. An entire way of life gone for at least a generation.

Great news for tens of thousands of families all up and down a coast, some of whom were still getting it back together after Katrina.