Today is 30 days since the disastrous blowout and massive spill that occurred on April 20 on BP's Mississippi Canyon Block 252 well. The well has been flowing uncontrolled since at a rate that is far in excess of the 5,000 barrels per day claimed by the US Coast Guard, MMS, and BP. We have been calling for BP to disclose the actual flow, or at least give the pressures in the BOP so 
others can estimate flow, but, so far, BP has not been forthcoming. In fact, BP announced that they are now actually siphoning 5,000 barrels per day through the riser insertion tool (RIT), and the live video feed shows the flow virtually unabated (the feed is overloaded, so you may not be able to see it until later tonight). Today BP reluctantly admitted for the first time that the flow is over 5,000 barrels per day. Talk about understatement of the decade.
I am beginning to pick up a lot of frustration surrounding the glacial pace of decision making and lack of transparency in BP's carefully controlled messaging, enabled by the MMS and Coast Guard. I have now heard that many of the people assigned to the task of killing this well are paralyzed, waiting for decisions from BP management and the MMS on procedures and timing. There has been apparently a lot of discussion about cutting the riser above the BOP (blowout preventer) in preparation to land another BOP on top of the failed one. I've also heard that the MMS is not allowing any moves by BP without permission, slowing progress even further.
Supposedly, the top kill will be tried on Sunday. I understand the technical complexity and risk in an incident of this magnitude in this depth of water, but, for heaven's sake, the kill manifold has been set for something like 2 weeks. There doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency in BP's management as was evident by Tony Hayward's tone deaf assessment yesterday when he said, "...the overall environmental impact of this will be very, very modest," even as oil came ashore in Louisiana marshes killing wildlife. I'm also hearing that the response center, fully staffed Monday through Friday, has only a fraction of the people working on weekends. Apparently, this disaster is only a crisis for management during regular work hours.
Surely, concerned employees of BP are doing everything they can to get this well shut in. But their leadership, along with the responsible government agencies, seem bogged down in bureaucracy and politics. The press briefings are mostly uninformative, and the "technical briefings" don't have much in the way of actual technical briefing. Congressman Ed Markey, chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, has begun to hold BP's feet to the fire, demanding, and getting, the live video feed of the leaking riser. The government, and the public, are also waking up to the facts that many of us have known since the first day...this disaster is much larger than BP has admitted. The MMS and Coast Guard have not publicly demanded more information be disseminated to the public. In fact, the Coast Guard has even assisted BP in withholding information by threatening the press with arrest for videotaping oil on the shore.
It's clear now that BP is not going to be forthcoming. I now believe that it's time for an independent group of engineers and scientists be inserted into the BP response center to assure that information being given to the public is more complete and accurate, and that decisions are being made more timely to get the well shut in, not simply protecting BP's legal position. This is not just BP's problem...
It's all our problem.
Photo by Associated Press
others can estimate flow, but, so far, BP has not been forthcoming. In fact, BP announced that they are now actually siphoning 5,000 barrels per day through the riser insertion tool (RIT), and the live video feed shows the flow virtually unabated (the feed is overloaded, so you may not be able to see it until later tonight). Today BP reluctantly admitted for the first time that the flow is over 5,000 barrels per day. Talk about understatement of the decade.I am beginning to pick up a lot of frustration surrounding the glacial pace of decision making and lack of transparency in BP's carefully controlled messaging, enabled by the MMS and Coast Guard. I have now heard that many of the people assigned to the task of killing this well are paralyzed, waiting for decisions from BP management and the MMS on procedures and timing. There has been apparently a lot of discussion about cutting the riser above the BOP (blowout preventer) in preparation to land another BOP on top of the failed one. I've also heard that the MMS is not allowing any moves by BP without permission, slowing progress even further.
Supposedly, the top kill will be tried on Sunday. I understand the technical complexity and risk in an incident of this magnitude in this depth of water, but, for heaven's sake, the kill manifold has been set for something like 2 weeks. There doesn't seem to be a sense of urgency in BP's management as was evident by Tony Hayward's tone deaf assessment yesterday when he said, "...the overall environmental impact of this will be very, very modest," even as oil came ashore in Louisiana marshes killing wildlife. I'm also hearing that the response center, fully staffed Monday through Friday, has only a fraction of the people working on weekends. Apparently, this disaster is only a crisis for management during regular work hours.
Surely, concerned employees of BP are doing everything they can to get this well shut in. But their leadership, along with the responsible government agencies, seem bogged down in bureaucracy and politics. The press briefings are mostly uninformative, and the "technical briefings" don't have much in the way of actual technical briefing. Congressman Ed Markey, chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, has begun to hold BP's feet to the fire, demanding, and getting, the live video feed of the leaking riser. The government, and the public, are also waking up to the facts that many of us have known since the first day...this disaster is much larger than BP has admitted. The MMS and Coast Guard have not publicly demanded more information be disseminated to the public. In fact, the Coast Guard has even assisted BP in withholding information by threatening the press with arrest for videotaping oil on the shore.
It's clear now that BP is not going to be forthcoming. I now believe that it's time for an independent group of engineers and scientists be inserted into the BP response center to assure that information being given to the public is more complete and accurate, and that decisions are being made more timely to get the well shut in, not simply protecting BP's legal position. This is not just BP's problem...
It's all our problem.
Photo by Associated Press
"BP says a mile-long tube is capturing 210,000 gallons of oil a day, but some is still escaping. The company initially estimated 210,000 gallons was the total amount of the spill."
Hat Tip to Huff Post.
any body believe this?
One of my drilling engineer friends opined today that it might have been useful to cut the riser off the BOP. That would increase flow in the short run, but might lead to the wellbore collapsing much faster from the unrestricted flow. i have wondered if all the riser has made operations more difficult. Any attempt to set a new BOP on top of the old one will require that the riser be gone.
BP delays "Top Kill" again:
http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article215870.ece
I don't know if there's a specific technical hang-up, if they are hoping for the FWHP to decay, or if they are just scared.
I was not for it previously, but I'm beginning to think this effort may need to be nationalized.
I am getting so beyond pissed over this. I listen to the talking heads, Rick Perry (Act of God) and Rand Paul (Accidents happen) and I want to start spewing oil myself.
Honest to God, the Gulf of Mexico may NEVER recover from this - at least in my lifetime - and all I hear are talking points?
I am also getting more than just a little pissed that the government has not stepped up and brought people in to stop this shit! IMHO, BP is not that concerned - well, only about their "bottom line" - and our government is simply not doing enough.
I am not an industry expert, but there are many out there that are, and it is time to utilize them before it's way too late...and sadly, it may already be too late.
As Voice said so perfectly...Wankers!!!
Eljefebob, I really appreciate all the information you have provided on this horrible incident. While I don't fully understand all of it, because of you I'm at least more informed than any of my friends.
When you have time, I would be very interested in knowing what you think the U.S. could do in the future to be more prepared for incidents such as this. I assume more regulations would be in order, but what about things like submarines that could reach that depth and expanding the capabilities of the Coast Guard? Does the government even employ anyone that truly understands the situation?
Thanks for the link. In a perfect world, I could get Brit Hume and that fat piece of shit Limbaugh a couple of bibs and some extra large ladles and have them spoon that "harmless oil that the ocean will take care of or absorb if left alone" into each others ignorant pie holes until they cleaned it every drop of it up.
On the surface, federal agencies like USCG and MMS are allegedly equitable representatives of the public's interest. Yet, as evidence becomes clear, they are enabling BP's efforts to play parlor tricks on the general population.
Perhaps we should stop referring to the enablers as MMS and USCG, and drop the hammer and put the buck on the President's desk.
Seems about time for a media shakedown/adjustment.
Perhaps by refocusing the responsibility away from BP and federal agencies and into the President's lap, we could expect a quicker response time. I really don't think Obama wants to take over control of this fiasco, but he does need to be held accountable. He is the boss. MMS and the USCG do follow orders and if they are following BP's orders or enabling the message, well, that doesn't say much about our chain of command and where the interest of the public rests.
And I agree with you 100%, we are responsible. And the public beaches are ours to freely walk on to observe and to record and to protest and to protect.
I have a hard time accepting front line USCG need a remedial on this one, but the evidence is damning.
Pure B.S.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/20/bobby-jindal-has-some-pic_n_583462.html
The Governor got past the Coast Guard, and took pictures.
This is part of what happens to the oil.
Bullshit? I believe that might be the word that you are looking for...
Well, Rush says it will take care of itself if we just leave it alone. And if Rush says it, you know it's....uh, what's the word I'm looking for ?
You're right. I didn't say what I meant to say.
Which is... that this well is leaking, and gushing in BARRELS, and they are measuring "recovery" in gallons.
And, there is no sense of urgency by anybody... not BP, MMS, nobody...
Obviously there was no plan "A" or "B".
Very frustrating.
Thanks Bob for your information and insight.
Can you tell us what happens to the oil "in the ocean"? I know some of it evaporates, some of it congeals into tar balls, some of it just gets "gooey" and will eventually wash up on beaches as we have seen. Does some of it sink back down to the bottom of the seat? COuld you give us a breakdown?
If BP is still really run by Brits, that would certainly explain the frozen-molasses, paralyzed decision-making process that's going on. I've certainly experienced the same thing for the past couple of years.
I just don't understand the lack of urgency on their part.
According to this article, BP must post all info on a website for the public.
http://www.nola.com/news/gulf-oil-spill/index.ssf/2010/05/feds_order_bp_to_put_all_spill.html
Also, I saw Mr. Suttles credit a person who emailed them for the subsea disbursant idea. He was saying they are trying everything they can and pointed out that the idea came from someone who emailed them!?! I think that might be a little passing of the buck...I was rather surprised he said it.
While I agree that this is our worst nightmare, I really don't think it's hundreds of thousands of barrels per day. Even the best wells so far in the deepwater have flowed about 40,000 to 50,000 controlled. This being uncontrolled, Is probably less due to formation, wellbore, and riser damage. However, you can bet that it is multiples more than the 5,000 that BP has continued to repeat. I think it's 20,000 to 30,000 and coming down as pressure depletion sets in.
Back in the day... when I worked in the industry, after the boom to bust... in the '80's, there was this saying: "Lord, if You ever give us another boom, we promise not to screw it up."
Well, lookie here.
I tried several times last evening, unsuccessfully, to access the live feed through Markley's, Nelson's, MSNBC's, and CNN's sites.
From what I did see and read yesterday... this well is gushing hundreds of thousands of BARRELS per day. What they are doing in "relief" is only recovering GALLONS per day. They (BP) are running in place... or more likely backwards.
It's frustrating to know the damage that already has been done, and to know that it will continue to be worse, over time.
This is a friggin' nightmare.
Amen!