Yesterday in his daily presser, Adm. Allen said that all is well with the well, and that BP may be ready to pump the Static Kill (Top Kill II) to cover up the evidence as early as Sunday. The problem is, if everything with the Well Integrity Test (translation: Shut-In-Until-We-Can-Get-Mud-Pumped-in-to-Keep-from-Measuring-the-Flow-Test) is going so well, how come they cut off the ROV video feeds of the well 3 days ago? Our pals over at Daily Kos, the Gulf Watchers, who have maintained a 24/7 vigil over the feeds, are telling me that we are now in our third day of no view of the wellhead.
They're right. If you go to BP's Video Feed site (warning: it's slow and locks up some browsers) you'll notice that the Skandi feeds, which have shown the wellhead virtually full time for weeks, are now blank. There are a few feeds still working, but most show the ROV staring off into the distance, working on other components, or in sonar mode. Nothing of the old BOP or new Capping Stack. When the video feeds were up after the Well Integrity Test (see translation above) started, the Gulf Watchers began noting leaks in the new stack and the old BOP, but especially around the Cameron HC connector that is between the stacks. Last weekend and earlier this week, they began noting that the leak in the connector was getting worse, as all leaks do if not repaired. About the time of the reports of worsening leaks, the feed was suddenly cut, and continues to remain off. We are blind to the wellhead that BP committed to Markey that they would all let us see. The Gulf Watchers do report occasional glances at the wellhead from other ROVs as they move around, and say that the Skandi ROVs are still there watching the wellhead. BP has just chosen to not broadcast them.
We all know that BP is monitoring the well very closely, as Adm. Allen said as late as yesterday afternoon. If that is so, why are they not letting us monitor it, too? Why is Adm. Allen and the US government letting BP reneg on its commitment to transparency? The leaks may very well be inconsequential; however, they should let us judge that for ourselves. I doubt this is some oversight or mechanical malfunction; the feed has been intentionally cut with no explanation. What's really irritating is that the press is more focused on how the oil is "disappearing" and how many birds have been released than the damn well. I guess the Lindsay Lohan-in-Jail story is now more appealing, since the oil spill has now fallen off of CNN's front page as well as every other network's except for MSNBC.
The Gulf Watchers have calls into the Energy and Commerce Committee press office, as does the Daily Hurricane. We also have a call into the Unified Command press office asking for comment why the feeds have been cut off. The question was not answered and calls not immediately returned.
We'll update this as we hear more (or don't) throughout the day.
More on The Daily Hurricane Energy page.
They're right. If you go to BP's Video Feed site (warning: it's slow and locks up some browsers) you'll notice that the Skandi feeds, which have shown the wellhead virtually full time for weeks, are now blank. There are a few feeds still working, but most show the ROV staring off into the distance, working on other components, or in sonar mode. Nothing of the old BOP or new Capping Stack. When the video feeds were up after the Well Integrity Test (see translation above) started, the Gulf Watchers began noting leaks in the new stack and the old BOP, but especially around the Cameron HC connector that is between the stacks. Last weekend and earlier this week, they began noting that the leak in the connector was getting worse, as all leaks do if not repaired. About the time of the reports of worsening leaks, the feed was suddenly cut, and continues to remain off. We are blind to the wellhead that BP committed to Markey that they would all let us see. The Gulf Watchers do report occasional glances at the wellhead from other ROVs as they move around, and say that the Skandi ROVs are still there watching the wellhead. BP has just chosen to not broadcast them.
We all know that BP is monitoring the well very closely, as Adm. Allen said as late as yesterday afternoon. If that is so, why are they not letting us monitor it, too? Why is Adm. Allen and the US government letting BP reneg on its commitment to transparency? The leaks may very well be inconsequential; however, they should let us judge that for ourselves. I doubt this is some oversight or mechanical malfunction; the feed has been intentionally cut with no explanation. What's really irritating is that the press is more focused on how the oil is "disappearing" and how many birds have been released than the damn well. I guess the Lindsay Lohan-in-Jail story is now more appealing, since the oil spill has now fallen off of CNN's front page as well as every other network's except for MSNBC.
The Gulf Watchers have calls into the Energy and Commerce Committee press office, as does the Daily Hurricane. We also have a call into the Unified Command press office asking for comment why the feeds have been cut off. The question was not answered and calls not immediately returned.
We'll update this as we hear more (or don't) throughout the day.
More on The Daily Hurricane Energy page.
If cement is pumped thru the BOP won't that make it impossible to bring the BOP to the surface to be inspected? Seems like yet another ploy to cover-up the facts of what went wrong and who is to blame doesn't it or am I missing something?
Obama's Gulf War –
"More Toxic Drilling Mud?"
Where's the video feed?
Where's the transparency, that video feed?
Three days without it and we feel deprived.
Is there more seepage than they have told Lisa?
If the well head tipped over, how much has survived?
What can it be they don't want us to see?
Mud covered golf balls? Are Tony's still there?
If they'd retrieve them and put them on e-Bay,
At least we'd know Allen and Dudley still care.
Why worry we'll see that their drill mud is toxic?
How in hell can a video let anyone tell?
Deformities from it won't become apparent
Till BP is gons and most clams lack a shell.
Perhaps they're afraid that their annulus videos
Sound as if they should be rated PG,
Or shown late at night where they'll have to compete
With jokes about Levi and risk-prone BP.
Meanwhile will Dudley agree to take questions?
Like does he eat seafood? If so, where's it come from?
Is he breathing Gulf air on a regular basis?
Or will he, like Lisa, simply choose to play dumb?
Bob Carlson
www.politicalboondoggles.com
7/31/10
To 'BP ROV Video of Leaking Wellhead Cut Off for Third Day - Why?'
To 'Is the EPA Playing Dumb on Dispersants?'
To 'BP admits top kill mud was toxic:
Tony Hayward Senate testimony might be perjury '
To 'Annulus (oil well) definition'
To 'EPA's Lax Lisa Jackson'
To 'British Petroleum Incompetence'
Allen hasn't been too impressive, which points out the fact that the government needs someone who knows the oil industry to assist in this sort of situation. I would assume there's somebody knowledgeable who is willing to work for government pay that can ask the right questions.
As for the tax deduction for spill expenses, that's allowed by law. I'm not going to blame BP for using all deductions they are legally entitled to take. The simple solution would be to rewrite the law to disallow the deduction if gross negligence is the cause of a spill, but that wouldn't have any effect on this situation.
The bumbling Thad Allen is a disgrace. Hopefully he is quickly forgotten since he is an inept manager who has no more idea how to manage a complex situation than the President does. This entire debacle has been mis-managed as BP, with dozens of people constantly devising strategies to confuse Allen and bribe others, has controlled the show from the beginning. Today they continue to run over Allen and call the shots. He is either on the take or in failing mental health. Billy Nungasser as recently as this week said that Allen "does not have a clue". Who do we believe, a bumbling Admiral or someone who is actively involved in a postive fashion?
10 billion tax write-off, no money in the claims fund, the oil has disappeared spin, and a rush to pump in mud from the top to remove any solid evidence of liability. What are we left with? Republicans and Democrats in a party based battle for our votes. Where are the Whigs when you need them? Zachary Taylor for President!
It's been 100+ days now. The "shiny" has worn off, so attention is waning. Americans don't have the patience to pay attention post-catastrophe. Been through Louisiana lately?
If we don't all start to pull an "Anthony Weiner", the fox will continue to run amuck in the hen house, and we'll just have egg on our faces. Pardon the metaphor butchering.
I don't know if this is the information you are looking for, but here is Rep. Markey's press releases on the BP information...
Bob , has either BP or the USCG responded to Rep Markey's original letter of June 23rd requesting information on the intregity of the wellbore ( among other information and data requested ) or to his subsequent follow up letters to BP and the USCG concerning the same ?
Thanks Bob for keeping this in the forefront and keeping us updated while all the other ADD/ADHD media have moved on to "bigger and better" (ratings).
well eljefe, it's still BP we're dealing with, so someone's going to have to make 'em do the same thing we forced them to do before - where's Sen. Markey and when does Congress recess for vacation ?
I've known mules less stubborn & more P.R.-savvy.