Feds to remove temporary cap from Gulf well

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

Feds to remove temporary cap from Gulf well
By HARRY R. WEBER (AP) – 57 minutes ago

NEW ORLEANS — The federal government said it will start work Monday to remove the temporary cap that stopped oil from gushing out of BP's blown-out Gulf well so that engineers can raise a key piece of equipment from the seabed.

Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government's point man for the spill response, told reporters Friday that engineers must remove the cap so they can raise the failed blowout preventer. The blowout preventer is considered a key piece of evidence in determining what caused the April rig explosion that unleashed the gushing oil.

The leak was first contained when engineers were able to place a cap atop the well. Workers then pumped mud and cement in through the top in a so-called "static kill" operation that significantly reduced pressure inside the well. Officials don't expect oil to leak into the sea again when the cap is removed, but Allen has ordered BP to be ready to collect any leaking crude just in case.

The Department of Justice and other federal investigators are overseeing the work to remove the blowout preventer, Allen said. The device — which was designed to prevent such a catastrophe — will be taken out of the water with the well pipe still inside to ensure the pipe doesn't break apart any more than it already has.


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[Rhiannon12866]

1. K&R. Good luck with that...

:(

[Paper Roses]

2. Dollars to donuts, something will go wrong.

I'll be watching the news when this happens.

[alp227]

3. Uh oh. I'm damn sure that even a drop of oil will leak. Seriously.

"The blowout preventer is considered a key piece of evidence in determining what caused the April rig explosion" That better be, or else I am gonna bang my head against a window.

[beforeyoureyes]

4. This does NOT make sense. Something is wrong.

Why the hell didn't they remove the blow-out preventer BEFORE they plugged the well the FIRST time?

I don't buy it. It is most likely a way of justifying removal without causing alarm and panic until it becomes completely impossible to cover it up any longer.

[TheMadMonk]

15. Because of the way they implemented the temporary cap.

Essentially they modified the base of another BOP so that instead of bolting onto a flange, it gripped the top of the existing BOP like a hose clamp.

It was then used to control the flow of the well until the cement could be pumped into the bore to seal it.

Now the cement has set, (fingers crossed) the temporary BOP will be removed to allow the failed BOP to be unbolted from the wellhead and raised.

[mike r]

5. So, where's the relief well?

It's August 27th.

[Lightning Count]

6. This reminds me of when they shutdown the containment unit on Ghostbusters. nt

[beforeyoureyes]

8. That is the funniest thing I have read all day - thanks!

[Lasher]

16. Yes, it's true.

This man has no dick.

[Occulus]

18. That's a big fuckin' Twinkie.

:D

[wordpix]

7. maybe they should leave well enough alone & all agree the BOP failed

Let BP fight it out with Hollowburden and Transocean Pollution Ltd

[lostnfound]

9. Public wealth goes private; Private risk goes public

That's what this is about, isn't it? Create a disaster, hand it over to the Federal Government to deal with it.
The well 'belongs' to BP when it's producing profit; belongs to US when it's strictly a risk. Count me skeptical.

[truthisfreedom]

10. If I was an optimist, and I'm not, I'd say this is a good idea. They need to take

all the defective bullshit off the top of that well now that they've got it plugged and put some really sturdy new stuff in place to keep it sealed. Hopefully, it won't leak at all since it is clogged full to the bottom of the well.

That being said, if anything can go wrong, it will. I give it about a 50/50 chance of working right. Too many variables down there and they've been way too lucky lately.

[Frank Booth]

11. If anything goes wrong, who has the liability?

I guarantee BP will claim it's the government's fault and that BP cannot be held responsible for an action taken by the government.

[FMBM]

12. Some how I think BP...

contractors will actually be removing the BOP... with the Government looking on to eventually seize it and place it under Government control... The issue will be to determine why exactly the BOP failed... I think BP will be interested in this as well... as I understand it the BOP was not BP property, but was leased from the contractor that placed it on the well... If they paid for a functioning BOP and were provided a substandard BOP, it would open an avenue of remediation for them... BP is not a British company... it is a global corporation... 40 percent of stock holders are British, but 40 percent are American... many stockholders in the US are retirement funds for teachers, union employees, etc... so let's lets make sure that BP is held to account, but justly... where they are not to blame... let them be exonerated.... Who was that who said: "We have met the enemy and they are us!"

[dipsydoodle]

13. Twin issues I think

Whether or not it was up to scratch and the issue of whether its rating at 20,000lbs/sq" was sufficient to contain a blowout which apparently far exceeded that figure. There are alleged to be no BOPs in existence with higher ratings.

Of course BP need to be held to account but as you said - only fairly so.

[Lasher]

17. The drilling crew damaged the main gasket in the BOP.

I remember reading there were pieces of it that came out of the well. Workers were told not to worry about it, to keep on drilling.

[OneBlueSky]

14. gotta kill the Gulf in order to save it, dont'cha know . . . n/t

[librechik]

19. uhh--could they wait until the relief well is in place?

After all, the legal battle will probably take decades, if Exxon-Valdez is any indication