Excellent graphic "Anatomy of the Gulf Oil Spill" Source United States Coast Guard

[jody]

Experts: Most of the Gulf Oil Spill Won't Be Cleaned Up

[Psephos]

1. very informative - thx n/t

[BrklynLiberal]

2. Have they tested the Blowout Preventer at the relief well location???

..or they just figured the odds on another blowout were so small, and it was so expensive, they did not bother.

[TransitJohn]

5. I doubt the BOPs have been set there yet, or that they've spudded.

These things take time.

[Orrex]

3. They should put Ed Harris and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio to work on this ASAP!

Seriously--a very informative illustration. Thanks!

[canetoad]

4. OMG you read my mind

looking at that graphic got me searching for my DVD. Can't watch that deep dive too often.

[OhioChick]

6. Thanks for posting

:hi:

[ljm2002]

7. Drilling the relief well will take months...

...and when I look at that graphic, it can see why: look how deep it goes. It seems like it would be a lot quicker to cap it right above the existing blowout preventer, using the ROVs since they seem to be still working. They should concentrate on stopping the leak not worry about recovering oil, which is what that relief well looks like to me.

Maybe I am off base, but I do wonder why they have to go that deep to stop this oil spill from continuing. The ruptures are all above the ocean floor so stopping it at the blowout preventer would solve the immediate problem. And it wouldn't prevent drilling the relief well later.

Ah well, everyone's a critic! Myself included! The people on site have tons of information and expertise, which I am sure they are putting to good use. I salute those who are working on all aspects of this disaster right now, I know they are giving it their all, and I hope there will be a breakthrough that allows it to be contained more quickly than it looks at the moment...