NYT: Top Kill/Junk Fails Again

[thewiseguy]

HOUSTON — BP engineers failed again to plug the gushing oil well on Saturday, a technician working on the project said, representing yet another setback in a series of unsuccessful procedures the company has tried a mile under the sea to stem the flow spreading into the Gulf of Mexico.

BP made a third attempt at what is termed the “junk shot” Friday night, a procedure that involves pumping odds and ends like plastic cubes, knotted rope, and golf balls into the blowout preventer, the five-story safety device atop the well. The maneuver is complementary to the heavily scrutinized effort known as a “top kill,”which began four days ago and involves pumping heavy mud into the well to counteract the push of the escaping oil. If the well is sealed, the company plans to then fill it with cement.

The technician working on the project said Saturday pumping has again been halted and a review of the data so far is under way. “Right now, I would not be optimistic,” the technician, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak publicly about the effort. But he added, that if another attempt at the junk shot were to succeed, “that would turn things around.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/30/us/30spill.html?hp

I was listening to the BP news conference and the guy said they will make a decision soon to whether proceed with Top Kill/Junk or proceed to the next step which would be the Top Hat.

[aquart]

1. I'm sure Obama will be quite calm and reassuring about this.

Meanwhile nothing and nobody is sopping up that oil while it's still at sea.

[WillyT]

2. Sure Hope That Guy Was An Expert...

:shrug:

[thewiseguy]

4. ...

:evilgrin:

This thread will make the gusher worse!

[JBoy]

5. Facts have a doom & gloom bias.

[WillyT]

6. Behold The Power Of DU !!!

:wow:

:evilgrin:

:hi:

[NYC_SKP]

3. I think they'll go for the LMRP. I like the LMRP. I think the LMRP will work.

Lower Marine Riser Package.

It's sitting down there ready to go, but it's tricky for them to cut off the riser nice and evenly, just where it leaves the BOP.

[flamingdem]

8. Why do you think the LMRP has a chance?

Just wondering if you think this is their quasi-ace in the hole ... they must be acting confident for some reason.

[NYC_SKP]

9. I'm baffled that they didn't go in and try this immediately.

But, all conspiracy theories aside, this site is under such extreme pressure and temperature conditions, and out of reach, it might as well be on the planet Venus.

It seems technologically logical, clip the riser and add a fixed device to that can channel and regulate the escaping crude.

Maybe it is their ace in the hole, but I don't understand why they didn't do it right away.

[flamingdem]

10. I'm going to research that answer. I believe I read it is very risky.

Chance of hole that gets larger or something and leads to blowout.

[Dr.Phool]

7. Where's Joe the Plumber when you need him?

Like someone here suggested, grease his head up, and stick him in there.