Guardian UK: Fury and despair as BP admits oil could leak for months

[marmar]

Fury and despair as BP admits oil could leak for months
Obama administration warns that the most environmentally disastrous spill in US history may continue until August

Andrew Clark in New York
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 30 May 2010 20.58 BST


An uncontrollable fountain of oil could gush into the Gulf of Mexico until August, the Obama administration warned today, as BP conceded it was moving to a containment strategy after failing to plug the well at the centre of the most environmentally disastrous spill in US history.

As anger and despair grew in the coastal communities of Louisiana, BP began preparations to cut a leaking drill pipe on the ocean floor and attach a containment cap intended to capture at least some of the 12,000 to 19,000 barrels of crude spewing from its Macondo well every day.

The oil company, which has come under withering attack for its handling of the crisis, acknowledged there was "no certainty" of success in the effort, which will take four to seven days and which some experts say could make the leak worse.

A White House adviser said the US government was "prepared for the worst" after efforts to halt the leak by pumping mud, golf balls, tyres and other debris into the well were halted without success yesterday.

Carol Browner, the administration's energy czar, said there may be no solution until two relief wells being drilled into the oilfield by BP are complete later in summer. "There could be oil coming up till August when the relief wells are done," she said. "This is probably the biggest environmental disaster we have ever faced in this country." .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/30/bp-oil-spill-deepwater-horizon

[Rosa Luxemburg]

1. how did they stop the Australian one?

[Statistical]

3. Relief well. Same with the Mexican one (Ixtoc I), same with Iranian one.

The Aussies (Montara spill) took 4 months.
The Mexicans (Ixtoc I spill) took 9 months.
The Iranians (Nowruz ) took 26 months.
The Americans (Deep Water Horizon) took ??? months.

The 3 largest rig "spills" were all ultimately stopped only by relief wells. In each instance they tried top kills, junk shots, caps, domes, siphons all in a variety of methods and ultimately what worked in every case was a relief well.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

4. I think that the government should give examples like you said

[Statistical]

2. I said this some time ago (and posted I hoped I was wrong).

Likely the only thing that stops the leak is relief wells. It is the only proven solution for a blowout of this magnitude.

The 4 prior largest blowouts were all sealed by relief wells.

[Ruby the Liberal]

5. relief "wells"? Someone missed a memo. There is only ONE relief well being drilled

They stopped the second as they needed the BOP for the BOP on BOP attempt this week.

Not as if there weren't a gazillion rigs/crew in the area or anything. :grr:

[HowHasItComeToThis]

6. WHERE THE "H" ARE THE SUPER-TANKERS WITH PUMPS