Why can't they close the oil pipe that's leaking oil?

I understand that the pipe that's leaking oil in the gulf right now is
what's left of the pipe that runs from the ocean floor to the oil
platform.

Why can't they devise a hydraulically-operated occluder (say, a couple
of roller pins) and get that down to the well head and squeeze the pipe
closed?

 

"MoPar Man" wrote in message: I understand that the pipe that's leaking

At the base of the well is a device called a Cameron Ram-Type Blowout
Preventer. This is what they have been trying to close. This device failed
to close when it was suppose to. It is equipped with hydraulic rams that
blocks the flow of oil. The mile plus long pipe is spewing in three places.
I not sure where all the leaks are at except the one come out the tail end.

What you proposed might work if they can get below the bottom leak and pinch
it shut.

My prayers go out to the families that have lost and presumed dead and those
workers and families that are hurt. Talking with my fellow employees that
worked on oil rigs before coming to the plant, the workers on the rig that
survived will suffer a great deal as theses guys lived on theses rigs and
become a family. My prayers go out to them.

No one knows how this happened and it may be a long time before they even
have a guess as to what happened. My bet is the missing 11 workers were in
the area when the explosion occurred trying to react to a well blow out.
There are plenty of ignition sources on a well from electric motors,
welders, diesel engines even a open flame (flare).

The damage this accident has caused and will cause will affect the South
Louisiana economy for at least two years. The fishing industry is already
shut down East of the Mississippi River. The shrimpers will not be able to
harvest this year and the shrimp may die out. The oysters that come from
Breton Sound may be salvaged but will not be harvest this year. The only
reason they may be salvaged is the Corp of Engineers has increased
freshwater flow through the Caernarvon Fresh Water Diversion and the Davis
Pond Diversion to flush fresh water into the marsh. By doing this it may
keep the oil from reaching some oyster beds. The problem will be the oyster
will not be worth eating until the salinity returns to normal levels for a
while. This will also affect the shrimp. The fish in the area will move
into other clean bodies of water just like they do when the Muddy
Mississippi River water backs up into the marsh in the winter and early
spring.

Sarge

 

and its predicted to hit north Florida too

 

Recently it was reported that BP had lobbied Congress to avoid the
introduction of stricter safety regulations, last year I think?

Is this so, and would these -- to me unknown -- proposed regulations have
helped prevent the disaster? I have not heard any comments about this here
in UK (does not mean there weren't any).

DAS

To reply directly replace 'nospam' with 'schmetterling'
--

 

Not only has BP but all industry lobbied congress and the labor board to
relax rules and not enforce safety . This occurs when ever their is a
Republican congress or president. The Republican party is pro business and
a few dollars from lobbyist and they get what they want at the expense of
the workers.

This is the reasons why unions support a Democratic president and congress.
Democrats tend to pass laws to protect workers.

The API is a piece of crap that is run by industry. Right after the BP
explosion in Texas City, the Chemical Safety Board was involved in the
investigation. This board has no authority but can only make
recommendations. One of there recommendations was for the API to develop a
standard for fatigue.

The reason they recommended this was that the operators working in the unit
that exploded had worked 27 plus days in a row. The API agreed to right a
standard and the USW requested representation on the panel to develop the
standard. The API agreed and allowed 23 oil and chemical industry
representatives and two USW representatives. The USW had written a proposal
for a standard for the panel to review but industry stated that this
proposal was to restricting. The vote was always 23 to 2 on any issue. In
the end, USW walked away because they had no input in the final standard.
Industry could not even agree to a standard because what worked for one
company did not work for another. The end result is that each company has
their own policy.

Under the Bush administration OSHA was a joke. I filed 42 OSHA complaints
against my employer. I even had the proof. OSHA would send the company a
courtesy letter and in turn the company would answer OSHA letter with their
version. Out of the 42 OSHA actually investigated 3 complaints and the
company never paid a fine but agreed to correct the issue. 36 of the
complaints the company stated in response to OSHA they correct the issue
although several where never corrected and OSHA never followed up when given
the proof the company never corrected the issues. The last 3 were dismissed
by OSHA as unfounded.

Until we get OSHA, MIOSH, and other government agency in charge of
protecting the workers, we will continue to have incidents like BP Texas
City 15 killed, Tesoro Refinery Anacortes 7 killed, Massey Energy West
Virginia 25 killed, BP/Transocean 11 killed and many others that we may not
know about.

Sarge

 

Many people complain that government doesn't work and that private
enterprise does (see the frequent arguments about UPS and FedEx making
money while the USPS loses money). They don't seem to realize that the
USA already has a government that is run by private enterprise.

Perce

 

But you have no indication whatsoever that anything like that caused or
contributed to the recent Gulf Coast explosion, right?

 

Regulations are in place at this time but are they tough enough. A BOP
device was installed on this rig and it was not equipped with a secondary
shut device from a remote location. Would this second shut off device work,
no one knows for sure. I do know that it was not installed by BP on accord
on local TV. The cost of this second shut is a half million dollars. Why
was it not installed? It is standard in many countries to have a second
shut off device but why not in the US?

To answer your question, no I do not know what caused this incident or what
the investigation will indicate. I would bet if they did not want to spend
the money for a second shut off on the BOP then they practice what many
companies do and only do the bare minimum on safety requires in the name of
profit.

I do know that my employers unofficial safety theme song is by the band Styx
called Grand Illusion because that all it is a Grand Illusion. Many
employers including mine are not proactive but reactive when it comes to
safety. Why do we have to wait until others are killed or hurt before
employers or the government reacts. It is time to put worker safety in the
forefront. No one wants to run theses companies out of business but what is
someone life worth?

Hopefully some good will come out of this in regards to safety regulations
and enforcement.

Sarge

 

Is that the sonically controlled shut off device that I heard them
talking about in one of the interviews with a BP exec?

 

BOP stands for Blowout Preventer. This things are suppose to be tested and
inspected and maintained under law. Records must be kept show each time it
is tested, On this rig the BOP was located on the sea floor but some or
located on the rig at the surface.

Sarge

 

They are apparently building several box-like structures out of steel.
About the size of a cargo container or the tractor-trailer. These are
very heavy, and will be lowered onto the site of the main leak and sink
in about 5 meters into the mud. The top is tapered and ends in a
connection to a pipe that will be connected to it and lead to the
surface where the oil is going to be collected.

They are building 3 of these - one for each place they think is leaking
oil. The well head will be the first place - they think that's where
85% of the oil is leaking from.

 

This new structure now under construction is labelled a "funnel" here (UK)
because of the shape and purpose.

Just for my clarification, these proposed regulations that BP et al fought
were workers' fatigue matters, i.e. controls on workers' hours? Nothing to
do with equipment?

Mind you, given the conditions of an oil rig, I would have thought that regs
are in place to control the hours, as there are for lorry drivers (in the EU
anyway).

DAS

To reply directly replace 'nospam' with 'schmetterling'

 

This is going to be interesting to see oft this will work at 5000 feet. The
box will have to be position over the pipe without breaking it off in the
dark using ROV to help guide it in place. Even if they are successful in
putting the box over the leak will the oil flow up the pipe successful.
This oil is thick compared to lighter Louisiana Sweet Crude, Some experts
are saying on the local news the oil may be to heavy to just float up the
pipe without pumping it.

When questioned why it is coming to the surface right now if it I so heavy
of an oil by the reporter, his response was that the oil is escaping out the
pipe at the 5000 feet mark and the current is pulling it up to the top. He
went on to say that the oil becomes less lighter as the current wash the
oil. He went on to say that if the gas has a good oil to gas ratio this
will help the oil reach the surface. If that is the case then BP idea might
work. The gas will have to be burned off at the surface.

BP is doing control burns on some of the oil closest to the coast line.
They corral some of the oil in small circles and light it off.
BP has installed a shut off device on one of the leakers and ROV will be
attempting to close the valve at this time. This will not slow down the
leak but will help control the number of leaks as long as the drill pipe can
hold. Hopeful the pipe will be okay after failing to the sea floor after
being disconnect from the Horizon.
BP has agreed to pay all commercial fisherman a one month wages lost due to
the accident to help them at this time. Hopefully they don't have some
slick lawyer right up the paperwork and once you sign it you can't sue.
Shell Oil did that in 1984 after the Norco oil Refinery Cat Cracker
Explosion. Many people wanted money fast and were to stupid to read the
settlement or even get legal advice.

Here is a link to photos of the rig up front on fire.
http://www.swordfishingcentral.com/forum/gulf-coast/18125-gulf-oil-rig-horizon-fire-pictures.html


Here is a link to a recreational fisherman's post on the Horizon Oil well
explosion. He was an eye witness.
http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?p=11339881

This link would kind confirms what the recreational fisherman state he saw
might be the truth.
http://www.theblogmocracy.com/2010/05/02/finally-a-decent-report-on-the-deepwater-horizon-incident/


Sarge