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Since your handle is Driller1, and from other posts, I'm guessing you are quite knowledgeable in the area of drilling... As a complete layman I'm under the impression that such deep wells are fairly new and untested so wouldn't it have been more than a bit prudent to have drilled a relief well "just in case" long before the thing even went into operation considering the problems of deep water?
Again, I know almost nothing about oil wells but I do know that at a mile deep you're dealing with roughly 150 atmospheres pushing to fill that hole and though hopeful, I was wondering how simply packing mud would work with so much compressed water trying to displace a much less dense liquid.
I also wondered whether a concrete cap poured and set at 1 atmosphere would actually be heavy enough at 150 atmospheres to do anything at all. I realize that concrete may not be in your area of expertise but if you know anything about that aspect, I'd certainly be interested.
Your thoughts?
Drilling is drilling. The same thing could have happened when drilling a relief well.
Just for the record I drill water wells.
Sure, grouting or plugging a well is just specific gravity.
They are call it mud, so do we. It is bentonite, mixed with a polymer.
Part of the problem is the salt water. It is changing the way the polymer is breaking down.
They also use neat cement, no gravel in it. We use both and mix it at times, depending on where we hit bedrock when drilling.
What is making me see red about this is the took the best guy in the world off of the project because of political reasons.
I don't think that there are enough "grownups" in this country to realize anything as profound as the consequences of our hydrocarbon addiction. Just a lot of big, spoiled children who only care that it won't cost them too much to gas up their 6,000 lb. trucks so they can drive around on Memorial Day Weekend.
What needs to happen is a significant, long-term increase in all energy costs in this country. That would wake people up and maybe we could learn to conserve again, like we did after the Arab Oil Embargo of the 70s. And hopefully a significant price increase would also inspire funding for more research into renewable energy technologies.
Short term pain could translate into long term gain.
Ya, that's it. Right while the economy is in the toilet and unemployment is terribly high, we need to raise energy costs. That's exactly what this country needs.
Anyone else ever wonder why that rig was flying the flag of the Marshall Islands?
I do, and I know why. Others should read about it too. Hint: The Marshall Islands then gets to set the safety guidelines and conduct inspections. I am so sure that The Marshall Islands have a GREAT program for setting policy and inspecting oil rigs...
And to those saying the fed govt. doesn't give a damn - I guess you think that the government should spend billions or trillions to set up safety networks for when businesses makes messes? A back-up program for every imaginable industrial disaster scenario for every single industry niche? Wake the hell up and quit playing the blame game. You sound like reverse Kanye Wests. I sure hope that makes you feel proud, to be in his company.
We need to drill with a little more responsibility and drill more on land.
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