Second Relief Well Stopped

[Junkdrawer]

BP has stopped drilling one of the relief wells to intercept the blown out Macondo bore so it can ready the rig's blowout preventer (BOP) to go on top of the crippled Macondo BOP.

Transocean boss Steve Newman told analysts today that Transocean semi-submersible rig Development Driller II had stopped drilling while BP tries a top kill to try to halt the flow of the Macondo well.

BP spokesman David Nicholas told UpstreamOnline that the rig was stopped so its BOP would be ready if needed.

"The (Developmen Driller II) has temporarily suspended drilling operations in preparation for the possible future deployment of its BOP on top of the (Macondo) BOP," he told UpstreamOnline in an email response.

"This is a possible future option for stopping flow from the well and, as throughout, we are advancing options in parallel."

BP operations boss Doug Suttles confirmed that the BOP was being prepped to be deployed but said that it had been at the ready since the beginning of the top kill operation and it was not a sign that BP thought the top kill would not work.

...

http://www.upstreamonline.com/live/article216214.ece

Here's what goghgoner had to say over at The Oil Drum:

BP was not going to drill the second relief well until ordered to by the government. I think that the shortage of deepwater drilling rigs must be a huge factor in the decision to use this BOP from the second relief driller. I would not imagine that taking a BOP from an operating well is possible. It seems like a mistake to me but any chance to stop this gusher quickly must be viewed by the damage of not stopping it quickly -- another two months of gushing oil and the gulf economies may be wrecked, if they are not already.

http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6524#comment-632956

[Catherina]

1. It's really easy to poke a hole anywhere even at 5000 feet

Not so easy plugging it up is it?

It should be internationally illegal to drill that deep. These criminals lust can't resist opening Pandora's box because it has a few shiny gold pieces on top. Ok, that's just how criminals are but what business does the US government have colluding with them and granting them permission?

William F Buckley has a saying I totally agree with: " I am obliged to confess I should sooner live in a society governed by the first two thousand names in the Boston telephone directory than in a society governed by the two thousand faculty members of Harvard University." Our (cough) public servants are so out of touch, so corrupted by lobbyists, so dazzled by spreadsheets showing them how to keep the empire alive that they've lost all common sense.

[flamingdem]

2. They're saving money by stopping. Why stop? The second BOP is far from certain.

They could give a crap about the environment or Gulf residents.

They are too big to fail and need to be decapitated.

[HughMoran]

7. I don't think so

Did you read the bottom paragraph?

[flamingdem]

11. A relief well doesn't require a BOP, I believe. They don't want to spend more imo

but if you see info that is clearly to the contrary I'd like to know, thanks.

[Avalux]

3. I know what BP says...but....

the fact that they're stopping the relief rig, disassembling and getting ready to move a very expensive piece of equipment (bop) tells me the top kill has not worked.

[nashville_brook]

4. good point.

[JBoy]

5. I'd like to see the math on why 2 relief wells is a sufficient number.

I think they should be drilling more like 4.

[HughMoran]

9. 8

16?

[BeFree]

10. 32

You are having fun with this aren't you, HughMoran?

Do you find all this mildly amusing? A play thing?

[flamingdem]

12. An engineer noted that the relief wells have a 50% chance of working only

and no one is talking about that...

The more attempts the better, they are trying to do the minimum to $ave.

[amborin]

6. saves BP money!

[SidDithers]

8. Temporarily....

you forgot that part.

Sid

[Junkdrawer]

13. Kick

:kick: