Some good news at last from the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
BP has managed to force a section of 4-inch pipe into the broken riser pipe that was responsible for much of the oil leaking into the Gulf. Now oil and gas is being carried away for storage at the surface via this ‘riser insertion tube tool containment system’ (image).
“While not collecting all of the leaking oil, this tool is an important step in reducing the amount of oil being released into Gulf waters,” says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
BP is also developing plans for two other options to curtail oil flow from the broken well. One of these is a ‘junk shot’, consisting of blasting rubbish such as golf balls into the broken valve system that was originally supposed to seal the well in the event of an accident. The second is the ‘top kill’, where heavy fluid is injected into the well to stop oil flow after which cement can be used to close it off.
“Plans for deployment of these options are being progressed with the possibility of deployment in the next week or so,” says the oil giant.
More Deepwater news
Scientists are finding enormous oil plumes in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico, including one as large as 10 miles long, 3 miles wide and 300 feet thick in spots. The discovery is fresh evidence that the leak from the broken undersea well could be substantially worse than estimates that the government and BP have given.
– NY Times
About 11 hours before the Deepwater Horizon exploded, a disagreement took place between the top manager for oil giant BP PLC on the drilling rig and his counterpart for the rig’s owner, Transocean Ltd., concerning the final steps in shutting down the nearly completed well, according to a worker’s sworn statement.
Image: oil is cleaned from a pelican on 15 May / US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Justin Stumberg