Feds Order Temp Cap on Gulf Oil Well Removed

[CenCalPlayer]

From what the article says, the Feds are ordering the temp cap on the Gulf oil well that was spewing oil into the Gulf removed for evidence BEFORE the relief well is finished and that well is sealed off for good....does anyone else think this might not be the best move under the sun? We have already seen what happens when something goes wrong...why tempt fate at this point?

FOXNews.com - U.S. to Remove Temporary Cap From BP Gulf Oil Well

[PraXis]

They can't find the oil anymore so they need some more to leak and then demand a bigger slush fund from BP.

[redcoats1976]

doesnt seem like a very bright move to me...

[SteveGangi]

It doesn't make ANY sense to me.

[Blackie]

Say what now ?!!

[KSG_Standard]

Makes sense to me on a couple of levels.

1) Removing the top cap doesn't necessarily mean the oil will start leaking again. The bottom kill/cap is the REAL fix.
2) They need the BOP to examine it...to see what went wrong. Was it a design issue? Was it defective? To help assign blame...it was a rebuilt BOP, it was SUPPOSED to have been inspected AND certified by MMS BEFORE it was used...etc.

Besides, if the oil starts leaking again, people will be able to get focused and pissed off at someone OTHER than Dear Leader and the Summer of Recovery.

[CenCalPlayer]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

Makes sense to me on a couple of levels.

1) Removing the top cap doesn't necessarily mean the oil will start leaking again. The bottom kill/cap is the REAL fix.
2) They need the BOP to examine it...to see what went wrong. Was it a design issue? Was it defective? To help assign blame...it was a rebuilt BOP, it was SUPPOSED to have been inspected AND certified by MMS BEFORE it was used...etc.

Besides, if the oil starts leaking again, people will be able to get focused and pissed off at someone OTHER than Dear Leader and the Summer of Recovery.

They are not that far off from finishing the relief well which will be the permanent closure of the well....why not wait till that is done before you start messing with the cap that is working. Don't have a problem with pulling the temp cap and the containment ring AFTER the permanent fix of the relief well is done, but why screw with this before then when we are only talking about a very short period of time.....I can't even see BO being that damn dumb to risk a blowout, but I guess strangers things have happened.....

[Agave_Blue]

.... A new blowout preventer will be placed atop the well once the one that failed is raised. ....

Although, I agree the timing (before the relief well is finished and the well finally sealed off) seems risky.

[jeff_farkas]

Engineers to remove temporary cap from Gulf well.

Engineers to remove temporary cap from Gulf well - Yahoo! News

NEW ORLEANS – Engineers will soon start the delicate work of detaching the temporary cap that stopped oil from gushing from BP's blown-out Gulf of Mexico well and the hulking device that failed to prevent the leak — all while trying to avoid more damage to the environment.

Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government's point man for the spill response, told reporters Friday that engineers will remove the cap starting Monday so they can raise the failed blowout preventer. The blowout preventer is considered a key piece of evidence in determining what caused the April rig explosion that unleashed the gushing oil.

The leak was first contained when engineers were able to place a cap atop BP's well. Workers then pumped mud and cement in through the top in a so-called "static kill" operation that significantly reduced pressure inside the well. Officials don't expect oil to leak into the sea again when the cap is removed, but Allen has ordered BP to be ready to collect any leaking crude just in case.

The Department of Justice and other federal investigators are overseeing the work to remove the blowout preventer, Allen said. The 50-foot, 600,000-pound device — which was designed to prevent such a catastrophe — will be taken out of the water with the well pipe still inside to ensure the pipe doesn't break apart any more than it already has.

Keeping the blowout preventer intact is important because it's considered an essential piece of evidence in determining what caused the blast aboard the Deepwater Horizon on April 20. After the explosion, 206 million gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico until the temporary cap stopped the flow. The explosion on the rig — which was owned by Transocean Ltd. and being operated by BP PLC — killed 11 workers.

Work to lift the blowout preventer is extremely difficult and delicate — all happening a mile underwater. Engineers must take care not to raise the central casing of the well and a casing seal. They also may have to carefully free the blowout preventer from any hanging drill pipe.

Raising the device may require as much as 80,000 pounds of pressure, Allen said.

A new blowout preventer will be placed atop the well once the one that failed is raised. After that, the goal is to drill the final 50 feet of a relief well beginning Sept. 7, which will take about four days, Allen said.

The relief well has been called the ultimate solution to plugging the well that blew out. Once the relief well is drilled, engineers will be able to pump in mud and cement to permanently plug the well that gushed oil.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government said Friday that it is reopening more federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico for commercial and recreational fishing that had been closed because of the spill. The government is reopening 4,281 square miles of waters off the coast of western Louisiana.

Oil sheen has not been seen there since July 29, and scientists found no oil or dispersants on samples of the area's shrimp and finfish.

Twenty percent of federal waters in the Gulf remain closed.

The news came as the joint U.S. Coast Guard-Bureau of Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement investigative panel wrapped up five days of hearings. On Friday, Mark Hafle — a BP drilling engineer who was a key decision maker at the now-sunken rig — exercised his constitutional right to refuse to testify.

The panel's goal is to determine what caused the explosion. The panel also will make recommendations to prevent such a catastrophe in the future. It will reconvene in October and hold one more session after that.

___

Associated Press Writer Ramit Plushnick-Masti contributed to this report from Houston.

Funny.. AP does not say US orders BP to remove cap.

[jeff_farkas]

Originally Posted by CenCalPlayer

From what the article says, the Feds are ordering the temp cap on the Gulf oil well that was spewing oil into the Gulf removed for evidence BEFORE the relief well is finished and that well is sealed off for good....does anyone else think this might not be the best move under the sun? We have already seen what happens when something goes wrong...why tempt fate at this point?

FOXNews.com - U.S. to Remove Temporary Cap From BP Gulf Oil Well

NEW ORLEANS – NEW ORLEANS -- The U.S. government said engineers will start work Monday to remove the temporary cap that stopped oil from gushing out of BP's blown-out Gulf well so that crews can raise a key piece of equipment from the seabed.
Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government's point man for the spill response, told reporters Friday that engineers must remove the cap so they can raise the failed blowout preventer. The blowout preventer is considered a key piece of evidence in determining what caused the April rig explosion that unleashed the gushing oil.

The leak was first contained when engineers were able to place a cap atop BP's well. Workers then pumped mud and cement in through the top in a so-called "static kill" operation that significantly reduced pressure inside the well. Officials don't expect oil to leak into the sea again when the cap is removed, but Allen has ordered BP to be ready to collect any leaking crude just in case.

The Department of Justice and other federal investigators are overseeing the work to remove the blowout preventer, Allen said. The 50-foot (15-meter), 600,000-pound (272,000-kilogram) device -- which was designed to prevent such a catastrophe -- will be taken out of the water with the well pipe still inside to ensure the pipe doesn't break apart any more than it already has.

Keeping the blowout preventer intact is important because it's considered an essential piece of evidence in determining what caused the blast aboard the Deepwater Horizon on April 20. After the explosion, 206 million gallons (800 million liters) of oil spilled into the Gulf of

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Mexico until the temporary cap stopped the flow. The explosion on the rig -- which was owned by Transocean Ltd. and being operated by BP PLC -- killed 11 workers.

Engineers are hoping the blowout preventer can be detached easily, but they are prepared to exert 80,000 pounds (36,000 kilograms) of pressure if needed, Allen said.

A new blowout preventer will be placed atop the well once the one that failed is raised. After that, the goal is to drill the final 50 feet (15 meters) of a relief well beginning Sept. 7, Allen said. From there, it will take about four days for drilling crews to reach their target.

The relief well has been called the ultimate solution to plugging the well. Once the relief well is drilled, engineers will be able to pump mud and cement in through the bottom of the well, plugging the one that gushed oil once and for all.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government said Friday that it is reopening more federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico for commercial and recreational fishing that had been closed because of the spill. The government is reopening 4,281 square miles (11,000 sq. kilometers) of waters off the coast of western Louisiana.

Oil sheen has not been seen there since July 29, and scientists found no oil or dispersants on samples of the area's shrimp and fish.

Twenty percent of federal waters in the Gulf remain closed.

"We're sort of nibbling at the edges if you will, areas that have been free of oil for the longest time and were oiled the least," Lubchenco said.

The news came as hearings continued in Houston before the joint U.S. Coast Guard-Bureau of Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement investigative panel. On Friday, Mark Hafle -- a BP drilling engineer who was a key decision maker at the now-sunken rig -- exercised his constitutional right to refuse to testify.

The panel's goal is to determine what caused the explosion. The panel also will make recommendations to prevent such a catastrophe in the future.

Where in that article does it say order them??

[jeff_farkas]

Originally Posted by Pwozzie

They can't find the oil anymore so they need some more to leak and then demand a bigger slush fund from BP.

Did ya read the article??

[KSG_Standard]

Jeff, do you think BP is removing the BOP on their own? You don't think Admiral Allen and the US Gov't is involved in the decision?

[jeff_farkas]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

Jeff, do you think BP is removing the BOP on their own? You don't think Admiral Allen and the US Gov't is involved in the decision?

FOX says the same thing as AP! So FOX is now lying about what is going on in thee gulf as well. This would be scary if it were not that funny! You guys crack me up.

[Agave_Blue]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

Jeff, do you think BP is removing the BOP on their own? You don't think Admiral Allen and the US Gov't is involved in the decision?

Involved in the decision? Almost gauranteed.

But, as pointed out, there is nothing in the article to indicate that the gov't unilaterally "ordered" the removal. Even Fox didn't infer that.

[KSG_Standard]

Originally Posted by jeff_farkas

FOX says the same thing as AP! So FOX is now lying about what is going on in thee gulf as well. This would be scary if it were not that funny! You guys crack me up.

I didn't say anybody was lying. I was just asking YOU if you thought BP was making the decision on their own...Does it make much sense for BP to VOLUNTARILY remove the BOP if there was a chance it could cause more leakage...which would mean MORE damages for them to pay? Does it make much sense for BP to voluntarily or to offer to bring the BOP to the surface when it might turn out to be a smoking gun that brought about more damages for them to pay? Inquiring minds want to know.

[HARDWEAR]

What is the Fed Govs reason for NOT waiting till the relief well permanently kills the well before they remove the cap and BOP!?!?

[jeff_farkas]

Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, the government's point man for the spill response, told reporters Friday that engineers must remove the cap so they can raise the failed blowout preventer. The blowout preventer is considered a key piece of evidence in determining what caused the April rig explosion that unleashed the gushing oil.

There is the reason. You're way too smart to act this stupid. You hate this government so much you just twist facts to blame the president.

[PraXis]

Originally Posted by jeff_farkas

Did ya read the article??

No I've been drinking.

/long week

[KSG_Standard]

Right...so the Federal Gov't is telling BP to bring the BOP to the surface...the news articles might not be saying that the feds ordered this action....but it's CLEARLY being done under the direction of the feds...who want to examine the BOP. Take a breath Jeff...everything is going to be okay.

[jeff_farkas]

Originally Posted by Pwozzie

No I've been drinking.

/long week

I could go for that right about now.

[jeff_farkas]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

Right...so the Federal Gov't is telling BP to bring the BOP to the surface...the news articles might not be saying that the feds ordered this action....but it's CLEARLY being done under the direction of the feds...who want to examine the BOP. Take a breath Jeff...everything is going to be okay.

Ok but admit it you may be reading a bit much into this?

[KSG_Standard]

Here's what I'm reading in to this...The Federal Government wants to examine the BOP, so BP is going to bring it to the surface. The Federal team led by Adm. Allen and the BP engineers on site must not be too worried about any further leakage. Am I missing anything?

[jeff_farkas]

Originally Posted by KSG_Standard

Here's what I'm reading in to this...The Federal Government wants to examine the BOP, so BP is going to bring it to the surface. The Federal team led by Adm. Allen and the BP engineers on site must not be too worried about any further leakage. Am I missing anything?

No.. but the FED and BP are both in on this. I'm sure BP would like to see it as well.