Explosion – Deep Water Horizon Drilling Rig in GOM, USA

[Ray Shields]

Of the 11 missing 9 are Transocean employees and 2 are Service Company (as announced at our Pre Tour brief this morning on a Transocean rig).

Drills have started now including again people going into lifeboats to show them how it is launched and where all the equipment is.

[Paul]

Has anyone heard why the ROV’s were unable to shut off the oil at the BOP? Was it damaged? Not much specifics in the news that I’ve found so far.

[liddelljohn]

Reports on the BBC today quoted transocean staff as saying the BOP was defective and that a heavy dome will most likely need to be deployed to cap the well .

[Rons_ROV_Links]

You can follow the official news releases through Twitter: http://twitter.com/RobertLAJIC

[Rons_ROV_Links]

Reports on the BBC today quoted transocean staff as saying the BOP was defective and that a heavy dome will most likely need to be deployed to cap the well .

Upstreamonline.com: Horizon crew tried to activate BOP

[Rons_ROV_Links]

ROV attempting to activate Deepwater Horizon Blowout Preventer

ROBERT, La. – A robotic arm of a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) attempts to activate the Deepwater Horizon Blowout Preventor (BOP), Thursday, April 22, 2010. In addition to the use of ROVs, the unified command is mobilizing the Development Driller III, a drilling rig that is expected to arrive Monday to prepare for relief well-drilling operations, to stop the flow of oil that has been estimated at leaking up to 1,000 barrels/42,000 gallons a day.

[Rons_ROV_Links]

[Rons_ROV_Links]

Deepwater Horizon Blowout Preventer

ROBERT, La. – A file photo shows a view of the Deepwater Horizon Blowout Preventer, Sunday, April 25, 2010. The unified command has approved a plan that utilizes Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) in an effort to activate the blowout preventer on the sea floor and to stop the flow of oil that has been estimated at leaking up to 1,000 barrels/42,000 gallons a day.

[Rons_ROV_Links]

NOAA graphic showing oil trajectory for April 30, 2010.

[Rons_ROV_Links]

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND COMMERCE

Thursday, 29 April 2010 12:48
Committee Seeks Details on Functioning of Blowout Preventer & Other Safety Measures in the Deepwater Horizon Rig Oil Spill

Friday, 30 April 2010 12:58
Committee Requests Information on Halliburton’s Cementing Activities at the Deepwater Horizon Rig

Friday, 30 April 2010 17:12
Subcommittee Announces Hearing on the Deepwater Horizon Rig Oil Spill

[R2D2]

Thanks to those involved for the excellent information and links related to this topic.

Regards,
R2D2

[Mark DuPriest]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126468782&ps=rs

During a 08:55 min interview with USA National Public Radio the BP CEO Mr. Anthony Hayward said
“This is like performing open heart surgery 5k FSW”(03.50)….he later says the ROV’s are doing their work in the “dark”. Damn those guys are good. Subsea 7 I believe.

So we ROV personnel are compared to heart surgeons. Somehow I doubt £ 450.00 or less p/12 hr’s at sea is what heart surgeons are getting. Perhaps an across the board rate adjustment is in order (of course we will have to turn a blind eye to the 8 years of education/practical experience and US$125k cost to become a heart surgeon in the States).

Mr. Hayward later goes on to explain “there is no precedent” for BOP failure.(07:50)

Really?…… 🙄

[rov_er]

BP CEO on BBC
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8658081.stm

"This was not our drilling rig, it was not our equipment, it was not our people and systems and/or processes…this was Transocean’s rig, their systems, their people, their equipment…we are taking our responsibility to deal with it very very seriously"

I’m wondering if BP is really going to pay the final bill, despite the initial statements…

[James McLauchlan]

I’m wondering if BP is really going to pay the final bill, despite the initial statements…

I guess they can say what they like, but at the end of the day the block and well is leased/owned/operated by BP. No matter if they sub contract the drilling out (normal practice) it’s most likely still their responsibility.

[Rons_ROV_Links]

Damn those guys are good. Subsea 7 I believe.

What makes you think Subsea 7 is working there with their ROVs?

According to the picture in this post it’s at least C-Innovation trying to close the BOP with their Schilling UHD ROVs.

At the moment there are 10 ROVs at work on the site according to the Joint Information Centre website:

May 4, 2010 Operations:

Total Vessels (including tugs and skimmers): 196
Boom deployed: 486,940 feet
Boom available: 668,081 feet
Oil and Water Mix – Recovered: 23,968 gallons
Dispersant Used : 156,012 gallons
Dispersant availailable: 230,000 gallons
Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV): 10
Overall Personnel Responding: 7,484

In addition to the overall personnel responding, more than 2,000 volunteers have been trained to assist in the response effort.

9 staging areas are in place and ready to protect sensitive shorelines. These areas include:

Biloxi, Miss.
Pensacola, Fla.
Venice, La.
Pascagoula, Miss.
Port Sulphur, La.
Port Fourchon, La.
Gulfport, Miss.
Dauphin Island, Ala.
Shell Beach, La.

Weather conditions for May 4: Winds from the south at 8 – 9 knots, 2 -3 foot seas.

[Author]

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