BP to implement "top kill" procedure in response to oil leak

myp

myp

Jan 2009
5,841
50
BP announced today that within the next 24 hours, the company will begin a "top kill" strategy to stop the spewing oil well in the Gulf. The procedure has a 60-70% rate of success and involves pumping down a heavier substance to counter the lighter oil coming up in an effort to stop it. The plan was pushed in recent days after the company and President Obama have faced mounting pressure from environmental groups.

Let's hope the fix works.

source: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6430AR20100526
 
David

David

Jul 2009
5,893
474
Port St. Lucie
Only a 60-70% success rate, BP has already proven it's technological incompetence and this prevents them from recovering the oil. Call me crazy, but I doubt this will work.
 
myp

myp

Jan 2009
5,841
50
Well this isn't exactly an easy problem to fix as every potential solution has its side-effects and costs. It is not like anyone else thought of something drastically better yet either, or most likely they would have done that. It's just one of those unfortunate realities at this point.

That does not mean BP hasn't shown carelessness because in the prevention area they certainly did and I am by no means taking their side (or anyone's) here, but just pointing out that it isn't an easy problem.
 
David

David

Jul 2009
5,893
474
Port St. Lucie
myp said:
Well this isn't exactly an easy problem to fix as every potential solution has its side-effects and costs. It is not like anyone else thought of something drastically better yet either, or most likely they would have done that. It's just one of those unfortunate realities at this point.

That does not mean BP hasn't shown carelessness because in the prevention area they certainly did and I am by no means taking their side (or anyone's) here, but just pointing out that it isn't an easy problem.
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This is the best option they've yet tried. It was suggested before they tried the dome. Why didn't they try it? Because they can't recover oil/profit. BP will stall for as long as they can to try and save the oil and if another, oil recovering option is known to them, this won't work.
 
A

Arlie

May 2010
15
0
I'm confused. Wouldnt putting something HEAVIER make the LIGHTER stuff come up MORE and potentially faster?!


Did they sit there saying "it's so crazy it just might work?!" at their meetings or something?! :S
 
myp

myp

Jan 2009
5,841
50
David said:
Top Kill has... Failed. Surprise, surprise. :rolleyes:
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I saw that on the news today. Really unfortunate and their were some bad side effects from it, which just goes to show you why they probably didn't try it earlier. The pressure just built up to a point where they had to go for it though since they didn't have any better option and without action they would've received even more backlash.
 
Dirk

Dirk

Apr 2009
1,943
5
Disunited Queendom
Hmm. Shame. I really hope something's done about it, soon. We have enough environmental degradation as it is. :(
 
Calvin

Calvin

Apr 2010
105
0
ProStarMax said:
Many attempts to stop this are failing. I don't know how they are doing it.
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Well, at least they tried. The lack of success isn't surprising.

Good on the Americans, polluting their own environment and then complaining when other countries do the same but to a lesser extent. For instance, they complain about Alberta's oil sands, which create a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, more than traditional oil wells. However, last time I checked, the Alberta oil sands didn't cause an entire gulf to become flooded with oil thereby killing all sorts of wildlife.
 
myp

myp

Jan 2009
5,841
50
Calvin said:
Good on the Americans, polluting their own environment and then complaining when other countries do the same but to a lesser extent. For instance, they complain about Alberta's oil sands, which create a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, more than traditional oil wells. However, last time I checked, the Alberta oil sands didn't cause an entire gulf to become flooded with oil thereby killing all sorts of wildlife.
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It is not like BP or the US planned the oil spill though, it was by accident. Every nation has had its share of similar crises.
 
J

jdsingle

May 2010
138
0
Calvin said:
Good on the Americans, polluting their own environment and then complaining when other countries do the same but to a lesser extent. For instance, they complain about Alberta's oil sands, which create a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, more than traditional oil wells. However, last time I checked, the Alberta oil sands didn't cause an entire gulf to become flooded with oil thereby killing all sorts of wildlife.
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I find this comment interesting. For some reason I don't see anyone else in the world coming over and offering aid to the US during this environmental crisis, but, it seems other people are all to quick to ask for handouts from us when something goes wrong in their country.
 
H

HvyHitter

Jun 2010
23
0
Cleveland Ohio
I bought gas at BP tonight.. I dont care. People yelling drill baby drill they annoy me. How about a nuke. Can we use he Russian idea that has worked 12 times before. Surely the localized nuclear blast would be better than all this oil at this point. Someone set us up the bomb. Do it. Finally a legitimate use for a nuke. seal it off. I heard that BP isnt interested in making that oil inaccessible. They want to still be able to get to that oil.

another interesting idea I thought. (not sure it is legal) but how about putting BP into recievership until 2 conditions are met

1. The oil flow is stopped 100%
2. and every drop is cleaned up.

take that money and fund a manhattan style project for some form of alternative energy that is prevalent and unlimited and not sold by the gallon.

bet BP is out of receivership in 6 months if they did that to them.
 
David

David

Jul 2009
5,893
474
Port St. Lucie
HvyHitter said:
I bought gas at BP tonight.. I dont care. People yelling drill baby drill they annoy me. How about a nuke. Can we use he Russian idea that has worked 12 times before. Surely the localized nuclear blast would be better than all this oil at this point. Someone set us up the bomb. Do it. Finally a legitimate use for a nuke. seal it off. I heard that BP isnt interested in making that oil inaccessible. They want to still be able to get to that oil.

another interesting idea I thought. (not sure it is legal) but how about putting BP into recievership until 2 conditions are met

1. The oil flow is stopped 100%
2. and every drop is cleaned up.

take that money and fund a manhattan style project for some form of alternative energy that is prevalent and unlimited and not sold by the gallon.

bet BP is out of receivership in 6 months if they did that to them.
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It's been joked by various officials that BP should be nationalized, given to LA and renamed LP. I think they may be seriously considering it now.
 
Calvin

Calvin

Apr 2010
105
0
jdsingle said:
I find this comment interesting. For some reason I don't see anyone else in the world coming over and offering aid to the US during this environmental crisis, but, it seems other people are all to quick to ask for handouts from us when something goes wrong in their country.
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Give me a break!

Using the GDP to Foreign Aid ratio, the USA is one of the cheapskate OECD nations. Norway leads the pack by giving half of one percent of its GDP to humanitarian assistance through its foreign aid programme.
 
Calvin

Calvin

Apr 2010
105
0
Just when I thought that BP was merely a big greedy, self serving corporation - today I find myself re-assessing whether that is in fact the case. I read today that the CEO of BP is cancelling his family vacation, and instead he and his family will go to the US coastline affected by the oil spill, and they will use buckets to do their part in helping to address the damage.

True, its not as though this will make a huge difference in comparison to the amount of oil leaked, but its the thought that counts - and the personal accountability of a CEO. I take my hat off to this man, and salute him for not just doing what 9/10 other CEO's would have, which is to duck their responsibility whilst still cashing obscene pay cheques.
 
David

David

Jul 2009
5,893
474
Port St. Lucie
Calvin said:
Just when I thought that BP was merely a big greedy, self serving corporation - today I find myself re-assessing whether that is in fact the case. I read today that the CEO of BP is cancelling his family vacation, and instead he and his family will go to the US coastline affected by the oil spill, and they will use buckets to do their part in helping to address the damage.

True, its not as though this will make a huge difference in comparison to the amount of oil leaked, but its the thought that counts - and the personal accountability of a CEO. I take my hat off to this man, and salute him for not just doing what 9/10 other CEO's would have, which is to duck their responsibility whilst still cashing obscene pay cheques.
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He "wants his life back" so he's kissing babies as it were to get off the hook. It'll fail, we're about ready to fire bomb BP stations down here and I'm in the least effected state! If this thing gets into the Atlantic, BP is going to kill Big Oil in the coastal US for at least a decade (Yay! :D) and BP will be no more.
 
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