New Cap on Gulf Oil Leak - will it hold?

MattW · Jul 13, 2010

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/07/13/gulf.oil.disaster/index.html?hpt=T1

BP plans to begin testing the new cap on its ruptured deepwater well Tuesday -- a move that officials hope will be a step on the way to stopping oil from gushing into the Gulf of Mexico. "This test involves closing one or more of the valves on the new cap for a period of time to allow BP to measure pressures in the well," retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said.
The process could take anywhere from six hours to two days, or longer if BP extends them.
Officials say several scenarios are possible: the cap could contain all the oil; the cap could contain some of the crude while ships on the water's surface collect the rest; or, under a worst-case scenario, there could be more damage to the well's casing, meaning that capping the well would not stop the oil from flowing.

robeiae · Jul 13, 2010

I don't know enough about it, so I can't offer much of a guess. But I thought most peeps in the know were saying relief wells. No?

MattW · Jul 13, 2010

robeiae said:
I don't know enough about it, so I can't offer much of a guess. But I thought most peeps in the know were saying relief wells. No?

My uninformed opinion is that anything short of the relief wells is only temporary (if it works at all).

Gregg · Jul 13, 2010

Too early to tell... from CTV News, British Columbia-7/13/10:

"Tests of a new cap placed over the leaking oil well in the Gulf of Mexico were expected begin late Tuesday, but it could be as much as 48 hours before BP knows if its latest effort to plug the gusher is working"

"If all goes to plan once the tests start, the cap should be able to capture all of the oil spewing into the Gulf. But it is still meant to be only a temporary fix, since two relief wells are being drilled to permanently seal the well. Those wells could be ready by next month."

http://www.ctvbc.ctv.ca/servlet/an/...l-cap-100713/20100713?hub=BritishColumbiaHome

clintl · Jul 13, 2010

If it's better than the old cap, it's a success. That's the only measure that matters.

Magdalen · Jul 13, 2010

The stars align to say they'll plug that hole July 16th. None too soon, IYAM.

whistlelock · Jul 14, 2010

If it's bad, it's the Presidents fault.

If it works, then clearly the Free Market took control of the situation and got things fixed.

Don · Jul 14, 2010

whistlelock said:
If it's bad, it's the Presidents fault.

If it works, then clearly the Free Market took control of the situation and got things fixed.

Srsly? A lease written by the government, granting access to government-claimed territory to a government-created legal entity that spends tens of millions every year buying political favoritism? Said lease overseen by government minions who were apparently too busy partying with and in some cases screwing with the members of the organization they were supposed to be regulating to actually perform their jobs?

Where's the "Free Market" in there? Come out, come out, wherever you are!

icerose · Jul 14, 2010

I hope it works, I really do.

autumnleaf · Jul 14, 2010

No option for "I have no frigging idea"?

I also have no opinion on the best method to remove a brain tumour or to send a rocket into space.

New Cap on Gulf Oil Leak - will it hold?

What will the new cap do?

Stop all oil leaking

Stop some oil, with the rest contained by surface ships

Do nothing / cause more damage

Stuff some egplants up in there

MattW

Company Man

robeiae

Touch and go

MattW

Company Man

Gregg

Life is good

clintl

Represent.

Magdalen

Petulantly Penitent

whistlelock

Whiskey Rebel

Don

All Living is Local

icerose

Lost in School Work

autumnleaf

practical experience, FTW