Live Cam Pictures Look Promising

[HCE SuiGeneris]

Please , please let the success of the "kill" be permanent: http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/homepage/STAGING/local_assets/bp_homepage/html/rov_stream.html

[HCE SuiGeneris]

1. Hmm

Showing something still flowing at present.

[Buns_of_Fire]

2. My guess would be it's mostly the mud. Hopefully.

[merh]

7. They had mud in the line prior to the explosion.

They had mud, a concrete plug, more mud and another plug. It was the last stretch of pipe, before the last plug that they were bypassing mudding and just using salt water before the last concrete plug.

How is it the mud alone is supposed to work this time?

[Statistical]

11. BP had mud removed. The cement wasn't strong enough (BP didn't test it)

thus when they started to remove the mud the cement seal failed and gas flowed up to the rig.

[merh]

14. That's now what I understand the testimony to have been

As I understand it, BP didn't have all of the mud removed. They had the last stage of sealing of the line that was supposed to involve the mud changed and replaced the mud with the saltwater.

There were 3 plugs. One plug, then mud, a second plug and then the saltwater, then the last plug.

It is also suspected that the cement was not the right consistency.

[Statistical]

10. Remember the top of the BOP is open.

So they are injected mud (technically drilling fluid but mud sounds much more PR friendly) into the well.

There is so much drilling mud in the well that it is holding back the oil however right now they can't stop.

Why?

The drilling mud is leaking out of the top. If they stop injecting more mud the oil will eventually push all the mud out of the well and start flowing again.

So they are continuing to inject mud into the well to replace mud flowing out of the top of BOP. That will need to continue until they can cement the BOP closed.

Then you will have a cap of cement holding mud in place and a giant column of mud (very heavy) holding oil back.

At least that is my understanding. :)

[kestrel91316]

3. That camera shot (of some machinery) is not helpful. I want to see

the actual end of the pipe where the oil was clearly shooting out.

[tekisui]

4. They cut the end of the pipe view yesterday

and replaced it with the BOP leak view. I, too, want to see what it looks like at the end of the pipe.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

5. In agreement with you both.

Can't say I have much trust working here.

[Buns_of_Fire]

6. Thing is, they already know stuff is shooting out the pipe.

Right now, they're watching the BOP like a hawk, looking for any leaks or other signs of distress -- because if the BOP fails now, it's endgame and they know it. (Disclaimer: IANAE*)

*I Am Not An Engineer.

[kestrel91316]

8. What is "BOP"? I haven't been following this thing obsessively

so the technical stuff has flown over my head.....

[Statistical]

12. BOP is the Blow Out Preventer.

The giant 4 story equipment on ocean floor. It was suppose to stop flow of oil but failed.

The mud is being injected into the BOP and down into the well.

So from top down you have

leaking riser pipe
BOP
oil well
....
5 miles
....
oil pocket

[kestrel91316]

13. The leaking riser pipe end looked to me like it was sitting on the seabed,

so I couldn't figure out where the BOP fit into the picture.

[Statistical]

16. The riser pipe fell over....

Before the explosion the riser pipe was a mile long and connects the BOP to the rig.

The rig sinks and tears the riser pipe about 200m above the BOP.

with nothing supporting the riser it "falls over" and settles to the ocean floor with one end connected to BOP (and a leak there because pipe bent so far) and the other end open about 200m away.

[jberryhill]

15. It was a song by some teen group called Hanson a few years ago

...and now it's stuck in your head.

[flamingdem]

9. HCE - Did you see this Screen Capture?

[HCE SuiGeneris]

17. I wish the would stuff these guys down there.

[flamingdem]

18. Now THAT would be a real junk shot! nt

[Feron]

19. Holy shit that is hilarious!!

*right click saves*