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Deepwater Horizon Update July 20, 2010

Published Jan 24, 2011 12:22 PM by The Maritime Executive

Numbers to Date:

  • Estimated 50.7 million - 145.0 million gallons have leaked from the Macondo well into the GOM
  • BP's tab: $3.95 billion, includes $207 million paid in claims to individuals affected by the spill
  • Oiled Shoreline: 615 miles (Does not include a cumulative impact to date or shoreline already cleared). Louisana: 352 mi, Mississippi: 112 mi, Florida: 82 mi, Alabama: 69 mi
  • Fishing Closures: 83,927 sq. mi. of the GOM are closed to fishing; 65% remains open
  • Wildlife Collected Dead: Birds 2,283, Sea Turtles 472 (pictured: sea turtle found dead floating in oil), Mammals (includes dolphins) 62


Subsea containment operations

  • A seep was detected a distance from the well & methane was detected over the well.
     
  • The federal science team met with BP to ensure BP's continued commitment to meet their monitoring and notification obligations.
  • Admiral Thad Allen authorized BP to continue integrity tests for another 24 hrs. as long as they continue to monitor for any signs that this test could make the situation worse. NOAA ships are using sonar to monitor changes in the sea floor.
     
  • Admiral Thad Allen also directed BP to provide a written procedure for opening the choke valve as quickly as possible without damaging the well, should hydrocarbon seepage near the well be detected.
     
  • Most recent well pressure: ~ 6,800 psi & continues to rise slowly
  • 1st relief well: 17,864 ft
  • 2nd relief well: 15,874 ft


The 3rd Public Hearings got underway yesterday (7/19?23/10)

  • Vessel Operational Decision?making
  • Lease Holder Operational Decision?making
  • Technical Verification of Adequacy of Well Design & Construction


President Obama on BP oil spill, July 16, 2010


AVIRIS maps like this one over the Louisiana coast will be used to provide a baseline of ecosystems and habitats that can be compared with data from future AVIRIS flights to assess the impacts of the oil spill.

NASA Satellites' View of Gulf Oil Spill Over Time
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/oil-spill-video.html

Inside the Blow Preventer

What Should Happen in an Emergency:

  • In a blowout, a rig worker presses an emergency button. A signal is sent from the rig down an electrical line to one of the control pods.
  • The control pod directs hydraulic fluid from the rig and from a bank of pressurized canisters, called accumulators …
  • … through a valve, called a shuttle valve, and into the blind shear ram. Some blowout preventers have a separate emergency system with its own shuttle valve.
  • The blind shear ram cuts through the drill pipe and seals the well, preventing oil from gushing out.

Source: The New York Times