BP official: 'We've significantly cut the flow' [changed his mind]

[Kurt]

BP official: 'We've significantly cut the flow' of oil from damaged rig | al.com

BP has significantly cut the flow of oil leaking from its damaged Deepwater Horizon rig on the Gulf of Mexico sea floor, a company spokesman said this morning.

Jeff Childs, a deputy incident commander for BP, said in a briefing with Alabama officials that the company successfully shut a set of hydraulic shears known as annular rams, helping to clamp the ruptured pipe and block the leaking oil.


"We've significantly cut the flow through the pipe," Childs said at the Mobile briefing hosted by U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa.


Childs said the company was still trying to activate a set of shear rams that are designed to seal the well by shearing off the drill pipe. The job is complicated, he said, because it is occurring at depths of more than 5,000 feet.


Shelby said the development was good news for the Gulf Coast.
"If we can stop that oil from pumping, or even slow it down, that's a big step," Shelby said.


Childs' statement came after BP chief executive Tony Hayward said earlier this morning that chemical dispersants being injected into the oil flow near the spill source have worked to some degree to keep oil from flowing to the surface, though he did not elaborate.

 

[Hop]

any news is good news at this point. thanks!

 

[gmarc]

they recanted the story


15:12 BP BP saying that there has been no change to the flow in an e-mailed statement; earlier there was a rumor suggesting that the rate of flow had decreased (49.71 -2.50) -Update-

 

[BeachSteelers]

Can anyone believe anything BP says at this point? They sent lawyers as first responders and their work forms for cleanup crews have a waiver signing away your right to sue them. If it truely takes 3 months to shut this "spill?" off then I fear much of the eastern seaboard as well as the gulf coast will be uninhabitable. The smell of oil and dead sealife and loss of economic revenue will doom dozens of communities.

 

[Kurt]

they recanted the story


15:12 BP BP saying that there has been no change to the flow in an e-mailed statement; earlier there was a rumor suggesting that the rate of flow had decreased (49.71 -2.50) -Update-

Can you post a link that works?

 

[Kurt]

Found it.

BP says U.S. Gulf leak flow rate unchanged | Reuters

What a shame!

Spokesman David Nicholas said the rate was unchanged in response to an inquiry about another BP official, Jeff Childs, saying in an interview with an Alabama television station that the flow rate had been "significantly" cut.
"Our observations indicate no change at all, the flowrate is unchanged," Nicholas said.

 

[kathydwells]

Found it.

BP says U.S. Gulf leak flow rate unchanged | Reuters

What a shame!

You got that right......

 

[sullygromo]

Thats a shame.

That would have been great news...

 

[30ashopper]

Meanwhile, BP will continue trying to close the well with the BOP that is already in place on the sea floor.

BP has been able to trigger all of the six rams that should shear the drill string and casing and close the well, but they did not stem the flow, contrary to reports earlier today.

It has been one of the main focuses of BP's efforts since the initial blowout and will remain so, no matter how unlikely it is to work, Fryar said, because it offers the quickest way to stem the flow.

Charlie Holt, who heads BP drilling and completions operations in the US Gulf, said BP has repaired some leaks in the hydraulic systems of the BOP.

Holt said some of the rubber portions of the BOP may have been eroded by sand in the flowback and may not be able to shut the well anymore.

If the second BOP can be added to the well, it may be possible to circulate fluid through that to kill the well, Fryar said

First Macondo dome heads out tomorrow - Upstream Online

Also, the first cofferdamn, which will apparently sit on top of the worst leak, was being loaded on a boat today.

 

[Arkiehawg]

Fingers crossed......