[/caption]The "top kill" basically consists of feeding heavy drilling mud and cement onto the leak and so prevent the flow of oil.
BP started showing Live Video Feed of the BP "top kill" procedure itself after pressure from the Obama administration. Lawmakers had said they had learned that the "top kill" procedure would not be shown.
The LA Times published an excellent graphic that shows the top kill procedure. The full story, Gulf oil spill: 'Top kill' procedure begins can be found here.
BP live Oil Spill Video Feed
The under water efforts of BP now start to attempt to stop the flow of oil from the well by placing a blow out preventer (BOP) into the line. In addition they try to collect oil that is currently flowing freely into the sea.Government authorities make sure that these efforts are being carried out as promised.
BP has never attempted this procedure in offshore waters at a depth of 5,000 feet, so the outcome is not certain. Current predictions say that the procedure can take as much as two days. And it is uncertain how long it will take until for the operation to be a success or a failure.
During the procedure, BP will continue to provide a live video feed of the operation. This feed would show the diagnostic testing and the top kill, if it is undertaken.
During the diagnostic process and the top kill procedure it is expected that there will be very significant changes in the appearance of the flows at the sea bed. These changes will not provide a reliable indicator of the overall progress or success or failure of the whole operation.
If the top kill procedure does not fully succeed in stopping the flow of oil and gas from the well BP would proceed to a different action. They would try the deployment of the LMRP cap containment system.
Here is more footage of underwater tests ahead of 'Top Kill' operation at BP oil spill site:
This is how it is done: The dameged riser will first be removed from the top of blow out preventer (BOP). That will leave a cleanly-cut pipe at the top of the BOP’s lower marine riser package (LMRP). The cap of the LMRP, which is device which holds back the flow of fluid, will then be hocked up to the drillship. The new LMRP will be placed over the existing device. The idea is to capture as much as possible of the oil and gas that flows from the well.
The LMRP cap is already at the site of deployment and it is anticipated that the option of using it will be available by the end of May.
Despite these options being ready, BP continues to progress additional options as a precaution. These include the option of lowering a second blow-out preventer on top of the failed Deepwater Horizon BOP.
BP's work on the drilling of the two relief wells, which begun on May 2 and May 16 continues. However, each of the wells is estimated to take up to three months to complete from the start of the drilling.
I'm just horrified by this tragedy. Where can I find an probable assessment of the accurate size of the oil spill? The statistics are all over the place. Thanks for your informative post.
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