re: #228 austin_blue

The Tech is there, it just didn’t work in this case. A double stack of BOPs might have done the trick. We don’t know if this was a backside blowout (around the production string- a bad cement job) or a primary blowout (through the production casing- not maintaining sufficient weight to keep the downhole pressure from overcoming the hydrostatic head.).

This is not rocket science, but BP isn’t talking.

Oh, and by the way, I used to be a wellhead geologist and did this for a living.

Good to have an expert here.

I don’t think the answer is beyond our ability, but the units being used have proven inadequate.

Also, why can’t we contain the leak once the worst has happened? We are literally “out of our depth” if we cannot. I also made the point that we can put a robot on Mars but we can’t make one plug a leaky pipe. It is not rocket science indeed, so why don’t we have this ability before we do the drilling?

At minimum there needs to be truly failsafe BOPs and a way to quickly handle leaks before we continue.