re: #210 austin_blue

No, that’s my point. They need to cut the riser over the existing stack as much as they can, leaving the base and whatever components above it to keep it anchored, and remove the existing stack. Then they need to lower two shear rams over it, screw them down, and squeeze off the release.

But that is the obvious fix. I must assume that BP (which wants to stop this disaster more than anyone) has determined that cutting away the riser from the BOP stack would be worse than not doing so.

Here’s what I can confidently tell you. The top kill and the junk shot won’t work. The downhole pressure ( +/- 13,000 psi) and the top down pressure capacity against it (3,000 psi) make it physically impossible. They will be pissing into the wind.

PIMF.

Sheesh, it’s late.