RE: [Paddlewise] Oil Spill Plans

Craig wrote:
>There is one for-sure method to stop the well. Drill an intersecting well
>and use that to control the one that's out of control. This is a known
>method and will do the job. Too bad it's going to take until August.
>Everything else they're doing - and I'm pretty sure the best engineering
>minds in the USA are working on this - is a stopgap. 

G'Day Craig,

I'm told that even the intersecting well approach is uncertain because of
the difficulty of accurately locating the intersection at that depth.

BP's report on their 'top kill' attempt to fill the leaking pipe-borehole
with drilling mud looked as if it might work when they were able to maintain
some kind of seal while pressure was applied to the mud and they hoped
eventually to pump cement. When they reported failure as the pressure was
removed it made me wonder if pumping cement and maintaining pressure until
the cement had hardened might work. I assume that it must have been thought
of and rejected because of complications with the extreme depth or some
other complication. Wondered if you knew anything about that kind of
approach and the associated difficulties?

All the best, PeterO
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