[EDIT: was "One obstacle after another ...]
The list goes on and on and on ...
They broke the diamond wire cutting tool so they couldn't slice off the riser cleanly. So, rather than replace the cutting wire and continue the cut from the other side, the bring in the 18' by 9' shears and crush their way through the riser, cutting it off. It crimps the top of the remaining riser so they decide to remove the riser head altogether. After removing three or four bolts they try to remove one under the crimped portion of the riser. They can't. So the bring in the circular diamond cutting saw and try to cut the extruding portion of the crimp off. They cut through one side but can't seem to cut through the other side. Somewhere it remains attached. They use the ROV like a battering ram and with its tool arm point out like a lance they ram the crimped tab. Nothing happens. Now they are back to trying the circular saw again. But, when the get the right angle on the cut, it diverts oil into their field of view. Meanwhile, version 4 of the cap floats silently over head, awaiting its turn at the throw of the dice.
Those guys never get a break. We aren't getting a break.
EDIT 1:51PM CST. They got the 2" X 4" by 4" tab blocking access to the bolt off! Now you can see what a 22" in diameter oil well gusher looks like. For every 28" column of oi, 22" in diameter, 1 barrel of oil is flowing out of the well. How many 28" columns pass through that hole in a second is how many barrels of oil per second is flowing out of the well. For simplicity, assume 1 barrel per second. That amounts to 86,400 barrels per day. If you think the oil is flowing at twice that rate then it would be 176,800 barrels per day. Either amount is a disaster, especially if the cap fails, again.
The list goes on and on and on ...
They broke the diamond wire cutting tool so they couldn't slice off the riser cleanly. So, rather than replace the cutting wire and continue the cut from the other side, the bring in the 18' by 9' shears and crush their way through the riser, cutting it off. It crimps the top of the remaining riser so they decide to remove the riser head altogether. After removing three or four bolts they try to remove one under the crimped portion of the riser. They can't. So the bring in the circular diamond cutting saw and try to cut the extruding portion of the crimp off. They cut through one side but can't seem to cut through the other side. Somewhere it remains attached. They use the ROV like a battering ram and with its tool arm point out like a lance they ram the crimped tab. Nothing happens. Now they are back to trying the circular saw again. But, when the get the right angle on the cut, it diverts oil into their field of view. Meanwhile, version 4 of the cap floats silently over head, awaiting its turn at the throw of the dice.
Those guys never get a break. We aren't getting a break.
EDIT 1:51PM CST. They got the 2" X 4" by 4" tab blocking access to the bolt off! Now you can see what a 22" in diameter oil well gusher looks like. For every 28" column of oi, 22" in diameter, 1 barrel of oil is flowing out of the well. How many 28" columns pass through that hole in a second is how many barrels of oil per second is flowing out of the well. For simplicity, assume 1 barrel per second. That amounts to 86,400 barrels per day. If you think the oil is flowing at twice that rate then it would be 176,800 barrels per day. Either amount is a disaster, especially if the cap fails, again.
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