New rapid oil spill response system based on BP trial and error

A drilling moratorium seemed inevitable after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010. The drilling ban has been loudly criticized by the oil industry. But four oil companies have joined forces to convince the government to cancel the drilling moratorium. A $1 billion fund has been set up by Exxon Mobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Royal Dutch Shell to develop a rapid oil spill response system for the gulf. Elsewhere in the gulf, BP could make an effort to permanently seal the ruptured well this weekend with a tactic called a “static kill”. But the procedure may be postponed by an approaching tropical storm.

Oil spill response system technology catching up

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico 2010 and the drilling moratorium have been a wakeup call for the oil industry. Billions of dollars have been spent figuring out how to drill deeper and deeper wells, when cleanup of the oil spill technology has languished on the shelf. The New York Times reports the first $1 billion can be spent developing the equipment for underwater systems to contain deep water well accidents. The four oil companies putting up the money said the oil spill response system will be effective down to 10,000 feet and contain 100,000 barrels of oil daily.

Oil companies expect system will end drilling moratorium

Oil companies hope the oil spill response initiative will help persuade government regulators to lift the six-month ban on deep water drilling as soon as possible. The Wall Street Journal reports the system resembles the one developed by BP during three months of trial and error following the Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20 . A non-profit venture called the Marine Well Containment Company will develop the system within the next 18 months.

Approaching storms increase urgency of oil spill containment

The BP oil leak could possibly be sealed permanently this weekend with a tactic called a “static kill”. A static kill, as outlined by CNN, is a procedure where mud is pumped into the well to force oil back into the reservoir. Officials from BP have said the “static kill” option could succeed where comparable attempts have failed because pressure within the well is lower than expected. Even so, BP continues to drill the permanent relief well that might be ready at the end of the month. The timing of the static kill is crucial because operations could be disrupted for up to two weeks by a tropical storm headed for the gulf.

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