July 18, 2010 - UPDATE:
It’s Official: AP Reports Oil and Methane Gas is Seeping From Sea Floor Near Well. Both Associated Press and The LA Times reported: “An administration official familiar with the spill oversight, however, told The Associated Press that a seep and possible methane were found near the busted oil well. The official spoke on condition of anonymity...The official said BP is not complying with the government's demand for more monitoring.”
The National Incident Commander, Adm Thad Allen, sent the following letter to BP’s Chief of Gulf Coast Restoration, Bob Dudley, and I emphasize some key statements therein: “Dear Mr. Dudley, My letter to you on July 16, 2010 extended the Well Integrity Test period contingent upon the completion of seismic surveys, robust monitoring for indications of leakage, and acoustic testing by the NOAA vessel PISCES in the immediate vicinity of the well head. Given the current observations from the test, including the detected seep a distance from the well and undetermined anomalies at the well head, monitoring of the seabed is of paramount importance during the test period. As a continued condition of the test, you are required to provide as a top priority access and coordination for the monitoring systems, which include seismic and sonar surface ships and subsea ROV and acoustic systems. When seeps are detected, you are directed to marshal resources, quickly investigate, and report findings to the government in no more than four hours. I direct you to provide me a written procedure for opening the choke valve as quickly as possible without damaging the well should hydrocarbon seepage near the well head be confirmed.”
Thad Allen refers directly to the “detected seep a distance from the well.” On Sunday afternoon, Oly ROV 1 was monitoring what appeared to be a substantial eruption of gaseous oil NW of the BOP. I watched the eruption for some time between 3:00pm and 3:30pm PST.The entire screen was filled with a billowing, upward rising cloud that was definitely not disturbances of silt from the ROV thrusters. The ROV cameras zoomed and panned, clearly showing that its thrusters were nowhere near the scene begin filmed. The flow was substantial, it was continuous, (not intermittent), and it was persistent. I cannot imagine that BP would be filming silt kicked up by ROV jets for over 30 minutes. Please recall that BP was reportedly trying to seal sea floor cracks near the well site as far back as February, before the explosion.
The confirmation of this new leak lends support to the discussion that the geology of the region is unstable. Yet the fact that oil is now migrating up from beneath the sea floor is a strong indicator that the recently capped well is, and has been, leaking oil into the surrounding formations. The capped well may have increased the pressure on these leaks, making them more evident now. The LA Times report suggested BP was most interested in keeping that cap on, for obvious PR purposes, but government officials are now concerned that capping the well is increasing seepage to other subsurface cracks and fissures.
It’s Official: AP Reports Oil and Methane Gas is Seeping From Sea Floor Near Well. Both Associated Press and The LA Times reported: “An administration official familiar with the spill oversight, however, told The Associated Press that a seep and possible methane were found near the busted oil well. The official spoke on condition of anonymity...The official said BP is not complying with the government's demand for more monitoring.”
The National Incident Commander, Adm Thad Allen, sent the following letter to BP’s Chief of Gulf Coast Restoration, Bob Dudley, and I emphasize some key statements therein: “Dear Mr. Dudley, My letter to you on July 16, 2010 extended the Well Integrity Test period contingent upon the completion of seismic surveys, robust monitoring for indications of leakage, and acoustic testing by the NOAA vessel PISCES in the immediate vicinity of the well head. Given the current observations from the test, including the detected seep a distance from the well and undetermined anomalies at the well head, monitoring of the seabed is of paramount importance during the test period. As a continued condition of the test, you are required to provide as a top priority access and coordination for the monitoring systems, which include seismic and sonar surface ships and subsea ROV and acoustic systems. When seeps are detected, you are directed to marshal resources, quickly investigate, and report findings to the government in no more than four hours. I direct you to provide me a written procedure for opening the choke valve as quickly as possible without damaging the well should hydrocarbon seepage near the well head be confirmed.”
Thad Allen refers directly to the “detected seep a distance from the well.” On Sunday afternoon, Oly ROV 1 was monitoring what appeared to be a substantial eruption of gaseous oil NW of the BOP. I watched the eruption for some time between 3:00pm and 3:30pm PST.The entire screen was filled with a billowing, upward rising cloud that was definitely not disturbances of silt from the ROV thrusters. The ROV cameras zoomed and panned, clearly showing that its thrusters were nowhere near the scene begin filmed. The flow was substantial, it was continuous, (not intermittent), and it was persistent. I cannot imagine that BP would be filming silt kicked up by ROV jets for over 30 minutes. Please recall that BP was reportedly trying to seal sea floor cracks near the well site as far back as February, before the explosion.
The confirmation of this new leak lends support to the discussion that the geology of the region is unstable. Yet the fact that oil is now migrating up from beneath the sea floor is a strong indicator that the recently capped well is, and has been, leaking oil into the surrounding formations. The capped well may have increased the pressure on these leaks, making them more evident now. The LA Times report suggested BP was most interested in keeping that cap on, for obvious PR purposes, but government officials are now concerned that capping the well is increasing seepage to other subsurface cracks and fissures.
