The 20th April 2010, BP’s drilling platform, Deepwater Horizon, off the coast of Louisiana exploded. The accident has had serious consequences; eleven oil workers were killed and a huge amount of oil, estimated at as much as 25 000 barrels a day, is welling up and into the Gulf of Mexico. Experts have worked intensively to stop the oil spill, but almost a month after the explosion, there is still no luck in stopping the oil. Why is it so difficult to stop the oil? Why hasn’t anybody been able to stop the spill by now?
Oil is Created under High Pressure
Oil is created by organic material deposited on the sea floor followed by sediments which settles above the organic material and builds up over time, creating a steady increase in pressure on the organic matter. The organic material is converted to oil and the gravity force from the sediments above is squeezing the oil reservoir until it is compressed to the extent that no further compressing is possible. The resulting pressure in the reservoir is very high, and much higher than the pressure at the earth’s surface.
When a hole is bored into the reservoir, the oil will automatically flow towards the lower pressure at the surface. If the oil flow is not controlled, the high pressure in the reservoir will make the oil flush out of the reservoir at an enormous force and speed. Heavy bore mud, valves and smaller holes as relief vents are therefore applied when searching for and producing oil.
The Accident on BP’s Drilling Platform, Deepwater Horizon
In the case of the explosion on BP’s drilling platform, Deepwater Horizon, the drilling platform sank due to the explosion and the valve controlling the flow of oil was knocked over and is therefore not working. Adding heavy mud to stabilize the reservoir has so far been impossible. Due to the extreme high pressure, the attempts to add such mud to the well have been unsuccessful. BP is currently boring a hole to relieve some of the pressure in the reservoir. The hole is being drilled close to the leaking well, but such operations might take months to complete.
BP is also trying to close the valve, collect the oil already spilled and to use dispersants in an attempt to limit the environmental catastrophe. Dispersants are chemicals used to break oil into small droplets so that they are more easily degraded, but some claim that the chemicals used in the dispersants are more environmentally harmful than the actual oil spill and the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) insists that BP identify and use a less toxic agent.
In the mean time, the oil continues to leak into the Gulf of Mexico at an alarmingly high speed adding volume to the catastrophe already caused.
Resourses:
Beyond Petroleum (BP): "Gulf of Mexico response", BP’s web page
Sybille Hildebrandt, "Hvorfor kan man ikke stoppe oljelekkasjen i Mexicogolfen?" Forskning.no
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): "BP MUST USE LESS TOXIC DISPERSANT", Press Release date: 05/20/2010
Birgit Ryningen - Birgit (born 01.11.77) is a judo player with one Nordic and several Norwegian Champion titles. She holds a PhD in material science and ...
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