A Concern about Oil Wells

Great Debates
1

So the Maconda oil well has been been capped and it now has the ability to provide for a flow of controlled oil like any other oil well.

Yet BP is concerned about leaks from the well into the strata well below the surface.

Surely no damage is considered possible beyond lets say 100 feet below the surface of the seabed simply as a result of the Maconda accident. It seems more likely that possible damage is caused by installation. They say they are checking the entire length of the casing.

Then Why isn’t this a concern in all the other thousands of cases of drilling for oil.
If you think about it, 6 0r 7000 psi should be able to lift the entire overburden of 18,000 feet if it wasn’t for resistance to deflection of the overburden at the periphery of the oil reservoir and the strength throughout the overburden.

What concerns me is the while the oil pressure reduces linearly going up the column of overburden, the strength of the overburden reduces exponentially by a power of 3.

If there is a leak at say at 500 feet below the seabed and a horizontal seam nearby,
I’d shudder to think about what might possibley happen

2

That was why the government put a hold on it. there was huge risk if the sea bottom busted or if the pipe blew somewhere else. But they were convinced it was worth the risk.
I read today that the cap was pushed by BP to stop accurate measuring of the flow rate. They have to pay a fine per barrel of leak. They have understated the flow rate all along. But as long as the flow is stopped, the people who border the gulf are pleased. The legal battle between the government and Bp is coming.