Skip to main content

Currently Skimming:

Summary
Pages 3-9

The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.


From page 3...
... Sophisticated equipment is used, such as the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, which must operate in a highly coordinated manner in areas of uncertain geology, often under challenging environmental conditions, and subject to failures from a variety of sources including those induced by human and organizational errors. The industry has developed an impressive set of technologies to enable the construction of such wells, and it appears that viable solutions were available to address the various challenges posed by Macondo.
From page 4...
... . Furthermore, the differences between the highest reservoir pore pressure, which had to be offset by the drilling mud to prevent reservoir fluid flow, and the fracture gradients of the formation were becoming very small, leaving little margin for safe drilling.
From page 5...
... . However, the team mistakenly determined that the negative pressure test had been conducted successfully and proceeded to abandon the well temporarily by displacing drilling mud with seawater, recovering the mud, and discharging overboard the spacer fluid that had been used in previous operations.
From page 6...
... 3. The reservoir formation, encompassing multiple zones of varying pore pressures and fracture gradients, posed significant challenges to isolation using casing and cement.
From page 7...
... 1. While the geologic conditions encountered in the Macondo well posed challenges to the drilling team, alternative completion techniques and operational processes were available that could have been used to prepare the well safely for temporary abandonment.
From page 8...
... . If the warning is inhibited or not addressed in an appropriate time interval, autonomous operation of the blind shear rams, emergency disconnect system, general alarm, and other safety systems on the rig should occur.
From page 9...
... Certain factors, such as the complete hydrocarbon flow path, may never be definitively identified, since the requisite forensic evidence lies more than 2 miles beneath the seabed. Similarly, many questions concerning the Deepwater Horizon rig will remain unanswerable so long as it lies on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, with its equipment unavailable for inspection and data recorders unreadable.


This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More information on Chapter Skim is available.