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Mr. Canvar:
Keep doing the investigative reporting. The public needs to know about the toxic substances in the environment. The video presentation of Dr. Susan Smith needs to be widely distributed on every evening news broadcast i.e. CBS, CNN, ABC, MSNBC, Fox, for about a month. This also needs to be in every high school and college large and small, especially the science and environmental type class curriculums in the nation. We have yet to see the full impact of the Deep Water Drilling Event.

Dear Mr. Cavner

The reason that the USEPA and other Federal Agencies are not actively participating in the Gulf is because for these two reasons: (1) there is a "GAG ORDER" on federal employees and (2) all corporations are allowed to keep secret any and all information about their products. Both of these reasons are stated in the Patriot Act I and II that was put in place under Bush and has not been recended under the Obama Administration. Additionally, if you search the background of the current EPA Administrator, Lisa Jackson when she was director of New Jersey's Department of Environment, you will find the same practice if industrial influence that is occurring now with BP as occurred under Bush with Steven Johnson as EPA Administrator. In other words Obama = Bush.

The "Oil Pollution Control Act" (OPCA) of 1990 has an rediculously low penalty is for this reason, that has not been stated in the media is because of another OIL MAN, George H.W. Bush.

Here is a quote from history regarding oil: "If you control oil, you control nations" by Henry Kissinger, 1974 (National Security Study Memorandum, (NSSM 200)) a.k.a. "The Kissinger Report".

If you require additional information, please send me an email.

Michael "DOC" E. Davis

I am really mad now. It seems that someone has cut off my access to an engineering forum where I and several other engineers were discussing possible solutions to the BP oil spill problem. I have been a member of this forum for years.

What's worse, is they won't give a reason for cutting off my account. They make it look like some kind of technical problem. I've heard of this kind of censorship happening to others, but just found it hard to believe until now.

Someone in the media needs to follow up on this story. Any suggestions? macquigg at box67 dot com.

VIP: Admiral Allen Reports Oil is seeping up from floor a distance from the well, DOESN'T THIS MEAN THE WELL IS BREACHED WAY BELOW AND OIL IS MASSING SUBSURFACE? clearly this is an ominous sign, the flow should be tapped to the surface, pressure lowered, and bottom kill begun ASAP.. right?

I watched on Tuesday during the day as ROV performed tests on the yellow unit sloppily labelled "CHOKE". It inserter the valve piece and turned all the way to the side labelled "CLOSED" and oil continued to spew. They did it several times.

My question: Why did it take BP all the next day during the 24-hour halt the govt. imposed, and the following day, Thursday, before they acknowledged it was broken?

This component looked crappy--like it was an old put-together something. This goes with the narrative that the BOPs and their "foolproof" other shutdown mechanisms --are faulty. And BP didn't even bother to check properly before putting it down.

Thus, they managed another 48 hour delay.

Please keep passing on whatever information you have and your interpretations.

Yesterday (Thursday) night, they were installing a whole series of other equipment that appeared to be on the sea floor. One was a rectangular structure built of welded metal bars. What is that unit? I don't see it on their "Long Term Containment" plan.

Also, why were they inserting what appeared to be a sensor on a long pole into the bottom of TWO separate round, flanged pieces, like where the BOP sits on top? They were attampting to put a bracket on the bottom of that round flange in order to permanently stap in that sensor-on-a-pole. Is that to test for oil? Is there another reason?

It is so, so difficult to get timely---or ANY information.

Frustrated and distrustful

I don't trust that they are doing what they told the President they would do. Please comment.

in a recent interview with James Carville, he said that Mr. Bea agreed that the moratorium should be lifted. Is that now Mr. Bea's position? From his previous comments, that seems surprising.

We appreciate your opinions/explanations when you appear on MSMBC.

Engineer:
The Shell presentation, cited in my post immediately below yours, may give you some ideas.
Good luck on the Wiki.

Bob, would you be interested in participating in or even leading a project to identify technologies that will make offshore drilling safer? Yes, I know all that will be done by numerous industry and government groups, but can we trust them to get it right?

What I envision is a place where people like myself can contribute ideas, those ideas will be given serious consideration, and if they are good, will be included in some kind of compilation at the end. Existing forums seem to be dominated by industry and people who cannot think outside the box.

I started an article at Wikipedia [[Offshore oil spill prevention]], expecting to get some participation from experts in oil drilling, but it was quickly overwhelmed by folks whose interest seems to be in diluting anything that focuses too sharply on deficiencies in the status quo. Now, I can't even get through the introduction without my eyes glazing over.

See sandbox for my current collection of ideas. All of this is public information (no "intellectual property"). You are welcome to use it on your website, and I will help in any way I can.

I have also started a discussion forum, where I am encouraging in-depth technical discussions that would be too long for other forums. If you would rather host those discussions on your website, that is OK with me.

Keep up the good work.

An important 48-minute video:
Shell experts at Aspen Ideas Festival last Friday, July 9, compared their deep offshore drilling methods with those of BP (presentation starts about 4:00; good material at about 13:00; contrast with BP at about 18:00; discussion of BOP at 22:00; Q&A at 25:00 – ownership, risk management, safety assessment, etc). If your time is limited, go directly to well design and operations comparison in the Q&A, starting about 29:00.

http://www.aifestival.org/audio-video-library.php?menu=3&title=639&action=full_info

Drilling for Oil: A Visual Presentation of How We Drill for Oil and the Precautions Taken Along the Way
Marvin E. Odum
Joe Leimkuhler

And there is some new stuff, especially about Thunder Horse, in this NY Times review yesterday of BP’s hubris:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/business/energy-environment/13bprisk.html?ref=general&src=me&pagewanted=all

Why haven't they let scientists check things out there? why did they wait so long to put this cap on? Why haven't they tested the flow rate? What happened to the second drill pipe that Suttles said mysteriously disappeared? Some interesting thoughts here:

“That is not the main leak. The main leak, as Matt Simmons correctly stated, is in a different location (or several as there are cracks and it will look like what the top of a blown-out volcano looks like – ugly, not with a beautiful pipe flange – lol so gullible). The reason this is happening now is not because it took almost three months to build it (come on, it’s just a pipe flange – they could build a simple one first, and then put in a better one later). Not because they were afraid of more flow (the new pipe could be bolted on in one day). Notice how this is all happening at the same time?! Come on people. Their plan is to breach the wellbore and at the same time put on their show cap and turn them on at the SAME TIME and claim the cap worked! lol. Then the perfect cover-up will be complete.

He further says, “Here is the worry. As Matt also stated, if the casing is gone, the relief wells will not work. Thus, if they reach the old wellbore and cannot find the casing, they will not be able to seal the well. If that happens, they will claim the well cap did not work and will continue to show the TV leak to the world. Cool huh?”

http://www.ndchronicle.com/news/New_cap_placed_on_leaking_well__BP_oil_spill_update__BP_oil_spill_live_feed__footage_and_cause_1279008434/

Some background on the folks behind the scenes of the federal lawsuit against the moratorium:

Waritorium: The Deep Water Moratorium Threatens Two of the State's Republican Oligarchs

http://www.dailykingfish.com/diary/1567/waritorium-the-deep-water-moratorium-threatens-two-of-the-states-republican-oligarchs

Mr. Cavnar:

It was a pleasure to meet you and the NBC Crew on the M/V Skye Falgout, back on June 20. It was humbling to see a team make such personal sacrifices to keep the public informed.

Greatly appreciate your comments about the workers on vessels at the Source in the Gulf of Mexico.

As far as I can tell, you are the only one that has recognized their dedicated efforts.

Bob,

I couldn't believe it, if I didn't know better I would have thought you knew what you were talking about.

Great job on Hardball.

Your PTI comrade

Byron Williams

bob,
read in today's chron that diamond filed a lawsuit against obama to oppose a drilling moratorium. so i clicked on diamond and combed over their website. one thing that really struck me was information which seemed conflicting, so i'm hoping you can shed some light, even do a blog sometime. diamond was mentioned in several energy trade publications as operating "semi-submersible" rigs anywhere from 7,000 to 10,000 feet. one particular was listed as the "american confidence", rated at 10,000 feet. now here's the million dollar question: if we have a 5,000 oil spew which NOBODY can solve and is hopeless, how can diamond brag about having a well operated by BP that operates at 7,500 ft, rated all the way to 10,000? i'm hoping that the discovery done in the diamond v. obama case exposes at least some of the industry trickery. the media seems stuck on the barton story, incapable of true investigative journalism.

Mr. Cavnar,

I wondered if you'd be willing to do an interview on KPFA (Pacifica Radio, Berkeley) Flashpoints, daily 5 PM PST regarding the current dangers of a subsurface blowout in the Gulf. I've been searching for a credible source to discuss this. I'm not with KPFA, but did tell host Dennis Bernstein a short while ago I'd find him someone with a solid background in the area to discuss this. He likes to be ahead of the mainstream media curve on many issues, and expressed some interest.

Didn't know how else to contact you; 'not terribly alt-media-tech savvy but my email is noelk@q.com Thanks and hope to hear

Bob,

I came across info recently that suggests there are serious problems with the integrity of the casing down below the seabed. The implication is that restricting the outflow (by a top kill, or effective capping) will blow out the casing deep underground. The resulting leak would be unstoppable by any means.

Details here: http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6593#comment-648967

I'd be eager to hear what you have to say about this possibility.

Is the oil flow from the Deepwater Horizon well an indication that BP has hit an ELEPHANT reservior?

Dear Bob,
Would supertankers actually help suck up more oil if they were sitting just next to the Horizon Well? Also could the supertankers be used to suck up the oil from the plumes? Is this different from the Arabian Gulf spill where they did use supertankers?

Thank you for your comments on Keith and CNN--your explanations have been very helpful.
(I'm a friend of Gracie's--yet isn't everyone?)

what about this ??
>>>
"According to people who should know what they are talking about, BP’s rig currently drilling the first relief well has worse safety violations than did the BP rig that exploded killing 11, creating this enormous mess. Why aren’t we reading or hearing about this? I mean anywhere other than here? (If you are a reporter, this paragraph contains the real news. Yes, I am telling you how to do your job.)"
http://www.cringely.com/2010/06/imperial-oil/

Great editorials and insights. Been following you for the last few weeks and have enjoyed efforts.

I thought I would share with you our explosives crimping technology that BP and the Government has known about since April 27, 2010.

Hydro Cut Corporation invented and patented explosives crimping technologies in the early 90's in an effort to support faster attack methods for the Kuwait oil spills caused by Iraqi forces were 500 million gallons were spilled.

Apparently BP and USH have resigned themselves and any response efforts to kill the well to "drilling relief wells and plugging it from below". A process which will take them into late October-December IF all goes according to plan, however the last time this was attempted took 12 weeks once the relief wells were drilled, so don''t be to optimistic.

Best, Michael

I have a powerpoint that i submitted to Bp a month ago May 9th. And I'd like to send it to DH if I could attach to email.

rick

Hello,

Only been reading for a couple of days but quite
enjoy your analysis.

While reading earlier posts I came across this
one of 6/6/10 titled "New Rule:..." containing
the following observation

"...It's CEO, who's all over our televisions, is a
Brit reading from an infuriating script prepared by
his London based PR folks."

I am sure you are aware that about 6/1/10
Anne Womack-Kolton a former Dick Cheney, I
repeat, Dick Cheney, press aide was hired by
BP to handle the GOM press for BP. I haven't
read much comment about this bit of Irony (sic)
anywhere and I was wondering if you know if she
is in NO or here in Houston at BP or just where
she is and whether one can detect her spinfluence
yet?

Regards,
bubbalip

how do you stop the oil leak

very simple answer

squeeze the pipe shut!!!!

instead of trying to capture the oil just stop the flow.

how to stop the flow SQUEEZE IT SHUT

this is a steel pipe not cast iron therefor it can be crimped shut just like squeezing a straw.

all of the high tech engineers have forgotten common sense and they are propbably still interisted in salvaging as much oil as possible.

lets try common sense and basic simplicity.

they have equipment that can cut the pipe so just take off the cutting blade and replace it with an anvil and squeeze how simple.

i have sent this basic statement to everyone from fox news to sarah palen including bobby jindal and no one will ask

possiblly everyone is scared to ask since it is so dam simple im surprised a 5th grader hasent asked but i will and im 59 yearts old and use common sense not high tech

how about a response to my email

pardon my spelling

I am a meteorologist in Northwest Arkansas and wanted to share a blog I just finished called "Hurricane and Oil... What if?" So what happens to the oil in a hurricane? Direct Link is http://www.weatherrick.com/ricksweatherblog.html

Rick Katzfey
www.WeatherRick.com

come see "Oilageddon" on facebook. The oil disaster themed Blues songs are awesome

You all my like the song "Go Away Mr. Hayward". It is a direct jab at Tony Hayward CEO BP. The song can be found at: Trashton Porter on youtube. Or, "Oilageddon" page of facebook... "The Ocean's dyin'" is another great new Blues tune that can be found at the same locations...spread the word

Bob,

Did you know that less than two years ago, BP was boasting to the oil industry, in its own publication, that it had developed the technology to accurately measure flow rates of hydrocarbons mixed with "troublesome percentages of liquids or gas?" Now suddenly they don't have a clue.

They are now admitting that the maximum flow rate possible is 160,000 barrels per day. How much more of a smoking gun do you need?


-- excerpt from p. 5 of BP's own Frontiers publication, August, 2008:

"... BP has identified that by combining sonar flow measurement with additional measured parameters, such as pressure drop in a flow line, both the liquid rate and the gas rate on a wet gas flow line can be determined. BP has proven this additional breakthrough in practice and expects to deploy the technique in the field by the end of this year.

It appears that measuring hydrocarbon flows which contain small but troublesome percentages of liquids or gas may be less problematic in the future thanks to BP's creative vision for sonar flow measurement."


www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk
_english/reports_and_publications/frontiers/STAGING/
local_assets/pdf/bpf22_34-38_sonarflow.pdf


Their first video clearly showed oil flowing at considerably more than one pipe diameter per second. Ambient pressure a mile down is around 2,000 psi. BP says the pressure inside the pipe is 16,000 psi. Gas volumes are compressed under pressure. Liquid volumes are not. The relative volume of gas inside the well is insignificant to the volume of oil, but methane is also toxic.

Tenth grade math will tell you that a 21.5-inch diameter pipe, flowing at 22.5-inches per second, is 70,000 barrels per day, no matter what the fluid is. That is not an opinion the media should need an expert to confirm. It is very basic math, just dust off an old pocket calculator. Apparently no one in the media can do tenth grade math. This is an even bigger story about the failure of education.

Woods Hole has a submersible with this sonar technology to measure sea floor vents, but was denied access to the site by BP.

Bob,

Did you know that less than two years ago, BP was boasting to the oil industry, in its own publication, that it had developed the technology to accurately measure flow rates of hydrocarbons mixed with "troublesome percentages of liquids or gas?" Now suddenly they don't have a clue.

They are now admitting that the maximum flow rate possible is 160,000 barrels per day. How much more of a smoking gun do you need?


-- excerpt from p. 5 of BP's own Frontiers publication, August, 2008:

"... BP has identified that by combining sonar flow measurement with additional measured parameters, such as pressure drop in a flow line, both the liquid rate and the gas rate on a wet gas flow line can be determined. BP has proven this additional breakthrough in practice and expects to deploy the technique in the field by the end of this year.

It appears that measuring hydrocarbon flows which contain small but troublesome percentages of liquids or gas may be less problematic in the future thanks to BP's creative vision for sonar flow measurement."


www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/globalbp/globalbp_uk_english/reports_and_publications/frontiers/STAGING/local_assets/pdf/bpf22_34-38_sonarflow.pdf


Their first video clearly showed oil flowing at considerably more than one pipe diameter per second. Ambient pressure a mile down is around 2,000 psi. BP says the pressure inside the pipe is 16,000 psi. Gas volumes are compressed under pressure. Liquid volumes are not. The relative volume of gas inside the well is insignificant to the volume of oil, but methane is also toxic.

Tenth grade math will tell you that a 21.5-inch diameter pipe, flowing at 22.5-inches per second, is 70,000 barrels per day, no matter what the fluid is. That is not an opinion the media should need an expert to confirm. It is very basic math, just dust off an old pocket calculator. Apparently no one in the media can do tenth grade math. This is an even bigger story about the failure of education.

Woods Hole has a submersible with this sonar technology to measure sea floor vents, but was denied access to the site by BP.

Too deep to fix is too deep to drill. Pass it on.

Hi Bob,
I am 15 years old, and I am currently involved in creating a student environmental organization in New Hampshire. I am trying to spread awareness of our environment, and the BP oil spill. I hope eventually by spreading awareness, we can cause change in environmental policy. I have been following your daily posts about the Gulf oil spill, and I have enjoyed the technical and unbiased opinions on this matter. I am wondering if it is possible to have you write an article for an audience of teens summarizing the events that have taken place, and the political events that allowed this to happen. Do you have any tips on how we could help, or what my organization could possibly do?
Sincerely Henrik

Thank you for creating this site to make the interaction of opinions possible.

Mr. Cavnar,
They just cut the riser pipe to put a stop valve on. I have had no success for a month getting them to use a hydraulic clamp to compress the pipe to stop the flow. It is obvious they BP have no interest in stopping the flow but have every intention of keeping the drilled well alive so it can provide income to them. If you have a voice on this travesty to the environment can you ask why they never used a hydraulic press to crimp the pipe closed to stop the flow!
Bill Leigh

Early on, I heard about the Acoustic trigger. What is it ? I also understand Norway and Brazil require it on each well. Why doesn't the USA ?

Who decided we didn't need it ?

thanks
tom mullen
richfield mn

eljefe, thanks for the Chron editorial and cameos on TV - authoritative word needs to get out.

Question: if BP ' pulls a Texaco ' to get out of this disaster, Rand Paul and a bunch of GOP Gulf Coast governors promoting the gospel of Reagan and de-regulation have to 'splain what's next - how will the bad, evil, socialist, big government that just saved Wall Street's raggedy, de-regulated butt get money to clean up the damages of this environmental crime that will last for the rest of time ?

When will the GOP be holding the press conference to present their plan; will it be an industry tax, or just ' borrow from the Chinese and charge it to our kids and grand-kids ' ?

Inquiring minds want to konw -

Bob,Can i get a direct feed to Facebook? I spend a lot of time there spreading the word, and would like it to appear on my Wall regularly. thanks, Shawn

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