Deepwater Horizon a high-level summary of the BP internal investigation report findings

Prepared for

Institute of Environmental Management & Assessment

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Contents
Offshore installations Well profile, drill string and circulation system Casing and cementing Well control Blow out preventer Summary of BPs internal report into the blowout on Deepwater Horizon

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Offshore installations

source unknown

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Well profile

source unknown 7 Liner hanger 7 Liner shoe

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Drill string and drill bit

The drill string comprises 30 joints of hollow pipe, 30 screwed together to make a long drill string
Drilling fluid (mud) is pumped down the drill string to the drill bit

source unknown

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Circulation system

source unknown 6

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Casing
Casing is the steel pipe that is run into the drilled hole and cemented into place. The purpose of casing is:
To seal off permeable formations and prevent fluids entering the wellbore Provide physical support to the wellbore Prevent reactions between formation and wellbore fluids.

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Cementing casing
Cement job
After running the casing string, chemical spacers are pumped to improve the cement bond The bottom rubber plug is pushed into the casing, behind it cement is pumped Once all of the cement is pumped the solid top plug is dropped and displaced with a displacement fluid (usually mud) The bottom plug has a rupture disk in the middle which bursts open when a set amount of pressure is applied from above Once the two plugs have bumped the cementers know the cement job is complete.

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Cement job

source unknown
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Well control
Balancing the pressure exerted by the formation on the well bore
Correct mud weight Physical barriers Casing Cement Monitoring Pit levels Pressure Blow-Out Preventers

adapted from http://images.pennwellnet.com/ogj/images/ogj2/9644jsh03.gif

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Subsea BOP
BOP Stack

Blind Shear Ram

from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2010/06/21/us/20100621-bop.html?scp=1&sq=BOP%20animation&st=cse

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Deepwater Horizon incident

The following information (including graphics) is taken from BPs internal investigation report, published 08 September 2010. 2010.

The report is available on BPs website (www.bp.com) www.bp.com)

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Deepwater Horizon incident

Status of well prior to blowout
The well had been drilled to total depth The well was cased and fully cemented Integrity tests had been carried out on the casing and cement Temporary abandonment of the well was almost complete Deepwater Horizon was connected to the well via the marine riser and BOP

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Deepwater Horizon incident

A complex and interlinked series of mechanical failures, human judgements, engineering design, operational implementation and team interactions came together to allow the initiation and escalation of the Deepwater Horizon accident. accident. Multiple companies, work teams and circumstances were involved over time. time.

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Deepwater Horizon incident

Key findings of the BP internal report

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Well integrity
Key finding #1
The annulus cement barrier did not isolate the hydrocarbons

Key finding #2
The shoe track barriers did not isolate the hydrocarbons

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Hydrocarbons enter the well undetected

Key finding #3
The negative pressure test was accepted although well integrity had not been established

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Hydrocarbons enter the well undetected

Key finding #4
The influx was not recognised until hydrocarbons were in the riser Simultaneous activities may have impeded monitoring Mud transfer to supply boat Cleaning trip tank

Key finding #5
Well control response actions failed to regain control of the well

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Hydrocarbons spread and ignite

Key finding #6 & #7
Diversion to the mud gas separator resulted in gas venting onto the rig The fire and gas system did not prevent hydrocarbon ignition

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BOP did not seal the well

Key finding #8
The BOP emergency mode did not seal the well Emergency sequence successful disconnect was not

Multiplex (MUX) cables possibly damaged during initial explosion Blue pod insufficient charge on the batteries Yellow pod failed solenoid valve
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BP recommendations
The investigation teams recommendations fall into eight categories
Procedures and Engineering Technical Practices Capability and Competency Audit and Verification Process Safety Performance Management Cementing Services Assurance Well Control Practices Rig Process Safety BOP Design and Assurance.

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