EMAIL DETAILS

this is from rod, thought it would interest you, and obv please don't share.
read from bottom up

Don’t forward-this is the day in a nutshell


*Update 12:25am ET 5-27-2010*

We met with Heyward and Inglis just before we left the command center. BP
has decided to suspend the effort to pump mud into the well tonight. They
are consolidated the remaining mud on site from three ships onto one
(~7000bbl), and they have a ship with an additional ~7500bbl of mud en route
that will arrive between 6-8am tomorrow. The consolidation will make it
easier to sustain pumping. They will resume the effort in the morning first
by pumping some additional junk into the bottom of the stack and then
pumping the highest volume of mud they can sustain into the well for as long
as possible. This will likely be the last top kill attempt, so they
anticipate using all the material they have. If this fails we are likely
moving to the LMRP Cap option.


This is the last update for the night.


*Update 11:00pm ET 5-26-2010*


BP has injected some larger material (up to 2 inches in diameter) into the
BOP via the choke and kill lines in the last hour, but it is unclear where
the material is going. The intent is that it will help temporarily block
the gaps near the top of the BOP. They are also continuing to pump mud at a
high rate. They have pumped over 12,500 bbl total thus far, including 5300
bbl in this second try. There is still a large amount of an oil/mud mixture
flowing from the kink, and the openings in the center of the kink appear to
have enlarged. Pressure level inside the BOP remains constant. This will
continue for a while—likely through the night.


Optimism is waning, but the effort could still produce results. We will
resume updates in the morning.


*Update 10:00 p.m. ET 5-26-2010*


BP paused the pumping of mud about 30 minutes ago to again observe the
stack. There is still constant flow from the top of the kink. BP has
concluded that too much mud is escaping from the holes in the kink, so they
have added bridging material through the choke and kill lines (100 balls
slightly less than an inch in diameter at first) This will be followed by
some larger material. It is believed this material will obstruct SOME of
the gaps around the rams and allow more mud to flow down into the well.
This material will not clog the BOP completely, and the scientific team is
comfortable with this approach. Mud pumping has resumed at 10 bpm. **


*Update 8:45 p.m. ET 5-26-2010*


We believe that the well was not fully killed, and BP has resumed pumping
mud. It has been pumping at a steady rate of about 50 barrels per minute
for about an hour and the pressure level in the BOP has remained constant.
BP is prepared to pump mud throughout the night if necessary. A ship with
another 7,700 barrels of 16.4 mud should arrive by 8:00 a.m. ET tomorrow
morning.


Secretary Chu and our scientific team have continued to monitor all of the
pressure and flow data in real time throughout the day alongside BP’s
scientists and engineers, analyzing the situation and evaluating the
available options.


*Update 7:45 p.m. ET 5-26-2010*


BP is going to resume pumping mud again. There is still flow coming out of
the kink in the riser. That could mean that the well is equalizing after the
previous mud injection, or that there is not enough mud in the well, or it
could be something else they haven't figured out. It does not hurt to try
more mud, so that is the next step.


*Update 7:00 p.m. ET 5-26-2010*


There is still pressure in the choke and kill lines that they believe is
still pushing into the BOP (and out the top). This pressure should
eventually fall, but has not yet.


*Update 6:10 p.m. ET 5-26-2010*


Some optimism here. Between about 5:20 ET to 5:35 ET, the pumping rate was
slowly reduced from about 40 barrels/minute to the current rate of 11
barrels/minute. The BOP pressure stayed flat or slightly declined, which is
promising.


In terms of available mud, they started with a total of about 22,000 barrels
of the heaviest mud (16.4 pounds per gallon) and about 34,000 barrels of a
more lightweight mud (14.2 pounds per gallon) About 7,000 barrels of the
16.4 mud has been used thus far.


At some point, which could still be several hours from now, they will stop
pumping mud and let it settle. If successful, the mud settles in the pipe
and the weight of the accumulated mud holds back the oil and gas below. If
unsuccessful, the pressure below pushes past the mud and we are back where
we started. In the former scenario, we have the option of pumping in cement
to hold the seal, or relying on the mud to hold down the well. This is
still under discussion.


*Update 5:20 p.m. ET 5-26-2010*

* *

About 2 hours, 20 minutes into the “top kill” attempt. Results
inconclusive, but pumping continues. Pressure level in the BOP have
slightly declined over the past hour, which is good, but the battle is not
won yet. They are backing the pumping pressure down slowly to see if the
well has slowed. About 6,100 barrels of mud have been pumped thus far with
tens of thousands of barrels available between the two ships. If the
equipment holds together and we don’t run out of mud, the effort can
succeed, but it is very difficult to know at this time. Pumping may
continue for hours.


*Update 4:40 p.m. ET 5-26-2010*

* *

The first ship is back up and running and pumping mud into the BOP. Mud is
now being pumped from both ships, for a combined flow rate of 59 barrels per
minute. A total of more than 3,600 barrels of mud have been pumped.
Pressure level in the BOP is creeping downward, which is promising, but we
are not finished yet.


*Update 3:50 p.m. ET 5-26-2010*


They reached a maximum pump rate near 50 barrels per minute for a few
minutes and the pressure level in the BOP was starting to level off, which
was promising. There was a problem on the surface which required them to
stop pumping mud for about 5 minutes and switch to a different ship.
Pumping has now resumed at 40-50 barrels per minute. Looks promising.


*Update 3:10 p.m. ET 5-26-2010*


The engineers believe they understand what the problem was, but are still
trying to verify that the injection path they wanted is in fact available to
them. The valves were reopened and they are trying the procedure again,
starting with a small flow rate of mud via the lower choke and kill lines
that will (if all goes well) quickly be ramped up to a target rate of 50
barrels per minute to achieve the kill.


The test rams have been opened, which is a significant step in the process.
Mud is now flowing at 6-7 barrels per minute. So far so good.


*Update 2:30 p.m. ET 5-26-2010*

The Remotely Operated Vehicles are in the process of visually confirming
that all of the subsea valves are open. They are still attempting to
determine the cause of the unexpected pressure rise observed earlier. It
could be a hydrate formation or another problem, but it is too soon to say.


*Update 2:00 p.m. ET 5-26-2010
*
Secretary Chu is at the BP HQ in Houston monitoring the operation with BP
scientists and engineers in real time.

They have closed the necessary rams on the BOP, and they have transferred
control from Houston to the ship.

The choke and kill lines are pressurized and they began pumping mud at a
very slow rate into the BOP. When they began, the pressure rose, so they
stopped and they are re-checking valve positions