re: Starting to look like the buck stops at BP

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in your opinion, how much of a chance is there that cement bond logs will become mandatory?

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i think we'll just have to wait and see what the actual root cause is. i hope that we don't end up w/ knee jerk type reactions that end up not actually remedying the actual incident at hand.

if i had to guess i'd say there will probably be some new regulation around BOP's and auto-shear / EDS sequences. i also believe we'll probably see a mandate that cement alone will no longer be sufficient to isolate the formation behind the production casing, and that another mechanical device may be required -- like swell packers, or a liner hanger / tieback casing string well design.

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Thoughts on the BOP being partially effective?

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one thing to keep in mind about shear rams is that they cannot shear any conceivable thing that is across the stack. most bop stacks out there cannot cut 16" casing, some can't cut 13 5/8". pretty much no stack can cut drill collars or drill pipe tool joints. but as an industry we are aware of this, and you plan your business accordingly when an unshearable element is across the stack.

the horizon stack came from cameron, and if i'm not mistaken has a phenomenal set of "super shear" casing shear rams that are tremendously effective; however, they do not hold pressure. they have to work in conjunction w/ a second set of blind shear rams spaced out ~2' above that close and hold pressure. the super shears are just there to cut whatever is across the stack, w/ the lower part of the cut string falling down the hole and the upper part of the string rebounding up due to the loss of weight, clearing the upper set of shear rams -- that close and hold pressure.

the horizon's stack may have functioned, and maybe the super shears could have cut the casing hanger or seal assembly by itself -- but trying to fully cut a hanger + the drill pipe inside of it is pretty much imposible.

also, keep in mind that all these shear systems are really designed to cut stuff that is in tension and can pull itself apart as it is being severred. cutting somethign in compression is very difficult, if not impossible.

The root cause was Halliburton's bad cement job but they'll be covered under an indemnity clause in their BP contract.