1

AN ENGINEERING LOOK
AT THE CAUSE OF
BPS MACONDO BLOWOUT

BY J.A. (JOHN) TURLEY

Only if we understand and care about

the CAUSE of BP's Macondo blowout
will we know why it should not have happened
and why it should never happen again.

PRESENTED TO THE :

DRILLING PROCESS SAFETY WORKSHOP

OF THE
OFFSHORE PROCESS SAFETY CONFERENCE

HOUSTON, TEXAS
10-12 SEPTEMBER 2013
HOSTED BY DECOMWORLD

JATurley
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THE PLAN . . .

DRILL AN EXPLORATION WELL

NAMED MACONDO

FIRST OF SIX PLANNED STEPS

THE WELL . . . DOWN TO 17,000 FT

MAKE A DISCOVERYEVALUATE
RUN AND CEMENT CASING
ESTABLISH WELL SECURITY
TEMPORARILY ABANDON THE WELL
RELEASE THE RIG

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NEXT PLANNED STEP

THE WELL DOWN TO 17000 FT

MAKE A DISCOVERYEVALUATE
RUN AND CEMENT CASING
ESTABLISH WELL SECURITY
TEMPORARILY ABANDON THE WELL
RELEASE THE RIG

JATurley
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WHAT DID BP FIND BELOW
THE 9-7/8" LINER?

HIGH-PRESSURE STRINGERS:
(14.1-PPG STRINGER DICTATED
MINIMUM 14.2-PPG MUD)
LOST-CIRCULATION INTERVALS:
(ABOVE, AT, AND IN PAY ZONE)
ABOUT 200 FT (60 M) OF PAY:
18,000-18,200 FT ( 5490-5550 M)
TOTAL DEPTH 18,360 FT (5600 M)

A MAJOR DISCOVERY

TIME TO EVALUATETOOK A NUMBER OF

DAYS

JATurley
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NEXT PLANNED STEP

THE WELL . . . DOWN TO 17,000 FT

MAKE A DISCOVERYEVALUATE
RUN AND CEMENT CASING
ESTABLISH WELL SECURITY
TEMPORARILY ABANDON THE WELL
RELEASE THE RIG

JATurley
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POST-EVALUATION:
RUN AND CEMENT CASING

BIT TRIP & CBUSLOWLY

RUN CASINGSLOWLY
AUTO-FILL CASING WHILE RUNNING
CBU CASINGSLOWLY
CONVERT FLOAT COLLAR (6 BPM)
MIX & DISPLACE CEMENTSLOWLY

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NEXT PLANNED STEP

THE WELL . . . DOWN TO 17,000 FT

MAKE A DISCOVERYEVALUATE
RUN AND CEMENT CASING
ESTABLISH WELL SECURITY
TEMPORARILY ABANDON THE WELL
RELEASE THE RIG

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AFTER CASING IS CEMENTED,

ENSURE WELL IS PRESSURE SECURE
FROM INSIDE OUT,
AND FROM OUTSIDE IN

NEED SUCCESSFUL PPTPOSITIVE

PRESSURE TEST OF THE CASING
INSTALL LOCKDOWN SEAL RING
NEED SUCCESSFUL NPTNEGATIVE
PRESSURE TEST OF THE CASING
THEN READY TO SET & TEST CEMENT
PLUGS

JATurley
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 X Drillpipe Negative Pressure Test
(with seawater to 8367 feet)
Called NPT-1

Close Open
BOP BOP
DP full
2400 psi BOP Closed 2400 psi
Drillpipe Pressure

(U-tube) (U-tube)
2000
Release
Fill DP trapped Reverse
With DP pressure out
1000 Seawater For NPT Seawater

Run Hold at 0 psi Pull

DP (30 minutes) DP
0
TIME
Wellbore Pressure

13,500 psi 13,500 psi

At Float Collar

(Dead) (Dead)
Reservoir
Pressure

BHP 11,100 psi

(Reduced by 2,400 psi)

JATurley
 X Kill Line Negative Pressure Test
(with seawater to 5000 feet)
Called NPT-2

Close Open
BOP BOP
BOP Closed 2400 psi
Drillpipe Pressure

KL full (U-tube)
2000 1450 psi
Release
(U-tube)
trapped Reverse
Fill KL KL pressure out
1000 With For NPT Seawater
Seawater
Hold at 0 psi
(30 minutes)
0
TIME
Wellbore Pressure

13,500 psi 13,500 psi

At Float Collar

(Dead) (Dead)
Reservoir
Pressure

BHP 12,050 psi

(Reduced by 1450 psi)

JATurley
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NEXT PLANNED STEP

THE WELL . . . DOWN TO 17,000 FT

MAKE A DISCOVERYEVALUATE
RUN AND CEMENT CASING
ESTABLISH WELL SECURITY
TEMPORARILY ABANDON THE WELL
RELEASE THE RIG

ABANDONMENT INCLUDES:

1. OPEN THE BOPS

2. SET & TEST THE CEMENT PLUGS
3. DISPLACE MUD WITH SEAWATER
4. PULL RISER & BOP'S
5. RELEASE RIG

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UNFORTUNATELY,
DURING STEP 3,
WHILE DISPLACING THE WELLBORE
WITH SEAWATER . . .

THE WELL BLEW OUT

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WHAT HAPPENED?

Lets go back and look at:

THE WELL . . . DOWN TO 17,000 FT

MAKE A DISCOVERYEVALUATE
RUN AND CEMENT CASING
ESTABLISH WELL SECURITY
TEMPORARILY ABANDON THE WELL
RELEASE THE RIG

JATurley
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RUN & CEMENT CASING &

ESTABLISH WELL SECURITY

BIT TRIP, CBU, POOHSLOWLYOK?

RUN CASINGSLOWLYOK
AUTO-FILL WHILE RUNNING CASINGOK
CBU CASINGSLOWLYNO
CONVERT FLOAT COLLAR (6 BPM)NO
MIX & DISPLACE CEMENTSLOWLYOK?
POSITIVE PRESSURE TEST THE CASINGOK
INSTALL LOCKDOWN SEAL RINGNO
CONFIRM WELL SECURE WITH NPTNO
SET & TEST CEMENT PLUGSNO
DISPLACE MUD WITH SEAWATERYES

JATurley
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Run Casing, Secure Well
CASINGCBU SLOWLY
Did not CBULeft potential debris in casing and
Trip Gas in annulus

CONVERT FLOAT COLLAR (6 bpm)

Possible mechanical damage, and max rate was
4.1 bpm Did not convert

MIX & DISPLACE CEMENT SLOWLY

Mud losses & Rat-hole implications

INSTALL LOCKDOWN SEAL RING

Elected to install after displacement

CONFIRM WELL SECURE WITH NEGATIVE-

PRESSURE TEST (NPT)
First test considered anomalous; second test
allowed well to be deemed secure

SET & TEST CEMENT PLUGS

Elected to set cement plug after displacement

DISPLACE RISER WITH SEAWATER

While cleaning pits for next well, and based on
well security, commenced displacement
JATurley
29
 X Drillpipe Negative Pressure Test
(with seawater to 8367 feet)
Called NPT-1

Close Open
BOP BOP
DP full
2400 psi BOP Closed 2400 psi
Drillpipe Pressure

(U-tube) (U-tube)
2000
Release
Fill DP trapped Reverse
With DP pressure out
1000 Seawater For NPT Seawater

Run Hold at 0 psi Pull

DP (30 minutes) DP
0
TIME
Wellbore Pressure

13,500 psi 13,500 psi

At Float Collar

(Dead) (Dead)
Reservoir
Pressure

BHP 11,100 psi

(Reduced by 2,400 psi)

JATurley
 X Kill Line Negative Pressure Test
(with seawater to 5000 feet)
Called NPT-2

Close Open
BOP BOP
BOP Closed 2400 psi
Drillpipe Pressure

KL full (U-tube)
2000 1450 psi
Release
(U-tube)
trapped Reverse
Fill KL KL pressure out
1000 With For NPT Seawater
Seawater
Hold at 0 psi
(30 minutes)
0
TIME
Wellbore Pressure

13,500 psi 13,500 psi

At Float Collar

(Dead) (Dead)
Reservoir
Pressure

BHP 12,050 psi

(Reduced by 1450 psi)

JATurley
 BP Internal Investigation
8 September 2010
Entire Report
(Opens on page 88)

Or go to
http://tinyurl.com/BP-pg88
 X Drillpipe Negative Pressure Test
(with seawater to 8367 feet)
Called NPT-1

Close Open
BOP BOP
DP full
2400 psi BOP Closed 2400 psi
Drillpipe Pressure

(U-tube) (U-tube)
2000

Fill DP Kick on Drillpipe Reverse

With (SIDPP = 1400 psi) out
1000 Seawater Seawater

Run Pull
DP DP
0
TIME
Wellbore Pressure

13,500 psi 13,500 psi

At Float Collar

(Dead) Reservoir (Dead)

Pressure
12,500 psi

BHP 11,100 psi

(1,400 psi underbalanced)

JATurley
 X Kill Line Negative Pressure Test
(with seawater to 5000 feet)
Called NPT-2

Close Open
BOP BOP
BOP Closed 2400 psi
Drillpipe Pressure

KL full (U-tube)
2000 1450 psi
(U-tube)
Reverse
Fill KL out
1000 With Kick on Kill Line Seawater
Seawater SIKLP = 450 psi

0
TIME
Wellbore Pressure

13,500 psi 13,500 psi

At Float Collar

(Dead) Reservoir (Dead)

Pressure
12,500 psi
BHP 12,050 psi
(450 psi underbalanced)

JATurley
 X Kill Line Negative Pressure Test
(with seawater to 5000 feet)
Called NPT-2

Close Open
BOP BOP
BOP Closed 2400 psi
Drillpipe Pressure

KL full (U-tube)
2000 1450 psi
(U-tube)
Reverse
Fill KL out
1000 With Kick on Kill Line Seawater
Seawater SIKLP = 450 psi

0
TIME
Wellbore Pressure

13,500 psi 13,500 psi

At Float Collar

(Dead) Reservoir (Dead)

Pressure
12,500 psi
BHP 12,050 psi
(450 psi underbalanced)

JATurley
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Blowout Preventers?
Post-recovery analysis by DNV

Found annular and VBR closed

around DP with severe fluid-erosion
Severely buckled DP between annular
and VBR prevented BSR from closing.
Findings indicate violent flow eroded
and lifted DP, and caused buckling
DP with IBOP maintained integrity
against DP flow, until the blocks fell.
Actuation of the EDS (Emergency
Disconnect System), 7 minutes after
explosion, failed to release LMRP
cause to be determined
The Deepwater Horizon burned and
sank mid-day 22 April 2010
The well was killed after flowing
86 days

JATurley
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THE QUESTION WAS--

WHAT CAUSED BP'S MACONDO

BLOWOUT & OIL SPILL?

SIMPLY:
CASING & CEMENT OPERATIONS
CAUSED A LEAK,
FURTHER OPERATIONS
EXACERBATED THE LEAK,
TEST RESULTS REVEALED THE LEAK,
YET IT REMAINED UNSEEN
FURTHER TESTING WITH INVALID
RIGGING (PLUS LCM IN RISER)
FALSELY INDICATED NO LEAK
THE WELL WAS WRONGLY
DECLARED SECURE,
DISPLACEMENT WITH SEAWATER
CAUSED THE WELL TO FLOW,
THE WELL FLOWED, UNSEEN, UNTIL
TOO LATE

JATurley
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TWO VALID PATHS:

BRAINS, EYES, EARS,

EDUCATION, TRAINING, EXPERIENCE,
CORPORATE & MANAGEMENT SUPPORT,
& TAKING PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITIY

PLUS

OFFSHORE PROCESS SAFETY

DRILLING PROCESS SAFETY
REAL-TIME DATA,
SAFETY & ENVIRONMENTAL
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS,
Etc.

WE NEED IT ALL

JATurley
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Q&A
Only if we understand and care about
the CAUSE of BP's Macondo blowout
will we know why it should not have happened
and why it should never happen again.

J.A. (John) Turley, Author

THE SIMPLE TRUTH:

BP's Macondo Blowout

Published
September 2012

Contact Author
Website: JohnTurleyWriter.com

JATurley
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Oil Spill Remediation

BPs Macondo well flowed for 86 days

and spilled 5 million barrels of oil
Spill dispersed with Corexit, as
approved by the EPA for oil spills
Environmental community against
slow-acting, toxic, inefficient
Corexitrecommends faster-acting,
non-toxic, more-efficient, less-costly,
enzyme-based dispersants (such as
OE-II) being used around the world
EPA misclassifies OE-II as a bacteria-
based product . . . not approved for
use on spills in navigable waters
Future hydrocarbon spills cannot use
OE-II or equivalent products unless
the EPA can be convinced otherwise
Want more info? The Website is :
www.ProtectMarineLifeNow.org
JATurley