Comments on: BP Announces Giant Oil Discovery in Deepwater Gulf of Mexico http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/2009/09/03/bp-announces-giant-oil-discovery-in-deepwater-gulf-of-mexico/ Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:24:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: tcgeol http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/2009/09/03/bp-announces-giant-oil-discovery-in-deepwater-gulf-of-mexico/#comment-1180 tcgeol Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:12:56 +0000 http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/?p=742#comment-1180 When I was teaching Geology 101 lab, I would always mention the concept just for something different and interesting. We didn't discuss it like we did the accepted biologic origin for oil, of course. Thanks for this diary, Vladimir. I heard about the find yesterday, but hadn't seen any information about it. Hopefully, it will produce some more activity in the industry, since I'll be interviewing for a job this fall. When I was teaching Geology 101 lab, I would always mention the concept just for something different and interesting. We didn’t discuss it like we did the accepted biologic origin for oil, of course.

Thanks for this diary, Vladimir. I heard about the find yesterday, but hadn’t seen any information about it. Hopefully, it will produce some more activity in the industry, since I’ll be interviewing for a job this fall.

]]> By: dennism http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/2009/09/03/bp-announces-giant-oil-discovery-in-deepwater-gulf-of-mexico/#comment-1179 dennism Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:05:38 +0000 http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/?p=742#comment-1179 ...4,000 feet of water and drilled to the depth of the deepest part of the Mariana Trench. …4,000 feet of water and drilled to the depth of the deepest part of the Mariana Trench.

]]> By: Vladimir http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/2009/09/03/bp-announces-giant-oil-discovery-in-deepwater-gulf-of-mexico/#comment-1178 Vladimir Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:07:46 +0000 http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/?p=742#comment-1178 Almost 35,000 ft below sea level. Conventional wisdom is that the best depth interval for oil generation (as opposed to gas) is 6,000 to 15,000 ft or so. That's based on temperature & pressure & thermodynamics. Deepwater breaks many of the rules of thumb that come from shallow water & onshore. My guess would be that it is colder in deepwater than in shallower water at the same depth, coupled with a high rate of burial has led to oil at depths we don't normally see. Some would argue that all oil has origins from deep within the earth -- Google "abiogenic oil" if you want to know more. Almost 35,000 ft below sea level.

Conventional wisdom is that the best depth interval for oil generation (as opposed to gas) is 6,000 to 15,000 ft or so. That’s based on temperature & pressure & thermodynamics.

Deepwater breaks many of the rules of thumb that come from shallow water & onshore. My guess would be that it is colder in deepwater than in shallower water at the same depth, coupled with a high rate of burial has led to oil at depths we don’t normally see.

Some would argue that all oil has origins from deep within the earth — Google “abiogenic oil” if you want to know more.

]]> By: Vladimir http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/2009/09/03/bp-announces-giant-oil-discovery-in-deepwater-gulf-of-mexico/#comment-1177 Vladimir Thu, 03 Sep 2009 18:56:48 +0000 http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/?p=742#comment-1177 ...to develop a challenging field like this one. They will have to drill multiple wells to appraise the size of the field, plan the most economic exploitation strategy, fabricate the production vessel, install pipelines, etc. etc. The Thunder Horse field referred to in the article was 10 years from discovery to first production. There were some not-so-minor hiccups along the way, but in general 8-10 years would not be extraordinary. …to develop a challenging field like this one.

They will have to drill multiple wells to appraise the size of the field, plan the most economic exploitation strategy, fabricate the production vessel, install pipelines, etc. etc.

The Thunder Horse field referred to in the article was 10 years from discovery to first production. There were some not-so-minor hiccups along the way, but in general 8-10 years would not be extraordinary.

]]> By: dave_in_atl http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/2009/09/03/bp-announces-giant-oil-discovery-in-deepwater-gulf-of-mexico/#comment-1176 dave_in_atl Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:33:29 +0000 http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/?p=742#comment-1176 Seems like every year some company finds a HUGE oil reserve in the gulf of Mexico, and never do they seem to make it into production. Seems like BP is trying to boost their share price (who knows... maybe even an attempt to sweep the Oil for terrorist deal they made with Libya under the rug) Seems like every year some company finds a HUGE oil reserve in the gulf of Mexico, and never do they seem to make it into production. Seems like BP is trying to boost their share price (who knows… maybe even an attempt to sweep the Oil for terrorist deal they made with Libya under the rug)

]]> By: larueladue http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/2009/09/03/bp-announces-giant-oil-discovery-in-deepwater-gulf-of-mexico/#comment-1175 larueladue Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:56:31 +0000 http://www.redstate.com/vladimir/?p=742#comment-1175 Is the depth of the well 35,055 below land/earth/ocean bottom surface, or is that depth measured from sea level? Also, I thought that at those depths, it was only gas, not oil (not being a petroleum geologist or engineer)? Is the depth of the well 35,055 below land/earth/ocean bottom surface, or is that depth measured from sea level?

Also, I thought that at those depths, it was only gas, not oil (not being a petroleum geologist or engineer)?

]]>