@poppa, while you can be mad at BP for overconfidence, the mile deep well is a technical first. It is much easier to deal with problems in shallow water, or easiest of all on land (Alaska would be the best place to drill.) Under a mile of water, the pressure is too great for manned equipment, and the oil itself is under tremendous pressure.
So why did they try (and fail horribly) to drill a well under a mile of water? Because they can’t get a permit anywhere else for fear of spills. Very ironic. The Chinese are drilling our shallow water oil (with the clever technique of drilling down just outside the international perimeter, then drilling horizontally under the floor to tap our oil).
@poppa, while you can be mad at BP for overconfidence, the mile deep well is a technical first. It is much easier to deal with problems in shallow water, or easiest of all on land (Alaska would be the best place to drill.) Under a mile of water, the pressure is too great for manned equipment, and the oil itself is under tremendous pressure.
So why did they try (and fail horribly) to drill a well under a mile of water? Because they can’t get a permit anywhere else for fear of spills. Very ironic. The Chinese are drilling our shallow water oil (with the clever technique of drilling down just outside the international perimeter, then drilling horizontally under the floor to tap our oil).