jay_merrill
Vice Admiral
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2007
- Messages
- 5,653
I just read in my local paper that Freeport MacMoRan is drilling a well in the Gulf of Mexico that may go as deep as 35,000 feet! It is currently permitted to 33,000 feet and they are now seeking permission to go the extra 2,000 feet.
For all that gets talked about in terms of what isn't being done to explore for oil in the U.S., this is really amazing. "Ultra Deep" wells are not new (the current record, held by Chevron, is 34,189 feet), but the effort to keep going says something about the determination of U.S. E&P companies, to keep widening the envelope of what can and can not be done.
As I think about this, I am trying to imagine just what it takes to control a well drilled to those depths! From the task of directing a drill string that is six miles long, to controlling the pressures involved, it sort of seems like sending a man to the moon! If there are any petroleum engineers among our "ranks," I would love to hear your comments on the matter.
Fascinating stuff!
For all that gets talked about in terms of what isn't being done to explore for oil in the U.S., this is really amazing. "Ultra Deep" wells are not new (the current record, held by Chevron, is 34,189 feet), but the effort to keep going says something about the determination of U.S. E&P companies, to keep widening the envelope of what can and can not be done.
As I think about this, I am trying to imagine just what it takes to control a well drilled to those depths! From the task of directing a drill string that is six miles long, to controlling the pressures involved, it sort of seems like sending a man to the moon! If there are any petroleum engineers among our "ranks," I would love to hear your comments on the matter.
Fascinating stuff!
