Indonesia Mud Flood - Attempt to Stem It Underway

by CKR

The 29 September Science magazine tells us that one of those experts I asked about earlier is on the job in Indonesia.

On 18 September, a drilling crew started on the first of two relief wells that they hope will intercept the original well within the shale formation 1500 to 1800 m down. They will then pump in high-density drilling mud to hydrostatically plug the leak.

Abel says this is a standard drilling industry technique; he is confident it will work. "There has never been one blowout in the history of drilling that was too tough to fix."

L. William Abel is president of ABEL Engineering/Well Control Co. in Houston, Texas.

01/18/07 Update can be found here.