[quote KSMountain]
A 20″ ANSI B16.5 600 class flange uses 1.625″ bolts torqued to 2,044 ft-lb and is rated for about 740 psi working pressure under normal conditions. It weighs 590 pounds.
[/quote]
First problem. I’m seeing indication that the pipe (inner) diameter is 9.5 inches. Since strings are run inside of each other, I don’t know for certain what the top string diameter is.
When I pulled up tables on Class 600 flanges, I saw sizes running 2″ to 4″ with 8 bolt, and 6″ to 8″ at 12 bolts. Going to the video, it almost looks like at most a 8 or 10 bolt flange. Sizes above 12″ are showing more than 20 bolts.
Class 1500 shows 8 bolts in diameters of 2″ to 4″ inch, 12 bolts in diameters of 6″ to 10″, 16 bolts in diameters of 12″. I don’t think we are dealing with diameters of 20″. There aren’t a sufficient number of bolts on the top of the blowout preventor where they made the cut.
[quote KSMountain]
My broader point was just that it was not a slam dunk to get those bolts off; seems like you agree.
[/quote]
I don’t agree. I think it is easier than they were making it. It is very easy to get an impact wrench that will do 500ft/lbs to 1000ft/lbs of torque.
Considering that they had to bolt the pipes together underwater, they have the tools to generate the needed torque at those depths. It took them forever to cut the top of the broken riser. This is why I feel that they don’t have the ‘A’ team working on it (laid them off so they could make more profit?) In normal run-away wells, you try to clear the damage quickly and then get a clean mount. BP was doing everything but this – including taking time for fingerpointing.
