OT: Anyone watching the live feed of BP cutting the stack?

[KSMountain]

This is the quote I got it from, from “some guy”, “shelburn” at theoildrum.com who seems knowledgable:

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.

A similar 1500 class flange this size is rated for 1,850 psi working pressure and uses 3 inch bolts torqued to 13,320 ft-lb. It weighs 2,050 pounds, the bolts weigh over 60 pounds each.

Now ramp this up for the riser which is 10,000 psi working pressure plus has to take various axial and bending loads never seen by a standard flange. The BOP alone weighs 450 tons and this flange has to lift it.

I’m not able to vet whether he’s right or you’re right. Looking a bit deeper…

[KSMountain]

I see this link:

http://www.geoilandgas.com/businesses/ge_oilandgas/en/literature/en/downloads/hmf_marine_drc.pdf

And this one discusses setting initial torque on HMF flanges of 1000 ft-lb’s:

http://www.onepetro.org/mslib/servlet/onepetropreview?id=00013479&soc=SPE

At 1000 ft-lbs I’d still be off by an order of magnitude (sorry) but I seriously seriously doubt 130 ft-lbs is the right answer.

[KSMountain]

I see this link:

http://www.geoilandgas.com/businesses/ge_oilandgas/en/literature/en/downloads/hmf_marine_drc.pdf

And this one discusses setting initial torque on HMF flanges of 1000 ft-lb’s:

http://www.onepetro.org/mslib/servlet/onepetropreview?id=00013479&soc=SPE

At 1000 ft-lbs I’d still be off by an order of magnitude (sorry) but I seriously seriously doubt 130 ft-lbs is the right answer.

[KSMountain]

I see this link:

http://www.geoilandgas.com/businesses/ge_oilandgas/en/literature/en/downloads/hmf_marine_drc.pdf

And this one discusses setting initial torque on HMF flanges of 1000 ft-lb’s:

http://www.onepetro.org/mslib/servlet/onepetropreview?id=00013479&soc=SPE

At 1000 ft-lbs I’d still be off by an order of magnitude (sorry) but I seriously seriously doubt 130 ft-lbs is the right answer.

[KSMountain]

I see this link:

http://www.geoilandgas.com/businesses/ge_oilandgas/en/literature/en/downloads/hmf_marine_drc.pdf

And this one discusses setting initial torque on HMF flanges of 1000 ft-lb’s:

http://www.onepetro.org/mslib/servlet/onepetropreview?id=00013479&soc=SPE

At 1000 ft-lbs I’d still be off by an order of magnitude (sorry) but I seriously seriously doubt 130 ft-lbs is the right answer.

[KSMountain]

I see this link:

http://www.geoilandgas.com/businesses/ge_oilandgas/en/literature/en/downloads/hmf_marine_drc.pdf

And this one discusses setting initial torque on HMF flanges of 1000 ft-lb’s:

http://www.onepetro.org/mslib/servlet/onepetropreview?id=00013479&soc=SPE

At 1000 ft-lbs I’d still be off by an order of magnitude (sorry) but I seriously seriously doubt 130 ft-lbs is the right answer.

[KSMountain]

This document talks about torque of 950 ft-lbs on the “riser coupling” with 6 activating screws:
http://www.gepower.com/businesses/ge_oilandgas/en/literature/en/downloads/capital_drilling_equipment.pdf

I don’t even know if that’s the exact right part but it looks close. I’ll go with it unless you got something better.

My broader point was just that it was not a slam dunk to get those bolts off; seems like you agree.

Some folks were talking about various solutions to seal *below* the flange, but other folks are saying that it is actually important that the top hat seal actually be leaky to some extent.

I don’t know who’s right but it’s been quite captivating – I hope they’re successful. Of course capturing the flow is just the beginning… the cleanup… jeez.

[KSMountain]

This document talks about torque of 950 ft-lbs on the “riser coupling” with 6 activating screws:
http://www.gepower.com/businesses/ge_oilandgas/en/literature/en/downloads/capital_drilling_equipment.pdf

I don’t even know if that’s the exact right part but it looks close. I’ll go with it unless you got something better.

My broader point was just that it was not a slam dunk to get those bolts off; seems like you agree.

Some folks were talking about various solutions to seal *below* the flange, but other folks are saying that it is actually important that the top hat seal actually be leaky to some extent.

I don’t know who’s right but it’s been quite captivating – I hope they’re successful. Of course capturing the flow is just the beginning… the cleanup… jeez.

[KSMountain]

This document talks about torque of 950 ft-lbs on the “riser coupling” with 6 activating screws:
http://www.gepower.com/businesses/ge_oilandgas/en/literature/en/downloads/capital_drilling_equipment.pdf

I don’t even know if that’s the exact right part but it looks close. I’ll go with it unless you got something better.

My broader point was just that it was not a slam dunk to get those bolts off; seems like you agree.

Some folks were talking about various solutions to seal *below* the flange, but other folks are saying that it is actually important that the top hat seal actually be leaky to some extent.

I don’t know who’s right but it’s been quite captivating – I hope they’re successful. Of course capturing the flow is just the beginning… the cleanup… jeez.

[KSMountain]

This document talks about torque of 950 ft-lbs on the “riser coupling” with 6 activating screws:
http://www.gepower.com/businesses/ge_oilandgas/en/literature/en/downloads/capital_drilling_equipment.pdf

I don’t even know if that’s the exact right part but it looks close. I’ll go with it unless you got something better.

My broader point was just that it was not a slam dunk to get those bolts off; seems like you agree.

Some folks were talking about various solutions to seal *below* the flange, but other folks are saying that it is actually important that the top hat seal actually be leaky to some extent.

I don’t know who’s right but it’s been quite captivating – I hope they’re successful. Of course capturing the flow is just the beginning… the cleanup… jeez.

[KSMountain]

This document talks about torque of 950 ft-lbs on the “riser coupling” with 6 activating screws:
http://www.gepower.com/businesses/ge_oilandgas/en/literature/en/downloads/capital_drilling_equipment.pdf

I don’t even know if that’s the exact right part but it looks close. I’ll go with it unless you got something better.

My broader point was just that it was not a slam dunk to get those bolts off; seems like you agree.

Some folks were talking about various solutions to seal *below* the flange, but other folks are saying that it is actually important that the top hat seal actually be leaky to some extent.

I don’t know who’s right but it’s been quite captivating – I hope they’re successful. Of course capturing the flow is just the beginning… the cleanup… jeez.

[ucodegen]

[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.

http://www.nationalgasket.com/index.php?page=cathodic_bolt-torque

[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.

Harbor freight for a cheap 500ft/lb impact wrench
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/impact-wrenches/heavy-duty-3-4-quarter-inch-standard-anvil-impact-wrench-32871.html

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.

[ucodegen]

[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.

http://www.nationalgasket.com/index.php?page=cathodic_bolt-torque

[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.

Harbor freight for a cheap 500ft/lb impact wrench
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/impact-wrenches/heavy-duty-3-4-quarter-inch-standard-anvil-impact-wrench-32871.html

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.

[ucodegen]

[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.

http://www.nationalgasket.com/index.php?page=cathodic_bolt-torque

[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.

Harbor freight for a cheap 500ft/lb impact wrench
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/impact-wrenches/heavy-duty-3-4-quarter-inch-standard-anvil-impact-wrench-32871.html

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.

[ucodegen]

[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.

http://www.nationalgasket.com/index.php?page=cathodic_bolt-torque

[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.

Harbor freight for a cheap 500ft/lb impact wrench
http://www.harborfreight.com/air-tools/impact-wrenches/heavy-duty-3-4-quarter-inch-standard-anvil-impact-wrench-32871.html

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.

[Author]

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