I caught our favorite rover approaching the blow out preventer on the main BP feed and was able to get some screenshots of where we are in the process.
See the last image below and help me identify what it is.
The Oil Drum has a good review of the Lower Marine Riser Package (LMRP) Here is the images I caught of the area where the LMRP is to be installed. See the full album which has some images with better clarity. Here is an image that includes the top of the Blow Out Preventer. The round white portion above the yellow section corresponds to the lower round section in the first diagram.
This image shows the bent Riser Pipe going off to the right. They are currently cutting the entire riser off just past the bend so they can access the area below the bend and make a second smoother cut.
I tried to isolate the current leak, which is now further around the bend since they are cutting that part off.
This doesn't look like the leak at the top of the BOP since there isn't a bend. If the riser was cut after the bend, the bend would be visible. If this was atop of the BOP after the second cut it should be a smooth cut with the full leak out the top. My top picture shows the rover facing 175 degrees true and the riser is going away from the blow out preventer at around 310 degrees true. The view of the leak I put up at the bottom is from 50 degrees true and the bend in the riser is about 260 degrees relative so that would match. It is possible we are seeing the completed cut since there is no sign of the riser at 260 degrees relative.
Here is a new image of the riser end leak which is flowing as much as ever on Sunday Night.
New Image of cutting which restarted Monday Morning. Here is a shot of the cutting in action.
And a good shot of the area.
Here is a great shot of the LMRP.
This image is from 6:00PM CST Monday and shows the riser tube and two ancillary tubes attached. The "hangman's noose" contraption's lines were attached to the riser so it can be controlled once it is detached from the blowout preventer. They completed the cut on the near ancillary tube while I was preparing this update.
Here is a BP diagram of the cutting process. I got a shot of the Crunch the shear. Here is Lizzy, the Diamond Cutter, being lowered down. Here are some shots of the oil flow above the BOP before and after the riser cut procedure. There wasn't much of the change in flow with the exception of a new crack that might have appeared under the main bend which can't be seen from these shots. Before: After: Lizzy, the diamond cutter, has a broken wire and is being pulled to the surface on Wednesday afternoon. Two new pieces of equipment were lowered to the ocean floor on Wednesday. One looks like a basket. The other may be a separate hydraulic power unit. Please comment in the open thread to suggest names and add your thoughts as to what they are.