[ozkrenske]

Grabby, Wiki is a little light on the Able Archer war risk issue. It was very soon after the evil empire statements from Reagen. (remember his declaration of illegality and the bombers are on the way, as a joke, that was accidently broadcast.)

The Soviets actually sent war warnings to Embassies to prepare for the destruction of documents and fully prepped their strategic forces. Soon after that (months) a Strategic regiment colonel received a erroneous launch order and queried it because it was for his regiment alone. He received direct orders from his supperior to launch and then refused to do so. About ten minutes later the error was found.

I think it is safe to say we are alive because of him.

[cudabachi]

End of 2008? When I sold my reservoirs fluids lab in 2000 and left the oilfield in Feb of 2001, one of our big projects was the evaluation of the Thunderhorse fluid properties.
Amazing how long it's taking these days to bring some of this production on-line.

[Leanan]

Sanders Research Associates (free registration required, or use BugMeNot)
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')P executives have waited for the oil and profits to gush forth, yet this behemoth has never produced any oil or gas, and the current plan is that it may begin production in late 2008. It was slapped around by two hurricanes in 2005. This delayed initial production for months, which has now become years. BP's latest excuse is: $this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', ' ')"The subsea equipment had remained in a cold state, with cathodic protection, on the sea bed for some time following the listing of the platform after its evacuation during the 2005 hurricane season. Following a thorough investigation, we concluded that these unusual circumstances led to hydrogen embrittlement of the equipment so that it could not perform its intended high pressure, high temperature service. We will now retrieve and replace all the subsea components we believe could be at risk, before starting production in the second half of 2008."[2]

[frankthetank]

Blunderhorse, Blunderhorse, Blunderhorse...

I wonder if this thing will ever produce anything... Probably better off selling it...Maybe the Saudi's will buy?

[Twilight]

I guess it's just as well West Africa doesn't get hurricanes?

Gulf of Mexico deepwater potential could stay just that, if Nature kicks up another record storm...

[Cobra_Strike]

Yep...gasoline is going to get expensive this summer. I am glad I have a job close enough to bike to within reason Not that a am right now, its still 10 miles and is faster by car.

[Newsseeker]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cobra_Strike', 'Y')ep, gasoline is going to get expensive this summer. I am glad I have a job close enough to bike to within reason. Not that a am right now, its still 10 miles and is faster by car.

[Aaron]

I reported this weeks ago

I'm just sayin'

[Ebyss]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hunder Horse Breaks a Leg

[Leanan]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Aaron', 'I') reported this weeks ago

[Coolman]

THUNDER HORSE! LOL! Why do they have to pick such epic names for oil fields!? Thunder Horse has been delayed so much, wake me up when it comes online.

[Coolman]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Newsseeker', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cobra_Strike', 'Y')ep, gasoline is going to get expensive this summer. I am glad I have a job close enough to bike to within reason Not that a am right now, its still 10 miles and is faster by car.

[pea-jay]

At over a billion dollars, they not going to give up on this horse even if it is awfully slow out of the gate. I fully expect Thunderhorse to have a more illustrious career than his out-there counterpart JackII.

[dorlomin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')P has told investors that Thunder Horse will be the biggest field in the Gulf, with production estimates of 250,000 barrels of oil and 200m cu ft of gas a day.

Yet, in the past few years, the project has suffered welding problems that forced BP to pull up the subsea infrastructure; backwards valves that allowed water to enter buoyancy tanks during Hurricane Dennis, causing the platform to list precariously; and the discovery that more than 100 anodes, anti-corrosive metal structures weighing up to 700 pounds each, had dropped off or required removal from the platform.

Then, as BP geared up to start the initial four wells that were planned to bring the field to production last month, the Financial Times learned it had discovered problems with three of them.

“Rarely does a project go off without a hitch, but this is not normal,’’ said Kenneth B Medlock III, fellow in energy studies at the James A Baker III Institute for Public Policy. He said: “This sort of news will not be taken well by the market. I think what we are seeing is the result of an industry that is stretched to its limits in terms of qualified personnel, expertise and resources.”

Each well could take up to 30 days to repair. Thunder Horse workers are well aware of the difficulties. “You always have time to fix it when you screw it up, but you never have enough time to do it right the first time,” an employee said. “This has been the theme running through the project.’’ The feeling among workers is that BP will probably get the four wells repaired and operational by its latest year-end deadline. Even then, however, Thunder Horse’s problems will not be over.

BP points out that Thunder Horse, which stands in 6,000 feet of water, is a large and complex project. “While commissioning some of the wells, we encountered problems with some industry-standard equipment that we will repair,” the company said. “We have time in the schedule to resolve these issues and the project remains on schedule.”

[joewp]

See what they mean when they say "all the easy oil is gone"?

[strider3700]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('dorlomin', 'T')he article really leaves an impression that the problems with this rig are of a nature that will be found round the industry. Too few experianced and capable people. Music to the ears of one or two round here when pay negotiations come round again Im sure.

[DantesPeak]

Ah yes - Thunder Horse, the poster child for declining energy returned on energy investment made.
We've been discussing TH for some years now.
Atlantis, Thunder Horse Platforms Delayed Again
It's the same old story, again.

[Sys1]

Dantespeak : Nice photo. How weak we are...

[skeptik]

Who wants to be an engineer? Obviously not enough people with smarts over the past 20 years or so. They all wanted to be investment bankers and hedge fund managers in the City of London and Wall St.

Maybe that will change a bit now that the financial services industry has gone tits up and commodities are in the ascendancy.

[Specop_007]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('skeptik', 'W')ho wants to be an engineer? Obviously not enough people with smarts over the past 20 years or so. They all wanted to be investment bankers and hedge fund managers in the City of London and Wall St. Maybe that will change a bit now that the financial services industry has gone *** up and commodities are in the ascendancy.