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A top kill is a procedure used as a means of regaining control over an oil well that has been producing or is experiencing well control issues with crude oil or natural gas in the well. It is not a procedure where control has been lost over the well, like a blowout. The process involves pumping heavyweight drilling mud into the well. This procedure is expected to stop the flow of oil and gas from the well. A further step could be sealing the well completely, often with cement.[1]

In use

The top kill procedure was used to plug flaming oil wells, blown up by retreating Iraqi forces, in 1991, during the Gulf War.[2]

This technique came to prominence during the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill when it was used in an attempt to seal a seafloor oil well after the failure of the blowout preventer.[1] However, it failed to block the flow of oil.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 Rohrer, Finlo (27 May 2010). "What is a 'top kill'?". BBC. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  2. ↑ Brett Calnton (5 May 2010). "New tactic might seal leaking well sooner, BP CEO says". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 29 May 2010.
  3. ↑ John Harlow (30 May 2010). "BP struggles to stem gush of reproach". The Times. Retrieved 30 May 2010.

See also

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