Acoustic measurement of the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well flow rate
On May 31, 2010, a direct acoustic measurement method was used to quantify fluid leakage rate from the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well prior to removal of its broken riser. This method utilized an acoustic imaging sonar and acoustic Doppler sonar operating onboard a remotely operated vehicle for nonc...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
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National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
2013
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79391 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3223-7400 |
| _version_ | 1826207326826135552 |
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| author | Camilli, Richard Di Iorio, Daniela Reddy, Christopher M. Techet, Alexandra H. Yoerger, Dana R. Whitcomb, Louis L. Seewald, Jeffrey S. Sylva, Sean P. Fenwick, Judith |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Camilli, Richard Di Iorio, Daniela Reddy, Christopher M. Techet, Alexandra H. Yoerger, Dana R. Whitcomb, Louis L. Seewald, Jeffrey S. Sylva, Sean P. Fenwick, Judith |
| author_sort | Camilli, Richard |
| collection | MIT |
| description | On May 31, 2010, a direct acoustic measurement method was used to quantify fluid leakage rate from the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well prior to removal of its broken riser. This method utilized an acoustic imaging sonar and acoustic Doppler sonar operating onboard a remotely operated vehicle for noncontact measurement of flow cross-section and velocity from the well’s two leak sites. Over 2,500 sonar cross-sections and over 85,000 Doppler velocity measurements were recorded during the acquisition process. These data were then applied to turbulent jet and plume flow models to account for entrained water and calculate a combined hydrocarbon flow rate from the two leak sites at seafloor conditions. Based on the chemical composition of end-member samples collected from within the well, this bulk volumetric rate was then normalized to account for contributions from gases and condensates at initial leak source conditions. Results from this investigation indicate that on May 31, 2010, the well’s oil flow rate was approximately 0.10 ± 0.017 m[superscript 3] s[superscript -1] at seafloor conditions, or approximately 85 ± 15 kg s[superscript -1] (7.4 ± 1.3 Gg d[superscript -1]), equivalent to approximately 57,000 ± 9,800 barrels of oil per day at surface conditions. End-member chemical composition indicates that this oil release rate was accompanied by approximately an additional 24 ± 4.2 kg s[superscript -1] (2.1 ± 0.37 Gg d[superscript -1]) of natural gas (methane through pentanes), yielding a total hydrocarbon release rate of 110 ± 19 kg s[superscript -1] (9.5 ± 1.6 Gg d[superscript -1]). |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T13:47:36Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/79391 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T13:47:36Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | National Academy of Sciences (U.S.) |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/793912022-09-28T16:13:22Z Acoustic measurement of the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well flow rate Camilli, Richard Di Iorio, Daniela Reddy, Christopher M. Techet, Alexandra H. Yoerger, Dana R. Whitcomb, Louis L. Seewald, Jeffrey S. Sylva, Sean P. Fenwick, Judith Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Techet, Alexandra H. On May 31, 2010, a direct acoustic measurement method was used to quantify fluid leakage rate from the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well prior to removal of its broken riser. This method utilized an acoustic imaging sonar and acoustic Doppler sonar operating onboard a remotely operated vehicle for noncontact measurement of flow cross-section and velocity from the well’s two leak sites. Over 2,500 sonar cross-sections and over 85,000 Doppler velocity measurements were recorded during the acquisition process. These data were then applied to turbulent jet and plume flow models to account for entrained water and calculate a combined hydrocarbon flow rate from the two leak sites at seafloor conditions. Based on the chemical composition of end-member samples collected from within the well, this bulk volumetric rate was then normalized to account for contributions from gases and condensates at initial leak source conditions. Results from this investigation indicate that on May 31, 2010, the well’s oil flow rate was approximately 0.10 ± 0.017 m[superscript 3] s[superscript -1] at seafloor conditions, or approximately 85 ± 15 kg s[superscript -1] (7.4 ± 1.3 Gg d[superscript -1]), equivalent to approximately 57,000 ± 9,800 barrels of oil per day at surface conditions. End-member chemical composition indicates that this oil release rate was accompanied by approximately an additional 24 ± 4.2 kg s[superscript -1] (2.1 ± 0.37 Gg d[superscript -1]) of natural gas (methane through pentanes), yielding a total hydrocarbon release rate of 110 ± 19 kg s[superscript -1] (9.5 ± 1.6 Gg d[superscript -1]). United States. Coast Guard (Contract HSCG32-10-CR00020) National Science Foundation (U.S.) (RAPID Grant OCE-1045025) 2013-07-01T15:46:31Z 2013-07-01T15:46:31Z 2011-09 2011-01 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 0027-8424 1091-6490 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79391 Camilli, R., D. Di Iorio, A. Bowen, C. M. Reddy, A. H. Techet, D. R. Yoerger, L. L. Whitcomb, J. S. Seewald, S. P. Sylva, and J. Fenwick. Acoustic Measurement of the Deepwater Horizon Macondo Well Flow Rate. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 109, no. 50 (December 11, 2012): 20235-20239. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3223-7400 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1100385108 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf National Academy of Sciences (U.S.) PNAS |
| spellingShingle | Camilli, Richard Di Iorio, Daniela Reddy, Christopher M. Techet, Alexandra H. Yoerger, Dana R. Whitcomb, Louis L. Seewald, Jeffrey S. Sylva, Sean P. Fenwick, Judith Acoustic measurement of the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well flow rate |
| title | Acoustic measurement of the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well flow rate |
| title_full | Acoustic measurement of the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well flow rate |
| title_fullStr | Acoustic measurement of the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well flow rate |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acoustic measurement of the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well flow rate |
| title_short | Acoustic measurement of the Deepwater Horizon Macondo well flow rate |
| title_sort | acoustic measurement of the deepwater horizon macondo well flow rate |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/79391 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3223-7400 |
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