[QUOTE=BLISTERS;39590]In order to kill a well they have to first establish the maximum pressure the wellbore and wellhead etc can take or else they run the risk of creating an underground blowout or blowing off the top of it. Maximum anticipated pressures are normally established as wells are drilled and is based on several factors such as known mud weight, vertical depth of the section tested and Leak of Tests. But the wellbore situation of this well has changed since they drilled it to total depth. As such this pressure test is vital if they want to kill it properly. They can’t leave it to chance and go on estimates. The figures this test will reveal is tangible, if all goes well for the test.[/QUOTE]
I’m going to agree and disagree here with you Blisters. Yes it’s nice to have this info if they are only thinking of shutting this well in, but I’m not convinced it’s absolutely necessary to have and risk screwing up the actual well kill.
At the end of the day they are initially going to have to dynamically kill the well from the bottom up. They know the formation pressures they are dealing with. They also have a pretty much free flowing well right now. Flowpath (annulus, inside the casing or both) is an unknown. I don’t believe they have yet seen any significant flows from elsewhere around the well or the surrounding seabed (someone correct me if I’m wrong here).
So, why at this stage risk putting high pressure across the upper sections of this well? which will happen during closing in at seabed, compared to a well kill from the bottom which will exert significantly lower pressures over these upper sections.
They are perhaps less than 2 weeks away from a bottom kill, why screw that up now? “But the wellbore situation of this well has changed since they drilled it…” You said it, and I agree.