RE: Garyn27 Jul 2019 18:37
One question that isn't being asked - how did they stop the well from producing, as it was clearly shut in.
The well had only been producing from the test facilities, meaning it would have been shut off at some point to install more permanent facilities. They had an issue with storage and flaring, so I suspect they shut it in, shortly after April 17, as production wasn't referenced in the may corporate presentation, whereas norio and satskheni were.
They were using polymer as drilling fluid and during drilling this must be kept circulating, as it lacks gel strength, meaning cuttings will settle to the bottom and jam the drill string, if it isn't.
I would think that they did clean it up quite successfully initially, then poured in loads of polymer or mud to stop the well. This will have sat there until they restarted on the 11th July - this in my view is what is coming out now. The stuff they used to stop the well, whilst they sorted storage.
This fluid being heavier than the oil, will have seeped in everywhere and they need to get all that lot out as well as the fluids that they didn't recover during the initial clean up phase.
Just a thought - anyone with any tech knowledge on this - comments greatly received, as I am not an oilman.