RE: Reality check31 Mar 2021 06:09
SP saying "A piece of steel got dropped in the hole" is just simplifying to save a long explanation.
A BHA (Bottom Hole assembly got stuck and could not be retrieved. This means either backing off (unscrewing to disconnect from it) or cutting the drill pipe above the stuck item.
There would have been an effort to recover the stuck items which would have taken time. Its always a balance of how much time to spend to recover, or bite the lost in hole charge and sidetrack straight away, as you never know if you will recover the tools. BHA impossible to drill through so must go around.
BHA may not have been insured therefore cost of the lost tools is due to well conditions which is down to BPC.
However, BHA didn't cost 7mill.......and has been pointed out, the drill time was within budget so that is confusing.
Having worked in the GOM, I always considered that Jurassic was the target, but Im not a reservoir engineer.