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Flooded oilfield infrastructure

by ggenthusiast , Posted to Fishing Buddy on 06/03/2011 08:56 AM | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
ggenthusiast

Joined: 09/11/2002
Location: ND

I'm wondering if the oil companies who shut in wells on the floodplain near Williston took measures to protect the tank batteries.  To me, the simples thing to do would have been to get all the oil out of the tanks, and equalize a saltwater level in all the tanks...haul the saltwater in if they have to....to keep the tanks from being buoyant.  Anyone know how they did it?

I did pose this question on KFYR yesterday, with the thought that someone from the industrial commission might here it.  Along with a question about the Mandan earth lodges being in danger of flooding....but I think he hung up on me on that one.

I say to hell with that pot o' gold.
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by murdock1978 on 06/03/2011 09:06 AM | Reply #1 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
murdock1978
Joined: 07/12/2003
Location: ND
No i havent heard anything,will ask some of the pumpers if they have heard anything??This picture was taken north of Mcgregor-this is rain and snow water!!
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by Paddledogger on 06/03/2011 09:10 AM | Reply #2 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Paddledogger
Joined: 04/17/2006
Location: ND
Ohhhh......good question!  Bad thing is, I really don't think many of the oil companies care about North Dakota as a whole.  They want one thing, and one thing only.....get that oil out of the ground.  I really believe that don't care about what happens to North Dakota at the surface.  If they did care, they would self impose a limit to the # of rigs they want to bring in, because our state leaders won't step up an propose this. They are afraid of it being "political castration".

Back to your thoughts on the shut in oil wells.  Why not just leave so much oil in the tanks versus pumping in salt water.  A gallon of oil is roughly 7.3 pounds per gallon and water is 8.3, so it would depend on the elevation of the anticipated water on the tanks.  So if the whole tank is threatened to be covers up, they would need to fill is with water and maybe have tank tie-downs.  But if the water is expected to only be half way up the tank, then keeping it full of oil should be alright. 

*Discalimer-I am not an engineer by any means.  Just my initial thoughts on this topic. But a interesting topic none the less.
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by ggenthusiast on 06/03/2011 09:25 AM | Reply #3 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
ggenthusiast
Joined: 09/11/2002
Location: ND
Oil is lighter than fresh water, saltwater is heavier.  So oil in the tank could conceivably still allow the tank to float.  But moreso, oil is valuable, and I'm sure they took the oil out while they could instead of running the risk of losing it and making a big mess.

With steel tanks, the buoyant force with oil inside would have to overcome the weight of the tank first.  I don't know what height of water that would be for certain given the variying unit weights of crude.  I sure hope they didn't just grab their oil and run, otherwise there is a good possibility of seeing a 400 bbl bobber headed to New Town.

Tanks aren't tied down.  They are piped together, and to a treater.  Sometime threaded pipe, but mostly Vic fittings.  I wouldn't trust a Vic as far as I could throw one.

I say to hell with that pot o' gold.
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by archer109 on 06/03/2011 09:46 AM | Reply #4 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
archer109
Joined: 12/16/2001
Location: ND
Brigham is doing that from what my father in law told me. One well they filled fresh water via boat.
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by ggenthusiast on 06/03/2011 11:37 AM | Reply #5 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
ggenthusiast
Joined: 09/11/2002
Location: ND

Apparently Brigham has some thinkers on the payroll.  Some of the other companies......I'm not so sure about.

I say to hell with that pot o' gold.
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by marauder29 on 06/03/2011 12:40 PM | Reply #6 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
marauder29
Joined: 05/24/2002
Location: ND
Oil comapnies care about North Dakota... if they develope a bad relationship with the local governments how will they ever get the oil extracted??

They are functions of each other... oil companies equal public and private revenues... counties need those funds... some equalibrium has to be reached so that the oil is extracted and thus jobs & taxes are created.

Interesting to see how everyone is the first to throw the oil companies under the bus... it is a symbiotic relationship.

The county pulled a pretty big punch by shutting the road access... again, where there is authority there is power. Why wouldn't you have been partnering with the operators in January to develop a relationship so you can sitdown and discuss & monitor the situation... leadership in these areas need to step up & realize that it is a partnership.

Who wins in this situation... no one...
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by HP225 on 06/03/2011 12:51 PM | Reply #7 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
HP225
Joined: 05/21/2008
Location: ND

Too bad, so sad.  Maybe they will quit drilling and LEAVE!!!  We could only be so lucky!!
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by ggenthusiast on 06/03/2011 3:56 PM | Reply #8 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
ggenthusiast
Joined: 09/11/2002
Location: ND
marauder29 Said:
Oil comapnies care about North Dakota... if they develope a bad relationship with the local governments how will they ever get the oil extracted??

They are functions of each other... oil companies equal public and private revenues... counties need those funds... some equalibrium has to be reached so that the oil is extracted and thus jobs & taxes are created.

Interesting to see how everyone is the first to throw the oil companies under the bus... it is a symbiotic relationship.

The county pulled a pretty big punch by shutting the road access... again, where there is authority there is power. Why wouldn't you have been partnering with the operators in January to develop a relationship so you can sitdown and discuss & monitor the situation... leadership in these areas need to step up & realize that it is a partnership.

Who wins in this situation... no one...
Oil has brought many great things to our state.  We are lucky to have it here.  But there is a lot of room for improvement when it comes to environmental and infrastructure policies in regards to the oil companies. 

I say to hell with that pot o' gold.
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by archer109 on 06/03/2011 4:52 PM | Reply #9 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
archer109
Joined: 12/16/2001
Location: ND
One company on the bottoms didn't think quick enough.  Had some boats looking for there tank.
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by ggenthusiast on 06/03/2011 7:23 PM | Reply #10 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
ggenthusiast
Joined: 09/11/2002
Location: ND
archer109 Said:
One company on the bottoms didn't think quick enough.  Had some boats looking for there tank.


I friggin knew it.  Dipsticks

I say to hell with that pot o' gold.
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by archer109 on 06/03/2011 8:10 PM | Reply #11 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
archer109
Joined: 12/16/2001
Location: ND
Yep u were right..brigham had a tank starting to float but they caught it. Vic clamps dont hold. Dont understand why they use them anymore. Welded is the best.
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by ggenthusiast on 06/03/2011 8:49 PM | Reply #12 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
ggenthusiast
Joined: 09/11/2002
Location: ND
Everyone thinks that these big companies know their operations inside and out. But when it comes down to the boots that are on the ground, its not always the case.

I say to hell with that pot o' gold.
Re: Flooded oilfield infrastructure
by Jay S on 06/03/2011 11:12 PM | Reply #13 | "Quote" | "Quick Reply" |
Jay S
Joined: 12/24/2003
Location: ND
Paddledogger Said:
Ohhhh......good question!  Bad thing is, I really don't think many of the oil companies care about North Dakota as a whole.  They want one thing, and one thing only.....get that oil out of the ground.  I really believe that don't care about what happens to North Dakota at the surface.  If they did care, they would self impose a limit to the # of rigs they want to bring in, because our state leaders won't step up an propose this. They are afraid of it being "political castration".

Back to your thoughts on the shut in oil wells.  Why not just leave so much oil in the tanks versus pumping in salt water.  A gallon of oil is roughly 7.3 pounds per gallon and water is 8.3, so it would depend on the elevation of the anticipated water on the tanks.  So if the whole tank is threatened to be covers up, they would need to fill is with water and maybe have tank tie-downs.  But if the water is expected to only be half way up the tank, then keeping it full of oil should be alright. 

*Discalimer-I am not an engineer by any means.  Just my initial thoughts on this topic. But a interesting topic none the less.
not an engineer and you haven't got a clue about what goes on within an oil company!

The arrogance of the present is to forget the wisdom of the past.
13 Replies | Page 1 of 11 | Top of Page | Bottom of Page
Posted By: ggenthusiast
Posted On: 06/03/2011 08:56 AM
1172 Views, 13 Comments

Tags: infrastructure, flooded, oilfield, oil, williston, i'm, shut, wells, tank, protect
More Tags: oil, Disaster_AccidentWar_ConflictEnvironmentHospitality_Recreation
Region: North Dakota

Categories: Other > Other Off-Topic
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