Seventeen questions for "The National Incident Commander"

Petroleum geology is not exactly my field, but we are all learning fast. 


There is an online debate at TheOilDrum.com about the stability of the well and the BOP: are they at risk of failure causing an uncontained spill? 


This debate is occurring in a vacuum because neither BP nor the government is providing any information on the situation. Both BP's and the government's spill websites are collections of useless press releases. 

Here is a list of questions that have been posed on the subject that only BP or the USCG (no laughing, please) can answer: 

Have you found any seabed leaks of oil and gas?

Do you believe there are any leaks from the well into other formations?

If so, what formations are most likely?

Has the inclination of the BOP changed?

If so, by how much?

Describe the “disk failure” at 1,000 feet.

Are you concerned about the structural integrity of the BOP?

Are you concerned about the structural integrity of the wellhead?

Are you concerned about the structural integrity of the LMRP?

Are you concerned about the structural integrity of the casing?

Describe the formation levels.

What are the current pressure readings inside the BOP?

What are the historical pressure readings inside the BOP?

Have the ROVs done any excavation at the base of the BOP?

Is there any indication of seabed movement at the base of the BOP?

What are the ROVs doing when they are looking at the seabed?

What is the black box the ROVs placed on the riser?

Either BP/USCG have answers to these questions but aren't telling, or else they as truly incompetent as they appear to be. I think it's the former: it's easier to disclose nothing. 

And so much for Congressional oversight! The Gulf is safe with Henry Waxman and Ed Markey on the case.