Preventer

While it's still unclear why the blowout preventer did not work, Transocean chief executive Steven Newman said the preventer is not the ultimate cause of the accident. ❋ Unknown (2010)

And federal authorities have salvaged the well's blowout preventer from the bottom of the ocean to examine why it failed as a last-ditch tool to cap the leak. ❋ Andrew Clark (2010)

Lest you think this review should earn less than a G-rating, tallywhacker is a legitimate nautical term for a "preventer" - a device that stabilizes the boom on the mainsail as you journey down-wind. ❋ Unknown (2009)

The Interior Department is planning to pay Det Norske Veritas (DNV) $1.3 million to conduct the autopsy of the 60-foot high, 380-ton blowout preventer, which is now sitting on a dock at the NASA Michoud assembly plant in Louisiana. ❋ Steven Mufson (2010)

The commission didn't even wait to get an autopsy of the failed blowout preventer, which is rusting on a Louisiana dock. ❋ Unknown (2011)

You pump it down 5,000 feet through the water column, and it plugs right into - these pipes plug right in to the blowout preventer, which is down on the seafloor. ❋ Unknown (2010)

The U. K.-based company is now focused on replacing the Deepwater Horizon rig's failed blowout preventer, which is designed to prevent oil leaks, with the blowout preventer from the Development Driller II rig in order to resume drilling on the relief well. ❋ Unknown (2010)

He said the operations were expected to be pushed back 2-3 days, meaning it could be as late as Thursday before engineers begin to remove the temporary cap that stopped more oil from flowing into the sea in mid-July and the failed blowout preventer, which is a key piece of evidence in ongoing investigations. ❋ Unknown (2010)

The blowout preventer, which is the piece of equipment that should have closed off the well head but failed when the rig began burning, has a valve that's partially closed over the well head and is stemming some of the flow of oil. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Mr. Bartlit said that he could not reach any conclusions about one critical component in the well, the blowout preventer, which is supposed to be the last line of defense against a well going out of control. ❋ By JOHN M. BRODER (2010)

"Top Kill" Procedure in Gulf of Mexico (BP) 05/26/2010 - BP Plc (NYSE: BP) commenced with a "top kill" procedure of its Gulf of Mexico oil well earlier Wednesday, a process that involves the pumping of heavy drilling mud into the blow-out preventer, which is sitting at the top of the well under a mile of water. ❋ Unknown (2010)

He told the panel Monday that he had not investigated the blowout preventer, which is in federal custody. ❋ Unknown (2010)

News Update: BP Plc Starts Anticipated "Top Kill" Procedure in Gulf of Mexico (BP) 05/26/2010 - BP Plc (NYSE: BP) commenced with a "top kill" procedure of its Gulf of Mexico oil well earlier Wednesday, a process that involves the pumping of heavy drilling mud into the blow-out preventer, which is sitting at the top of the well under a mile of water. ❋ Unknown (2010)

That was to be a prelude to removing the failed blowout preventer, which is a key piece of evidence in ongoing investigations. ❋ Unknown (2010)

Questions have been raised about whether BP should have installed a secondary cut-off valve and why the company had not installed a so-called "acoustic switch" on the blowout preventer, which is on the seabed and designed to stop pressure from the oil well damaging the drilling rig, so it could be activated remotely. ❋ Unknown (2010)

The preferred option is using robot submarines to close off a stack of valves, known as a blowout preventer, that is sitting atop the well, he said. ❋ Unknown (2010)

"After informing regulators of their struggles, company officials asked for permission to delay their federally mandated test of the blowout preventer, which is supposed to occur every two weeks, until the problems were resolved, BP documents say." ❋ Unknown (2010)

Transocean has been sparring with other companies over responsibility for the functioning of the blowout preventer, which is intended to seal off pipes in the event of a gas surge. ❋ Unknown (2010)