Cause of Timor Sea oil spill may be same for Gulf of Mexico spill

Australia's worst oil spills may have something in common with the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico.

According to Wikipedia, "The Montara oil spill was a oil and gas leak and subsequent slick that took place in the Montara oil field in the Timor Sea, off the northern coast of Western Australia. It is considered one of Australia's worst oil disasters.  The slick was released from the West Atlas mobile rig which began leaking oil on August 21, 2009, and continued leaking until November 3, 2009, when the leak was stopped by pumping mud into the well."

Here's what Jotman has learned about the connection to the BP disaster in the Gulf of Mexico:

NOV. 3:  West Atlas, a burning and leaking oil rig in East Timor Sea owned by PTTEP Australasia repaired.

 "The culprit: a problem during cementing, which is supposed to keep gases and oil from shooting skyward and exploding into fire.  That accident and the blast on the Deepwater Horizon had at least one circumstance in common.  Both happened in a transition period when the offshore oil wells were being capped off and the gaps around drilling casings were being cemented shut to prevent pressurized gases and oil from escaping.  Much more is known about the Timor Sea incident; a commission appointed by the Australian government has turned up solid evidence it was caused by a mistake during careless cementing operations. (chronicle)

NOV 18. "Deepwater Cementing Consideration to prevent hydrates destabilization," a presentation by Haliburton scientists at the AADA Chapter Meeting, Huston, on the risks of destabilized deepwater cement. Paper notes that "Destabilization of hydrates during cementing and production in deepwater environments is a challenge to the safety and economics."