Most utilities are moving to smart meters. It's a technological nirvana propounded by PHBs and the companies selling the crap. Just think, you don't need to waste hard cash on people actually reading meters. Hell no, you can drive down a road and read all the meters with a laptop. Except you can't because some of the technology is immature and signal strength from these devices seldom reaches the manufacturers claims.

We were told by a manufacturer that their technology was secure because their software is proprietry. It's a recipe for disaster...especially given that a quick google for "security research smart meter," returns some interesting results. Welcome to the brave new world of smart metering. Minus the "smart."

Did anyone else read the headline as "Microsoft Says Homophobic Computing Is Practical" ..?

I, for one, welcome the arrival our new Telnet Overlords.

Replying to myself has caused a temporary split-brain issue. Anyhow, more useful comment on Richard's blog:

http://www.lightbluetouchpaper.org/

Take a look here:

http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rnc1 ...and then read this pdf:

http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~rnc1/cleanfeed.pdf

As deblau stated, "What kind of job do you want?"

If you're applying for a Solaris & EMC shop, look no further than your Oracle Solaris certification and EMC backup/storage track. However, the certification only demonstrates that you can attend a testing centre and answer questions based upon specific scenarios or a subset of your knowledge. What you really need is experience (I know, chicken/egg,) a willingness to learn and an employer that's willing to invest in you (and not offshore your job to a heavily certified, but functionally useless graduate in Hyderabad.) YMMV.

Rant.

How about listening devices planted in flowers sent to the bereaved? The UK's tabloid press have been out of control for years. This isn't about press freedom, or even freedom of speech or expression. It's about Murdoch's agenda, gutter journalism and selling salacious crap to any window-licker that'll buy it.

We can hope that his sorry newsprint empire will wither like his online presence behind its paywall. Sadly, that's not going to happen...not for as long as the unwashed want innuendo on the front page, reactionary crap on page two and hooters on page three. It may be tomorrow's fish and chips wrapper, but it has already peddled its sordid agenda by the time some fat-ass is chomping his way through the deep fried goodies it contains.

Tabloid journalists and their paymasters? I shit 'em.

End rant.

I know it's senseless to post saying stuff like "lol," and "this post is full of win," but this made me laugh out loud. If there are any NANAE lurkers, this was a C&C moment.

I think you've possible conflated drilling and production. I can accept that I may have misread your initial comment, but you seem to infer that the stack is used during production. That wasn't the case in the Macondo well (although it's commonplace during wildcat DSTs...which this most certainly wasn't.)

I'm not sure I entirely agree with any of this. Firstly, sand control can be an issue...but it's commonly felt at the surface (pre and post-separation.) Secondly, sand is semi-controlled via flow rate. You don't open the well to atmosphere during production - you use an adjustable choke. If a well produces a lot of sand, then surface sand filters are deployed. Thirdly, drilling a well is far more costly than a workover (where one replaces the production string.) Lastly, testing pressure control equipment happens at the surface as part of manufacturing QA, but it's also tested in the hole - where it really matters. The cost of surface and downhole testing is not relevant.

The BOP isn't used for production, only drilling. After a well has been completed (i.e. a string of production tubing has been run,) the stack is removed and replaced with a subsea tree. This is the device that controls well production long after the drilling rig has moved.

Correction, it was a Gen IV semisub owned by Transocean and operated by BP. Halliburton were the cement service company.

Er, drilling fluid is a thixotropic fluid used to carry cuttings to the surface, lubricate, cool, support the drill string and exert a hydrostatic head. It can be water-based or oil-based (effectively an oil/water emulsion.) The list of additives is as long as your arm and designed to meet the engineering requirements at any point in the drilling phase. It'll usually be circulated out prior to abandonment or pre-production completion.

Displacing a well to seawater is not at all uncommon and is done for a variety of reasons - it's not a gamble. In this case, had the crew spotted returns from the well a little earlier, they would have controlled the kick that became a blowout.