# Top kill

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{{Short description|Oil well control technique}}
{{wiktionary}}
A '''top kill''' is a procedure used as a means of regaining control over an [oil well](/source/oil_well) that is producing  [crude petroleum](/source/crude_oil) or [natural gas](/source/natural_gas) at a rate that is becoming difficult to govern, and/or is anticipated to become uncontrollable without intervention. This procedure is not used when control has been completely lost over the well, such as in a ''[blowout](/source/Blowout_(well_drilling))''. The process involves pumping heavyweight [drilling mud or drilling fluid](/source/Drilling_fluid) downwards into the well. This procedure is expected to stop the flow of [oil](/source/oil) and [gas](/source/gas) from the well by neutralizing the pressure differential between the source and the top of the well. 
A further step could be sealing the well completely, often with [cement](/source/cement).<ref name="What is a 'top kill'?"/> 

==In use==
The top kill procedure was used to plug [flaming oil wells](/source/Kuwaiti_oil_fires), blown up by retreating [Iraqi forces](/source/Iraqi_Armed_Forces), in 1991, during the [Gulf War](/source/Gulf_War).<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/6991278.html |title=New tactic might seal leaking well sooner, BP CEO says |date=5 May 2010 |accessdate=29 May 2010 |author=Brett Calnton |publisher=[Houston Chronicle](/source/Houston_Chronicle)}}</ref>

This technique came to prominence during the 2010 [Deepwater Horizon oil spill](/source/Deepwater_Horizon_oil_spill) when it was used in an attempt to seal a [seafloor](/source/seafloor) oil well after the failure of the [blowout preventer](/source/blowout_preventer).<ref name="What is a 'top kill'?">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10159626 |title=What is a 'top kill'? |last=Rohrer |first=Finlo |date=27 May 2010 |access-date=27 May 2010 |publisher=BBC}}</ref> However, it failed to block the flow of oil.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article7140280.ece |title=BP struggles to stem gush of reproach |date=30 May 2010 |accessdate=30 May 2010 |author=John Harlow  |work=[The Times](/source/The_Times)}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==See also==
* [Well kill](/source/Well_kill)
* [Blowout preventer](/source/Blowout_preventer)

Category:Drilling technology
Category:Oil wells

{{Engineering-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Top kill](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_kill) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_kill?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.