Gulf Oil Spill Solutions

[dholdgreve]

I firmly believe that we many super intelligent minds looking at this board... The advantage that we have here is that these mind have not yet been contaminated with big business telling them why something is not feasible, or won't work. Having said that, why not take minute and tell us how you would stop the oil from leaking.

[blue cobra]

I'm still sticking to my original idea of dropping a really big rock over the broken pipe.

[smartkid222]

http://blog.makerbot.com/2010/06/05/dee ... to-action/

[penclspinner]

I'm still sticking to my original idea of dropping a really big rock over the broken pipe.

What about a really big block?

[mosloudo]

Similar to Indonesian Mud Volcano

This is an Oil Volcano.

It takes time to build the devices to try and stop it.

I think many different things should have been developed in parallel at the time of the first Top Hat attempt.

By now, there are so many ideas promoted that the ones with the best advertising behind them float to the top, while actual merit becomes difficult to assess.

[binary010101]

http://phillyd.tv/index.php/2010/06/10/ ... -bp-spill/

I propose that we just nuke the wellhead in hopes that that would weld it shut.

Seriously, though, can't we just seal the leak with a metal blank or something similar?

[mosloudo]

This looks kinda popular
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFOp1kft7vc

Another
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbUAAHuJUHs

[dholdgreve]

OK, the "Top Kill" approach did not work, so now they are drilled 2 relief wells to get to the bottom of it (no pun intended). Once they punch through the original well casing at ocean floor minus 18,000 feet, they will again inject heavy mud, this time into the bottom of the well. The mud will not be able to dissipate until it reaches the ocean floor, so with enough mud pumped in, its own weight will overcome the bouancy pressure created by the oil... Or at least that is how I understand the blue chip solution to work. What I guess I have a hard time understanding, is why is there a need for separate relief wells? Can't a very long 4" tube be inserted into the existing casing to get down to the bottom of the well, then pump in the mud, or is the pressure so great that not even a 4" pipe can withstand the upflow pressure?

[zyzzyva980]

If BP / Hadn't neglected / No solutions / Would've been selected / Burma-Shave

Make sure this doesn't happen and you don't have to worry about solutions.

[dholdgreve]

If BP / Hadn't neglected / No solutions / Would've been selected / Burma-Shave

Make sure this doesn't happen and you don't have to worry about solutions.

So... The only way to truly guarantee that this never happens is never drill ultra deep.
Is that what you are saying?
Are you willing to accept $7.00 / gallon gasoline imported from the mideast as part of this conviction?
Along that path, the obvious answer lies in new and renewable fuel systems... wind, solar, tidal, hydrogen fuel cells, etc. but all of these will take a decade to get up and running, even if brought to the forefront... Look how long it took us to put a man on the moon, and resources committed to it... That is what it will take to overcome our addiction to the black ghould!