Oil spill suggestions

CyinCo

Well-Known Member
Mar 24, 2006
5,745
254
63
Clive, IA
So there is at least a piece of the original tube down there right? And wasn't there supposed to be a fail safe mechanism that basically stopped flow if there was a problem? So why can't they joint lower a large clamping device and pinch the tube shut?
 

CyCloned

Well-Known Member
Oct 18, 2006
13,534
6,883
113
Robins, Iowa
I can not believe that there is not some solution out there that is better than what we have seen so far. How about sinking an old air craft carrier on it? It is very sad that we can get a camera down there to see the leak and yet have no clue on how to stop it.
 

vmbplayer

Well-Known Member
SuperFanatic
SuperFanatic T2
Feb 6, 2008
3,777
740
113
Ankeny
How can we send the man to the moon and cant seem to figure out how to plug a hole????

Actually right now the US government can't even send a man out of low Earth orbit (the moon might as well be Venus), and soon we won't be able to even do low Earth orbit without paying the Russians to take them.
 

HOTDON

Well-Known Member
Mar 24, 2006
2,874
809
113
Fort Dodge, IA
It is pretty crazy to think with all of the things mankind is capable of, that we can't stop a seemingly simple leak.

Have they tried JB Weld? Always worked on my oil leaks.
 

CyPride

Well-Known Member
Oct 12, 2008
2,543
80
48
102
So there is at least a piece of the original tube down there right? And wasn't there supposed to be a fail safe mechanism that basically stopped flow if there was a problem? So why can't they joint lower a large clamping device and pinch the tube shut?


two things to remember
1. it's a mile down.
2. we never sent a man to the moon! ;)
 

reignofthetiger

Active Member
Apr 24, 2010
444
97
28
Carmel, IN
I can not believe that there is not some solution out there that is better than what we have seen so far. How about sinking an old air craft carrier on it? It is very sad that we can get a camera down there to see the leak and yet have no clue on how to stop it.

There is video of the leak:
CNN.com Live

The reason that there's so much trouble with the leak is the extreme depths. It's cold and under immense pressure down there, so no conventional methods will work. Aiming anything from a boat is like trying to thread a needle that's at ground level by dangling the thread from the top of the Empire State Building. The only way to fix it for sure (which is already underway) is to drill another hole nearby, then drill from that hole sideways to the leaking pipe's location (but under the sea floor, below the leak) and fill it with concrete there. There's no magic way to just seal it off permanantly by pinching the exposed part or dumping something on it - the oil will find a way out.
 

4429 mcc

Well-Known Member
Aug 29, 2007
4,391
248
63
Wall Street
Shoot several dozen cans of this stuff down the pipe.

great-stuff1.jpg
 

synapticwave

Active Member
Mar 9, 2007
950
146
43
Austin, TX
www.longshotgames.com
just nuke it! Seriosly, put a low yield nuke in one of BPs submersibles and drive it right to the hole and detonate it. I Can't image it would do any more environmental harm than what's happening now and it would almost certainly fix the problem. If it didn't you still have the same option of drilling a secondary well.
 

jl112481

Active Member
Jul 25, 2007
470
43
28
Franklin, WI
Someone sent this around at work. Funny that these guys have a solution and the top minds can't figure something out.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5SxX2EntEo]YouTube - CWRoberts Presentation 2.wmv[/ame]
 

reignofthetiger

Active Member
Apr 24, 2010
444
97
28
Carmel, IN
just nuke it! Seriosly, put a low yield nuke in one of BPs submersibles and drive it right to the hole and detonate it. I Can't image it would do any more environmental harm than what's happening now and it would almost certainly fix the problem. If it didn't you still have the same option of drilling a secondary well.


haha, so now instead of having a small hole just the size of the pipe, we have a giant crater billowing oil with NO way to stop it, not to mention the blast-derived tsunami that would inevitably flood the gulf coast (including New Orleans) and accelerate the spread of the oil slick...
 

Latest posts

Help Support Us

Become a patron