Solution to the BP Oil Spill

C

CoolTraderDude

So I’ve been thinking about how to plug the leaking well. I’ve heard some people say that they should try to blow it up with dynamite or possibly an atom bomb. However, this will obviously cause more problems than it solves and I don’t think that it will necessarily seal the well.

My solution is a rather simple one. The pipe of the well needs to be cut as close to the bottom of the ocean as possible. After this is accomplished we will need a “plug” with which to close the well. We will need a ship with a crane capable of lifting a few tons. From the ship a “plug” possibly made out of metal (lead, iron, etc…) on a chain weighing anywhere from 3-5 metric (the plug that is, not the chain) tons will be lowered towards the leak guided by underwater robots. The plug will be placed on the oil well. Here we will have a little problem due to the pressure of the oil gushing out. As such, the heavier the plug the better, in order to counteract the force of the gushing oil.

After the “plug” is placed on top of the leak we will need to seal the well. Perhaps creating a cement sarcophagus (not unlike the concept used at Chernobyl) and lowering it down will be a solution. Then additional material will be required to seal and bury the well.

To me this seems like the most practical and cost effective way of sealing the well and stopping the leak. I have 100 % confidence that such a thing will work. It does not require any new technology, it is not a delicate operation and it is relatively cheap to implement.
 
The oil comes out at tremendous speeds. I don't think that would work. Also the pressure is high the plug would be impossible to control at that depth.

You assume they want to plug it. Think abou the power this gives the government.
 
Sounds good, but I mean really u don't think that this has already been thought of... The force at which the oil is gushing seems to be the problem.

Using a small nuke is the logical solution. The consensus that it would do more harm than good is sheer ignorance, it would be a very minor event, unnoticable to us, you can't say the same for the spill itself.
 
They can plug it with hydraulic concrete if they want. That creates a whole new problem of the well case being damanged "underneath" the ocean floor. You plug that hole and a minimum of 2500lbs. of pressure, probably more, will find the next weakest point, which they can't get to because it's buried.
The idea behind the relief well is to relieve as much pressure as possible by giving the oil another route to take. They can then plug the hole using any one of a variety of means. There will still be some residual pressure that will send product through the cracked caseing, but it should be a minimum amount. If they can't hit that relief well, it's game over.
 
Quote from CaptainObvious:

They can plug it with hydraulic concrete if they want. That creates a whole new problem of the well case being damanged "underneath" the ocean floor. You plug that hole and a minimum of 2500lbs. of pressure, probably more, will find the next weakest point, which they can't get to because it's buried.
The idea behind the relief well is to relieve as much pressure as possible by giving the oil another route to take. They can then plug the hole using any one of a variety of means. There will still be some residual pressure that will send product through the cracked caseing, but it should be a minimum amount. If they can't hit that relief well, it's game over.
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When you say game over. Do you mean it will continue to run out until it is exhausted. When will that be.
 
Quote from morganist:

When you say game over. Do you mean it will continue to run out until it is exhausted. When will that be.
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Yes, that's exactly what I mean. How long depends on how large the find was they've tapped into. Certainly long enough to turn the Gulf in to one giant oil slick. My opinion, they need to get real serious about clean up and containment. The chances of that relief well hitting the mark and working as planned ain't so hot.
 
Thugs from Chicago are going to let the Gulf of Mexico be destroyed. If there is a hurricane in the next few months the entire southeast United States could be contaminated.

Hows that hope and change working out?
 
Quote from CaptainObvious:

Yes, that's exactly what I mean. How long depends on how large the find was they've tapped into. Certainly long enough to turn the Gulf in to one giant oil slick. My opinion, they need to get real serious about clean up and containment. The chances of that relief well hitting the mark and working as planned ain't so hot.
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How badly do you think this will impact on the american economy?
 
Quote from morganist:

How badly do you think this will impact on the american economy?
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Depends. The tourist and fishing industires are and will take a hit. That ain't the end of the world. If they can't stop the leak, it'll get ugly. Lynch mob mentality will prevail to crush the entire oil industry. Gasoline will get taxed heavily to pay for the on-going clean up and containment. Big rush towards alternative energy will be pushed. 5-6 dollar a gallon gas won't be good for the economy, but it's coming if they can't stop the leak. Gulf coast will be devastated, both economically and environmental. We may have opened up Pandora's box.
 
Quote from CaptainObvious:

Depends. The tourist and fishing industires are and will take a hit. That ain't the end of the world. If they can't stop the leak, it'll get ugly. Lynch mob mentality will prevail to crush the entire oil industry. Gasoline will get taxed heavily to pay for the on-going clean up and containment. Big rush towards alternative energy will be pushed. 5-6 dollar a gallon gas won't be good for the economy, but it's coming if they can't stop the leak. Gulf coast will be devastated, both economically and environmental. We may have opened up Pandora's box.
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Do you know roughly how much oil there is down there. Ball park. How long could it go on for, years?
 
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