Could a Cubic Block Stop the BP Spill?

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A proposal suggests using a 10 ft sided cubic block made of concrete, rebar, and sand, dropped from a barge to collapse the sub-mud surface conduit of the BP oil spill. The block, weighing 1000 cubic feet, would penetrate the seabed to push muck into the conduit, effectively sealing it. Some participants advocate for a larger block, potentially 10,000 cubic feet, and discuss alternative methods like drilling a relief well to reduce pressure on the main well. The conversation also touches on the effectiveness of current technologies and the need for brute force solutions to stop the leak. Overall, the discussion emphasizes the urgency and creativity needed in addressing the spill.
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CUBIC BLOCK

Make 10 ft sided cubic block (1000 cu ft) of concrete, rebar, and sand, on a barge. Then use 2 barges and pulleys perhaps to drop such block 2000 ft (10 secs?), which might penetrate 100 ft(?) into muck. Drop it slightly off target, so that sub-mud surface conduit collapses shut. Water is non-compressible fluid, whereas gas in conduit is a compressible fluid. So the cubic block would push muck over into conduit, collapsing it.
 
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cph said:
CUBIC BLOCK

Make 10 ft sided cubic block (1000 cu ft) of concrete, rebar, and sand, on a barge. Then use 2 barges and pulleys perhaps to drop such block 2000 ft (10 secs?), which might penetrate 100 ft(?) into muck. Drop it slightly off target, so that sub-mud surface conduit collapses shut. Water is non-compressible fluid, whereas gas in conduit is a compressible fluid. So the cubic block would push muck over into conduit, collapsing it.

What the heck is 'muck'?

CS
 
20081116210605-muk.gif
Also, there's a thread on fixing the gulf oil spill problem already:
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=405948&page=10
 
perhaps cement encasements of the base of oil rig posts (at 20 ft), useful for stability for hurricane season, would also push the water loaded sediments in part towards the collapsible gas conduit.
 
stewartcs said:
What the heck is 'muck'?

CS

My educated guess is probably seabed.
 
Quite frankly, I'm all for some type of "brute force" containment method to stop this leak, since the other technologies appear to be ineffective.
However, I would go greater than a 1000 cubic foot drop seal. Maybe 10,000.
I don't know. Whatever it takes!
 
Something I think would work, is drilling another intersecting well. Cap that so you can effectively collect all the oil from it. By forcibly sucking oil through the bypass that will reduce the pressure on the main well, and make it easier to close. All you need is to drop a giant concrete cap on it and bolt it to the seabed, or something like that.
 
Lancelot59 said:
Something I think would work, is drilling another intersecting well. Cap that so you can effectively collect all the oil from it. By forcibly sucking oil through the bypass that will reduce the pressure on the main well, and make it easier to close. All you need is to drop a giant concrete cap on it and bolt it to the seabed, or something like that.

What do you think a relief well is? :-p
 
xxChrisxx said:
What do you think a relief well is? :-p
A well you go to the bathroom in? :smile:
 

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