Could a Cubic Block Stop the BP Spill?

  • Thread starter Thread starter cph
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Block Cubic
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around potential methods to stop the BP oil spill, focusing on the idea of using a large cubic block to collapse conduits and other proposed containment strategies. Participants explore various technical approaches, including the feasibility of dropping heavy objects and drilling intersecting wells.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests creating a 10 ft sided cubic block of concrete, rebar, and sand to drop into the spill area to collapse the gas conduit by pushing muck over it.
  • Another participant questions the definition of "muck," speculating it refers to the seabed.
  • A participant proposes that cement encasements at the base of oil rig posts could help push sediments towards the gas conduit.
  • Some participants express support for a more substantial containment method, suggesting a 10,000 cubic foot drop seal instead of 1,000 cubic feet.
  • One participant proposes drilling an intersecting well to relieve pressure on the main well and facilitate oil collection, suggesting a concrete cap could be used to seal it.
  • A later reply humorously questions the understanding of what a relief well is, indicating some confusion about terminology.
  • Another participant notes that the relief well is still being drilled, with significant depth remaining to reach the target.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express various opinions on the effectiveness of different methods to stop the spill, with no clear consensus on the best approach. Some support the idea of brute force methods, while others suggest more technical solutions like drilling intersecting wells.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved assumptions regarding the effectiveness of the proposed methods, the definition of "muck," and the technical feasibility of the suggested approaches. The discussion reflects a range of ideas without definitive conclusions.

cph
Messages
43
Reaction score
0
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.
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
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:
 

Similar threads

Simulating Core Drops: Cement Cubes at Gulf of Mexico Oil Conduits
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K
Quite a few phys 12 questions, on unit 3 dynamics,energy,work,power
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
4K