Gulf Disaster: Solutions to Clean Up Our Messes

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around potential solutions to address the oil leak in the Gulf, focusing on various engineering approaches and their feasibility. Participants explore theoretical methods for sealing the leak, including mechanical and magnetic solutions, while expressing concerns about the pressures involved and the effectiveness of proposed ideas.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests using a long spike with one-way collars to plug the leak, proposing that it could be driven hydraulically into the hole.
  • Another participant counters that the oil pressure would require a heavy spike and that hammering it into the rock could worsen the leak by fracturing the surrounding rock.
  • A different participant calculates that at 30,000 psi, a significant force would be needed to drive the spike and questions if enough grip could be achieved without fracturing the rock too much.
  • One participant raises questions about the dimensions and material properties of the pipe, suggesting the idea of using a super-strong magnet to seal the opening, though they express uncertainty about the feasibility at such depths.
  • Another participant mentions varying reports of pressure and expresses concern about the lack of information due to security measures, emphasizing the need for accurate data.
  • A participant proposes the idea of using a cable inside the containment dome's hose to melt crystals, though details on its effectiveness are not provided.
  • One participant suggests using a super-magnet to cap the top of the blowout preventer (BOP) if it has sufficient magnetic surface area, after cutting off the damaged pipe.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of ideas and concerns, with no consensus on a specific solution. There are competing views on the feasibility of various proposed methods, and uncertainty remains regarding the pressures and conditions at the leak site.

Contextual Notes

Participants note limitations in available information, including varying pressure reports and the lack of detailed data due to security restrictions. The discussion reflects uncertainty about the physical properties of the leak site and the effectiveness of proposed solutions.

dr dodge
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Good morning all,

I have been "absent" lately, because I am pre-occupied with the disaster in our gulf (I live in TX) I have watched the "comedy of errors" going on with my mouth agape. Much of their math has never added up, and the inconsistancies are significant.

I want to run something by everyone.

If a long hard spike that could be hung from a drill rig could be controlled and lowered into the hole, with a diameter that would wedge precisely into the hole and has "concrete anchor" style one way collars on the straight section, couldn't it be pile driven hydraulicly into the hole to plug it?
If the probe had a camera, and expendable, controllable airfoil vanes it you could fly it in the hole, and then start hammering it with the drill mud.

I really want someone to figure this out, or we as a world will have some real messes to try to clean up for a very long time

dr
 
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The oil has enough pressure to force itself out against the weight of 5000fsw and a couple of 1000 ft of rock - so it would have to be a fairly heavy spike.

Hammering it into the rock is tricky unless you also have some hydraulic hammers that can operate at 5000fsw and something to anchor them to.
And finally all it would achieve is to shatter the surrounding rock making the leak bigger.
 
I agree the forces are very large
at 30,000 psi (one of the pressure numbers I have gotten) on a 5 inch hole would need about 300 tons of force + to drive it. the well is at 18,000 ft w/ 5,000 ft of water
with 13,000 feet of rock couldn't you get enough of a bite on the hole without frac'ing the rock too badly?

if anyone else has ideas, feel free to toss them out here
the talk of explosions to cap it really scare me

dr
 
Without having much information to go on, I was trying to come up with a solution to this problem...

How large is the opening and how thick is the edge on the pipe and what material is it made from? Is the top/opening smooth or irregular?

Just as a brainstorm idea, could they place a "super-strong" magnet on top of the opening (if they could get one a mile down)? or is the pressure too great? (again I don't have any info on this stuff with regard to the dimensions/quantities/forces/pressures/etc.)
 
reports of the pressure vary from 30k psi to 170k psi. with the information blackout due to homeland security, many details are "obscured"
the 3 terms describing the leak are:

5 INCH pipe,
5 FT (i REALLY HOPE THIS ONE IS WRONG!)
and the most alarming is the coast guard guy who said "chasm" but I really don't want to think about that

so I am going on the 5 in pipe. (and hoping the other two terms were wrong)

dr
 
What if the hose from the containment dome had a cable inside it connected to a power source, to melt the crystals?
 
...not the pipe itself, but the top of the BOP - if it was thick enough (enough magnetic surface area to create a good enough strong magnetic bond), could they use a huge super-magnet to cap it at the BOP (after cutting off the damaged pipe)?
 

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