Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

Can somebody explain why the folks trying to stop the Gulf oil blowout can't lower some sort of caisson—like an enormous inverted concrete funnel with a hose running from the outlet to tankers on the surface, over this thing?

What a mess.

dcb

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

That was one of the first things that they tried, which didn't work. :(

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

Yes, I agree and the government hasn't done anything!!! What morons. It took them 20 days to even order their main disaster ship to the location.

Hearings were also interesting where government officials knew beforehand that there were some problems and even more potential for bigger problems.

Lee

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

Isnt that because they want problems?
So that there will be no new offshore drilling.
To help keep oil prices up.
Which is all that is propping up our Dollar.

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

Yeah, I'm sure you're right, but I was thinking what they tried was supposed to fit precisely over, or attach to, the "blowout preventer." I'm just trying to understand why a giant containment vessel, heavy enough for the sides to sink deeply into the sea bed, can't be lowered from a ship-borne crane and maneuvered into position with robotic submersibles. Seems so obvious, I have to be missing something.

dcb

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

I didn't put this in the "Political" forum for a reason.

dcb

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

I'd just lay a big ass rock over it.



DONE!

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

That might have had a better chance of success than a "top kill."

Given the pressures at that depth, imagine the force with which the oil and gas is being ejected from the well. I would have been astonished if pumping-in drilling mud and assorted other muck had actually stopped the flow.

dcb

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

That is going to be a very hard fix. About a mile down and with the pressures that they have to deal with. :(

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

Thats what the first attempt was... Remember that they are dealing with a depth of around 1 mile. That is the main problem. It would be like trying to thread a needle using 20' chopsticks.

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

Amazing they never had a contingency plan for something like this.

Gee who could have thought that the propulsion system used to keep the free-floating oil rig in place could have EVER failed, ripping open the oil pipe.

I would not want to be a BP shareholder right now......

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

Guess I should have been paying closer attention early-on. Honestly I didn't pay this situation much mind when it first happened, then weeks passed.

I know; a mile of water is a fantastic depth. Still, if they can retrieve a spoon from Titanic—over TWO miles deep—one would think they could clumsily guide a big ol' concrete box over a busted oil well. It just doesn't add up.

(I'm not trying to place blame or suggesting some silly conspiracy or malfeasance or anything of the kind; just trying to wrap my brain around why this is happening.)

dcb

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

The "thread the needle" thing was a metaphor for the overall problem... having to do the work via remotely one mile underwater.

The main problem with the 125 ton container dome was not a positioning thing but rather a chemical reaction where the top of the inverted funnel got clogged with ice crystals formed by the cold temperatures and gas leaking from the pipe along with the crude. There are so many issues that come up at these depths.

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

isn't clogged what they are going for? if the funnel got clogged, and it settled over the leak...........Is my deductive reasoning not sound here?......Would that not stop at least the main leak?

Re: Deep Sea Oil Well Tech
 

So add giant-ass heaters to it. It doesn't matter that it will be expensive or difficult, we're beyond cost at this point. Add some serious electric heaters to the damn thing, run inch thick cables down with the crane cable, bring in a second ship if your first can't supply the generator power needed, and if they don't already have it get three shifts working around the clock...