Obvious Cure For Gulf Oil Spill

[Nickodell]

I just thought of the obvious answer. Instead of continually, futilely trying to plug the leak, they should put the drill back in and bore all the way to China. It'll be downhill all the way, right? So the sticky stuff will come out in Beijing and screw up their economy so badly that they'll be borrowing from us. If we're careful, we can make the exit in the middle of Tianenmen Square.

 

[weaselkeeper]

Or maybe just put the drill bit back in and break it off. If the bit comes loose, they could put a giant easy-out and then break that off too. That'll plug a hole for good.

 

[Ron67Alpine]

Duck/Duct tape

 

[puff4]

I find it mildly amusing that the biggest oil leak in world history is from *British* Petroleum. Having owned a great many of their (leaking) vehicles, I think this is nothing more than a fait accompli.

 

[RootesRacer]

I find it mildly amusing that the biggest oil leak in world history is from *British* Petroleum. Having owned a great many of their (leaking) vehicles, I think this is nothing more than a fait accompli.

Based on this assessment, we all know it will never stop leaking.

Sure you can rebuild the equipment and have it leak less, but it will always leak and that's about that.

 

[Nickodell]

Give the well over to Lucas. It'll stop flowing tonight.

 

[sammaw@bellsout]

What about making a plug out of a slightly smaller diameter that will just fit in. Fill the plug with small iron pieces surrounding a thermite charge, light the thermite, and the thing welds shut.

By the way, I have an artillery shell if they need one of those!!

 

[George Coleman]

I worked on the the worst oil spill at sea 31 years ago Ixtoc I and belive me it will be Aug. after they get the other wells drilled before it will stop!! I just hope they do not try to plug it like they tried to plug the one in Mexico, it made the hole bigger! Like standing in front of a firehose and trying to put a cork in it!!

 

[todd reid]

I find it amazing the the oil just keeps gushing out on its own. I always thought they had to PUMP oil out of the ground. There is obviously an enormous amount of pressure being exerted on the oil. The downward pressure of a mile high column of water is nothing to sneeze at.

 

[Ron67Alpine]

Is it just me, or do the most recent videos of the leak look like there is a lot more gas being vented? You can see what looks like bubbles making the outpouring much larger than it may be. Before it looked like just oil being released, now you can see silvery bubbles. Can I also presume that they haven't totally closed the vents, because they are trying to warm the pipes to avoid the methane hydrate crystals formation.

 

[Andrew]

Here in Canada I believe they must have a secondary relief well drilled as a safeguard, I think the Europeans do the same at an extra cost of 150 million+/-. BP was trying to get the same systems (disregarding the secondary relief well) approved for Northern Canada (in the arctic through the ice). I am not sure if this is all correct but who ever approved the drilling in the deep sea without the need for a secondary relief well should be taken out and.................you can fill in the blank.

150 million looks real good right now.

Andrew

 

[phatt]

Couldn't we just pour a REALLY BIG bag of kitty litter on it? Paul

 

[Series6]

Actually, that's not far from being possible. I have a friend in Texas who markets this powder with "Oil eating microbes". At first I thought it was bs but he sent me a few containers. It works great, it's reusable up to a point and when it's done I sprinkle it on my bushes. It works like fertilizer. I dumped a bunch of ATF on the floor when I serviced my T5 and this stuff ate it up. He's sold it to the Highway Department in Texas to clean up spills and once it's absorbed the mess, they just broom it off the road. Great stuff.