Well, here's a probably stupidly simplisitic suggestion on the gulf spill...

[Skip Intro]

Why not create a "plug" or "cork" made out of the heaviest materials we have, smaller at the bottom and bigger at the top, that some ship would haul out to the site of the leak and lower down into the hole that is gushing oil?

I'm sure this wont work, considering it's simplicity, someone in power surely thought of this and dismissed it, but why? Why wouldn't it work, to at least minimize the flow?

[The Magistrate]

1. The Problem, Sir

Is that there is a great length of pipe in a shaft down from the sea-bed to the oil. Stopper it at the top, at the sea-bed, and the pressure upwards from the oil reservoir remains, and will probably crack the pipe somewhere under the sea-bed. The oil will then find some other way, through fractures and seams in the rock, to rise, as it will still be under pressure from below.

What the relief well drilling does is, it joins up with the existing shaft and pipe at the bottom, a little above the oil reservoir, deep below the sea-bed. When plugging material is injected here, the pressure of the reservoir forces the plugging material up the pipe and shaft, solidifying the entire column, and choking off the flow from the oil reservoir.

[Skip Intro]

2. You know, dude

I don't see you often enough, but when I do, you always make things clear.

Thanks for that.

[Turbineguy]

5. It may turn out

that the BOP not working was a blessing in an excellent disguise. If it had slammed shut, we would have had the problem you describe.

[Name removed]

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[Skip Intro]

4. Very interesting. Thanks.

And welcome to DU.

:hi:

[Name removed]

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