Posted on 06/02/2010 8:14:07 AM PDT by dps.inspect
Ok, here goes for ideas from common folk on how to plug the oil leak at the bottom of the gulf.
Fashion a hardened steel cone, which when finally inserted, would cut off the oil flow either partially or completely.
The steel cone would have a tip of the hardest material available, likely titanium or some such alloy; the cone would be positioned with the use of submersibles such that the cone tip would be inserted into a break at the top of the pipe; a submersible with a jackhammer apparatus would attach itself to the top of the cone and lightly jackhammer the opening in the pipe till the cone could be tilted into a plumb position; then jackhammer the cone into the pipe till it is wedged into place. Brighter minds can take it form there.
I am trying to shut the pipe down not capture the flow which is comprised of oil and methane gas. The methane gas essentially froze (I am not a chemical engineer) and caused the failure of that device.
I was also thinking that you could cut off the blow out preventer, then take a larger ID steel pipe with a new blow out preventer attached and slip over the existing pipe, weld in place. Again, using fast suction to lower the pressure so the weld could be put in place.
You could also dig down around the base of the pipe and install a cauldron so that after the over fit was put in place, you could pump in concrete at the base. This would further lock the over fit to the well head and add some weight (maybe a couple tons of concrete?) to help hold the blow out preventer in place.
Why not use the tubing they were using to pump mud into the BOP to reroute the oil up to the surface. Crimp the riser.
Now swim down a mile and do it!
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