What I don't get about the spill containment...

hootinholler

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Mon May-03-10 06:58 AM
Original message

What I don't get about the spill containment...

Is why don't we have like a 50 foot diameter tube that can be deployed from the surface to the wellhead and funnel the spilling oil to the surface in a column that can be pumped into tankers?

It seems to me that one of those submersibles could place and anchor such a device over the well head at least as a temporary measure to deal with the spill at the source until the well can be brought under control. Even if it can contain a quarter of the oil escaping, that would be 1/4 less oil to be dealt with, right?

:shrug:

-Hoot

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chillspike

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Mon May-03-10 07:02 AM
Response to Original message

1. My father asked that yesterday...

He said why don't we just vacuum up the spill right into one of those huge oil tankers? I would be interested in the answer too.

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babylonsister

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Mon May-03-10 07:16 AM
Response to Original message

2. There's been talk of a dome and relief wells...

and I don't profess to know what half of this stuff means, but all avenues are being explored. Don't know if the powers-that-be have settled on anything yet.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=8254987

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4364725

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tekisui

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Mon May-03-10 07:20 AM
Response to Reply #2

5. My understanding is they are attempting both.

The dome would be a 'quick fix', coming in a few days. It won't capture all of the oil, and from only one of the three leaks. Unfortunately, the dome would be useless if the kink in the riser gives and the oil flows at full pressure. And, until the relief well is in place, the loss of that kink is possible.

The relief well, if successful, would stop the leak altogether and take 3 months.

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tekisui

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Mon May-03-10 07:17 AM
Response to Original message

3. They are trying to do that with the domes.

But, their capabilities will only be able to capture the oil from one leak. I don't think it has been successfully done at that depth, either. It will take a few days to get it, and see if it works and helps.

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dipsydoodle

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Mon May-03-10 07:17 AM
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4. May well be ,

no pun intended , that they'd have no real means of controlling the rate of flow.

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Are_grits_groceries

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Mon May-03-10 07:20 AM
Response to Original message

6. The pressure down there is huge.

They would have to have a way to get it to go over the wellhead with the oil coming out at great force. In addition, the pipe would have to be structurally sound to avoid collapse and leaks. The length of the pipe would be problematic too.

If possible, I don't think it's been even made into a prototype much less having one built.

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hootinholler

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Mon May-03-10 07:24 AM
Response to Reply #6

7. I was thinking canvas, not trying to deal with containing the pressures...

Just trying to capture the oil into a column that can be pumped from. Yes I agree that it in a long tube but you only need to control the direction of the oil, the pressures would be near equal once the oil is released, and hoops ever 10 feet or so would hold the tube open while it fills with oil displacing the water in the tube.

-Hoot

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Botany

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Mon May-03-10 07:26 AM
Response to Original message

8. Highly complex engineering and building conditions there

* 1 mile under the ocean

* the oil coming out is under huge pressure

* As of now we have never done or built anything that can shut off the oil as it is now leaking out.

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hayu_lol

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Mon May-03-10 07:30 AM
Response to Reply #8

10. A mile or so of 50 foot pipe would take time to manufacture...

and transport to the site. Best thing right now is to get at least one dome in place and hope that the wellhead stays intact.

I understand that they have an additional dome enroute.

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hootinholler

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Mon May-03-10 07:31 AM
Response to Reply #8

11. I'm not thinking about shutting it off...

Just steering the oil to where it can be collected while they work on gaining control of the well. Once the oil is released from the well, the pressure is whatever the ambient water pressure is.

-Hoot

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Scuba

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Mon May-03-10 07:43 AM
Response to Reply #8

13. Nailed It

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lunatica

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Mon May-03-10 07:29 AM
Response to Original message

9. I picture trying to use a garden hose on a fire hydrant

Edited on Mon May-03-10 07:30 AM by lunatica

The oil would probably spray out with so much pressure that it would look like a hose gone wild whipping and spraying all over the place. Potentially it could be just as bad or even worse.

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KayLaw

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Mon May-03-10 07:34 AM
Response to Original message

12. Have domes been used before?

If so, where are they? Could we try those in the meantime rather than waiting a full week for BP to construct new domes? Have we asked the International community for help?

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