Why cant they use a blast to slow or stop leak?

[puppetmaster]

Can't they just use a small to medium detonation to collapse the pipeline and seal the leak in the gulf?

Seems really weird that this is taken so long....I guess call me a conspiracy theorist.

[ItsTime]

My guess it would be like blowing up a straw, causing more leaks.

[specsaregood]

I believe the Russians suggested we use a small nuke and its been bandied around the interwebs.

Some argue that it could cause a much bigger hole, and then you'd end up with a much bigger, faster flowing problem.

[puppetmaster]

just seems to me at a mile down the pressure is quite strong and the sediment would fill in quicky...but I am no rocket scientist

[virgil47]

Can't they just use a small to medium detonation to collapse the pipeline and seal the leak in the gulf?

Seems really weird that this is taken so long....I guess call me a conspiracy theorist.

They would lose the well and would not be allowed to redrill. If they cap it they can come back at a later time to get the oil.

[idirtify]

just seems to me at a mile down the pressure is quite strong and the sediment would fill in quicky...but I am no rocket scientist

Something is “fishy” with the oil leak. Far from “rocket science”, it’s only plumbing science. I mean how hard is it to attach a big pipe to a big pipe? Yeah, it’s a mile underwater, but didn’t they successfully complete far bigger and more complicated projects down there when they constructed the rig? But hey…I’m no expert. And I don’t want to start another conspiracy theory. But what better place for self-sabotage than a mile underwater where no one can go or see or investigate?

[Zippyjuan]

The pipe has a large, irregular hole in it and fluids coming out unded high pressure. To properly patch it and connect new a new pipe to it you need to make a neat cut in the existing pipe and fit a coupling around it to join the old and new pipe. Due to the depth you cannot use divers for this purpose but will have to use un-manned (or manned but would probably be un-manned) submersables to try to do it.

[bchavez]

I WILL SOLVE THIS OIL SPILL CRISIS...

Anyone who can plug the hole gets ownership of the oil well, rights to drill in the area, and all profits tax free....

:) haha

[YumYum]

And I don’t want to start another conspiracy theory. But what better place for self-sabotage than a mile underwater where no one can go or see or investigate?

Israel did it with one of their super mini-subs. They want us to stay dependent on Middle East oil so we will forever keep our troops in Iraq and the rest of the Middle East. Its really a no-brainer, actually.

[idirtify]

The pipe has a large, irregular hole in it and fluids coming out unded high pressure. To properly patch it and connect new a new pipe to it you need to make a neat cut in the existing pipe and fit a coupling around it to join the old and new pipe. Due to the depth you cannot use divers for this purpose but will have to use un-manned (or manned but would probably be un-manned) submersables to try to do it.

No matter if it’s a hole or an irregular break, high pressure output would not prevent the repair. To counteract the pressure that would impede the coupling, you would simply use a big pump on the other end of your new pipe/hose. Sucking more than 200,000 gallons per day would be no problem; that’s only 138 GPM. In fact, a big pump would vacuum the new hose right up and onto the broken leaking pipe. But don’t forget to bring a big hose clamp.

Really…this is basic plumbing. Something is very fishy down there.

[tangent4ronpaul]

No matter if it’s a hole or an irregular break, high pressure output would not prevent the repair. To counteract the pressure that would impede the coupling, you would simply use a big pump on the other end of your new pipe/hose. Sucking more than 200,000 gallons per day would be no problem; that’s only 138 GPM. In fact, a big pump would vacuum the new hose right up and onto the broken leaking pipe. But don’t forget to bring a big hose clamp.

Really…this is basic plumbing. Something is very fishy down there.

Go swiming. Bring a couple of pieces of 1" dia PVC pipe - maybe one 2' long and one 4 ' long. Swim down with each so only a bit is sticking out of the water. Notice a difference in how much effort it takes to breath through each?

20,000 psi is NOT "basic plumbing"!

-t

[ViniVidiVici]

That would destroy a well that BP has spent (hundreds?) of millions of $ on. From their POV, destroying the Gulf coast may be cheaper for them than blowing up the well...and the government won't do it because they're bought and paid for by Big Oil.

[Zippyjuan]

There is so much pressure that you would not need a pump- and that is the problem. The relief well they are trying to drill is intended to take off some of the pressure coming through the pipe but that will take a long time to get drilled. Basic plumming is not done at near zero temperatures or the massive pressure of being a mile undersea trying to patch a broken pipe lying horizontally on the bottom of the ocean with the contents of the pipe also pushing out at very high pressure. With basic plumming you shut off the flow before you begin work to relieve the pressure on the line so you can work on it. In 1979 there was another undersea blowout in only about 150 feet of water (not 5000) and it took nine months plus two relief wells drilled before they could finally get it under control. It is not nearly as easy to deal with as you try to make it sound. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601072&sid=aVWfx_3X8i0U

April 30 (Bloomberg) -- The worst blowout on record took about nine months to cap using two relief wells, the same technique BP Plc has said it will deploy to stem gushing crude from the Macondo well in the Gulf of Mexico.

In 1979, Ixtoc-1, an exploratory well owned by Petroleos Mexicanos in 150 feet of water, blew out 600 miles (966 kilometers) south of Texas in Mexico’s Bay of Campeche and spilled an estimated 3.3 million barrels into the Gulf, according to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the American Petroleum Institute.

[pacelli]

They can't stop it until oil is washing up on the shores of the entire east coast. Only then will a real solution be implemented to stop the leak.

[idirtify]

Go swiming. Bring a couple of pieces of 1" dia PVC pipe - maybe one 2' long and one 4 ' long. Swim down with each so only a bit is sticking out of the water. Notice a difference in how much effort it takes to breath through each?

20,000 psi is NOT "basic plumbing"!

-t

Just to clarify:
I was talking about the pressure of the oil coming out of the pipe, but you are talking about the pressure of the ambient water at a mile down – and saying that it is the main impediment. But your claim is automatically disputed by all the construction that was previous completed by the well/rig builders. Do we have LESS ability/technology now?

[idirtify]

There is so much pressure that you would not need a pump- and that is the problem. The relief well they are trying to drill is intended to take off some of the pressure coming through the pipe but that will take a long time to get drilled. Basic plumming is not done at near zero temperatures or the massive pressure of being a mile undersea trying to patch a broken pipe lying horizontally on the bottom of the ocean with the contents of the pipe also pushing out at very high pressure. With basic plumming you shut off the flow before you begin work to relieve the pressure on the line so you can work on it. In 1979 there was another undersea blowout in only about 150 feet of water (not 5000) and it took nine months plus two relief wells drilled before they could finally get it under control. It is not nearly as easy to deal with as you try to make it sound. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601072&sid=aVWfx_3X8i0U

Good point about a previous leak that was shallower. I hope you are right. That means there is no conspiracy to leave is leaking.

[Captain Bryan]

I WILL SOLVE THIS OIL SPILL CRISIS...

Anyone who can plug the hole gets ownership of the oil well, rights to drill in the area, and all profits tax free....

:) haha

This.

[tangent4ronpaul]

Just to clarify:
I was talking about the pressure of the oil coming out of the pipe, but you are talking about the pressure of the ambient water at a mile down – and saying that it is the main impediment. But your claim is automatically disputed by all the construction that was previous completed by the well/rig builders. Do we have LESS ability/technology now?

I'm talking about the dificulty to pump or pull anything over a mile, and the depth just makes the situation worse. You said something about creating a vaccume a bile down at 20,000+ psi fighting you. I don't see that happening.

-t

[RyanRSheets]

Something is very fishy down there.

Something's fishy in the ocean?! O' dear lawd!