More BP oil spill suggestions from our readers

This idea is straight forward, easy, and ‘relativly’ cheap to impliment. This suggestion explains how to plug the oil leak. The downside to the idea is that if it fails to stop the flow of oil, it could potencially hinder future plugging efforts.

Large barges full of large concrete blocks or boulders(the size of small cars) are deployed above the location of the leak. The boulders are then dropped(several hundred or thousand of them) into the ocean in such way as to create a small hill around the oil leak. What this will theoretically achieve is to spread out where the oil is leaking from. Instead of it leaking from one source under great pressure, it will now be leaking at much less pressure from multiple ‘gaps’(many hundreds/thousands) in the concrete hill. The next step is to now drop smaller boulders so that these fill the larger gaps in the ‘concrete block hill’, which will further disperse and spread out the oil leakage. This process is repeated until gravel is eventually then dropped over the entire hill filling more of the gaps, hopefully making the oil seep out more slowly(and under much less pressure) from the entire mass of rock/concrete blocks – the oil leak should now be dispersed all over the ‘hill’.

Now, since the oil is leaking very slowly over a much greater surface area and under much less pressure, the entire ‘hill’ could now be sealed in a concrete sarcophagos – stopping the leak entirely.

Hi, my suggestion is to continue what you are doing but place a wide, loose, oil proof fabric sleeve around the blowout preventer that would continue up to the recovery vessel. It would be flexible and loose enough to accommodate any ice that forms on contact with the methane gas and would collect most of the oil that is leaking from the sides of your current system. The oil would be collected at the top of the sleeve. The sleeve could be dropped from the top and guided down by the remote subs by slowly removing air from buoyancy tanks.

Big reinforced concrete containment cone

BP started with the idea to place a containment cap over the spill – but for my oppinion this was a wrong construct – 14-foot by 4-foot is much to small.

Large sea cranes can handle parts of 200 metric tonnes and more into this deep.

A reinforced concrete containment cone has to be built with several pre-fabricated reinforced concrete parts – each as heavy as possible – each of these parts have the form of a conical ring.

There conical form permits that they can be placed atop of each other with relative ease – they overlap and should fit well into each other.

Built into the upper one or two rings are connections where hoses can be fitted to pump out the liquid from inside the cone. The amount of liquid the pumps must handle have to succeed the amount of oil spill to enable a suction trough the small gaps between the ring to seal the oil spill.
Once pumps are in action the cone can be closed with a reinforced concrete cap.

Reinforced concrete parts can be constructed at nearby shipyards.
A lot of companys have the qualification to build such parts, the raw material is not rare. The construction of reinforced concrete parts is a relative speedy task.

I think the best way of at least containing the oil still flowing would be to rest a large “pagoda” style chimney over the wellhead.

It would be wide enough to accomadate the current leak and any future ones and tall enough from the well head so that pressure would not obstruct collection.

Could be made of a steel frame with ABS plastic or fiberglass “windows” The frame could be open on the bottom, allowing for robots to reach the well for maintenance and

encase the leak. put the beast in a cage, when the cage doesn’t work, reinforce the cage. weld metal plates onto leaks, then reinforce. then reinforce. there won’t be any leak if it is stifled by layers and layers of metal.

regarding clean up, hire locals who are out of pocket due to spill to help clean up the mess. let the press know. locals earn money, BP look like they care about the locals, mess gets help cleaning. everybody wins.

I was wondering if it wouldn’t be possible to build something like a huge metal box (or, perhaps, an old barge flipped upside down, for example), punch 12 or 20 holes in the (bottom)…say, 9 -12 inches in diameter attach the same number of hoses to said holes; sink it to the sea floor…and let the oil force it’s way to the surface; perhaps to the same number of containment vessels. Possibly add 12-20 pumps to these hoses–either at sea-bottom or surface level. Just “brain-storming”. I’m no engineer, but it seems like a fairly simple solution.
I meantioned this possible solution to a number of people a few weeks ago and it seems favorable in the opinions of those to whom I’ve suggested it.

Insert a solid conical shape object that gradually increases in diameter as it is lowered into the casing. Engineering would be needed to calculate the bouancy of the object and pressure from the well discharge. The plug could be concrete.

in the gulf isnt there a way to insert a large balloon or infaltable device that could b inflated to plug up the pipe and stop the leak. Anyone who has had a colon test knows

This is just a simple suggestion to contain the oil as it is floating up from the ocean floor. As oil solidifies with cold.
If it is feasible to maintain the minimal amount of shore damage, by booming the initial places the oil is rising Then with sucker booms suck it into a refrigerated type of shipping containers. As oil solidifies, it can then be separated from the sea water. Once Separated and the water pumped out, the oil can return to it’s consistency through the warm area or heat and pumped into container ships to be brought to the refineries.
If this helps Maintain some profit and helps so that there is not as much clean up, you owe me a beer and a pretzel

Now I do not know how much pressure is pushing out the oil but if a solid mechanical arm can hold a bladder inside the pipe and be filled with air water and flax seed. It expands but so does concrete if a bladder was put inside the bladder and the top of the pipe altered or narrowed so once the bladder is solidified it will not push out.

If this suggestion works You owe me a beer in Mexico Ha Ha
They are simple solutions but sometime it is the simple things in life that give you breathing room until a permenant solution can be obtained
God be with you
Rick

My thoughts actually come from the Bible story in Judges 3:19-22 where a man was so fat that when stabbed the fat enclosed the sword – handle and all. So I picture some type of badder like a rubber diggy, filled with something that would form around the pipe. At the top of this would be a whole with a pipe attached allowing the oil to rise and be captured. Wierd I know. All the best BP and those working with you. Our prayers are with you all.

Has anyone heard of a inverted funnel? The lower diameter would be the circumference needed to cover the leak. The upper portion would be a large circumference, large enough for a tanker to suck the oil out of the concentrated area. It may be awhile before they find a stop, but this will a least contain the oil to a specific area.

Suggestion for stopping the flow of oil.
Using a ROV, thread a cable of sufficient diameter and stiffness into the the pipe against the flow of oil. Affixed to the end of the cable inserted in the pipe is a shielded and tapered device that opens upon external activation to create an anchor that contacts the ID of the pipe. The device is designed in such a way that springs and levers would multiple the mechanical force applied to the pipe ID, this axial force increasing with increased (pulling) force applied to the cable (longitudinal).
When the cable is secured it becomes a guide wire for pulling into the pipe, a properly sized and configured canister with a small explosive charge inside. When the canister has been inserted a sufficient distance inside the pipe and is being held steady in the flow, the explosive charge is activated and the canister rapidly expands against the ID of the pipe sealing it against all or most of the flow. Once the flow is slowed or stopped, permanent sealing measures could be undertaken.
Best of Luck in whatever you choose to do.

Instead of BP using an anti-freeze-like chemical dispersant to break up the oil they should use a freezing agent to freeze the oil in and around the leaking pipe line.

“What can I say?” What do we know..? We know the oil needs to stop, yet forcing a sudden stop may be dangerous. I propose we deploy heavy machinery capable of manipulating and carefully pinching the gushing oil pipe. Possibly a combonation of the same tools once used to “cut the pipe” combined with the idea of “inserting a smaller pipe” ready to function as a pump. “Hey!” If they can make big, robotic, machanical “SHEARS”, I trust that a “big set of needlenose plyers” similar in nature is or can be made… STEPS FOR PROBLEM SOLVING; 1.> Identify the problem. (obvious but requires special tools.) 2.> Determine how much pressure is not only a safe amount to allow build up in the gushing pipe if it were partialy pinched shut, but use that measure also to match a more appropriate sized “smaller pipe” this time. 3.> Take the smartest “guy” we got and give him or her control of those two measured elements as we re-insert the small pipe only this time carefuly pinching the the big pipe around it. 4.> Measure twice, “pinch once!”
3.>

What if we made a screw that was about 1′ larger than the pipe. The ridges on the side would dig into the sand and bedrock stopping the oil from spewing out the sides. We would need to put it in like a screw though because if it’s put in like a nail the screw would blast out an would just make the hole bigger.

please review this web sight uscomposites.com under urethane FAQs I found it the most info on the material in my research

I have been in the drilling industry for 23 years and also have a degree in fluid power technology. The channeling and controlling the oil spill can be accomplished by using a larger diameter conduit from the BOP to the gulf surface. If the open discharge at the BOP is 18″ diameter (254 in2) then the riser tube should be approx 30″ diameter (706 in2). Oil will flow through the riser as long as there are surface recovery vessels pumping at the same rate as the oil is discharging from the well head. As long as fluid is in motion and in a vaccum the oil will remain contained in the riser tube/pipe. It should also allow some sea water to enter the pipe at the well head. A weight ring, cable lanyards or connector will hold the riser in place. Separating the water from the oil can be accomplished at the surface in the recovery vessel. A large float ring or air bladders on the surface will hold the riser pipe in a semi-plumed position, lanyard fasten to recovery vessel. As long as the fluid is being pumped at the surface the fulid (oil and seawater) will be in a vaccum. Fluid under pressure will always take the path of least resistance.

I see all these ideas and suggestions, but BP is not doing any of them now. Who is in charge and implementing these dieas into action?

I think we could come up with large enough amounts of dry ice to surround the leak, and with the pressure from the white bubbles push it one way or another. We synthesize it from carbon dioxide, so we could start with large amounts on the outside and over 5 days push it inward to a smaller area.

Maybe the science is wrong but here’s the idea…
someone could check it and get back to me.

dry ice+ water = dihydrocarbondioxide..
+ oil = dihydrofluorohexane which if i’m not miostaken deep sea vent bacteria eat and could make biologically okay.,.

oh and how about the combination of those used in a self sustained pressure engine for vehicles.. something that lives off bacteria, dry ice, and water….

I have an entire diagram here.. where can I upload this image to?

INVERTED FUNNEL UPON FUNNEL SYSTEMATICALLY ARRANGED ONE UPON THE OTHER KEEPING IN MIND THE AREA OF THE BASE FUNNEL TO BE LARGE ENOUGH TO WITH HELD THE TIDE PRESSURE TO AVOID TOPPLING. THESE FUNNEL SHOULD HAVE MULTIPLE NOZZLE WHERE BY THE MULTIPLE HOSE WUD SUCK THE LEAK UPTO OIL CONTAINER GUIDED BY SUBMARINES ,,, ITS WATER PROBLEM NAVY WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE (FBI) ON THE SPOT

It is obvious after so many days that this leak will be very hard to stop. My idea is to lower down a very large half globe(h.g.) with several openings that are larger than the actual leak on top of the half globe.Strap the (h.g.) to the floor with submersibles. Connect large hoses to large pumps located on oil tankers to collect the oil. The money from all the profits from the oil recovered from this well should directly go to clean up the ocean,create new eco systems to provoke and maintain new marine life and to the states that have suffered.

Dear friends:
As far as I understand in the core of the problem we face are the extreme deep underwater conditions. Therefore the simplest and quickest should be to take advantage on these conditions. For instance: 90 atmospheres at 1,000 meters below level of the sea and around 5°C.
Some time ago, I was working on an idea in order to obtain methane gas from gas hydrates deposits in the bottom of the sea looking for an economical extraction method. Now let me explain how we could stop the spill using these conditions. Take a look at the following facts:
1.- This spill happen because there is a lot of pressure into the gas and oil reservoir. It means there is a lot of methane and other associated gases that get out every second.
2.- There is a lot of gas associated on this spill. Initial explosion was started by an excess of gas from the bottom of the sea. I am sure it is the core part of the problem. Then it could become an strong part of the solution.
3.- As far as I know from a TV report gas hydrates cause problems in the effort to stop the spill when you try to fix the first cap to divert oil toward your ships (I am not sure, in May?).Therefore we are sure they are there..
4.- Some methods we usually know work on the surface became useless in Deep water work 3,000 feet below the sea level
5.- As by sure you well known gas hydrates cause problems for the petroleum industry because they can form inside pipelines often resulting in plug formation.
6.- I do not know enough about the damaged mechanism that laid in the sea floor right now. But I believe we may design a mechanism to
6.1.- Inject some water into the broken tube.
6.2.- Put some super fridge around some strategic points of the mechanism in order to achieve temperatures below freezing into the pipeline. I am suggesting we must use liquid hydrogen -252.87 °C equivalent to -423.17 °F. Why? 5°C would be enough for gas hydrates. And 5°C is the normal temperature at this depth around. But I want to secure that the oil could be frozen even. In other words super cold the tube means to create a solid inside by sure. Niagara Falls still motionless when frozen.
6.3.- The super fridge may have the following features:
6.3.0.- Super cooler could use liquid hydrogen that may be preserved at very low temperatures using the deep water pressure that prevail on Deepwater Horizon (Super cooler could use liquid hydrogen that may be preserved at very low temperatures using the deep water pressure that prevail on Deepwater Horizon (I am not sure about depth I think I heard about 1,200 meters below the surface? I just asked for information about previous efforts to halt the spill but I do not received any data about it until now.
6.3.1.- It must be designed to support pressure from the internal mechanism given that it could be weakened by the extreme cold. For instance in order to reinforce the tube (if this is the proper place to fix the super cooler) the mechanism or other gadget designed to work under extreme temperatures should be put around it). And as a second layer the super cooler. You may obtain solid gas hydrates on the tube in order to create a plug formation. It should be long enough to clog the pipeline. Have the bolster and or the tube a proper internal form in order to halt the spill? May we make a plug strong enough? Answers to these questions are the key to succeed in this project
6.3.2.- I do not know details about the mechanism in the head of the well but maybe there are a better place to install the super fridge or to inject cooler inside. The super cooler, should be designed in line with the structure that should be frozen. In other words, the super cooler, should be designed in line with the structure it should fit, and as large as required, Otherwise we should have a lot of solid pieces of oil in the bottom launched by the well pressure. (even so probably they may remain solid as gas hydrates at 5°C.
6.3.3.- The super fridge should have into the wall tiles like that of the shuttle space fuselage or other temperature insulator in order to preserve the cold chamber. It is unavoidable to freeze collateral areas, but we must minimize them in order to work in the second stage.
6.3.4.- This is a provisional solution, aimed to stop the leak until a permanent solution like that you are implementing to kill the well from the bottom with cement works. In other words we know this is a good solution but it requires time. Therefore our super fridge must work for at least some weeks in order to wait for the final solution.
6.3.5.- At the other hand If it is possible halt the spill for a while, probably it could be possible to fix a control valve in the broken tube.
6.3.6.- When everything is ready to kill the well permanently, you only need to warm the mechanism in order to open the system to work with. Therefore, the super cooler should be designed to become a heater.
6.3.7.- Super fridge should be energized from the surface but should depend on a secondary source in the bottom of the sea to be working for a while just in blackout case. Otherwise thinking about hurricane season probably a US Navy nuclear submarine could provide enough power without interruption from a secure depth for three months even.
I do not know if we may build the super cooler on time to stop the deepwater Horizon Gulf spill for a while, but it could be worthy to do so at least for the following reasons:
A.- We must be ready to stop any future deepwater spill
B.- Any delay on the schedule to kill the Deepwater Horizon Gulf Oil Spill, shall mean a worst environmental and economic impact.
I hope my idea should be acceptable at your eyes and could be usable to halt the spill and any other spill in the future quickly.

Summary
I believe you should use temperatures below freezing in order to clog the spill for a while and after that without the excessive pressure problem and with not more oil spill, it could be easier implement a second stage to kill the well permanently.
Sincerely Yours.
Josue Carrillo Blanco
Josuecb5000@yahoo.com.mx
San Simón 63 b – 6. Colonia San Simón Ticuman, cp 03660 México City, Distrito Federal, México.
Dial México, from the US 001 (55) 52 43 86 66
Cell phone (55) 11 43 92 71

How about designing an explosive stage to a blowout preventer as a last ditch seal. Perhaps a copper coller that could be blown into a top seal. or a shaped slug that could be forced into the throat and blown into a pipe plug and welds itself to the pipe.I would think that the water could be used as a tamper for such a device.
I would think that Dr. Sidney Alford could determine the feasibility of this idea.