Dan Nichols sent us this suggestion:
From:
dan nichols
pattidan@yahoo.com
Message:
I am putting my name and idea anywhere I can as I think it is very
viable .I am a field service millwright and suggest crimping the
leaking riser shut until the relief well can be implemented . We can
build a self contained hydraulic open jaw press to press this pipe
shut in a very short period of time ,if the process is started .Please
forward this to whoever will listen and have them contact me to
discuss details and viability. thanks dan n
{ 208 comments… read them below or add one }
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Put the world in a time machine and go back to before they drilled the well or other deep water wells and don’t let them drill in the deep water in the first place. But, right now, looking at the large vertical pipe leaking(22″ diameter or larger??) which has a pipe connection just below it, they could still do a temporary fix(could have done a temp fix the first day if they were prepared) by having a device consisting of basically a tubular plug that is tapered a little like a cork shape to be inserted down into the leaking pipe and on the downstream end have a valve in the open position that will be shut once it is lowered down into the leak. And since there is a pipe joint just below the leak, they could use the pipe joint sticking out wider than the rest of the pipe as a place to snag the apparatus on to the pipe to hold it onto it somehow and resist the force of the oil leak. Basically, if I saw a leak like this above ground i would just suggest the same thing. The plugging device with valve would be raised over the leaking pipe, dropped down inside tightly sealing inside the leak, fasten it down somehow to the pipe joint area, then just close the dang valve,,,you could even have a coupler downstream of the valve if you absolutely had to start flowing oil again, etc,,,it’s just a nightmare that the ocean’s weight is pressing down on the ocean floor forcing this oil out and it will push it out until it is all gone. Why didn’t the idiots just respond when it first happened and get a hold of the original hose that leaked and pull or push a plug device with a valve on it months ago,,,or even just smash the end with a giant vice grips type device…….how can our government or the rest of the world sit around and let this catastrophe happen that will spread everywhere eventually. I’ve heard about conspiracy theories,,but if this is something like a conspiracy, then why destroy the ocean while you’re trying to bankrupt America and the world for that matter. What did the fish ever do to harm you high power people?!!!
The oil field tool companies like Baker-Hughes have a plug that can be pushed into the opening of the pipe. Once in place the pipe is jolted up/down then rotated serveral times, ie clockwise then counter clockwise to expand the tool/plug, the well is now sealed. The drill pipe is then disconnected from the tool/plug. Cement slurry is mixed, pumped and displaced on top of the tool/plug to provide a permanent seal.
I have done the above cementing operation dozens of times while employed by BJ Hughes off the Coast of Long Beach, California.
Subject: Another suggestion for stopping the BP oil leak.
I am getting sick of watching these feeble attempts by BP to stop the flow of oil from this well by trying to seal it on the outside of the broken pipe.
The only way to seal it up and stop the leak is to do it on the inside of the pipe, providing that the riser pipe is still in reasonable good shape.
To do this I suggest using a heavy round tapered steel stopper, (similar to a bottle stopper or plumb-bob) with a long taper to plug the end of the pipe. With enough weight and the right taper and length, the stopper could be dropped (using a winch line) into the jagged pipe end with enough force to accomplish three important functions.
1. It would straighten and round out the end of the jagged pipe allowing for an internal seal to stop and collect the oil.
2. Temporarily stop the flow of oil until more permanent repairs can be made.
3. Help to prepare the broken pipe for the insertion of a slightly tapered adapter pipe with a shutoff valve that could be forced inside the pipe for a more complete seal and possibly a permanent repair. The adapter could then be secured with some sort of pipe clamp or an attachment designed to the grab onto the existing BOP that would hold it in place against the oil pressure.
I feel confident that this plan will work providing it is done correctly and the riser pipe is strong enough.
If you think my suggestion has merit please pass it on to someone in the oil industry or government who could act on it.
Remove the silly Cap and then pinch the riser pipe shut with dulled Hydraulic shears. Anyone that’s ever drank through a straw know what happens when its crimped. For crying out loud, this is drop dead simple. Why haven’t they done this already. Yeah, the pinched off pipe will stiull leak, but nothing compared to the gushing that’s currently coming out.
Has Obama asked anyone in the many US labs, military, or NASA to help … or is he just going to keep depending on BP and watch as they fumble … and continue to threaten them (I’m sure they find that extremely motivating).
Do a ‘bottom kill”. Thread a small diameter rigid pipe fitted with a collapsible upside down titatnium ‘umbrella’ at the very end all the way through the existing well until it penetrates the actual oil pocket. Then deploy the ‘umbrella’, retract the pipe to cover the well bottom and suction the remaining oil in the line out through openings in the insterted pipe, fill with quick hardening cement and be done with this well.
As an ongoing punishment any oil that continues to be pumped from this reservoir should benefit the populations of Louisiana, Alabama and Florida indefinitely.
I agree with your punisment. Good call.
Install a rubber cone type groment on the bottom of a submarine and land it on top of the oil leak; allow it to sit until water clears. Use deep sea divers to do the following:
1. Drill a hole on the groment
2. Attach a clear rubber line into the hole of the groment
3. Seal it with liquid foam or cement.
4. strap the groment around the pipe
5. Remove submarine
6. Process duration: 10 days
I would like to suggest, a pipe that would have and inflatable bladder mounted to the end of the pipe, that could be lowered into the wellpipe, and afterwards inflated. I believe this would stem the flow of oil.
The idea I thought of is to create polymer based tube that could be lowered to fit around the current pipe that is leaking. This pipe could be pre fabricated at the top to be connected to a new oil pipeline (free of any leaks with various stop valves in place). The bottom of the tube, which would go around the leaking pipe, would have lengths of low level heating elements in place inside the polymer tube. Once the polymer tube is in place around the leaking pipe the heating elements could be turned on and the metal/plastic polymer would begin to shrink around the existing tube making a tight fit and creating a new tube. I don’t know if there is anything out there like that now but the idea came from when you place the plastic sleeves around metal wires and when heated the plastic shrinks to make a tight cover around the wire providing protection.
Just my thought for what it’s worth.
I just think it is really sad that we all look like a bunch of idiots trying to figure this problem out. It is not just BP…Last time I checked we were a world of knowledgably people and we all should step up and do something to help. I find it funny that we run with open arms to help other governments and countries with their devastating problems and give them our time, effort and money. Heck if they are really bad off we even pour in like a flood to adopt their children. But when it comes to the USA we allow mediocrity to set in dealing with our problems. We all need to step it up and do something. Even if it is just being verbal over our disgust and putting pressure on BP and our government to do something to solve this problem. This is, by the way, just a problem and there is a solution. It is a shame that the people that have worked so hard and rebuilt from previous hurricanes etc now have this manmade disaster to cope with. They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger but one has to wonder how strong these folks are going to have to be to survive this. Without industry and tourism the whole gulf coast is going to suffer. In this economy this could be the final straw that breaks all of our backs.
I know that bale’s of hay absorb oil, if you take a lot of bale’s of hay and and have them dipped into the ocean where the oil is, once the bale is removed it will have soaked a lot of oil and the water will be clear, it will take a good bit of hay and a lot of work , but it will work. I hope this works. Thank you, Denise Crocker Dover ,8420 Hwy 9 Inman, South Carolina, 29349 (864) 761-7380
Easy Two Step Top Kill method.
Topkill method without locking bottom at such a low temperature and high pressure would result in the junk materials going down to oiil reservoir and not able to block the lickin hole.
Topkill method in such a case should be done in two steps,
(1) Place rope attached mesh cups with at down to the 100 meter or more from the top of the spill point. ( This will not stop oil leaking but anchoring points for the top-kill materials).
(2) Place top kill material on the top of the mesh cups. To the height near the top. Top kill material could be golf balls or similar materials to allow figh speed and pressure to move-up while those bouncing in a limited space.
(3) By step (1) and (2) pressure will greatly drop with minor leaking. THen seal the top with concrete or other meterials.
Why can’t we imploy the use of a crane with a wrecking ball. I believe there are different types and sizes of wrecking balls from cement to steel and small diameter to large. Bring them to the site with enough cable to place one of them over the pipe the weight of the ball should be sufficient to decrease the flow and then we could secure the leakage by an underwater welder or pressurized concrete injection.
My suggestion is very Simple – STOP THE LEAK until the relief wells can be drilled. My idea: Take One or our Large Old Naval Ships now Retired and sitting in Dry-Dock out to the site and SINK THE SUCKER OVER THE SITE and guide it down till it Covers the HOLE! These old ships have been sunk in the past – so WHY NOT USE IT AS A CORK?
I have worked with gas leaks in the past comming out at high pressures not at exteme pressures however procedure would work the same. The technology has been around for years where I work. Procedure is as follows. Mueller Canada I am sure has equiptment for bigger inch stuff.
Basically the machine is a hot tap on the side of the good pipe that will allow a rubber plug to be inserted threw the side wall almost like a balloon that swells up internally fully stopping the leak and containing the pressure inorder too have a contol valve too be either inserted or should I say there is your contol of your problem. Funny we where talking about this at work today and I had three different ideas on this and most where mentioned here but not this one. I have a few years expierence at this kind of thing on live lines the difference being is its on land not at sea but I am confident in what I have done and where I come from being a jouneyman welder/ pipeline worker / poly fusing/ hot tapping background I would love to get my hands on this with the right guys could contol this and still bring oil to refinery
Have more to say about this just wish I could talk too someone of importance that could take action on this cause it does work and can prove it
I am kind of heated about this. Dont wait for the relief well to be drilled when all the tools you need to stop this are already handy just let me help and I will consult you in the direction to goand proceedures too follow in a safe and managable way cause lets face it enough is enough
I know how to stop oil leak simply use an Aircraft Carrier. Find an old decommissioned aircraft carrier and sink it .The weight of the carrier will stop the oil leak in the gulf. To make a long story short, drop an aircraft carrier on the leaking oil well.
I too sent in a suggestion (like Dan Nichols’) to crimp the line above the valve. It may not be 100% stopped but certaianly it will crimp to 99.9%. that should be sufficient enought to allow for the much slower drilling of the second well. Crimping is common for all kinds of leaks and when done correctly is permanent.
Steel sqeezes are common in any utility company at least where I have delt with not too complicated to operate either. Lets get something going here either do a hot tap like I suggested before in another comment, this will allow oil to be brought to surface under control. Sqeeze of tools also allow for a repair or pipeline to be added on the end there are many diiferent ways to fix this lets get it going people. I say keep drilling the relief well but not for the relief but for the oil that is there. I say lets get er done already enough is enough
Another way to fix an open ended leak such as this is too sleave a pipe over top of the end with a valve already welded onto the sleeve making sure that the valve is open place over the pipe creating a socket weld and no worries of the of a poor weld cause the oil is venting above the weld on will not interfier with anything. talk to expierienced help and you will get an answer. This here my friends is by far the dominant way to fix a leak of this nature because of the depths and the pressure. Have seen this done more than would care too but it works very well I might add
I was an industrial mechanic for twenty years. I suggest to use a blind flange plate, I noticed there are two flanges below the little stub of broken pipe, if there is a way to unbolt half of the flange and loosen just a little the rest of the bolts, a blind flange plate can be inserted and the flange re-tightened. this would definitely stop the flow of crude.
First off mud has no structure, no body. However you have the injection part right. What you need is thoses rubberised Police nets that deploy while being shot out of a gun. However in the gulf you need to inject them down in to the tube and like a semi automatic gun pump down about a hundred of them. Pack Pack Pack, let er have it. This will either stop it or slow it down. Don’t be greedy one step at a time. Then you need the screen or ballast the heavy stone that they use in oil tankers pour that around the base of the hole. Build it up semi level. Get a big 5 inch thick mat of rubber weighed down at its ends to go over the whole ordeal. Then get about 100 thousand tons of that screen and dump it over everything sealing the rubber mat. Just like that it is done, lets not make this more complicated than it has to be. You see the people making the decisions onl;y knows so much. Luckily for you I knows everything.
I was in the artillery and was fascinated by the accuracy with which wire guided projectiles shot from tanks on the move could be. One could possibly send a small diameter, wire guided, self propelled torpedo with strong rubber inflatable sides into the pipe and when in place pressurise it quickly with co2 or the likes. Or send an unmanned sub down first to place a locating beacon on the pipe. Calculate the exact position of the beacon in relation to the centre of the gushing pipe and send the torpedo down with either a laser or sonar tracking device.
Drop a large tapered steel billet into the end of the pipe. Using a winch line, drop a large steel billet with enough weight, length and the right taper into in the end of the pipe would stop the oil flow immediately. What in the heck are they waiting for.
Carl Cumming
Your steel spear is similar to my idea. Your idea is practical, simply and fool proof. Is the hole clear to the pipe or is there something that would prevent the spear entering the pipe. I believe BP is not interested in a solution that will stop the leak, only contain it. It probably believes the collateral damage will be forgotten about whilst they sell the oil later on. What are your thoughts? BP should make all engineering data open and available on the web so that people like us can consider options in an informed manner. BP doesn’t seem to be telling all.
To bruceconsidered,
Thanks for the support, it sounds like we’re on the same sheet of paper. Inserting a tapered steel plug into the riser pipe is the only way they are going to stop this leak quickly. You have to work with what’s there, we can’t afford to break it, just plug the pipe.
cc
Take a nickle plate object, place it in the center of the hole in a vertical position, (up right position) then flip the nickle plate object in a horizontal position (side to side) and let the force of the pressure plug the hole. Just make the object bigger then the hole so when you flip it that it will plug the hole. It works, try it with a water holes. I did!!!
The pressure is the problem. Why not make a cap that is solid on the sides and a screen with large holes on the top to allow the pressure to continue while the cap is put in place. Have an opening on one side of the cap to slide a heavy metal sheet into it. Secure the cap to the pipe then slide the metal sheet under the screen, slowly till the sheet covers the entire hole. If this stops or considerably slows the flow put a larger, completely solid cap over this cap.
My suggestion is replace the drill on the drilling rig with a thread forming or thread cutting tap . The tap would have an unthreaded pilot end to align the unit into the pipe before tapping or thread forming starts. Once tapping is complete the unit would be disconnected from the drilling rig and remain as a plug in the in well pipe. With sufficient thread length the plug would adequately resist well pressure. I have suggestions on what design characteristics a thread forming tap should have .
Thank you for the opportunity to submit this suggestion.
If august is the current projection for stopping the leak, then is there any way that one of those large heavymetal cannisters can be shipped to the location, and then lowered to the depths in order to at least cover the leaking oil? Yes, this would be only a stop-gap measure, yet
it may keep the oil inside the large (heavy) metal cannister from leaking, until a remedy is successful. (when you drive along the Texas coast, you see these huge metal cannisters for storing oil/chemicals. So
how could one of these be transported to location, and then dropped on top of the target to put a temporary cap over the leak? The PLUS would then be, that the oil would mostly stop (except for some seeping maybe), and then workers/or machines would actually be able to more closely see and be able to work on the full stop. We’re praying, Garret
music artist site: cdbaby/garretlee.com
Blocking the pipe with a tapered spear seems the obvious and simplest option. I would be like a giant spear able to penetrate the stream of oil then further inserted to plug the leak. Do you believe that BP doesn’t want to plug the hole and only consider options thaT WILL ALLOW THE OIL TO CONTINUE FLOWING WITH A HOPE TO COLLECT?
First, Golf balls, then trying to recap it with something that will just barely fit in, given the fact that this is pressurized oil coming out of the damage pipe is impossible. If BP cannot recap it from the outer part of the pipe, why not use a cone shape design with rubberized material around it to plug it. If the U.S can built a 60 ton tank, so why can’t we built a 60 tons + cone shape object to plug it and there is no way the pressurized oil will push it out of the way because it’s just like an external aerodynamics when it goes in. No perfect realignment needed. BP can even have the option of placing a hollow opening in the middle of the cone shape plug to attach a new pipe and control valve to close or open it to release oil pressure or oil. Just a suggestion but I do believe that it will work or at least contain the major oil flow.
Heavy steel pipe, in sections, several feet in diameter larger than the leaking structure. Perhaps each section is 100-300 feet in length. Think of an inverted alaska pipeline at whatever diameter is necessary. The connections can be slightly narrower at the top of the section so the next section slips over the top, then is cinched down. Each section is an open tube, so no pressure is building as the tube rises from the ocean floor. At this step, you’re simply surrounding it. As one crew stacks the pipe towards the surface, the seal around the base can be secured through a number of methods. Further as the top of the “plume” gets closer to the surface, water pressure decreases significantly, allowing an actual manned crew to work on the segments.
Finally, the top tube can have a mechanical sliding lid, so once in place, it draws shut like a missile silo lid, sliding horizontally and cutting off the flow.
If the pressure and physics allow, this sliding lid could be placed on any section, at any height above the leak. If not, the tube can make it all the way to the surface if necessary. If the sliding lid is not workable, they can simply guide the flow…think giant hose on the last section of tube…right into tankers until a relief well can be drilled.
There’s no pressure involved until the oil is capped or diverted. There is no ice crystal issues if the pipeline reaches higher, warmer waters.
It is obvious that BP is not concerned with stopping the flow of oil into the water. They are concerned with how many barrels of oil they can capture.
If they were serious about stopping the flow of oil, they would unbolt the riser pipe flange. Then fit either a blind flange or a new riser pipe flange that has a shut-off valve.
Hire the guys from MythBuster
A large concrete dome shaped cofferdam that is ported and fed to tankers above. Lowered down over the valve. Large enough as to not build preasure all at once, but instead be fed through large feed lines to the tankers above….
Oil absorption into cotton-phenolic material, to slow down this leak.
Use a pneumatic sleeve stent. Any trailer mfg. of air ride suspension systems could fashion airbags protected by small flanges on either side of the airbags. Stent would by inserted with air source into leaking pipe. Other end would be fitted into pipe covering leaking pipe in the same manner with proper diameter sleeve and air bags. Somewhere on stent pipe (inside leaking pipe and covering pipe) bowl shaped one way compression locks could be attached to keep stent from being forced out of pipe. Stent would be an addition to what is currently in place, and would need to be no more than forty feet long to complete leakproof stenting. once airbags are inflated, expansion would keep oil inside cylinder of leaking pipe, as well as to prevent oil from leaking back toward leaking pipe and into the sea.
The team at EndPoint Western Energy has a customizable solution available. It consists of an articulating flange, spacers with seals ( specialty engineering ), and valve with blind guide ring modification. It is designed to fix pipes at the point of break – or further back. It was picked up by FOX 10 news last week – http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/sci_tech/ecap-oil-leak-control-6-23-2010 and on you tube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5ff2y9q6YE
Coast Guard has been reviewing for weeks now. Status of review changed on Thursday. I am waiting on a letter now. Care to bet what it is?
I have made this suggestion to BP a few weeks ago, but they don’t seem interested. My suggestion is to enter the wellhead with a probe containing a controlled explosive, inserting it to about 200meters or to a suitable strata formation, below the ocean floor and detonate the explosive to collapse the pipe and allow the surrounding rock to collapse over the leak, then follow up with an injection of heavy drilling mud to seal the leak. It may take a series of explosions to accomplish a complete seal. I wonder if BP wants to retain the option of intercepting the pipe and start producing the well through a new controlled pipe, that way not losing all of their drilling costs, by sealing the well off completely.
Cut the pipe again.a good clean cut.fit a shut off valve onto pipe with the valve in the open position.weld the pipe to the valve.a good weld can pretty much hold the two together (pipe/valve) until permanent fix can be figured out.then shut valve off.then oil can b drawn out with minimum leakage.
Several points need to be discussed about stopping the well. First, the drill string is likely still in the pipe, so many of the suggestions using plugs or things inserted down the pipe will not work. Second, BP has not fessed up to the possibility that if the flow is stopped, the pressure may split the casing or blow out around the casing and cause a larger problem. However, if the casing and the cementing around it can stand the pressure, then there is a workable way to stop the flow. Just below the rough edge of the sheared pipe is a large flange. It is undamaged and also has a lower lip that can be used to hold a cap against very large pressure. So, make a large diameter cap with a gate valve at the top end and a clamping and sealing mechanism on the bottom end. When you place the cap pipe on the well, the valve must be open or the whole thing just gets blown off. With the valve open, it is just putting an open pipe over the leaking pipe. Once seated, the mechanism seals to the flange and grabs the bottom surface of the flange to hold it in place. Then the valve can be closed (slowly to deaccelerate the flowing oil). With the flow stopped, the top kill ports can be used to completely shut down the well.
Fill the Containment dome from through the Base starting from the top and work your way down totally filling the dome with fresh water until a total Ice cap exists in short. BP had it right in front of there eyes with the first DOME but it was to obvious for them to see. the weight of the dome may be enough to hold back the pressure while the water does the work. It must be pumped fast in order for it not to freeze before it reaches the destination.If not the dome will have to be anchored. they may want to ice the inside of the pipe first to stall the escaping oil and lessen the pressure. This will be a permanent fix as nothing should thaw the ice cap thye only other suggestion is and ice seal starting at the base of the dome to the broken pipe. This is the safest fastest cheapest solution there is. Good Luck This should work
RE : to my last Post a dose of light safe anti freeze may be nessecary to give the fresh water more time before freezing solid also a dose or dispersant should be mixed with the water to minimize the oil in the freezing water
BP has no intention of stopping the flow of oil from the damaged pipe. If they stopped the leak than there would be no reason to continue with the relief well. If “no relief well no oil to harvest”. BP wants to continue pumping oil from this location. If they succeed in stopping the flow of oil from the damaged well all operations will be shut down and they will not get a permit to drill at this location for a very long time, if ever. Follow the money!
Steel has density of about 8 and grinding media of steel should have similar densities. Pour assorted size steel balls in the leaking well which should effectively close off the open gape through which the oil is pouring out. When adequate weight of the bulk is formed it cannot rise then cementing of the remainder of porosity be carried out by some setting agent. Golf balls are low density and would float up.
Did You Know?
Fort Sumter’s island was constructed with a foundation of over 70,000 tons of granite and other rock. For over a decade contractors from as far away as New York and the Boston area delivered this material by ship and dumped it on a shoal in Charleston Harbor. Fort Sumter National Monument, SC
Why not drop sand bags and cement over the BOP leaving the pipe to extract the oil in place. It is certain that you can not build an island 1 mile high, but 80 to 100 feet should do.
Sand bagging is a common practice to stop flood waters. I am sure there are plenty of volunteers avavilable to help.
I hear talks about blowing up the well to stop the oil. What if this explosion creates a permenant rip in the ocean floor 100 times the size of the 12 inch pipe?
do a red green!!! dont laugh!! have a pipe alittle larger and slide it like a sleeve !!!at least it will make the oil contained through a pipe to the surface
Now that BP has stopped the leak, go back to the previous plan to pump mud into the well from the same connections as before. The reason it didn’t work before was the mud would leak out the open pipe, however now that it is shut the mud would be forced down into the well. once the mud is in the well the cement could be injected and seal the well. No need to wait for the relief well, and risk something else go wrong.
Regards, Dan Schroppe Marine Engineer
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