We’ve had a number of responses to our request for suggestions to deal with the Gulf oil spill. Some were added in comments, and others were submitted via the Contact Form. Here are some of the submissions we received from people using the Contact Form:
A reader named Julie writes:
As I understand the problem with the original containment structure, the problem is that the volume of contained methane and methanehydrates caused the structure to become buoyant. An alternative would be to construct layered rings of concrete with the “dome” cast into the interior of each ring having a smaller volume, but with the total weight being sufficient to overcome both the pressure of the well and the buoyancy of the methane gas. This is a fairly simple set of calculations — salt water is about 65 lbs per cubic foot, and the pressure in the pipe should be known.
The concrete rings would be cast in such a way that they nested, one on top of the other.
The bottom most ring would spread its weight sufficiently around the sea floor so that it would not be at risk of crushing the pipe as additional rings are added.
The top most concrete piece would then have a large diameter pipe cast into the piece, with a gate valve and flange. It would also have fittings into which methanol or hot water could be injected in order to melt any methane hydrates. The weight of this piece would be sufficient that it would nest inside the 2nd from the top ring and hold itself in place.
Colin writes:
I have a suggestion for containing the plume of oil from the sea floor:
The problem is dealing with the pressure at 500 feet, methane icing coagulation etc. Build a “sock” of thick impermeable nylon. Approximately 300 feet in diameter, and 5000 plus feet long (floor to surface. at the base Chains/weights and floats at top. Purpose allows the leak to come to the surface in a contained cylinder- when reaching the surface temperature and pressure are no longer a factor in recovery- and skimmer boats can easily handle the rate. Yes the hole will still have to be intercepted but this solution will insure that no more oil is released until a permanet soltion is accomplished.
My name is Colin **** – and am a Katrina poor, carpenter living in Mississippi. Please forward this idea to the proper authorities, if used successfully I only require modest compensation and recognition-say 2% of the value of the recovered oil?? seriously 
Kathleen writes:
“We are all concerned about the oil leak, this is for sure. What I am wondering about is, why you don’t try to freeze the oil down there with liquid nitrogen?
Thank you for your answer.”
Dennis writes:
“Hook onto the pipe and tow a bend in it! When the pipe bends it will at least slow down. The video I saw on television is of a nearly wide open pipe. Did you ever try to use a kinked garden hose? Hurry up and kink the darn thing! Where are the engineers????
And I did this for free!!!!”
Phyllis has this suggestion:
Has anyone tried plugging this with fat. Fat has plugged my drain at home many times.
Robert writes:
JUST AN IDEA IF BP PUT A SMALL CHARGE AND BLOW THE PIPE OFF THAT WELL HEAD, THEN PUT THE DOME OVER THE HEAD, PLUSS TI JUST MIGHT LOOSING THE SHUT OFF !!!! CAN YOU GET ME AN (EMAIL FOR BP)????
Theodore says:
I AM THE INVENTOR OF TOSCON & POSCON SPILL EQPT,CAN SAVE YOU 100′S OF MILLIONS IN YOUR CLEAN UP HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONTACT ANY ONE OF AUTHORITY .HIGH RATE SKIMMERS,SEPERATORS,PUMPS AND CAN REMOVE OIL FROM WATER COLUMN.5OOO GPD OIL RECOVERY/NO FREE WATER VIDEO, REF. INFO,NEED CONTACT PERSON HOUSTON HUNTSVILLE AREA.
Murray writes:
You should suck the oil out with vacuum trucks on the ship to suck the oil up.if you put the pipe close to the ruptured pipe you should not get the crystals building up.anchor the vacuum pipe with a cement or steel weight to hold the vacuum pipe in place moving it in as your vacuum is on.hook the trucks to one header and you are ready to go…..so get on it it will work!!!!!this will work and pass this simple solution to the people that need to see this.
Rodney writes:
Why can’t the US Gov. have a sub lounch a buncor buster missel in to the mud at the base of the well head and collapse the pipe under the head?
Stan writes:
Use a spar charge/ the spar to force a small charge into the pipe. the charge should be wrapped in soft metal wire or sleeves. the charge should be only strong enough to expand the casing inside the pipe too create a plug. then quickly follow up with a mix of crushed limestone and volcanic ash. this should harden making a solid plug.
David writes:
Can we build a well around it and suckit up with a vacum or use a big needle and inject it with something like a spounge or swelling stuff or super glue or a big baloon or can we jam it with something and weld it or seal it or can we splice in to it with a pipe and seal it what about a can of great stuff or smething that swells fast setting stuff.
{ 76 comments }
← Previous Comments
Why do they not use a giant catheter with an inflatable balloon on the end. Insert the catheter into the pipe and then inflate the balloon. This should block the flow 100% within minutes of inflation.
This should work!
When dealing with frozen pipes here in Edmonton,the affected pipe is wrapped with an electrical couductor and then pluged in to the grid. The wire will heat up temperture wise to the ammount of power applied and the gauge of wire.Works very well above sea level,hope this may work below sea level.Fastest way to thaw out a frozen pipe at -44 Dregrees.Best of luck and God speed to everyone.
A suggestion to help capture oil from the BP well.
Manufacture a very large sleeve from some material that has a buoyancy close to water. Make the sleeve large, 5-10 feet or more in diameter and long enough to go from the well to the surface, 5,000 feet +.
Place the bottom over the venting oil, but do not seal it to any of the equipment. Place the top near or just below the surface.
Surround the surface end of the sleeve with a large circle of booms to contain the rising oil. That oil can be skimmed from the resulting reservoir.
The sleeve would work like a large chimney in a fire place. A draft would develop due to lower density of the oil and help carry it all to the surface. No mechanical pumping necessary.
There would be no issue related to pressure since the sleeve would act as a guide, not a pipe. If a pipe can be placed to this distance, it does not seem that a sleeve would be difficult, or terribly expensive to create.
Create a topographic (so it fits perfectly) cement cast of the ocean bottom at the site of the main and place it over the bleeding area. Sorta like a huge bandaid. This will stop the leak. Then figure out how to get the remaining oil safely.
I am far from an expert but i have a suggestion on to how to plug the well. To my understanding, it is difficult to accuately put a cap on it because of the large amout of pressure from the oil. I suggest making a kind of scaffolding, a four legged tower of multiple levels with a hole through the middle of each level. This scaffolding would be put over the well allowing the oil and pressure to flow around it meanwhile guiding a hose through the holes of each level from above, keeping it from swaying, directly onto the well. Once the hose is over the well, its up to you, either pump the oil out or pump something in to plug the well. Thanks for taking the time to read and consider my suggestion. Best of luck.
Construct a hydraulic press to crimp the pipe shut this would reduce the flow to negligible amounts
This idea is to solve the problem of future leaks. Dip the jerk president of BP in crude oil and feather him with dead pelican feathers.
One suggestion would be to build a an “oil bund” around the well head; anchor to the floor, with explosive anchor bolts and fill with concrete to seal the bund to the sea floor, but just below the leaks on the well head. Using a “swing dome” and pinion posts (difficult to show without drawing capabilities) locate over the bund, with 3/4″ gap ~ 1.57 ft2, on 8 ft diameter bund. The dome will have a 20 inch diameter opening, with double block valves ~ 2.18 ft2 free area, to ensure oil would preferentially flow thro the dome opening. Design the dome with an inner cavity (for filling with concrete after dome sealed) of about 40 ft2, to ensure it is less than the surface area of the concrete in the bund (50 ft2) where the pressure of ~ 11,000 tons (+ 3000 psig) will ensure the the bund does not break away from its concrete seal to the sea floor. The double block valves allows ‘normal’ oil removal, or they can be closed and more concrete injected to totally encase the well head, inside the bund and dome
try a by pass pipe and drane the oil in to tankers
BP should be getting with a sponge company. They can make giant sponges to drop down or drag along the ocean surfaces to soak most of this crude oil up!
So what does BP think about this idea!? Simple solution
A spar anchor system to hold a large oil tanker on station for
heavy weather.To the best of my knowledge the offshore spar
platforms withstood hurricanes better than every other vessels
including jackups which I am on a salvage job now with.This may release some other vessels on the site ,with the tankers freeboard
empty preceding heavy weather allows for a better chance of containment till weather subsides.Spar anchor system could also be tethered at a low point beneath the surface of containment system
for stability with additional reach to be considered for tanker station
movement.
The idea is to counteract the outward force of the oil flow by using a tracked remotely-operated vehicle to act as both a vehicle to pull down an expandable hydraulic bladder while the oil is allowed to flow around the package as it travels down, and once in place, the vehicle’s tracks would act as an anchor to keep the bladder in place as it is expanded, sealing or greatly restricting the flow.
Vehicle Design:
The remote vehicle would be fashioned with slim profile with three expandable tracks using scissor legs extended outward by a worm screw mechanism to allow them to retain their outward force when extended without having to apply additional power or effort.
The tracks would be equipped with a non-slip or carbide surface which would allow the tracks to anchor themselves against the casing walls without slipping while the bladder is expanded.
Existing technology associated with pipe inspection rovers may be adapted to the pressure and water challenges. The bladder would remain deflated until the vehicle has reached the plugging point (an area of casing surrounded by load-bearing strata).
Insertion & Sealing Process:
The vehicle would be placed in the top of the casing and tracks extended until they gained sufficient outward pressure to secure the vehicle. The vehicle would then travel down the casing pulling the deflated bladder in tow. The oil could continue to flow around the vehicle and bladder keeping the pressure down on the well casing and allowing easier insertion.
Once the vehicle reached a stratigraphic unit which would be more resilient to the casing walls (reducing the potential for a subsurface casing rupture), the hydraulic bladder would be inflated, restricting or cutting off the flow entirely. The vehicle’s tracks would act as an anchor, keeping the bladder in place as the pressure increased during the expansion process. Once in place and expanded, the casing could be mudded and a cement plug installed above the bladder.
This concept would help overcome the physical challenges of inserting an object against the outward flow, while helping mitigate the potential for a subsurface casing rupture.
why can’t bp create a two part sleeve with hydrolic or presurised rings at the ends to bridge the gap? firstly you place both halves together then bolt them secure away from the breach, secondly slide them over the breach and inflate the hydrolic collars at both ends of the sleeve, thus sealing the gap?
only a sujestion
The consistency is sludge in many areas. For that the septic tank / grease trap waste removal industry has the equipment to handle clean up with minimal adaptive measures such as a long squiggies on the end of the hoses. If the trucks can not make it to location then drive them up on a barge or low water tug to get it there. The primitive skimmers attach to row boats I have seen in land appear to be a useless PR exercise.
Why not BP create a 10x BIGGER PIPE and position this pipe that the leaking valve is in the middle and drive it down deep in the ocean bed and in the other end are small suction device that is connected to a super tanker.
Lower a ten foot or larger steel pipe over it and recover the oil at the top. Keep the same size pipe all the way to the top.
As a mechanic / welder I found simple works best.
try a T-shaped open tube assembly with shut off valves. cinch down to bpo and activate.
similar to this:
http://tinypic.com/r/29nxftv/6
Leo Lawlor, Northfield, MN 6/2/2010
KILL THE WELL!
Here is a final solution to the BP gulf oil blowout:
Construct a steel cap consisting of 5-inch solid steel 50 x 50 feet with 2-ft. flange around the steel cap. Lower this solid steel flanged platform over the well rupture and cover immediately with 100 tons of concrete dome over the whole area of about 500 feet wide.
This will kill the well forever rather than preserve it for future use. BP wants to do that. Why else do they keep trying to collect the oil blowout and maintain the integrity of the original drill pipe. The additional “PRESSURE RELEASE” wells they now plan to drill near the blowout is yet more evidence of BP’s agenda. If the relief well drilling works sometime this fall, they could still preserve the well. In the meantime, the oil leak has been stopped.
The well should have been killed and permanently capped weeks ago. What has the US Goverment done to save our southern coast line? They have failed to stop a national disaster!
If the United States can build a battle ship, help win a world war and send man to the moon, they can surely drop a steel lid on an oil pipe and bury it all in concrete. We should move BP out of the way, declare war on the well and KILL IT.
Cornhusk can be use to clean the oil spill since dried cornhusk is good absorbent of oil.
This is my mother’s idea. She watched a program on Modern Marvels that used dry ice crystals to clean old manuscripts. Could thin sheets of dry ice be used to solidify the oil for easier clean up? Also, the cleaning of the old manuscripts and books was gentle on the leather but did remove all the dirt and grime – could it be used to clean up the marshes?
We have a solution , concrete needs to be poured at 5000 ft and not above sea level were there is to much air in the substrate that causes buoyancy at that depth and subsequent pressure of 2500 psi . You need to pull with high pressure pumps equal amounts of fluids (oil) .
See my web site for details.
http://stoptheoilnow.com/
Can a ring of explosives be used to collapse the pipe in on itself?
CLOG THE ARTERY!!! Strap the top of the blow off preventer or the cap with a powerful magnet that you can control the strength of. Then pump fragments or particles of metal into the blow off preventer. As the oil pushes the metals out of the pipe, slowly increase the strength of the magnet. As the particles approach the magnet they should start to scale up on the inside of the pipe. Continue to increase the strength of the magnet. The particles should scale up regardless of the pressure. Some particles will escape but the idea is to slowly clog the artery. Once the flow of oil is stopped, bp or whoever can then pump mud or cement in behind it to seal off the well.
Sent this idea to bp, the White House, and Anderson Cooper 360 websites repeatedly over a month ago. So frustrating, couldn’t get past the Cooper 360 moderators. I finally got an email from bp last week saying that they would review it but who knows! Maybe you guys can help get this idea to the right people! Just want the experts to let me know if this idea is plausible. If it works, maybe I can get a scholarship for my engineering degree that I’m working for! Fingers crossed!
USE DRY ICE TO STOP THE OIL FLOW AND FOR CLEAN UP OIL SPILL
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?
The previous attempt to use the dome and riser pipe would have worked if the diameter of the riser pipe out of the top of the dome would have been larger that the diameter of the pipe which is discharging from the BOP and surface pumping activity to create flow. In order for fluid to flow from a larger diameter to a smaller diameter it would have require a faster velocity of flow and at a higher pressure. Again, path of least resistance is the flow path of fluid under pressure. Why did someone not think of this? Unbelievable. And now, with the mess that is being made I see no direction towards a solution.
← Previous Comments