Oil Spill Suggestions
Here at BP Oil News we’ve gotten almost two thousand suggestions for ways to plug the Gulf oil leak or mitigate the damage from the Gulf oil spill. Here’s a link to some of your oil spill suggestions. And here’s a link to a page with many more oil spill suggestions. Many of the suggestions are contained in comments, but some oil spill suggestions were sent in using our contact form. Because of the volume of suggestions, we would like to request that future suggestions be submitted via comments to this post. And if you have suggestions about how the President should deal with the oil spill, please post your comments under the article “We need a New Deal for the Gulf Coast.”
Here are some oil spill suggestions we’ve already received via the contact form:
Bryan has the following oil spill suggestion:
I would like to discuss with a BP engineer an easy way to stop the oil leak. I am very serious about seeing this leak stopped and all efforts concentrated on clean up and containment. please contact me ASAP.
You can reach by my email or you can contact me via my mobile phone,my number is 321-228-5053.Thank you and I really hope someone contacts me quickly.
Carmen wrote:
I think if you add hard, round, rubber plates to the pipe that is siphoning the oil, starting from a small rubber plate gradually increasing the size till it plugs up the oil spill you can add metal for more support.
Paul has the following suggestion to plug the oil leak:
1) Drill a 1/2 hole on the side of the leaking pipe.
2) Insert an appropriate cable through a ratchet puller & through the drilled hole so that the cable comes out from the 12” leaking hole.
3) Push the cable all the way to the surface if needed, this just to attach an appropriate sized plumb-bob shaped stopper from the tip.
4) Pull back the cable from the ratchet side, eventually cable will guide the plumb-bob to the pipe’s mouth & the ratchet will prevent the gushing oil from pushing plumb-bob out.
5) The 12″ hole will practically be seal completely, a minor oil leak might be present from the 1/2″ hole but it should be negligible.
Thanks, if you require any further clarifications just email.
Our oil spill suggestion box got this suggestion from Gary:
Could you not use a vacuum system and vacuum it to the top and then have a separator for the oil and water?
Duane made the following suggestion for dealing with the oil spill:
I’ve been thinking as I know all of you are also. Just an idea. If you can put a tube in the pipe is there a way you can direct a bell shape steal cone with a cable going through the middle with a lead or steal ball attached to the cable and the bell above it. Lower the ball and bell shape into the casing when it is place pull the cable up at high speed an the ball will flare out the bell to the side of the casing .
If you need any more descriptions e-mail me. I would be glad to answer or explain this .
Wayne had the following oil spill suggestion:
Drill a parallel well fairly close to the leaking oil well to a depth of 500–1000ft. Stop drilling in close proximity to the leaking well’s casing.
Using knowledge of the geology of rock and explosives, destroy the well casing and block the flow with debris. The upward flow of oil will help to fill cavities with debris.
At sufficient depth, the present wellhead and ocean floor would not be disturbed. If this does not stop the oil flow rate, it should slow it down to be more manageable.
Wayne Durst
860-974-2301
A professional engineer named Bob shared the following suggestion to plug the oil leak:
API pipe is ductile and is made to be crimped. If you can get a hydraulic crimper down to the pipe, you could crimp it off. Its done every day on land with smaller diameter pipes.
Michael submitted the following oil spill suggestion:
DRILL / BLAST / SEAL
1) drill down below sea floor such that end of drill is close to the existing pipe that is leaking. Through the new pipe pass down explosive.
2) before setting off blast, pre-drill several ’sealant’ pipes to within 100 ft of the blast point, such that they can complete drilling quickly after the blast.
3) set off initial explosive pipe to fracture the oil-leaking pipe and the rock around it.
4) ASAP complete drilling sealant pipes getting them around the blast zone.
5) through sealant pipes pump under high pressure a combination of quick-setting foam / concrete or other material that will fill the cracks and leaks around the fractured oil pipe.
Charles submitted the following suggestion which, he says, was submitted to the joint response task force:
This was submitted to the joint oil spill response task force on Friday may 21 2010:
Brief description of technology (200 words or less) Please stop thinking of harnessing or stopping the pressure of the spewing oil and gas mixture. Let the pressure and flow assist you in the recovery of the oil and gas by directing its flow to the surface where recovery is simply a matter of pumping to waiting tankers, barges, and bladders. We have all seen these collapsible tubes/tunnels children crawl through or dogs run through in agility contests. They can be made to any length and nearly any diameter desired. The one I envision will be about five feet diameter, made of marine grade canvas or sailcloth, it could have an internal continual spiral of steel (similar to what is used as rebar in concrete columns) intermittently attached to cables which will be used to lower it into place over the leak in the riser pipe. I think the internal spiral is unnecessary.
You apparently have three or more leaks so three or more will need to be constructed and deployed. Your pipe insertion method while useful to some extent is still not recovering anywhere near a majority of the spill let alone all of it as the method I proposed will. The bottom can be weighted with rubberized blasting mats.
Material list (100 words or less)
For each tube/tunnel you will need
-One (1)- 5280 foot long five foot diameter marine canvas or sailcloth tube
-Five (5) – 5,500 foot long steel cable 3/4″ to 1″ diameter
-Hundreds of connectors to keep the tube together down its length.
-Weighted flexible collar for the bottom of the tube so it sort of seals itself around the riser
Optional
-Six to Eight (6-8) miles of spiral (4′10″ diameter) formed 1/2″ to 3/4″ rebar joined at intervals (only necessary of the tube/tunnel collapses, I don’t think that will be a problem once this is put in place the tube will “fill itself”)
Equipment (100 words or less)
Sewing machines to make the canvas/sailcloth tube and attach rings at intervals for the cable to pass through.
Winches to let down the cable and tube.
Ships to deploy this apparatus.
Tankers for recovering the gas and oil.
Separator Pumps to recover the gas and oil as it comes to the surface.
The amazing robots to direct and place the open end of the tube above the leak.
Expertise Required (100 words or less)
Mine of course, call me, seriously though all kidding aside I think if you are reading this idea please get it to someone who can make it happen. Somebody with an open mind who can visualize and accept that sometimes the simplest solutions are really the best.
Finally, we’ll quote President Obama’s reported suggestion: “Plug the damn hole.”
We appreciate all the suggestions. Our oil spill suggestion box remains open. If you have a suggestion to plug the oil leak or limit the oil spill damage, please submit it as a comment to this post.
Update June 8, 2010: The official Deepwater Horizon response website has made an online form available for oil spill suggestions.
{ 1069 comments… read them below or add one }
← Previous Comments
Again let some dumb people fix it. I can fix the oil leak in 24 hrs and you could still get your oil! Hot bolt the flang with a 60 ft all thread then bolt a valve on top and start tightening its that simple BP. Stop paying million of dollars for a bunch of hearing and come get me and i’ll solve your nightmare over night. Your company is a joke if all the Bright minds you have on payroll can’t solve this. (yes i know it’s a mile under water) the moon is a long way off too and we got their in 6 days. Man up
Hello all,
This oil disaster is just that and sure it should never have happened and there is NO excuse. At present however the first priority is to stop the oil coming out of the well and people complaining about the disaster are not helping. The majority of the wealthy nations drive cars and require oil for manufacturing so we are allllll aware of the risks.
BP, this suggestion may seem basic and simple but has anyone there as a child put a balloon into a pipe or glass and blown it up? This in my child hood days made a very good seal. I’m not suggesting buying a load of party balloons to try to fix the problem but something like this:
- Source some flexible but sturdy pipe of a smaller size to the bore hole,
- Design an expandable vassal x meters long that can be fitted to the end of this pipe (quickly) which is strong enough to pass through the gushing oil coming up through the well,
- Get this expandable vassal deep enough in the bore hole by having something pull the front of the pipe down the bore hole.
- Once deep enough to block the oil flow pump the expandable vessel up not with air but with something that will set e.g. concrete.
Then, if this first seal is not enough send a second one down above the first.
I know this all sounds very simplistic, but it’s an idea, don’t you think???
Regards
Barry
I had a very similar idea to the previous submission (Barry, July 2, 2010 12:14pm). My balloon would be made of inner tube type industrial rubber (double walled for strength). It would be slightly smaller than the opening. I don’t know the size of the well head so you will have to figure this out (how long, how wide, etc.). This cigar-shaped balloon would have a ball valve fitted to one end with circular clamps. To combat the pressure of the well, stainless steel ball bearings or lead shot and a high density liquid would be inside the balloon prior to lowering and insertion. The ball bearings or shot should only take up about one fifth or one fourth of the balloon as to not distort the shape or damage it. Once the balloon in inserted into the opening and lowered it can be inflated by pumping in more fluid until a seal is achieved. Then, the valve can be closed. You should test this out at the surface in a pool using the same opening and a water stream of the same pressure. Once plugged, I suggest that you cover this thing with concrete as soon as you can before something else goes wrong.
My concern with the relief wells is the difficulty in intersecting with an existing well. I cannot imagine that would be an easy task.
One possible alternative to relief wells is drilling other wells directly into the deposit near the blown out well and somehow making the new wells a path of lesser resistance. Deposit oil would theorectically then flow to the new wells since they would offer less (or even far less if that can be done) resistance.
Doing so might reduce pressure in the blown out well (perhaps significantly so) to the point that it would be far easire to completely cap / shut off the blown out well.
here is a suggestion,how about all the naval ships rolling off hundreds of barrels filled with wet cement every day,they sould smash to the bottom,the lids would blow out spreading the cement out over the oilwell.
fill huge canvas bags with concrete drop unopened on top of the riser pipe
Sleeve existing pipe either with larger diameter or smaller diameter pipe.
Drive pipe down.
pipe capped @ top and a valve with line off of it to capture oil pressure.
I am not a professional but my suggestion would be something like plugging up an engine block with a rubberized freeze plug when the original one rotted out and antifreeze starts pouring out. This will expand outward around the sides when tighten up.
Not sure of the diameter of this pipe but if you would take something like this freeze plug that had a smaller diameter pipe attached to the top of it with a relief valve that you could leave open until you place this freeze type plug and the pressure would not blow it out until it was secured. This type of plug is expandable with a hard formed rubber that could seal this plug to the leaking pipe. After securing it to the pipe, you could then turn the top valve closed to stop the leak long enough to attach another pipe from the rig, open the valve and release the oil to a tanker.
You could also try this same procedure in reverse to the outside diameter opposite of above suggestion. The release valve on the top wood be something to the effect of opening a release valve to let some water out of a dam or to irrigate fields, fire hydrant. Maybe something like when you plug oil drilling on land.
I would be glad to explain further in person if needed.
Other ideas have failed, due to the high pressure produced by the gushing oil, in such a small space.
What if, for a temporary solution, BP was to build a huge funnel around the gushing pipe, out of a flexible material. The bottom of the funnel would need to be weighed down with sand-bag-styled weights, and the top of the flexible funnelwould need to be filled with air to make it buoyant. The top of the funnel would need to poke out above the water surface, so that there is no further overflow into the ocean, with tankers awaiting to suck out all the oil, via a large boom.
Why can’t you lower a large diameter pipe over the spewing well head which will contain and direct all oil to the surface. Construct the pipe to protrude a few feet above the waterline at the surface. Then suction the oil from inside of the open ended pipe into awaiting tankers. The oil can then be transported for treatment and recovery without it ever escaping into the open water. You recover the oil AND prevent it from contaminating the environment.
Suggestion for stopping the leak:
Line the failed containment dome with PCTFE, purge with warm nitrogen, and try again.
It sounds like the problem with the containment dome was methane ice build-up which prevented sealing of the dome. If the dome is lined with PCTFE or another type of fluorinated polymer (something that’s used for cryogenic valve seats and can withstand high pressures), the ice crystals should either be pushed off by the force of the gas/oil mixture or should be easy to knock off the polymer. Where the containment dome connects to the blowout preventer, sealing may be easier if pieces of PCTFE are bolted (or otherwise connected) to that surface before trying to place the containment dome. With both mating surfaces of PCTFE, it should make dealing with the crystal build-up easier.
Suggestion for stopping the leak:
Installed long oversized PCTFE lined pipe with valve on one end and split reducer on other end. Clamp reducer to pipe below leak point, encase in concrete, then close valve.
Lining of pipe with PCTFE or other fluorinated polymer is intended to prevent excess methane ice build-up. If a lap joint flange the size to connect to the end of the oversized pipe is lowered over the leak, down the pipe, and a split reducer is installed and clamped to the pipe. To make sure it can withstand the full pressure, encase the clamp in concrete. Use the lap joint flange to hold the split reducer together at the top, and slip the lined pipe over the leak and bolt to the lap joint flange on the reducer. The flow of the oil/gas should have a chimney type effect and keep the methane moving away from the flange until the bolts are almost tightened. Maybe add additional concrete around the entire flange reducer assembly, then close valve at top of pipe.
Suggestion for stopping the leak:
Loosen a bolted flange, insert metal bars or PCTFE coated metal bars, and try junk shot .
If there is a bolted flange in the blowout preventer, the bolts could be loosened and metal bars could be inserted through the bolts to rest on the flange surface. A thin rod could be threaded into the end of the bars as an initial guide for the ROVs to pull the metal rods through the flange so they can better position the bars. The number of bars and the shape would depend on the bolt pattern. Metal pieces could be inserted near the other bolts, the bolts tightened and a clamp placed around the flange. Then and junk shot type maneuver could be tried. If there is concern for ice/methane crystal build-up, then metal bars could be coated with a fluorinated polymer such as PCTFE to minimize build-up and make it easy to knock-off crystals if there is build-up. If the junk shot doesn’t work, but the total x-sectional area of the leak is reduced, then if the gas/oil is at maximum flow based on the current leak x-sectional area, then the obstructions should at least reduce the leak.
Suggestion for stopping the leak:
Thread rope/light cable through blow-out preventer and use to position plug(s) for the leak, or use to position obstructions to leak and try junk shot.
Use drilling mud to send a rope with a device on the end to allow the rope to be pushed with the mud into the blow out preventer and pushed out with the leak . (With all the hi-tech materials today, there should be something that can withstand the temperatures and pressures). The rope could then be controlled by the ROVs under water and at the other end on the surface. This initial cable could be used to pull one or more cables with various devices to stop the leak. (This would be similar to pulling wire through a conduit). If the flow of the mud can’t catch the end device to push the rope through the pipe, then other methods such a magnetic device (depending on the pipe material) on the rope that is guided and pulled by through the pipe by a magnet outside the pipe, or some other non-invasive method to pull the rope.
The best case would be a reducer or restriction in the piping in the blowout preventer that is smaller than any restrictions in the rope/cable path. In this situation, the reducer could act as a valve seat, and a plug could be positioned on that seat, the shape could be a ball, disc, plug, or other shape depending on the geometry. Any potential plug would need a hole through the middle for the rope, and clamps on both sides to prevent it from moving on the rope. The rope can be controlled from both ends to help position the plug.
If there is no usable restriction, then if there is someplace where a piece of metal or hi-tech material could catch in the blowout prevent, maybe on a flange gasket or some other component, then pieces could be send down on the rope and positioned to catch in the blowout preventer. Longer pieces could be sent down if they had three holes drilled in them and the rope threaded through the holes. This could help keep the piece on the same plane as the rope, and then the rope could be used to position the piece(s) when the reach the proper location in the pipe. One or more could be positioned, then a junk shot type maneuver could be tried. If there is concern that the pipe would not be able to withstand the pressure, then the piping could be beefed up on the outside before starting.
Insert inflatable tub in pipe inflate with water kind of like air shocks on a semi with a rod through the center to keep in place and would have to be inflated fast like a air bag so the pressure wouldn’t build up and blow it out and far enough in and right size not to split pipe hope this would work for u hope u find a solution soon .
To stop the oil flow, thread the leaking pipe with a large NPT tap. Either the OD of the pipe could be threded, or it would also be possible to thread the pipe’s ID because the oil would be able to flow through the reliefs on the sides of the tap during the threading operation, and the oil flow would keep the taps threads clear of the metal chips. After the pipe has been threaded, a valve, for example a ball valve, could be threaded on to the leaking pipe. The valve would have to be in the open position while being installed, but after being threaded into position, the valve could be closed, thus stopping the oil flow.
Using the robot, insert a small pipe (relative to leak size) with a deflated neopreme baloon at the end of the small pipe about 100 or so feet into the leak. then pump cement into the baloon.
Stopping the Oil Flow
I have been thinking about the oil spill problem on the east coast of the USA and wondered if the company was using the same principle as the beaver uses to put a dam across a stream that would normally sweep away any limbs that were placed in the fast flowing water. We all know the beaver uses small limbs that are securely anchored so the water is only slightly impeded, where as if the limb was three or four times the size it would probably disappear due to the high pressure and the larger area of resistance.
Now if we liken the oil flow to the fast flowing waters under high pressure, a way to stop a portion of the oil flow is to insert a rod of steel of small enough diameter. This would not stop the flow of oil to the extent it would bend the rods. Now increase the number of rods until there is a complete circle thus stopping the oil.
The rods should circle the pipe and the number of rods increased until the flow of oil ceases.
Stopping the Oil Flow
I have been thinking about the oil spill problem on the east coast of the USA and wondered if the company was using the same principle as the beaver uses to put a dam across a stream that would normally sweep away any limbs that were placed in the fast flowing water. We all know the beaver uses small limbs that are securely anchored so the water is only slightly impeded, where as if the limb was three or four times the size it would probably disappear due to the high pressure and the larger area of resistance.
Now if we liken the oil flow to the fast flowing waters under high pressure, a way to stop a portion of the oil flow is to insert a rod of steel of small enough diameter. This would not stop the flow of oil to the extent it would bend the rods. Now increase the number of rods until there is a complete circle thus stopping the oil.
The rods should circle the pipe and the number of rods increased until the flow of oil ceases.
A.J. Allin
Cobourg, Ontario
Canada
The best way to stop the flow of the oil is to make a plug that is ridgid, and long tapering the size in 20′ stages. Start with solid steel train axle 8″ Dia. for 20 feet, taper and butt weld 12″ Dia. for 20 feet, taper and butt weld 16″ Dia. for 20 feet, and continue this until the actual inside diamiter of the pipe is reached. Weld a tapered flange on the end of the plug. Make the final stage of the plug long enough to extend 30 or more feet deeper than the pipe standing from the sea floor. This will gradually reduce tha flow as it is lowered into the hole. With the flow reduced by this weld flanges to the sides of the existing pipe head and either bolt or cable the plug into place.
Take 12″ tubing , install a snubbing plug in the tubing run the tubing down the well bore to the depth were the relif well is going to come into the well. Hook up the 12″ tubing up to the oil tanker, and have a snubbing tree hook up to the 12″ tubing to reteive the snubbing plug, when you finish the relif well, reteive the snubbing plug open the valve to the oil tanker, now you have two relif well to take the pressure of the well. Start pumping mud down the well bore, The 12″ tubing and the relif well will reteive the oil and gas while the mud is being pumped down hole, by the time the mud gets to the bottom of the 12″ tubing and the relif well, there will be more than enough weight in mud to push the oil and gas back into formation, while pushing the mud to bottom of the well and kill the well. With very little pressure at the top of the well. You can now properly abandon the well, fill the well from bottom to surface with cement.
The best way to stop the flow of the oil is to make a plug that is ridgid, and long tapering the size in 20′ stages. Start with solid steel train axle 8″ Dia. for 20 feet, taper and butt weld 12″ Dia. for 20 feet, taper and butt weld 16″ Dia. for 20 feet, and continue this until the actual inside diamiter of the pipe is reached. Weld a tapered flange on the end of the plug. Make the final stage of the plug long enough to extend 30 or more feet deeper than the pipe standing from the sea floor. This will gradually reduce the flow as it is lowered into the hole. With the flow reduced by this weld flanges to the sides of the existing pipe head and either bolt or cable the plug into place.
I’m am very glad to see the cap being tryied! My earlier suggention of a cone shaped cap with pipe line capabilites and pumping capabilities is very similar in contemplation… But is not working grear but has promase! I’m guessing we have a drill ship on top of this well head and have 1,000,000 + lbs of pulling power. If the cap does not work, I would drop drill pipe in below the bop casing, start washing out the landing pad. Find the chemical that has structural integrety and hardens with the contact of a hydocarbon. Use the cap to limit flow, use the mud pumps to flood the hole with your obstruction material and use the landing pad to secure the plug you made. Then Gear up and slug the well to death and follow with cement.
Thanks,
Clayton
Clayton@hogcooler.com
713-992-6571
Until a real solution can be found, I think a pipe should be attached that reaches to the surface and pours into giant barrells. This way less oil will be pouring into the ocean. Maybe this creates a problem for where this oil will go, but it’s better than it being in the ocean.
Build a box with hinges on one side and locks on the other side. Then in both other sides, create holes that are the pipe’s size and the angle they are currently in. Then bring the box down to the pipe and open it up. Bring in around the pipe and close it. There may be some oil leaking, but a lot should be able to flow through both pipes. If its on the sea floor, just use one half and put it on the pipes. Then put some kind of weight on it to keep it from flying off.
Just make/link another pipe like how they did it in the first place to transport the oil at the opening in the pipe.
John Koivula proposes that, “Something about those ice-like crystals might be key to a real solution—and one that could be applied to other leaks and gushers…”
In the three pages of “Possible Solution to Stop the Deep Water Oil Leak at its Source,” Koivula (who has degrees in mineralogy-geology and inorganic chemistry) offers a simple and elegant solution.
“Hard science and with it hard choices have now come to our doorstep,” Koivula told us, “and original ideas are really needed. … This is not surface skimmer technology, but instead is an idea to actually plug the leak itself, right at the source.” http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1103571976368&s=6619&e=0014SdzDwQ-NrwJMXMO0VcyFSTG_NE8xKVaXzOEMUiM_zVNv2yTiMsjjNRyh8exZaFrsq5CRTFMDC7akE9uhglUgW1HS8NlWAHQ4UvfCVlSn0aWeqS_qQ0KYorxv2lWs2csliyIQ3XjxMdGPAUvq961ml7iBzv0gDEdR_278ZX92t8=
Koivula is proposing to flood or inject the leaking pipe(s) and/or damaged blowout preventer with liquefied gallium metal through the leaking containment cap.
Materials Required: Liquefied Gallium metal. Gallium in liquid form could even be mixed with finely powdered lead, lead sulfide (the mineral galena), or even depleted uranium that would serve as a carrying agent, creating a colloidal mixture with an even higher specific gravity than pure gallium.
Equipment Required: Koivula has thought of two plausible hydraulically-powered or compressed gas, piston-driven delivery or injection systems for the gallium.
John Koivula can be reached at work (760) 603-4569, home (760) 734-3812, or on his cell phone (760) 822-8710.
Purpose: to stop oil leakage, since there is still a problem with loss
of oil, it is time to try something different, since pressure on
underwater pipes is too high for pipes to endure. Perhaps a mixture
of minerals and metals/ores need to be excavated from the Moon,
and transported by spaceships from the Moon to the Earth,
with appropriate temperature changes. Perhaps some Elements of
the Periodic Table of Elements could be tested on the Moon, and
if proper reaction occurs, perhaps additional positive reactions
could be effective, and these results could be returned to Earth,
awaiting use, and if successful, use where is needed. Some scientists
in metallurgy need to take a trip to the Moon as soon as possible,
to obtain samples of mineral and metal and ore.
← Previous Comments
{ 6 trackbacks }