Problems in the Gulf: Oil Spill Containment Box Unusable While Icy Blockage Remains

hotairpundit ^ | 5/8/10 | HAP

[Talkradio03]

Time Picayune reports: Frozen hydrates have blocked the pipe opening atop the massive containment structure temporarily rendering the dome unusable....More from the Times Picayune and Fox8

[EGPWS]

It’s going to take at least another 4 year term for Obama to put us back on track after all the faults of Bush.

[blam]

I just read that 'tar balls' are washing up on my island, , Daulphin Island, Alabama.

In 1699, Dauphin Island was the Capitol of all the Louisiana Terrorities.

[dadgum]

Time to learn how to harvest the frozen methane hydrates. Looks like it’s going to be a crash-course.

[jveritas]

They need to inject Glycol or Methanol in the pipe to prevent the Hydrates formation or just heat up the dome to a certain temperature that is above the Hydrates temperature formation.

[worst-case scenario]

Why doesn’t BP just use explosives or bunker busters and blow the leak? This is a system that has been used effectively in the past.

BP is giving the impression that they would rather risk an ecological disaster in the Gulf by letting this gusher continue, rather than risk losing the chance to collect the crude.

Just blow the damn thing; go back later and drill another well.

[Strident]

thought blow up was for fires as it deprived the fire of O2 - (see Red Adair?)

[boycott]

Why doesn’t BP just use explosives or bunker busters and blow the leak? This is a system that has been used effectively in the past.

---

I’ve been saying this all along.

[cranked]

And its going to decades to fix what Jack Squat screws up in his 4 years.....

As such, who would I prefer if I had to “fix” something after their presidencies....Bush. =.=

[boycott]

Last weekend we were talking about the oil still leaking. We’re still talking about it this weekend. Unbelievable!

BTW, if obama had allowed the to start burning earlier, 90% of the damage could have been avoided. If it gets in the marsh land, we’re screwed. hussein was just too busy to let it trouble him.

[texmexis best]

High pressure is the most outstanding problem in the way of harvesting Methane Clathrate. If they can solve this, it could actually be a huge blessing in disquise.

The US has as much Methane Clathrate on the continental shelf and tundra as the world has in coal, LPG and crude combined.

Could be really cheap energy.

May I suggest a radioactive isotope that would heat a small area to 43 Celsius? Or just pump some warmer seawater into the containment vessel.

[PA Engineer]

May I suggest a radioactive isotope that would heat a small area to 43 Celsius? Or just pump some warmer seawater into the containment vessel.

This may be their only choice at the moment. I would think that eight (8) separate electric resistance coils on the base would allow them to have a controlled melt. Separate coils would allow them to level the unit into place and control the rate of melt.

[HardStarboard]

>>>This is a system that has been used effectively in the past.<<<

On Land to extinguish well fires - not stop the gusher!!

[Errant]

They should try raising the containment box to a depth that methane could no longer freeze at then attaching a tube skirt (say 1,000 to 3,000 feet long) made from fishing net and geofabric from the bottom of the containment box to another open box lowered over the well and resting on the bottom. This would create a large flexible tube that would funnel leaking oil to the surface while allowing the gas to escape. The oil could be pumped from the top of the containment box at the same rate that it accumulates.

[Star Traveler]

You were saying ...

Why doesn’t BP just use explosives or bunker busters and blow the leak? This is a system that has been used effectively in the past.

I think the movies you've seen of them "blowing the wells" were to put out the fire (takes away the oxygen...). If you remember (after seeing this in the movies ... LOL ...), the "gusher" is still going ... but the fire is out.

Well, there's not a fire down there, but just a "gusher" ... :-) ... and it's the "gusher" that's the problem.

[Star Traveler]

You were saying ...

I’ve been saying this all along.

See Post #15 ... :-)

[Errant]

All rights reserved! ;)

[piytar]

A decent sized explosion starves a surface well fire of oxygen. Then the well can be capped. That would not work here.

In this situation, you’d need an explosion strong enough to collapse the local geology. Whole different ball game. It would take a small nuke, say a half megaton yield.

Yes, this would work. No way it will be done, though. Obama doesn’t have the guts.

[hal ogen]

If the eco-nu8ts hadn’t made companies drill in very deep water and had let them drill on the continental shelf, we wouldn’t have this technical problem. Thanks, you eco-nut losers. Once again your intentions are trumped by reality...albeit a very dirty reality.

[boycott]

My thoughts are that it could collape the pipe below the surface.

If I understand correctly, they’re hoping to drill into the line from another point. Why not try to collape the pipe well below the ocean bottom in one of those areas?

My disclaimer is that I am not an expert on such subjects. I do live in the area that is being deeply impacted, however. I am very much saddened by what is happening.