They're tring to cap the well NOW

Vanity ^

[angcat]

I saw a Pelican stuck and covered with oil and cried for an hour tonight.

[historyrepeatz]

I think one of their hoses has a chemical in it.. or some sort of gas.. not a chemist here..

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Well done, and if you find the author, give him my regards!

[ryan71]

That’s the nuclear option. Strictly off limits.

[historyrepeatz]

Don’t mean to spoil the party, but I noticed at the last second.. while capping.. it seemed to me one of the hoses came dangerously close to the mouth of the cap.. hope it didn’t get pinched in with the sealing process..

[mylife]

I bet it’s drilling mud.

[Cobra64]

Thanks. I didn’t think fire could burn without O2 below that much water.

A raindrop will dowse a match.

[historyrepeatz]

Interesting how they periodically view the base to check for stability of the entire fixture.

[SWAMPSNIPER]

Do you have Flash Player?

[Las Vegas Ron]

Here is a good graphic that shows a clear picture of what they're trying to accomplish.

It was from another thread and I don't remember which FReeper to give credit to:

http://www.energyboom.com/sites/default/files/u21/Containment_Contingency_Option_LMRP_564231.jpg

[RedMDer]

This might be a stupid thing to say but, I'm going to say it any way.

We are working in a very alien and high pressure environment and trying to attach a watertight seal in that environment.

Is it possible to ‘cast a wide net’ so to speak and let the unpressurized oil float to the net that would be attached to the bottom of the ocean to be collected, since it floats, and pumped to a tanker?

Of course this wont solve the problem but, maybe prevent some additional pollution until the well is sealed.

[davetex]

It’s methanol to stop the freezing. Keeps the oil flowing up to the top.

[FreetheMarkets]

Me either or engineer. For a couple minutes there as the oil went past the device gave the illusion of flames. I should not have been as definitive.

[mylife]

You know what would be really neat?

A live feed of what Obamas doing to cap the well!

I bet he his picking his nose right now...

[historyrepeatz]

Would be interesting to know what kind of rigging is used above to pull the oil/water up from 1 mile below.

[davetex]

Or picking his a$$.

[editor-surveyor]

Its designed to direct the flow into a hose to draw it into a tanker.

[FreetheMarkets]

Should have caveatted myself that I’m no engineer. I agree about the environment, been saying to my friends that imho this is worse than space because you cannot get a man directly in front of the problem.

[historyrepeatz]

Does anyone know how the cap is anchoring itself to the base?

[mylife]

And then his nose, and getting a curious look on his face. ☺