It is devastating to see that BP has not yet succeeded in stopping the oil leak. Please consider contributing your ideas on oil clean-up to US EPA at
http://www.epa.gov/bpspill/techsolution.html. For ideas on stopping the leak source, please contact
BP at 281-366-5511, or submit your ideas online at
http://www.horizonedocs.com/artform.php.
On May 30, I wrote on Professor Ross's blog titled "Practical
Solution to the Oil Leak in the Gulf of Mexico.":
I am saddened to read the latest news that the 'Top Kill' method has
failed:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127258287&ft=1&f=1001.
Just
thinking aloud, maybe BP could use heavy concrete blocks to temporarily
seal off the leaks, while the company pursues the more time-consuming
solution of drilling another hole and relieving the pressure. I cannot
think of anything simpler than using weight to overcome the fluid
forces. Hope that the sea floor terrain allows this, though.
Here is an elaboration of what I was thinking. I fully understand that
BP is taking a lot of effort engineering a solution, like the 'Top Kill'
and cutting the risers and capping them, so that the faulty and very expensive well-head
equipment may be salvaged later. This is also a temporary solution - the
blocks can be lifted off later once the construction of the relief wells
is completed.
Based on fluid mechanics (conservations of mass and energy), the fluid
forces can be estimated. Knowledge of
hole size, volumetric flow rate and the average density of the gushing oil/gas are required. After
discounting the buoyancy forces on the concrete block due to seawater
displacement (fluid density of the seawater at that depth is required),
and taking an appropriate safety factor, the weight needs to be greater
than the fluid forces. Knowledge of the sea floor terrain is required.
Engineering may be required to create the seating template (cushion) for
the blocks. The cushion needs to be flat and soft enough for the
concrete blocks to sit flat and close up any gaps on the sea floor.
Wishing all veterans a great Memorial Day!