Gulf Disaster - Follow up on specs, chronology, and stop attempts

uhhhh .... do your own research.

This is good general discussion. If we step back from this event and look at it in terms of overall catatrophic events that may be prevented through good engineering practices it's not a matter of "do your own research" it's a matter of a necessary discussion regardless of the industry we happen to be in.

Perhaps of those responsible had taken this approach and had the "worst case" discussion prior to the event... Obviously BP et al need to take a serious look at their risk assessment process. I say that not only in light of this event but the previous events (e.g. Texas City, Tx).

The point is that this discussion goes beyond solutions to the current situation. This is about complacency and the old enemy of us all - variance.

I received some good information in different treads: About the attempts, only the 3 story, according different sources 4 story, metal box, according other sources, concrete and metal box, of 74 tons, 100 ton or 500 tons has been put over the leak, without success, because the outlet got clogged up with frozen crystals. I regret to have no means of inserting links or articles, because of the wrong browswer. (google chrome)

One decent source of good information İ follow is http://bittooth.blogspot.com/

The target? a) To stop the leak, or b) capture the oil? If

a) I would construct a tube clamp. (similar to a crane grab.)
This "clamp" would be,
i) tubular round (sized to fit over the leaking pipe) hinged at the top
with levers to close the tube onto the pipe.
ii) the inside of the hinged tube is lined with seals and a suitable sealing
compound, which also could be injected or formed in place.
iii) the tubular clamp (hinged at the top and actioned like a crane grab)
would close onto the pipe under very high pressure.
(like the load weight closes a crane clamp on to the load.)

b) a similar unit with a twin walled tubular piped outlet rising to the surface.
The end tied to an off-loading buoy, which should be anchored to the sea floor.

These are relatively cheap corrections. Has no research been done, with standby
facilities to cure such an event? (i.e. it's a when, not if, scene?)

Please forward to the oil company. Hope this helps, jt.

(if my system is used, please send royalties!)

Read where they were stopped from adding new regualtion to offshore oil drilling in 2001.

Other than that all I know is the 1/2 truths in the press like the rest of you.

To add a tiny bit of context to the group-think: On NPR yesterday was a profile of the robot submersibles being used on this deepest-ever disaster site.

The engineers that run them are feeling a lot more stressed than usual because of the super-high profile of their current contract.

The subs need a mile-long (or miles) umbilical for power and comms. That's obvious when you think about it.

They range in size from a small car to a bus.

Varying water currents at different depths can snag the umbilicals. It seems to me you're sort-of screwed when that happens, but they manage somehow.

There is no tactile feedback in the propulsion control system, but some of the robotic arms use strap-on manipulators that allow the operator some feel for what they're trying to do.

Below 300', there is no natural light.