Stop the Oil Spill: Fill the well with heavy objects

A proposal to stop the oil well leak in the Gulf of Mexico by filling the well with heavy, compact, and possibly streamlined objects. These objects can descend through the rising oil all the way to the bottom of the well. Those objects will accumulate as a heap several miles deep and the oil will have difficulty flowing through the narrow channels between the objects. It's flow will slow to a trickle!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• oil well leak. oil spill
• solution to the spill
• spill in the Gulf of Mexico
• Gulf oil leak
• Gulf oil spill
• physics
• fluids
• terminal velocity

[lab3e]

I just heard from horizon.support@oegllc.com, after 3 weeks, in response to an early version of my idea:

"...your idea falls into one of the following ART categories: Already Considered/Planned, Not Feasible, or Not Possible, and therefore will not be advanced for further evaluation. To date, we have received over 80,000 submissions..."

At least it didn't fall into ART category "Not Legible". I interpret that everything-but-the-kitchen-sin­k rejection as: "Go away; we're tired of reading."

[lab3e]

Thanks to you all for helping to draw media and political attention to this idea! Yes, David, tapering the ends of the steel or lead rods would make them even more streamlined and allow them to descend faster -- in my video, you can see the flat-ended 1/2" rod dragging a huge bubble downward with it and that's slowing its progress. Even if this idea isn't used on the present disaster, I hope that the country will consider stockpiling streamlined objects for any (heaven forbid) repeat disaster.

[lab3e]

The top of the well is about 20" in diameter, but it narrows lower down and is only about 7" in diameter 3 miles below the top of the well. My proposal is to drop objects down from the top -- they'll easily descend through the top portion of the well because the oil there is moving upward quite slowly. And if they're heavy and streamlined enough, they'll even be able to descend through the faster moving oil to the very bottom of the well. A 3 mile heap will weigh millions of pounds.

[michaelbalexander]

Have you tried putting this on the White House Face Book Site? You sold me this is got to be the best resolution I have seen yet!!! Use Lead pointed rods when flow rate is slow enough dump in cement to seal it the rest of the way!! This plans needs to be seen! no back pressure on the well ecept at the bottom! Please keep me updated!!

[lab3e]

Hi Michael,

Thanks! I'm trying to get the attention of people who can act on the idea. They're so inundated with suggestions, most of which won't really help, that all the official front-door channels are plugged. I just viewed the Facebook White House page, but I'm not sure how to put anything on it. Ideas?

[olaf2046]

It is sad that this video got less than 1,200 views in almost a year yet the singing Babies videos get like a million views a day.That is what is wrong with the country.

[somasomaagain]

There is ONLY one reason this will not be attempted.

All solutions that involve sealing the well permeanenhtly, are being discounted as unnacceptable by BP.

The put a lot of money into drilling teh well and want to preserve its exploitablility at nearly any cost.

AT WHAT COST???

Well, any cost up to the amount of profit they would obtain from the life of the oil well. Remember, oil has been found. Walking away means a loss, and probably forfeiting any future in the Gulf.

[jjccccc]

3000 bar will make golf balls fire out of pipe like a shot gun lead will fire out like a canon. did you no they have no intension of stopping the oil. they made a mess they also have a bill for the clean up so why stop making mess if you can make money out of it. they are burning off the gas and collection the oil once gas is gone oil becomes a better product to extract, at the moment its like a soda can all shook up once the fizz is gone product is a more viable product to refine without gas

[dhgleason]

Excellent job Lou! I've sent it to the Rachel Maddow Show - she's very interested in geek solutions.

Wouldn't the rods slide better if they were tapered at the ends?

[20MarkHelga]

Hey Lou- I asked my friend to send this off to Michelle O and I have forwarded it to Congresswoman Jan Schakowski. Great idea and good job trying to get the word out.