Why are they not just Blowing UP the Oil Leak?

1. 67

   MikeNVposted 13 years ago

   I keep wondering if they can just use explosives to seal the oil leak.  I'm sure it's been addressed.  But why are they not just sealing it that way?  Because BP is trying to keep a working well alive?
   
   I don't know.  But I did come across this comment to an Article on the Spill and found it very interesting.
   
   "Good for mr costly my friend owns a barge that seperates oil from water with boilers,he used them in katrina when ships over turned.they(B P) told him he could not take the oil off the water by bp because they owned the oil.he was waiting for the oil to go to internation waters.but his barge could only hold 100,000 gallons of oil and needed a oil tanker to dump the oil in.bp fought him the whole way.they deserve every thing they get.bull dog construction(out of mississippi) could be removing 300,000 gallons a day if they had a oil tanker and b p let them by the huge oil lagoons sitting on the sea"

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      psycheskinnerposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Because its a long way down where explosions basically don't work, over a huge void filled with methane which could obliterate an immense area and kill thousands?

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      china manposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      This has been done in other places but was rejected by BP because if it failed the result would be almost impossible to seal afterwards.
      
      As I understand it they are drilling down into the base of the pipe so they can inject it with 'drilling fluids' to seal it long enough to plug it or put a cap on it at the top.

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      Migoddenposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      They considered this option, but explosived wouldn't work as well down there and couldn't possibly blow up something so big :S

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2. 67

   Pearldiverposted 13 years ago

   The BP CEO certainly did pursue the thought of Blowing Up the well head ... but after measuring the height of the remaining 'stump' it was proven to be a physically impossible task, as his mouth though wide enough; was not deep enough!

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3. 65

   fettyposted 13 years ago

   When the rig blew up , collapsed and fell into the ocean ; the main pipe broke in three places. What we see on that live feed are the leaks coming out in three places. That is why they are currently covering it with a dome-like structure. It is unbelievable to me that this industry would be allowed to drill so deep down in the ocean without having a proven backup plan in force . The government did not do their job; BP is just plain lying , every single day.  I also believe they want to collect that spewing oil to sell it. But the thought of using nuclear energy is not acceptable to me.

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   atdurbinposted 13 years ago

   Meanwhile, the oil loads up in the gulf.

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5. 85

   rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago

   I've heard different explanations. profit would have to be high on the list. there is believed to be a lake of oil under the Gulf discovered by scientists aboard the Thomas Jefferson, America's largest research vessel.
   
   recently I heard Clinton say he thought the only solution was to have the Navy come in and blow it up with explosives and cover it with piles of rocks filling up the hole, but the image I have of that is mind boggling.
   http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162- … 03544.html
   
   I heard an interview by a oil industry veteran at the Ocean Energy Institute discuss it. he claims the well casing is gone which indicates the oil relief wells will not work.
   he speaks on the third video on this link.
   http://www.georgewashington2.blogspot.c … -leak.html

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6. 79

   Eric Calderwoodposted 13 years ago

   Mike, I don't see how they can claim oil that is floating free in the water.  If you catch a fish and drop it back in it's not yours anymore.  But who knows, maybe there is some silly law.

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