Sunday, May 2, 2010

Oil Vent Simulation could be done in university

I was thinking how a university or even someone in their own backyard might simulate the present oil venting in the Gulf of Mexico. But I think the most useful way  to plug in all the variables might be a computer graphic simulation where the hardest of rock or mud, the downward pressure of the ocean, the lighter than water quality of oil which forces it to the surface from 5000 feet. Some types of simulations should be conducted to see just how this all might turn out.  At least then we might all have some kinds of heads up with this thing. Also, if people need to be evacuated along the coastal cities if this thing gets worse might be good to know as well.

For example, if this thing could turn into literally a Grand Canyon in the Gulf of Mexico it might be important to see that coming if people had to be evacuated. Or if it could be seen that someone actually could plug up this thing with cement before it becomes even more of a catastrophe that might be important to know as well. However, as things stand know one knows for sure if or when they can ever stop this oil from blowing out into the Gulf of Mexico and we all know if it just keeps doing this almost anything could happen long term with (How much oil that would vent before it stops?) and (how much undersea bottom would settle how many feet and would there be a tsunami if that happened) and (how many more million gallons are going to be on the top of the ocean in the next few weeks or months?

One idea I had for permanently closing this drill site would be to combine metal and reinforced concrete. For example, if you had a slab of concrete that was reinforced with Re-Bar that was say 3 to 4 feet thick by 50 to 100 feet in diameter in a circle and dropped it directly upon the venting spot would that be enough to crush flat the oil well head and to stop the leakage? If not, then obviously some other way would have to be found. One of the problems is that water resists quick movement underwater so even heavy weighted things might not have the same effect if you dropped them underwater compared to in the open air. I started SCUBA diving in 1960 so I have seen how different all weights and things behave underwater compared to the open air. Also water pressure upon a falling object has an entirely different effect when something is falling underwater depending upon its shape and size. All different sorts of falling characteristics will occur than if they were in the air. Then the fact that at  5000 feet  it is not possible for divers to go and work long term outside a vehicle of some kind. Also, since most underwater robots are relatively small they might only be useful as the eyes (video cameras) as observers and possibly could not be involved in moving or releasing heavy weights.

No comments: