UPDATE: I want to make clear that I am not advocating detonating a nuclear bomb underneath the ocean seabed...AT ALL. I really just wanted to show the video, which is pretty cool, I think. Is it viable? I don't want to risk finding out, too much can go wrong. However for any confusion about my intentions in this diary, I apologize.
Not that anyone I think was ever really considering it as an option it has still come up...
Why not use a nuclear bomb to collapse the well and shut it off?
Well don't you worry, the Obama Administration says it ain't gonna happen:
New York Times
"It’s crazy," one senior official said.
OK, glad we got that out of the way. An interesting discussion but not much more than that (because seriously...an atomic freaking bomb??). But I only really brought it up because I wanted to post this fascinating video of...
The Soviets sealing a gas well with a nuclear bomb.
Now granted it is "just" a natural gas well...above ground. But still let me say...
WOW!
That's crazy amazing.
So there is no confusion I am absolutely NOT advocating this be a possible solution to the current oil disaster.
Video Recap: The video is of an old Soviet propaganda(?)movie showing a natural gas well that was broken and spewing natural gas (mostly having it burn off). The main concern...losing all that valuable oil. They tried to isolate and seal it, but it caused pressure cracks and more problems. The solution? Drill another hole right next to the natural gas one and literally detonate a small atom bomb, crushing and distorting the strata underneath so that it crushes the pipe and cuts off the well.