Here is the latest revision to the Oil Corral concept for containing the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (larger images after the jump):
I emailed it to the Deepwater Horizon Joint Information Center along with this note:
To whom it may concern at the Joint Information Center,
Please find attached the latest revisions to the "Oil Corral" (previously referred to as the "Permeable Cone Stocking") concept for containing the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. I have been consulting with engineers, marine industrial experts and experienced sailors during the refinement process. I believe this new version will not only work better, but will be even easier to build and deploy than the previous iterations.
I was recently contacted by the EPA, who asked me to formally submit the idea to them. Just about everyone who has seen it says it has promise.
I wish you the best of luck in all your efforts to control this leak.
Sincerely,
Eric lewis
Most of the changes in this latest version came from advice I got in the comments of the last two diaries. So thanks, everybody, for the incredible amount of helpful feedback.
I also consulted with a world-renowned industrial design/metals expert, who, like Fishgrease, thought it would be difficult to use the supertanker ships as stabilizing masses (see previous version). He also echoed a point made by tlemon - that whatever holds the cone at the surface would need to use GPS to stay relatively vertical to the leak.
And I learned from an experienced sailor about the floating anchors/guy wires shown in the latest drawing. That's not science fiction - such anchors already exist and in fact, are used frequently to stabilize offshore oil rig platforms. They are given a precise amount of ballast to make them 'hover' at a desired depth. And they have rotating oar-like flaps on them that swivel to resist lateral motion.
The typical modern oil platform has multi-directional thrusters that keep it in place above drilling sites. As such, it seems like the perfect device to which to attach the top of the Oil Corral cone.
In the event that the mile length of permeable fabric creates so much drag that it overpowers the rig's thrusters, each corner of the rig also has an auxiliary tugboat attached. The tugboat operators, working on 24 hour shifts, would also be monitoring GPS signals to make sure they're staying above the leak.
Here are some images of floating oil rigs that would be suitable for the plan:
That last one is the Nautilus, the sister rig to the Deepwater Horizon, the one that exploded and caused the current spill.
The Oil Corral system would be optimized by a device that directs the oil flow straight upward. Something like this, perhaps:
Disclaimer: The Oil Corral is not a permanent solution to the catastrophe. It merely buys time while a relief well is drilled. But I believe it would be a lot more helpful than that weensy 'riser insertion tube' they've been touting. Cheers.
Previous Oil Corral diaries:
- http://www.dailykos.com/...
- http://www.dailykos.com/...