Tech | June 02, 2010 | 137 comments

Will This Stop the BP Oil Leak?

Image
JuliusBC
THIS IS MY SOLUTION FOR SEALING THE BP OIL LEAK

Please note: This rod is approximately 20 to 25 feet long and quite heavy. The diameter is just under 2 feet right below the ball valve.

This image has been updated on 06/12/2010. The initial image is below in a following entry
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If British Petroleum does decide to cut the "Blowout Preventer," that is just above the well, this will expose the raw shaft into the well. It is vertical without any bends or debris and this will give them a straight shot down the well. This metal rod is telescoped in design so that it is smaller on the tip and gradually graduated into a larger diameter. The final diameter is fairly close tolerance to that of the well pipe. This end, (the top), of the metal rod has a series of O-rings or seals that will assist in sealing the final stage but it is the tight tolerance of the final diameter that will actually accomplish the seal. The top of the rod will basically have an oversize head on it so it will stop the rod from descending any further down the well than is desired. The rod I have shown is tapered or telescoped so it will allow the oil pressure to bypass the rod initially upon insertion. Once it has entered the pipe, the weight of the rod is more than adequate to overcome any of the oil pressures being exerted as it is approximately 20 to 25 feet long, and about 21 inches in diameter at the sealing end. The well pipe will guide the rod accordingly down the throat due to the telescoping shape of the rod. Once it bottoms out against the head and the top of the fresh cut pipe, the seal will be complete. The well will be plugged permanently but the rod still has the ability to be removed if needed.

The rod can be made of stainless steel or whatever is best for this application. It can be solid or if desired it can be hollow for the purpose of still pumping oil. The ring on top would still need to be present for any continued modifications or repairs. A ball valve would need to be implemented into the design as shown in the diagram and a series of in-flow ports would need to be added along the lower extremities of the rod for the oil to enter and flow through the rod. It would be a good idea to have two ball valves, (not shown), one on top of the other in case of failure of one or the other.

If the rod is hollow, then it needs to be longer so the loss in weight would be regained. The weight needs to be sufficient to force the rod into the well pipe and cause it to seat. This would seal the well as there would be no place for the oil to find a by-pass.
I have other solutions that will work if the decision is to plug the up-riser and the pipe that has currently been the focus.

JuliusBC
Inventor/designer
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137 comments // Will This Stop the BP Oil Leak?

  • JuliusBC
  • JuliusBC
  • eden49
  • JuliusBC
  • eden49
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Image
    • eden49:

      Thanks, but hey, I'm getting paid by the hour for it! However, I have to go to the gulf to collect my pay. They said just bring a scoop shuffle or a bucket and a barrel. They said I can collect one barrel of sea-oil crude for every hour I have spent. I figure that is about $74.20 per barrel so I am headed to Las Vegas in the near future because now I am going to be rich. It is going to be fun living the life of a high-roller. LOL

    • 1 year ago
  • eden49
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Image
    • eden49:

      Yah, that's my home. Well not yet, but just as soon as I get back from the coast.

      I do like it a lot; it is one of my favorites in Vegas. Check this pic out. It is actually from the Hurst Castle in San Simeon California. I have been there once as a kid and I can't wait to go back. You can check it out online.

    • 1 year ago
  • eden49
  • JuliusBC
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • eden49:

      I am in the process of getting all of my drawings and literature put together on this concept. Once compiled, I plan on putting it into a slide presentation via video form for youtube as well as my main intent to submit this video to the suggestion forum that BBC NEWS has set up for the oil spill suggestions by the public. That has been my motivation behind the time and effort as I sincerely believe this will solve the oil leak. Cutting the Blowout preventer will be the trickiest part of the whole plan. Once that has been completed successfully, the rest should actually go pretty smooth.

      I don't anticipate this concept will get used but hey, you never know. In any case, it was fun to put it together.

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Image

    • They need to cut the Blowout protector off from the well casing that is in the well then lower the rod into it as shown here.

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Image

    • They need to cut the Blowout protector off from the well casing then lower the rod into it and cap this once and for all.

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Image

    • This was the picture of my initial posting but I am updating it to a top flow and current model rather than the side flow model shown here.

    • 1 year ago
  • remanns
  • JuliusBC
  • Daniel_Sanders
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Daniel_Sanders:

      I honestly don't know. I do believe there are many things that can work but it comes down to form, fit, and function of what ever they use. It was a good idea but an inadequate approach. There are reasons the initial capping of the up-riser process failed. They say it had something to do with the freezing of hydro-carbonates but I feel it was more of a different issue. The ocean bottom area they were dealing with was irregular and not entirely solid at that depth. The oil pressure over came the sealing effect and blew out past the bottom. There are ways to overcome that issue but that is yet to be addressed. The suggestion of my initial post here is a bit misstated. The design I have shown will work but I stated for it to be used when they cut off the up-riser. I was not certain of what the up-riser was. I was under the impression the up-riser was the taller apparatus on the left shown in one of the pictures below but it is not. I don't know the name of the apparatus they cut the pipe off of in the last 24 hours but that is what I assumed they meant by up-riser. (UPDATED: It is called the BOP or blowout preventer)

      They need to cut that entire apparatus off in order for my suggestion on this post to work. When done, it will give them a direct shot down the throat of the well. This rod I have suggested will overcome the leak. In order to cut the apparatus off they will need to have a crane connected to it and keep constant uplift pressure on it. It is very heavy but they need to keep it vertical so when they proceed to cut it off, the angle will not change and trap the saw as experienced on the pipe they cut off today. The removal operation will be tedious and very difficult at best but not impossible. When done, the well would be capped permanently.

    • 1 year ago
  • Daniel_Sanders
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Daniel_Sanders:

      I have heard or read various comments on that effort. I have heard they are going to try and tap into the existing well with these two side wells. If they do in fact tap into the side of it then the effect would be equalization of the pressure by bleeding it off. When they pursue the capping of the riser and pipe those pressures would then have a place to be diverted to making the capping more possible. That would be fantastic if it works.

    • 1 year ago
  • Daniel_Sanders
    • 0
      Daniel_Sanders  

    • People are too obsessed with STOPPING the flow. That requires some incredible feats of engineering under incredible conditions. I think a more effective strategy should be to control the leak and channel the flow to awaiting barges (until the relief wells are drilled). Hence the "windsock". A super strong magnet could make the needed seal and the "sock" would channel the flow to the surface. No need to call Clark Kent, there ARE materials that can be used. Futhermore, the pressures that limit the use of mechanical equipment is moot...a fabric has no volume that ocean pressures would affect.

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Daniel_Sanders:

      You do have some valid points. The question that must be asked in the end is when the two relief wells are complete, what are they going to do to stop the oil leaks of the existing well. It is not going to disappear and they will still have the same issues they are facing now minus perhaps the volume and/or pressure currently being experienced. They have made verbal indications that their main focus now is not to try and stop the leak and focus more on containment til the two wells are complete.

      All I can say is hurry, hurry, hurry. The hurricane season takes place in the Atlantic, Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico, and Central Pacific approximately from June 1 to November 30.

      Oh wait, it is June oh, oh! and the drilling of the two wells is projected to be complete sometime in August. I think the word projected needs to be closely defined here. After all, we are talking BP here and based on their exemplary success thus far, their projections are subjective and very questionable.

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Image
    • JuliusBC:

      It looks like they were cutting the pipe off from the taller item on the left of this picture. Now they have oil leaking from three places instead of two. I don't know if there is any more volume or if it is just more spread out.

    • 1 year ago
  • QuestionGeek
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • QuestionGeek:

      That is funny! Sleep typing can be quite entertaining at times. Two days with out sleep and mental dyslexia can begin to set in. Just look at what can happen, a tee-hee on me. One should never drive, talk, text or type when totally sleepy.

      Thank you for bringing it to my attention and I will see if I can fix it now that I have had some sleep. LOL

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • JuliusBC:

      Cutting this pipe off will not stop the oil leak unless it gives them access to the internal workings of this device. If so, maybe it can be manually manipulated. I believe this apparatus has a series of control devices used to control the flow of oil. It has malfunctioned and in spite of attempts with the submersibles they couldn't get it to work.

      If having access to this top end has no benefit to activate the apparatus then it would seem they are merely trying to get a better connection for obtaining oil. They should be better able to connect to this. Once they do, perhaps the pressure will be relieved enough on the other leaking areas so they will be able to plug or block the up-riser leak and the broken pipe.

      Again, I believe BP's plan is to do what they can to get oil and when the two side wells being drilled are complete, then they will hopefully bring the leak to a close as the pressure should be greatly reduced from the well. However, in the end, they will have two oil platforms instead of just one. Double production capacity equals double the money providing the well is capable of supporting the demand. Based on the current evidence it probably can.

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
  • Ladykilla
  • lopinjop
    • 0
      lopinjop  

    • You would think people would have these things planned out in advanced so that problems like these could be solved quickly, within a few days perhaps? No...

    • 1 year ago
  • dwb2585
  • JuliusBC
  • eden49
    • 0
      eden49  
    • JuliusBC:

      ...OR Mr Titanic, James Cameron...

      "The Canadian director of Titanic and Abyss believes his expertise in sub-sea robots could be invaluable to the struggling oil company - whose shares have dived as it seeks ways to plug its oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico"...

      ...love the smell of "box office"...in the morning...

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
  • eden49
  • JuliusBC
  • eden49
    • 0
      eden49  
    • JuliusBC:

      ...well, you'll have to excuse me for my lack of technical terminology...but he basically said...that the cut off point was jagged and uneven and that it would be difficult to fit a cap on snug without a certain amount of leakage...got the impression it was a cone shaped cap...

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Image
    • eden49:

      Eden, this is a picture of the cone installed. It is just below the white sleeve or pipe you see in the middle to top just off center. I am not sure why they call it a cap. It is more of an attachment to siphon off the oil.

    • 1 year ago
  • eden49
    • 0
      eden49  
    • JuliusBC:

      ...like an upended dunce's cap...but the pipe here seems to fit snugly and is evenly edged...how will the cap go, if the pipe has been sheered off unevenly...??...well, no doubt we'll see...thank you for your time and patience with me, J...

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
  • eden49
  • JuliusBC
  • st333rn
  • dwb2585
  • lightningthunderfox
  • danteglam
  • Ladykilla
  • Nephwrack
  • Ron_Huggard
    • +2
      Ron_Huggard  

    • The taper pipe might work but with a little different design. Placing o-rings wont seal it due to the pressure. They would blow out in a second. Pressure is so strong that even if they got it sealed and there was a pin hole leak, the oil would literally cut through the steel in minutes till the hole was big again.

      Make lots of holes on the taper section with a valve on top ready to close and seal tight. Plunge the whole thing into the leaker till it's tight as possible. Get the ROV's on the job and weld the jammed part tight. Once welded and x-rayed for leaks, the valve can be shut slowly.

    • 1 year ago
  • versasrev
  • monkeyeatmusic
  • dragon1984
    • +2
      dragon1984  

    • I posted this page on Deepwater Horizon's Oil Spill response page via Facebook. Really hope there's is some intelligent feedback and not more of the same ol' dumb ass ideas that they came up with before. At some point they are going to have to face the reality that this cannot be repaired, only stopped.

      Let's hope it's before the weather patterns create toxic rain.

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
  • dragon1984
  • JuliusBC
  • ezrierin
    • +2
      ezrierin  

    • Julius, I like your idea. I have three caveats. First, be sure the wholes in in the bottom center of your plug plus the whole on the sides are equal in size to the pipeline in respect to oil flow volume allowance that now exists through the broken pip. In fact, larger would be better. Relieving pressure in this manner would help prevent pipe deterioration through an increase in oil pressure. Your drawings are good, just big enough drainage holes please. Also, the PSI at those depths is 2000 lbs per square inch. While oil floats on water, we may assume that the gusher at that depth puts out the same pressure as the water, more pressure then the water, or oil flow pressure equated with oil buoyancy is greater then water pressure and hence oil gushes out of the pipe. Therefore the weight to the plug should be grater then the combined water pressure and the flow pressure and or oil buoyancy pressure. This will make sure your plug gets sufficiently wedged against the sides of the pipe, sealing the hole. The exception to this is the ability of the pip to withstand the plug pressure against it’s sides. But, weight of plug, plus water pressure against oil flow pressure must be greater, or the plug won’t be snug, and it has to get stuck tight in there. To bad we can’t smack it with a hammer, or can we do the equivalent? May not be needed. Still, the relief holes on your plug will help in respect to nullifying oil flow pleasure. May I also suggest the addition of a balloon catheter, like the kind used in a trach tube for surgery. It should be situated above any outflow holes in your plug. Such a donut shaped balloon could be remotely filled with cement, like they do with air and a syringe with a trach catheter to make a secondary tight seal against the inside of the pipe. Otherwise, I like your idea! Nice!

    • 1 year ago
  • eden49
  • ezrierin
  • JuliusBC
    • +2
      JuliusBC  
    • ezrierin:

      Thank you! I am leaning towards the fluted rod now more so than having holes going through the rod. This would elevate the concerns of the bridging or freezing hydro carbonates. There should be a minimum of two ball valves on top so there is a back up. The plug if designed as intended will weigh a few tons. The longer it is, the heavier it will be. The depth of the well will allow the length to be what ever they want. So the attainable weight is actually unlimited. The tolerances I have intended are actually tight enough that there may not actually be any need for seals. If the top of the pipe is cut off flat and smooth then there can be a really thick seal that could be in place under the top flange of the rod. When it bottoms out this seal would be forced not only inside of any remaining space between the pipe and the rod but also around the outside. If leaking is still an issue, then a clamp ring could be installed under the flange of the rod and a seal be installed between the two. This clamp ring would need to be put down over the pipe prior to inserting the rod. Once the rod has been lowered into place the clamp ring would be raised and fastened to the rod flange. When tightened, the seal would be compressed into all voids between the two.

      However, if the rod is tight enough of a fit, then seals will probably not even be needed. As heavy as this rod will be, there should be no trouble in using a force fit. If a force fit is used then removal may be quite difficult in the future if ever needed. At this point, getting it stopped is priority one.

      Overkill on the weight is ideal. One thing nice about this rod is that if it doesn't quite meet every requirement to seal the leak then it can be removed in minutes and be taken to be modified. More weight can be added, bigger seals or whatever is required.

    • 1 year ago
  • Daniel_Sanders
    • +1
      Daniel_Sanders  

    • from what I see, the leak is coming from a pipe that extends above the seabed. Imagine a mile long tube of fabric (picture a mile long windsock) with an incredibly powerful magnetic collar and a gasket that will mount around the hole (holes) and funnel the oil to the surface where it can be loaded onto barges. I'm not suggesting parachute silk, but there must be some type of "fabric" that can handle the extremes in temperature and pressure from the leak. Maybe?

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • +2
      JuliusBC  
    • Daniel_Sanders:

      I know just the guy to ask. He has commented about just such a fabric. I have him on speed dial under Clark Kent.

      Actually, I am not aware of such a fabric but if there was, it might just work.

    • 1 year ago
  • CarlosIsDown
  • JuliusBC
    • +1
      JuliusBC  
    • CarlosIsDown:

      He likes oily food and I hear down in Louisiana there is an abundance of oily fish, shrimp, and many other forms of marine and aquatic wildlife available for the picking. A true smorgasbord for Limbaugh.

    • 1 year ago
  • Brad_Wehde
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Brad_Wehde:

      Rumor has it that they were pumping sea water down the pipe rather than mud. Someone overheard that conversation between some of BP's executives when they were discussing the top kill failure.

    • 1 year ago
  • Ladykilla
  • ezrierin
    • +2
      ezrierin  

    • In the mean time, lets sentence all the BP executives to a daily Work Crew, for a time no less then it takes to clean up every drop of oil. With mops if the have too.

    • 1 year ago
  • remanns
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • ezrierin:

      Transparency is not one of their strong points along with a number of other issues. I sometimes feel like their plan is to stall on doing much of anything until they get the two relief wells drilled from the sides. I am not certain, but I think they are going to drill them at an angle through the rock until they merge with the old well shaft and this will alleviate the current problem. They will be able to continue business as usual pumping oil some time after that. It is all about money and politics. The environment will eventually recover and in time, all will be forgotten.

    • 1 year ago
  • eden49
    • 0
      eden49  

    • ...I can't comment, obviously on technical issues here, but you get a great thumbs up from me, and everyone on here who is just adding whatever they can...

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
  • Ladykilla
  • AllynTygrrr
  • JuliusBC
  • CalgarC
  • JuliusBC
    • +3
      JuliusBC  
    • CalgarC:

      Now you're thinking, and if by chance they don't stick; well at least it would be a cool circus act. More cool than the one we are witnessing from them so far...

      WEEEEEEEEeeeee!

    • 1 year ago
  • danteglam
  • Ladykilla
  • CalgarC
  • EmperorThan
    • +12
      EmperorThan  

    • "Oh, poor JuliusBC you just simply don't understand the complexities of engineering. Now where was I? Our next plan is to fire lots of tires, trash, and golf balls into the hole..."

      -BP Engineer

    • 1 year ago
  • remanns
  • JuliusBC
  • JuliusBC
    • +1
      JuliusBC  
    • EmperorThan:

      You just kicked an afterthought loose. Once this rod is in place and everything is a go, pump a bunch of both ground up old style, cotton mop heads and rubber tires down the well. Any leaks or seepage between the rod and well pipe would soon get filled with this debris. If the length of this top section on the rod is long enough, the ability to get jammed would be greatly enhanced. After this process has been completed, they could release the remaining debris and make their final connection and begin to pump oil. The pressure would be release and this would allow everything to become more set.

    • 1 year ago
  • neocongo
  • JuliusBC
  • bailey78
    • 0
      bailey78  

    • Ya know something like the Flow thru model may work if the lower half was removed. So it would not have a place to bridge over. if it was built to go inside past the surface caseing. Then send a fresh caseing down hole and pump off the pressure once you get down a couple of thousand feet. it could work.

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Image
    • bailey78:

      The pointed end is relatively important but now that you got me thinking. The sides of the lower extremities of the rod could actually be fluted much like a splined shaft like in this picture only less grooves and make them much wider and deeper. Perhaps five flutes around the circumference. Once the upper portion of the rod is reached where the diameter increases to the last and largest diameter then they would be ported into the interior of the rod and then the ball valve. The last diameter prior to the ball valve is critical as it is the portion that deals with the actual sealing process or function.

    • 1 year ago
  • bailey78
    • 0
      bailey78  
    • JuliusBC:

      I would suggest that it be cut on the bias then. because any place that can build up an it will cause it to bridge. Thats I think is kind of what they have been waiting for and they can't believe it hasn't yet.

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  

    • Good idea. I wish I knew someone who could help you get it there. Have you sent this to anyone else? I was wondering, have they tried flange clamps yet? Is that even a consideration considering its size? Or maybe what they need is just one gigantic piece of bubble gum to plug it. And what I mean by that is, not real bubble gum, but a bubble gum material that is elastic and yet able to plug the hole enough to only allow some oil to seep through, which would then get caught up in the "bubble" that would be deployed from it in order to equalize pressure. Then you could place some sort of dome on that attached to a suction hose or pipe to syphon any oil in the bubble onto a tanker. I don't know, just throwing out a crazy idea. Something has to happen soon, because hurricane season is upon us and BP needs to stop stalling for time thinking it will absolve them of their culpabiility in this environmental tragedy.

    • 1 year ago
  • bailey78
    • 0
      bailey78  
    • JanforGore:

      I don't believe they have a solid structure to cap any more. after all this it will have suffered severe wash outs. We have no idea how thick the pipe or the substructure is now. What is flowing from the well can be very abrasive.

    • 1 year ago
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  
    • bailey78:

      Well then perhaps the "bubble gum" theory would work since the material would conform to the size whatever it is.(?) I just can't understand how we can send men to the moon but we don't have what it takes to plug a leak. How about a giant pamper?

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • JanforGore:

      I agree with you on the hurricane season issue. The bubble approach I am not so sure on. There are extreme pressures involved so it would probably not be able to adhere long enough to make an effect. The flange clamps might work but they would need to be attached below a flange of some sort. The flange would need to be attached by welding it on the end of the pipe so that it wouldn't slide off due to all of the pressure exerted by the oil from below.

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • Image
    • bailey78:

      If I understand correctly what is down below is shown somewhat in this picture. The tall thing on the left is the up-riser but I may be wrong. If so, that is the part I have been referencing to in my initial post. If it is the lower horizontal piece then it would need to be approached by a different method. The rod would not be the way for the horizontal item but I believe this rod will work if the taller item is cut of. That is what would give them the straight shot down the well. I am thinking that the wash out may be minimal in that area but more towards the area where the oil is exiting. That is the way things work with high pressure sprayers and such.

    • 1 year ago
  • bailey78
    • 0
      bailey78  
    • JuliusBC:

      yep thats it I guess where the pipe is bent clean cut it as high as it can be cut. then either get something in it or around it and pump away. I have seen some big pumps so i know it can be done. Just have to get them to do it. get another drill ship on location and get another project going. even a smaller one would help.

    • 1 year ago
  • chinese_democracy
  • Mark701
  • Ben_Franklin64
  • bailey78
    • 0
      bailey78  

    • thats not going to do it. those holes will bridge over in the first fifteen minutes. Then the force of the oil is going to wash out all around the stem. It almost has to be an overshot of some kind to work. Do you think you could make an over shot to place at the clean cut pipe? I still have not heard a good reason for the B.O.P.'s not to do there job. Have you?

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • bailey78:

      Rumor has it: $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

    • 1 year ago
  • JuliusBC
    • 0
      JuliusBC  
    • bailey78:

      The tolerances will be fairly tight. If there is any leakage it would be extremely small. Duffong a little further down gave some good suggestions on some special type of seals to use that should make a great combination with this rod.

      I am not sure what you mean by an "over shot."

    • 1 year ago
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