What if it can't be stopped?

Probably a stupid question but how long will the oil gush for if for some reason it doesn't get stopped?
What do you think would happen if this were the case?
I hope that's only a hypothetical question and doesn't actually become the real question, but either way I am curious.
Even though it's an awful thought, I wonder how long it will be before they even get a plan put together to stop the darn thing and until they do it's still a giant disaster that is continuously growing.
Looks like their current plan is a sick joke, or more like a small patch for a huge problem.
Guess I will leave my question at that.

[edit on 5/20/2010 by darklife]

They obviously never get to tell you the real techs that are out there. The navy build undersea bases, but they cannot stop an oil leak, lol.

Of course they can stop it, but for some reason they are leaving it to bp, when obama should of made the american gov take over.

I heard on the news that Russia is telling us to detonate a nuclear bomb, underground, near the well head. Which would, theoretically, stop the leak.. so if all other options dry up, we could try that (I guess).

They also said that Russia has done this 5 times.

[edit on 20-5-2010 by Kaytagg]

Originally posted by Kaytagg
I heard on the news that Russia is telling us to detonate a nuclear bomb, underground, near the well head. Which would, theoretically, stop the leak.. so if all other options dry up, we could try that (I guess).

They also said that Russia has done this 5 times.

[edit on 20-5-2010 by Kaytagg]

Wonderful
So maybe that is why they are trying to keep news crews out and hiding what's going on.
If that were the case I wonder what exactly a nuke would do under there and what the blast would do to people near the shore? That just doesn't sound like a good idea.

edit: found a nice youtube video of what an atomic bomb does when set off under water...
www.youtube.com...
Only problem though is it wouldn't just be water like in that video

[edit on 5/20/2010 by darklife]

If it's not plugged, the gusher will go on for up to 3-4 years.
I do not want to even think of what would happen then.

The Gulf of Mexico would be renamed the 'Dead Gulf' or 'Black Gulf'...

I a designing something in autocad that could solve this. It's a compression 'sleeve' that attaches to the good part of the pipe, and slices into a part of the good pipe and seals it with massive hydraulic pressure clamps and locks in place.

The hydraulic pressure has to be twice the power of the pressure from the gusher. working this out now...

reply to post by darklife


Don't worry, as you read this a Presidential Commission is being formed to study the oil leak. That will get to the bottom of it like the Warren Commission or the 9/11 Commission. Wonder what characters are lining up to sell their names. But the oil spill is is not shrinking in the meantime.

Could I be on the Commission? I want my name put on the board of directors of several large companies first. Then monthly checks for life for a no show job.

Originally posted by Kaytagg
I heard on the news that Russia is telling us to detonate a nuclear bomb, underground, near the well head. Which would, theoretically, stop the leak.. so if all other options dry up, we could try that (I guess).

They also said that Russia has done this 5 times.

[edit on 20-5-2010 by Kaytagg]

All above ground.

I don't even know where to begin imagining the implications of detonating a nuke 1.5 miles underwater, and the tsunami wave that would bring oil near the shorelines at breakpoint even further inland.

Originally posted by andy1033
They obviously never get to tell you the real techs that are out there. The navy build undersea bases, but they cannot stop an oil leak, lol.

Of course they can stop it, but for some reason they are leaving it to bp, when obama should of made the american gov take over.

Lol what is Obama supposed to do, swim out there and plug it himself? XD

I read somewhere that if it doesn't get plugged/stopped it would keep spilling out for 500 years. Can't for the life of me remember where I heard that though lol so I don't know if it's quality info

Originally posted by Iwillnever

I read somewhere that if it doesn't get plugged/stopped it would keep spilling out for 500 years. Can't for the life of me remember where I heard that though lol so I don't know if it's quality info

I don't know anything about this type of thing, but can there be that much oil left in the Earth?

Originally posted by Pharyax
If it's not plugged, the gusher will go on for up to 3-4 years.
I do not want to even think of what would happen then.

The Gulf of Mexico would be renamed the 'Dead Gulf' or 'Black Gulf'...

I a designing something in autocad that could solve this. It's a compression 'sleeve' that attaches to the good part of the pipe, and slices into a part of the good pipe and seals it with massive hydraulic pressure clamps and locks in place.

The hydraulic pressure has to be twice the power of the pressure from the gusher. working this out now...

3 or 4 years you say. Check out the DOOR WAY TO HELL.
en.wikipedia.org...
That thing has been burning for over 38 years. There is no way of knowing how long it could vent if left alone. It has to be stopped somehow.

There's metric **** tons of oil left in the earth, unfortunately we're limited by our tech in how much we can extract.

BTW, the leak should be far enough out a nuke detonated underwater shouldn't do much. Well to people onshore. Surely it would be better than having it indefinately leak into the gulf. Which by now we know that it's not just oil but tons of gas as well. Something needs to be done.

I heard something that it could collapse the sea floor?? what does this mean exactly and is it possible??

Well I think what they are banking on is that it'll collapse the floor enough to bury and reseal the leak.

All that debris + immense water pressure should be enough.

But I'd imagine a Nuke is their absolute last resort.

"What if it can't be stopped?" Many of us here in the South are thinking the same thing. I've heard that other countries that allow off-shore drilling require an acoustic switch that is suppose to be fail-safe in an event like this. According to local news reports, BP would not spend the money for this device since the US does not require it. (not sure how accurate that report is) Good Lord, in the last few years alone, the oil companies have made more money than they could spend in hundreds of life times. How much is enough for these people? It's almost like they're not human.

reply to post by maybee


Sorry "maybee" this is not irected strictly @ you...

Just the 1st reply I seen...
I am not an expert...and claim to have a big giant "0" for answers.

I just find it interesting that this is a natural process, and now we have a man made one.
anyways heres the link...one of many...
www.foxnews.com...

I'm not saying it is not serious or a human mistake, just that nature does it too...

i read somewhere it will continue 4 a hundred years at 500000 ilion barrels a day
so at least ten years

Thanks for the link "Doc." That is positive news for a change. It is interesting to know that there are leaks constantly from nature itself and it seems, nature takes care of it. Not sure what's going to happen, but I hope all goes well.

The CEO said id will " flow for awhile" until they " cap " it

Originally posted by Judohawk
There's metric **** tons of oil left in the earth, unfortunately we're limited by our tech in how much we can extract.

BTW, the leak should be far enough out a nuke detonated underwater shouldn't do much. Well to people onshore. Surely it would be better than having it indefinately leak into the gulf. Which by now we know that it's not just oil but tons of gas as well. Something needs to be done.

i think a a 1-ton high explosive should be used first...you are trying to collapse the hole, not create a massive cratering of the seabed.

reply to post by darklife

That was the Umbrella shot of Operation Hardtack. It was 8 kilotons only 150 ft below the surface. While that's probably about the yield you would want to use, it would be more than a mile beneath the surface. At the surface, it would cause some gentle waves at the most, and plenty of bubbles.