[LorencoLoricelli]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...l?hpid=topnews
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/07/15/gul...ex.html?hpt=T2
http://www.foxnews.com/lolfoxnews.html?hptd=fox

Looks like the latest method will work. Still will take a couple days to see if it will hold.

[Eugen80]

Better article from SkyNews:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Wor...Integrity_Test

[chelviweeme]

"Shutting the gate after the horse has bolted" springs to mind.

[zzarratusstra]

"Shutting the gate after the horse has bolted" springs to mind.

I like that analogy. I think I'm going to use it to make fun of my friends' sex lives.

[markoiutrfffdsa]

"Shutting the gate after the horse has bolted" springs to mind.

That analogy should say "shutting the gate before any more horses bolt".

The damage is done, and it sucks. I live in a Gulf sate so I take it a little personally. I am just glad that it looks like they're able to close it off. Hopefully it will hold permanently.
________
Weed

[Kneeniasy]

BP stock continues to rally! Obama's daughter will be very happy with this news too!

[Mmccqrtb]

Bill Nye Explains How BP's New Containment Cap Could Still Go Terribly Wrong
http://gizmodo.com/5588296/bill-nye-...ontainment-cap

[LorencoLoricelli]

Bill Nye Explains How BP's New Containment Cap Could Still Go Terribly Wrong
http://gizmodo.com/5588296/bill-nye-...ontainment-cap

Son of a...

[dyestymum]

Is it really capped or is the well just finally empty? [rolleyes]

[HexcewlyRette]

Bill Nye Explains How BP's New Containment Cap Could Still Go Terribly Wrong
http://gizmodo.com/5588296/bill-nye-...ontainment-cap

I remember having to watch his videos in High School... heh

[Gofthooxdix]

I remember having to watch his videos in High School... heh

I remember watching him on the Seattle based skit show 'Almost Live' on Comedy Central in the early 90's.

[gugqgbyzlp]

Is it really capped or is the well just finally empty? [rolleyes]

I hope you are not serious.

The oil is under a mile of water... that is a tremendous amount of pressure. In order for oil to spray out of the hole, it has to be under more pressure than the water above it.

Not only is there an unimaginable amount of oil in this well, there is also an unimaginable amount of methane. Before the well emptied, this methane would blast out to the surface along with the oil. A lot of the pressure in the well is actually from the methane trapped at the top (the drill hit the well below the methane partition), pushing on the surface of the oil.

[Peertantyb]

I hope you are not serious.

The oil is under a mile of water... that is a tremendous amount of pressure. In order for oil to spray out of the hole, it has to be under more pressure than the water above it.

Not only is there an unimaginable amount of oil in this well, there is also an unimaginable amount of methane. Before the well emptied, this methane would blast out to the surface along with the oil. A lot of the pressure in the well is actually from the methane trapped at the top (the drill hit the well below the methane partition), pushing on the surface of the oil.

Actually, most of the pressure comes from the billions of tons of rock pressing down on it. In short, it's like standing on a tube of toothpaste without the cap on it (and yes, I know it's not quite that simple).

[gugqgbyzlp]

Actually, most of the pressure comes from the billions of tons of rock pressing down on it. In short, it's like standing on a tube of toothpaste without the cap on it (and yes, I know it's not quite that simple).

And, obviously, the methane is at an even higher pressure than the pressure contributed by the column of rock and water above it...

[tipoketpu]

"Shutting the gate after the horse has bolted" springs to mind.

I think very similar to you.

But at least it's a stop. The damage done is done and will take many many years to get anywhere.

The whole thing is disgusting and I don't think people have even begun too feel the real consequences.

[avaicavum]

Under Pressure - great song by Queen and David Bowie,..

love it

[SweetCaroline]

Bill Nye Explains How BP's New Containment Cap Could Still Go Terribly Wrong
http://gizmodo.com/5588296/bill-nye-...ontainment-cap

Bill used his home made bong to explain his theory. [thumbup]

[Xibizopt]

Those are the real "science people". Who are able to explain things without using expensive thouch screens with loads of graphics on them, but showing a simple model, which even kids can understand.

My chemistry professor at Uni was like that and sometimes it was amazing to see him brake down the even more complex topics to simple models, if one or more students couldnt understand them.

[Shipsyspeepay]

it worries me that CNN, a news channel, has actually had someone on with something to say



also, the bowtie is a win

[Xavier_Spinner_Wheels]

Bill Nye Explains How BP's New Containment Cap Could Still Go Terribly Wrong
http://gizmodo.com/5588296/bill-nye-...ontainment-cap

Three points,
The initial presenter doesn't understand what "pressure"is.
There hasn't been any mention of whether the "pressure" is guage or absolute - the first is above the ambient and the second is compared to a vacuum. This is important as at 5000 feet of depth, the water pressure is around 2200 PSI.
Hmmm, still means a heck of a lot of pressure on the oil side, doesn't it!
I would also expect the 'water hammer' affect to be part of why they're taking their time to close the valves - the velocity head must be rather significant!

I sure hope they've got it fixed this time!