can ocean pressure force itself through the well?

i am wondering if the pressure can crush just about anything then wouldnt it eventually push past the oil an reach the oil well there it would be turned into steam effectively making a giant steam bubble and pop like a balloon im more worried about the oit bursting out then the earth caving in am i stupid?

Be Well

I'm no expert, but I play one on tv...

The oil is shooting up at about 80,000 PSI. If the oil well looses pressure and water gets in, it's my guess that the underlying strata will not have as much pressure coming from underneath basically opening a gap under the surface with a bunch of water pressure and pressure from the strata above. I think a collapse is more likely.

reply to post by DaMod


i follow u just have an alternate out come either way we r fd

reply to post by triplescorpio


The Flying Dutchman. A ghost image or reflection into low clouds. Many doomsayers thought it would be Yellowstone. With the lava, the dome, and the lake above.

This is similar. Magma, oil, a dome, and the ocean above. If the dome collapses (if remember), we will all get a close up look at the moon as we go hurtling by. But it is a big if.
The contamination alone and the gasses are real.

Originally posted by triplescorpio
i am wondering if the pressure can crush just about anything then wouldnt it eventually push past the oil an reach the oil well there it would be turned into steam effectively making a giant steam bubble and pop like a balloon im more worried about the oit bursting out then the earth caving in am i stupid?

Be Well

I suppose you mean will water push itself into the oil line? No. The only reason the oil is below the ocean floor right now is because it became trapped. The layers normally go in the order of density. The Ocean floor mud is the most dense, therefore it sinks. The water you are worried about being pushed under the well is less dense than the mud therefore it will stay above the sea floor. And of course the oil is usually less dense than the water, so it floats to the top. However, millions of gallons of Corexit are being used so it gets dispersed around everywhere in the ocean.

Well, since the oil and gasses are coming OUT of that well pretty much tells you that the pressure below the Gulf floor is greater than the pressure of the water above it. So about the only way I could see water forcing it's way below the surface into the oil reservoir is is the pressure below ground became LESS than above ground. Quite honestly, I can't think of a mechanism that could cause that to happen. At best it might stabilize when pressures are equalized, but I really can't see a vacuum being created that would suck water down because of pressure being LESS at the bottom of the well than at the top.

Originally posted by chorizo4
reply to post by triplescorpio

 

This is similar. Magma, oil, a dome, and the ocean above. If the dome collapses (if remember), we will all get a close up look at the moon as we go hurtling by.

That sounds like a great way to go if I knew I was terminally ill. Not so much otherwise.

But honestly, as the pressure gets lower, assuming we aren't completely incompetent or exterminated, mudding the leak might likely work a lot better. There is also a good chance that, if the relief wells do not work, this disaster will incite some other ingenious plan to stop it.

reply to post by triplescorpio


I know that the pressure of the oil and methane is much greater than the pressure of the water by watching the gushing on BPs own site. When they were pouring the heavy mud down, it was blowing out again.

High pressure methane gas is the real problem here, not the oil as much. Methane makes ships sink, causes health problems, and is hightly flammable in water or in air. Methane was the cause of the explosion. The have to take that into account when trying to seal the well. I hope the relief wells can vent the pressure so that the well can be sealed.

I thought this about a month ago. Therefore, I figured out what the "Water" pressure is at the well. It is around 2200 psi. The well "oil" pressure is about 80,000 psi.

If/when you see the gusher slow down the output, then the true problems begin. The oil is very hot which tells us that the oil deposit is on top of magma. So, the "oil" pressure has get below 2200 psi outflow in order for the water to enter the well. When the water enters the hole, this will fill the void of the oil that has escaped. The water will heat up creating steam. Eventually, this the seal floor will raise and explode like a volcano.

It is also possible the sea floor will not be able to hold the water pressure and collapse. If this happens, then there will be a tidal wave. Yes, it is called a tidal wave here not tsunami.

The water won't have to go down there to meet the oil. If the well is cracked as has been reported, you can bet the ranch that, just as what happens to a busted eroding water main underground, eventually a sinkhole will open up, swallowing the BOP, and releasing gawd knows what up from that hole in a massive rush. When THAT happens, that's when the heat will meet the cold water, and all that frozen methane and whatever else that's pooling on the gulf floor will be release and rise to the surface, and then humanity will wish they had never tried to stab holes into mother Earth in their attempt to bleed her dry and dead. Toodaloo, humanity, don't let the flames of natures revenge singe your butts on the way out and onward to hell.