Professor Robert Bea, University of California Berkeley
According to Dr. Bea, the deadly blowout of the oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico was triggered by a bubble of methane gas that escaped from the well and shot up the drill column, expanding quickly as it burst through several seals and barriers before exploding.
Dr. Bea shared this information with the Associated Press. He received it from industry friends seeking his expert opinion.
We are very proud that Dr. Bea is an adviser to Levees.org.
Click here for more on Dr. Bea’s revelations to the AP.
http://www.wwl.com/Report–Series-of-failures-led-to-rig-blast/6998248
Dr. Bea has not given that assessment, it was quoted in the Report.
His statement:
“A small bubble becomes a really big bubble,” Bea said. “So the expanding bubble becomes like a cannon shooting the gas into your face.” That is his description of a gas blow-out —not necessarily this one.
Dr Bea is Not on this investigation team …yet.
Compressed Air Jet Oil Combustor
Basic Idea
Inject one or more jets of hot compressed air (say 500F and 3000 psi) into the oil stream as it leaves the break.
Just forward of the air jet is a high temperature igniter – say at 2500F.
The oil-air mixture flowing over the igniter will “burn”, i.e. combine chemically just as if burning in air, forming carbon dioxide and water.
This doesn’t stop the flow, but “cleans up” at the source.
Advantages
Oil is burned at the source before it becomes dispersed.
The technology is relatively simple; one or more compressed air pipes, an electric supply for the igniters and one or more compressors.
Application to subsurface oil plume
Reports have appeared indicating that a huge oil plume has formed below the surface – possibly due to the dispersants used.
Compressed air injection might “burn” some of this oil while it’s concentrated.
Technical Notes
1. Each liter of compressed air at 500F and 3000 psi contains over 100 times the
oxygen of a liter of air at atmospheric pressure and 70F, so will “burn” a large
volume of oil.
2. High air density should promote effective “burning”. This is a reverse “La Paz”
effect. La Paz Bolivia is the worlds highest capital (11,900 ft) and has an
abnormally low number of fires due to the low air density.