Official Simtroplis Gulf Oil Spill Thread

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Originally posted by: morriswalters

There is some speculation the surface oil may in itself dampen the storm though a reduction evaporation.

quote>

A very good point.  The seas will be lower due to the viscosity of the light-oil slick on the surface.  Oil slicks have often been used as a mechanism to kill breaking waves, especially in the days of sail.  Almond oil was the preferred substance, but petroleum (light) should help quite a bit.

However, if there is a long fetch, and the seas start to break, I expect it will get very messy.

[hym 358]

Originally posted by: A Nonny Moose

They are either not giving us all the facts or they don't know them.quote>

It's probably some of both.  On the part of BP and the federal government.

Maybe the whole oil pool has somehow been released...quote>

While it's highly doubtful the whole reservoir has been released at this point, there is speculation that it might all leak into the Gulf eventually.

Assuming the well doesn't collapse entirely and they are unable to close the leak, here's a nice little graphic on how long we can expect the leak to last.  (This doesn't account for variables such as changes in well pressure, but as you can guess from the chart, the well has enough oil in it to keep up the current flow rates for quite a while.)

On the other hand, maybe the whole well-head is so damaged that only a massive blast of some kind can ever close it.  However, a big blast might just free the entire oil dome into the sea.quote>

Explosive devices are the last thing BP wants to do.  If the well is indeed structurally compromised, then shocking it with an explosion would be insanity.

Originally posted by: joshriddle

hym: I personally think that BP didn't plan right for the "top kill" thing. But the well more than likely did play a role in it. Besides, this new thing, with the concrete and golf balls, then you have golf balls sitting in the middle of the ocean. That is a risk to the local birds and wildlife there as well in my opinion.quote>

What do you think they did wrong with the top kill?

EDIT: I updated the chart to include the worst case scenario estimates.

[Empowered One 41]

[joshriddle 29]

That was unbelieveable, just un believable. I cannot stand to think of the people who may have died in that city in Louisiana! I mean, tthey claim that they are cleaning up the spill, they claim that everything will be allright, well you know what? NOTHING IS ALLRIGHT!  BP has been acting extremely stupid through this whole thing! People are being poisoned due to this oil and they think everything is OK? You know, I hate to get so out of control here but that just makes me so angry. Very angry. I particularly feel for her children, who have to SUFFER through this incident.

And I am surprised that someone hasn't pulled million dollar lawsuits with BP yet.

I think too, that the spill is gonna get worse. It may never end.

hym: They did everything wrong with top kill. They, in my opinion, from that video, and how they do things out there, they don't even care. I terribly dislike BP.

With the hurricane that will be coming in later on, or tropical storm as of right now, uncalled for for them to sit back and say everything is allright. Uncalled for. UNACCEPTABLE!

[Easy Bakes 253]

Originally posted by: joshriddle

And I am surprised that someone hasn't pulled million dollar lawsuits with BP yet. quote>

Those were filed the day after the explosion.

And they will probabaly not be settled  till 2050.

[LivingInThePast 364]

The thing that was most cruel to me was the fact that BP has its logos emblazoned in SimCity Societies.

http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7037415

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

We are now down to the point when it is time to remind everyone that the protagonists in this mess have always known that you slide further on feces than you can on sandpaper.  Everything anyone publishes about this is managed.

[LivingInThePast 364]

Originally posted by: A Nonny Moose

We are now down to the point when it is time to remind everyone that the protagonists in this mess have always known that you slide further on feces than you can on sandpaper.  Everything anyone publishes about this is managed.

quote>

Who are the protagonists and antagonists? BP is trying to clean it up, and the government is too, but there's still incompetence and red tape in the mixture.

[Empowered One 41]

there is red tape because their is this egotastic things as 'reputation' that company-owners are going through great lengths for to protect, even if it's at the expense of lives (see vid). And there is incompetence wherever there is money involved, especially the lack thereof (not properly trained staff, cutting maintenance costs etc) likely because rich peeps/companies being unwilling to spend. Yeah, they are willing to shoot themselves in the foot if that means they'll make profit.

[LivingInThePast 364]

Originally posted by: afstandopleren

there is red tape because their is this egotastic things as 'reputation' that company-owners are going through great lengths for to protect, even if it's at the expense of lives (see vid). And there is incompetence wherever there is money involved, especially the lack thereof (not properly trained staff, cutting maintenance costs etc) likely because rich peeps/companies being unwilling to spend. Yeah, they are willing to shoot themselves in the foot if that means they'll make profit.quote>

The government has more red tape than BP.

[joshriddle 29]

Trust me. The government is more involved in this mess than BP is. Which that also frustrates me. And like LivinInThePast said, the government has more red tape than BP> That is a fact as well. So in my humble opinion those lazy sloths at BP need to get up and get to work! Like afstandopleren said, BP is willing to shoot themselves in the foot to make profit, well, they need to get up and get to work on this crisis situation, otherwise they will be making no profits. Ever.

PS: Hurricane Alex... has it done it's toll on the gulf oil yet? About to make landfall in less than 24 hours.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

There is nothing in my regular news feed about Hurricane Alex, so I assume it is not worthy of selling anything.

[Easy Bakes 253]

World's largest oil skimmer heading to Gulf of Mexico

http://blog.al.com/live/2010/06/worlds_largest_oil_skimmer_hea.html

In this case bigger is better.

2 or 3 more of these  should be made.

[Empowered One 41]

Originally posted by: Easy Bakes

World's largest oil skimmer heading to Gulf of Mexico

http://blog.al.com/live/2010/06/worlds_largest_oil_skimmer_hea.html

In this case bigger is better.

2 or 3 more of these  should be made.

quote>

Something irks me about the pic. Why only show such a minor portion of something so big and important? Might as well be an oil tanker or something.

[hym 358]

It is an oil tanker. Or more accurately, an oil transport ship that was only just recently modified so it could function as an oil skimmer.

[Duke87 1,070]

It also apparently has a bulbous bow.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Originally posted by: Duke87

It also apparently has a bulbous bow.

quote>

Why?

[Duke87 1,070]

Fuel efficiency, among other things. (bulbous bow)

You can tell that the ship is designed that way based on that symbol that looks like a backwards number 3 on the side, which is there to warn tugs about the bulbous bow so they don't hit it.

[British_Petroleum 3]

God how inappropriate it would be if I posted something here

But in reality I'm very passionate about this, the problem I have is that I've seen commericals by the oil industry that say that you can have one rig and pump at 500 foot depth that have arms that can get to the oil at 5000 feet.

So thanks to this I'm buying a diesel car and running it on french fry oil.

[joshriddle 29]

I don't get this. What is it that we are talking about?

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Originally posted by: Duke87

Fuel efficiency, among other things. (bulbous bow)

You can tell that the ship is designed that way based on that symbol that looks like a backwards number 3 on the side, which is there to warn tugs about the bulbous bow so they don't hit it.

quote>

Interesting.  Being an old seamanship and sailing instructor, I find this hard to reconcile with what I used to think I knew about marine architecture and underwater shapes.  Is it possible this ship is really using the hull form of a nuclear submarine?  The only purpose for such a bulge I can think of is to reduce the drag on the rest of the hull.  I hope the trade-off is worth it.

Your wiki article confirms my conjecture, so I guess we are on the same wavelength.  I'd like to see the article confirmed though.  It currently has only a single source.

[Duke87 1,070]

Here's another source:

Bulbous bows have been used on ships since the 1950's and have been found to reduce the fuel requirements for traveling through water at typical cruising speeds by up to 25%.quote>

Serway, Raymond and John Jewett, Jr. Physics for Scientists and Engineers. 6th ed. Belmont, CA: Thomson Brooks/Cole, 2004.

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

Excellent.  On faster ships, bow wave reduction is really a good thing.  I've never had to run anything over 50 feet, but even at 40 feet or so, the bow wave was a problem at speeds over, say, 10 knots.  The classical solution is a fine entry, like a destroyer design of WW II vintage.  At that time the hydraulics studies had not been done that mandate the modern bulbs.  I don't think fabrication works were up to it either.

So now, newer ships have a considerable advantage.  Not only reduction in drag, but this also changes the possible speed of the hull, so the old formula doesn't apply any more.  Well, its been over 20 years since I taught this stuff, and I have to admit that I am out of date.

[Empowered One 41]

Originally posted by: A Nonny Moose

We are now down to the point when it is time to remind everyone that the protagonists in this mess have always known that you slide further on feces than you can on sandpaper.  Everything anyone publishes about this is managed.

quote>

In the mass media it is, but thank god for free will and people being crazy conspiracy theorists. If you look beyond the insane nutty stuff, you can find more decent info than in the mass media:

[joshriddle 29]

Keeps on freezing when I try to watch it.

[Empowered One 41]

that's weird. it doesn't do on mine. even on youtube self? (right cklick movie > watch on youtube)

[JanYpe 17]

Originally posted by: afstandopleren

Originally posted by: A Nonny Moose

We are now down to the point when it is time to remind everyone that the protagonists in this mess have always known that you slide further on feces than you can on sandpaper.  Everything anyone publishes about this is managed.

quote>

In the mass media it is, but thank god for free will and people being crazy conspiracy theorists. If you look beyond the insane nutty stuff, you can find more decent info than in the mass media:

quote>

Wow, that´s a pretty good example of the insane nutty stuff.

[Easy Bakes 253]

Tar balls  show up In Texas

galveston Island specificly

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2010/07/06/general-energy-us-gulf-oil-spill_7744241.html?boxes=Homepagebusinessnews

[A Nonny Moose 8,262]

According to news reports, the tar balls are showing up on most east coast beaches.

Now, Missuh Fox, doan you be playin' wiv dat Tar-baby ....

[DrumMaster4 0]

Originally posted by: A Nonny Moose

According to news reports, the tar balls are showing up on most east coast beaches.

Now, Missuh Fox, doan you be playin' wiv dat Tar-baby ....

quote>

Yeah. Because of currents and storms, most of the tar is on the east coast. Although there is some tar in the gulf.