Robots position giant box over oil-spewing well

[notadmblnd]

A spokesman for oil giant BP PLC, which is in charge of the cleanup, said the box was suspended over the main leak just after noon EDT Friday and was being moved into position.

Several undersea cameras attached to the robots were making sure it was properly aligned before it plunged all the way to the bottom.

"We are essentially taking a four-story building and lowering it 5,000 feet and setting it on the head of a pin," Bill Salvin, the BP spokesman, told The Associated Press.

If the device works, it could be collecting as much as 85 percent of the oil spewing into the Gulf and funneling it up to a tanker by Sunday. It's never been tried so far below the surface, where the water pressure is enough to crush a submarine.

Once the device in place later Friday, the robots will secure it over the main leak at the bottom, a process that will take hours.http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100507/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill

[annabanana]

1. It's down already

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=462738&mesg_id=462738

[SidDithers]

3. It's descending...

but hasn't been placed yet. This was posted at 1:05 pm ET.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0720557620100507

But, in an interview with CNN, he made clear that success in the unprecedented and complex operation taking place almost 1 mile (1.6 km) under the surface was not guaranteed. BP is desperately trying to contain a huge oil spill that threatens an environmental catastrophe on U.S. Gulf shores.

"The dome this morning is about 200 feet (60 meters) above the leak, being lowered very carefully," he said.

BP engineers are using undersea robots to maneuver and position the massive metal chamber above the bigger of two leaks from the well riser pipe. If connected successfully, a task Hayward said could take several days, it is hoped the device could pump oil from the leak to a surface tanker, capturing about 85 percent of the total gushing crude.

Sid

[notadmblnd]

7. I thought this article had just a little more information

than was posted in the other thread. If it's information overload, then by all means ignore it.

[madmax]

2. More than anything I know we all hope this works

but, in r/l shit happens and this has never been done before.

[Oregone]

4. Robots....taking more hard working Americans' jobs

Repeal robot visas now!

[Ron Green]

5. I just wonder why they didn't have this device built and ready to transport when

the inevitable ocean-floor leak happened. How smart are these guys, anyway?

[DavidDvorkin]

6. What a headline!

It's like we're living in the future.

[SidDithers]

8. John Connor will save us...nt

Sid

[DavidDvorkin]

10. Unless he gets canceled by Fox.

[MilesColtrane]

9. Robots....

Is there anything they can't do?

Need an oil cleanup?
...a car built?
...a maniacal killing spree?

Robots are there for us.

[Beetwasher]

11. I've Always Said, We Need MORE Robots! Preferably With Laser Beam Eyes

And death ray hands.

Nothing could ever go wrong with more robots controlling everything.

[Wilber_Stool]

12. Yeah, that was my take after reading that

header. The robots have come to save us.