Stupid question: why not magnetic iron?

[frustrated_lefty]

The top kill has sucked because not enough of the material entered the pipe. Why not use magnetic iron particles? I would think the magnetic attraction would withstand the pressure? Perhaps it might shut off enough of the flow to permit mud to work?

I'm sure there's a reason this is a stupid idea, but would love to hear anyone explain exactly why?

[LeftyFingerPop]

1. Not a stupid question at all...

I'd like to know the answer to this.

[Berserker]

2. I think That

Idea is great.

[fishbulb703]

3. The pipe is non-ferrous; ie, not magnetic. nt

[frustrated_lefty]

6. Knew there was a good reason, thanks.

[GreenStormCloud]

4. The pressure of the oil is truly immense.

I assume that at some time you have lanced and squeezed a pimple. The pus popped out under the pressure of your fingers. Now think of the oil under the earth as being the pus, but it does not have a channel to the surface. The pressure comes from the miles of rock that are weighing pressing down on the oil. The drill bit corresponds to your lance. It pokes a hole through the miles of rock into the pool of oil. The oil now come rushing up the drill column to escape the pressure of MILES of rock. That pressure is immense.

A few feet of magnetic iron won't stop it, as the iron simply doesn't weigh as much as miles of rock.

[saras]

5. Relieve the pressure

I'm surprised someone hasn't suggested we relieve the pressure on the leak by drilling and pumping as much as possible from the reservoir as fast as possible.

Kind of like filling the skies with pollutants to fight global warming, it's stupid enough to appeal to a certain sort.

[drm604]

7. That's the point of the relief wells they're drilling.

But, as I understand it, those will take a couple of more months.

[AnArmyVeteran]

8. It would take a hell of an electromagnet to overcome 3,000 psi pressures

Plus the pressures of the oil flowing up from the bottom of the sea. Those forces are hard to stop. But your idea is as good or better than the 'brilliant' engineers and executives at BP, but while they are making millions a year for not knowing anything, you are making a fraction of that for your idea.

How could they have been allowed to even drill at those depths when they obviously had no clue how to stop any oil leaks if they occurred? It just shows how their arrogance and greed drove them to drill at depths where they were clueless. All those BP executives get paid millions a year to have zero responsibilities and zero knowledge. I wonder how long you would last at your job if you had no idea what you were doing and you had no responsibility?

I believe any executive at any corporation that harms human beings or the environment should have all of their PERSONAL assets and wealth seized and they should NEVER be allowed to make more than $12,000 a year for the rest of their lives. They should be sentenced to a life in total poverty so they can be taught what it's like to be the victims of their greed. But they are sociopaths who will never obtain the ability to have empathy or compassion for others. I believe being an executive at a company like BP means you have to be a sociopath, and even a psychopath.

I think we ought to set up a rig where individuals could personally pull a switch and have a BP executive dunked into a vat of toxic oil. I think it would be a popular attraction to anyone except conservatives, who must get on their knees and worship corporate criminals.

[frustrated_lefty]

9. Ok, here's a new question.

Why not introduce a huge ferrous ball into the pipe and then follow it with a barrage of magnetic particles?

Given 3,000 psi, I don't think that would stop it, But, perhaps it would slow the flow down enough that a top kill might work?

Bah, if we could do that, it would be fixed already. I'll leave the post to ponder over.