Reducing the Leak Rate from a Damaged Oil Well by Filling It with Dense Streamlined Objects

TL;DR

This paper proposes a novel method to reduce oil leak rates from damaged wells by filling them with dense, streamlined objects that dissipate energy and slow the upward flow of oil.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach using dense, streamlined objects to fill leaking wells, effectively reducing flow rate by dissipating energy.

Findings

Objects descend at terminal velocity through oil

Flow rate of oil is significantly reduced

Method offers a potential new sealing technique

Abstract

The enormous pressure lifting the column of oil in a leaking oil well can thwart efforts to seal the top of the well and prevent oil from rising. When the oil cannot be stopped completely, we propose to slow its flow by filling the well with a porous medium. That medium consists of countless small, dense, streamlined objects that are dropped into the well and descend through the rising oil at terminal velocity. The resulting heap of objects couples to the oil via viscous and drag forces, dissipating the oil's energy and upward momentum and significantly reducing its rate of flow.