“I don’t know if we can round up enough mud to make it work”
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/29/us/29spill.html?hp
Going through an entire ship full of mud with no effect was a hint this won’t work.
The mud is being forced into the hole through a hose that is only an inch or two in diameter – that greatly limits what kinds of objects you can shoot into the hole. When they get to the concrete step (if they stabilitze the well pressure), that’s the next problem. Concrete needs time to “set up”…. but it has to be injected through this same hose. If it starts to stiffen too soon, it will clog the pipe and the injector lines into the BOP, ending any ability to control the well. They won’t get control of the situation until they can access the well through the 24 inch casing from the top. They seem close to that point….
Here is a crazy thought :)
When they tried to put the containment building on the well, it failed because the riser pipe got clogged with gas hydrates – created when the methane comes in contact with cold water. I wonder if they have considered pumping in cold water? :)
