Can the Bed of the Gulf of Mexico Collapse?

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by thrillobyte

I fear that they are never going to be able to stop this leak from gushing. It's like trying to put a cork in Mt. Pinatubo before it exploded in 1991---the pressure from the earth is just too great to be stopped by anything man can devise. So when all that oil empties several years from now there will be a gigantic empty space beneath the Gulf, perhaps like a Super Grand Canyon. Is it possible that those trillions (?) of tons of water resting on a thin sea floor could just crack the floor and cause a large portion of the Gulf to pour into this enormous cavern in the earth? I just ask, "Is it possible?" and if it is, what would be the ramifications of that much water pouring into this gigantic "hole"?

Gulf Oil Disaster: Well Bore Structure Compromised “Down Hole”.

LOL......it would be like a drop in a bucket with no really visible effects......the Gulf Of Mexico contains 660 QUADRILLION GALLONS of water. The volume of the depleted oil reservoir would be inconsequential in size, relative to the volume of water contained in the Gulf.
Gulf of Mexico - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .

[Sman]

Originally Posted by Charles22

The whole thing is going to blow up and you guys won't be laughing, then.

Who is laughing, and can you provide a mechanism for this explosion? Or, was it meant as sarcasm?

[Time and Space]

I'm really suprised with all the brilliant minds on here...that no one has been made aware of the methane gas explosion scenerio...which is a very real viable doomsday scenerio for millions in the gulf region...

Methane Gas Explosion in the Gulf Could Kill Millions

quote....[SIZE=1]The EPA has found extremely high levels of other toxic gasses, such as benzene and hydrogen sulphide. It appears that BP did drill an ultra deep well, piercing an absolutely immense bubble of high pressure methane. Could they have unleashed a disaster that is unfolding with no possibility of reversal?

How Could the Ultimate BP Disaster Kill Millions?

The worst case scenarios are truly horrific. If this methane gas bubble ruptures the sea floor and unleashes itself, the devastation and loss of life would be unprecedented in human history. The loss of life would not be limited to oil field and spill clean up personnel - millions of lives all across the Gulf States are at terrible risk.

The smallest problem: methane gas is not buoyant enough to float ships or oil rigs. Any vessels in the area would immediately sink. Similarly, aircraft cannot fly in methane - any aircraft would lose lift and simply fall out of the sky. The amount of water displaced by such a methane gas bubble would generate a tsunami - likely of a magnitude that humanity has never seen before. A gigantic cavity would be left where the methane existed – which would immediately flood with sea water. Because of the extreme depths of the methane gas bubble (possibly six miles), the temperatures are far above the boiling point of water. The icy sea water would explosively convert to steam, increase in volume dramatically, and erupt upwards to cause a second and possibly even larger tsunami.[/SIZE]

End quote.....from above link....

[Sman]

Originally Posted by Time and Space

I'm really suprised with all the brilliant minds on here...that no one has been made aware of the methane gas explosion scenerio...which is a very real viable doomsday scenerio for millions in the gulf region...

Methane Gas Explosion in the Gulf Could Kill Millions

quote....[SIZE=1]The EPA has found extremely high levels of other toxic gasses, such as benzene and hydrogen sulphide. It appears that BP did drill an ultra deep well, piercing an absolutely immense bubble of high pressure methane. Could they have unleashed a disaster that is unfolding with no possibility of reversal?

How Could the Ultimate BP Disaster Kill Millions?

The worst case scenarios are truly horrific. If this methane gas bubble ruptures the sea floor and unleashes itself, the devastation and loss of life would be unprecedented in human history. The loss of life would not be limited to oil field and spill clean up personnel - millions of lives all across the Gulf States are at terrible risk.

The smallest problem: methane gas is not buoyant enough to float ships or oil rigs. Any vessels in the area would immediately sink. Similarly, aircraft cannot fly in methane - any aircraft would lose lift and simply fall out of the sky. The amount of water displaced by such a methane gas bubble would generate a tsunami - likely of a magnitude that humanity has never seen before. A gigantic cavity would be left where the methane existed – which would immediately flood with sea water. Because of the extreme depths of the methane gas bubble (possibly six miles), the temperatures are far above the boiling point of water. The icy sea water would explosively convert to steam, increase in volume dramatically, and erupt upwards to cause a second and possibly even larger tsunami.[/SIZE]

End quote.....from above link....

^^^Another fear monger spreading more lies! THERE IS NO METHANE GAS BUBBLE! Methane at that depth is in solution, and within the interstitial pore spaced with in the rock. ALL OF THE ABOVE MYTHS HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE RIDICULOUS!

If there was H₂S in the oil, everyone would have died in the initial explosion; all of the workers now in the area would die.

Do a little research and you will see that those lies are patently ridiculous. And, are started by idiots that don't have a clue about geology or petroleum extraction.

[GregW]

Many people prefer to be frightened instead of enlightened. Good try Sman.