Realistically gauging the flow from the oil volcano

[I am me, I am free]

Here's the reference photo for unrestricted full bore flow -

http://www.minnpost.com/client_files/alternate_images/12391/mp_main_wide_DeepwaterHorizon452.jpg

[I am me, I am free]

What? Nobody dare venture a shot?

[cortez]

my guess is that thing has a shit ton of pressure and has to go somewhere.. concerned about relief wells.

[I am me, I am free]

Another couple of images for reference -

http://i806.photobucket.com/albums/yy341/ectts/oil%20rig%20fire%20may%202010/2.jpg

Witnesses reported a flame column up to 300 ft. in height -

http://www.treehugger.com/oil-rig-explosion-gulf-mexico-louisiana-photo-0001.jpg

[Spectrism]

That picture is NOT an unrestricted full bore flow.

The flames tell you nothing about the flow.


That is like showing a picture of a tree and asking how many birds live within a mile of that tree.

[I am me, I am free]

That picture is NOT an unrestricted full bore flow.

The flames tell you nothing about the flow.


That is like showing a picture of a tree and asking how many birds live within a mile of that tree.



If you no point of reference, then you're right.

However, those with some perspective of what a fire looks like at various fuel volumes can venture a guess, at least within the parameters I listed.

I helped an engineer friend re-create a farm accident where a hydraulic line burst and a fire was fed hydraulic oil at the rate of only 10-12 gallons per minute (the incident involved a fire which burned for over one minute resulting in a fatality). We built one hell of a flamethrower, so I know what a fire fed 12 GPM at a mere 1,500 PSI looks like, and it was scary as hell when lit (once the John Deere legal representation saw the video and stills they immediately swapped ends in order to keep a jury from seeing the results, it was that dramatic). Our little flamethrower was a tiny, barely discernible speck compared to the DWH fire - the DWH fire was hundreds of times larger than 10-12 GPM. And I'm here to tell you that that rig fire was far in excess of the rate of 3,000 GPM (100,000 barrels/day).