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Why not light it? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_flare https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_flare
by eternauta3k 11y ago
Why not light it? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_flare https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_flare
- awjr 11y agoBecause it creates a Door to Hell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Door_to_Hell https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Door_to_Hell
- vox_mollis 11y agoUnlikely. This is leaking from a storage reservoir, not a field. Eventually the gas runs out.
- ceejayoz 11y ago> Eventually the gas runs out. Well... careful with estimates on that. From the Door to Hell article: > It was estimated that the gas would burn out within a few weeks, but it has instead continued to burn for more than four decades.
- wyaeld 11y agoIn this case its an actual reservoir, reasonable to assume they know exactly how much case is in there.
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- Crito 11y ago1) New tourist attraction. 2) From an environmental standpoint, isn't CO2 in the atmosphere better than methane? Lighting it would be admitting defeat. I suspect pride is a factor here.
- maxerickson 11y agoIf we are going to be cynical about it, let's really be cynical and figure that they can best limit their losses by using a recovery well. If it was cheaper and feasible to light it, I think they'd do that over keeping pride.
- HillaryBriss 11y agoIt could start a fire in the nearby brush. With a little wind it could spread rapidly to thousands of nearby dwellings.
- mirkules 11y agoExactly. I used to live near there, and the area is extremely dry and prone to wildfires, for example https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_Ranch_fire https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_Ranch_fire
- jessaustin 11y agoI thought you had to dig through a vein of adamantine for that?
- deleted 11y ago[deleted]
- msandford 11y agoAlthough that would be better for the environment, it would make it absolutely obvious to everyone how big of a problem this is. After the BP thing, that's something to be avoided at all costs.
- cma 11y agoIt would keep things canon with the Los Angeles of the Blade Runner opening flyover sequence: http://www.audienceseverywhere.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/bladerunner-full-a-return-to-future-l-a.jpeg http://www.audienceseverywhere.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/0...
- mfisher87 11y agoWhat I really want to know is how they prevent it from getting lit accidentally. I would figure the smallest spark would make it happen.
- drzaiusapelord 11y agoI don't think that's true. Depending on the air/gas mix at the point of the proposed ignition it might require a very deliberate and difficult effort to light it.
- foobarian 11y agoForget about lighting it, why not just blow up the well like they did in Kuwait after Saddam's forces lit up the oil wells while retreating? An obvious solution, that I'm sure there is a reason can't be used, that article didn't even mention despite being titled "why engineers can't stop the leak."
- njharman 11y agoMaybe another process is to really do blow up "the well" but all the uses of explosions I've heard about was to put out the fire (burning oil) by starving its oxygen. So, workers could then go in and cap the well.