3 ms·

to follow up on depth (not just from a difficulty point of view), if care isn't taken - i'd assume that once there's a pathway to the surface, the water pressur

by avh02 9y ago

to follow up on depth (not just from a difficulty point of view), if care isn't taken - i'd assume that once there's a pathway to the surface, the water pressure would push the air out and drown him. I also assume they're experts who know what they're doing, but at the same time, I guess there'd be too many unknown unless there was some established air-tight drilling technique specifically for this type of scenario?

fit2rule 9y ago
To be honest, its a fascinating scenario which leaves many questions. I'm going to have to ask my geology friends if there is such a thing as an air-tight drilling technique that would not have resulted in the scenario you describe - google-fu doesn't seem to produce results - but I imagine there might be some sort of air-tight sleeve that can be used at the head of the shaft, which may as well be rather thin diameter for this scenario, after all .. What I'm curious about is whether these cave-divers used this procedure, because they were prepared for it in some capacity. I mean, they managed to start - and then abandon - the idea, in a few hours.
- benzofuran 9y ago
  A lot of us cave divers work in other areas as well - I'm an engineer in Oil & Gas - a lot of other folks I know are either scientists or engineers. This sort of activity appeals to us for some reason. You described a blowout preventer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowout_preventer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowout_preventer) by the way :) Many cave systems are quite shallow, and while I don't know the details on the one there in Mallorca, by the size of what's described it was probably above the water table even though there likely wasn't a free-air connection to the surface.
  - fit2rule 9y ago
    Thanks for the BOP reference. :) Terrific balls, you cave-divers! Definitely not for me .. though the stories do delight, and sometimes .. terrify.
manarth 9y ago
The description is of an inland site, above sea level. It's a natural air pocket, so already has a connection to air at ground level (although with limited air-exchange). Drilling through wouldn't significantly change the air-pressure differential, just increase the capacity to exchange exhausted air for fresh air.

by avh02 9y ago

fit2rule 9y ago

To be honest, its a fascinating scenario which leaves many questions. I'm going to have to ask my geology friends if there is such a thing as an air-tight drilling technique that would not have resulted in the scenario you describe - google-fu doesn't seem to produce results - but I imagine there might be some sort of air-tight sleeve that can be used at the head of the shaft, which may as well be rather thin diameter for this scenario, after all .. What I'm curious about is whether these cave-divers used this procedure, because they were prepared for it in some capacity. I mean, they managed to start - and then abandon - the idea, in a few hours.

benzofuran 9y ago
A lot of us cave divers work in other areas as well - I'm an engineer in Oil & Gas - a lot of other folks I know are either scientists or engineers. This sort of activity appeals to us for some reason. You described a blowout preventer (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowout_preventer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blowout_preventer) by the way :) Many cave systems are quite shallow, and while I don't know the details on the one there in Mallorca, by the size of what's described it was probably above the water table even though there likely wasn't a free-air connection to the surface.
- fit2rule 9y ago
  Thanks for the BOP reference. :) Terrific balls, you cave-divers! Definitely not for me .. though the stories do delight, and sometimes .. terrify.

manarth 9y ago

The description is of an inland site, above sea level. It's a natural air pocket, so already has a connection to air at ground level (although with limited air-exchange). Drilling through wouldn't significantly change the air-pressure differential, just increase the capacity to exchange exhausted air for fresh air.