Proposal for Sealing

Gulf of Mexico Oil Leak

Submitted by:

John Lewis

48A 8^th Ave.

Key West Fl. 33040

Ph.- 305 394-5506

“The oil leak is a huge plumbing problem

that needs a plumbing solution”

From the released pictures of the pipe spewing oil, let us assume the oil is hot and the pressure is high, ergo thousands of lbs. per sq. in.

The crack in the pipe is broken off at a jagged angle lying horizontal to the ocean floor. It doesn’t appear to be flapping around- rather it is stationery. Observation would indicate that gases and water temperature differences caused the ice crystal problem. So everything has to be done to cut the pipe cleanly without interfering with the flow.

This requires special devices to be made:

1.   A tubing cutter to encircle the pipe and cut it off. (see illus. A.

2.   A saddle clamp/valve head device that would be used to cap the leak. Illus. B.

3.   A valve head to shut off the flow, which incidentally would have to be split in half prior to shutdown so as not to obstruct flow until secure. Illus. C.

4.   The sequence of events to accomplish this task would be to place the devices within reach of the leak. So an ROV could attach them to the leak to complete each step.

The first step would be to clean the pipe before installation of devices. The first device- the tube cutter, must be able to be clamped to the pipe. It is to use a cutting wheel that can rotate 360 degrees around the pipe cutting an even depth each turn until finally the piece falls away. Illus. D.

The second step would be to saddle clamp valve head device. This device must be able to surround the pipe and to be secured to the pipe. Illus. E

The third step: The valve head part of the saddle clamp/valve-head device which would be attached to the end of the saddle clamp (all part of the same device), would also have to be split in half so that when its closed around the pipe it does not obstruct flow. Only when the device is in place and secured to the pipe can a clapper in the valve head be inserted to stem the flow. See illus. E.