Larry L wrote:
What makes the oil continue to flow at the spill? I mean it's a
mile deep with tons of pressure on it and the wells I'm used to seeing
all have those little grasshopper pump deals. I thought you had to
pump the oil out or force in something else to force the oil out.
If there is so much pressure in the oil field itself that it overcomes
the pressure of the sea then why don't we have natural oil flows all
over the world like magma coming out under pressure in volcanic areas?


Larry L ( who it seems doesn't have a clue how an oil well works )

All the oil wells I've seen in the movies "come a gusher" when
a hole is drilled in the right spot. Kinda like lancing a big
boil. And then John Wayne comes along and puts a big valve on
top and closes it. It's only after the gusher phase is over
that they have to start pumping.

So I guess what we need is John Wayne to come along and dive
down to 5,000 feet and put a valve on that gusher.

--
Ken Fortenberry (who knows less about oil wells than you do)