Your ideas on how to fix the Oil Spill - and why they won't work

SHOOT: My suggestion was for a fabric or canvas or flexi- type material that could be placed like a parachute or funnel over the core area and basically create a temprary containing dome. This would not have to be 100% effective, but simply prevent the random spreading of oil in all directions through the water. In any event there should be more suction pipes and containment ships at source. Many more.

clipped from news.bbc.co.uk We asked readers to submit their ideas on how the Gulf of Mexico oil spill should have been stopped. A selection of the hundreds we received has been assessed by Prof Iraj Ershaghi, director of petroleum engineering at the University of Southern California. BP's cap on the well is currently, according to the company's estimates, capturing more than half of the oil. But could there be a better way? NUCLEAR BLAST "Drill a hole next to the well. Place a low-yield nuclear warhead and detonate it. Prof Ershaghi says: "A nuclear blast would not fuse the pipe under the cooling effect of water but rather would create a crater and would make it impossible to control the flow." FABRIC TUBE EXPERT VIEW Continue reading the main story Pressure means it's impossible PILE OF ROCKS EXPERT VIEW Continue reading the main story Rocks would leave gaps SINK A SHIP EXPERT VIEW Continue reading the main story A ship might not create a seal GIANT FUNNEL INFLATABLE BLADDER EPOXY WARHEAD UMBRELLA PLUG FREEZE THE WELL