Stopping BP Leak—A Job for Adm. Thad Allen SM ’89

Admiral Thad Allen SM ’89 is facing the biggest challenge of his four years as commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard—staunching the Gulf of Mexico oil leak that is threatening the coastline of Louisiana and nearby states.

June 2 Update: MIT oceanographer discusses why ‘we have never had a spill like this’ in a  Three Questions interview.

May 17 update: MIT Prof. Alex Slocum '82, SM '83, PhD '85 has been named to the team of brilliant scientists tapped by the Obama administration to help control the BP oil leak. Slocum, who holds more than 60 patents, was cited as a creative problem solver.  See updates below.

Allen, named National Incident Commander of the Gulf Coast oil spill on Saturday, told the news media it may take three months to halt the BP oil leak. The task is to stop leaks about a mile under the ocean’s surface that are spewing more than a 5,000 barrels a day. In a CNN interview, Allen describes a four-point strategy for containing the damage and the remote technologies used underwater to find the three sequential leaks and plan repairs.

Technology Review’s May 4 article focuses on the vulnerability of blowout preventers, or BOPs, that are the primary line of defense against deepwater oil spills. In this accident, the damaged drill rig's BOP failed to cap the oil flow.

The BP leak is likely to be Allen’s last challenge as Coast Guard head since he is due to retire in three weeks. But perhaps that retirement plan may need to be revamped?

News Update: CNN reports one leak was sealed Wednesday and a four-story container was on site and set to be installed on Thursday, May 6.

Another News Update: MIT students use camera-toting, helium-fill trash bags to document oil spread, reported by CNN May 6.

May 7 News Update: Allen comments on the placement of the container over the main leak 5,000 ft. below the surface.

Invention alert: MIT researchers 'paper towel' for oil spills has been patented but  not yet developed. Wouldn't that be useful about now?

May 11 update: "Engineers are examining whether they can close a failed blowout preventer by stuffing it with trash, said Adm. Thad Allen, the commandant of the Coast Guard."

May 12 update: ME emeritus professor Jerry Milgram, an expert on ameliorating, containing and collecting ocean spills, interviewed on Gulf oil spill including whether the recovered oil could be reused.

May 27 update: Allen says 'top kill' is working as planned.