Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!wuarchive!emory!dixie.com!stan
From: stan@Dixie.Com (Stan Brown)
Newsgroups: sci.space.shuttle
Subject: Re: oil well fires and shuttle tiles
Message-ID: <8659@rsiatl.Dixie.Com>
Date: 24 Mar 91 15:53:06 GMT
References: <1991Mar14.151130.3822@welch.jhu.edu> <8300@rsiatl.Dixie.Com> <1991Mar17.211535.9716@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> <1991Mar21.215538.19983@dmntor.UUCP> <10302@exodus.Eng.Sun.COM>
Organization: Dixie Communications Services
Lines: 28

fiddler@concertina.Eng.Sun.COM (Steve Hix) writes:

=>In article <1991Mar21.215538.19983@dmntor.UUCP> bill@dmntor.UUCP (Bill Kyle) writes:
=>>
=>>As far as I know there are 2 methods being used today.[to snuff burning oil wells,
=>as in Kuwait]
=>>
=>>A) Blow out the fire with an explosion
=>>
=>>B) Drill into the well pipe below the ground to choke the flames by
=>>diverting or blocking its fuel. 

=>Or, in the case of one of the first well fires to be put out since the end of the
=>ground action:  Put guy in fire-fighting suit, walk over to wellhead, turn off
=>valve to starve fire of fuel.  Seems the Iraqi sapper set his charge above the
=>shutoff valve for the well.  If they did it once...


	However, I heard that this may be the only one found so far with
	the control head intact.  Also even if the demolitions crew did
	blow it in other places unless we find them sonn, and assuming 
	the wellheads are close to each other the heat from the fires will
	probably destroy the control heads anyway.


-- 
Stan Brown	P. c. Design 	404-363-2303	Ataant Ga.
(emory|gatech|uunet) rsiatl!sdba!stan				"vi forever"