Oil spill: Technology tested by tyranny of depth Efforts to stem
the flow of crude oil gushing from a damaged well at the bottom
of the Gulf of Mexico illustrate the limits of oil-spill
technology The ongoing efforts to stem the flow of crude oil
gushing from a damaged well at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico
have illustrated the limits of the technology used by the
government and private sector to respond to such calamities. The
primary challenge comes from the location of the leak 5,000 feet
below the surface of the water, where the “tyranny of distance
and depth” have hampered attempts to apply a mechanical fix to
the severed pipe, said Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen, who
was designated as the national incident commander to coordinate
efforts by federal agencies and BP, the owner of the oil field.
The accident occurred April 20 after an explosion destroyed the
offshore drilling rig, which Transocean operates under a
contract with BP. Eleven rig workers are unaccounted for and
presumed dead. Estimates ab