I attempted a posting of this subject yesterday, however, it has not appeared on line.
Because I'm convinced there will be continued E&P of the deep water Gulf of Mexico oil and gas prospects, In order to mitigate the hazards, I have innovated and applied for patents on two concepts. The first idea is for an "oil catcher" per www.dwoc.info which is designed to capture oil and gas escaping from a blow-out or similar accident and, to not only prevent the petroleum fluids from polluting the environment, but, also process the captured oil and gas so that both can be stored and usefully consumed.
The second idea is for an encapsulator, as depicted by the picture that accompanies this article, that will isolate an area surrounding a subsea drilling location to prevent the entry of any "spilled" elements, related to the drilling operation, into the environment.
Both of these devices operate without adding counter pressure on the wellbore and the producing formation which is safer and more versatile than any of the other containment systems on which there is information available.
There is precarious work in progress at the site of Macondo disaster without the benefit of measures to prevent further pollution in the event of similar accident.
There was supposed to have been containment systems on hand before drilling was began in 2000, that to date have not been provided.