From Pierre Beynet
The oil industry has investigated this subject. Twenty years ago a few drill
ships sank following gas blowouts under water. One possible reason was the
decrease in water density caused by the blowout. Tests were performed using
models. The conclusion was that for the amount of gas expected from the blowout,
the expected increase in the ship’s draught was of the order of 30
centimetres—not enough to sink a drill ship. However, if a low porthole
was left open, water could enter as the water bubbles. The porthole had to take
in a lot of water to increase the draught to start free flooding. So the change
in density did not cause the sinking.
Houston
