How about drilling along side the pipe to a certain depth far below the seafloor..

[Union Yes]

and sending in a large blast charge with and ROV sub.

Then blow it up like caving in a mine shaft.

Perhaps crushing the pipe flow far beneath the seafloor and sealing it off for good.

Any chance that might work?

[IDemo]

1. That's my idea as well

Screw all the 'nuke it' talk. There should be a powerful enough conventional explosive to do the job if it were placed into an adjacent hole.

[DURHAM D]

2. no - a crushed pipe can not hold against the pressure

[Union Yes]

4. But if it were buried far below the seafloor surface, the dirt/rock/ whatever would bury it deep..

then blast the second hole shut with additional charges.

I have no clue of this would work or not.

[slackmaster]

3. It could make the problem worse

Lots of small leaks might be harder to deal with than a couple of large ones.

[zonkers]

5. The slow motion-ness of this catastrophe is gut wrenching.

[CLANG]

6. It feels like dying a very VERY slow death