An offshore oil rig will drill into the ocean floor which is located 1 mile below the water surface. Determine the pressure at that location (i. e. at 1 mile ocean depth). Could a human body withstand that pressure? What would happen to an unprotected, exposed person at that depth? (2360 psi)

Question

Engineering

Emma Villegas

7 July, 13:00

An offshore oil rig will drill into the ocean floor which is located 1 mile below the water surface. Determine the pressure at that location (i. e. at 1 mile ocean depth). Could a human body withstand that pressure? What would happen to an unprotected, exposed person at that depth? (2360 psi)

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Answers (1)

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Jerry Huang · Answer 1

15.65 MPa 150 times of human body internal pressure

Explanation:

Given:

- Depth of the ocean for offshore drilling d = 1 mile

Find:

Determine the pressure at that location

What would happen to an unprotected, exposed person at that depth?

Solution:

- The pressure at a certain depth of a fluid can be calculated with:

P = p_w*g*d

Where, P is the pressure, p_w is the density of water (997 kg / m^3).

- Hence @ d = 1.0 mile = 1.6 km = 1600 m:

P = 997*9.81*1600

P = 15.65 MPa

- Whereas the pressure inside a human body is 101 KPa, Pressure under ocean @ 1 mile of depth is 150 times in magnitude, enough to crush the human body!