I am not trying to answer Susan's question but rather comment on this statement

In 1991, when Saddam put Kuwait oil wells on fire, some hired American contractor said that the fires would need TWO YEARS to put out. That was bad news for us who lived several hundred miles away but still breathing all that smoke. Luckily, the Kuwaitis hired almost everyone else in the world to try find solutions ASAP.

Some Eastern European team ( maybe Romanian or Hungarian I don't remember ) came up with an innovative solution out of the box. They mounted the engine of a MIG jet fighter on the body of a T-55 tank. This monster could approach the burning well and throw a water-air jet that was enough to extinguish the fire instantly.

I hope those who are "trying" to end this mess in the Gulf to hire more people from around the world (even from the third world if need be) and see maybe someone can bring a faster solution.