From NOLA:
There was no oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico this afternoon after BP crews managed to shut in the leaking Macondo well.
Good news! But we can't relax yet.
The company is now conducting a "well integrity test" to determine if the well can remain closed until it can be permanently shut with cement next month.
The test will last anywhere from 6 to 48 hours, during which time scientists will measure pressure inside the well. If pressure rises and holds at 8,000 to 9,000 pounds per square inch, the well could remain closed. If it is lower than that level, however, if will be reopened and oil will be sucked, again, to vessels on the surface.
Low pressures would indicate that oil is escaping through one or more fissures in the well.
BP Vice President Kent Wells said he was "encouraged" by the development, but also trying to remain reserved until the test is complete.
"I'm very pleased that there's no oil going in the Gulf of Mexico, in fact I'm excited that there's no oil going in the Gulf of Mexico," Wells said. "Where I'm holding back my emotion is we're just starting the test. I don't want to create a false sense of excitement."
I remain "encouraged" but "reserved", too, and I'm not "excited", yet.
Still, we face the daunting task of getting all the oil that has gushed for more than 84 days cleaned up from the Gulf of Mexico and the marshes and beaches of the coastline.
No explanation of what took them so long, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteLapin, BP is making it up as they go along. Some of the equipment they've tried which did not work was fabricated locally, not something that was on hand. I don't know if that's the case with this cap.
ReplyDeleteAs I've said before, it beggars belief, with all the billions of dollars that pass through, and stick to, their fingers, that neither they, nor, evidently, any other oil company, had made serious preparation for an event like this.
ReplyDeleteBP is making it up as they go along.
ReplyDeleteMimi, I think BP were rather hoping nobody would work that out.
There was no plan. None of the oil companies have a plan for dealing with this kind of disaster. Perhaps they've learned a bit from this one. Most of all, don't skip safety steps, and don't ignore warnings, which BP did, not once, but repeatedly.
ReplyDeleteAs long as oil companies operate under a system where they owe first loyalty to their shareholders they will go on trying to get away with skimping on safety where they think they can, though. It makes perfect sense, up until the point where it doesn't.
ReplyDeleteIn our world system of capitalism, focus on the bottom line and the interests of shareholders first is standard MO, Cathy, but I'd hope that the balance between profits and safety may improve - perhaps a vain hope.
ReplyDeleteOur federal agencies share the blame for the disaster because of the cosy relationship between the regulators and the oil companies, with the result that inspections were lax and not much regulating was going on. One would hope that changes will be in effect here, too.
Can I hold my head up again now?
ReplyDeleteOkay, BP is the bad guy. No argument. But, you know, our own government also had no plan, much less an "exit strategy". There are few "good guys" in this disaster (I sooOOoo wish they would stop calling it a "Spill"!!). There are lots of victims, Mother Earth being primary among them, but not a lot of white hats.
ReplyDeleteYes, dear DP, but not too high. There's still the clean-up.
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I could not agree more. And what are the rest of us prepared to do without to have clean energy sources?