ABC

BP stops oil as test starts

North America correspondent Kim Landers and staff, ABC July 16, 2010, 7:14 am

BP engineers stopped oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico for the first time since April as they shut all valves on a new cap placed on top of a fractured wellhead, a BP official said this morning.

"It is good to see no oil going into the Gulf of Mexico," said senior vice president Kent Wells, but he cautioned: "We are just starting the test."

He said the oil flow stopped as the last of three valves on a huge capping stack was shut, but engineers were keeping a close eye on the operation to see whether any oil began leaking again.

It was the biggest step forward in halting the worst oil spill in US history which has been flowing into the sea since an explosion sank a BP-leased rig on April 22, two days after a major explosion on the deepwater drilling platform.

"I'm very excited to see no oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico," Mr Wells added.

US president Barack Obama says the stoppage is a "positive sign".

BP will test the pressure under the cap every six hours and is expected to keep the oil trapped in the cap for 48 hours before it decides if the approach is working.

There is a risk that a massive pressure shift could send oil shooting up through a new leak on the sea floor.

But the cap remains a temporary fix until one of two relief wells that BP is drilling can permanently plug the leaking oil well.

BP was due to begin the tests earlier, but a leak in equipment used to seal the gusher, called rams, delayed the start.



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45 Comments

  1. 06:08am Friday 16th July 2010 ESTReport Abuse

    If they are worried about a secondary leak why not just put a pipe on that sucker & pump the oil up to a containment ship. Why are they risking a worse disaster? A pipe can easily be fitted now that the oil is not spewing. At a minimum they should put a pipe on it just in case.

    13 Replies
    1. Christopher K06:15am Friday 16th July 2010 ESTReport Abuse

      Agreed, no pressure gradient needed... hook it up and equalize. Then as stated, suck as tolerated.

      1 Reply
      1. Mike Stephens06:15am Friday 16th July 2010 ESTReport Abuse

        There is more going on here than we are being told. It took 2 months to cement the top of this well because of the pressure. It is so great that they are taking a big risk trying to stop the flow. It should be captured and let the pressure off so that the relief well will have lower pressure for the cement that will actually stop it next month.

        Reply
        1. Steven06:17am Friday 16th July 2010 ESTReport Abuse

          They want to make sure they can shut it off completely if weather forces them to abandon the site.

          Reply
          1. simultaneous_mass_enlightenment06:20am Friday 16th July 2010 ESTReport Abuse

            there is already another leak in the sea floor - has been all along - this it there way of diverting blame - they will say this cap caused it - and we all know - we've all been calling for them to cap it - right? Heads they win - tails you lose.

            Reply
            1. LedZap06:21am Friday 16th July 2010 ESTReport Abuse

              Now that a new flange is installed, pump drilling mud down the well (like the earlier attempt). This time it can't leak out , the mud will balance out the pressure , then they can go ahead with the cement cap injection.

              1 Reply
              1. John K06:33am Friday 16th July 2010 ESTReport Abuse

                Why did they stop drilling the relief well? There's something they're not saying.

                1 Reply
                1. Bill06:34am Friday 16th July 2010 ESTReport Abuse

                  1 Reply
                  1. ironman06:35am Friday 16th July 2010 ESTReport Abuse

                    I think they are going to see if they can produce out of this well the other two relief wells we be turned into production wells helping to finance the clean up. If the casing is intact and the only problem with the well is the blowout preventer then they shouldnt waste the well .

                    Reply
                    1. ironman06:35am Friday 16th July 2010 ESTReport Abuse

                      I think they are going to see if they can produce out of this well the other two relief wells we be turned into production wells helping to finance the clean up. If the casing is intact and the only problem with the well is the blowout preventer then they shouldnt waste the well .

                      1 Reply
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