Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks - The Macondo 252 well is now officially DEAD

Pathfinder · Jul 7, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=575 height=522 wi><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=300 align=left>

</TD><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=9 align=left>

</TD><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=363 align=left><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=317><TBODY><TR><TD width=10></TD><TD class=whiteLargeBold colSpan=3>

</TD><TD rowSpan=14 width=7></TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD><TD colSpan=3>Subsea operational update:</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular colSpan=3>For the last 12 hours on July 6 (noon to midnight), approximately 8,425 barrels of oil were collected and approximately 4,115 barrels of oil and 28.7 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared.</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD colSpan=3>On July 6, total oil recovered was approx. 24,760 barrels: </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top width=27 align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=4></TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=269>approx. 16,535 barrels of oil were collected,</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>approx. 8,225 barrels of oil were flared,</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>and approx. 57.5 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared.</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>Total oil recovered from both the LMRP Cap and Q4000 systems since they were implemented is approx. 660,000 barrels. An additional 22,000 barrels were collected from the RIT tool earlier in May bringing the total recovered to approx. 682,000 barrels. </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>The next update will be provided at 6:00pm CDT on July 7, 2010. </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD colSpan=3>Updated July 7 at 9:00am CDT</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.bp.com/extendedsectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=40&contentId=7061813

Pathfinder · Jul 8, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

BP aims to fix oil spill 'by end of July'

Besieged British energy giant BP aims to fix its leaking Gulf oil well by July 27, ahead of its earlier target of mid-August.

Published: 7:00AM BST 08 Jul 2010


The July 27 target date is the day the company is due to report second-quarter earnings and will speak to investors, the Wall Street Journal said.

"In a perfect world with no interruptions, it is possible to be ready to stop the well between July 20 and July 27," the head of BP's Gulf Coast restoration unit Bob Dudley told the newspaper.

However, Mr Dudley said this "perfect case" is threatened by the hurricane season and is "unlikely."

BP shares have fallen by half since its well blew out in April, spewing crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico and soiling the shores of every US Gulf Coast state.

The Journal said BP was also preparing a series of backup plans in case its current operations go awry.

Citing company and administration officials, the paper said BP's plan include connecting the rogue well to existing pipelines in two nearby underwater gas and oil fields.

BP Chief Executive Tony Hayward met with an Abu Dhabi state investment fund on Wednesday, part of a quest for cash to ward off takeovers and help pay for the worst oil spill in US history.

BP's shares closed up nearly 4 per cent on the New York Stock Exchange, buoyed by investor relief the company had said it does not plan to issue new equity, and speculation the worst is behind for what they see as an underpriced energy giant.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/.../BP-aims-to-fix-oil-spill-by-end-of-July.html

Pathfinder · Jul 8, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=575 height=522 wi><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=300 align=left>

</TD><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=9 align=left>

</TD><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=363 align=left><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=317><TBODY><TR><TD width=10></TD><TD class=whiteLargeBold colSpan=3>

</TD><TD rowSpan=14 width=7></TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD><TD colSpan=3>Subsea operational update:</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular colSpan=3>For the last 12 hours on July 7 (noon to midnight), approximately 8,325 barrels of oil were collected and approximately 3,995 barrels of oil and 28.8 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared.</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD colSpan=3>On July 7, total oil recovered was approx. 24,575 barrels: </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top width=27 align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=4></TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=269>approx. 16,655 barrels of oil were collected,</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>approx. 7,920 barrels of oil were flared,</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>and approx. 57.6 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared.</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>Total oil recovered from both the LMRP Cap and Q4000 systems since they were implemented is approx. 684,700 barrels. An additional 22,000 barrels were collected from the RIT tool earlier in May bringing the total recovered to approx. 706,700 barrels. </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>The next update will be provided at 6:00pm CDT on July 8, 2010. </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD colSpan=3>Updated July 8 at 9:00am CDT / 3:00pm BST</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.bp.com/extendedsectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=40&contentId=7061813

Pathfinder · Jul 8, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Gulf oil spill relief well timing depends on oil’s spread

By Associated Press
Thursday, July 8, 2010 -
THEODORE, Ala. — A relief well being drilled deep into the seafloor of the Gulf of Mexico to shut down the gushing well could be completed ahead of a long-set deadline of mid-August only if conditions are ideal, government and BP officials said Thursday.

The relief well is currently the best hope for stanching the oil leak set off by the April 20 explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, which killed 11 workers and began an environmental catastrophe for the region.

National Incident Commander and retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said Thursday that the relief well is expected to intercept and penetrate the Deepwater Horizon well pipe about 18,000 feet below sea level within seven to 10 days.

But they won’t know how long it will take to stop the oil until they get there.

The gushing well has several concentric rings, and oil could be coming up through multiple rings, Allen said.

The plan is to pump heavy mud and then cement into the well to overcome the upward pressure of the huge oil reservoir below.

If the oil is coming through the outer ring of the well, then they will have to pump in mud and cement to stop that layer first. Then they would have to drill through the hardened cement and repeat the process in each ring until they reach the center pipe and do it again.

That scenario would push into the middle of August, which is the timeline the company and government officials have held to for weeks, despite repeated reports that the drilling was ahead of schedule and the oil could be stopped as soon as late July.

"If you have to exhaust all means for the ways that hydrocarbons are coming up the pipe, then that puts you into middle August," Allen said.

If the oil is only coming up the center pipe, then it’s possible to stop the leak sooner.

"We’re a bit ahead of schedule, but it just takes one storm to change that," BP spokesman Scott Dean said.

Though workers are getting "tantalizingly close to the well," they are also entering a delicate part of the operation that requires slow, methodical action, Dean said. That’s why the company is sticking with mid-August.

Shaving even days off timeline would stop millions of gallons of oil from escaping into the Gulf. The broken well has spewed between 86 and 169 million gallons of oil, according to federal estimates. That’s enough oil to fill about 3.4 million standard bathtubs.

Allen declined to comment about BP’s internal workings when asked whether speculation about a July goal could be tied to the release of the British oil giant’s second-quarter earnings on July 27. Company managing director Robert Dudley told the Wall Street Journal on Thursday that a "perfect case" would have the oil well capped between July 20 and July 27, though he said it was unlikely.

The company’s stock is closing in on a second straight weekly gain as the relief wells get closer to the gusher and the company has taken steps to reassure business partners in the Middle East and Russia that it remains a viable company.

"My board of directors is the American people," Allen said.

Even if everything goes well deep below the seafloor, the weather will have to cooperate. Lingering tropical weather that began last week with the faraway Hurricane Alex halted offshore skimming operations and caused high seas that have delayed the hookup of a third vessel expected to suck oil from the gushing well head.

Another tropical depression formed in the Gulf on Wednesday and was closely following the path of Alex to the coast at the border of Texas and Mexico. It was expected to have little effect on the eastern Gulf.

Improved weather was forecast this weekend before more rough weather comes, offering a precious window to speed up efforts to capture more leaking oil.

That could help crews at sea attempting to hook up a third containment vessel to collect oil from the gushing well head at the seafloor. Hooking up the Helix Producer to a cap over the well head could double the capacity of oil being collected.

Allen also said Thursday morning that he has asked BP to respond within 24 hours with detailed plans to place a new containment cap to place over the well head. The current cap is flexible, allowing some oil to escape.

In theory, the new cap should collect most of the gushing oil to be sent to the surface ships for removal or burning. But switching to the new cap would temporarily allow more oil to escape.

Another hope for collecting oil from the surface will be tested more this week: The "A Whale," a giant skimmer converted from an oil tanker, is supposed to be able to clean more than 21 million gallons of oily water a day.

But tests last weekend were inconclusive because of choppy seas and Allen said Thursday that he doubts its effectiveness scooping up numerous smaller slicks.

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/n...rmat=&page=1&listingType=natsouth#articleFull

Pathfinder · Jul 8, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Relief Well Operations Overview - Kent Wells and Relief Well Team - 27 June 2010

See video here:

http://bp.concerts.com/gom/kwellsreliefwells062710.htm

Pathfinder · Jul 8, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

July 08, 2010 14:04:14 CST

Letter from National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen to BP Chief Managing Director Bob Dudley

The National Incident Commander, retired Adm. Thad Allen sent a letter today to BP Chief Managing Director Bob Dudley.

Click here to view the letter.

For information about the response effort, visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/766263/

wdcare · Jul 8, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article20892.html

"BP Hard Cap Installation and Relief Wells Wellbore Problems"
Dr. Stephen Rinehart, 7-7-10, The Market Oracle
I just posted this in the Methane thread but it fits better here.
Technical article and should be read.

Pathfinder · Jul 9, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=575 height=522 wi><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=300 align=left>

</TD><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=9 align=left>

</TD><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=363 align=left><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=317><TBODY><TR><TD width=10></TD><TD class=whiteLargeBold colSpan=3>

</TD><TD rowSpan=14 width=7></TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD><TD colSpan=3>Subsea operational update:</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular colSpan=3>For the last 12 hours on July 8 (noon to midnight), approximately 7,940 barrels of oil were collected and approximately 4,150 barrels of oil and 27.2 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared.</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD colSpan=3>On July 8, total oil recovered was approx. 24,395 barrels: </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top width=27 align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=4></TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=269>approx. 16,305 barrels of oil were collected,</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>approx. 8,090 barrels of oil were flared,</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>and approx. 55.5 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared.</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>Total oil recovered from both the LMRP Cap and Q4000 systems since they were implemented is approx. 709,100 barrels. An additional 22,000 barrels were collected from the RIT tool earlier in May bringing the total recovered to approx. 731,100 barrels. </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>The next update will be provided at 6:00pm CDT on July 9, 2010. </TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD colSpan=3>Updated July 9 at 9:00am CDT / 3:00pm BST </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.bp.com/extendedsectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=40&contentId=7061813

Pathfinder · Jul 9, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Changing Cap on Gulf Well Means More Oil Gushing

Published July 09, 2010
| Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS -- Workers at the BP oil spill site in the Gulf of Mexico will begin a complicated operation this weekend that they hope will let them contain most of the oil gushing from the seafloor.

But for possibly a couple of days, oil will flow unimpeded into the sea.

National Incident Commander Thad Allen said Friday that undersea robots will begin removing a cap mounted over the jagged remnants of the well head Saturday.

They plan to put a new containment cap that will form a better seal. Then, up to four ships will begin collecting the oil and gas.

The time from beginning the removal of the old cap to attaching the new cap will take about three to four days.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/07/09/changing-cap-gulf-means-oil-gushing/

Pathfinder · Jul 9, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

DATE: July 09, 2010 14:22:59 CST
Transcript-Press Briefing by National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen July 9, 2010

July 9, 2010
9:45 a.m. CDT

ADMIRAL ALLEN: Thank you, Joe. Good morning. A quick update on some statistics and I'll be glad to answer any questions you may have for me. We continue produce off of current container device at the well head to the Discover Enterprise. We got 16,308 barrels. The Q4000 recovered and flared another 8,091 barrels for a total of 24,399.

As you know we are in the process of also trying to hook up a third production platform, the Helix Producer. That was delayed because of the last front, weather that passed through. We now have weather that is allowing us to proceed with that hook up.

That hookup is in progress today. We hope that we will finish checking for leaks purging the lines. We have a possibility to be able to produce out of the Helix Producer sometime on Sunday. As you all know, that will raise the total capacity for our current containment cap system that is online between 50-53,000 barrels a day.

Also as was noted yesterday after a consultation with Administrator Lubchenco from NOAA and BP officials, we have elected to direct them to provide us a timeline. How we may move forward and accelerate the replacement of the current containment cap. This is in anticipation of a weather window that will allows to potentially 7 to 10 good days of weather and we'd like to take advantage of that.

To that end, a good day yesterday, I issued a letter to Bob Dudley at BP asking him to provide me within 24 hours a detailed timeline on how they would proceed?that?s removing existing containment cap and put another cap on that will allow us to actually seal the well at that point.

They are in the progress of doing?process of doing that. I've had several discussions with Mr. Dudley last night and will continue to discuss with his staff this morning. There is a table top exercise scheduled in Houston for 11:00 when they are going to go through all the procedures. I expect at midday we'll have a response back from them.

And subject to any issues that need to be clarified we'll be able to proceed. That means that we could at the earliest start removing the current capping device upon the wellbore sometime tomorrow. That would be followed a period where there would be no capping device, and we continue to produce through the Q4000 and the Helix Producer when it comes online.

But there would be a multi-day period there while we're putting the new containment cap on whether it be some exposure to hydrocarbons going into the environment. We continue to move forward. We think this weather window presents a significant opportunity for us to accelerate the process of capping?shutting down the well from the top and increasing the prospects for being able to kill the well from below through the relief wells.

Regarding the relief wells, we continue to make progress there. As of yesterday, we had moved to 17,780 feet in measured depth. We can move to 17,830 feet. It's getting very, very close. Things are going to get slow at this point as they go in small sections.

They will drill, withdraw, put a sensor down, assess the distance horizontally to the well bore and then how much more they can go vertically. We think sometime in the next week or so we'll be in a position where they can assess you know whether or not (inaudible) drill into the annulus which is the circular area outside the drill pipe and assess whether there are any hydrocarbons there and see the first opportunity to actually fill the well bore with mud. It defeats the pressure of the hydrocarbons.

If there are no hydrocarbons present there they will basically unplug that outer ring let that dry if you will or set and then drill back in and go into the drill pipe. So it's a two phase process.

If we have to do both phases that will take us until the middle of August, hence our conservative estimates that it will be the middle of August when we have actually tapped the well. To be sooner than that, we will be (inaudible) if it would be for right now seems to be the middle of August...

Continue reading at:
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/769671/

Pathfinder · Jul 9, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

DATE: July 09, 2010 16:49:37 CST

Letter from BP Chief Managing Director Bob Dudley to National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen

BP Chief Managing Director Bob Dudley today sent a letter to National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen, in response to Admiral Allen?s letter dated July 8.

Click here to view the letter.

For information about the response effort, visit www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com.

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/770183/

PDF copy of letter:
Bob Dudley
President and CEO
501 Westlake Park Boulevard
Gulf Coast Restoration
Houston, TX 77079
USA

July 9th, 2010
Admiral Thad Allen
National Incident Commander
2100 Secon Street, SW
Washington, DC 20593-0001

Dear Admiral Allen
Direct: 281 366 7731

Thank you for you letter dated July 8, 2010 acknowledging the next stage
of the Deepwater Response that we are entering. BP has continued to
work through Unified Area Command and the Federal On-Scene
Coordinator to implement agreed plans for subsea collection. The plans
presented below have been developed in consultation with the DOE, DOI,
Federal Scientific Technical Team, BOEMRE, Coast Guard and through
direct daily dialog with Secretary Salazar, Secretary Chu and their offices.
Main: 281 366 2000
Fax: 281 366 1489

As part of our agreed long term containment plans the implementation of
the capping stack has always been recognized as a critical component. In
previous plans we have scheduled the start of the capping stack
installation following the HELIX Producer start-up of containment
operations. As weather has impacted our ability to execute these
activities in series we, in conjunction with government experts, have
proposed that the capping stack procedure be implemented in parallel
with the start-up of the Helix Producer. This timing takes advantage of a
projected weather window of some 8 days as projected by NOAA. As
noted in your letter, if the capping stack installation is executed in parallel
with and ahead of the Helix Producer start-up, the Q4000 would be the
sole oil collection system running during a substantial part of the
operation.

Please find below the information you have requested in your letter.
1. Attachment A illustrates the detailed timeline for the upcoming
decision points relating to installation of the capping stack. This
timeline provides for two scenarios: one with no operational
contingency, and one that provides a contingency for operational and
weather impacts. The diagram also illustrates in a hashed format the
favorable weather window projected for these operations. In
addition, the timelines in Attachment 1 describe two boundary
conditions for the start of the capping stack operation. Those two
conditions are the completion of the installation of the 1200ft flexible
and the installation of the blue pod. We do not intend to start the
capping stack operation until we have met both of these boundary
conditions. Day 1 for commencement of capping stack operations
may be adjusted forward depending on the timing for the completion
of these two boundary conditions.

Attachment B illustrates the timeline for the start-up of the Helix
Producer.

2. In a case where we encounter a problem, Attachment A also
illustrates the timeline for the Enterprise to resume collection using
the appropriate containment cap as a contingency.

3. At present this plan moves to shut in the well directly following the
installation of the capping stack and the cessation of collection from
the Q4000. Attachment A illustrates the range of possible timings
for shutting in the well. Details for the shut-in procedure are being
finalized in a meeting today, July 9th 2010, with the DOE, DOI,
Federal Scientific Technical team and Secretary Chu who will be in
attendance. The detailed procedures will be finalized and submitted
to Unified Area Command for approval following this meeting.

4. Attachment C illustrates the timeline for the estimated completion of
the relief well. This is the schedule we reviewed with you in
Houston on July 6th.

5. Attachment D illustrates the near shore and offshore strategy to be
implemented to address the increase in oil associated with the
parallel placement of the capping stack and the start-up of the Helix
producer. The strategy includes 22 large OSRV skimmers, 4 barge
skimmers, 14 burn teams, 18 mid sized skimmers and near shore
skimmers (350 vessels). These assets will be staged at strategic
points between the source areas and shore. These operations will
be supported by over 50 aircraft for reconnaissance and targeting.

The effectiveness of these operations are heavily weather
dependant.

Consistent with prior approvals obtained from the Unified Area
Command subsea dispersants will be utilized at the LMRP flange
during the flange removal and replacement operations. Increased
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC?s) at the surface have the
potential to impact the safe working condition for the +1400 people
on vessels working near the source. The use of subsea dispersants
and surface dispersants near the vessels have been extremely
effective in reducing or eliminating the impact of VOC?s which can
interfere with operations. The plan is optimized to pump, when
operationally possible, 12 gal/min of subsea dispersant into the
exiting oil stream using a wand placed approximately 4 feet inside
the top of the LMRP. These injection rates are within the currently
approved rates for this expected level of flow as outlined by Admiral
Watson in his approved letter dated June 23, 2010. The use of
surface dispersants near the site will be executed consistent with
approved UAC protocol dated July 5th, 2010, signed by Admiral
Nash. Dispersant monitoring for toxicity, dissolved oxygen and
fluorometry will continue consistent with the Dispersant Monitoring
and Assessment Directive ? Addendum signed by Admiral Landry
(FOSC) on May 14, 2010 and Samuel Colman of the EPA on May 14,
2100.

Please revert with any further questions or concerns and your

concurrence with the plans outlined above...

http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse...al_Allen_with_attachments_09_07_10.770167.pdf

Pathfinder · Jul 10, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

National Incident Commander Approves Plan to Replace MC252 Well Cap

Release date: 10 July 2010

Following a technical review this week, the National Incident Commander has approved the plan for BP to move ahead with replacing the existing lower marine riser package (LMRP) containment cap over the Deepwater Horizon’s failed blow-out preventer (BOP) with a new sealing cap assembly.

The new sealing cap contains three closing rams and multiple ports for connection to additional containment options. The new cap creates the potential to increase oil and gas containment capacity to greater than 50,000 barrels per day and should improve containment efficiency during hurricane season by allowing shorter disconnect and reconnect times. The new cap assembly also might simplify future well kill and cementing procedures through the relief wells, which in turn could increase the probability of success for those operations. In addition, the new cap should enable a shut-in test to be performed to determine integrity of the MC252 well.

The plan for installing the sealing cap will involve a multiple stage process and several vessels and remotely operated vehicles. First, the existing LMRP cap and the remaining riser flange will be removed from the top of the Deepwater Horizon LMRP. Next, a flange transition spool will be installed using the Boa Deep C. Then, using the Discoverer Inspiration, the three-ram capping stack will be connected to the top of the spool.

The sealing cap operation is expected to begin this weekend to take advantage of anticipated favourable weather conditions and is expected to take between four and seven days to complete. The sealing cap installation procedure is intended to run in parallel with the installation and start-up of the Helix Producer containment system, which could begin ramping up containment operations as early as Sunday.

Because the LMRP cap must be removed to conduct this sealing cap operation, there will be a period of decreased oil and gas capture from the wellhead. During the installation of the sealing cap assembly, the Q4000 should continue to capture and flare oil and gas. Additionally, oil and gas also may be captured by the Helix Producer containment system once it becomes operational. Unlike the LMRP containment cap system, the Q4000 and Helix Producer systems are connected to the kill and choke lines on the BOP via the existing top kill manifold.

This new sealing cap has not been deployed at these depths or under these conditions, and there can be no assurance that the sealing cap will be successfully installed or installed within the anticipated timeframe. Contingency LMRP caps are positioned on the seabed and it should be possible to return to the current containment configuration if needed.

Work on the first relief well, which started May 2, continues. The well reached a measured depth of 17,810 feet on July 9. The previous ranging run indicated that the relief well is now approximately 5 to 7.5 feet horizontally away from the MC252 well. The next planned step is to do another ranging run and then drill down 30 feet to a measured depth of 17,840 feet. The series of drilling and ranging runs will continue for approximately another 60 feet. The 97/8 inch liner will then be set before beginning the final series of drilling and ranging runs before intercepting the MC252 well. Although uncertainty still exists, the first half of August remains the current estimate of the most likely date by which the first relief well will intercept the MC252 well and kill operations performed.

The second relief well, which started May 16, is drilling at 15,963 feet. The next planned step is to set the 117/8 inch casing. Following casing and cementing, the second relief well will pause to avoid any interference with the first relief well activities, but be positioned should any issues arise with the first relief well.

http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7063603

Pathfinder · Jul 11, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Sealing Cap Installation Update

Release date: 11 July 2010

Following approval from the National Incident Commander, BP began replacing the existing lower marine riser package (LMRP) containment cap over the Deepwater Horizon's failed blow-out preventer with a new sealing cap assembly.

Installation of the sealing cap is proceeding as planned. The Discoverer Enterprise removed the LMRP cap at approximately 12:40 PM CDT on Saturday, July 10. The Discoverer Enterprise then moved off station. Following the removal of the cap, a subsea dispersant wand was inserted into the riser. Two plugs and all six flange bolts were then removed. The Discoverer Inspiration is now moving on station.

The Q4000 containment system continues to capture oil and gas from the MC252 well and flare the hydrocarbons safely at the surface. Once it becomes operational, the Helix Producer containment system will begin capturing additional oil and gas.
.../

http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7063607

Pathfinder · Jul 11, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=575 height=522 wi><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=300 align=left>

</TD><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=9 align=left>

</TD><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=363 align=left><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=317><TBODY><TR><TD width=10></TD><TD class=whiteLargeBold colSpan=3>

</TD><TD rowSpan=14 width=7></TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD><TD colSpan=3>Subsea operational update:</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD colSpan=3>Installing the sealing cap is proceeding as planned</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top width=27 align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=4></TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=269>All 6 bolts were removed over night from the flange;</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>Using the Discoverer Inspiration, the flange overshot tool removed the flange and is now lifting it back to surface;</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>ROVs are removing 4 pipe sleeves from around the flex joint flange.</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>For the last 12 hours on July 10 (noon to midnight), approximately 4,060 barrels of oil and 9.8 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared on the Q4000.</TD></TR><TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>On July 10, total oil recovered was approx. 15,200 barrels:</TD></TR><TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top width=27 align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=4></TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=269>approx. 7,096 barrels of oil were collected,</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>approx. 8,100 barrels of oil were flared,</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>and approx. 35.2 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared.</TD></TR><TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD><TR></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>Total oil recovered from both the LMRP Cap and Q4000 systems since they were implemented is approx. 749,100 barrels. An additional 22,000 barrels were collected from the RIT tool earlier in May bringing the total recovered to approx. 771,100 barrels.</TD><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>The next update will be provided at 6:00pm CDT on July 11, 2010.</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD colSpan=3>Updated July 11 at 9:00am CDT / 3:00pm BST</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.bp.com/extendedsectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=40&contentId=7061813

Pathfinder · Jul 12, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=575 height=522 wi><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=300 align=left>

</TD><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=9 align=left>

</TD><TD bgColor=#009900 vAlign=top width=363 align=left><TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=317><TBODY><TR><TD width=10></TD><TD class=whiteLargeBold colSpan=3>

</TD><TD rowSpan=14 width=7></TD></TR><TR><TD>

</TD><TD colSpan=3>Subsea operational update:</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD colSpan=3>Installing the sealing cap is proceeding as planned</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top width=27 align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=4></TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=269>Flange transition spool bolts have been tightened</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>Using the Discoverer Inspiration, the capping stack activities are ongoing</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>For the last 12 hours on July 11 (noon to midnight), approximately 4,195 barrels of oil and 9.7 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared on the Q4000.</TD></TR><TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>On July 11, total recovery was as follows:</TD></TR><TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top width=27 align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=4></TD><TD class=whiteRegular width=269>approx. 8,235 barrels of oil were flared,</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD vAlign=top align=right>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular></TD><TD class=whiteRegular>and approx. 19.5 million cubic feet of natural gas were flared.</TD></TR><TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD><TR></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>The Discoverer Enterprise remains shutdown for the installation of the capping stack</TD><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>Total oil recovered from both the LMRP Cap and Q4000 systems since they were implemented is approx. 757,300 barrels. An additional 22,000 barrels were collected from the RIT tool earlier in May bringing the total recovered to approx. 779,300 barrels.</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top>?</TD><TD class=whiteRegular vAlign=top colSpan=3>The next update will be provided at 6:00pm CDT on July 12, 2010.</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top colSpan=4>

</TD></TR><TR><TD vAlign=top></TD><TD colSpan=3>Updated July 12 at 9:00am CDT / 3:00pm BST</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
http://www.bp.com/extendedsectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=40&contentId=7061813

Pathfinder · Jul 12, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

BP: Oil Cap Will Be Attached Today, Then Tested

BP says new cap will be attached to leaking Gulf well for first time later today, then tested

The Associated Press

By TOM BREEN and HARRY WEBER Associated Press Writers

NEW ORLEANS July 12, 2010 (AP)

BP expected to attach a tight new cap Monday on its busted oil well in the Gulf of Mexico, putting the oil giant a few tantalizing steps closer to knowing whether the fix will be enough to finally stop crude from gushing into the Gulf.

The new cap, a 150,000-pound metal stack known as "Top Hat 10," was about 300 feet from the point where it's supposed to connect with the leaking well, BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said in a Monday morning news briefing.

The BP executive was careful to keep expectations grounded, stressing that once the cap is in place, it will take days to know whether it can withstand the pressure of the erupting oil and feed it through pipes to surface ships. The cap and vessels together make up BP's plan to stop oil from spewing into the Gulf for the first time since April 20.

"Until we have the cap on, securely fitted in place, and know it's operating per the design, we have to recognize this is a complex operation," Suttles said.

-------------

Once the cap is firmly in place, the company will begin "shutting in" the well by closing perforated pipe at the top. The company will be looking to see if the pressure rises inside the cap. If it does, that means there are no other leaks, and the cap is stopping oil from leaking into the Gulf.

But lower pressure readings may indicate leaking elsewhere in the well. In that case, Suttles said, the company will work to collect the leak with surface vessels and by dropping yet another cap on top of the stack.

The testing should last about 48 hours, Suttles said.

Even if the tests show the cap is successfully holding in the oil, it will not be the final fix for the blown well. That will have to wait until one of two relief wells reaches the leaking well from underground and can inject heavy drilling mud and cement to form a permanent plug.

Full text at:
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=11140556

Pathfinder · Jul 12, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

BP works to put a tighter-fitting cap on the well

By TOM BREEN and HARRY R. WEBER (AP) ? 8 minutes ago

NEW ORLEANS ? Deep-sea robots swarmed around BP's ruptured oil well Monday in a delicately choreographed effort to attach a tighter-fitting cap that could finally stop crude from gushing into the Gulf of Mexico nearly three months into the crisis.

Video of the billowing brown oil leak showed glimpses of yellow equipment and swinging robot arms engaged in a project akin to building a giant Lego tower underwater.

BP officials said that the 18-foot-high, 150,000-pound metal cap should be attached on Monday but that they will have to test and monitor the equipment for two days to see if it can throttle the nation's worst offshore oil spill. Late Monday afternoon, the cap was being lowered into place and was just 40 feet away from the top of the well.

From the White House to Gulf Coast marinas and town halls, all eyes were on the slow, deliberate process a mile below the sea. President Barack Obama is getting repeated updates, his adviser David Axelrod said.

Residents on the coast were skeptical, though, and know that even if the gusher is contained, the disaster will be far from over.

If the cap works, the blown-out well will still be leaking. But the newer, tighter cap will enable BP to capture all the oil and funnel it up to ships on the surface if necessary.

One of those ships, the Helix Producer, began operating Monday and should be up to its capacity of collecting roughly 1 million gallons of oil a day within a few days, Suttles said.

A permanent fix will have to wait until one of two relief wells being drilled reaches the broken well, which will then be plugged up with drilling mud and cement. That may not happen until mid-August.

BP's confidence in the cap is growing, Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said at a Monday news briefing.../

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gIXWYBTpLtSayJtg41LKXpxSxVPAD9GTNR9O0

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 1px"><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>

</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>In this photo provided by BP, workers onboard the Transocean Discoverer Inspiration deploy the 3 Ram Capping Stack to the Deepwater Horizon BOP, Sunday, July 11, 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico. (AP Photo/BP, Marc Morrison)

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 1px"><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>

</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>In this image taken from video provided by BP PLC, a robotic arm on a remotely operated vehicle, right, tightens bolts on the transition spool, top left in yellow, which went into the gushing wellhead Sunday and will house the new containment cap, at the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Monday, July 12, 2010. (AP Photo/BP PLC) NO SALES

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 1px"><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>

</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>In this image taken from video provided by BP PLC, a remotely operated vehicle, right, works on the fractured wellhead at the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Monday, July 12, 2010. Underwater robots steadily assembled heavy metal pieces Monday as BP prepared to install a tighter cap over its busted well at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, offering hopeful signs that it could soon bring the gusher under control. The oil giant said it was ahead of its schedule to get the new, better cap in place. Once the cap is in place and working properly, officials hoped it would capture all of the oil spewing out of the well and that it can all be funneled to containment ships at the surface. (AP Photo/BP PLC) NO SALES

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 1px"><TBODY><TR><TD colSpan=2>

</TD></TR><TR><TD colSpan=2>In an image made from video provided by BP PLC, underwater robots work on assembling equipment early Monday July 12, 2010 for containing the oil gushing from the damaged oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. A second robot is in the background.(AP Photo/BP)

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Pathfinder · Jul 12, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

New cap placed on BP well, containing gusher

<SCRIPT language=javascript type=text/javascript charset=utf-8> $(function() { // widen the cutline div if there are no controls // control showing and hiding of photos var num = 0; $('#articlePhotoControlsLeftButton').live('click', function() { if (num > 0) { num = num - 1; $('#articlePhoto' + (num + 1)).hide(); $('#articlePhoto' + num).show(); $('#articlePhotoControlsRightButton').removeClass('photoControlButtonInactive'); if (num == 0) { $('#articlePhotoControlsLeftButton').addClass('photoControlButtonInactive'); } } }); $('#articlePhotoControlsRightButton').live('click', function() { if (num >= 0 && num < (3 - 1)) { num = num + 1; $('#articlePhoto' + (num - 1)).hide(); $('#articlePhoto' + num).show(); $('#articlePhotoControlsLeftButton').removeClass('photoControlButtonInactive'); if (num == 3 - 1) { $('#articlePhotoControlsRightButton').addClass('photoControlButtonInactive'); } } }); }); </SCRIPT>The Associated Press

A new containment cap is lowered over the broken wellhead at the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Monday, July 12, 2010.

The Associated Press
Published: July 12, 2010
Updated: 15 min. ago

NEW ORLEANS - Undersea video showed BP robots landed a new, tighter-fitting cap on top of the gushing Gulf of Mexico oil leak today, raising hopes that the crude could be kept from polluting the water for the first time in nearly three months.

Placing the cap on top of the leak was the climax of two days of delicate preparation work and a day of slowly lowering it into position. The capping project ? akin to building an underwater Lego tower ? is just a temporary fix, but the oil giant's best hope yet for containing the spill.

Around 6:30 p.m. CDT, live video streams trained on the wellhead showed the cap being slowly lowered into place, 11 hours after BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said the company was close to putting the seal in place. Company officials did not comment on the operation or say how long it would take to latch the cap permanently in place.

From the White House to Gulf Coast marinas and town halls, all eyes were on the slow, deliberate process unfolding a mile below the sea. President Barack Obama is getting repeated updates, his adviser David Axelrod said. Residents on the coast were skeptical, though, and know that even if the gusher is contained, the disaster will be far from over.

The 18-foot-high, 150,000-pound metal cap will be tested and monitored to see if it can withstand pressure from oil and gas starting Tuesday morning for six to 48 hours, according to National Incident Commander Thad Allen. The cap will be tested by closing off three separate valves that fit together snugly like pairs of fists, choking off the oil and blocking it from entering the Gulf.

BP doesn't want the flow of oil to stop instantaneously, said Don Van Nieuwenhuise, director of Professional Geosciences Programs at the University of Houston. Shutting the oil off too quickly could cause another explosion, he said.

"Rather than like a train running into a brick wall, it'll be more like putting the brakes on slowly," he said. "That's what they're aiming for. You can keep the brakes on and everyone arrives alive, or you hit the wall and have big problems."

Even if the cap works, the blown-out well will still be leaking. But the newer, tighter cap will enable BP to capture all the oil, or help funnel it up to ships on the surface if necessary.

One of those ships, the Helix Producer, began operating and should be up to its capacity of collecting roughly 1 million gallons of oil a day within a few days, Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said.

.../
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2010/ju...gress-oil-cap-gulf-coast-waits/news-breaking/

Pathfinder · Jul 13, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Capping Stack Installed on MC252 Well

Release date: 12 July 2010

The three ram capping stack was installed on the Deep Water Horizon LMRP at 7 p.m. CDT. The stack completes the installation of the new sealing cap.

Following installation of the capping stack and in line with the procedure approved by the National Incident Commander and Unified Area Command, the well integrity test will begin July 13 on the MC252 well.

<!--END

lain Text para-->
For the duration of the test, which will be a minimum of 6 hours and could extend up to 48 hours, the three ram capping stack will be closed and all sub-sea containment systems (namely, the Q4000 and Helix Producer) will be temporarily suspended, effectively shutting in the well. It is expected, although cannot be assured, that no oil will be released to the ocean for the duration of the test. This will not however be an indication that flow from the wellbore has been permanently stopped.
<!--END

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Information gathered during the test will be reviewed with the relevant government agencies including the federal science team to determine the way forward. Options include reinstatement of containment as well as extending the test duration beyond 48 hours.
<!--END

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The sealing cap system never before has been deployed at these depths or under these conditions, and its efficiency and ability to contain the oil and gas cannot be assured.
<!--END

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The Helix Producer containment system started operations on July 12. The Q4000 containment system continues to capture oil and gas from the MC252 well and flare the hydrocarbons safely at the surface
<!--END

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Relief well operations continue throughout this period and remain the sole means to permanently seal and isolate the well.

.../
http://www.bp.com/genericarticle.do?categoryId=2012968&contentId=7063637

Pathfinder · Jul 13, 2010

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

Re: Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks

DATE: July 12, 2010 17:45:08 CST

Statement from National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen on Well Integrity Test

"Significant progress has been made on the capping stack installation. As a result of that progress, BP will perform a "Well Integrity Test" tomorrow morning. This test involves closing one or more of the valves on the new cap for a period of time to allow BP to measure pressures in the well.

It also requires that the Helix Producer and Q4000 collection systems be ramped down and placed in standby mode during the test. The measurements that will be taken during this test will provide valuable information about the condition of the well below the sea level and help determine whether or not it is possible to shut the well for a period of time, such as during a hurricane or bad weather, between now and when the relief wells are complete.

I have reviewed the protocols for this test, in consultation with the government science team. The test will likely last anywhere from 6-48 hours or more depending on the measurements that are observed. BP will be in regular contact with the government during the test, and the government will halt the test if the risks of doing further damage to the surrounding formation are significant.

Once the test has concluded, collection of the oil will resume."
http://www.deepwaterhorizonresponse.com/go/doc/2931/776891/

Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster- Update on BP's attempt to stop the oil leaks - The Macondo 252 well is now officially DEAD

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