Sally Furniss
Well-known member
In Case of Storm, Spill Containment and Relief Drilling Could Be Suspended
By HENRY FOUNTAIN and CLIFFORD KRAUSS
Published: June 13, 2010
BP may finally be achieving success in capturing oil from its runaway well in the Gulf of Mexico, and relief wells are on pace to permanently stem the flow this summer, but a formidable obstacle still looms: the weather.
Aside from the potential of storm surges to push oil slicks inland, causing greater environmental damage, industry experts say a hurricane or tropical storm in the gulf could force BP to suspend drilling of the relief wells, the ultimate solution to the leak, for a week or longer. Worse, as a storm approached the company would have to temporarily abandon its containment efforts and allow the oil to once again spew unabated into the gulf.
“An early hurricane season or a series of hurricanes could be a double whammy, disrupting both the relief-well process as well as the recovery of the leaking oil,” said Donald Van Nieuwenhuise, director of geoscience programs at the University of Houston.
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By HENRY FOUNTAIN and CLIFFORD KRAUSS
Published: June 13, 2010
BP may finally be achieving success in capturing oil from its runaway well in the Gulf of Mexico, and relief wells are on pace to permanently stem the flow this summer, but a formidable obstacle still looms: the weather.
Aside from the potential of storm surges to push oil slicks inland, causing greater environmental damage, industry experts say a hurricane or tropical storm in the gulf could force BP to suspend drilling of the relief wells, the ultimate solution to the leak, for a week or longer. Worse, as a storm approached the company would have to temporarily abandon its containment efforts and allow the oil to once again spew unabated into the gulf.
“An early hurricane season or a series of hurricanes could be a double whammy, disrupting both the relief-well process as well as the recovery of the leaking oil,” said Donald Van Nieuwenhuise, director of geoscience programs at the University of Houston.
more