U.S. Tells BP to Prepare for Reopening Oil Well After Seep Found

[cal04]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-19/u-s-s-allen-tells-bp-to-prepare-for-reopening-oil-well-after-seep-found.html

Thad Allen, the U.S. official in charge of the response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, ordered BP Plc to prepare for reopening the company’s Macondo well after a “seep” was detected.

Allen said a “seep” was found “a distance” from the well and anomalies had been observed at the well head, in a letter sent today to BP Chief Managing Director Bob Dudley that was posted on a government website about the spill.

“I direct you to provide me a written procedure for opening the choke valve as quickly as possible without damaging the well should hydrocarbon seepage near the well head be confirmed,” Allen wrote.



BP, feds clash over reopening capped Gulf oil well
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100719/ap_on_bi_ge/us_gulf_oil_spill

[napi21]

1. The only good thing about that damn well head is that

at least one of the alternate drilling sites was only 30 feet away yesterday. They have to be within hours of tapping into the reservoir nd stopping this BS completely.

[metapunditedgy]

4. The last part of the drilling is very slow and tricky.

It won't happen that fast.

(Also, do you have a reference for "only 30 feet away"?)

[TexasObserver]

8. The relief well is the only real way to secure the reservoir.

They're actually on schedule and should have it done in August. I'm hopeful the temporary fix holds enough to contain much of the flow, while the relief well provides the long term fix next month.

[Ozymanithrax]

2. Yep, the well bore was damaged....

We get much more oil in the gulf and they will be able to set the water on fire.

Note: the above comment was hyperbole.

[pscot]

3. Shouldn't the relief well come into play here?

Just askin.

[LisaL]

5. They aren't done yet.

[thewiseguy]

6. I wish they would open the choke valve as soon as possible

Last thing we need is for this thing to blow up...

[LisaL]

7. Well apparently BP doesn't want to open it at all.

Seep or no seep.