BP oil spill: testing begins after installation of new containment cap

[OKIsItJustMe]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/13/bp-oil-spill-containment-cap1

BP oil spill: testing begins after installation of new containment cap

Engineers to see if Gulf of Mexico wellhead can withstand pressure and halt oil flow ahead of completion of relief wells

James Meikle | guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 13 July 2010 10.20 BST

Engineers will today begin testing a http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jul/13/bp-oil-spill-containment-cap">new sealing cap on BP's gushing wellhead in the Gulf of Mexico as hopes rise of containing the oil spill during the looming hurricane season.

Work on installing the cap using robots a mile below the surface of the sea was successfully completed last night as efforts intensified to capture all the oil that has poured into the sea since the Deepwater Horizon explosion killed 11 people on 12 April.

Tests on the well's internal pressure will take between six and 48 hours to establish whether the flow has been stopped or leaks remain elsewhere. The developments may mark a turning point in efforts to stop the flow until more permanent measures, including the drilling of two relief wells, can be completed by the middle of next month.

BP said: "It is expected, though 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."

...

[Nihil]

1. From the fact that some people (even here) unrec this news ...

... I get the impression that some people *want* the oil to keep flowing
so that they have something (and somebody) to whinge about ...

:argh:

Edit: I'll repeat the bit of the OP that I found hopeful:
> Tests on the well's internal pressure will take between six and 48 hours
> to establish whether the flow has been stopped or leaks remain elsewhere.