BP Oil Spill: Ships Head to Shore as Bonnie Barrels Toward Spill Site
Most of the response vessels at the site of BP’s ruptured oil well in the Gulf of Mexico have moved away from the area and out of the path of Tropical Depression Bonnie, a BP spokesman said Saturday.
But a rig that was drilling one of the relief wells is heading back to the site as the storm continues to weaken, and a couple of ships may not have to leave, BP’s John Curry said. He said BP is considering the process of when to return all the other equipment and vessels to the well site but no decisions have been made.
The weather could force officials to temporarily scale back efforts to search beneath the surface for leaking oil. But retired U.S. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who is in charge of the government’s response to the spill, said Thursday that the remote vehicles used to monitor the area will be the last to leave and the first to return.
Sensors and extensive monitoring have allowed observers to “rule out any indications that there might be a leak,” Allen said, noting that his confidence in the integrity of the well had “improved dramatically” after he examined data over the past few days.
Curry said that the well’s pressure continues to rise very slowly and is stable, now standing at approximately 6,890 pounds per square inch.
Once the weather system passes, a plan to pump mud into the well to force oil back into the reservoir below will be back on the table. BP has Allen’s approval to prepare for the “static kill” process but would still need the government’s final go-ahead before proceeding, BP Senior Vice President Kent Wells said Thursday.
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