Gulf Oil Spill Stopped for Now
For the first time since April, no oil was flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. Reports coming in from BP indicate the custom-made sealing cap is holding for now, although the integrity test could end after six hours if it didn't work. The test began at 2:00pm EST and could go on for 48 hours if the pressure readings hold.
Scroll Down to View 20 Slideshow Photos
No Oil Flowing Into the Gulf
According to CNN.com, "A highly anticipated test designed to measure pressure within BP's ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well began Thursday after a delay caused by leaking equipment. A short time later, BP Senior Vice President Kent Wells announced that for the first time in months, no oil was flowing into the Gulf. The data is being particularly closely scrutinized at six-hour intervals, so a key time will occur later Thursday night, after the first six hours."
No Guarantees If Cap Could Contain Oil
"The cap, lowered in place earlier this week, has never been deployed at such depths or under such conditions and therefore, there were no guarantees on how well it would contain the oil, BP said," CNN continued.
If the pressure readings drop, that means there's a problem somewhere. There are two potentially good options, that either the cap works by itself, or that there is enough flow, and they have enough ways to capturing all of it.
Adm. Thad W. Allen Optimistic
The Washington Post reported earlier that, "Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad W. Allen, the national incident commander, said Wednesday that, notwithstanding the concerns of scientists, he is "gung ho" about the test. "It will be terrific news if we can shut in the well," Allen said, adding, however, "I don't want to get anyone's hopes up."
Rhode Islander's View on the Gulf Oil Spill
Living so close to the water, Rhode Islanders have very strong feelings about the environment. Just two days ago, the Providence Journal reported that Christopher Reddy, a former Rhode Islander and an oil spill expert at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, testified Tuesday before a presidential panel reviewing the BP oil spill that he has confidence in the decisions being made on the cleanup, but he's growing increasingly frustrated by fellow scientists making alarming and unsupported predictions. For more on Reddy's frustrations, read here.
For 200 Gulf Oil Spill Pictures, See These Articles:
BP Gulf Oil Spill: Signs, Signs, Everywhere There's Signs, Live Oil Feed Videos and Photos
Latest Pictures and Videos: Second Oil Plume Discovered, Oil-covered Pelicans Rescued
BP Gulf Oil Spill: Live Feed Videos, Pictures of Oiled Birds, Dead Dolphins Continue to Shock
BP Gulf Oil Spill Update: Shocking Pictures of Oil-Covered Pelicans, Dying Birds and Wildlife
Latest BP Gulf Oil Spill Pictures: Live Feed Videos of Oil Leak Continue to Shock the World as Saw Gets Stuck
BP Gulf Oil Spill Pictures: Live Feed Shows Top Kill Fails to Plug Oil Leak
BP Gulf Oil Spill Pictures: Top Kill Update, Watch Live Feed of Oil Leak off Louisiana Coast
Pictures: How Big is the Gulf Oil Spill? Google Map Shows BP oil Leak Bigger than Rhode Island
Gulf Oil Spill Pictures: R.I. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse Inspects BP Leak Location
University of Rhode Island Scientist Says East Coast R.I. Beaches Should be Fine
Sources: CNN.com; Washington Post; Providence Journal
Photo: In the image above taken from video provided by BP PLC at 6:45 a.m. EDT Thursday July 15, 2010, oil flows from one of three valves of the new 75-ton cap atop the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as testing continues Thursday. BP engineers working to choke the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico found a leak on a line attached to the side of the new well cap and were trying to fix it Thursday before attempting to stop the crude. (AP Photo/BP PLC)
Comments
thank god but still much to do, keep gng B.P
Right On BP Hang in there we need to keep pushing forward...
You should have fixed your crap before BP! It's about time..
BP DESERVES NO ENCOURAGEMENT!
By no means does anyone get their 'Life' back after this mess! Who does this character think he is? Free of any after effects? B/C he doesnt want to take responsibility for a mistake. Own it, and do what is within your power and MORE to make it right. Are we as americans that BLISSFUL? Give it some thought. Some of you may get that.
BP is such a joke… they should all be arrested along with the US govt. How long ago did they cap the leak? And how many legitimate claims are still “pending” from damages they suffered back in the beginning of the summer? I happen to know three people that were affected directly by BP’s shady PR tactics and manipulation of our laws, one of whom was a journalist who was almost arrested and charged with felonies for taking pictures of oil covered animals near the coast. Not only is it bad enough that thousands of fishers’ lively hoods are ruined for god knows how many years to come, they were paid a pathetic amount of money to clean up BP’s own mess. To add even more insult to injury, BP used Corexit 9527, which contains mainly 2-butoxyethanol, which is very toxic. You wouldn’t have to be a scientist to know that, since in the first week of using it over 70 fisherman ended up at the hospital. Of course if you even inquired about this, I’m sure the govt (which is pretty much owned by oil companies) would deal with you quite quickly, let alone taking pictures of it in an attempt to run a story on it. If you didn’t know already, the govt is doing what they do best… crapping on the 1st amendment: naturalnews.com/029130_Gulf_of_Mexico_censorship.html. My friend who almost got arrested on felony charges simply went out on a boat into about 30 feet of water and used a water proof cam to photograph one of the many oil plumes forming at the bottom of the surface (which BP vehemently denies). Now here comes the hilarious part. He switched the film in his camera with a blank one in the event they were stopped by police, which they were as soon as they got back to shore. They let him go but still took his name down, and what do you know... later that night, 2 guys wearing black hoodies attempted to break into his house. He caught pics of them on his home security system (he saved the pics… adt burglar alarms camera break in photos). Hmm, I wonder who paid these guys to break in and what they were after? Definitely not BP or our govt, that’s for sure!
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!