Gulf of Mexico - BP’s latest attempt to contain the oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico has been delayed as the saw being used by the underwater robot submarines to cut the riser pipe has become stuck, the Associated Press reported Wednesday morning.
Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen remarked that the first step in the procedure, using large shears to cut the pipe was successful, and that efforts will be made to free the saw so that the cutting can be concluded later Wednesday.
Allen stated, “They're working to move the riser pipe to set it free. The goal is later on today to finish that cut, and to be able to put a containment device over the top of the wellhead.”
This latest effort to contain the leak after the failure of the ‘top kill' will not contain all of the oil, but may slow the leak until a relief well can be completed by August at the earliest.
If the oil cannot be contained by this new attempt, called a ‘cut and cap,’ the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico could increase by 10 % to 20%, and perhaps more.
Last week U.S. President Barack Obama tripled the number of workers in oil-contaminated areas and soon to be oil-contaminated areas of the Gulf Coast. He also extended the moratorium on new off shore drilling to six months, until an offshore drilling commission can present findings on the cause of this spill, and steps that can be taken to prevent future spills.
On Wednesday, BP stock continued their drop in London trading in response to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s announcement that there would be a criminal probe into the events that led to the explosion and sinking of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Eleven men died in the explosion; there bodies were not recovered and may have been incinerated in the explosion and fire.
BP has had a long history of safety violations, dwarfing those of most, if not all, competing oil companies.
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