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Well integrity test extended
VENICE, La., The U.S. government and BP have agreed to run a test of pressure inside the leaking oil well for an additional 24 hours, the official in charge said Saturday.
In a statement, retired Coast Guard Ad. Thad Allan said there would be additional monitoring of the area while the test continues. A sonar ship operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was being brought in to check for any release of oil underwater.
A fire and explosion in April on BP's Deepwater Horizon drilling platform set off a blowout that has sent millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Earlier in the day, BP officials said they believed the testing showed the recently installed cap is doing its job. Senior Vice President Kent Wells told reporters pressure continued to rise in the well, a sign of containment, CNN reported.
"The longer the test goes, the more confidence we have in it," Wells said.
The test had been expected to run 48 hours, ending Saturday.
Allen said drilling of two relief wells continued with that being the "ultimate step" in ending the spill He said additional collection ships are being brought in with a total capacity of suck up 80,000 barrels of oil a day.
VENICE, La., The U.S. government and BP have agreed to run a test of pressure inside the leaking oil well for an additional 24 hours, the official in charge said Saturday.
In a statement, retired Coast Guard Ad. Thad Allan said there would be additional monitoring of the area while the test continues. A sonar ship operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was being brought in to check for any release of oil underwater.
A fire and explosion in April on BP's Deepwater Horizon drilling platform set off a blowout that has sent millions of barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico.
Earlier in the day, BP officials said they believed the testing showed the recently installed cap is doing its job. Senior Vice President Kent Wells told reporters pressure continued to rise in the well, a sign of containment, CNN reported.
"The longer the test goes, the more confidence we have in it," Wells said.
The test had been expected to run 48 hours, ending Saturday.
Allen said drilling of two relief wells continued with that being the "ultimate step" in ending the spill He said additional collection ships are being brought in with a total capacity of suck up 80,000 barrels of oil a day.