BP turns to next approach to tackle worst oil spill US history, as documents reveal safety concerns dating back to last June
BP has failed to stop the oil leak the Gulf Mexico using so-called top kill junk shot techniques, prompting an exasperated response Barack Obama.
After three days pumping drilling mud over the leak and an attempt plug the flow blasting tyres, golf balls and other debris at it, BP admitted defeat last night. In its latest attempt contain the worst oil spill in US history, it launch a four- seven-day operation that will involve more oil leaking into the Gulf even it works.
Obama described setback as “enraging” and “heartbreaking”, as documents emerged showing that BP engineers were concerned safety Deepwater Horizon rig months earlier than company has admitted.
Papers obtained the New York Times show that issues were raised as far back as last June. The problems involved well casing and blowout preventer, considered critical pieces in chain events that led disaster.
On 22 June last year, BP engineers were worried that casing company wanted use might collapse under high pressure. “This would certainly a worst-case scenario,” Mark Hafle, a senior drilling engineer at BP, warned an internal report. “However, have seen it happen so know it can occur.”
The company went ahead the casing, but only after getting special permission because it violated safety policies design standards, the New York Times reported.
Hafle, testifying before panel Louisiana Friday cause of rig disaster, rejected notion that BP had taken risks. He declined comment leaked report.
Last night BP admitted best hope stemming flow completely could take a further two months, using relief wells. BP’s chief operations officer, Doug Suttles, admitted: “We have not been able stop flow … This scares everybody, fact that we can′t make this well stop flowing, fact that we haven′t succeeded so far.”
He added: “Many things we’re trying have been done surface before, but have never been tried at 5,000ft.”
The next approach, which also has never been attempt at this depth, involves robot submarines cutting leaking pipe, placing a cap over it and then pumping oil surface. “We’re confident the job will work obviously we can’t guarantee success,” Suttles said. He explained that the operation succeeded it would contain most, not all, of the leaking oil.
The spill is worse than 1989 Exxon Valdez disaster has dumped up 40m gallons (150m litres) into Gulf Mexico, according government estimates.
Obama, who is facing mounting criticism the government’s response, showed his frustration last night. “It is as enraging as it heartbreaking, we will not relent until this leak contained, until waters shores are cleaned up, until people unjustly victimised by this manmade disaster are made whole,” he said.
It has been 40 days since Deepwater Horizon rig exploded, killing 11 workers, unleashing an environmental catastrophe. Oil has washed up on vast stretch of beaches poisoned wildlife ecologically sensitive area.
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