BP can keep its oil well in the Gulf of Mexico shut for another 24 hours after agreeing to monitor a leak through the seafloor and take other precautions, National Incident Commander Thad Allen said.
In addition to the seep detected last night, there’s evidence of methane, or natural gas, over the well, Allen said in a statement today. He’d ordered London-based BP last night to submit a written procedure to reopen the well if a leak is confirmed.
BP shut valves atop the well on July 15 for a pressure test initially scheduled to last 48 hours. The test is to determine the integrity of the well, which caused an April 20 explosion aboard the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig, resulting in the deaths of 11 workers and spurring the biggest oil spill in United States history.
The company can keep testing the well “if they continue to meet their obligations to rigorously monitor for any signs that this test could worsen the overall situation,” Allen said.
The company continues to drill a relief well aimed at plugging the damaged well with cement. If the well does need to be reopened, oil and gas would be piped to ships on the surface, Allen said.
