BP Gulf oil site maybe leaking again engineers believe

19 July 2010 19 July 2010

BonTrade

The Gulf of Mexico oil well site that BP have just capped maybe leaking again engineers believe, as late on Sunday the US government released a new letter to BP specifying “undetermined anomalies at the well head”.

Earlier on Sunday, BP officials had expressed hope that the test of the cap which began Thursday could continue until a relief well can permanently seal the leak next month.

But the US government’s top oil spill official said late on Sunday that engineers monitoring BP’s damaged well in the Gulf of Mexico detected seepage on the ocean floor that could mean problems with the cap that has stopped oil from gushing into the water.

The worst oil spill in US history has caused an economic and environmental disaster in five states along the Gulf Coast, hurt President Barack Obama’s approval ratings and complicated traditionally close ties with Britain.

Those concerns are sure to be discussed when British Prime Minister David Cameron meets Obama in Washington on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Admiral Thad Allen, who is in charge of the US government’s response to the disaster, has written to BP demanding answers to “undetermined anomalies at the well head” ordering BP to provide a plan for reopening the well by 1am today (British Summer Time).

However BP’s chief operating officer Doug Suttles also said yesterday: “No one associated with this whole activity wants to see any more oil flow into the Gulf of Mexico. Right now we don’t have a target to return the well to flow.”