Fingers crossed, one and all.
From the BP website:
Release date: 12 July 2010
The three ram capping stack was installed on the Deep Water Horizon LMRP at 7 p.m. CDT. The stack completes the installation of the new sealing cap.
Following installation of the capping stack and in line with the procedure approved by the National Incident Commander and Unified Area Command, the well integrity test will begin July 13 on the MC252 well. For the duration of the test, which will be a minimum of 6 hours and could extend up to 48 hours, the three ram capping stack will be closed and all sub-sea containment systems (namely, the Q4000 and Helix Producer) will be temporarily suspended, effectively shutting in the well. It is expected, although cannot be assured, that no oil will be released to the ocean for the duration of the test. This will not however be an indication that flow from the wellbore has been permanently stopped.
Information gathered during the test will be reviewed with the relevant government agencies including the federal science team to determine the way forward. Options include reinstatement of containment as well as extending the test duration beyond 48 hours.
The sealing cap system never before has been deployed at these depths or under these conditions, and its efficiency and ability to contain the oil and gas cannot be assured.
Because the depths are so great, and well pressure is so high, a series of valves will be closed one at a time, to test the device's ability to capture the flow of the oil and gas. It may succeed totally, or partially, or not at all.
So, it remains to be seen if the Feds will allow the cap to work at, say 90% efficiency, or will insist on either 100% capture or a return to unimpeded pollution of the Gulf. Let us pray some reasonable heads prevail, and that ideologues don't snatch failure from the jaws of success.
Video supplied by ABC News:
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