Watched the status report from the BP exec and Admiral Landry of the CG. Currentky, the operation is going as planned and they said that we could expect to see fluctuations in the color and flow rate coming from the leak. They will know within the next 24 hours if the operation has been successful. They gave a good update, including the data analysis that had to be completed before the decision to begin pumping. They established criteria that had to be met before beginning. Analysis took a long time which is a source of frustration but cannot be down with gathering samples for analysis, they have to rely on instruments at the source. I believe they have the best resources being applied, this is a herculean engineering and scientific task going on. They have contingency plans ready to move with a smaller type of cap in place, the equipment is already positioned on the sea floor and ready to move to the next option should the topkill be unsuccessful. I’ve been involved in failure analyses, cause and corrective action development in an unrelated industry. They are doing all that they can, I saw nothing in the report that didn’t give me confidence in their approach, we have to keep hoping that the odds for success of the topkill fix go in their favor. worst case scenario is that no alternative works except the drilling of the relief wells already in process. And that would mean another 60 days or more of oil flow until they are completed and functioning. I wish them all well. Ready and willing to do whatever it takes when it the public is called upon for help in cleanup or other relief efforts. My prayers for all working on this night and day.
BP and the rest are performing ASTOUNDING feats of design, engineering and logistics. I think probably unsurpassed by any endeavor outside of the development of the A-bomb in WWII. Despite BP's (or somebody's)original screwups, I have to give them credit where due.
"And that would mean another 60 days or more of oil flow until they are completed and functioning."
Not necessarily. I suspect if the "top kill" doesn't work, they will extend the "pump and capture" process to the other big leak point further down the riser pipe. Yes, some oil will continue to spill, but much, much less than now.