THere is no pressure yet. They were supposed to start shutting vales to increase pressure, but the Obama administration stopped them.
Sure, it could be because they really want to be cautious. But remember BP has wanted to do this changeover for a while, the administration held them up, and then suddenly claimed they had “ordered” BP to do this new cap.
So I suspect that tomorrow we’ll have the administration issue a press release chiding BP for not moving more quickly, and insisting that they start the test.
They can’t have BP plug the well while Obama is on vacation, after all.
There are serious concerns with what they are doing now. Actually, I suspect it was the administration that was moving too fast and someone finally put the brakes on the quick politically expedient gamble of closing the rams. The OilDrum had a thread last night where these serious concerns were addressed. It made no sense what had transpired. Basically, the original BP plan was to get the new CAP installed, collect almost all the oil and wait for the Relief Wells to be completed. That is what most of the industry people on the Oil Drum expected. Then at the last minute someone made the decision to close the RAMS and see if the compromised Well Bore and Compromised BOP held to the increased pressure. That plan made no sense. The risk is that they can destroy the well bore and leave absolutely no option other then a nuke. The original plan was sound and probably would have worked. The problem is that we would not know until mid-August. I suspect that is too close to the next elections for Obama and his Marxist Thugs.
Usually, this is shift change and they would be started getting back to work , undersea.
One CAM shows a SUIT pacing back and forth in front of several RIG Workers.
There’s some notification that says WAIT.... (can’t see the rest)
You’ve figured out all the steps of the dance!
It’s the old “I’m in charge but it’s all your fault” tango. They’ve been “ordering” BP to do what BP suggested be done for a month or so now.
The last step before the test was going to start today was a geo-mag run for about 2.5 miles. Up to the time they did that they were going to follow it immediately with the pressure testing. Stuff like that makes you go “hmmmm”.