U.S. Tells BP to Prepare for Reopening Oil Well After Seep Found
Admiral Thad Allen, National Incident Commander, briefs the media on the progess of tests on the Oil Spill Containment Cap on July 15. Photographer: Sean Gardner/Getty Images
Oil sheen is seen with vessels assisting near the source of the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Photographer: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Thad Allen, the U.S. official in charge of the response to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, ordered BP Plc to prepare for reopening the company’s Macondo well after a “seep” was detected.
Allen said a “seep” was found “a distance” from the well and anomalies had been observed at the well head, in a letter sent today to BP Chief Managing Director Bob Dudley that was posted on a government website about the spill.
“I direct you to provide me a written procedure for opening the choke valve as quickly as possible without damaging the well should hydrocarbon seepage near the well head be confirmed,” Allen wrote.
Three days of tests on the capped well showed no signs that would prompt BP to reopen the well, Doug Suttles, chief operating officer for exploration and production for BP, said earlier today in a conference call from Houston.
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