USA: Bp Provides Update on Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

BP  provided an update on developments in the response to the MC252 oil well incident in the Gulf of Mexico.

BP continues to work with the guidance and approval of the National Incident Commander and in cooperation with the federal government.

Subsea Source Control

The MC252 well has been shut-in since July 15. Following the completion of cementing operations on the well on August 5, pressure testing was performed which indicated there is an effective cement plug in the casing.

* A number of diagnostic operations to further understand the well’s condition have been successfully completed on the MC252 well. The diagnostics were performed over the last few days by the Development Driller II, which is currently latched to the MC252 well.

* A lead block impression test was completed in order to determine the condition of the casing hangar, located near the well head. The test, which uses soft lead metal to form an impression of the casing hangar, shows that the hangar was in the proper location and had not lifted.

* The next operation to be performed is the installation of a lock down sleeve, which is a mechanical device that completely secures the casing hangar and the annulus. This operation is a key final step before restarting of the relief well drilling.

* Once the lock down sleeve is installed and tested, we will re-start the relief well operations on the weekend in order to intercept the well annulus. The relief well is the last step in completely killing the MC252 well.

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Source: BP, September 12, 2010: