Feds halt BP progress in Gulf
 

I couldent find the original thread must be at page 4 or something....

The fed's have halted BP's testing of the newly fitted cap with "an abundance of caution".

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_gulf_oil_spill

Why would this be stopped?

Worse? Really? I'm perplexed once again. Does the government really want to stop this oil leak? Or has it been so politicized that to stop the leak will hurt the enviro's cause?

I just don't get it!

I'm not sure even they know anymore... If they ever did :hmmm:

Making the leak worse is hardly something insignificant. If something needs to be tested to see if it wont' make the problem worse, it may be a wise decision. But if so, please do this testing quickly!

It is all about mitigating risk. If you wait six months to test something, the value of the testing may be overshadowed by the continued leaking.

However, suppose the inspectors' concerns are valid and using this equipment makes the leak worse or what if a failure of this new piece of equipment makes it impossible to ever stop the leak? That would kinda suck.

I think it is wise to be concerned with what will happen to all that pressure if the leak is capped. It has to go "somewhere".

BP had a plan in the works to close the valve slowly to check for those very problems.

The Feds said NO stop right where you are !

According to the science dudes they interviewed re this delay on the morning news, they want to take a longer/second look at the seismic activity readings for the ocean floor surrounding the source of the current leak, and get additional pressure readings at the site before proceeding.

This is being done to make sure the pressure build-up in and around the failed blow-out preventer falls within certain parameters and is consistent in doing so. If it does not, it could compromise the safety and effectiveness of the next part of the process or indicate that what they have done so far is not having the desired effect, meaning that the "next step" in the process would not work any better than all the previous tries at capping the leak AND might just make things worse.

German TV and radio news covered it. The closing of the valves went not as smooth as was expected by BP. The oil kept on gushing out with high pressure, it was feared that the whole constuction would break if the valves close any further.

Sentiments pro or against "the Feds" have little to do with it. Let's not forget that it is not the Feds but BP who caused this mess and whose plans so far have not worked.

Yeah, it's a question of being as sure as possible that the pressure is not 1) too high, leading to safety concerns with the new capping attempt, or 2) too low, which would indicate that there is most likely another leak already relieving some of it and which will have to be taken into consideration as well.

But it was preident Obama who said very briskly, that he took responsibility for BP's actions sinse the accident on the oil rig occured. By result Mr. Obama is now responsible for all actions BP takes or doesn't take.

Fair point but I somehow think Obama will be teflon coated on this matter.

Why do think that? Has it happened in the past, on other subjects or issues?

Are you saying the fourth estate isn't what it should be when it comes to Barack Obama?

Its the freakin gulf of mexico not the San Adreas fault for gods sake.

Why the hell wasent all of this thought of before now.

Again... BP was not going to slap it shut and risk a blowout they were going to slowly incrimentally test the thing.

As to Obama I distinctly remember him stating "Plug the damn hole".

I really have to question the motives here.

I'm sure it was. Obama wants a crisis now to offset his other missteps, but it will backfire on him like so many other things. Incompetance, perhaps. Dissillusioned more likely.

Senators call for a halt to drilling........... in Libiya :o

Now I dont pretend to know what all was going on there but it really is getting strange.

Eventually BP will just say "Know what? We quit !" and go out of buisness or be absorbed by...

in charge of


Exactly. Had I been BP it would have happened as soon as Obama said he was in charge and would have been further amplified after the congress show trial of BP execs.