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Some Activities Resume at Gulf of Mexico Oil Well Site

   VOA News 12 August 2010
   The  Development  Driller  III,  which  is drilling the primary relief
   well,  is  seen from the Helix Q4000, the vessel being used to perform
   the  static kill operation, at the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in Gulf
   of Mexico, off Louisiana's coast (file photo)

Photo: AP

   The  Development  Driller  III,  which  is drilling the primary relief
   well,  at  the  site  of  the  Deepwater  Horizon Oil Spill in Gulf of
   Mexico, off the coast of Louisiana (file photo)

   Officials  with oil company BP say some activities have resumed at the
   site  of  the ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well, after tropical weather
   forced a halt to work there.
   BP spokesman Elizabeth Adams said Thursday that crews are preparing to
   resume  drilling  the  relief  well,  considered  the  final  step  in
   permanently sealing the ruptured well.
   U.S.  Coast  Guard  spokeswoman  Petty  Officer  Mariana O'Leary said,
   however, the weather along the Louisiana coastline remains poor.  She
   said  clean-up  operations  on beaches and along the shoreline are not
   expected to resume Thursday.
   The  National  Weather  Service  says the tropical weather system that
   stalled the clean-up effort is moving inland and is expected to weaken
   later in the day. Â
   National  Incident Commander Thad Allen said the storm delay would set
   back completion of the relief well until early next week.
   Allen  said  Wednesday  a slight possibility exists that the so-called
   "bottom  kill" operation may not be necessary.  He said testing still
   needs to be performed on the well to make that determination.
   Allen  said  BP  and  the federal government will check to see whether
   cement  pumped  in  through  the  top  of  the well went down into the
   reservoir,  came  back up and then plugged the space between the inner
   piping  and  the outer casing.  If so, the relief well effort may not
   be needed.
   The  April 20 explosion on the rig operated by BP killed 11 people and
   ruptured  the well, sending millions of barrels of oil into the water,
   polluting  the  region's  waters and much of the Gulf Coast shoreline.
   The well was fitted with a temporary cap in mid-July.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

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