Read more: Click here to read the original, longer version of this story
THE US Gulf coast was waiting on tenterhooks to find out if the Deepwater Horizon oil leak had finally been halted, as 91av went to press.
At 7 pm local time on Monday, BP . It hopes that this cap will be strong enough to seal the leak, at least until the relief wells that are being drilled start working next month.
Advertisement
Top Hat has never been used at such depths and pressures before. BP began testing it on Tuesday to see if it could contain the oil, a process that could take up to 48 hours. As oil builds up under the cap the pressure should rise; if it does not, that will suggest oil is still leaking. In a statement BP said that “its efficiency and ability to contain the oil and gas cannot be assured”.
“As oil builds up under the cap the pressure should rise; if it does not, that will suggest oil is still leaking”
Meanwhile, the US government has in the Gulf of Mexico until 30 November.