BP: Begins Procedure For Starting Well-Integrity Testing

14th Jul 2010 00:07

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES BP PLC (BP, BP.LN) said Wednesday it has started the procedure to test the integrity of a new system for collecting oil gushing out of a broken oil well in the Gulf of Mexico. BP had postponed starting the well-integrity test, originally scheduled for Tuesday, after government officials said further analysis was needed. After receiving approval from government officials late Wednesday, BP Senior Vice President Kent Wells said the company is taking the steps needed to start the test. "The test will proceed, as planned, with some additional monitoring and consultation along the way," Wells said, speaking with reporters by telephone. BP has closed the containment and collection systems previously performed by the Helix Producer and Q2000 vessels, Wells said. Having shut in the collection system, the company next will stop the flow into the kill line, Wells said. The company plans to do sonar monitoring using four underwater robots, and to pause every six hours for a "consultation period" during which crews and scientists working on the test can discuss how things are going and how to proceed, Wells said. "This is a new piece of equipment we just put it place," Wells said. "This is the first time we're using it, so any one of those steps could take longer than expected." -By Cassandra Sweet, Dow Jones Newswires; 415-439-6468; [email protected] Order free Annual Report for BP plc Visit http://djnewswires.ar.wilink.com/?link=BP or call 1-888-301-0513 (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 14, 2010 19:07 ET (23:07 GMT)