Storm halts work on BP relief well

23rd Jul 2010 07:03

BP has temporarily suspended relief well activities at the MC252 well site in the Gulf of Mexico due to "potentially adverse weather" linked to Tropical Storm Bonnie.The move at the well, which has been shut-in for integrity testing for the past seven days, is backed by Admiral Thad Allen, the retired coast guard in charge of the clean-up operation."While these actions might delay the effort to kill the well for several days, the safety of the individuals at the well site is our highest concern," he said.BP will continue to monitor the MC252 well "as long as weather permits", the oil giant said Friday. "Duration of the suspension of relief well activities will be dependent on the weather."It's thought work could be held up for two weeks due to the slow-moving nature of the vessels and equipment in the area. Employees of Shell have already started to pack up and leave. "It's a controlled chaos out there," Lt Patrick Montgomery told the Associated Press news yesterday. BP had hoped to get the first relief well up an running in the first half of August.