BP’s Latest Oil Spill Solution
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Today, BP began testing another cap designed to stop the flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico, according to the New York Times. Once the new cap is in place, BP officials will conduct a 48-hour test to see if the cap will withstand the pressure building in the well.
The oil leak began on April 22, two days after a BP oil rig exploded. In early May, BP tried to plug up a leak with a containment dome, but it was quickly removed after the dome suffered complications. BP also tried blasting mud into the well, but abandoned this effort for fear that pressure would build up and force oil to escape horizontally, creating multiple gushers. The current cap slowed some of the oil, but did not stop the leak. As of today, between 89 million and 176 million gallons of oil have leaked into the Gulf.
–Erin Beresini
