Indiana Grain Company, LLC

Posted: 07/18/10

By: tomgrisafi

While news on the BP capping operation has been mostly good over the weekend, the latest reports have raised concern about a possible worst case scenario. A federal official told the Associated Press that seepage had been detected coming from the sea floor near the capped well. Officials are concerned that this seepage could be methane gas coming from the well beneath the sea floor. The seepage has now also been confirmed by the federal government.

All along experts have been concerned that the cap would increase pressures in the well causing the well integrity to be compromised. This is considered the worst-case scenario as it could allow gas and oil to escape through multiple leaks in the sea floor. It may then be impossible to stop the leak even through the relief wells.

Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen has sent a letter to BP demanding that they provide him with updates every four hours on any seepages found coming from the sea floor. The letter also demands that BP prepare to open up the cap if necessary to relieve pressure on the well. Allowing the well to leak through the top is considered preferable to creating new leaks through the sea floor. Admiral Allen makes clear in his letter that keeping that maintaining the relief wells as a viable solution takes priority over every other containment effort.

Earlier BP said it planned to keep the cap in place until the relief wells were finished. The company claims that tests still show pressure increasing inside the well, which is generally seen as a good sign for the operation.

It appears the government and company may once again be fighting over the best way to contain the leak. The government seems more concerned with the long-term solution involving relief wells, while BP seems focused on the short-term solution involving the current cap.