Sept. 17, 2010 • 12 a.m.
News and Information From the Monroe County Tourist Development Council
Admiral Allen: BP/Transocean Well Intercept Completed
In a statement released late Thursday night, National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen confirmed that the Development Driller III relief well has intersected the BP/Transocean Maconodo well in the northern Gulf of Mexico.
“Through a combination of sensors, embedded in the drilling equipment and sophisticated instrumentation capable of sensing distance to the well casing, BP engineers and the federal science team have concluded that the Development Driller III relief well has intersected the Macondo well,” Allen said. “This determination was made based on a loss of drilling fluids that indicated communication had been established beyond the relief well, the pressure exerted against the drill bit as it came in contact with the well casing and, finally, an increase in pressure in the choke line of the Macondo well blowout preventer.”
“Accordingly, we intend to proceed with preparation to cement the annulus and complete the bottom kill of the well,” he said.
The “bottom kill” is the final step in a long process to permanently seal the well that gushed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico between April 20 and July 15.
No significant amounts of oil have leaked into the Gulf of Mexico since July 15 when a cap was installed on a failed blowout preventer.
There have been no reported physical oil impacts to the Florida Keys, according to Coast Guard officials.
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Spill-related websites, primarily focusing on affected areas, include:
http://www.restorethegulf.gov • http://www.noaa.gov
TDC website with spill-related information for Keys visitors: http://www.fla-keys.com/oilspill
