Storm delays BP clean-up
BP WORKERS were preparing last night to temporarily halt clean-up efforts as a tropical storm brewing in the Caribbean Sea threatened the oil giant’s response to the worst environmental disaster in US history.
BP stopped drilling its relief well yesterday, while its slow-moving skimming ships left the Gulf of Mexico spill site to dock as choppy waves disrupted operations.
There is a 20-30 per cent chance of storm force winds of 39mph (63km/h) or more hitting the area by Tuesday, said the US National Hurricane Center.
Admiral Thad Allen, who is leading the government’s response to the spill, said increasing confidence in the security of a new cap placed on the leaking well had convinced scientists it would be safe to leave the capped well unmonitored for several days. Allen warned a storm could delay operations by up to 14 days. The approaching storm has already caused flooding in Haiti, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, and threatens to be a massive set back to BP’s attempts in stopping the leak.
This is second weather-related disruption BP has faced, after Tropical Storm Alex threatened the clean-up effort late last month.