top hat 10"

British Petroleum (BP) announced a screenshot. U.S. time at four past five p.m. on the 14 July (left), new oil control valve cover two of the three is still leaking. 22:25 (middle), only one valve in the oil spill. At 3:57 p.m. on the 15 July (right), three valves completely under control.

15 pm local time, British Petroleum in the Gulf of Mexico, the success of a weight 75 tons of oil control mask, "a top hat 10" preliminary control leakage test results showed that in the case without the aid of vacuum suction, no new oil leak into the Gulf of Mexico. As of this moment, the Gulf of Mexico has experienced 85 days 16 hours 25 minutes a steady stream of oil leakage pollution.

Preliminary test "no spill"

12th of this month, engineers successfully cover 75 tons of new oil control "top hat 10" placed in the leakage of oil wells at the top, cover the top with oil control channel can ship through the sea of oil absorption, oil absorption vessel using vacuum principles Oil Control cover oil spills can be collected within the ship.

BP 15 pm on the Oil Control Oil Control cover preliminary test results. The results show that, close the vacuum valve cover oil control the situation, there is no oil leakage to cover things this means that oil control enclosures have complete leakage of crude oil in the cover 内 Kongzhi so as not to cover foreign Hai Yu Wu Ran.

BP Vice President Kneet said: "14:25, I am quite happy, because, no more oil leaking into the Gulf of Mexico inside. In fact, I am extremely excited." The same day, Britain and the U.S. stock market Oil shares rose 10%.

Barack Obama told reporters on the 15th afternoon: "This is a positive signal, we are still in the testing stage. I will say more tomorrow."

British Petroleum, an official said this point, the deep wells of oil spills have been going 85 days 16 hours 25 minutes, and British Petroleum have also suffered 85 days 16 hours 25 minutes of pressure.

48-hour "no drain" was successful

But the pressure is far from over, the day the successful leakage control only "stage victory."

15, the test is only a preliminary test. British Petroleum said that the test will be time-consuming 6-48 hours, because, with the increasing pressure within the hood, oil control mask declining oil control ability, after 48 hours if no oil leakage Hood, the show " top hat 10 "safe and effective.

Moreover, the cap leakage control program is not Stop-leak program.

Right now, the British oil is leaking near the oil well drilling made two relief wells, hoping the connectivity of relief wells, into the concrete and mud, eventually sealed a permanent oil leak. But the relief well to be to be completed in mid-August of this year, so in this period to minimize the leakage of pollution can only rely on oil control mask.

15 Associated Press report, as of the day, the total oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico about from 354 million to 698 million l between.

Ling Shuo (Xinhua Zhuangao)

■ Response

Residents: British Petroleum put "smoke screen"

Scientists say the oil spill may change undersea food chain

The last three months, the face of endless leaks of crude oil and plugging repeatedly failed attempts, the Gulf Coast residents have again been suppressed. When this came, "not leaking" of information, the residents were unable to accept as if even very cautious optimism.

Cautiously optimistic about the local population

Some residents do not believe the news that British Petroleum in the release of "smoke." "This is a lie." Resident steve Lens said, "I do not believe they stopped leaking. British Petroleum just want them to look better."

However, many Gulf Coast residents in the performance of a relatively rational.

Orange Beach, Alabama, seafood soup Musite restaurant owner said that he was pleased on the progress of plugging his sense of cautious hope.

Jimmy Smith, another local resident said: "I think people are excited about this, but the leakage of oil from 40 to 50 days will be able to Alabama, so we will worry about."

But the two common concern is, how many oil spills into the Gulf of Mexico remains unknown. Siteboer said: "The sea surface can not see more than floating in the sea, we do not know that they will result in how we impact the Gulf, only time will tell."

Dollar loss or Chaobai Yi

Gulf Coast fisheries, tourism industry's losses are difficult to assess specific. According to the 1989 Alaska oil spill experience, the impact will spill over several decades, economic losses Chaobai Yi dollars.

Seriously affected the marine food chain

In addition, U.S. scientists said recently, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill is affecting the undersea food chain. They have found clues undersea food chain change: some biological result of oil spills have killed or seriously polluted, while others have adapted to the biological environment pollution, population is growing. (Xie)

■ question

"Top Hat 10" fear hurricane?

Analysts believe that oil is too early to conclude that complete shut

15 successful oil spill under control devices called "top hat 10", which is the earlier "top hat" Improved device.

However, BP can not be absolutely sure that top the new "hat" of the actual oil control ability, especially in hurricane or other natural disasters occur, oil ship had with the "hat" separation, this top "hat" The ability to covering the oil spill is a challenge.

In addition, 6 to 48-hour test in order to observe its effect. With the "hat" the pressure continued to increase its oil control capacity may be down, but after 48 hours if there is no oil leak, then prove that the "top hat 10" safe and effective.

Some analysts believe that, despite the unprecedented progress in controlling leakage, but it is too early to determine fully sealed wells.

U.S. Gulf oil spill disaster relief commander Sadeailun 14, told the "Washington Post" reporter, good oil control pressure inside the hood should be about 57.6 MPa to 64.8 MPa between. If the pressure is only about 43.2 MPa, it indicates there are other leakage points.

These potential leakage points may be located in oil well casings, the oil may leak through these leakage points to the nearby rock. That is, even if there is no oil leaking from the oil control mask in completely missed the target control will fail.

Allen said that if the pressure at 43.2 MPa to 57.6 MPa between the experts involved in the assessment would be a major challenge. They must make difficult decisions is to continue to shut down wells, or reopen wells, heavy oil gathering to go to clean up oil slicks in the "old road." (Syndicated news, Xinhua News Agency) -

The evening of April 20

British Petroleum (BP) in the Gulf of Mexico lease "Deep Horizon" fire explosion sank offshore drilling platform. A large number of crude oil from sea level to about 1,500 meters deep leaks out.

May 2

Engineers began to drill the first port relief well, this is the most thorough way plugging, but requires at least 2 to 3 months to bear fruit.

May 7

BP's engineers will be a major weighs 100 tons of reinforced concrete, sunk oil control mask, but the attempt failed.

May 10

BP began implementing the "top hat" cover oil control program.

May 23

I started construction of the second relief well.

May 26

BP using the "drowned Law" control of oil spills. BP announced in four days, "drowned" method completely failed.

June 3

BP implementation of the "Cutting cap" projects. Engineers remote deep-sea robot, the damaged pipeline would cut oil spill office and then in the mouth covered with metal caps oil spill.

July 12

BP successfully replaced a new and better control oil seal cover, "a top hat on the 10th." 15, initial tests without leakage.

(The Beijing News)