Adm. Thad Allen, commander of the Gulf oil response, announced today that BP has removed the containment cap collecting some of the oil spewing out of the Deepwater Horizon rig after encountering problems.
According to Allen, workers noticed gas rising in a pipe that sends warm water down to prevent hydrates from freezing and clogging up the cap. Out of what Allen called “an abundance of caution,” BP removed the containment cap to investigate.
They found that a remote operated vehicle bumped against a vent, closing it and sending gas into the pipe.
They are now checking the cap to see if hydrates have collected inside. If there are no hydrates, Allen said, they will try to reinstall the cap later today. If there are hydrates, workers will likely have to rerun the pipeline, which will take “a considerable amount longer,” Allen said.
Allen also announced that two people associated with the response have died. One died in what Allen only described as a “swimming pool incident.” The other was the operator of a so-called “vessel of opportunity” — that is, a private boat volunteered to help out in the response — in Gulf Shores, Miss. Allen said the Gulf Shores Police Department is investigating.
