The most critical moment in the month-long Gulf of Mexico oil spill crisis has come, as BP engineers are ready to attempt a "Top Kill" procedure to stop the leakage of oil from a well a mile below the surface. The engineers are prepared with 50,000 barrels of dense mud and a fleet of robotic submarines to plug the leak.
But this procedure is also not considered as a safe bet. BP chief executive Tony Hayward said today that the oil giant is still undecided over going forward with the plan. It is feared that rather than sealing the well, the plan could possibly make the leak worse.
"Over the last 12 hours, continuing through the night, we have continued to take pressure readings and establish flow pulse," Hayward said on NBC's "Today" show. "Later this morning I will review that with the team and I will take a final decision as to whether or not we should proceed," he added.
BP’s senior vice president of exploration and production Kent Wells, told reporters in a conference call yesterday that the top kill maneuver "has been done successfully in the past, but it hasn't been done at this depth."
Meanwhile, BP has made it clear that the top kill procedure might not prove to be a pretty process as it could lead to more mud spewing from the pipe as well. "Those of you who are watching it live on the feed should be aware there will be changes to the flow patterns. That should not be interpreted as either success or failure. It is simply a consequence of the impact of beginning to pump mud," Hayward said on NBC.
