May 6, 2010 – Orlando, FL
By: Daniel Eric
As the Gulf of Mexico oil spill continues to grow efforts to stop the oil from flowing continue. Today’s efforts center on a 5 story high metal and concrete containment box that will be placed over the leak and then all oil will be pumped to a waiting tanker ship.
The major concern of this first of its kind effort is the extreme depth. The leak is 1 mile under the surface of the water. The very high pressures found at these depths make it impossible to know if the containment box will work or if it will even hold up to the pressures.
“What we’re undertaking is unprecedented,” said BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles. “We’re landing a very large, essentially, metal building.”
The operation to land the box over the leak is expected to take 2 days. It will be lowered by cranes and robotic submarines will attempt to guide it into place.
If successful the tanker shrimp Enterprise will receive the oil on the surface. Enterprise can handle 5.4 million gallons.
Federal officials have closed all fishing from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle, but many recreational fishermen are also affected by the spill. Less than 2 miles off the coast in some parts, the spill has effectively put a close to all offshore fishing.