Tag Archives: early-as-monday

(CBS/AP) The federal official leading the Gulf oil spill cleanup says a new containment cap and an additional ship collecting oil could effectively contain the spill as early as Monday. National Incident Commander Thad Allen said Friday that the work to replace a leaky containment cap on the well head with a tighter one will begin Saturday. At the same time, a ship connecting to a different part of leak is expected to come online Sunday. If all goes according to plan, the combination could collect all of the oil leaking from the seafloor. Workers at the site of BP's massive spill are set to begin the complicated cap-switching operation this weekend. But oil may flow unimpeded for several days during the process. Allen said Friday that undersea robots will begin removing a cap mounted over the jagged remnants of the well head Saturday. Special Section: Disaster in the Gulf They plan to put a new containment cap that will form a better seal. Then, up to four ships will begin collecting the oil and gas. The time from beginning the removal of the old cap to attaching the new cap will take several days. Work continues on what officials hope will be the ultimate solution: a pair of relief wells intercepting the leaking well far below the seafloor. BP said Thursday that the first of the relief wells could be done by the end of the month. And if that doesn't succeed, one backup being considered is transferring the crude to non-producing underwater wells that are miles away. BP would run the flow through pipelines across the floor of the Gulf of Mexico, Allen said. Allen on Thursday sent BP a letter demanding details about contingency plans in the event they have to proceed with the simultaneous maneuver or if the sealing cap installation fails, including due to severe weather. The oil company has 24 hours to respond. Thad Allen's July 8 Letter to BP There are currently two vessels siphoning oil from the gushing undersea well: the Discovery Enterprise, which captures an estimated 15,000 barrels of oil a day, and the Q-4000, which captures about 10,000 barrels a day. Crews are working to connect a third ship, the Helix Producer, which would help another 25,000 barrels daily. If everything works as planned, officials hope the total capture capacity could increase to 80,000 barrels daily with the sealing cap, reports CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller. added by: TimALoftis