Oil gushing again

BP removed the containment cap after an undersea accident. The cap

had been capturing thousands of barrels a day from the leaking well.

Not working Still working

Discoverer Enterprise Q4000 ultradeepwater multiservice vessel
drill ship
Processing
Had captured Burned off about
About 16,000 10,000 barrels on
barrels on Tuesday
Tuesday

What
happened
• An undersea
robot bumped
containment cap
• Gas began to
rise through a line
that carries warm
Oil flow water down to
prevent hydrates
LMRP cap
from forming
removed from
top of BOP • Cap being
after collision Gear from tested for
with undersea failed top kill damage; oil is
robot procedure gushing out from
captures oil top of BOP
through BOP
line
Leak
estimate
35,000-60,000
BOP (blowout Top kill barrels per day
preventer) manifold NOTE: There are 42
gallons in a barrel of oil

© 2010 MCT Source: Reuters, BP Graphic: Lee Hulteng, Judy Treible