BP plc (BP) has successfully installed a fully functioning and tested Blow Out Preventer on the cemented Macondo 252 well, National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen said in a statement issued Friday late evening.
Allen, stated, "Under the direction of the federal science team and U.S. government engineers, BP used the Development Driller II to successfully install a fully functioning and tested Blow Out Preventer (BOP) on the cemented Macondo 252 well,"
"This is an important milestone as we move toward completing the relief well and permanently killing the Macondo 252 well," Allen added.
Allen said that there was no observable release of hydrocarbons from the well head during the period of time between the removal of the damaged BOP and installation of the replacement BOP.
Allen earlier issued a statement that BP plc (BP, BP.L) had lifted the damaged BOP and that he will continue to closely monitor progress as the BOP, which along with the latching device weighs approximately one million pounds, is lifted to the surface in the next 24-36 hours.
BP, which estimates oil spill response costs of about $8 billion, said that mid-September is the current estimate of the most likely date by which the relief well will intercept the MC252 well annulus, depending upon weather conditions.
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