They are making plans to evacuate the Gulf of Mexico in advance of a coming storm. The cap on the leaking well is to remain in place if they go . . . and nobody will be watching it. Washington's Blog points out that this could mean a leak out the side with nobody there to relieve pressure out the top again, resulting in a disastrous leak which could only be stopped by the relief wells, if at all.
My first thought was: in light of the fact that one of the pieces of equipment down there is rated at 5000PSI working pressure, and pressure is higher than that and rising already, I wonder if that part will hold? I'm tired. . . I think I read about this in comments at Naked Capitalism . . . but leaving a part holding back the gusher unattended, at 150% of MAWP is, to use a euphemsim, highly irregular.
I hope it will be okay. We'll see what happens, when they get back and start looking again. Prayers would probably be a good idea.
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