White House says clean-up resources in the Gulf will be tripled
May 31st, 2010 - 4:03 am ICT by BNO NewsWASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) — The White House on Sunday said, as per the President Barack Obama’s direction, government and contractor resources in areas affected in the Gulf of Mexico by the British Petroleum (BP) oil spill will be tripled.
During a briefing by the National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen and Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner, President Obama was informed that skimming, dispersing, and burn operations continue with eight controlled burns on Saturday.
Obama was also updated on BP’s efforts to begin to put cutting machines into place that will be used to cut the riser pipe for placement of an alternate containment device. On Saturday BP announced that the “Top Kill” operation failed.
BP said the riser cutting will likely start Monday, or Tuesday. According to experts, the flow rate could increase as much as 20% until the containment device is applied over the leak.
The April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig - off of Louisiana in the Gulf of Mexico - killed 11 people and injured 17 others. The platform later sank, causing one of the worst environmental disasters in modern history.
The drilling rig continued to spill thousands of barrels a day into the ocean.
- Gulf of Mexico oil leak described as 'worst US environment disaster' - May 31, 2010
- US allows BP to drill new Gulf deepwater wells - Oct 22, 2011
- Mexico oil spill: US prepares for worst - May 31, 2010
- Oil spill: BP cuts leaking part of well pipe - Jun 03, 2010
- US to lease out Gulf of Mexico chunk for oil drilling - Jan 27, 2012
- BP places 'top cap' over leak - Jun 06, 2010
- President Obama to tour oil spill disaster area - May 02, 2010
- BP's top kill failed to seal oil gusher - May 30, 2010
- US blames BP's poor decisions for Gulf oil spill - Sep 15, 2011
- Investigation begins into Gulf of Mexico oil spill - May 11, 2010
- Transocean gives bonuses for 'safety' after Gulf of Mexico oil spill - Apr 04, 2011
- US oil spill could reach Louisiana shore by Friday - Apr 29, 2010
- Obama to meet BP heads as oil spill continues - Jun 12, 2010
- BP Using Tube To Control Oil Leak - May 14, 2010
- Oil Leak Updates: BP Fits Tube To Siphon Oil - May 14, 2010
Tags: admiral thad allen, barack obama, bno, bp, bp oil spill, british petroleum, carol browner, climate change policy, containment, contractor resources, cutting machines, drilling rig, environmental disasters, explosion, flow rate, gulf of mexico, incident commander, modern history, national incident, riser pipe