When is the oil spill going to end?

Oil from the BP/Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion will continue spewing into the Gulf of Mexico until relief wells are drilled. BP has said it hopes to have a relief well in place by August. But drilling a relief well thousands of feet under the ocean floor is no simple task. Drilling a relief well in shallow water poses challenge enough. Accurately drilling a relief well to intersect the seven-inch wide original well bore 18,000 feet below the ocean surface may take multiple tries.

Relief wells have been used to plug two other large well blowouts. A large Australian oil spill accident last year known as the Montara spill had four unsuccessful attempts at sinking a relief well before workers hit their mark on the fifth try fours months after the blowout. BP’s target in the Gulf is smaller and more difficult to hit than the Montara target. Once the drill bore intersects the original well, cement is pumped in to seal the well. In the meantime, the well will continue to leak more than 200,000 gallons of oil a day into the Gulf, according to the latest estimates.

The unprecedented harm of the BP spill will continue to affect property, business and the environment for years to come. The Oil Spill Task Force, sponsored by Arnold & Itkin LLP, coordinates the financial, legal and investigative resources needed to represent the claims of businesses and individuals whose livelihoods and property are threatened by the BP oil spill. If you would like to discuss your complaint, then please call877-398-4972. We focus on representing your financial interests in claims against BP.