BP fight to cut the Lower Marine Riser package

oil spews into the Gulf

It's now 43 days since the Deepwater Horizon rig sank, causing oil to spew out of a crippled riser pipe, leading to almost a third of the Gulf to be contaminated with crude oil. BP have attempted several reactionary methods to stem the leak, but have so far fallen short.

Over the last few days BP have been toiling at the leak site in an attempt to field the Lower Marine Riser package (LMRP). In order to do this however, they must cut the stricken riser pipe away from the blowout preventer (BOP), which has inadvertently exerted a lateral force upon the BOP, making cutting it away that much more difficult.

Shears replacing saw

The first attempt failed as the robotic diamond saw blade got jammed after blunting, and after a couple of attempts to free it, BP have decided to proceed with shearing the pipe.

"As soon as the cut is made that separates the remainder of the riser pipe from the lower marine riser package, they will assess the quality of the cut and either move to install the top cap, which is the tighter device, with actually a rubber seal around it, or the top hat, which is a little wider and has less of a seal," said Thad Allen of the US Coast Guard.

BP's shares were up nearly 3 percent at US$37.71 late in New York, tracking broader gains for the US stock market. The company's shares fell 15 percent on Tuesday alone, wiping away $20 billion in market value, as investors considered the likelihood that the company won't be able to contain the leak until relief wells are completed in August, as well as the prospect of huge costs related to cleanup and lawsuits.

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