By Bill Zeeble, KERA News
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-911405.mp3
Dallas, TX – Admiral Thad Allen, in charge of the U.S. response to BP's oil gusher, says it'll be at least another week before additional oil can be captured from the partially capped well in the Gulf. And he confirmed oil from the leak washed up on Texas shores this weekend.
Allen says BP is now working to hook up a floating platform that could double the oil currently captured. Estimates show at least 50 thousand barrels a day are now entering the Gulf.
Allen: We'll look for the window of opportunity to put the containment cap on. At the same time we'll go and continue drilling the relf well. Once that intercept is made, we'll pump mud into the well bore, the weight of the mud in the column would overcome the pressure of hytdrocarpons coming up from the reservoir. That would allow us to pump cement into the reservoir and effectively kill the well.
Allen says bad weather could delay any plans. It's unclear if oil globs in Galveston were attached to ship hulls or washed in on currents or because of hurricane Alex. Allen is in Houston talking to BP officials.