NEW ORLEANS (AP) — BP says it hopes to restart the testing process on the cap it's put on top of the Gulf of Mexico oil spill now that a leak in the machinery has been fixed.
Kent Wells, a senior vice president in the company, said at a Thursday morning news briefing that the testing of the cap's capabilities could begin later in the day.
A number of steps have to be carried out before then, including checking the seals on the equipment and moving robotic submersibles back into proper position.
The work was interrupted after a leak was discovered late Wednesday in a line that can funnel oil up to a ship if necessary.
The cap is a stopgap measure designed to keep the oil in the well or funnel it to ships until the relief well is done.
