HOUSTON—BP PLc’s critical pressure test on its stricken Gulf of Mexico oil well shows no evidence of damage since the wellhead was sealed shut Thursday, a company executive said Friday.
Kent Wells, BP’s senior vice president of exploration and production, also said pressure continues to rise in the well as hoped, indicating early on that the well was intact and could withstand the pressure buildup.
“Right now we’re proceeding,” he said.
Wells also said drilling was expected to resume soon on a relief well intended to permanently plug and kill the leak.
He said underwater robots were scanning the sea floor for signs of oil leaks, which could happen if the undersea well is damaged, allowing hydrocarbons to seep out the sides and possibly breach the seabed while the wellhead is shut.
“We’ve seen no negative evidence of any breaching there,” Wells said.
He said drilling on the relief well, which was suspended pending the start of the test, will resume once BP finishes using sensors to ensure it’s on the right path to intercept and kill the leak about 13,000 feet under the sea floor.
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