Text Of Obama Administration Letter To BP

[Hissyspit]

http://us.mobile.reuters.com/mobile/m/AnyArticle/p.rdt?URL=http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE66753620100708

Text of Obama administration letter to BP
03:36 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Following is the full text of a letter sent on Thursday to Bob Dudley, head of BP Plc's Gulf Coast restoration unit, from Thad Allen, the Obama's administration's disaster response chief for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

We are entering a critical stage in the Deepwater Horizon response where key decisions will be made in executing plans for total collection of oil at the wellhead and for potentially securing the well completely. Those decisions also overlap with predictions for an active storm and hurricane season in the region, already impacting response efforts.

You received a letter from the Federal On-Scene Coordinator (FOSC) dated June 19, 2010, directing BP to provide timelines on decision points and plans to arrest the flow of the well and requiring submission of plans for subsea collection devices for approval by the FOSC. As a result, plans for additional collection efforts from the HELIX PRODUCER are nearly operational.

BP has also presented general plans for implementing a capping stack procedure for complete collection of oil with the possibility of shutting in the well depending on results of tests to determine well integrity. If the current top hat containment system is replaced with the capping stack, there will be a period of decreased oil capture from the wellhead while this operation is carried out. If this operation is executed before the HELIX PRODUCER is in production, the Q4000 would be the sole source of oil removal during this operation. To approve these potential actions, I must have knowledge of the steps and decision points involved; mitigation efforts to be implemented; and contingency plans if these efforts are not successful.

To carry out my responsibilities as the National Incident Commander, I am directing the following within the next 24 hours:

1. BP will provide me with an updated and detailed timeline outlining upcoming decision points relating to operations to begin production by the Helix Producer and mounting of the capping stack. These decision points will include, but are not limited to the removal of the top hat and deviations from plans as a result of severe weather impacts.

2. BP will provide me with a detailed contingency plan for resuming source recovery at the riser should the mounting of the capping stack fail.

3. BP will provide me with a detailed plan with decision points for pressure testing the well and potential transitioning from full collection from the capping stack to shutting in the well using the capping stack.

4. BP will provide me a detailed timeline for the estimated completion of the relief wells, which are being drilled simultaneously.

5. BP will provide me with a detailed plan, keyed off of the timelines developed under paragraphs one through four, outlining operations to maximize management of oil reaching the surface, including skimming and the pre-positioning of skimming assets. The utilization of in-situ burning to further address oil on the surface will be detailed as well. The use of dispersants will be minimized at all times consistent with the need to address VOC exposure issues for workers at the Deepwater Horizon site. The plan will include dispersant use limits, a surface and sub-sea monitoring plan similar to the current plan that includes toxicity, dissolved oxygen and fluorometry.

Following a meeting scheduled for Friday, July 9, 2010 with the Federal Scientific Technical Team in Houston to review current plans, BP will provide me with updated plans and timelines required in paragraphs one through five incorporating the recommendations discussed during the meeting.

BP shall obtain my approval before any actions are taken on each of the decision points subsequently Identified.

[truedelphi]

1. Oh mi gawd. A letter! We at BP are now shaking in our

Gold dust-covered boots.

And we hope that Mr Obama doesn't get all out of joint with us -we heard that he SCOLDED the American banking crowd last year.

Some of them were so scared they didn't show up for the meeting (or maybe there was a yacht race that day too.)

[tabatha]

3. No, it is a legally enforcing letter.

They may not be shaking in their boots, but non-compliance could be expensive.

[truedelphi]

4. By then I am betting they will have re-organized.

The Big Corporations like BP know how to Enron-ize their businesses so that they don't take any hits.

[conscious evolution]

2. Golly! Another sternly worded letter!

I bet the fine folks at british petroleum are shaking in their shoes over this.Not.

The section asking how they plan on compensating victims and cleaning up the mess must really have them terrified.