Hearing outlines events leading up to BP explosion, well failed testing

[ProSense]

Deepwater Horizon Well Failed Key Test

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At 5 p.m. on April 20—less than five hours before the explosion—workers on the Transocean rig ran a critical test to determine if the well had been properly cemented, according to Mr. Waxman's statement. The pressure inside the well was lowered to see if any gas was leaking through the cement.

By this time, the cement had been hardening for 16½ hours. If all had gone well, the cement should have set and secured the well. But BP's Mr. Dupree had told congressional investigators that the test result was not satisfactory. It appeared the cement job had not sealed off the well and gas was leaking into it.

A second "negative pressure" test was run. It showed pressure was mounting in the well. Mr. Dupree said the result "could signal" that flammable natural gas was building up inside the well.

BP told congressional investigators on Tuesday that additional tests were run. At 8 p.m.—less than two hours before the explosion—BP officials decided the additional tests "justified ending the test and proceeding," said Mr. Waxman.

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[damntexdem]

1. Yeah, the Dallas school system got in trouble for fake testing.

But BP will probably largely get away with it, even though it will have caused major environmental destruction and economic losses.