BP Ordered To Devise Pressure-Relief Plan Ahead of Bottom Kill

By Eileen Fleming

New Orleans, La. – National Incident Commander Thad Allen says he's ordering BP to come up with a plan if pumping during the bottom kill cranks up pressure on the capping system holding back the oil from the top.

"We're still dealing with part of the well that we can't see, and only know from pressure readings and external indications what the condition is and we will not know until we actually intercept the well."

Allen says there may be 1,000 barrels of oil stuck in the well that's been choked by mud and cement pumped in from the top earlier this month. He says he wants BP to make sure that oil doesn't leak into the Gulf when the bottom kill begins, possibly next weekend.
For NPR News, I'm Eileen Fleming in New Orleans.