The effort to stop oil gushing into the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon is as challenging as Apollo 13, the moon mission that almost ended in disaster, according to British Petroleum's top executive.
"It is untested," CEO Tony Hayward said during an exclusive interview with News Five. "This is the leading edge, frontier technology, never been done before."
Hayward said the 100 ton concrete and steel box, which arrived at the well site Thursday, has been used before but never a mile under water. The Associated Press reports if it works, the containment dome could cut off 85% of the hundreds of thousands of gallons spewing from the blown out well.
"I don't want to be overly optimistic that this is going to work perfectly. It may work to a degree, but we have to go and try and see," said Hayward.
Hayward, who has worked for the oil giant for 18 years, is in his third year as the company's chief. Thursday, he visited the Unified Command Center in Downtown Mobile. "I'm very aware of the concern and worry of the people in the local communities," he said.
If the containment dome doesn’t work, Hayward says there is a backup plan. Unfortunately the Plan B, which involves attaching hoses to the top of the underwater well and pumping material down to block the well, won’t be ready for at least two more weeks, and like the containment dome, it has never been done 5,000 feet underwater.
Watch News Five's entire interview with CEO Tony Hayward in the video box to the right.
Part 1
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Part 2
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Part 3
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