BP Plots New Containment Cap

After all the ups and downs, it's hard to tell if BP's new plan is reason for hope or a risky new recipe for disaster. The company may be able to collect all the leaking oil in the Gulf on Monday if plans to install a new containment cap and oil-recovery vessel go according to plan this weekend. Admiral Thad Allen says good weather will allow BP to hook up the oil-recovery vessel Helix Producer to the leaking well this weekend—a move that will allow BP to siphon an additional 25,000 barrels of oil each day, plus provide for the first time empirical data on the flow rate. Also, on Saturday BP should be able to begin switch to a larger containment cap that will allow for a total daily recovery of between 60,000 and 80,000 barrels of oil. And BP is saying that its first relief well should intercept the Deepwater Horizon well in seven to 10 days. The plan, however, is not without risk: During the installation process, oil will gush unrestrained for up to four days.