President Obama on Capping Oil Well: ‘It’s Important that We Don’t Get Ahead of Ourselves Here’
EmailBefore departing for a quick weekend vacation trip to Maine, President Obama came to the Rose Garden to herald as “good news” the successful fitting yesterday afternoon of a “larger, more sophisticated cap” over the well spilling oil into the Gulf since April 20, but also to caution the public and the media not to rejoice prematurely.
The president said he wanted to speak to the public this morning because media reports were overplaying the significance of the cap being fitted over the well.
“There were a lot of reports coming out in the media that seemed to indicate, ‘Well, maybe this thing is done,’” he said. “We won’t be done until we actually know that we’ve killed the well and that we have a permanent solution in place,” he said.
The president said that “it’s important that we don’t get ahead of ourselves here. You know, one of the problems with having this camera down there is that when the oil stops gushing, everybody feels like we’re done. And we’re not.”
Taking an optimistic but cautious tone, the president said that the cap will be used to either stop the flow entirely or partially until construction on the relief wells is finished. “We’re not going to know for certain which approach makes sense until additional data is in,” he said.
While the new cap is containing the oil as of now, the president said, scientists are conducting number of tests and analyzing data from well integrity test to determine whether the cap is sufficient or whether it could cause new problems “including possibly countless new oil leaks in the sea floor.” Scientists want to ensure that “by putting this cap on, the oil isn’t seeping out elsewhere in ways that could be even more catastrophic. And that involves measuring pressures while this cap is on.”
That said, there is also “good news that I think everybody needs to understand. Even if it turns out that we can’t maintain this cap and completely shut off the flow of oil, what the new cap allows us to do is to essentially attach many more containment mechanisms so that we’re able to take more oil up to the surface, put it on ships, it won’t be spilling into the Gulf.”
The president emphasized that cleaning up the ecological damage remained a priority and a long-term task, requiring more skimmers and “better coordination on the ground along the shorelines.”
“But we are making steady progress,” the president said, “and I think the American people should take some heart in the fact that we’re making progress on this front.”
The president took a smattering of questions, telling reporters that he didn’t feel the earthquake that hit Washington, DC, early this morning, that construction of the relief well is slightly ahead of target, and that he’ll return to the Gulf sometime “in the next several weeks.”
-Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller
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Obama VS America
Posted by: Yep I said that | July 16, 2010, 11:41 am 11:41 am
‘It’s Important that We Don’t Get Ahead of Ourselves Here’ or with respect to the stimulus bill and the economy.
Posted by: Ed Taylor | July 16, 2010, 11:44 am 11:44 am
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the BP test has clearly shown, that, the BOP and everything under the BOP, have had NO oil leaking (since, both, was made, by design, to resist to very high oil pressures) while the wellhead top has been completely closed by the new containment cap (whose MAIN PURPOSE isn’t to close the wellhead, but, later, to collect and pump up the oil and SELL it…) and, that, was PERFECTLY KNOW by BP also BEFORE this test
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THAT is what I’ve ALWAYS SAID in last TWO MONTHS in my article about the oil spill:
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http://www.ghostnasa.com/posts2/070oilspillsolution.html
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so, WHY hasn’t BP used a modified version of its giant Genesis GXP 2500 idraulic shears (or the containment cap used now) to do the SAME THING but TWO MONTHS AGO and BEFORE the terrific disaster in the Gulf ?????????????????
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could FBI and the Press INVESTIGATE on that, instead of CLOSE their eyes ????????????
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Posted by: BreakingNewsBlog.us | July 16, 2010, 11:49 am 11:49 am
The entire process of drilling in the oceans, is what is really in question, here.
Posted by: Rick McDaniel | July 16, 2010, 11:50 am 11:50 am
“The president said that “it’s important that we don’t get ahead of ourselves here. You know, one of the problems with having this camera down there is that when the oil stops gushing, everybody feels like we’re done.” – Barack “Words of Wisdom?” Obama
Why thank You Grandpa Obama for your wonderful concern. I’ll try to keep my excitement down until you say it’s OK.
Pfffttt!
What a bubble head. Doesn’t he know when to shut up?
Listen, Progressive Social Activist, NEWS FLASH especially for you!
When the American People see the oil stop gushing they we think “Oh Boy, they stopped the oil from coming out!”. We don’t think we’re done. We aren’t that stupid, at least the conservatives aren’t, I don’t know about the Liberals. Maybe you were referring to them when you said everyone.
As far as the camera down there, it is absolutely not a problem at all.
Posted by: Noz | July 16, 2010, 11:57 am 11:57 am
A good reminder that this is only one of the BP leaks.
Posted by: Flash Override | July 16, 2010, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm
yeah, now it’s “we”, when until yesterday it was all “them.”
Posted by: davidfrat21 | July 16, 2010, 12:56 pm 12:56 pm
I knew Hussein could get it done.
Posted by: nat turner | July 16, 2010, 1:35 pm 1:35 pm
The gulf coast Redneck Riviera is a great place to visit, if you have never been to any place nice.
Posted by: nat turner | July 16, 2010, 1:39 pm 1:39 pm
Noz – You understand don’t you that if Obama had said it’s all fixed and then a few days later it starts leaking again, you’d have a hay day about how Ole’ POTUS, the Mesiah called the game to soon and didn’t know what he was talking about.
So you see, your talking points are irrellevant as you simply hate Obama. Even if he saved you from drowning you’d still hate him. And critisize how he saved you.
You Obama haters have to get over the fact that Georgie Bushie was a absolute blithering idiot. Some christain he was. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH – - Mission Accomplished!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: jackson | July 16, 2010, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
GOP = Grand Ole’ Pricks!
Posted by: jackson | July 16, 2010, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
“Noz – You understand don’t you that if Obama had said it’s all fixed and then a few days later it starts leaking again, you’d have a hay day about how Ole’ POTUS, the Mesiah called the game to soon and didn’t know what he was talking about. ” – jackson
I wouldn’t have needed a few days to say that he didn’t know what he was talking about. I have been following the news so I know that the leak may or may not be stopped, we’ll have to see. So if NoBo had said it was all fixed I’d be calling him an idiot right away.
btw, I don’t hate the POTUS. He’s a very nice man. He’s just a lousy President.
Posted by: Noz | July 16, 2010, 2:22 pm 2:22 pm
It’s questionable if a change of Top Hats, that failed before, will do the trick. Neither did the other Top Kill, and its failure brought about questions about the integrity of the well bore and casings. BP refused to answer a congressional inquiry sent last month on both issues. No, we shouldn’t feel assured by some “feel good” media reports and headlining yesterday; and especially by BP continuing to be the primary monitor of the crisis with their “assessments” during the total capping occurring 6 hours apart.
Posted by: jane | July 16, 2010, 2:28 pm 2:28 pm
SUMMER SOUR: Consumer Sentiment Sinks To Lowest Level in 11 Months…
Obama: ‘My policies got us out of this mess’…
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and he wonders why the world is laughing at him
Obama VS America
Posted by: Yep I said that | July 16, 2010, 2:54 pm 2:54 pm
The leaking well belonged exclusively to BP while the plugged well belongs to us and our team.. that we put together.
Posted by: Dontget818 | July 16, 2010, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
Very simply put, Barack HUSSEIN Obama is a DISGRACE to America!
Posted by: Jeff | July 16, 2010, 3:13 pm 3:13 pm
If the Venezuelan leader would have treated BP the way that the administration did, the U.S. would be calling for his head.
Posted by: Dontget818 | July 16, 2010, 3:24 pm 3:24 pm
And what would of the GOP done in this same situation?? Blame the U.S. and not of gone after B.P.?? They are for big business and don’t care less about your average American citizen. Mr. Obama and his team has done nothing but fight with the GOP to get anything done ,and he is finally starting to win a few battles. The party of no no no is disliked even more than the Dems in every poll you look at!!Remember all ,when Bush left office we lost over 800,000 jobs that month and were on the verge of the 2nd time in history of going into a depression! I surely don’t want to go back to that!!!!!I will be voting a straight Democratic ticket come Noivember ,let them finish the job they have started!!!
Posted by: kenny | July 16, 2010, 3:52 pm 3:52 pm
“!I will be voting a straight Democratic ticket come Noivember ,let them finish the job they have started!!!” – kenny
No thank you kenny!
I am not interested in letting the Liberal Democrats finish off our great republic.
FYI, we were well on our way into a Recession when Bushie left office. We may very well now be sitting in a Depression which you seem to want no part of thanks to President Obama. Seems to me from where you stand, if logic was applied, you’d be anti-Bush and anti-Obama. If you are not, then you aren’t being true to your principals and are a likely NoBo sycophant.
Posted by: Noz | July 16, 2010, 4:34 pm 4:34 pm
Now that the hole is plugged Obama can finally rest and go play golf on his third vacation since the oil spill.
In Obama’s narcissistic mind he probably thinks he actually did plug the hole. Why not? He thinks he saved the economy too.
Posted by: fran | July 16, 2010, 5:03 pm 5:03 pm
Oh, he’s going to feel an earthquake in 2010 and two years later, too.
Obama is causing his own downfall, saving the sane ones who rejected him in 2008 and those who’ve woken up since then from having to do it ourselves.
Posted by: tanarg | July 16, 2010, 5:22 pm 5:22 pm
Jackson,
Noz nailed it. Obama is a jerk. He’s not dull-normal, but he’s not the brightest bulb on the tree.
Nobody thinks “It’s done” just because this cap stopped the oil. Obama might, but he’s not too bright, as is becoming increasingly obvious to even folks who swooned over him as late as last winter.
Obama is toast. Him, and his entire entourage of lowlifes.
Posted by: tanarg | July 16, 2010, 5:26 pm 5:26 pm
It’s interesting how the far right blames everything on Obama, when it was the policies of the Bush Administration that have put this country in the economic and environmental fix that the current administration is correcting.
Joe Sortais
Posted by: Joe Sortais | July 16, 2010, 9:56 pm 9:56 pm
The Gulf oil spill is the perfect representation of conservative policy. Keep it in the media as long as possible.
Posted by: Flash Override | July 16, 2010, 10:29 pm 10:29 pm
Now we need to cap the gusher of illegal immigration washing ashore in our border states….
Time to hold MG (Mexican Government) responsible for every penny of damage caused by their policies…
Mr. Obama must summon the MG ambassador to the White House and insist they set up a $20 Billion slush fund to pay the damages to every individual and state harmed by them…
Mr. Obama must send his Atty. Gen. to the border states to conduct a criminal investigation of the executives of MG.
Maybe if Mr. Obama holds MG responsible, they will finally cap the illegal immigration gusher and we can all rejoice.
Posted by: Quo Warranto? | July 16, 2010, 11:00 pm 11:00 pm
hopefully, this will hold until the relief valve is complete.
Posted by: discount realtor | July 17, 2010, 5:53 am 5:53 am
Surely to God, it is not the government’s long range plan to plug the well and abandon it. Surely, the relief well has been drilled employing all the original safeguards and cementing recommendations that BP shortcut in the original drill hole; thus, giving a workable, high integrity bore to produce the remaining oil through. Cement the original, leaking bore closed; but, produce the remaining oil and gas through the relief bore and pay the proceeds from the sale of it to the government in the form or royalties and coastal restoration.
The pressure in the well that is pushing the oil out is from decaying oil which produces methane gas as a by product. If we just plug the well and leave it, the gas will continue to form and the pressure will increase over time and in some future age will erupt again. The best way to make the well safe is to empty it of oil and gas and let mother nature refill it with water and sediment.
Let’s not let our empathy with people of the gulf coast and our anger at BP compound the problem with stupidity. This country has a tendency to cut its nose off to spite its face in the name of political correctness and moral idealism. For once, let’s at least allow a discussion based on reality and practicality.
Posted by: w l boyd | July 17, 2010, 11:21 am 11:21 am
Maybe a larger more elaborate cap would stop the Congress from spewing money forth.
Posted by: Dontget818 | July 17, 2010, 2:13 pm 2:13 pm
Democrats and Obama have good retirement benefits. It’s time they begin to use what WE paid for…
Send the impotent IDIOTS home please. America can’t survive more bailouts for the elite, and pathetic numbskulls who can’t read without a teleprompter!
Want to know about our education system. Watch an old Bush II speech, or Obama speak without a teleprompter…
Apparently it’s okay if Billy can’t read, some day he might get to be President and take orders from the globalist elite TOO!
Posted by: CBA | July 18, 2010, 1:02 am 1:02 am
Surely to God, it is not the government’s long range plan to plug the well and abandon it.
Posted by: w l boyd
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Obama is playing word games by saying they’ll “permanently cap the well”. Of course they’ll permanently cap it, then they’ll produce it through that cap. Only major difference is, even were crude to drop to $1 ppb, BP won’t shut this one ine and wait for oil prices to rise.
Posted by: smartlillena | July 18, 2010, 11:45 am 11:45 am
Posted by: BreakingNewsBlog.us
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Nothing “breaking” about that. You’ve been a victim of a technically accurate story told this country in hopes of keeping the treehuggers from stroking out.
Posted by: smartlillena | July 18, 2010, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
Nothing “breaking” about that.
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FYI, our esteemed Prez has known how this would play out all along.
Posted by: smartlillena | July 18, 2010, 1:32 pm 1:32 pm