Pressure testing Kill

line
Choke
line

How engineers are using the newly-installed 2 3

sealing cap to perform a pressure test on the
cap and the well bore below the seafloor:
• Government agreed to BP’s plan Leaking
if data is reviewed every six hose
hours; test may take 48 hours delayed
1. Lines closed to collection surface vessels; test a
4 second
oil flows out only through cap’s top and its
choke and kill lines time
2. Valve inside cap and kill line closed
1
3. Choke line closed slowly; may take two
hours; frequent pressure readings taken
4. Well closed; if pressure readings low,
test stops; if readings high, test continues
After test, all valves reopened; officials
will decide next steps
Connects
Risk to
Pressure could blow oil through manifold
weak spots in well casing making and up to
well kill more difficult vessels

Bad news Good news

Low pressure readings indicate High pressure readings indicate
oil leaking out; well bore could be pressure can be maintained, well
damaged is intact
Source: Deepwater Horizon Incident Joint Information Center
Graphic: Judy Treible, Tim Goheen © 2010 MCT