"I direct you to provide me a written procedure for opening the choke valve as quickly as possible without damaging the well should hydrocarbon seepage near the well head be confirmed," AFP quoted US Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen as saying in a letter to BP chief managing director Bob Dudley on Sunday.
The order came after reports of a methane seep detected at a distance from the well and undetermined anomalies at the well head.
The authority also ordered BP to report on a "detected seep" and other "anomalies" near the oil well as experts monitor the seabed for cracks.
"Given the current observations from the test, including the detected seep a distance from the well and undetermined anomalies at the well head, monitoring of the seabed is of paramount importance during the test period," the official added.
Experts say this could mean more leaks are being sprung.
The Coast Guard admiral has given the energy corporate 24 hours to provide a new method without damaging the well but BP says three days are needed to start the process.
The well was capped just three days ago after it spewed millions of gallons of oil into the Gulf for almost three months.
The firm was hoping the cap could stay in place until relief wells stop the leak but there are fears now that oil may begin leaking into the bedrock around the well.
Scientists are now puzzled as to why the pressure measured at the well cap is lower than expected. They fear the worst case scenario -- oil leaking into the bedrock surrounding the well, making the seabed unstable.
The oil spill has been described as the worst environmental disaster in the US history. It began after BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded on April 20th, killing 11 workers.
Thad Allen Admits to "anomalies" with bp cap 20/7/10
Source: presstv.ir
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