June 6 (Reuters) - BP Plc has battled for more than 40 days to contain an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that began with a drilling rig explosion and is now estimated at 12,000 to 19,000 barrels a day.
April 20 - Deepwater Horizon rig hit by explosion of newly completed oil well. Eleven workers die. Rig sinks.
April 24 - Incident response team reports first oil leaking from blown-out well.
May 29 - Effort to 'top kill' the well by pumping heavy fluid into it declared unsuccessful, latest failure in series.
June 3 - BP and contractors succeed in placing cap on well to collect leaking oil.
June 5 - Collection rate in first 24 hours reported to be 6,500 barrels captured and sent to a ship on the surface.
June 6 - Collection rate rises to 10,500 barrels in second 24 hours.
Mid-June - BP plans to add recovery system, using hoses from failed 'top kill' to get 'vast majority' of oil.
End-June - BP plans a capture system that can be quickly disconnected and reconnected before and after hurricanes.
August - BP expects finally to stop the leak with two relief wells being drilled to cement the damaged well.
(Reporting by Bruce Nichols; Editing by Peter Cooney)
((Email: b.nichols@thomsonreuters.com; +1 713 210 8510; Reuters Messaging: bruce.nichols.reuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: OIL SPILL/CONTAINMENT TIMELINE (For help: Click 'Contact Us' in your desk top, click here or call 1-800-738-8377 for Reuters Products and 1-888-463-3383 for Thomson products; For client training: training.americas@thomsonreuters.com ; +1 646-223-5546) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
April 20 - Deepwater Horizon rig hit by explosion of newly completed oil well. Eleven workers die. Rig sinks.
April 24 - Incident response team reports first oil leaking from blown-out well.
May 29 - Effort to 'top kill' the well by pumping heavy fluid into it declared unsuccessful, latest failure in series.
June 3 - BP and contractors succeed in placing cap on well to collect leaking oil.
June 5 - Collection rate in first 24 hours reported to be 6,500 barrels captured and sent to a ship on the surface.
June 6 - Collection rate rises to 10,500 barrels in second 24 hours.
Mid-June - BP plans to add recovery system, using hoses from failed 'top kill' to get 'vast majority' of oil.
End-June - BP plans a capture system that can be quickly disconnected and reconnected before and after hurricanes.
August - BP expects finally to stop the leak with two relief wells being drilled to cement the damaged well.
(Reporting by Bruce Nichols; Editing by Peter Cooney)
((Email: b.nichols@thomsonreuters.com; +1 713 210 8510; Reuters Messaging: bruce.nichols.reuters.com@reuters.net)) Keywords: OIL SPILL/CONTAINMENT TIMELINE (For help: Click 'Contact Us' in your desk top, click here or call 1-800-738-8377 for Reuters Products and 1-888-463-3383 for Thomson products; For client training: training.americas@thomsonreuters.com ; +1 646-223-5546) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2010. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.