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Secretaries Salazar and Chu Lead Administration Team Offering Federal Scientific and Technological Support to BP Engineers
May 12, 2010
HOUSTON, TX -- At the request of the President, Secretary Salazar and Secretary Chu traveled to Houston today to participate in meetings with DOE and national lab staff, industry officials and other engineers and scientists involved in finding solutions to cap the flow of oil and contain the spill. Secretary Salazar and Secretary Chu conferred at the BP Command Center in Houston with teams of federal and industry scientists and engineers who are using cutting-edge technological resources and innovative ideas to find solutions to containing the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and protecting Gulf Coast communities. Full press release.
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Image 1 of 5“President Obama has asked us to bring a team of top administration officials and government scientists here for an extensive discussion with BP officials on how to urgently deal with the critical challenges of controlling and sealing their damaged wellhead and containing a major oil spill that threatens Gulf Coast communities and natural resources,” Secretary Salazar said. “This is a vital national priority and we cannot and will not rest until BP has capped the well and controlled the spill.”
“Department of Energy scientists from the National Laboratories have been working with the operations experts at the BP Command center on ways to determine what is happening inside the BOP (Blowout Preventer) atop the damaged wellhead,” Secretary Chu said. “They are using the extensive resources of the lab network, including high powered supercomputers to assist with imaging and sampling of the seafloor; measuring pressures in the blowout preventer stack; and analyzing the riser structure and fluid flows.”
“Putting our best scientific minds together with BP’s deepwater drilling engineers will enable these dedicated professionals to examine every feasible means and practical solution to this environmental crisis in the Gulf of Mexico,” Chu said. Photo by Tami A. Heilemann -- DOI
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 atop the damaged wellhead,” Secretary Chu said. “They are using the extensive resources of the lab network, including high powered supercomputers to assist with imaging and sampling of the seafloor; measuring pressures in the blowout preventer stack; and analyzing the riser structure and fluid flows.” <br /><br />“Putting our best scientific minds together with BP’s deepwater drilling engineers will enable these dedicated professionals to examine every feasible means and practical solution to this environmental crisis in the Gulf of Mexico,” Chu said.',
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'Energy Secretary Chu and Interior Secretary Salazar at press conference 5/12/2010',
'Photo by Tami A. Heilemann -- DOI '))
 atop the damaged wellhead,” Secretary Chu said. “They are using the extensive resources of the lab network, including high powered supercomputers to assist with imaging and sampling of the seafloor; measuring pressures in the blowout preventer stack; and analyzing the riser structure and fluid flows.” <br /><br />“Putting our best scientific minds together with BP’s deepwater drilling engineers will enable these dedicated professionals to examine every feasible means and practical solution to this environmental crisis in the Gulf of Mexico,” Chu said.',
'/news/photos/images/2283.jpg',
'Energy Secretary Chu and Interior Secretary Salazar at press conference 5/12/2010',
'Photo by Tami A. Heilemann -- DOI '))
 atop the damaged wellhead,” Secretary Chu said. “They are using the extensive resources of the lab network, including high powered supercomputers to assist with imaging and sampling of the seafloor; measuring pressures in the blowout preventer stack; and analyzing the riser structure and fluid flows.” <br /><br />“Putting our best scientific minds together with BP’s deepwater drilling engineers will enable these dedicated professionals to examine every feasible means and practical solution to this environmental crisis in the Gulf of Mexico,” Chu said.',
'/news/photos/images/2304.jpg',
'Energy Secretary Chu and Interior Secretary Salazar at press conference 5/12/2010',
'Photo by Tami A. Heilemann -- DOI '))
 atop the damaged wellhead,” Secretary Chu said. “They are using the extensive resources of the lab network, including high powered supercomputers to assist with imaging and sampling of the seafloor; measuring pressures in the blowout preventer stack; and analyzing the riser structure and fluid flows.” <br /><br />“Putting our best scientific minds together with BP’s deepwater drilling engineers will enable these dedicated professionals to examine every feasible means and practical solution to this environmental crisis in the Gulf of Mexico,” Chu said.',
'/news/photos/images/2391.jpg',
'Energy Secretary Chu and Interior Secretary Salazar at press conference 5/12/2010',
'Photo by Tami A. Heilemann -- DOI '))
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"Secretary Chu assembled a group of top scientific experts from inside and outside of government to join in today’s discussions in Houston about possible solutions. This team includes:<br /><br /> * Dr. Tom Hunter, Director of the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Labs<br /> * Dr. George A. Cooper, an expert in materials science and retired professor from UC Berkeley<br /> * Richard Lawrence Garwin, a physicist and IBM Fellow Emeritus<br /> * Dr. Jonathan I. Katz, professor of physics at Washington University<br /> * Dr. Alexander H. Slocum, professor of mechanical engineering at MIT<br /><br />Additional details about the Department of Energy’s activities in providing technical and scientific assistance to the response efforts can be found at http://www.energy.gov/news/documents/Deepwater_Response.pdf.",
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"Energy Secretary Chu discusses plugging the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill with scientists",
"Photo by Tami A. Heilemann -- DOI "))