White House energy czar Carol Browner says BP's next effort to contain the oil spewing from a damaged well in the Gulf could result in a temporary 20 percent increase in the flow.
BP's latest attempt to stem the leak involves cutting and removing a damaged pipe. Browner said in a news release Sunday that government scientists believe the oil gusher would increase as much as 20 percent from the time the pipe is cut to when a containment valve is in place.
BP spokesman John Curry did not know how much time would pass between the procedures. The operation began Saturday and is expected to take four to seven days.
BP PLC Chief Operating Office Doug Suttles said Saturday that cutting off the damaged pipe wasn't expected to cause the flow to increase significantly.
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