Pumping operations continue and have been underway since 4pm on 13 July, and efforts to seal the ballast-water inlets and plug instrumentation ports continues. The platform has risen, and is stable; it was not due to start production until the end of 2005, and is not yet connected to the subsea oil wells.
The weather is now calm again but, as a precaution, and with the expectation that weather will deteriorate throughout the region as Tropical Storm Emily crosses the Gulf, BP has contracted Smit to take the lead in this stage of the recovery. Its role in the integrated BP/Smit team is to make the platform seaworthy and storm-safe on location. Smit has been part of the recovery effort from the start, providing equipment and conducting some operations; by expanding its role in the recovery effort, and taking advantage of their recovery management skills, BP is seeking to speed the process of righting and securing the platform.
The safety of all response personnel remains the highest priority, and there have been no reports of injuries to response personnel. The Coast Guard remains on the scene with resources to monitor operations and provide emergency spill response, if needed, and MMS personnel are also present to assist. To date, there have been no reports of environmental impacts in the area, and efforts remain underway to understand the cause of the incident in which the semi-submersible listed 20-30 degrees following the passage of the hurricane.