Surface Containment Systems News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Officials that had some concerns about the process and then by a leaking pipe. but they have dealt with those issues and now they have started this test. and essentially, it's a pressure test to see if this cap can withstand the pressure of the well. they have shut down the surface containment systems. they are going to be shutting down the valves on that cap. and then they're going to be looking at pressure readings. and as you heard thad allen mention in that sound bite, they want to see high pressure, because low pressure would indicate to them that they have a leak somewhere else that they...

>> chris, this could be a very significant day in the life span of this crisis because it's conceivable today for the first time in almost three months bp may be able to stop the flow of new oil into the waters of the gulf here. now, as you mentioned last night they placed this new cap on top of the well. it's designed to completely seal off that leak and what they're doing today and what they will be doing perhaps for the next few days is testing that. they're running some pressure tests and shutting down the valves of this new cap, as well, as temporarily shutting down the surface containmen...

Gushing into the waters in the gulf of mexico here. what they're doing right now that they have that cap on and they were able to put that new cap in place last night. what they're doing now are tests. they're running some pressure tests and they're going to shut down the valves of this cap and they're also going to temporarily shut down the surface containment systems and measure information. they're looking for high pressure. if they have low pressure, it means there is a leak somewhere else. it could be between 6 and 48 hours. >> mara, i apologize for interrupting you. thad allen is giving ...

That they decided to postpone the tests because, like they said, they needed further analysis. the plan was to shut down the valves on that new containment cap to shut down the surface containment systems and to start testing for pressure information. they said that what they wanted to see was high pressure because low pressure meant that there was a leak somewhere else. and that as they stated last night, they decided not to go through with these tests and this morning they stated they were going to temporarily suspend work on that relief well for 48 hours. they are still running those surfac...

Good. also happening right now, the presidential commission investigating the oil slick is hearing from gulf residents, the second day now the panel is in new orleans holding these public hearings looking into what happened. that presidential commission may also have the final say on the future of offshore drilling. the obama administration issued a new ban on deepwater drilling yesterday. a judge overturned the last one. it was a temporary ban. and now the interior department has gone back and redefined this new moratorium on drilling. nbc news correspondent maria schiavocampo is in venice,...