(via jesuisperdu:crookedindifference)

The cap sitting on the damaged well in the Gulf of Mexico will soon be removed for a short while, allowing oil to flow freely for a time, reports the Washington Post. The caps removal is part of BPs (BP) plan to replace it with “one that would capture most or all of the leaking crude.” The current cap is collecting 15,000 barrels a day, but an estimated 35,000 to 60,000 barrels are released daily. The whole process of putting the new cap in place could take as little as four days or as long as a week. However, in addition to capturing more oil, the new system has advantages now that hurricane season is here: Ships can disconnect and reconnect faster. In the meantime, BP is “within 70 feet of its goal” for drilling the first relief well.