When will the Australian oil spill well fire be extinguished?

Settled as On or before Wed. 4th Nov.

"The leaking West Atlas oil rig has finally been plugged, and its owner said it had stopped the main fire at the Montara wellhead platform."

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/oil-leak-plugged-fire-extinguished-20091103-hv9e.html

Background:

Background: Australian authorities were Sunday ordered to help extinguish a fire which broke out on a leaking oil rig that has been pumping thousands of barrels of oil into the Timor Sea for months.

Energy Minister Martin Ferguson directed the National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority to "extend every possible assistance" to respond to the blaze on the West Atlas rig off Australia's northwest coast.

Australia's Maritime Safety Authority will also support efforts to quell the fire on the drilling rig which has been spewing up to 400 barrels of oil into the ocean each day since August 21, he said.

"Fire broke out on the West Atlas drilling rig and the Montara wellhead platform after the West Triton successfully intercepted the leaking well this morning," Ferguson said.

"Well kill operations were under way at the time, but have now been suspended. Non-essential personnel are being evacuated from the West Triton.

"Current operations are focused on reducing the intensity of the fire."

The rig's Thai-based operator, PTTEP Australasia, said specialists had finally succeeded in the first stage of plugging the well at 9:30 am (0130 GMT) after weeks of failed attempts.

"They had not actually stopped or killed the leak... and then unfortunately the fire broke out," a company spokeswoman told AFP.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jBnSKYWjVXfddqxWb00p8eb6SqXQ

Settlement details:As reported by a major mainstream news source. Settles on local time.

Forecast history %

On or before Wed. 4th Nov.

85%

On or before Sat. 7th Nov.

12%

On or before Sat. 14th Nov.

After Sat. 14th Nov.

Settled as On or before Wed. 4th Nov. on Wed 4th Nov 3:31am PST

Activity: H$21,740
Predictions: 31
Comments: 0

Suspend date: Sat 14th Nov 3:59pm PST
Settlement date: Wed 4th Nov 3:31am PST

Initial likelihoods: On or before Wed. 4th Nov.: 50%, On or before Sat. 7th Nov.: 25%, On or before Sat. 14th Nov.: 12%, After Sat. 14th Nov.: 13%

Action history:

Created Mon 2nd Nov 12:15am PST by

kruijs [Power User]

Settlement requested Tue 3rd Nov 11:14pm PST by

pitchedoutsideleg Level 18, Megadubber (H$2,585,385)

: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/oil-leak-plugged-fire-extinguished-20091103-hv9e.html

Settled as 'On or before Wed. 4th Nov.' Wed 4th Nov 3:31am PST by

sqlman [Admin]

: "The leaking West Atlas oil rig has finally been plugged, and its owner said it had stopped the main fire at the Montara wellhead platform."

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/oil-leak-plugged-fire-extinguished-20091103-hv9e.html

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