End in Sight? BP Begins 'Static Kill'

Procedure could seal the blown well for good
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Aug 3, 2010 3:26 PM CDT
End in Sight? BP Begins 'Static Kill'
Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen gives an update on efforts to stop the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico Tuesday.   (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

Engineers began pumping heavy drilling mud into the blown-out Gulf of Mexico oil well today in what they think is their best chance yet to reach the ultimate goal in a delicate process—snuffing one of the world's largest spills for good. Crews began the long-awaited effort dubbed the "static kill" this afternoon. The effort involves pumping mud and eventually cement down a pipe to seal off the source of the oil.

Crews should know within hours whether the mud is pushing down the oil as envisioned. But engineers still won't know for more than a week whether the attempt achieved its goal because they have to wait for completion of an 18,000-foot relief well to reach the reservoir from the bottom. "This is a really positive step forward," retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said earlier, calling it "good news in a time where that hasn't been very much good news, but it shouldn't be a cause for premature celebration." (More Gulf oil spill stories.)

Get breaking news in your inbox.
What you need to know, as soon as we know it.
Sign up
Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X