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BP pumps cement in well 'kill' phase
WASHINGTON, BP said Thursday it has finished pumping cement into its Gulf of Mexico oil well in the next step in its efforts to kill and isolate the well.
The procedure, performed under the guidance of the national incident commander and government officials, complemented the ongoing drilling of relief wells, the British company said on its Web site.
"We can all breathe a little easier," National Incident Commander Thad Allen told reporters at a daily briefing.
"This is not the end, but it will virtually assure us there will be no chance of oil leaking into the environment," Allen said.
The pumping of cement follows the filling of the well with heavy drilling mud, which began Tuesday, The New York Times reported.
"We have reached a static position in the well that allows us to have high confidence that there will be no oil leaking into the environment," Allen, the retired U.S. Coast Guard admiral leading the federal spill response, said at a White House briefing.
"And we have significantly improved our chances to finally kill the well."
President Barack Obama Wednesday hailed what he called "the welcome news."
"The long battle to stop the leak and contain the oil is finally close to coming to an end, and we are very pleased with that," the president said.
WASHINGTON, BP said Thursday it has finished pumping cement into its Gulf of Mexico oil well in the next step in its efforts to kill and isolate the well.
The procedure, performed under the guidance of the national incident commander and government officials, complemented the ongoing drilling of relief wells, the British company said on its Web site.
"We can all breathe a little easier," National Incident Commander Thad Allen told reporters at a daily briefing.
"This is not the end, but it will virtually assure us there will be no chance of oil leaking into the environment," Allen said.
The pumping of cement follows the filling of the well with heavy drilling mud, which began Tuesday, The New York Times reported.
"We have reached a static position in the well that allows us to have high confidence that there will be no oil leaking into the environment," Allen, the retired U.S. Coast Guard admiral leading the federal spill response, said at a White House briefing.
"And we have significantly improved our chances to finally kill the well."
President Barack Obama Wednesday hailed what he called "the welcome news."
"The long battle to stop the leak and contain the oil is finally close to coming to an end, and we are very pleased with that," the president said.