The success of BP's "static kill" operation, in which heavy drilling mud was pumped into the runaway well and pushed the gushing oil back into the reservoir, coincided with a government report that said much of the spilled oil is now gone.
U.S. President Barack Obama said the "long battle to stop the leak and contain the oil is finally close to coming to an end."
The U.K. oil major may now move to seal the well for good by cementing it shut. But federal officials, including retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, who heads the federal oil spill response effort, have stressed that the only permanent solution to the spill is a relief well, which will be completed by the middle of this month.
A report by U.S. scientists released Wednesday said that burning, skimming and direct recovery from the wellhead had removed one-quarter of the oil spilled into the Gulf, another quarter had naturally evaporated or dissolved, and 24% was dispersed as microscopic droplets into Gulf waters.
It said the rest—26%—is either on or just below the surface as light sheen and tar balls, has washed ashore or been collected from the coastline, or is buried in sand and sediments.
A report by U.S. scientists released Wednesday said that burning, skimming and direct recovery from the wellhead had removed one-quarter of the oil spilled into the Gulf, another quarter had naturally evaporated or dissolved, and 24% was dispersed as microscopic droplets into Gulf waters.
It said the rest—26%—is either on or just below the surface as light sheen and tar balls, has washed ashore or been collected from the coastline, or is buried in sand and sediments.
Source By Wall Street Journal
No comments:
Post a Comment