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Efforts Continue Against Gulf Oil Leak with Uncertain Results

   VOA News 29 May 2010
   A  robot  sub called the Gulper, the yellow torpedo-shaped object near
   the  stern, is lowered from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
   Administration research ship Gordon Gunter on the Gulf of Mexico about
   22 miles from the sunken Deepwater Horizon, 2

Photo: AP

   A  robot  sub called the Gulper, the yellow torpedo-shaped object near
   the  stern, is lowered from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric
   Administration research ship Gordon Gunter on the Gulf of Mexico about
   22 miles from the sunken Deepwater Horizon, 28 May 2010

   Energy  company  BP  is  continuing  an operation Saturday to plug the
   deep-sea  well that is spilling oil into the Gulf of Mexico, though it
   is unclear if their efforts are working.
   The  company is trying a procedure called a "top kill," which involves
   pumping  in heavy mud to combat the leak, then using cement to seal it
   off.
   BP  officials  have reported some progress, but say they will not know
   whether the top kill has been successful until Sunday at the earliest.
   Â
   Some experts have said the procedure does not appear to be going well,
   based on video feeds of the underwater operation.
   The  leak,  which  has  been  gushing  between an estimated 12,000 and
   19,000  barrels  of oil a day since last month, is the worst oil spill
   in U.S. history.
   U.S.  President Barack Obama says he is taking full responsibility for
   stopping the leak, while holding BP accountable for the costs.
   Mr.  Obama  pledged  during  a  trip  to the Louisiana coast Friday to
   triple the manpower to help areas where oil is washing ashore.
   The  president promised not to abandon residents of the Gulf Coast who
   he said are "watching their livelihoods wash up on the beach."
   In  addition  to  the  top  kill  procedure, BP is also using a method
   called a "junk shot" in which various sizes of metal pieces and rubber
   balls  are shot into the well head at high speeds in an effort to clog
   it.
   If  these  operations  do  not  work, BP has another alternative plan,
   which is to lower a containment cap to collect spilling oil.
   The  company  is  continuing  to  drill  two  relief  wells, which are
   considered  the best solution to the problem.  But work on those will
   not be completed for at least a couple of months.
   BP  has  said  efforts  to  contain  the  leak  have cost it some $930
   million.
   The  crisis  began  when  an oil rig exploded in the Gulf on April 20,
   killing  11  workers  and  rupturing  the  undersea  well.   The U.S.
   government estimates that between 70 million and 150 million liters of
   oil  have  gushed  out  since  the explosion.  The rupture has caused
   environmental degradation in surrounding waters and coastlines.
   In  response to the oil spill, Mr. Obama said Thursday he is extending
   a  ban  on new deep-water oil projects for six months to prevent other
   disasters.   The  move  will also suspend applications for Arctic oil
   drilling off the coast of Alaska.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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