Block oil spill in America with mud

The British oil company pumped heavy mud into oil wells that leaked out of the Gulf of Mexico from yesterday to prevent oil from escaping.

BP's staff cleaned the oil on the coast in the port city of Fourchon, Louisiana, USA on May 24.Photo: AP.

Thousands of barrels of oil spilled into the Gulf of Mexico every day since the Deepwater Horion rig owned by BP Group exploded and sank on April 20. BP is under pressure to leak oil wells after their efforts proved ineffective. The US government warned them to take over all remedial activities and prevent oil from continuing to spill into the Gulf of Mexico if BP did not make every effort.

AFP said that shortly after receiving approval from US officials, BP pumped mud into an oil well that was leaking from 18:00 GMT yesterday (1am today in Hanoi time) before sealing the well with cement. . Efforts to pump mud into oil wells will last for two days. BP hopes heavy mud will control oil.

But after many previous unsuccessful attempts, Mr. Tony Hayward, BP's chief executive, was more cautious when talking about the possibility of a new solution. He said people should not expect too much because pumping mud into an oil well has never been done at depths of up to 1,500 m, where there is great pressure.

According to the BBC, other BP officials said the possibility of a new solution is 60-70%. They think that experts have to wait a few days before knowing the solution really works.

People used to pump mud into oil wells on the ground, but this solution was never implemented at depths up to 1,500 m under the sea.

"The work is being carried out according to plan," said Doug Suttles, who is in charge of BP's mud pumping.

If the oil stops draining out of the well with mud, BP engineers will permanently seal the well with cement.

The pressure on BP is increasing. Fishermen, hotel owners, politicians, restaurant owners and people along the Gulf of Mexico have been frustrated by BP's ineffective measures in an effort to prevent oil from spilling out of the well. AP quoted experts as saying that at least 26 million liters of crude oil had spilled into the bay, polluting the swamp of Louisiana. Fishing activities are paralyzed by oil, and the life of seabirds and many aquatic animals is also threatened.