BP Aims to Cap Gulf Well; Oil Nears Florida

摘要

Efforts to contain oil leaking from BP's damaged Macondo well took "a significant step forward" Thursday, according to Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen, as a robot sheared off the well's riser with a giant set of shears. BP then began preparing to place a cap on the well. However, because the cut is jagged, it would not accommodate the small, tight cap engineers had originally hoped to use. Instead, engineers will use a slightly larger cap with a rubber seal to prevent oil from escaping.