BP’s CEO Says Chance of ‘Top Kill’ Success About 70%
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BP Plc’s efforts to plug a leaking Gulf of Mexico oil well by pumping heavy drilling fluids into it have a 60 percent to 70 percent chance of success, said Chief Executive Officer Tony Hayward.
The “top kill” process is expected to start the morning of May 26 with results known that day, Doug Suttles, chief operating officer for exploration and production, said today in a conference call. Should top kill fail, BP is willing to cut the pipe just above the blowout preventer and drop a tight-fitting line over it to redirect oil to the surface, he said.