BP Says No More Oil Spilling into Gulf

Oil has stopped leaking into the Gulf for the first time since the disaster began. This marks the most significant milestone yet for BP as they have been scurrying to clean up the mess.

The cap that was placed on the busted well today is part of a much anticipated test designed to measure pressure within the well. High pressure means the well is containing oil while low pressure means some oil is leaking out.

Now begins a nail biting waiting period to see if the cap can hold. The test can be suspended as early as six hours if the results are disappointing or can go on for as long as 48 hours. The longer it goes the better indications that the well can hold with a custom made cap.

However, BP was sure to caution that the oil cut off would not last longer than 48 hours. After the 48 hour period, valves will open to siphon oil into two ships as government and BP officials assess data and figure out what to do next.

The cap that was lowered in place earlier this week has never been used in such depths, or under such conditions for that matter. As a result, there are no guarantees that this would be the final fix.

The "integrity test" got underway on Thursday after BP replaced a choke line due to a leak that had been discovered. In the test BP closed off the caps on the valve system through which oil could escape.

If the pressure readings remain positive, this could signal the beginning of the end of the catastrophe that began on April 20. Since then an estimated 92,208,506 gallons of oil have spilled into the gulf, affecting jobs, tourism, and wildlife along the gulf coast cities and towns of the U.S.

Sources:
PBS
Tampa Bay Online
CNN