By Eileen Fleming
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wwno/local-wwno-924500.mp3
New Orleans, La. – BP had planned to pump in a combination of mud and cement, but pressure readings show the bottom kill can be accomplished with only cement. The company says that when pumping is completed through the relief well, the cement could take up to 24 hours to set. It's the last step in a process that began shortly after the well blew April 20th, killing 11 men on the drilling rig. More than four million barrels of oil gushed into the Gulf before it was capped in July. Mud and cement pumped down from surface ships choked off the well from the top in August. BP and the Coast Guard say if all goes to plan, the well will be dead sometime this weekend. That assessment will be made by National Incident Commander Thad Allen.
For NPR News, I'm Eileen Fleming.