By Eileen Fleming
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wwno/local-wwno-905146.mp3
New Orleans, La. – Allen says capping the underwater leak is no longer an option. He says the aim is now to contain the oil offshore until it's transferred to surface vessels. That will need floating equipment that may be evacuated during a hurricane, and oil will then spill freely into the Gulf.
"Nothing is fail safe with hurricane season coming, and there may be a time we may have to disconnect and have to accept the fact there will be oil flowing up there until we redeploy back"
Allen says the ultimate solution is a relief well being drilled to cut off the leak at the source. He says it should be completed in August.
For NPR News, I'm Eileen Fleming in New Orleans.