Underwater Spill Appears Contained

By Eileen Fleming

New Orleans, La. – Rear Admiral Mary Landry said underwater equipment at the well shows no traces of crude leaking into the water. A blow-out prevention valve seems to be closed. But clean-up teams remain on standby.

"Until the well head is officially sealed and temporarily abandoned and the process is complete we will prepare for a response. And we have robust assets and a command post and we're fully staffed to respond to a major spill." :14

Platform operator Transocean of Houston, contracted by BP, will also be closely examining the valve before declaring the well is safely sealed. The Coast Guard says an oily sheen with globs of crude near the sunken rig is expected to stay several miles offshore, away from fragile wetlands.
For NPR News, I'm Eileen Fleming in New Orleans.