In this image taken from video provided by BP PLC at 22:19 CDT, the containment stack is shown at the site of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico Sunday, July 18, 2010. (AP Photo/BP PLC)
Federal officials say they're stepping up plans to release sea …
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Unlike the blast that led to the massive BP spill, the latest …
Updated: Friday, 30 Jul 2010, 10:25 AM PDT
Published : Friday, 30 Jul 2010, 10:25 AM PDT
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The government's point man for the Gulf oil spill says there's been a delay in a procedure that will help stop the gusher for good.
Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said Friday that debris was found in the bottom of the relief well that must be fished out before crews can pump mud into the busted well in a procedure known as a static kill.
The sediment settled there last week when crews popped in a plug to keep the well safe ahead of Tropical Storm Bonnie.
They found it as they were preparing for the static kill and now they have to remove it. They had hoped to start the static kill as early as Sunday, but removing debris will take 24 to 36 hours.
After the static kill comes the bottom kill, where the relief well will be used to pump in mud and cement from the bottom.
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