Crews find sediment in Gulf relief well, delaying effort to stop gusher for good
NEW ORLEANS - 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.
