Cautious optimism as BP oil spill stopped
By politics.co.uk staff
One of the most volatile and devastating environmental disasters of modern times might be at an end today, as BP finally succeeded in stemming the spill of oil in the Gulf of Mexico.
The firm is now checking the level of pressure the well can withstand while closing the valves on its new capping device.
Meanwhile, the company is drilling relief wells, allowing it to permanently seal the well.
The oil spill has proved one of the most problematic environmental accidents in modern times. At one point it threatened to present a major diplomatic stumbling block to good relations between David Cameron and Barack Obama.
The American president had taken to referring to the multinational company as “British Petroleum”, a name it had not used in several years, leading to concerns in London that the US administration was trying to demonise the company as an irresponsible foreign actor.
The company continues to face political pressure in the US, with a congressional committee agreeing measures that would ban it from conducting any new offshore drilling for seven years.
