BP pauses pumping top kill

In this May 11, 2010 image released by BP shows the main oil leak (R) of the Deepwater Horizon rig which exploded April 20 and killed 11 workers. British BP has accepted responsibility for the cleanup of what could become the worst oil spill in US history, and is leading efforts to stop an estimated 210,000 gallons of oil leaking into the sea each day. AFP PHOTO/BP = RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE = NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN =
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By Noah Brenner Aleya Begum Anthony Guegel Anthea Pitt Jonathan Davis & news wires

 27 May 2010 01:31 GMT

BP operations boss Doug Suttles said that BP stopped pumping drilling mud down the blown out Macondo well during the top kill last night but will resume soon, as the UK supermajor evaluates its next step.



Suttles said it was likely that BP would begin using "bridging agents" with the mud and may use more material in a junk shot.

That material is already deployed on the seabed.

Suttles said BP will likely not know if the operation worked for at least another 24 hours.



Progress

Sources today said this morning that efforts to plug the leaking Macondo well in the US Gulf appeared to be going well, but reports that the top kill operation has been successful appear to have been premature.

“It looks like…

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