Government point person on Gulf spill says blown out well expected to be killed within 4 days

Allen: Blown-out Gulf well to be sealed by Sunday

KENNER, La. — The U.S. government’s point person on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill says the well that blew out is expected to be permanently sealed and declared dead by Sunday, nearly five months after a rig explosion set off the disaster.

National Incident Commander Thad Allen told reporters gathered at a seafood distributor in Kenner, La., on Wednesday that a relief well is expected to intersect with the blown out well within 24 hours. He said mud and cement will then be pumped in, which is expected to seal the blown-out well within four days.

Meanwhile, the head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says monitoring of oil that remains in the Gulf continues.

The April 20 explosion killed 11 workers and led to 206 million gallons of oil spewing from BP’s undersea well.