BP’s top kill method appears to be working (so far)

BP's top kill tactic to fill and essentially kill the Macondo well with drilling mud might just be working.

BP has kept its live spill cam up and running during the top kill process, switching between different camera angles to show progress. Liquid is still clearly coming out of the well, but it appears muddier than what was coming out before. Apparently, BP Chief Operating Office Doug Suttles confirmed during a teleconference that it is actually mud that's coming out of the cracked riser.

"The operation is proceeding as we planned it," said BP chief executive Tony Hayward on Wednesday evening, though it will still be 24 hours before BP knows if the well is truly dead.

This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2010.