US Government: BP 'Static Kill' Schedule Could Be Accelerated

By Susan Daker Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES HOUSTON (Dow Jones)-BP PLC (BP, BP.LN) could accelerate its plan for a "static kill," the federal response commander said Thursday. The "static kill," whereby mud is pumped on top of the well, has been scheduled for Aug. 2, Ret. Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen has said. But if preparations go well, the procedure could start sooner, Allen said in a teleconference Thursday. About five to seven days later, the company will begin finishing the well off by completing a relief well, Allen said. The static kill will "enhance," the completion of the relief well, he said. If the first relief well option doesn't kill the once-gushing well, another relief well is being drilled, he said. A third backup plan would be to use pipelines to take the oil from the capped well and put it in nearby empty reservoirs. -By Susan Daker, Dow Jones Newswires; (713) 547-9208; susan.daker@dowjones.com (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 29, 2010 14:34 ET (18:34 GMT)