New Orleans, LA (AP) - Engineers have removed a temporary cap that
stopped oil from gushing into the Gulf of Mexico from BP's blown-out well in mid-July.
More oil is not expected to leak into the sea, but crews are on
standby with collection vessels just in case.
The cap was removed Thursday as a prelude to raising the massive
piece of equipment underneath that failed to prevent the worst
offshore oil spill in U.S. history.
The government wants to replace the failed blowout preventer
first to deal with any pressure that is caused when a relief well
BP has been drilling intersects the blown-out well.
Once that intersection occurs sometime after Labor Day, BP is
expected to use mud and cement to plug the blown-out well for good
from the bottom.
The April 20 rig explosion killed 11 workers and led to 206
million gallons of oil spewing from BP's well.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)