'Static Kill' Operation Explained

(July 26) -- Meet the "static kill," BP's latest solution to the oil spill conundrum.

On Monday, BP and the federal government announced they were set to begin implementing the static kill plan beginning Aug. 2, just days before a new relief well is scheduled to be completed.

But how does this latest attempt to seal the well differ from the failed top kill, and why is it necessary now that the Top Hat 10 cap has effectively halted oil from gushing into the Gulf of Mexico?

After looking into the latest and greatest oil well fix, Surge Desk presents the following answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the static kill.

What is a static kill?
The static kill, a.k.a. the "bullhead kill," involves pumping heavy mud into the cap atop the well to push oil back into the reservoir. If that is successful, then a layer of fresh concrete will be poured into the pipe to permanently seal it.

How is the static kill different from the top kill?
While both solutions are, in fact, top kill methods, there's one fundamental difference with the static kill: Oil is no longer spewing into the gulf, now that the Top Hat cap has been added. That force proved too much for the original top kill, and mud failed to accumulate in the pipe to seal it off. Now, with lower pressure inside the well, BP believes it can successfully pump the needed level of mud into the cap itself so that concrete can be poured.

If the static kill works, is the oil spill finally over?
According to BP, a successful static kill will mean an end to the oil spill. Just to make sure, however, the company will also press forward with a bottom kill (in the form of a relief well).

What are the risks involved in the static kill?
As BP repeatedly asserted when it lowered the Top Hat 10 into place, the cap was a temporary fix. That said, the static kill will require BP to open the now-sealed well as it pumps in the mud, at least temporarily, and there is no guarantee that the fix will take hold.