BP Declares Static Kill Cement Plug a Success

BP says they were successful in placing a cement plug on the leaking Gulf oil well, the final step of their static kill procedure. Their next effort will be the construction of a relief well.

The cement plug has held up to two days of pressure testing. The next step will be creating a relief well, due for completion by the end of this month. Then, BP executives say, the sealing effort can be considered a "full success."

According to the company, the total cost of responding to the disaster is now above $6 billion. [NYT, ABC News via Gawker]