Oil is Rapidly Disappearing, as Crews Prepare to Kill Well

...the pressure in the well has now risen to just over 6,900 psi, while the temperature at the BOP remains at 40 deg – suggesting no flow and that well integrity is apparent. The storm has, however, dispersed and moved the oil ..._BitToothEnergy

NOLA
It is becoming almost impossible for oil cleanup crews on the Gulf of Mexico to find any oil to clean up -- both onshore and offshore. It seems that nature is a lot better at cleaning up oil in the warm waters of the Gulf than academics, plaintiff's attorneys, and political activists have been claiming. Meanwhile crews are preparing to kill the shut-in Macondo well from both the top (static kill via new sealing cap) and the bottom (bottom kill via relief well). Admiral Allen:

Retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen says Monday that the so-called "static kill" -- in which mud and cement are blasted into the top of the well -- should start on Aug. 2.
If all goes well, the final stage -- in which mud and cement are blasted in from deep underground -- could begin Aug. 7.
BP has said the bottom kill could take days or weeks, depending on how well the static kill works. _al.com

For those who are still a bit uncertain about the planned "static kill", here is a Q&A to explain just what to expect.

Question: What is static kill?
Answer: The static kill is an attempt to seal the blown-out Macondo well by pumping it with mud and possibly cement. The hope is that the mud will overtake the oil and push it back down into the reservoir.
Question: Where will the mud come from and where will it go?
Answer: The mud will be fed from two ships on the water's surface to a platform called the Q4000 that will pump it into the well through the kill line of the blowout preventer.
Question: This sounds a lot like the failed "top kill." What's the difference?
Answer: It's almost identical to the "top kill" in that the idea is for the heavy mud to slowly overcome the oil. But unlike the top kill, the static kill calls for mud to be pumped at lower pressures and rates of speed.
Question: Why won't the mud be pumped at high speeds and pressures?
Answer: The higher speeds and pressures required in the top kill are unnecessary because the well is now capped. In top kill, the oil flow pushed the mud out of the top of the well. This time it has nowhere to go, unless there are unseen holes in the well beneath the surface.
Question: When will this static kill happen?
Answer: Crews will try the static kill Aug. 2.
Question: How long will it take?
Answer: The procedure will take about one day.
Question: Could this seal the well for good?
Answer: Yes. If the mud is able to push oil back down into the reservoir and it is followed with cement, the well would, in effect, be sealed shut.
Question: If the static kill works, would drilling continue on the relief well?
Answer: Yes. The relief well, which will pump mud and cement into the bottom of the Macondo well, is still considered the ultimate solution for plugging the well.
Question: Then why do the static kill?
Answer: BP and government officials believe the static kill could speed up the relief well's work. If the static kill does not shut the well, it would presumably still have pumped enough mud in to require less effort from the relief well. If it does shut the well, the relief well would still go forward to confirm that oil is no longer flowing. _NOLA