BP Says It Stopped Oil Leaks From Underwater Debris

BP says it has successfully plugged underwater equipment oozing oil near its blown-out well in the Gulf of Mexico. The Coast Guard will monitor if the plugs hold.

BP says it has sealed openings in a 40-foot-tall containment dome that didn’t work in early plans to the funnel gushing oil to a surface ship. It was set aside while the well was shut in 2010.

BP linked a sheen spotted last month to oil from its Macondo well. Underwater checks showed drops of oil coming from the abandoned cofferdam. The well remains secure.

The Coast Guard says it will conduct flights to make sure the undersea oil remains in the discarded equipment. It is also telling the oil company to come up with plans to possibly remove the mechanical debris that remains a mile under the surface.