By Eileen Fleming
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wwno/local-wwno-917229.mp3
New Orleans, La. – BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles says no decision has been made yet on what to do about the oil lease it holds to drill in the Gulf.
"Clearly there's lots of oil and gas here and we'll have to think about what to do with that at some point. But what we've always stated is the original well - the well that had the blowout - and the relief wells would be abandoned. And that's what we're doing."
Suttles confirmed the relief well would permanently kill the broken line, as directed by retired Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen. The government's point man on the response says the relief well is on track to start pumping in mud and cement from the bottom by the middle of this month.
For NPR News, I'm Eileen Fleming in New Orleans.