BP temporarily stops oil leak

Oil giant British Petroleum (BP) says it has temporarily stopped oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico from its leaking well.



It’s the first time the flow has stopped since an explosion on the Deepwater Horizon rig on April 20.



The well has been sealed with a cap as part of a test of its integrity that could last up to 48 hours.



BP is stressing that even if no oil escapes for 48 hours, that will not mean the flow of oil and gas has been stopped permanently.



The pressure testing is necessary to check the strength of the well.



If the pressure within the cap on top is low, that could indicate oil is leaking out further down the well.



The US government's incident commander, Admiral Thad Allen, says even if it is successful, the well will be reopened and oil capture by ships on the surface will restart, while a seismic test is done.