Bad weather in Gulf could threaten BP oil spill site

BP workers in the Gulf of Mexico have stopped drilling a relief well, in preparation to evacuate the oil spill site if a tropical cyclone approaches.



The National Hurricane Centre says there is a near 100 per cent certainty that a cyclone will form over the Bahamas.



The path of the probable storm is not known, but evacuation plans are well under way, because of the slow-moving vessels at the spill site.



According to the BBC, work on the relief could well be suspended for up to two weeks.



A packer, a plug used during storms, has been placed in the relief well to stabilise it.



Shell Oil has already begun to evacuate employees stationed out in the Gulf.