BP spending on rig accident tops $350 million

BP spending on rig accident tops $350 million    BP said Monday its costs for response to the Deepwater Horizon rig accident and oil spill has reached about $350 million, and it is continuing a several-pronged approach to stopping the oil leak.
   Meanwhile, ports on the Gulf of Mexico and the lower Mississippi River remain open, the U.S. Coast Guard reported. BP said it is readying a second containment dome to place over the spill after efforts to place a larger device over the spill failed over the weekend. 'hydrates' prevented a successful placement of the dome over the spill area.
   “The small dome will be connected by drill pipe and riser lines to a drill ship on the surface to collect and treat oil. It is designed to mitigate the formation of large hydrate volumes,” BP said.
   The company also said it has been doing work in preparation to attempt a 'top kill' option aimed at stopping the flow of oil from the well. This would involve pumping heavy fluids into the well that would stop the flow and allow for a permanent seal. The company cautioned however that the techniques “being attempted or evaluated to contain the flow of oil on the seabed involve significant uncertainties because they have not been tested in these conditions before.”
   Finally it said work on drilling a relief well, which began May 2, continues, but is expected to take some three months to complete.