Progress on the two relief wells being drilled in the Gulf of Mexico has restarted today in the wake of Tropical Storm Bonnie that shut down activity on the wells last week. The relief wells, long viewed as the ultimate permanent solution to stopping the gusher in the Gulf, are still on progress to be completed by early August. The wells will take several days of preparation before they are fully restarted. Workers need to reconnect with existing equipment under the water and take a number of other necessary steps to resume the drilling operation.

In addition to the relief wells, BP hopes to continue preparations for and attempt a "static kill" to seal the breached well. The "static kill" calls for pumping heavy drilling mud into the well at high enough pressures to force the oil back into the reservoir below. If the oil is pushed back, cement will be inserted in the wellbore in an attempt to permanently shut off the well from above. Retired Admiral Thad Allen, who is leading the government's response in the Gulf, said yesterday that a "static kill" could begin by August 1st.

It should also be noted that no oil has flowed from the ruptured well in the nine days since BP crews managed to cap the undersea well on July 15th. As a result, the oil still seen on the surface of the Gulf is the remnants of oil that was spilled over nine days ago. The oil that is still present is breaking down "very quickly" according to Coast Guard Rear Admiral Paul Zukunft. He told reporters that on a six-hour aerial tour he only saw one large patch of emulsified oil, about 12 miles from Grand Isle, LA.