The Conversation: Journey to the Oil Spill Site

ABC's Jeffrey Kofman files a reporter's notebook en route to the spill site.

ByABC News
August 3, 2010, 9:30 AM

August 3, 2010— -- After an unexpected delay last night, BP could move forward today with plans to plug the broken well in the Gulf of Mexico for good.

If a final test is successful, the company could begin a "static kill" procedure, pumping mud and cement down the well to seal it permanently. The company may follow up with additional plugs deeper down using two relief wells, though there is some question as to whether they will even be necessary.

Until the permanent plugs can be put in place, the only thing holding oil back from spewing into the Gulf is a temporary cap. It has held successfully for over two weeks, though it was not initially designed to do that.

While the pressure is under control for now, there's still plenty of uncertainty about what's going on down below. Government researchers are closely monitoring the sea bed for signs of oil or any additional leaks, and yesterday, ABC's Jeffrey Kofman was one of the first journalists invited on board to monitor their work.

Today on The Conversation, Kofman files a reporter's notebook from the long journey out to the spill site, some 50 miles from the Louisiana coast.

"What you discover covering this story is that your airport rental car doesn't get you very far," said Kofman.

Traveling via a Coast Guard helicopter, cutter, and motorboat, Kofman and his camera crew made their way to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ship that's using high tech tools to look for any oil leaks on the floor of the Gulf .

"We're here to survey this area 24 hours a day to see if there's any change," said Jon Hare of NOAA. "We haven't detected any yet."

We hope you'll watch today's Conversation.

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