No oil spilling from Deepwater Horizon wellhead

No oil is spilling from the subsea wellhead following yesterday's sinking of the oil rig Deepwater Horizon.

"We've been able to determine there is nothing emanating from the wellhead," USCG Rear Admiral Mary Landry told ABC TV. "That being said, we have positioned resources to be ready to respond should a spill occur... We will continue to monitor 24/7 for the next several days."

The Houston Chronicle quotes USCG Senior Chief Petty Officer Mike O'Berry as saying that while ROV's have been unable to shut the valves on equipment at the wellhead, it appears the flow of oil from subsurface reservoirs has stopped on its own.

"This could just be temporary, so we're not letting our guard down," O'Berry said.

The Chronicle says that preparations are being made to drill a second well to intercept the open well in case it cannot be sealed off successfully.