Testing of BP’s newly capped Gulf of Mexico oil well has been extended for a further 24 hours.

The US official in charge of the spill clean-up, Admiral Thad Allen, said the “integrity test” would not stop until Sunday afternoon.

He added that when the test ceased, containment of the spill using surface ships to collect oil would resume.
US Oil Spill

The new cap has managed to stop the flow of oil for the first time since the well exploded three months ago.

The flow of oil was shut off at 1425 local time (1925 GMT) on Thursday.