Reports from the US Government today stated that the devastating oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is now ‘mostly’ cleared up.

However, ‘mostly’ seems a worrying term when it’s taken into account that over 205 gallons of oil has leaked into the ocean, destroying millions of wildlife.

US reports state that the well underwent a static- kill operation which involved plugging it with mud. This should prevent any further oil infiltrating the Gulf, but does not eradicate the problem of the oil already destroying the area.

There is said to be 25% of the spilled oil still remaining in the Gulf; four times the amount of the Exxon Valdez spillage that caused monumental devastation in 1989. 

A so called ‘Top Kill’ has been carried out, where mud is forced against the flow of oil to stem the leak. It will not be known if it has been successful until engineers can use the relief well. After this a ‘bottom kill’ will then be executed.

It’s certainly a step forward after failures in plugging the well earlier this year, and concerns over the chemicals that were being sprayed on the slick and 5000 ft below sea level.

 It still all seems a very worryingly slow process, however, with more and more wildlife being destroyed everyday.

Environmentalists want this disaster cleared up, the guilty to pay, and for a tragedy like this to never happen again.