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BP assessing whether to continue well "top kill" bid


    FOURCHON BEACH, Louisiana (Reuters) - BP is assessing whether to continue with a "top kill" operation attempting to plug the leaking Gulf of Mexico oil well, or whether to move on to a new containment cap effort, BP Chief Operating Officer Doug Suttles said on Saturday.

    "We've said all along (the top kill) may or may not (be successful) and if it isn't we'll move on to the lower marine riser package cap," Suttles told reporters.

    BP engineers were assessing the results of a series of pumping operations involved in the "top kill" bid and would take a decision in due course which would be made public, he said.

    (Reporting by Ed Stoddard; Editing by Pascal Fletcher)