BP, the oil company responsible for the disastrous oil spill from the damaged Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico, successfully fitted the well with a cap that stopped the oil leak a week ago.

President Barack Obama receives a briefing in the Situation Room of the White House on the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, July 21, 2010. Taking part in the meeting are, clockwise; Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Peter Neffenger, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel. - Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

This was the first time millions of gallons of oil stopped flowing since April 20 when the well was damaged. For days after the cap was successfully fitted, BP and federal government scientists tested the well to determine if it was maintaining sufficient pressure – an indication that there were no additional major leaks in the well. To date the tests have not revealed any drop in the pressure, which means no major leaks.

However, BP wants to take no chances, and is seeking to permanently seal the damaged well. This weekend, weather conditions permitting, the company plans to attempt a procedure called “Static Kill” to realize the permanent seal.

Admiral Thad Allen, the representative heading the federal government’s effort to stop the oil leak, and conduct the related clean-up efforts along the Gulf coast states, said on Wednesday that for the procedure to work, a special casing has to be applied to the well. Following this, mud would be pumped into the well to force the escaping oil back into the well reservoir. However, Admiral Allen said the fitting of the casing will not be done until there is assurance that the tropical wave off the coast of Hispaniola in the Caribbean does not develop into a storm that could threaten the Gulf of Mexico.

Because the pressure in the well is high, BP and federal officials have some confidence that the "static kill" procedure will work, as a similar procedure failed some weeks ago because the pressure was too low. However, if the procedure fail, BP would proceed with its strongest option to permanently seal the well – finish digging the relief well, which is not expected to be completed until around mid-August.

As agreed previously, BP scientists and engineers are working with government officials; so each step, to stop the leak and to seal the well, has to obtain the government’s approval. Accordingly, BP is awaiting the government’s approval before it proceeds with “static kill.” Experts from the government’s Unified Area Command will decide if BP should execute the procedure.

In the meantime, although there have been signs of small leaks there are no indications of the massive leak that occurred unabated up to July 15, when the cap was fitted. But BP has always maintained that the cap was a temporary measure, and the ultimate objective is to permanently seal the well.

On Wednesday BP’s VP Kent Willis announced that as a safe-guard against impending bad weather BP has placed a plug in the relief well that is being prepared.

The impact of a storm would be a serious impediment to the efforts to seal the damaged well. Admiral Allen said if a storm hits the Gulf, it could disrupt operations for 10 to 14 days.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Wednesday that the tropical wave in the Caribbean had a 50 percent chance of becoming a storm.