The four-story oil-containment dome built in efforts to stem the flow of the BP oil spill is now at the site of the spill and being prepared for lowering approximately 5,000 feet to the sea floor.

The technique to cap the daily flow of 210,000 gallons of crude oil into Gulf waters has never before been tried at such a depth and is not guaranteed to work.  See related story.  The process of placing and securing the dome over the leak is expected to last into the weekend.  If all goes according to plan, the dome may be operational by early next week.

In the meantime, the U.S. Coast Guard continues with efforts to contain the massive oil slick that yesterday began reaching Louisiana’s outer islands.  See related story.  On Thursday, the Coast Guard dropped 28,000 gallons of dispersant chemical, performed four controlled burns of oil on the water’s surface, and skimmed 8,000 barrels of oil mixed with water.