Cap on BP Oil Well to Remain in Place Despite Slight Leak

The newly plugged BP oil well in the Gulf of Mexico has a slow leak, but federal officials said it's not a major concern and the experimental cap will remain in place for the time being.

The administration official in charge, retired Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen, also said seepage from the ocean floor about two miles away is likely not related to the ruptured well, The Associated Press reported.

Allen said BP was watching closely for signs of new leaks around the well 5,000 feet below the ocean surface. Engineers sealed the well's final valves Thursday, stopping the flow of oil into the water for the first time since April.

Engineers are concerned a leak somewhere else in the well could mean the cap would have to be opened to prevent too much oil and gas from escaping.

Neither Allen or White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said what the seepage was about two miles from the well head, the AP said. When asked about the seepage and the monitoring, BP spokesman Mark Salt would only say that "we continue to work very closely with all government scientists on this."

The new cap put into place early last week is seen as the best hope of stopping the massive leak that has been spilling oil into the Gulf for three months, causing an economic and environmental disaster.

BP will continue drilling two relief wells that the company hopes will permanently shut down the damaged well.