The Hill News

The long-leaking deepwater oil well spewing oil into the Gulf of Mexico is "very close" to being resolved, a top Obama administration official said Wednesday.

The administration saw cause for optimism in the early success BP had as it conducted its "static kill," it's latest effort to permanently shut down the leaking well off the coast of Louisiana.

"It's very close, in terms of containing the well," said Carol Browner, the Obama administration's energy czar, when asked whether the oil leak was over.

Browner was careful to caution that while the flow of leaking oil may be close to ending, the environmental response effort to the thousands of gallons spewed into the Gulf would continue as long as necessary.

"We do feel like this has been an important turning point," she said on ABC's "Good Morning America."

BP announced Wedneseday morning that the static kill, which pumps heavy mud into the busted well, appeared to b! e working. The company is looking to kill the leak sometime this month, according to the New York Times, just over 100 days since the initial explosion that triggered the leak and worst oil spill in U.S. history.

Browner meanwhile said that relief wells that have been drilled to aid the end of the spill "could be done in as little as two weeks."